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534th Bomb. Sq., 381st Bomb
Group (H) - WAR DIARY
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Submitted by Lt. Ross
G. Hanks
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January to June, 1943
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Transcribed by Scott
Burris,
grandson of 534th navigator Charles Edward Brumback. The war diary is presented as it is found on the microfilm. Care was taken to be as accurate as possible. However, the quality of the microfilm, and the original material, makes an accurate transcription difficult in some places and has been noted where needed. Thanks must be extended to Ross G. Hanks, who documented daily, the history of the 534th Squadron from January 3, 1943, to April 30th, 1945. |
The 534th Bombardment Squadron, activated January 3, 1943, from the 18th Bombardment Squadron, 34th Bombardment Group (H), AAB, Blythe, California. Captain Donald. A. Appert resumes duties as the Squadron commander. The strength at that time was ten (10) officers and fifty-five (55) Enlisted Men.
The Squadron left AAB, Blythe, California, 1400, January 3, 1943 and arrived at AAB, Pyote, Texas at 0800 January 7, 1943, to train for overseas duty.
Feb. 2, 1943 – Captain Donald A. Appert, (pilot), was relieved from assigned duty as Squadron Commander. Captain David E. Kunkel, Jr., was assigned and assumed command of the Squadron. The strength at the time of Captain Kunkel, jr., taking over the squadron was twenty-nine (29) officers and two-hundred and sixty-eight (268) Enlisted Men.
March 31, 1943 – The strength of the squadron was forty-seven (47) Officers and one (1) Flight Officer and three-hundred and seven-teen (317) Enlisted Men.
April 4, 1943 – After braving the dust storms of Texas, for three (3) months, the squadron with all of its equipment, the Combat Crews with their training completed, moved from AAB, Pyote, Texas, to AAB, Pueblo, Colorado, arriving there at 0700 April the 6th and took up the usual garrison duties.
May 7, 1943 – The Air Echelon with thirty-eighth (38) Officers and fifty-nine (59) Enlisted Men, left for Salina, Kansas. They left with 10 ships. Captain Kunkel left with the Air Echelon and Lt. James E. O’Brien assumed command of the ground forces.
May 10, 1943 – After this squadron worked hard and got all of its boxes packed for shipment overseas, and all men having her personal effects in order, left AAB, Pueblo, Colorado, at 0730 and arrived at Camp Kilmer, N.J, 1900 May the 12th and took up the usual garrison duties.
May 13, 1943 – to May the 17th – The squadron had a complete clothing check and the squadron was processed for overseas duty.
May 26, 1943 – Left Camp Kilmer, N.J. at 1015 and arrived at New York, N.Y. port of embarkation at 1245. Boarded the Queen Elizabeth at 1330. Left port of Embarkation May the 27th at 1400, with 270 Enlisted Men, 11 Officers and 1 Warrant Officer jg.
June 2, 1943 – Disembarded at Firth of Clyde near Greennock, Scotland at 0600.
June 3, 1943 – Arrived at Station 167 at 1300 and took up garrison duties as usual.
June 8, 1943 – The first (1st) Combat Crews came back to the Squadron after a successful trip across the Atlantic Ocean.
June 25, 1943 – S/Sgt Tieman, Ivan J. ASN 35354642, was killed in action over Hamburg, Germany. S/Sgt. Podrosky, John W., ASN 33165417, was seriously wounded in action over Hamburg, Germany.
July 4, 1943 – Twenty (20) Officers and Twenty-eight (28) Enlisted Men participated in a sortie over Le Maine, France.
July 10, 1943 – Eight (8) Officers and twelve (12) Enlisted Men, participated in a sortie over Villa Coublay, France.
July 14, 1943 – Twenty-five (25) Officers and thirty-six Enlisted Men participated in a sortie over Amiens-Glisy, France.
July 17, 1943 – Eighteen officers (18) and twenty-nine (29) Enlisted Men participated in a sortie over Geringhausen, Germany.
July 18, 1943 – Strength of the organization stood at fifty-one (51) officers, and WO.jg and 329 Enlisted Men.
Mission to Kassel, Germany planned and scrubbed before briefing. The target was to be the Fieseler Assembly Works.
