KCENAV is built on a legacy of precision. Founder Matthew Van Eck’s grandfather was a Navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress named "Bottle Baby." His job was to guide his crew through chaos and bring them home safely.
Herman Van Eck flew 20 bombing missions against German targets during the final months of World War II. He served as the Navigator for the 613th Bombardment Squadron, part of the 401st Bomb Group—a unit cited for having the highest percentage of bombs closest to their targets in the entire 8th Air Force.
He completed 160.20 combat hours between February 20th and April 16th, 1945. While maps and logs tell the story of where he went, his personal notes tell the story of what it took to survive.
The Mission: March 30, 1945
The mission to Bremen, Germany, is not shown on the map above because the navigation log was never completed. It was the worst mission Herman flew. After landing, he wrote down the details so he would never forget:
"We had lost two engines during the mission due to gun fire. Our vertical stabilizer was shot away and 8 good sized holes were in the plane. When we landed, the third engine conked out. When the ground crew was working on the plane they could not start the fourth engine. They found a large piece of flak that did not fall into a vital area until the engine stopped."
"With loving respect for my Grandfather who is and always will be my hero."
— Matthew Van Eck