401st Bomb Group, Mission No. 202, 1Feb 1945, Ludwigshaven, Germany. Briefing took place at 0515 hours. Loading was twelve 500 pound GP's and two M17IB's. Assembly to be at 19,000 feet. At 0840, during Group takeoff, a B-17 piloted by Lt. F. E. Babcock, suffering a malfunction, ran off the runway and continued beyond the perimeter track. The aircraft was only slightly damaged and the crew, who were not injured, transferred to a ground spare and were airborne by 0947 hours. Three aircraft were forced to abort, and one spare also returned early. All other operational aircraft had landed by 1748 hours. The 401st again provided the three squadrons comprising the 94th Combat Wing "A" Group. Because of cloud cover over the target, the target was attacked by the Lead and Low Squadrons using Gee-H (radio beam) means. Because the High Squadron experienced a Gee-H failure on the bomb run, the Squadron attacked the target of last resort at Pferzheim by PFF (radar) technique. No German fighers were encountered, and the meager flak caused only minor damage to five aircraft.