JANUARY 1943

3. Activated on 3 January 1943, as one of the four squadrons composing the 381st Bomb Group, the 533rd was organized as a cadre at Blythe AAB, California, under the command of Captain Landon B. Hendricks of Matewan, West Virginia.

Heading the squadron departments were: 2nd Lt  -  Kreidler - Operations Officer;  2nd Lt Thomas Tompkins - Adjutant;  2nd Lt Robert Thayer - Communications; 2nd Lt John J. Tutsock - Supply and  2nd Lt - Russell - Armaments.

Model combat crew around which the squadron's air echelon was developed, included; 2nd Lt James Deeds - pilot; 2nd Lt Karl Franek -  co-pilot; 2nd  Lt Joseph Rothenburg - navigator; 2nd Lt Leo K. English; S/Sgt Louis Smulowitz - engineer/top turret gunner; S/Sgt Irwin Bohlander - radio operator/gunner; S/Sgt Joseph J. Kristapovich - ball turret gunner; S/Sgt James J. Lintgen - waist gunner; S/Sgt Elwood Harris - waist gunner; S/Sgt Christian Langolf - tail gunner.

Other men, taken from the 34th Bomb Group at Blythe, in the cadre were: T/Sgts Joseph C. Howard, Marshall C. Peavy and Rhea H. Rutherford; S/Sgt Joseph H. Hildahl (1st Sgt); Sgts Walter M.  Balasa, John R. Chapman, Morris Goldman, - Milaef, Roy Ridenour; Cpls Dale E. Cain, Joseph L.  Gray, Wayne E. Holtz, Charles R. James, Robert G. McCormick, Lucian A. Naff, George A. Ranger, Kenneth Stone, Charles H. Wilton; Pfcs  - Barone, Henry Buongiorno, Dennis L. Collins, Walter Cripe, Michael J. Egan, Adam J. Gaidecski, Jesse G. Hyten, Robert Jenkins, - Johnson, -   Jones, James F. Kaestner, -  Kirkpatrick, - Krauss, - Kueker, William Lanese, Clarence D. Loch, William J. Mackey, James A.  Main, - Malone,  - Manson,  Luther B. McRainey,  - Mitchell, Alfred G. Nichols, Erlan Rantilla, - Ross, - Texeira.

5. Arriving at Pyote Air Base in Texas, the 533rd took up garrison duties awaiting the arrival of more troops from Salt Lake City AAB, Utah.

12. 2nd Lt Ernest E. Murray, a 14 year army veteran and B-17 aircraft specialist was assigned as head of the largest single department - Engineering.

17. Capt John H. Hamilton, was assigned as Operations Officer, replacing Lt Kreidler was transferred to the 302nd Bomb Group.

24. A total of 111 enlisted men were assigned, bringing the squadron up to operational strength. 2nd Lt George Kessel succeeded Lt Tompkins as Adjutant and 2nd Lt David H. Spencer was assigned as Assistant Engineering Officer.

28. Capts Hendricks and Hamilton, Lts English and Rothenburg, Sgts Bohlander, Harris and Smulowitz, Sgt Kristapovich and Pfc Stern made a flight to XC, destination secret (cross country ?), returning Jan 31.

The squadron strength was slowly increased during the last week of month.

FEBRUARY 1943

1. Ten Lts and two F/Os were attached to the squadron for duty.

Cpls Cain, Gray, Holtz, McCormick, Naff, Ranger and Wilson were all promoted Sgt;  while Pfcs Brooks, Holloway, Toole and Pvts Cripe, Davis, Egan, Gaidecski, Jenkins, Johnson, Krauss, Lee, Mackey and Main were promoted Cpl.

During the early part of the month the 533rd received more EM in addition to 2nd Lt Harry Bonneau, S-2 Officer, who was assigned on the 4th.

8. 1st Lt Louis G. Ralston was assigned as Medical Officer..

