Bad Homburg GEE jamming station destroyed

[Jaap Woortman]

At March 3rd 1945 12 P-47’s of XIX TAC of the 9th USAAF, each carrying two 1000 pound bombs, have destroyed
a German jamming station for GEE at ‘Hill 880’ near Bad Homburg in Germany.
The leader reported: ”Fifteen direct hits. Target ⅔ destroyed. Column of smoke and flame 1000 feet high from building
north of tower, strafed after attack.“ The 72nd Wing RAF reported the interference ceased abruptly at the time of the attack.
Until now we have not been able to identify the unit(s) involved in this operation.
Does anyone know which US Fighter Group or Fighter Squadron(s) was (were) in this operation?

The information above is from an unknown magazine or book published shortly after the war.

Jaap Woortman
Study Group Air War 1939-1945

[RSwank]

There is reference to Hill 880 and an attack on this link (which is an abstract of an e-newsletter), search for Hill 880 on the link:

http://www.dehs.org.uk/wp-content/up...-I_Extract.pdf

It would appear there was an article originally in a magazine or publication called "Radar" put out by the USAAF in the 1940s.

Mike Dean then most likely contributed that original article, which was then published/re-published in the July 2017 e-newsletter.

You may have to be a member of the organization to actually see the newsletters, I don't see them on their website, only the abstracts.

[Horst Weber]

Originally Posted by Jaap Woortman

At March 3rd 1945 12 P-47’s of XIX TAC of the 9th USAAF, each carrying two 1000 pound bombs, have destroyed
a German jamming station for GEE at ‘Hill 880’ near Bad Homburg in Germany.
The leader reported: ”Fifteen direct hits. Target ⅔ destroyed. Column of smoke and flame 1000 feet high from building
north of tower, strafed after attack.“ The 72nd Wing RAF reported the interference ceased abruptly at the time of the attack.
Until now we have not been able to identify the unit(s) involved in this operation.
Does anyone know which US Fighter Group or Fighter Squadron(s) was (were) in this operation?

The information above is from an unknown magazine or book published shortly after the war.

Jaap Woortman
Study Group Air War 1939-1945

Good evening Jaap !

In my Ninth Air Force Summary of Operations No. 62 for 3 March 1945 (Sunset to Sunset), AFHRA microfilm B 5694, no mission this day is matching up with the mentioned event.
XIX TAC had only three attacks with 1000 pound bombs:

362nd FG at target RR Bridge Irlich. This target wasn't attacked due to bad weather and rail targets and barges like Cochem and St. Goar were attacked. This mission was from 7:15 - 9:35 hrs.

The second mission for 362nd FG that day with 1000 pound bombs was from 10:40 - 13:00 hrs. Here they hit the Irlich RR Bridge and an adjacent highway-bridge.

The third mission with 1000 pound bombs was carried out by P-38 of 367th FG in the time 9:42 - 11:17 in the area of Altrich near Wittlich.


All other missions that day were carried out with 500 pound bombs.


Best wishes !


Horst Weber

[RSwank]

I suspect the GEE jamming installation was on Grosser Feldberg, which is 879.5 meters high (Hill 880) and just west of Bad Homburg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9Fer_Feldberg



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feldbe...us_transmitter

[Carsten Petersen]

I have the attack for the 2nd of March: 362nd FG 16/16 P-47 Attack Radar Site M-515817 1120 1343, 24 x 1000 GP dropped on target. Bombed radar site M-515817 NW
Frankfurt. 0 lost. Claims: Radar Station 1-0-0

[RSwank]

That is it, co-ordinates wM515817 on the Nord de Guerre Zone map is Grosser Feldberg.

See http://www.echodelta.net/mbs/eng-welcome.php for the "translation".

[Carsten Petersen]

check http://www.luftkrig1939-45.dk/pages/Marts_1945.html chapter (kap) 17 and you will find a couple of photos from the attack

[Carsten Petersen]

sorry Kap 7 (too many thumbs)

[RSwank]

Yes, see pdf page 29 on this: http://www.luftkrig1939-45.dk/pdf/Marts_1945/Kap_7.pdf

[Jaap Woortman]

Thanks guys!
Problem solved.
The date March 3rd 1945 was mentioned in the article.
Must have been a early typo!

Jaap