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 |  Photo (191 K):
Courtesy of 303rd Bomb Group (H) Association, by friendly permission of Gary Moncur. 90 % of the center of the city of Cologne was destroyed at the end of WWII
Zoom picture destroyed city, zoom the photo (popup, flash, 900 K) | |
 | Photo (100 K):
Courtesy of 303rd Bomb Group (H) Association, by friendly permission of Gary Moncur.  Most destructions in Cologne during world war 2 were caused by the first thousand bomber raid of the war. More than 1.000 bombers attacked cologne at night on 30th May 1942. 600 acres of the city were destroyed - about 30.000 houses damaged or destroyed. Only 300 houses were not damaged during the two hours attack. About 1.500 tons of bombs were falling on the city. There were "only" about 500 deaths owing to the fact that many inhabitants had already left the city during the war
Before the war 770.000 people were living in Cologne, at the end of the war 40.000 people. 30.000 people died during the air attacks, 1.500.000 bombs were spread over the city
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 | Photo (139 K):
Courtesy of 303rd Bomb Group (H) Association, by friendly permission of Gary Moncur | |
 | Photo (32 K):
Courtesy of 100th Bomb Group Foundation, by friendly permission of Michael Faley | |
 | Photo (40 K):
Courtesy of 91st Bomb Group (H), by friendly permission of Jim Shepherd. Contributed by Paul Chryst. Jim wrote, the men of the 91st made it a point to not bomb the cathedral
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 | Photo (63 K):
This photo was sent by Don Henderson. His uncle, Floyd N.
Henderson, 457th Bomb Group 8th AF, took this photo from
his waist gunner position while flying over Cologne during the
later stages of WWII. He flew the last 22 mission of the war.
See: homepage
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 | Photo (138 K):
Courtesy of 467/463 RAF/RAAF WWII Bomber Squadrons website, by friendly permission of Peter Johnson | |
 | Photo (182 K):
This photo was sent by David Foster. His uncle Paul B. Davis was a member of crew #108, belonging to the 448th BG based out of Seething, Norfolk, UK. The B-24 named "Wazzel Dazzel" was belonging to 715th Sqn.. The photo was taken by Co-pilot James "Pop" Beadling | |
 | Photo (118 K):
This photo was sent by David Foster too. Central station and destroyed bridge Hohenzollernbrücke
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 | Photo (148 K):
Another photo sent by David Foster, right side square Neumarkt, left side the area around street Zeppelinstraße at building Olivandenhof | |
 | Photo (258 K):
Photo sent by David Foster, Cologne center | |
 | Photo (112 K):
Cathedral and central station. Courtesy of Peter Dunn's "Australia @ War" web site at www.ozatwar.com, by friendly permission of Peter Dunn | |
 | Photo (181 K):
Recon photo, Cologne february 1945. Cathedral at the bottom right corner | |
 | Photo (219 K):
Another Recon photo, february 1945. Cologne center between Street Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring and the buildings around Appellhofplatz. In the center of the photo church St. Gereon | |
 | Photo (177 K):
Photomontage of the two Recon photos above. Destruction between Cathedral and Street Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring
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 | Photo (175 K):
Courtesy of Kevin "The Rocketeer" via flickr-Website. Kevin's website
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 | Photo (194 K):
Courtesy of Kevin "The Rocketeer" Trotman via flickr-WebsiteZoom picture, zoom this photo (popup, flash 1,4 mb).
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 | Photo (165 K):
Courtesy of Kevin "The Rocketeer" Trotman via flickr-Website | |
 | Photo (160 K):
Courtesy of Gordon Ross via flickr-Website. Gordon's website.
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 | Photo (150 K):
Courtesy of Gordon Ross via flickr-Website | |
 | Photo (66 K):
Courtesy of Owen O'Malley & the RAAF 462 Squadron website, by friendly permission of Clancy Matthews
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 | Photo (77 K):
3rd Armored Division tank, as they fired at the German Mark V Panther Tank that was parked in front of the Cathedral. This and the following pictures from Phil DeRiggi's webpage were taken by an Army frontline photographer, Sergeant Jim Bates. More information about the tank and the capture of Cologne can be found on Phil's page for his brother John, who passed away October 08, 2005. John was member of the crew. The crew of this tank: Assistant Driver, Homer Davis, Tank Commander, Robert Early, Gunner, Clarence Smoyer, Assistant Gunner, John DeRiggi, and Driver, William McVey. Photo courtesy of John DeRiggi's brother Phil DeRiggi. | |
 | Photo (36 K):
German Mark V, shortly after being hit with the first round from John DeRiggis's tank. Courtesy of Phil DeRiggi | |
 | Photo (47 K):
The German Mark V Panther, after being hit by three rapid rounds of 90MM, fired from John DeRiggi's M26 tank.
Courtesy of Phil DeRiggi | |
 | Photo (44 K):
John DeRiggi and fellow crew members, checking out the German Mark V Panther they had destroyed the previous day at the cathedral.