9. Fifty privates were appointed Pfc, as per S.O. No. 4, para 1.

Work progressed in assigning men to permanent squadron duties, and establishing quarters for all squadron departments. When the cadre arrived from Blythe, the entire squadron had engaged in construction of offices on the line to house communications, engineering and tech supply equipment.

10. 2nd Lt Julius Eichenbaum was assigned as Ordnance Officer.

18. 2nd Lt Russell was relieved of duties as armament officer and transferred to Blythe, Cal.

19. 2nd Lt McLaughlin was assigned at Asst S-2 Officer and 2nd Lt Turner assigned to the squadron as navigator. W/O Joseph Nutt was assigned as Armament Officer.

21. 2nd Lt Ray assigned as navigator and Lt Rothenburg transferred to 382nd BG.

23. 2nd Lt Ray transferred to 351st BG.

The month ended quietly with all departments performing usual duties. Men became accustomed, during this period, to the hot sunshine, the dust, the violent sandstorms and the clean, chilly desert nights of Pyote. Many night training flights were carried out by combat crews, and ground crewmen gained experience in servicing aircraft during the hours of darkness.

Squadron strength was 25 officers and 271 enlisted men.

MARCH 1943

1. S/Sgt Joseph Hildahl, acting 1st Sgt was appointed T/Sgt. Other promotions: Sgts to S/Sgts: Balasa, Gray, Holtz; Cpls to Sgts: Bilicki, Brooks, Egan, Gaidecski, Goldhammer, Holloway, Jenkins, Lee, Rantilla, Stern, Toole; Pfc to Cpl: Babin, Borchardt, Doswell, Hersom, Hyten, Jones, Knowles, Loch, McRainey, Meyers, Nelson, Nichols, E.W. Smith, Staats, Stanley, and Texeira.

2. Cpl Lehman and Pvts Reichert and Sundry discharged as per S.O. No. 54.

3. Sgt Milaef, Pvts Lucas, Jakubowski and Floyd transferred to the 410th Base Sq, Pyote; T/Sgt Rutherford promoted to M/Sgt as of 1st of month.

4. 2nd Lt Peterson assigned from Group HQ.

5. 2nd Lts  James H. Alexander, Olaf M. Ballinger, Edwin A. Milkey, Martin Shenk, and Charles E. Hedin (pilots); William J. McDaniel, John M. Carah, Herbert Swein, William R. Grant, Rudolp G. Duncan (co-pilots); Hubert McDaniel,  - Jikutz, John F. Lander, Thomas L. Keheley, Donald F. Hamm (navigators); Paul E.  Tull, George C.Williams, Moses J. Hoppenstein, Glen R. Cotter, Frank E. Cappel (bombardiers);  S/Sgts John K. Lane, Gerald E. Fruitt, Edward F. Metcalf, Alphonse J. Molis, Francis E. Owens, Byron J. Gronstal, Robert L. Mandell, Leonard J. Fornaro, Albert G. Wackerman, Thomas A. Childress, Harry N. Bauscher, Irvin T. Johnson, Robert W. McNair, Raymond A. Genz, Richard G. Henry, Anthony L. Budzic, John D. Sinclair, Mitchell J. LaBuda, Charles W. Brinton, George Bardsley, James F. Sloan, Richard H. Hanna, Robert L. Potts, Vivian M. Thomas, Stewart McDonald, Arnold B. Lorick, Clifford J. Marhefke, Shirley Goucher,  William C. Howell, Wade McCook, all assigned from the 34th BG at Blythe.  Pvts Cowdery and Speciale assigned from the 18th Replacement Wing, Salt Lake City.

6. No change.

7. Pfc Truhar transferred as Pvt to 410th Base Sq, Pyote.

8. No change.

9. S/Sgt Smulovitz and Sgt Kristapovich reduced to Pvt. Pfc Mitchell reduced to Pvt. Pvt Daniel A. Vina assigned from Group HQ.

