96th Bomb Squadron
2nd Bomb Group
United States Army Air Forces during WWII in Italy
 
Belated DFC Metal for Lt. Clarence W. Southern on
Mission #163 to Klagenfurt, Austria, Airdrome.
March 11, 1944.
Lt. Southern's plane "Wabash Cannon Ball" in a Prismacolor pencil drawing by Hayne Coleman named "Range! Fire!"
  
Read about Lt. Southern's escape from Nazi fighters during Mission # 157 in
Click Here( Range! Fire!) 
 
The 96th Squadron lost 6 planes on Mission 150
 to Steyr, Austria.
(2nd BG lost 14 planes, 27 KIA 113 POW.)
February 24, 1944
 Mission 150 was a part of what was called "Big Week" in Defenders of Liberty. It was a very

 concentrated move against the production of German aircraft by both the 15th AF and the 8th

 AF. They dated from August 20th to August 25. Bad weather hindered some of the operations

  but the mission to Steyr, Austria on February 24th went as planned and was completed, but not

 without terrible losses. As you can see from the chart below the first wave made it through in

 very good shape except for the 20th Squadron, which lost 2 planes. The second wave was not

 so lucky and sustained terrible losses.


 The Second was First, by Chuck Richards carries a good description, circumstances and stories

 of the surviving crews who made it back.

The 49th Squadron lost all 7 crews. The 96th Squadron lost 6.

Forward to 96th Squadron People