NOVEMBER 1943

3. The target for today was the port area of Wilhelmshaven. Capt Lord and Lt Hecker led the formation. Other pilots who participated were: Capt Baltrusaitis, Lts Beckman, Hutchens, Wood, Robinson and Clore. All crews returned safely at 15.27 hrs and reported bombing results as unobserved. No enemy aircraft attacked and flak was meager.

4. A mission planned for Gelsenkirchen,  in the heart of the Ruhr Valley, but failed to materialize.

5. Six aircraft took off this morning to bomb an important rail centre, and an iron and steel works at Gelsenkirchen. Lts Beckman, Clore, Hutchens Wood and Robinson flew on this mission. Bombing results were reported as good.

6. The mission for today, planned for Emden, was scrubbed.

7. Capt Baltrusaitis, Lts Genther, Beckman, Clore, Wood and Hutchens took off on a mission to Wesel, Germany, to bomb an important center of road, rail and canal traffic.

8. A mission planned to Neuss, Germany, a suburb of Dusseldorf, was scrubbed.

The following is a list of awards presented to combat crew personnel of this squadron last month, earned while participating in missions over enemy territory:- The Distinguished Flying Cross went to 2nd Lt George R. Darrow, while there were 39 Air Medals and 57 Oak Leaf Clusters. 

Assigned was a new combat crew: 2nd Lts Donald Goodge, Henry Arrowsmith, David Flanagan, Robert Kessler; Sgts Donald Anderson, Robert Carline, Francis Foote, Robert LeVert, Alfred Phillips, Paul Rivera.

10. The target for today was Bremen, but the mission was scrubbed.

11. Six aircraft from this squadron took off for a mission to Wesel, Germany, led by Capt Lord and Lt Hecker led the group. Other pilots were: Lts Genther, Beckman, Hutchens and Wood, but the planes were recalled at 14.25 hrs and returned to base.  

13. Mission again planned for Bremen, but recalled yet again.

1st Lt  Fred W. Nudell appointed Base Tech. Inspector and relieved of the duties of Station Engineering Officer;  1st Lt John L. Silva was thus appointed Station Engineering Officer and also Squadron Defense Officer, both as per Special Order No. 57.

15. Mission to Knaben, Norway was undertaken today to bomb the molybdenum mine, the most important economic and industrial target in Norway. The entire output of this mine goes to Germany which has no other source of supply of this steel hardening metal. The group formation was led by Capt Lord and Lt Hecker; other pilots, Capt Baltrusaitis, Lts Genther, Hutchens, Wood and Duncan. Bombing results were reported as good. Enemy aircraft opposition was described as weak and flak was meager.

This mission completed the tour of duty for six men of this squadron: 1st Lt Martin T. Honke Jr, S/Sgt Arnold G. Hone, T/Sgt Marvin L. Pease, S/Sgt Harry J. Thorpe, S/Sgt Wallace B. McGaughey, S/Sgt Julio J. Aqualino. These men are the first of the squadron to complete 25 missions over enemy territory. Each will receive a letter of recommendation from Capts Lord  and Baltrusaitis and Lt DeSantis.

16. Three new crews were assigned:1st Lt Bernard Hollenkamp, 2nd Lt George Jones, F/O Herbert Clough, 2nd Lt Richard Hazelton; Sgts George Reiman, Ira Walker Jr, George Spell, Homer Hutchens, Elmo Schultz, Harold Good.

2nd Lts William Herrington, Jack Fournier, Earl Wonning, Nicholas DeRose; Sgts Raoul Ramos, Anthony Korkuc, Lloyd Burgess, Thomas Hunnicut, Harvey Reeves, Antony Bartelo.

2nd Lt Francis Flaherty, John Hoffer, F/O Benjamin Saporta, William Farrell; Sgts Notra Bright, Casimir Lukowski, Edward Doherty, Burling Larson, Hank Krzyzak, Arthur Butler.

An air-sea rescue party was sent from this group to search for dingheys reported to be seen in the North Sea. Planes returned failing to find anything.

20. 2nd Lt George R. Darrow promoted to 1st Lt.

23. Mission to Bremen scrubbed before take off.

24. Again a mission to Bremen was scrubbed.

26. After four attempts the mission to Bremen was carried out successfully, and all planes returned safely. Bombing results were reported as unobserved due to heavy cloud coverage in target area. No fighter opposition and flak reported as meager, moderate and intense.

Ship of this squadron provided the high squadron flown by Capt Baltrusaitis, Lts Darrow, McNeill, Clore, Duncan, Beckman, Wood and Genther.

29. Mission to Bremen was scrubbed.

30. Mission to Solingen was scrubbed.

The strength of the squadron at the end of this month was 77 officers and 395 enlisted men.  Eight officers exchanged old bars for new: Capt Bernard Cohler, Capt William P. Marques, Capt Seymour Caplan, 1st Lt Adrian L. Maloney, 1st Lt Cecil M. Clore, 1st Lt Donald R. Frieze, 1st Lt Richard Robinson, 1st Lt Ralph J. Waldman.  

As per SO No. 129, the following new crew are assigned as on 4 Nov.: 2nd Lts Edward H. McNeill, Edwin A. Bryce,  Marvin W. Fairbanks, Harvey Tidwell; Sgts Albert F. Suchy, Richard Charmack, Harry V. Huth, Thomas Eastburn, Robert Dearth and Pvt Albert B. Shank.