10. 2nd Lts Inman Jobe, Robert Withers, John J. Martin and Robert K.  Schrader promoted 1st Lts; S/Sgt Bardsley reduced to Pvt; Pfcs - Hill, - Kellner, James P. Gatto, Cecil  Florea, Peter P. Diaz, - Harding, Wendell M. Heil and Pvts Leo A. Dow, Merlin H. Hinz, George W. Hall, Henry T. Jozwiak and - Hanson assigned from Group HQ.

11. 2nd Lt Peterson transferred to 330th BG, at Alamogordo, N.M.; Pfc - Bjorholm reduced to Pvt.

12. Pvts Nathan A. Ainis, Kenneth K. Bell, - Bowman, Thomas S. Campbell, George W. Cathcart, - Chiono, Martin DeJong, Harry Dill, Russell M. Drumm, Milton J.  Foerstal, Robert G. Franklin, Earl Friedmann, - Goodhart, Leslie C.  Grell, Alfred Hajduk, George J. Halbach, - Hepburn, Perry F. Hodge, - Horton, Andrew L. Ingles, Joseph M. Karam, James H. King, Erling  Knutsen, Joseph J. Kohler, James L. Lawrence, - Lucas, Coral F. Mann, Anthony M. Monobianco, Paul E. Marston, Melvin O. McManus, Robert L. Moss, George C. Minger, Charles A. Mullinger, William H. Multop, George Y. Muse, Joseph L. Neel, Frederick C. Paine, - Pitkin, - Roeser, Paul J. Simmons, Loren A. Skirvin, Sam M. Spivak, Joseph F. Sproha, Herbert Swerns, Dominic D. Taurone, Thomas F. Walsh, Earle C. Young promoted to Pfc.

Pvt Ulysses  DePriest, Pvt Emil E. Ketterhagen, Sgt Christian Langolf, Pfc Paul L. Thiessen, Pfc Doughty, Pvt Gorman were assigned from Group HQ.

13. Pfcs Keuker, Friedmann and Multop transferred to 534th. Pvt Wierich assigned from Group HQ; Pvts Johnson and Pinter promoted to Pfc.

14. Pvt Berg assigned from Group HQ.

15. Pvt Clifford H. Larson, - Demarti, - McLarnan, - Bilderbeck and Lawrence J. Coleman assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, Salt Lake City; Cpls Duncan and McMullen assigned from Ft George Wright, Wash.; Pvt Shilk discharged per S.O. No. 59, Pyote AAB.

16. 2nd Lt Martin Healey, S-2 officer, assigned from 18th Rep Wing, at Salt Lake City, along with Pfcs John E. Barnes, Vernon J. Chamberlain and James W. Wentworth.

17. 2nd Lt Jack Taylor, S-2 officer, assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC; Pfc Goodhart transferred to 333rd BG, Dalhart, Tex; Pfcs Connick, Doughty, Rogers and M.M. Johnson transferred to 19th BG, Pyote; Pfs Raymond Timm and Mallne reduced to Pvt.               

18. No change.

19. Pvts Bland, Thomas J. Janiec and Pierce assigned from 410th Base Sq, Pyote; Pvt Daniel A. Vina tranferred to 534th.

20. Pvt Thompson assigned from Group HQ, and Pfc Babick from 534th.

21. 2nd Lts Ernest E. Murray - Engineering Officer and John J. Tutsock -Squadron Adjutant, promoted 1st Lt.

22. 2nd Lt Jikutz transferred to 535th  and 2nd Lt Paul H. McConnell from 535th.

23. Pfc Taylor, Pfcs Backrack and Kirkpatrick discharged as per S.O. No. 77, Pyote.

24. 2nd Lt William Dendy - Supply and Transportation Officer, assigned from 535th; Pvt Mitchell transferred to 532nd; Pfc Beckwith discharged as per S.O. No. 78, Pyote AAB.

25. No change.

26. No change.

27. Cpl Hix and Pfc Manson discharged as per S.O. No. 82, Pyote AAB.

28. Sgt Becker, Pvts Lawson, McLarnan and DiMarti transferred to ACU and attached to 410th Base Sq, Pyote; Pvt Connell transferred to  19th BG, Pyote; Pvt Errigo transferred to Medical Detachment, Biggs Fd, El Paso, Tex.

