Return to base: B-17 Flying Fortress navigator back at Molesworth after 68 years

  • Published
  • By U.S. Army Capt. Frank L. Huffman
  • U.S. European Command JIOCEUR Analytic Center
RAF MOLESWORTH, United Kingdom --  "When we got close to the target, I wondered what all of those black clouds were - I soon found out."

Those are the words of retired Lt. Col. Albert Levin, Air Force Reserve , formerly 2nd Lt. Albert Levin, a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress" heavy bomber navigator from the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group (Heavy), RAF Molesworth during World War II.

Now a very spry 91 years of age, Levin returned to the base from where he completed his combat tour and reflected on the experiences of war.

"Merseberg. That was my very first mission and a heck of a way to enter combat," said Levin. "We didn't encounter many fighters that day, but the flak (anti-aircraft artillery) was unbelievable. Very heavy and sustained throughout the time we were in the target area and especially heavy once we hit the IP (Initial Point - from where the plane's controls were turned over to the bombardier and could not take evasive action)."

Merseberg was one of the most heavily defended targets in Nazi Germany. The factories produced synthetic fuel and other petroleum-based products and were protected by hundreds of the feared .88-millimeter all-purpose gun, the best such weapon by either side during World War II. Only targets such as Berlin, Schweinfurt, Cologne, Magdeburg, Munich or Regensberg produced the same level of consternation among bomb crews.

"We would be asleep in our Nissen hits (which can still be seen at various airfields across England, including Molesworth) and an operations sergeant would walk into the hut and would call out the name of the pilot, in my case (2nd Lt.) Ben Connelly, and then you knew you were flying that day," Levin said. "Then after breakfast, we would go into the operations building for our briefing.

"You walked in and there would be a curtain over the map and when they pulled it back, either a low-level sigh would be heard, indicating a 'milk-run' (a not so heavily defended target) or a loud groan would be heard when certain target cities were called out and Merseberg was definitely one of those," he said. "Being my first mission, I didn't appreciate it at the time, but I soon joined the others (in groaning), after I'd been a few times."

Levin came to Molesworth in July of 1944 and was assigned to the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, known as the "Hell's Angels." Although maintenance issues and shortages of crewmembers occasionally had the crew split up and in a different plane, the majority of his flying time was spent in B-17 #42-97187, "Miss Umbriago."

"The B-17 was a wonderful plane and could take a lot of punishment, although we only had one crewman injured," he said. "Once, a flak round hit the side of the plane and put a huge dent only a few inches from my head. Luckily, it didn't explode."

Other members of his group weren't so lucky. The New York native vividly recalls the end of September of 1944.

"We flew to Cologne (in "Flak Hack," B-17G #42-97329) on Sept. 27 (Mission # 247) and had a successful trip, but the next day (Sept. 28) was the worst," Levin said. "Eleven of our planes didn't come back from a mission to Magdeburg (including "Flak Hack"). Do you know what it's like to see all of those empty hardstands (area where each plane was parked) and bunks, realizing how many of your friends would never make it back."

Wiping tears from his eyes and clearing a choked-up throat, Levin continued: "That was the worst day of the war for me and I wasn't even flying. To think of all of those men gone in one day was unbelievable."

The 303rd Bomb Group, and Levin, recovered from this tragic day and continued the fight against fierce German opposition throughout the remainder of the war. For Levin, however, his war ended in January of 1945, upon completing the mandatory 35 missions that indicated a completed tour of duty for bomber crews. Leaving the Molesworth base on a cold January morning, Levin hadn't returned to his old base until Aug. 30, 2012.

"It's nice being back, but I honestly don't remember much," he said to Navy Capt. Gary Powers, JIOCEUR Analytic Center deputy commander who hosted the veteran. "The base is certainly much different than when I flew out of here. It's been a long time, but I'm glad I made the trip.

"I do remember the people locally, who we traded various things with, especially to get fresh eggs and an occasional chicken," said Levin. "The English people were great to us and we certainly appreciated everything they went through during the war."

RAF Molesworth continues to serve today as the home of the United States European Command JIOCEUR Analytic Center, The United States Africa Command J2-M and the NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre