The Watch That Went to War

1st Lieutenant Ira Weinstein, a navigator/bombardier, was not supposed to fly on Sept. 27, 1944. But he wanted to get in his last mission so could be home by Christmas, and he was home by Christmas - a year later. The 445th Bomb Group, flying B-24 Liberators out of Tibenham, England, suffered the highest one-day loss of any group in 8th Air Force History that day. Thirty-five bombers flew off course and 25 were shot down when the group was ambushed by more than 100 German fighter planes. Ira was one of only three survivors on his crew, and became a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft I. A retired advertising executive, he has dedicated his time and effort to preserving the memory of the Kassel Mission, and is a member of the board of directors of the Kassel Mission Historical Society. For decades, people have been urging him to write down the many stories, some colorful, others poignant, he has told about his experiences over the years. These are his stories.