29. 2nd Lt Sawin transferred to 534th; Cpl Janes to 410th Base Sq, Pyote; Pfc Knutsen to Group HQ; Pvt Ice assigned from 18th Rep. Wing.

30. Pvt Rooney transferred to 410th Base Sq, Pyote; Pvt Blanton to 532nd; S/Sgt Paul P. Smoogen assigned  from Group HQ.

31. No change.

Squadron strength is 50 officers and 302 enlisted men.

APRIL 1943

1. 2nd Lts  Hedin,  Milkey  and  Shenk  appointed  1st Lts;  Pvt  Parks transferred to 410th Base Sq, Pyote AAB. Other promotions include:- to M/Sgt: Howard, Peavy and LeFaive; to T/Sgt: Balasa, Lanham and Gray; to S/Sgt: Cain, Chapman, Egan, Goldman, Jenkins, McCormick, Naff and Wilson; to Sgt: Bennett, Boland, Cripe, Davis, Hersom, Hyten, L. E. Johnson, Knowles, Krauss, Loch, McRainey, Nichols, Smith, Staats, Stahley, Thole and Willis; to Cpl: Ainis, Allen, Baze, Bell, Buongiorno, Cathcart, Collins, Congiardo, DeJong, Eckhoff, Foerstall, Franklin, Grell, Hajduk, Hepburn, Hicks, A.B. Hodge, Horton, Ingles, Jackson, Johnson, Kaestner, Klien, Kohler, Konieczny, Kristapovich, Lanese, Larson, Lazzaroni, Lucas, Madden, Monobianco, Maupai, McLendon, Miller, Minger, Moss, Muse, Neel, Paez, Paine, Pinter, Pitkin, Roesser, A.J. Smith, Smulowitz, Sorci, Spivak, Stille, Theiser, and Walsh; to Pfc: Barnes, Haffner, Kish and Lindsay.

2. No change.

3. Cpl Paul Meyers transferred to ACU as per VOCO, Pyote AAB HQ. Pvts Bland and Pearce transferred to 1263rd Guard Sq, Alexandria, La.

4. Sgt Brundage assigned from Group HQ.

Having spent the week packing equipment for shipment, the ground personnel of the squadron entrained at Pyote for Pueblo. Colo., at 19.00 hrs. During the remaining five hours of the day the squadron travelled 163 miles towards Pueblo.

5. Ground personnel spent the day aboard  the train travelling 900 more miles towards Pueblo. The air echelon, led by Capt Hendricks flew from Pyote to Pueblo.

6. The squadron ground crewmen arrived in Pueblo at 08.00 hrs. The total distance was 990 miles. Greeted at the station by the Pueblo Air Base Band, the squadron marched in formation with other squadrons of the 381st, to their new quarters. Remainder of the day was spent unpacking equipment.

Cpls Adamczyk, Schaedler, and Sullivan were assigned from AAFTTC, Lowry Fd, Denver; Cpl Beck assigned.

7. Cpls Houk and Weitz assigned from AAFTTC, Lowry Fd, Denver; and Pvts Davidson, Dunkle, Marconi and Martinez from 18th Rep. Wing.

8. Pvt Rosentraugh assigned from Group HQ.

9.  S/Sgt Weitz assigned from 535th.

10. Pvt Mastrantonio transferred to Base HQ, Pueblo.

11.  Sgt Korka assigned from Base HQ, Pueblo; Pfc Bowman transferred to hospital, El Paso, Texas.

12. No change.

13. Pvts Atchison and Jones assigned from Base HQ, Pueblo; three enlisted men attached for rations and quarters.

14. Pfs Baldassara, Berrells and Denning, and Pvt Miller assigned from Group HQ.

15. Sgt Brundage transferred to 19th BG, Pyote; Pfc Floyd reduced to Pvt; Pvts Floyd and Murr transferred to 1263rd Guard Sq. Alexandria, La; Cpl DuBois assigned from Alamogordo AAB, N.M.

