MAY 1944

1. The important marshalling yards at Troyes, France, southeast of Paris was the target of 381st Fortresses today,  and the 24 big bombers roared over the French city without challenge from the enemy. 1st Lt Armour C. Bowen, was group commander for the operation, with 1st Lt Dale McCrory as his pilot. Lt Bowen reported neither flak nor fighters over the target and only moderate flak at the French coast as the bombers were returning home.

Pilots of the six 533rd ships were: Lts Helm, Holland, Carroll, Schindler, Garrett and Townsend, the latter having 535th Capt Walker aboard as Observer.

2 ~ 5 ?

6. Large numbers of Fortresses filled the skies over Germany's channel wall of defence this morning, wading through intense flak to search in vain for rifts in the solid cloud undercast through which they might drop their bombs on German military installations.

The 381st operated two separate contingents, led respectively by 1st Lt Ralph E. Freese, with 1st Lt Ronald B. Dorrington as his pilot on "Dee Marie",  and Capt Seth A. Armstead, aboard "Stage Door Canteen" piloted by 1st Lt George W. Wilson. An aggregate of 35 B-17s, found the entire target area blanketed under clouds. Because of the Eighth Air Force policy ofdiscriminate bombing of occupied areas, all ships but one returned to base still loaded. The exception was 1st Lt Roy D. Thompson, who lost an engine to flak aboard "Century Note" and he salvoed his bombs over the Channel.

Nine ships from the 533rd took part, the pilots being: Lts Ricks, Wezowicz,  Melemo, Eselun, Wilson, Wainwright, Carroll, Holland and Bailey.

7. Hundreds of Fortresses flew almost unopposed over Berlin this morning to unload their bombs through solid cloud cover in the industrial section of the city. Leading the 381st's  contingent of 19 ships was Lt Col Conway S. Hall, group air executive, who flew in a pathfinder, "Dry Gulcher", flown by 2nd Lt Harold C. Blog.

Flak over Berlin was described as "nothing out of the ordinary", and not one Luftwaffe fighter put in an appearance. Highlight of the mission for the group was the unusually good formation flying. Allied fighter escorts of P-47s, P-38s and P-51s was provided throughout the mission. Only four 533rd ships took part.

The pilots were: Lts Holland, Melomo, Carroll and Wilson.

8. Over Berlin again today the Fortresses poured hundreds of tons of bombs on the German capital through a solid undercast. Making up the 381st contingent were 18 ships under the command of 1st Lt George W. Reese, Jr, 20-year-old, squadron operations officer and 20 mission veteran. He flew on an unamed B-17 with 1st Lt Milton F. Tarr, as his pilot.

Our formation encountered no enemy fighters, but found intense flak at the target. Lt Reese said that although the target was completely covered by clouds "at our altitude weather was good. Old flak bursts  built a heavy black cloud in front of the formation, but the Fortresses ploughed through it in a fashion described as "amazing" by Lt Tarr. Despite the flak there was an excellent bombing run.

The 533rd provided seven ships and crews, the pilots being: Lts Tarr, Wilson, Garrett, Wainwright, Lancaster, Schindler and Bailey.

9. Fortresses switched their attack to France today to pour a rain of high explosives on the German-held airfield at St Dizier. The 381st made up of 30 aircraft, were led by the group commanding officer, Col Harry P. Leber, Jr, carried out a ten minute bombing run on their target under perfect precision bombing conditions and without opposition from the enemy.

Col Leber flew on a 533rd ship "Rotherhithe's Revenge" flown by Capt George K. Sandman, reported that the airfield at St Dizier was visible when the Fortresses were still 30 miles  from their objective. Except for meagre flak bursts at the French coast, the B-17s encountered no opposition. Returning crewmen told of the maginitude of the blows carried out against German airfields and rail centres. On the return flight  Col Leber observed three airfields which had been heavily bombed and covered with towering columns of smoke.

The 533rd commander, Lt Col George G. Shackley, flew in "Dreambaby" flown by 1st Lt Ewing S. Watson, and was deputy commander for the day, in which the squadron supplied six aircraft, all returning safely.

