April, 1944

1. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties.

2. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties.

3. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties.

4. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties. 1st Lt. Schomburg (deceased) appointed to Captain.  2nd Lts. Ackerman, King, Williams and Rayburn appointed to 1st Lieutenants.

5. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties.

6. Mission called to attack the aircraft assembly plants of Oberpfaffenhoffen, Germany.  Mission is scrubbed.

7. Non Operational. Usual garrison duties.

8. The Airfield of Oldenburg, Germany was attacked by six A/C of this Squadron early today.  Leading the 381st Group and Combat Wing were Lts. Muchway and Kesley.  Lts. Freese, Williams, Dorrington, Myers and Bond rounded out the formation.  There was no E/A to oppose and the flak encountered was meager.  All ships made good runs on the target and hits were observed.  There were no claims and no casualties.  On returning to base Lt. Leslie A. Bond had difficulty in letting down landing gear of his A/C.  After circling the field and not succeeding in letting down the gear another sh ip went up and passed tools to Lt. Bond’s ship.  The ball turret was jettisoned and Bond made a successful crash landing.  All A/C returned safe to base.

Three Combat Crews were assigned to this organization this date:

9. Squadron Commander, Major Biggs and Lt. Kesley leading the 381st and 1st Combat Wing today.  Flying in other positions are Lts. Freese, Williams, Muchway, Dorrington, Rayburn, Ackerman, Myers, and Kuhl.  Due to unfavorable weather conditions the entire Wing was forced to turn back in sight of the enemy coast.  All A/C landed safe at this station.  No bombs dropped.  No fighters nor flak encountered.  Today’s target was to have been the port area of Gdynia, Poland. Secondary and last resort targets were to have  been the area of Danzig.  Lt. Freese did not return with formation as he tacked on to another and continued to bomb the A/D at Marienburg with good results.

10. Mission called to Brussels, Belgium and Woendrecht A/F Holland.  Our Squadron composed of Lt. Ackerman, Lt. Rayburn, Lt. Myers, Lt. Kuhl, Lt. Muchway, Lt. Williams, Lt. Bond and led by Major Briggs and Kesley.  The secondary and primary were both attacked by parts of the squadron.  A number of hits were reported in the target area but the pattern was very scattered and a large number of hits short of the target.  There was no enemy opposition.  No claims and no casualties.  Lt. E. L. Muchway finished his tour of operations today.  He holds the DFC, Air Medal and 3 Oak Leafs.

11. Today’s squadron was to go to the Cottbus, Germany.  Lt. Dorrington was leading the squadron which was composed of Lts. Freese, Lt. Myers, Lt Henry, Lt. Ackerman, Lt. Rayburn, Lt. Henry (duplicate apparently), Lt. Williams, Lt. Kuhl and Lt Hesse.  Bombing results were reported as good to fair.  Crews reported that the bomb pattern was pretty well strung out but that the MPI was hit as well as a number of other buildings.  Enemy air opposition was stiff.  Flak was heavy.  Today’s raid cost the squadron the loss of a crew.  A/C N 1497 from this squadron as seen to feather #2 engine in the vicinity of Hannover.  Subsequently #3 started smoking badly and this was also feathered.  Forced to drop back of formation at this point but was still in sight at target area.  At 51 52’N – 13 00 eight chutes were reported to come out of this ship.  When last seen the ship was still under control.  Listed crew, now MIA:

(only a partial crew listed for some reason)

2nd Lt. William J. Walker wound up his operational tour today.  Lt. Walker holds the DFC, the Air Medal, and 3 Oak Leafs.

Assigned this date for duty with this organization are the following combat crews:

12. Usual garrison duties. Non Operational.

13. Lts. Williams, Myers, Kuhl, Ackerman, Rayburn and Henry took off early today to bomb the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany.  Bombs were away over the center of the target and many crews ported hits.  Some crews were unable to observe results because of smoke from previous bombs on target.  Enemy a/c did not oppose.  Intense and accurate flak was encountered.  There was some battle damage to ships.  There were no casualties and no claims.  1st Lt. George D. O’Sullivan and S/Sgt. Edward J. Gartland finished up today.  Both men hold the Air Medal with three clusters and the DFC.

14. Usual garrison duties. Non Operational.  2nd Lt. Alpheus Hodge was assigned to this squadron for duty as Intelligence Officer this date.

15. Usual garrison duties. Non Operational.

16. Usual garrison duties. Non Operational.

17. Mission planned to attack the Airfield at Laon/Couvron.  This mission is scrubbed prior to take off.

18. Seven A/C of this squadron were airborne early today to make an attack on Oranienburg, Germany.  Located here are the Heinkel Bomber aircraft components works.  Bombing results were described as excellent.  There was little or no activity on the part of enemy fighters.  Flak was also moderate.  German defenses were weak considering the proximity of the target to Berlin.  The formation was led by Lt. Cronin.  Lts. Rayburn, Williams, Henry, Bond, Ackerman, and Kuhl made up the squadron.  Doing his last mission today was 2nd Lt. John F. Mink.  Lt. Mink holds the DFC, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

