On October 16, 1944, First Lieutenant Lloyd Bentsen Jr. led Box B-2 on a bombing mission to the St. Valentin Tank works in Steyr, Austria. When weather obscured the primary target, Bentsen directed his formation to bomb the alternate target—the St. Vert Marshalling Yard.
During the mission, intense anti-aircraft fire severely damaged his aircraft. One engine was completely inoperative and two others were operating sporadically. Despite this, Bentsen maintained formation long enough to bomb the target.
Unable to remain with the formation, Bentsen ordered his crew to jettison all possible equipment to keep the plane airborne. With only one engine operating properly, he headed for Vis, hoping it was in Allied hands.
Heat waves held the damaged aircraft off the runway. Bentsen forced the plane down, only for the nose wheel to collapse. The aircraft skidded to a halt with its tail high in the air. No crew members were injured.
As armed men rushed toward the plane, Bentsen climbed out uncertain whether they were friend or foe. He later recalled recognizing one of them—the man had sacked groceries for his mother at a store in McAllen, Texas.
A P-38 reconnaissance aircraft transported Bentsen to 15th Air Force Headquarters at Bari. His crew returned to Grottaglie by B-25 at 1700. Bentsen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this mission on January 9, 1945.