Today's pilots: Capt Sandman; Lts Watson, Bailey, Schindler, Garrett and Wainwright.

10.  Usual garrison duties.

11. Thirty-one Fortresses of the 381st this afternoon pounded the marshalling yards and adjoining target area at Brettenbourg, south of the capital of Luxembourg, after finding the primary target in north-western Germany obscured by clouds.

Lt Col David E. Kunkel, Jr, group operations officer, flew as combat wing commander on board "Dee Marie", flown by 1st Lt Howard N. Kesley. Col Kunkel described the haze as very thick and "extending above our altitude" all the way across Germany and the Low Countries.

Between 50 and 60 enemy fighters, mostly ME 109's, made one pass at low elements of the group on the way to the target, but were engaged and driven off by P-51s, part of the vast umbrella of Allied fighters escorting the bombers.

"I didn't see any ME 109's, but I had a good look at about 25 FW 190's," said S/Sgt Charles J. Campbell, top turret gunner in "Dreambaby". "Some of them came to within 200 yards of us, but since they were below us and I'm top turret, I got just one short burst at them."          

S/Sgt Harold Jernigan, ball turret on the same ship, already holds credit for one enemy fighter destroyed, and today he made the most of his second chance at an FW 190 during the group's mission to Luxembourg. The Jerry was one of a pack which made a quick pass at the low squadron of the group. "Before we made the bomb run," he told interrogators later, "about 25 FW 190's  queued up 1,600 yards ahead of us, played around for a few seconds and then started in fanwise.  I set my sights on one and followed him in all the way to about 800 yards, when I pressed the triggers. Nothing happened. Its been a long time since any of us have seen Jerries so close, and I guess I had forgotten to turn my gun switches on."

"I switched on,"he continued, "but by then he was inside 400 yards and coming fast. I gave him nearly 60 rounds, almost steady. Suddenly his right wing exploded and fell off. He dropped down about 200 feet and blew up. I didn't see any chute."

Today's mission marked Sgt Jernigan's first real brush with the Luftwaffe in more than two months. It was his 29th trip over a German target.

Pilots of the 533rd were: Melomo, Wilson, Holland, Sharp, Wezowicz, Monahan, Schindler and Wainwright.

12. Heavy black smoke rose 15,000 ft or more from the synthetic oil plant at Lutzkendorf, Germany, today, after ships from the 381st, heading a combat bomb wing, had finished unloading tons of explosives. The operation was highly successful. The 533rd were on stand down.

13. Striking deep into Germany, 381st aircraft bombed on two targets, believed to be Stalsrund and Stettin, through heavy undercast after primary and secondary targets were hidden by clouds. The group's contingent of 35 aircraft was split into two formations for the mission.

A group of 12 flew with the 1st CBW, led by 1st Lt Ralph E. Freese, whose unit encountered thick haze most of the way to the continent and flew over 8/10th undercast while it was over Europe. Primary and secondary targets were covered and the formation picked a target thought to be Stralsund and dropped its bombs.

Twenty other ships, including those of the 533rd, flew with the composite group under the leadership of Capt Douglas L. Winter, who flew in the lead ship of "Sleepy Time Gal". Headed deeper into enemy territory, the formation  turned short when it ran into  a cloud front and bombed what was estimated to be Stettin.

All the aircraft returned safely.  Only two ships shown, piloted by Lt Townsend and Lt Lancaster.

14. Two new crews were assigned today: 2nd Lts David L. Bredeson, Charles J. Weeks, Francis J. Treanor, James V. Farley; S/Sgts John J. Molloy, Charles N. Gilberts, Sgts Mervin W. Gass, Alexander McCool Jr. and Frank V. Wessel.

2nd Lts Frank R. O'Black, William E. Usher, Ralph H. Sims, John D. Duncan; Sgts Wesley K. Rich, Eugene N. Beck, William Rich, William S. Ramseur, Bernard G. Fridberg and Oliver E. Brown.

15. Notification of the award of the Bronze Star, newest medal aurthorized by President Roosevelt, to 533rd M/Sgt Joseph J. Kohler, of Cleveland, Ohio, was received today.  Sgt Kohler received the decoration for "meritorious achievement" in maintenance of aircraft assigned to him as crew chief.

During the 11 month he has serviced B-17's for combat operations, Sgt Kohler has compiled a remarkable record. Never once has a ship in his charge been forced to turn back because of mechanical failure before reaching its target and bombing successfully. He started his string of consecutive non-abort missions, now totalling 50,  with the Fortress "Old Swayback". A picture of that ship appeared in the rear cover of the official Eighth AAF publication "target: Germany". Sgt Kohler groomed "Old Swayback" for two bombing operations before the aircraft was transferred to another base.

Upon receiving a new ship, Sgt Kohler and members of his crew dubbed it "Swayback", and cared for it so well that it made 17 consecutive missions over enemy territory without a premature turnback before being shot down on the 18th.

The majority of the 50 missions credited to Sgt Kohler's aircraft have been completed by his current B-17, "Princess Pat", which has bombed German targets with no mechanical difficults 32 times. Only recently, he and his men replaced the original four engines, an indication of the thorough servicing the ship has received.

Several times "Princess Pat" has been badly shot up, limping home on one mission with a wing nearly broken from the fuselage. For some reason, Sgt Kohler says, flying in "Princess Pat" has been "mean on co-pilots." Three times flak and fighter shells have shattered the plexi-glass window on the co-pilot's side and the ground crew has replaced it. No one was injured on any of these three occasions.

Sgt Kohler is one of the first crew chiefs in the ETO to be awarded the Bronze Star. In lieu of the medal, he will wear on his uniform a red ribbon with a vertical blue stripe and edges piped in white.

A graduate of AM school at Keesler Field, Miss., and Boeing Specialist School, Seattle, Wash., St Kohler joined the 533rd at Pyote, Texas in January 1943. He was promoted to corporal and made a crew chief at Pueblo, Colo. All subsequent promotions to his present grade of M/Sgt, he received overseas.

Assigned today was another crew: 2nd Lts Thomas H. Weaver, Robert C. Karch, James F. Calhoun, Guy H.Goodman Jr.; S/Sgts Davis H. Sones, Leabert E. Starling, Sgts Leo F. Foley, Walter B. Laveen, Justin D.Turner and Louis A. Williams.

16 thru 18? Check microfilm

19. Hard hitting flak batteries defending Berlin this afternoon failed to divert the Fortresses from their task of renewing the hammering of the industrial targets of the German capital. Lt Col David E. Kunkel, Jr, group operations officer, led the 35 heavies of the 381st over the railroad targets of Berlin, pacing the formation as it unloaded tons of explosives on the tracks, switchblocks and adjoining buildings.

Grim highlights of the operation were the more than five minutes  of constant battering from hundreds of enemy flak guns from below. Every returning ship bore battle scars. Three men in the formation were wounded, none seriously.

Typical of the close calls with hurtling flak fragments was that experienced by Sgt Clyde C. Crain, tail gunner in "Dreambaby".  Among the heavy bursts which rocked his ship was one which sent metal fragments smashing through the left side of the tail,  to ricochet off his helmet and slash the left sleeve of his heated suit and the shirt beneath. He was unhurt.

Today the ship 42-97454, flown by Lt Sharp was shot down, breaking the squadron's record of 34 consecutive missions without loss. The squadron has now completed 49 missions without a single abort.

Pilots for today were: Townsend, Bailey, Reimland, Helm, Holland, Burton, Wilson, Schindler (see below) and Sharp.

MIA crew: 1st Lt Earl Sharp, 2nd Lts Dorance Garner, Wayne T. Hardwick, Francis W. Britenbaker; T/Sgts Jarrett Schoepf, William K. Suchy, S/Sgts Merrill L. Pennypacker, Gerald J. Rutigliano and Follis D. Bratton.

*

An American B-17 pilot with a year and a half of combat experience against the Japs in the South Pacific flew his first mission today from England, in the 533rd ship 42-31570, called "Lucky Me."

He is 2nd Lt Frank R. O'Black, veteran of Pearl Harbor, the battle of Midway and the struggle for control of the Solomons. He flew today as co-pilot with 1st Lt Ronald O. Schindler as his pilot. "This was my first mission - to Berlin," said the 25-year-old pilot upon his return, "and it was no picnic. Flak is extremely accurate in this theater and the German pilots are boys to have a lot of respect for."

Lt O'Black enlisted in the AAF on 11 November 1939, and was assigned to the oldest squadron in the air force, the 31st.  He was sent directly overseas and given aerial gunnery training within his own squadron at Luke Field, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Before the Japanese sneak attack on 7 December 1941,  he flew as a radio operator in B-18's and old B-17 D's, the latter the type of ship he flew in after being transferred from Luke to Hickham Field.

Lt O'Black, describing the devastation at Hickham from the Japanese bombing that fateful day, said that every B-17 on the field was knocked out. He was one of the crew which took off the first American bomber, a B-18, from Hickham after the Pearl Harbor attack.

Over the vast stretches of the Pacific, Lt O'Black flew on anti-submarine and transport patrol. His squadron was shifted from its home base to Midway Island for three days during the great naval battle. Later he flew patrol in the Solomons.  For participation in operations at Midway, he and his crew were recommended for the Silver Star.

He returned to the US from Hawaii on October 1942, to begin cadet training. He won his wings and commision at Marfa, Texas,  30 August 1943, and flew overseas in April of this year.

20. Led by the 533rd commander, Lt Col George G. Shackley, 13 Fortresses of the 381st swept across France in clear weather today to bomb the German-held airdrome at Villacoublay, south of Paris, with "excellent results."

Col Shackley flew aboard "Rotherhithe's Revenge", with Capt George K. Sandman as his pilot. He reported a complete absence of enemy fighters, meagre flak at the target and clear visibility all the way. On their way in the crews had a good look at Paris. Visibility was so good that the French capital, crews could make out the Arc de Triomphe as well as the famous Eiffel Tower.

Other 533rd pilots were: Lts Helm, Bailey, Schmidt, Wainwright, Burton and Holland.

22. Flying Fortresses bombed Kiel today without encountering much opposition, when Major Arthur F. Briggs, 534th commander, led the 26 ships of the 381st on the mission. He said: "The weather was pretty good, although there were patchy clouds all the way. We made an excellent bombing run and our stuff fell in a good pattern. The most impressive thing about the mission was the formation. I could see 250 Forts at one time, all in battle array, and it really was an impressive sight."

1st Lt George W. Reese, 533rd operations officer told a similar story. The crews said the American fighter escort was "right on the ball."

All the ships returned home safely, including seven of this squadron.

The pilots were: Lts Watson, Wainwright, Schmidt, Lancaster, Eselun, Monahan and Bailey.

23. Fortresses were again over France and southern Germany today, attacking enemy-held transportation and manufacturing centers as part of the pre-invasion blitz.  Col Harry P. Leber, Jr., group commander was combat wing lead, in a pathfinder ship, heading 26 aircraft of the 381st , six of this squadron.

The formation found an almost complete undercast all the way over France. The primary target was completely covered. Going on to the secondary, the Fortresses found a hole and made a second run over the target, believed to be Saarbrucken, to drop their bombs visually. Flak was meagre and the formation had no enemy fighter attacks, thus all our ships returned safely.

Pilots participating were: Lts Helm, Schmidt, Wainwright, Eselun, Reimland and Townsend.

24. The Luftwaffe was up today in attempt to defender Berlin but was unable to stop the large formation of Fortresses from dropping hundreds of tons of bombs on the gutted capital. There was only one brush with the enemy fighters. Lt Col John E. Fitzgerald, 532nd commander, led the 381st contingent of 39 aircraft, eight from this squadron, said the  attack occurred just after the heavy bombers had completed the bombing operation and had turned off the target.

"There were 60 to 70 Jerries," Col Fitzgerald said. "They were coming up from underneath. They climbed out ahead of us then turned back and went for us. They actually came in wing-tip to wing-tip, shooting frantically. They smashed into our high squadron hard. There was only one pass. Our escort was only a few seconds behind them and as soon as our fighters appeared on the scene - that was the end of the fight."

