Melvin Cohn with John Lee's crew of Blood n Guts

Melvin Cohn (second from the right in the front row) with John Lee's crew of Blood and Guts. Melvin was the navigator gunner. He was shot down over Germany on his 24th mission. It was a mission he didn't have to take, he volunteered even though he was eligible to return home.

The target was the Leuna Werke, deep in the heart of Germany. The sprawling chemical factory was the crown jewel of the Nazi synthetic fuel industry. It was one of the most protected targets in Germany. Aircrews viewed a mission to Leuna as the most dangerous and difficult assignment of the air war.