JANUARY 1943

1. The 532nd squadron cadre was formed at Ephrata, Washington, from personnel of the 4th Bomb Squadron (now 395th Bomb Group), 34th Bomb Group. The original cadre consisted of the following officers and men:

6. Squadron was formally activated per SO No. 2, para No. 1, Headquarters 381st Bomb Group, January 6, 1943.

7.  This cadre left Ephrata, Washington on January 7, 1943, at 10.30 hrs and arrived at Pyote, Texas, on January 12, 1943.

17.  Captain Robert F. Post assumed command,  Capt Weibel was relieved of command and appointed Operations Officer.

19. Lt Harry Koch  was assigned and joined on this date and appointed Squadron Adjutant.

24. The squadron strength was increased from 55 to 162 men.

FEBRUARY 1943

2. The first combat crews to join the squadron included:

Capt Joe E. Alexander, C. Crowley, 2nd Lt Jack H. Wemmer, 2nd Lt Harold Hellman, T/Sgt James C. Nance, Pvt Mault W. C. Thompson, Sgt Walter F. Ferens, Pvt Peter D. Garvan, Pvt Joseph A Farzati.

1st  Lt Jack H. Owen, 2nd Lt Willian E. Bohan, 2nd Lt Liston A. Bascom, 2nd Lt Frank A. Ronzio, T/Sgt William E. Lindemeyer, S/Sgt Roy L. Slater, S/Sgt Clarence C. Asher, S/Sgt Charles K. Winn, Sgt Kenneth K. Rector, Sgt George R. Johnston.

1st Lt William R. Moore, 2nd Lt Dale G. Wendt, 2nd Lt Philip P. Dreiseszun, 2nd Lt James H. Houck, S/Sgt Frank Bryant, S/Sgt Edward M. Usher, Sgt William H. Kithcart, Pfc William L. Fortier, S/Sgt Edgerton P. Zahm, S/Sgt John M. Watkins.

1st Lt  Marvin D. Lord, F/O George R. Darrow, 2nd Lt Frank J. Shimek, 2nd Lt Thomas J. Hester, T/Sgt Fred T. Berg, S/Sgt Thomas S. Campbell, Pvt Charles E. Fry, S/Sgt Kenneth Stone, S/Sgt Joseph F. Mello, S/Sgt William H. Grayson.

MARCH 1943

25. More combat crews joined bringing the strength to 302:-

26. 1st Lt Leo Jarvis, 2nd Lt Eugene E. Nancinelli, 1st Lt Richard F. Riley, 2nd Lt William D. Lockhart; S/Sgts Harold W, Seymore, Warren G. Heintz, Harry L. Stecher, Charles L. Persinger, Eugene E. Roehl, Herman E. Grossman.

1st Lt Earl R. Horr, 2nd Lts William R. Roberts, George P. Griffiths, Chester L. Hoover; S/Sgts Glenn H. Chapin, George H. Orin, Herbert R. Clark, Charles P. Henry, Everett I.  Hodson, Arthur A. Jones.

1st Lt Jack B. Painter,  2nd Lts Everett B. Ragan, William J. Keays, Lloyd B. Duke; S/Sgts Matthew B. Kowalski, William C. Balentine, Raymond A. Genz, Allen P. Kellog, Norman G. Whitman, James C. Mizell.

2nd Lts William J. Baltrusaitis, Arthur M. Sample, Martin I. Honke Jr, 1st Lt Carl D. Potter; S/Sgts Arnold G. Hone, Marvin L. Pease, Harry J. Thorpe, Wallace B. McGaughey, Julio J. Aqualino, Thomas J. Murphy.

2nd Lt Guerdon W. Humason, Alfred Casaly, Leroy N. Hames, William G. Tsialas; Pvt John R. Ivey, S/Sgts Albert L. Parker Jr, Joseph G. Kralick, Frank Fabiano, Walter J. Anderson, Robert L. Cummings.

APRIL 1943

1. A new month finds our squadron  a growing organization. Now in the third phase of training, the 532nd is a well disciplined and war hardened group. Each department is working to make itself an efficient and smooth running unit. Today, combat crews attended ground school and made routine training flights. The several departments are now concentrating on crating equipment and supplies with the exception of the squadron moving to another base soon.

2. All departments completed crating and packing equipment. Two planes flew a morning training mission to Amarillo and Austin.

3. Orders were received to be prepared to move on short notice. The entire day was spent packing freight cars.

4. Squadron personnel entrained  at Pyote, Texas, for AAB Pueblo, Colo. At 19.00 hrs.

5. En route to Pueblo, Colorado.

6. Arrived Pueblo, Colorado  at 07.00 hrs  after journeying about 963 miles by  rail. Lt Col. Read, Executive Officer,  381st BG,  congratulated the squadron personnel on their fine military conduct while en route. Unpacking freight cars and getting set-up  for operation occupied the time for the entire day.