Weather was a stumbling block. The bombers flew through dense clouds, thick haze and persistant condensation trails to reach the target area. Over Berlin it cleared somewhat and the crews all had a good look at the city. However the desperate enemy fighter attack was costly, 1st Lt Clarence Wainwright was shot down on 42-31698.

Today's pilots were: Lts Wilson, Schmidt, Lancaster, Helm, Monahan, Melomo and Holland.

MIA crew: 1st Lt Clarence D. Wainwright, 2nd Lts Howard D. Latton, Harold    T. Dorn, James H. Counts; T/Sgt Lowell D. Kennedy, S/Sgt Warren K. Haga, Sgts Charles  Kruger, T. J. Stephens and Floyd M. Nalley.

*

"Stage Door Canteen" , the B-17 christened a month ago by Mary Churchill, turned in another spectacular performance today, landing back at base with two parachutes acting as brakes. She was a 535th ship flown by a 533rd crew.

The unusual stopping device was necessary because the big bomber's hydraulic system had been shot out over Berlin, when enemy fighters hit the formation in the course of the attack on the Germany capital earlier today. The Jerries made one pass just as the ships completed the successful bombing. Loss of the hydraulic system was not the only damage the plane suffered. Five 20mm shells smashed into the ship, knocking out #3 engine, the radio compass and the oxygen system from the waist to the tail.

1st Lt Arthur J. Bailey, was unable to feather the #3 prop and it windmilled for the rest of the flight, causing "Canteen" to vibrate wildly. "We thought even more damage had been done," said co-pilot, 2nd Lt John J. Anderson. "The red stuff from the hydraulic system spurted up into the astro-dome, and it looked like blood. We had an idea the boys in the front had been wiped out."

Unable to keep up with the formation, "Canteen"  embarked on the grim task of coming home alone. There were thick clouds and haze all over Germany to make the job of navigation difficult. Once the bomber went off course, passing over Bremen, where "We got more flak that we saw at the target." Flak bursts tore about 20 holes in the bomber, but failed to stop it.

With "Stage Door Canteen" hidden from enemy aircraft by the clouds, Lt bailey gave the command to lighten the ship, and the crew jettisoned everything moveable except the guns and 50 rounds of ammunition for each fighting position. In the radio room, the waist and tail gunners, their oxygen system cut off, existed precariously by passing round three emergency oxygen bottles.

S/Sgt Charles J. Campbell, Jr., the engineer and top turret gunner, was a busy beaver all the way. The ship has lost all of the gas from the #3 engine, and he was constantly transferring fuel from one tank to another to keep the other three engines turning.

Arriving back at home base, Lt Bailey remembered he had read of another bomber's landing with parachutes for brakes. At his command, Sgt Alfred Paoli, the tail gunner, pushed a chute out of the tail trap door, while Sgt Coral C. Highsmith, performed the same stunt  from the waist door. With two chutes floating out behind, the bomber stopped neatly three-quarters of the way down the runway and all the crew climbed out unhurt.

In addition to those already mentioned, the crew included 2nd Lt Lloya A. Petrson, navigator; Sgt William F. Coleman, toggler; S/Sgt Dale E. Moon, radio operator; and  Sgt Walden W. Forke, ball turret gunner.

It was "Canteen's" 20th mission in a month. The crew averages 16.

25. Led by group commander, Lt Col Harry P. Leber, Jr., the 381st paid another visit to Nancy, France, today. Visibility was good and the Forts made an excellent bombing run. Flak was described as "moderate" and no enemy fighters were seen.

Col Leber flew in a 533rd ship "Rotherhithe's Revenge" with 1st Lt George K. Sandman as his pilot, heading the formation which contained seven aircraft from this squadron.

The other pilots were: Lts Schmidt, Holland, Monahan, Helm, Eselun and Wilson.

26. The following combat crewmen were transferred in from the 534th, Sgts John Dragan, Andrew Williamson, Robert Boyce, Tyke Kauppila and Nicholas Van Weiren.