16. Lt Duggan assigned from Yuma, Ariz.; T/Sgt assigned from Group HQ to replace T/Sgt Joseph Hildahl as squadron 1st Sgt; Pvt Dean assigned from Lowry Fd, Denver; Cpls Becker, Houk, Schaedler and Weitz, and Pfc Rosentraugh transferred to Base HQ, Pueblo; Pvts Alexander, Bell, Berg, Brown, Burkland, Chamberlain, Corley, Cowdery, D'Angelo, DeNubilo, Dunkle, Fiamma, Garvey, Hanson, Hall, Hicks, Hinz, Hunt, Joachim, Kennell, Kelly, Ladner, Liddell, Matus, McCarron, McDuffee, Meseroll, M.L. Miller, Oviatt, Powell, Riel, Robertson, Rybka, Sanchez, Saunor, Smith, Smothers, Speciale, Stanley, Stapp, Stein, Terry, Thomassen, Trevisani, Ward, Weinrich, Wentworth, Williams, Zappa and Zimmerman appointed Pfc.

17. Sgt Broslawsky assigned from AAB Alamogordo; Pvts DiNicola, Clark and Zakal assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC.

18. No change.

19. 1st Lt Louis G. Ralston, Squadron Flight Surgeon promoted to Captain; 2nd Lts Thayer and Turner to 1st Lts; Pfcs Fraze, Fingerman, Heist, and DelPont assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC; and Pvt Dolfen from Base HQ, Pyote.

20. F/O Cytarzinski transferred to 532nd; S/Sgt Heist and Budzic assigned to 535th; Pvt Nason from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC; Pfc Heil and Pvt Bjorholm transferred to Base HQ, Pyote.

21. 2nd Lt McCarthy assigned from Blythe AAB, Cal., 2nd Lt Stewart and T/Sgt Timm from El Paso AAB, Tex; S/Sgt Henry transferred to 532nd.

22. Pvts Humber, Poszko, Bailey, Ciardu, Huskey, Hard, Sarate, Charlton assigned from Blythe AAB, Cal.; S/Sgt Denning from 532nd; Cpls Nelson and Nicholas from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC.; Pfc Baldassara, Pvts Jones and Ray transferred to 302nd BG, Clovis, NM.

23. No change.

24. 2nd Lts Alexander, Ballinger and Eichenbaum promoted to 1st Lts; Pvt Mastrantonio assigned from Group HQ; and Pfc Selvaggio from Blythe AAB, Cal.

25. No change.

26. S/Sgt Genz transferred to 532nd; Pvt Tishon assigned from 532nd;Pfc Clayton assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC.

27. 2nd Lt Crymes assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC; Cpl Geirer, Pfcs White and Hambar from Base HQ, Pyote.

28. No change.

29. T/Sgt Hildahl, Pvts Cowart and Malone transferred to Base HQ, Pyote; 2nd Lts Bonneau and Tompkins promoted 1st Lts; Pfc Mauzy assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC.

30. Pfcs Atchison and Wojdowski reduced to Pvt.

MAY 1943

1. Cpl Seaton assigned from 18th Rep. Wing, SLC; S/Sgt Wilson promoted to T/Sgt; Sgt Stone reduced to Pvt; 2nd Lt Lander transferred to 302nd BG Clovis, N.M.; S/Sgt DiSimone to 392nd BG Alamogordo, N.M.; S/Sgt McNair to 389th BG, Lowry, Col.;  T/Sgt Thomas Burns appointed permanent squadron 1st Sgt.