7. All departments of the squadron in full 24 hr operation. Cpl Arthur D. Neal, armorer,  was killed accidentally at 14.00 hrs.  M/Sgt Howard F. Wood and Sgt Victor Kottinger saved a base Flying Fortress from severe damage.  A bolt of lightning struck near the aircraft while it was being re-fuelled. Fire broke out on the hose through which gasoline was being pumped. The Sgts immediately went into action with fire extinguishers and saved the ship.

8. Problems of re-adjustment have been well ironed out. The various departments have resumed their full training schedule.  Three missions of three planes each were flown in the afternoon. The first mission was flown from Pueblo to Hutchinson, to North Platte, to La Junta; second mission; Pueblo to North Platte, to Hutchinson, to La Junta; third mission: Pueblo to Amarillo, to  Great Bend, to La Junta.

9. The squadron has a strength of 11 planes. No training missions were flown. All departments operated normally.

10.  There was a show down inspection of the whole squadron. Each man’s clothing was checked for shortages in preparation for overseas. A training mission was flown in the afternoon to Fort Riley and Clay Center.

11. A formation of 36 planes was used in a War Bond mission. This mission was in conjunction with a parade in Denver.

12. Preparations were made for a mission to take place April 13. The squadron insignia was placed  on display in front of the orderly room. This insignia met with  the enthusiastic approval of the personnel of the whole base.

13. The mission planned for today was scrubbed. Preparations are being made for the review  which is to take place Thursday and Friday.

14. Nine combat crews went on a group mission to Jefferson City and to Leavenworth, Kansas. They left at 09.00 hrs and returned about 17.30 hrs.

15. The crews went on a bombing mission today with demolition bombs. Preparations are being made for the squadron party which is to be held in the 332nd  hangar on April 21.

16. Planes went up to calibrate instruments and to take photos of demolition bombs dropped from planes. Missions for the rest of our stay in Pueblo, Colo. have been scrubbed.

17. Lt L. D. Dodge was relieved as Squadron S-2 officer; Lt S. I. Caplan assumed charge. Meeting attended by pilots, co-pilots, and S-2 on combat conditions in the South-West Pacific Theater and the European Theater, as related by returning combat crew members.

18. A lecture was given this morning by Lt Crawford, Communications Officer, on  recognition, signals, and flotation radio communications. All the combat crews were placed on alert this afternoon.

19. Preparations are being made for the group mission which is to be flown to the West Coast.  The squadron party has been postponed until further notice because of the alert and pending squadron maneuvers.

20. The squadron and the planes are in readiness to take off at any time for the maneuvers. General Johnson landed on the field about 16.00 hrs and left at  19.00 hrs

21. The alert was sounded this morning about 4am. Instructions were given to the crews by Capt Post  in preparation for the take-off. All the crews of the 381st BG left the field about 06.15 hrs for maneuvers on the West Coast, and are expected to be gone for 72 hrs. 

22. As the crews are still on maneuvers on the West Coast, there was not much activity in the squadron.  A new physical fitness training program has been placed in effect, to last about two hours per day.

23. Lt Frank Hoyt Purcell, Jr.,  was assigned to the 532nd as the S-2  Officer relieving Lt S. I.  Kaplan, who has been acting S-2 Officer. Except for normal routine duties the activities of the squadron have been light,  pending the return of the combat crews.

24. Planes of  the entire 381st BG, still on mission, activities of the squadron light. The physical fitness program is being carried out.

25. There was a meeting today of the entire squadron in the Mess Hall. Lt Koch outlined the preparations  should we take in an order to be moved to our staging are and on the voyage to the theater of operations. The combat crews returned from their maneuvers on the west coast about 3pm. The physical fitness program has been called off pending our move.

26. The entire squadron spent the day in packing in preparation for moving.

MAY 1943

6. Air echelon left for Salina, Kansas, en route overseas.

9. Ground echelon entrained at 20.30 hrs for Camp Kilmer, N.J.

12. Ground echelon arrived at Camp Kilmer, N.J. at 11.30 hrs.

20. Air echelon left Salina, Kansas, for Dow Field, Maine.

22. Air echelon left Dow Field, Maine, for England, via Gander Lake, Newfoundland, at 13.20 hrs.

26. Ground echelon entrained at Camp Kilmer, at 09.00 hrs and boarded the Queen Elizabeth at 12.15 hrs.

27. Ground echelon left Port of Embarkation at 13.00 hrs for England. Air echelon  left Gander Lake, Newfoundland, for England.

28. Air echelon arrived Prestwick, Scotland, at 12.00 hrs.

29. Air echelon left Prestwick, Scottland and arrived at Bovingdon, England at 14.42 hrs.