27. Fortresses struck another blow at Ludwigshafen today with both the Luftwaffe and German ground defences making a desperate effort to stop them. 1st Lt Howard N. Kesley, 534th operations officer, led the 19-ship contingent, reported that the formation "didn't catch any" of the intense flak barrage over Ludwigshafen and that the escorting American fighters kept the Jerries from making any direct attacks on the group.

Dogfights between Allied and German fighters raged all around the formation. However, visibility was good and bombing results were believed to have followed suit. Lt Kesley reported that the aiming point could be seen when the bombers were still 15 miles from their target.

The six pilots of the 533rd participating were: Lts Schmidt, Reimland, Melomo, Schindler, Eselun and Wilson.

28. The 381st group formation included seven from the 533rd, which took off to bomb an airfield near Leipzig and the marshalling yards at Frankfurt today with excellent results.

Major Charles L. Halsey, 535th squadron commander, who led the mission, said the weather was "reasonably good". Finding the primary target obscured by clouds, the bombers went on to an airfield near Leipzig, where they surprised the German defenders and blasted an array of multi-engined bombers on the ground. Seven ships of the 533rd, flying in the high squadron position, did not bomb, but proceeded under Major Halsey's command to Frankfurt with great accuracy on the marshalling yards.

In command of the 533rd was 1st Lt George W. Reese, Jr,, squadron operation officer. Speaking of bombing Frankfurt. Major Halsey said: "In spite of intense flak they made a run on the marshalling yards and from where we were it looked like a beautiful job." All aircraft returned to base, but a tail gunner in another squadron was killed in action and five others wounded.

Our squadron pilots were: Lts Tarr (lead), Melomo, Townsend, Eselun, Wilson, Monahan and Reimland.

Two more new crews were assigned: 2nd Lts Edward W. Palmer, Donald P. McMullen, James H. Mattison, David W. Lane; S/Sgts Thomas F. Zeiler, Jack L. Larkin, Sgts Lewis R. Perrone, Joseph R. Newell Jr, James W. Smiley and Wilbur A. Skroh.

2nd Lt Mark R. Dunkel, F/O Kenneth Roehr, 2nd Lts Frank L. Kelly, Clifford Evans, Jr; S/Sgts William M. Stoll, Aaron R. Kochen, Sgts Raymond DeBoer, Roger L. Beaman, John L. Pillotti and Theodore E. Schmidt.

29. The 381st took a long trip to Posen, Poland, this morning without the benefit of the 533rd; 19 ships made the mission under the command of 1st Lt Dale McCrory, a 532nd squadron pilot.

30. The large Junkers engine plant at Dessau, southwest of Berlin, took a terrific pounding today from B-17's, which fought their way to the objective through enemy fighter attacks and a skyful of flak. Col William M. Gross, combat wing commander, led the Air Division, flying in a 534th ship with a 533rd crew.

He reported persistant enemy fighter attacks for 100 miles in the vicinity of the target. The fighters, estimated at between 40 and 50, made three head-on passes at the bomber formation and sniped at the B-17's from the wings for the rest of the time.

The Jerries were first seen about 40 miles from the target lining up for the attack, their contrails making white patterns high in the sky.  They struck just as the Fortresses started on their bombing run, ten M! 109's making the first pass from about 12 o'clock. Two enemy fighters roared through the Fortress pack, one tipping just over and one just under the lead ship's left wing.

"When they came so close," Col Gross said, "it felt like an air bump." A shell struck the batteries in the lead ship and filled the nose and cockpit with smoke. Col Gross called the navigator and bombardier "because I suspected they weren't there any more." Despite the heavy flak, the harrassing fighters  and the difficulties created by the smoke, the lead ship made a long, steady bomb run and strike photos show bombs landing right on the aiming point.

Col Gross paid tribute to the work of the leaders, all 533rd squadron men. They included 1st Lt George K. Sandman, his pilot; Capt John W. Bruning, navigator; Capt William H. Johnson, bombardier.