Courtesy of Phil DeRiggi
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 | Photo (74 K):
The destroyed German tank outside Cologne Cathedral. Courtesy of Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, by friendly permission of Dr. Douglas Day | |
 | Photo (73 K):
Cpl. Luther E. Boger, Concord, N.C., skytrooper, reads a warning sign in the street. This street leads to the Rhine River and is under observation of the Germans who occupy a stronghold there. Cpl. Boger is with the 82nd Airborne Division. 4 April 1945. The German tank is burnt out. Photo courtesy of US-Army history images | |
 | Photo (66 K):
Infantrymen of the 36th. Armored Infantry Regiment following John DeRiggi's tank into Central Square. Courtesy of Phil DeRiggi | |
 | Photo (59 K):
John DeRiggi's tank, an M26, heading for Central Square in Cologne, coming from street Gladbacher Strasse crossing street Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring driving to street Christophstrasse. Sergeant Early is pictured at left, John DeRiggi is pictured at right.
Courtesy of Phil DeRiggi | |
 | Photo (74 K):
Cologne Cathedral. Courtesy of Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society, by friendly permission of Dr. Douglas Day. | |
 | Photo (64 K):
The destroyed bridge "Hohenzollernbrücke". Photo sent by Bernd Fromader | |
 | Photo (195 K):
Cologne April 24, 1945. Courtesy of NARA ARC | |
 | Photo (116 K):
The city of Cologne in March 1945 after several bombing raids. Courtesy of Juno Beach Centre / National Defence Image Library, PL 42542, by friendly permission of Xavier Paturel. Same photo with explanation of the buildings. | |
 | Photo (105 K):
Damages resulting from bombing in a residential area of Cologne. View from the cathedral onto the southern parts of the city, street at the right side is the "Hohe Straße". Courtesy of Juno Beach Centre / National Defence Image Library, PL 42543, by friendly permission of Xavier Paturel. | |
 | Photo (82 K):
Lt. Wick Goist at Cologne Cathedral. Courtesy of 1-377 FAR (AASLT) website | |
 | Photo (65 K):
Destroyed houses. Courtesy of 1-377 FAR (AASLT) website | |
 | Photo (82 K):
Destroyed Hohenzollern-Bridge. Courtesy of 1-377 FAR (AASLT) website | |
 | Photo (146 K):
Cologne, city district Mülheim, two heavy day attacks on October 14-15, 1944. One of destroyed the bridge "Mülheimer Brücke" | |
The following photos are courtesy of The U.S. Army 3rd Armored Division History Website, by friendly permission of Vic Damon |
 | Photo (36 K):
Spearhead infantrymen advance in the heart of Cologne. In the distance are the Cathedral twin spires.
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 | Photo (58 K):
Spearhead Sherman Tanks in Cologne. The Sherman in the foreground is the M4A3E2 version. The Sherman in the left background is an M4A1, the Sherman behind the Jumbo is a M4A3 with a 76mm gun.
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 | Photo (62 K):
3rd Armored Division Tankers Under Fire. March 6, 1945. www.3ad.com comment:
In one of the great, overlooked photos of WWII, two Spearhead tank crewmen have left their Sherman (at left) moments after another Sherman (at right) took a hit from a German Panther tank (out of sight). The original newswire caption reads that one crewman is running to aid any survivors in the smoking Sherman, while the other is running toward the camera for a medic. The towering Cologne Cathedral can be seen in the background.
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 | Photo (25 K):
Spearhead infantrymen hunker down near the Cologne cathedral as snipers are encountered.
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 | Photo (66 K):
3AD M-26 Pershing and Infantry Advance in Cologne
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 | Photo (76 K):
Convoy of 3AD Shermans in CologneThe same view in 2006
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 | Photo (64 K):
3AD Column Meets Resistance in Cologne. Up ahead was German machine-gun, mortar, and artillery fire.
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 | Photo (42 K):
Cologne, March 6 - 7, 1945. www3ad.com comment:
At left, 3rd Armored infantrymen peer around a building as a Sherman tank stands ready to fire. At right, a German tank burns after hits from a 3rd Armored tank (90mm Pershing M26) that killed three of its five-man crew.
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 | Photo (50 K):
The destroyed German Tank at the Cathedral. It lost a sudden violent duel with new 3AD Pershing M-26. www3ad.com comment:
Unidentified 3AD soldiers inspect a German Mark V Panther tank several days after it had been knocked out on March 6, 1945, by an M-26 commanded by Sgt. Robert Early, E Co, 32nd Armored Regiment. The Panther took three hits from the M-26's 90mm gun. At least three of the five-man German crew were confirmed killed. The M-26 was not hit.
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 | Photo (50 K):
Bird's-Eye View from Cologne Cathedral, including Panther tank knocked out on March 6, 1945, by 3AD Pershing. This photo was probably taken on March 7th or 8th after the downtown area had been fully secured.
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 | Photo (102 K):
Bird's-Eye View from Cologne Cathedral at the southern districts.
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 | Photo (83 K):
Bird's-Eye View from Cologne Cathedral at the destroyed Rhine river bridge "Hohenzollernbrücke"
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 | Photo (73 K):
Pedestrians near the cathedral, taken around March 6-7, 1945 | |
 | Photo (64 K):
Spearhead-sign in street Venloer Straße | |
 | Photo (51 K):
Spearhead-sign at a bridge in street Venloer Straße | |
| | More fascinating photos, information, movies and add your comments on page 2 | |
