Berlin — Transportation Area

Mission Narrative

February 3, 1945, was the day the 8th Air Force delivered its largest single raid on Berlin — "Big B," the most feared target in the briefing room. A force of 1,003 B-17 Flying Fortresses headed for the German capital, while 434 B-24 Liberators struck Magdeburg. Nearly 1,000 fighters — mostly P-51 Mustangs — provided escort. The bomber stream stretched 360 miles from front to rear, requiring 90 minutes for all aircraft to pass over the city. It was the war's biggest bombing mission against Berlin.

The aiming point was Frederichstrasse Railway Station — intelligence believed the German Sixth Panzer Army was moving through Berlin by rail toward the Eastern Front to counter the massive Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive that had launched on January 12. General Doolittle, commanding the 8th Air Force, had objected to the target selection, but was overruled by General Spaatz and General Eisenhower, who deemed the attack essential for Allied unity and to support the Soviet advance, now just 130 miles from the city.

What happened aboard the 351st's lead aircraft that day is one of the most extraordinary stories of the air war. Major Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal — already legendary for surviving the disastrous Münster raid of October 1943 — flew as Command Pilot with the 351st's Captain John Ernst, piloting B-17G 44-8379/EP-J. This was Rosenthal's 52nd mission. On the bombing run over the Templehof yards, the aircraft took a direct hit from a ground-launched rocket. Fire erupted in the bomb bay, filling the cockpit with dense white smoke. In an act of extraordinary heroism, Rosenthal refused to break formation, holding the burning Fortress steady to ensure the entire division's bombs fell accurately. Only after bombs away did crew members begin bailing out. Six men escaped before an engine exploded and the aircraft entered a burning spin. Captain Ernst was severely injured on the jagged bomb bay door while bailing out and was captured. Two crew members were killed. Rosenthal and three others parachuted into Soviet-held territory and eventually returned to England. He received the Distinguished Service Cross.

The raid destroyed Gestapo headquarters on Prinz-Albrechtstrasse, set the Air Ministry ablaze, and left approximately 120,000 Berliners homeless. Carl's loading list shows this as the first mission where his rank is recorded as S/Sgt — his promotion to Staff Sergeant.

Strategic Context

By early February 1945, the war was entering its final phase. The Soviet Vistula-Oder Offensive had driven the Red Army to within 130 miles of Berlin, and the Western Allies were preparing for the final drive across the Rhine. The February 3 Berlin raid was as much a political statement as a military operation — demonstrating to the Soviets that the Western Allies were committed to the joint effort and willing to strike the heart of the Reich. The destruction of key government buildings underscored the message: the Nazi regime's days were numbered.