On Thursday, the 14th of October 43, from 2:15 o'clock p. m. to 4:37 o'clock p. m. the military college had an air raid alert. At about 3 o'clock, strong enemy units - according to the "Wehrmachtsbericht" - about 250 - 300 aircraft were flying to Schweinfurt from westerly and southwesterly direction at an altitude of 3.000 - 4.000 meters. It was a summery warm, almost unclouded autumn day. The Schweinfurt anti aircraft artillery put a strong barrage before the attackers and fought the bombers with well targeted fire, after they had come nearer. Already in the first assault wave, one aircraft was obviously damaged by an anti-aircraft hit. In any case, it was burning but kept on flying. At that German fighters were trailing them. The second wave of about 120 aircraft was received with well targeted anti-aircraft fire. The foremost aircraft suddenly tipped down, while its tail unit and one engine came apart. In three parts this craft crashed northern of the train station of Waigolshausen on to the open field. Seven men got off. One parachute opened only half way, so that the man hanging in it came to the ground dead. One further aircraft crashed into the forest belonging to the parade-ground of the "Unteroffizierschule 3 der Luftwaffe" (Sergeant's college), which caused a tremendous bomb explosion. By the resulting suction even some windowpanes of the barracks were shattered. As soon it was observed that aircraft were hit and parachutes were in the air, Major Dr. Koch, who was substituting the absent commander, deployed the stand-by platoon of the 1. Company to search the ground terrain for landed enemy airmen. The patrols combed pieces of woodland and not yet harvested fields, partially aided by the Schweinfurt tanks. All together 12 enemy airmen were taken to the college, among them 5 officers, and one dead, who had been seized by the commandos of the "Unteroffizierschule 3", by the "Landwacht" (home defense) and by civilians. They were gathered in our guard room and at about 9 o'clock p. m. taken to the emergency sickbay under the central block of the castle, where they spent the night on straw sacks guarded by the military cadets, while the dead was laid down in the former mortuary. Two of them were wounded, one at the arm, the other at the thigh. The next day, the 12 captured airmen were taken by First lieutenant Eich to the transit camp at Oberursel, where on this day more than 100 American prisoners arrived. While money, valuables and celluloid covers with chocolate, chewing gum, cigarettes, a small compass and the usual file, were handed over, the other equipment, e. g. parachutes, life jackets, breast armors, breathing masks, flying suits and ammunition, was sent to the Command of the air-base region Gelnhausen.
Unfortunately, also one German aircraft with one first lieutenant and one corporal was shot down by enemy aircraft guns 8 kilometers south of Werneck. While the corporal was taken to the air base Schweinfurt, where he deceased soon, First lieutenant Heinz Wilhelm of the Bomber Group 1 was taken to our college, where Surgeon Major Dr. Simon had to certify the death. It was observed, that he had suffered from a serious destruction of the knee, an injury of the artery of the right thigh, a shot through lung and liver and a serious skull fracture. The next day, First lieutenant Kunze took him in a coffin to the air base Schweinfurt, where all the necessary arrangements were met. - The dead American was buried on the cemetery of Werneck without attracting attention.
After the assault, Major Dr. Koch sent out Captain Norberger, who meanwhile had returned from Hammelburg, to two different places: to the air base Schweinfurt, in order to indicate the crash site of the planes and to the commanding garrison officer in order to offer him troops of the "Unteroffizierschule 3" for disaster recovery services.
By this assault housing areas were less affected but primarily the industrial compounds. No bombs fell on the site of the barracks and the air base.
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