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MISSION #1 DEC 24 1943
TARGET - ST. OMAR (FRANCE)
BOMB LOAD 12 Demolition each 500 pounds
BOMBING ALTITUDE 18500 ft
TEMPERATURE 20 BELOW ZERO
We were awakened at 0530 and we all thought it was just going
to be another dry run. But we found out different when we
reached the briefing room. There we were told what our target
was to be and how important it was to the enemy. We worked
from 0700 to 1100 getting all of our equipment in working
order. Then came the time to start the engines and get ready
for take off. We all climbed into our ship and got ready. Then
we taxied up to the runway and we were on our way. We circled
the field a few times until every ship had obtained its proper
position and the formation was made. Then we flew across the
Channel into France. We didn’t encounter any enemy fighters
which was quite a surprise to me. Also we were able to go
around the Flak and no one was hurt. Later we heard that S-2
expected about 50% causalities. Also we were told that our
bombs hit and destroyed the target. I wish some of you people
that read this could have been there when we returned to our
field. It seemed like everyone that could possibly come out to
greet and question us was there.
MISSION #2 DEC 31st 1943
TARGET – COGNAC (FRANCE) AIRFIELD
BOMB LOAD 10 Demolition each 500 pounds
BOMBING ALTITUDE 16,000ft
TEMPERATURE 18 Below Zero
My Second raid. We were awakened at 0230. Then we were briefed
& the regular routine stuff. We took off at 0715. We
arrived at our Target at 1230. Our Target was an Airfield
where the German pilots train to fly the FW 190 and the FW
200. Just before we reached our target a formation of B-24s
cut-thru our formation and broke it up. We were flying tail
end Charley. That is the last ship in the high Element. When
the Libs broke us up or cut us out of our formation we were
attacked by two ME 109s. They came in at 9 o’clock high then
flew out about 1500, yards and picked up another one out there
and the three of them made a direct attack on our tail. They
came in at 430 Level and I was the only one who could shoot at
them. They were too low for the Top Turret and too high for
the Lower Turret. Two of them kept weaving and the one in the
center kept coming straight in. I kept firing at the center
one. Then all of a sudden he burst out in flame and I could
see the smoke pouring out of his engine. He went down in a
tight spin and that was the end of him. By this time we were
over our Target. The Flak was very accurate and there was
plenty of it. I saw two of our ships go down. One was from our
group and the other was from another group that was flying
with us. The one from our group was hit in #2 engine and the
ship seemed to sit up on its tail. At first I couldn’t
figure what was wrong with it as I had never seen a ship hit
as yet. Then I watched it go down in a spin. I saw two fellows
bail out of our ship before it hit. We picked up a few holes
in our ship from Flak. One piece hit #1 engine and another cut
our trim tabs cable. Still another hit the top turret. As for
the enclosed article, it tells pretty much what happened to
one of our crews. They were flying another ship not Hangover
and the ship they were flying was put in the junk pile. We put
two ships in the junk pile on this raid. Major Newman’s ship
had 150 holes in it from Flak. He had to make a one wheel
landing and ground looped no one was hurt. There was another
group flying behind us and they called our old man and told
him our bombs made a direct hit. We destroyed 11 out of 16
hangars which was our target. We landed at 1715 o’clock and
boy was I ever tired. So far I got credit for a damaged ship
from that last raid. No one saw it hit the ground and it was
not confirmed.
MISSION #3 JAN 11 1944
TARGET BRUNSWICK (GERMANY) ASSEM. PLANT
BOMB LOAD 10 Demolition each 500 pounds
BOMBING ALTITUDE 21,000 Ft
TEMPERATURE 35 BELOW ZERO
Once again we were awakened at 0230 breakfast and briefing and
work. Then we left the field at 0700 o'clock. We were to
assemble at 16,000 ft but there was a very bad overcast at
that altitude and quite a few ships never did find their right
outfits. The clouds were so thick I could hardly see our wing
tips. There were ships all over the sky we almost got rammed
by other ships a couple of times. I was kept pretty busy in
the tail flashing code so the other ships could see us and
know what group we belong to. We were very lucky to find our
ships. We left the English coast at 1020 o’clock and reached
the German border at 1110. We reached the target at 1217. We
saw quite a few fighters, some JU 88s and some ME 110s and
210s. For our escort we had a few P38s. On this raid we used
some new kind of stuff to deflect Flak and it proved to be
pretty good. We saw plenty of Flak but it didn’t come near
enough to do any damage. We saw one B-17 blow up at
3o’clock. It was hit by a rocket and it really went down in
a hurry. A little later I saw-another B17 and two enemy
fighters blow up. In this raid we lost Lt Jarrell and his
crew. Jarrell was the Pilot. I. flew with from Irie to
England. We also lost Lt Col. Bowman, he is the one who came
down to Palestine, Tex when we made that forced landing there.
Another crew went down into the Channel but they were all
rescued. We landed at 1500 o’clock. Sure am glad to be back.
It was pretty rough today.