Promoted to M/Sgt: Lanham;  to T/Sgt: Bohlander, Cain, Cutting, Fruitt, Goucher, Gronstal, Hanna, Holtz, Jenkins, I. T. Johnson, Klick, Lantto, McCormick, Moore and Naff; to S/Sgt: Bardsley, Englett, Fox, Gaidecski, Holloway, Hutchinson, Hyten, Krauss, Langolf, Loch, Ranger, Seiber, Staats, Stahley,  Toole and Willis; to Sgt: Babin, Baze, Buongiorno, Cathcart, Collins, Congiardo, DeJong, Eckoff, Franklin, Grell, Haffner, Hajduk, Hepburn, Hodge, Horton, Kish, Klein, Kristapovich, Lanese, Larson, Lindsay, Monobianco, McLendon, R. Miller, Minger, Moss, Neel, Nelson, Pinter, Pitkin, A. Smith, Smulowitz, Spivak, Stille, Texeira, Walsh; to Cpl: Adams, Alexander, Babich, Ball, Barron, Belche, Betanzo, Brown, Caldwell, Campbell, Chiono, Cowdery, DeNubilo, Dill, Drumm, Dufilho, Dunkle, Dunning, Feeley, Fiamma, Flinn, Florea, Gatto, Geary, Hall, Hanson, Harding, J. Hicks, Hill, Hunt, Jerkins, Joachim, Karam, Kellner, Kenelley, King, Lawrence, McDuffee, Mulligan, Newman, Piech, Ridenour, Simmons, Skirvin, Speciale, Sproha, Stapp, Trevisani, Wagner and Weirich.

2. S/Sgts Mandell, Potts, Sinclair and Yarnell promoted to T/Sgt.

3. S/Sgt Paul Smoogen transferred to Group HQ.

4. The following were reduced to Pvt: T/Sgts Klick, Lantto, Yarnell; S/Sgts Frisbee, Howell, Langolf, Hutchinson, Maloney, Englett, Seiber, Weitz, Willis; Sgts Kurnafil, Lindsay, Osborne, Pruiett; Cpls Dufilho and Geary.    

Cpl Lowther assigned from Tuscon AAB, Ariz.; Cpl Kot  from Clovis AAB, NM; Pvt Maykowski from Base HQ, Pyote; Cpl Duncan transferred to 502 Chemical Storage Co. Pueblo.

5. The following were sent for Detached Service at Salina AAB, Kansas: Capts Hendricks and Hamilton; 1st Lts Alexander, Ballinger, English, Hedin, Jobe, Martin, Murray, Schrader, Shenk, Turner, and Withers; 2nd Lts  Bradley, Cappel, Carah, Duggan, Grant, Hamm, Hoag, Hoppenstein, Johnson, Samara, Tull and Williams; F/Os Duncan, Hudson and Marsh; M/Sgts Rutherford and Peavy; T/Sgts Bohlander, Cutting, Pruiett, Goucher, Gronstal, Hanna, Mandell, Potts and Sinclair; S/Sgts Bardsley, Bauscher, Brinton, Childress, Fornaro, Fox, Harris, Labuda, Lane, Lintgen, Lorick, MacDonald, Marhefke, Molis, Owens, Sloan, Thomas, Wackerman; Sgts Kristapovich, Smulowitz,; Pvts Howell, Langolf and Weitz.

Pvt Sparks transferred to 389th BG, Denver; Pfc Young assigned from Clovis AAB, NM.

Six day furloughs were granted to all squadron personnel during March and April, previous to movement of the 381st BG to its combat station overseas.

6. 2nd Lt John Lander transferred to 535th; Pvt Clark to Base HQ, Pueblo.

7. 1st Lt Tompkins, Milkey and Cooter; Sgt Eckoff; Cpls Chiono, Sullivan; Pfcs Smith, Pessko; transferred to Base HQ, Pueblo.

Pfc Boorman assigned from 532nd; Pfc Mauzey transferred to 535th.

8. T/Sgt Ray Timm transferred to 61st Sqd, Alamogordo, NM; Pvt Nason to 7th Sqd, Tucson, Ariz; Cpl Paine, Pvts Mastrantonio and Tiskon to Base HQ, Publo.