"They never tried to fire a gun during the bombing run," Col Gross said, "In spite of the way the Jerries were swarming all over us. They were there to get bombs on the target and, in spite of Hell, they did."

The fierce enemy fighter attacks exacted their toll, shooting down two 533rd ships, Lts Monahan and Burton.

Participating pilots were: Capt Sandman, Lts Watson,Harding, Reimland, Schmidt, Melomo, Bailey and the two missing in action.

MIA crews: 2nd Lts John J. Monahan, Kenneth C. Cea, Leland M. Haas; T/Sgt William M. Hoyle (toggler); S/Sgt Loebert G. Catter, John Valinski, Jerome   D. Granlund, Morris N. Emmanuelson and John   B. Bryan, Jr.        

1st Lt Merrill O. Burton. 2nd Lts David L. Bredeson, Alvin C. Berry; S/Sgt Robert   J. Hammond (toggler); T/Sgt John T. Eylens Jr., S/Sgts James E. Marbry, Ralph   J. Powell, Victor C.  Pillotti and Sgt Robert Hittel.

31. Flying through heavy clouds the 381st bombed an airfield in Belgium this morning with virtually no enemy opposition. Lt Col John E. Fitzgerald, Jr, 532nd commander, led the contingent of 25 aircraft, seven from the 533rd. Bombing is believed to have been good, and all ships returned safely with no casualties.

Today's pilots were: Lts  Reimland, Bailey, Schindler, Eselun, Wilson, Helm and Holland.


During a month of unprecedented operations, the 533rd continued its amazing string of non-aborts, which now totals 59. For 59 missions not one squadron ship has tirned back because of mechanical difficulties before reaching its target and bombing successfully. Up till May 19 the squadron had completed 34 mission in a row without loss. One ship was lost on the 19th, one on the 24th and two on the 30th.

Credit for the squadron's outstanding record is largely due to the mechanics who have so well serviced their ships. Their efforts made the long string of non-aborts possible.

Crew chiefs and their records: M/Sgt Joseph J. Kohler, ship #42-97503 Princess Pat, 55 straight; M/Sgt Clarence O. Loch, ship #42-31570 Lucky Me, 54 straight; M/Sgt George C. Minger, ship #42-32025 Dreambaby, 46 straight; M/Sgt Thomas F. Walsh,  ship #42-38194 Baboon McGoon, 38 straight; M/Sgt Max J. Moore, ship #42-40007 Honey, 37 straight; M/Sgt Dale E. Cain, ship #43-97560 (no name); M/Sgt Martin DeJong, ship #42-102633 Yardbird, 42 straight; T/Sgt Edgar E. Stapp, ship #44-6095 Fort Worth Gal, 31 straight; M/Sgt Jesse G. Hyten, ship #42-31761 Rotherhithe's Revenge, 33 straight; M/Sgt Sam Spivak, ship #30721 Sweet and Lovely, 27 straight; T/Sgt George W. Cathcart, ship #42-31614 Minnie The Mermaid, 25 straight; M/Sgt John Kish, ship #42-97357 The Railroader, 20 straight; S/Sgt Leslie C. J. Grell, ship #42-97589 (no name),  20 straight;  Sgt William Caldwell, ship #42-97882 (no name), 19 straight.

Sgt Merle D. Hunt and S/Sgt Don Law, newly assigned to ships as crew chiefs now have one non-abort mission each.

Completing their tour of missions are the following 29 men: Capt William H. Johnson, 1st Lts Walton D. Carroll, William J. Coles, Nicholas Donnatuono, Walter J. Garrett, Edward L. Kerrigan, John J. McDonald, William B. McElhare, Jack B. Reimland, Lloyd S. Ricks, Richard J. Schmidt, Roy N. Solveson; T/Sgts Walter S. Blake, Claud Caffey, Favian R. Calderon, Oren T. Evans, Neil R. Perry, Paul Schenuk, Michael Murisko, Louis S. Kalmar; S/Sgts John J. Panarese, Casimir C. Palermo, Eugene G. Kirchner, Harold J. Jernigan, Alfred Nayduck, William Pruzan, Richard Smith, James Keesling and Ernest J. Krech.