MISSION #4 JAN 21st 1944
TARGET- ROBOT BOMB SKIS, (FRANCE)
BOMB-LOAD. 12 Demolition each 500 pounds
BOMBING ALTITUDE 12,000 Ft,
TEMPERATURE 10 ABOVE ZERO
This one is really a dandy. We were awakened at 0730 o'clock
and we went about our regular duties when at roll call I was
called to fly as tail gunner with Lt Putnam’s crew # 16. We
took off at 1240 and reached our I.P. at 1427. The bombardier
said Bomb Bay doors coming open. Then the radioman said Bombs
away. Yep we really screwed up on that one. We were flying the
lead ship so we radioed the Deputy lead and told them to take
over. So we made another run on the target this time there was
a formation of B24s under us and we couldn’t drop our Bombs
again so we had to make another run and finally they dropped
their Bombs and we started for home. There was no fighter or
Flak to speak of. I guess we were pretty darn lucky because
according to the newspapers some of the boys really took a
beating. When we reached the English coast the Deputy lead
ship which was leading now forgot to turn on the IFF and
identify ourselves and the English began shooting at us. We
saw more Flak on our own side than on the enemy’s side.
MISSION #5 JAN 29th 1944
TARGET-FRANKFURT (GERMANY)
BOMB LOAD 10 Demolition each 500 pounds.
ALTITUDE 23000 Ft.
TEMPERATURE 45 BELOW ZERO.
Today I really have something to write about. We were awakened
at 0200 o’clock everything went along smooth until just
after we crossed the French coast #3 engine started to act
funny. I noticed smoke coming back by the tail and I was just
going to call Dal and ask about it when Simon noticed it too
and called. By this time we were almost to the German border
and we started to abort. I heard the Copilot call the Pilot
and say #3 won’t feather. So the Pilot said shut it off. A
little later he called back and said, I cut #3 off and the
instruments show 3400 R.P.Ms . We couldn’t figure what was
wrong. Then the whole ship began to vibrate and it shook so
bad I thought it was going to fall apart. Then the Pilot gave
the order prepare to abandon ship. At first I was really
scared but as I waited for the order to jump I calmed down
quite a bit. For a while it looked as though we wouldn’t
have to jump. Then the Pilot told the Bombardier and Navigator
to get out of the nose. Later the engine started to act up
again. Again the order came over the interphone, prepare to
jump. This time it really looked bad. The Pilot got ready to
jump and he gave the signal and was just ready to give the
order to jump when the propeller came off and the ship
smoothed out again. But Owens and Bourrett had seen the signal
and jumped. Then the order came prepare to ditch. We threw
everything we could out and made ready for a crash landing on
water. But our prayers were answered and we made it back to
the field safe. Upon inspecting the ship we found 19 holes in
the front portion of the ship. All these were from flying
debris of the engine. The oxygen line was cut in the nose and
a few pieces just missed the Co-Pilot. During our flight back,
Dave our radioman did a swell job in bringing us back to the
field. Also he got a good fix on the two who bailed out. As
yet we haven’t heard whether or not they have been picked
up. From the time they bailed out the Pilot and another
Navigator figured they must have landed near the German coast.
There is a very good chance that they are safe. Morley and
Dallas are really down in the dumps although they are not to
blame. They both did a swell job and we all owe our lives to
their good judgment and skill in bringing us back.
Later we learned Owens & Bourrett were taken as
Prisoners.
MISSION #6 FEB 3rd 1944
TARGET WILHELMSHAVEN (GERMANY )
BOMB LOAD 10 Demolition each 500 pounds
BOMBING ALTITUDE 30,000 Ft
TEMPERATURE 45 BELOW ZERO
Our target today was the Shipyards &
Submarine docks at Wilhelmshaven. It was pretty cold up there
today and I was afraid someone would get frostbite. But we
were lucky and we made it all right. Today we had crew #
17’s Bombardier & Navigator. We saw quite a bit of Flak
but it was not too accurate. Also we had a wonderful fighter
support they came in very close and even played tag with us.
But don’t get the idea that there weren’t any enemy
fighters around. One of our boys had a little engine trouble
and he had to turn back. On his way back to the field he was
jumped by at least 19 enemy fighters and the heavy clouds were
the only thing that saved him. No one was hurt on his crew but
his ship really took a beating. He had 5 Twenty mm shells hit
his right wing and three in his left wing. How he ever managed
to bring his ship back to the field was and still is a mystery
to me.
MISSION # 7 FEB 4th 1944
TARGET FRANKFURT (GERMANY)
BOMB LOAD 42 each 100 pounds (INCENDIARY)
BOMBING ALTITUDE 24000 Ft
TEMPERATURE 38 BELOW ZERO.
Today we flew ship 097 as our baby is still grounded for
repairs. Our target was the city of Frankfurt. The idea was to
start a fire in the city itself in order to break down the
morale of the German people and we really did just that. We
were about a 100 miles away from the target and we could still
see the smoke coming up. This is our third time we started out
for Frankfurt and twice we had to turn back because of engine
trouble. Both times we came back on three engines, but at last
we broke the jinx and went all the way. We went thru quite a
bit of Flak on this raid but lady luck was with us and we only
got three holes in our ship. One was in the nose by Dallas the
Co-Pilot. One was in the wing by the radio room. The other was
in the waist just missing Joe our waist gunner. It hit his
ammunition box. We had one casualty Boyer our ball gunner his
heating suit burned out and his legs were frozen. They took
him to the Hospital as soon as we landed. Later we went to see
him and his right leg was frozen from the knee down to the
toes. They had to graft new skin on it. On this raid we lost
Major Sheppard. His ship was hit by Flak and went down.
Someone reported seeing ten chutes come out so I guess they
all were able to bail out all right. The heater went bad in
the cockpit and Moe & Dal had a heck of a time keeping
warm. I was afraid they too would get frostbitten.
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