9. Squadron ground crewmen were assembled in full field equipment, marched to the train station with other squadrons of the group and entrained at 18.30 hrs. In the remainder of the time before midnight, the squadron traveled 50 miles to Colorado Springs, Colo.

New assignments were: S/Sgt Law, Cpls Pay and Lixey, Pvt Sahrock.

10. Leaving Colorado Springs at 00.01 hrs, the squadron traveled through Nebraska and arrived at Guardula, Iowa., at midnight, a trip of 798 miles.

11. The squadron left Guardula at 00.01 hrs and arrived in Akron, Ohio at midnight, after 700 miles.

12. The squadron left Akron at 00.01 hrs travelling eastward through Pittsburg, Pa., Washington, Baltimore and arrived at Camp Kilmer, N.J. at 19.00 hrs. The entire group was assembled, with full equipment including barracks bags, and marched from the station to the camp. Men were quickly assigned to barracks and work of unloading equipment shipped from Pueblo began under supervision of Lt John J. Tutsock and 2nd Lt David H. Spencer, assistant engineering officer.

13. At the staging area, squadron ground personnel began final training under the direction of 1st Lt Julius Eichenbaum, acting squadron commander. Training included drill, physical training and cross country hikes in combat equipment.

14. Assigned from Fort Dix, N.J. were Cpl Tigner and Pvt F. Smith. Cpls Hofland and Imbriani were also new arrivals.

15/16. Men of the squadron were granted 12 hr passes and because many lived close enough to the camp to travel home in the allotted time, a great number of them visited their families. Most of the men from western, middle-western and southern states saw New York City for the first time. Passes were granted every night until the squadron was alerted for shipment overseas.

17. Wearing fatigue suits, leggings and steel helmets, squadron ground crewmen were transported from Camp Kilmer to Fort Dix for practice firing of their carbines with which they were armed, the 533rd contingent left Camp Kilmer at 20.30 hrs and arrived at Fort Dix at 15.00 hrs. After firing, the men made the return journey to back to Kilmer at 20.30 hrs. Pvt Shurdt joined the squadron and Cpl Kot to Base HQ, Pueblo.

18/23. During this period there was no change in the organization of the squadron. Final inspections of equipment were made, and men received new equipment for items damaged or lacking. Passes continued to be issued nightly.

24. Pvts Timm and Ashcraft appointed Pfc.

25. Passes were discontinued and all squadron personnel were restricted to the limits of Camp Kilmer. Pvt Winter transferred to 532nd.

26. Men were assembled in full field equipment, including steel helmets and rifles and full pack, and marched to Camp Kilmer station to board the train for New York. Each man carried his "A" barracks bag, the "B" bags having been shipped directly from Pueblo, to the embarkation point.

Movement of the troops was carried out with a minimum of delay and confusion by a system of numbering the men according to rank. The Camp Kilmer band accompanied the 381st men to the station and played until the train departed.

Leaving Camp Kilmer at 09.00 hrs the squadron arrived in Jersey City, N.J. at 13.00 hrs and marched aboard a river ferry to be transported across the Hudson River to where the "Queen Elizabeth" was docked in Manhattan. Boarding the ship, men were given cards for sleeping quarters and meals. Half the men were quartered below and half "bunked" for the night on the port promenade deck.

27. The "Queen Elizabeth" sailed from New York. On this date the squadron's air echelon took off from Newfoundland to fly to Scotland. Airmen had flown from Salina, Kan., to Dow Field, Me., and from there to Newfoundland.

28. The air echelon arrived at Prestwick airfield, Scotland. Ground crewmen aboard the "Queen Elizabeth" alternated in sleeping below decks, this procedure followed throughout the entire voyage. No duties were assigned and men spent their time reading on writing letters, playing cards or dice.

29. The air echelon proceeded from the airfield in Scotland to one at Bovington, north west of London. Meantime the "Queen" was in mid-Atlantic.

30/31. The air echelon landed at Bovington, while the "Queen" completed her uninterrupted journey off the coast of Scotland.