19. Target for today is the German Air Force A/D and Air Park located at Eschwege, Germany.  Led by Lt. Freese – Lt. Dorrington the formation went on to bomb the target successfully.  Crews reported bombing results as excellent.  Those flying were Lts. Ackerman, Rayburn, Kuhl, Henry, Bond and Penderist.  Little or no flak was encountered.  However, fighter opposition was strong.  Two ships of this squadron were lost to vicious fighter attacks.  Lt. Rayburn and crew (A/C 8004-Q) was seen to catch afire and to explode soon after in the target area.  Six chutes reported out.  A B-17, believed to be Lt. Leslie A. Bond and crew was seen to go down on fire in the target area.  This ship leveled off at 10,000 ft. and six chutes were reported out of this A/C also.  Lts. Martyniak, Hampton, and Hagen were wounded on this raid.  S/Sgt. Palmisano also wounded.  Crews MIA listed:

1st Lt. John J. Kuhl, T/Sgt. Carl H. Hotter and S/Sgt. Asal Howard finished their tour of operations today.  All these men hold the DFC, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

Assigned this date for duty are the following Combat Crewmen:

20. Le Plouy Ferme and Croissette, France are designated as targets for this squadron.  Lts. Cronin, Wardencki, Jones, Henry, Pendergist and Ackerman participated.  Accurate flak was encountered but no opposition from fighters.  All bombs were returned to base as target was obscured.

T/Sgt. Raymond F. Cassiday and T/Sgt. Peter Bortniak completed their tour this date.  Both men hold the DFC, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

Assigned for duty with the organization are following crewmen:

21. Mission called to Merseburg, Germany.  Primary target is to be the synthetic oil works there.  This mission scrubbed.  Another order in to attack the RR Marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany.  This too is scrubbed.

22. Railway marshalling yards of Hamm, Germany are attacked by this organization. Excellent bombing results reported by crewmen.  Falk was meager and there were few fighters up to meet the formation.  No claims or casualties.

1st Lt. Fred (NMI) Beardsworth finished his operational tour this date.  He holds the Air Medal and three Oak Leafs.  Also the DFC.

Crew listed below assigned this squadron for duty:

2nd Lts. Buchnanan and Reif are appointed to 1st Lt.  Lt. Hagen appointed to 1st Lt. 2nd Lts. Glazier, Beadsworth and Jasiak promoted to 1st Lt. Also.

23. Mission planned to Merseburg, Germany.  Scrubbed before take-off.

24. 8 Forts of this squadron attacked the G.A.F. equipment depot of Erding, Germany.  All A/C took off and were target bound at 0845.  Flying low squadron of the group and led by Lt. Cronin were Lt. Williams, Lt. Jones, Lt. Henry, Lt. Pendergist, Lt. Wardencki, Lt. Myers and Lt. Freeman.  Bombing results were reported as excellent.  E/A did not attack this formation.  Flak was very light.  No claims, no casualties and no losses.

25. Missions to Metz/Freacaty airfield.  This field used as a fighter base and training field and air park for the G.A.F.  There was no E/A opposition and meager flak.  Bombing results reported as excellent.  Leading the squadron, group and the 1st Combat Wing was Lt. Freese with Lt. Dorrington as copilot.  Also flying to round out the formation were: Lt. Pendergist, Lt. Jones, Lt. Freeman, Lt. Peak, and Lt. Myers.  No losses.  No claims.

Finishing on this mission to Metz was 2nd Lt. Robert W. Crisler.  Lt. Crisler holds the DFC, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

26. Flying in the lead squadron, which led the 1st Combat Bomb Wing, was lt. Freese and Lt. Freeman.  Lt. Jones, Lt. Gardon, and Lt. Myers made up the rest of the squadron.  Mission was to Brunswick, Germany.  Due to 10/10ths overcast the target was unobserved.  No results of bombing reported.  There was no fighter opposition and flak was inaccurate.

27. Mission called to attack the Airfield at St. Avord, France.  This base has been in use as a long range bomber base.  Since it was last bombed it was converted to a pathfinder group’s station.  Bombing results were reported as excellent.  Flying the high squadron and led by Lt. Cronin were Lt. Pendergist, Lt. Peak, Lt. Wardencki, Lt. Williams, Lt. Crossgrove and Lt. Gardon.

Finishing his tour today was S/Sgt. Chester J. Norton.  Norton is the holder of the DFC, the Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

28. 4 A/C of this squadron were scheduled to attack military installations on the coast of France.  However, cloud cover over the targets prevented bombing.  All A/C returned all bombs to base.

S/Sgt. Robert M. Rourke completed his tour this date.  He holds the DFC, the Air Medal, and three Oak Leaf Clusters.

29. Mission is called and target is designated as Berlin.  Led by Lt. Cronin – Lt. Wardencki, Lt. Pendergist, Lt. Williams, Lt. Gardon, Lt. Crossgrove, Lt. Peak and Lt. Myers attacked the industrial centers of the Reich’s capitol.  Several crews reported that they were able to observe bombs dropping on their target.  Others reported that a cloud cover existed.  Flak in the target was intense although fighters were not out in great numbers.  No claims and no losses.

Three combat crewmen completed their tour of operations on today’s raid.  These being 1st Lt. Richard I. Maurstad, S/Sgt. John Podrosky, and S/Sgt. Clarence (NMI) Lieske.  All men hold the DFC, Air Medal and three Oak Leaf Clusters.  Podrosky and Maurstad also hold the Purple Heart.

30. Four crews of this squadron took part on a raid to the A/C park and the A/F at Lyon/Bryon.  Crews reported bombing results as excellent.  E/A did not attack this group.  No flak was encountered.  No losses or claims.

2nd Lts. Kesley and Mikulik appointed 1st Lt. Lt. Hampton also appointed 1st Lt.

At months end the squadron’s strength stands at 80 Officers and 398 EM.