24. Six of the squadron’s fortresses took part in the group’s raid on the aluminum plant at Herya, Norway. There were no fighter attacks and little flak as the squadron dropped its bombs on the target. Results of the bombing were described as good. No battle casualties. All a/c returned to base safe. Crews that participated are as follows:
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A/C 42-3227 |
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A/C 42-3221 |
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A/C 42-5845 |
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A/C 42-3118 |
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A/C 42-29954 |
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A/C 42-29958 |
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25. Four of this squadrons Fortresses were airborne at 1300 and on their way to bomb the Aero-engine Works of Flockner Flugmotorenbau in Hamburg, Germany. The group formation crossed the English Coast at Cromer and the enemy coast at Cuxhaven. Approximately 20-30 E/A, mostly Me 109’s and FW 190’s were seen. Attacks were not intense as E/A failed to press home the attack. AA fire was reported to be meager. Continuously pointed fire was also reported leading into the area of the target. There were no battle casualties and all A/C returned safe to base. Following are the crews that took part:
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A/C 42-30245 |
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A/C 42-3227 |
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A/C 42-5845 |
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A/C 42-30004 |
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26. Capt. David E. Kunkel, Jr., our Squadron CO was appointed Major.
Six of our planes participated in a raid on the Blohm & Voss Shipyards of Hamburg, Germany. Bombing results were unobserved due to heavy smoke screen over the target. Estimated enemy fighter opposition appeared to be 30 E/A, mainly Me-109’s and a few FW-190’s. Flak was meager and inaccurate, however, fire became most accurate and heavy over the target. All A/C returned to base safe. 2nd Lt. D.C. Roraback was wounded slightly on this mission. Air crews that participate area;
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Aircraft number not recorded |
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A/C 42-5845 |
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| A/C 42-3221 Lishon, Dexter, 1st Lt., Pilot Gluck, Robert, 2nd Lt. Navigator Riddle, Lloyd G., S/Sgt., Radio Op Maidson, Clarence D. S/Sgt., Ball Turret Phelan, John C., Sgt., Left Waist |
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A/C 42-29954 |
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A/C 42-30245 |
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28. The target for today was the Hensonel Motor Works at Altenbauna, (Nr. Kassel) Germany. Six of our A/C were airborne at 0745 and proceeded to the enemy target. Ships did not drop bombs as the formation failed to read the target. There was no fighter opposition and all A/C reached the base safe. AA fire was meager and fairly accurate. Listed below are crews that participated:
A/C 42-30028—Lt. Neil H. Wright’s ship aborted due to malfunction of fuel pump on engine no. 4.
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A/C 42-30004 |
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A/C 42-29958 |
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A/C 3118-N |
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| A/C 3221-E Lishon, Dexter, 1st Lt., Pilot Gluck, Robert, 2nd Lt. Navigator Riddle, Lloyd G., S/Sgt., Radio Op Maidson, Clarence D. S/Sgt., Ball Turret Phelan, John C., Sgt., Left Waist |
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A/C 3227-G |
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29. This mission sent six of our “Forts” with Major D. E. Kunkel leading, deep over enemy territory to bomb the Naval Dock Yards of Kiel, Germany. E/A encountered were reported to number between 75 and 100. The 534th was credited with one (1) probably destroyed and four (4) damaged. Credit for the “probable” goes to Sgt. J. N. Tanney. Lt. Heinz, Lt. Rylands, Sgt. Crawbuck, and Sgt. Tom Scott were credited with one (1) E/A damaged apiece. S/Sgt. Klingenberger and Sgt. Grover Bonsall were wounded in action over the target. A/C 3221, piloted by Lt. Dexter Lishon, crash landed three miles from Thetford, England. With 3 engines out Lt. Lishon sat his plane down with crew members uninjured. All other planes returned to the base safe. Following list of crews took part in the mission:
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A/C 3227-G |
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A/C 3221-D |
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A/C 3118-N |
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| A/C 30004-B Ohl, C. O., 1st Lt., Pilot Hyatt, R., 2nd Lt., Navigator Sikorski, Mike, S/Sgt., Radio Schneider, D. H., S/Sgt., Ball Turret Whitford, G. D., S/Sgt., L. Waist |
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A/C 29958-J |
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A/C 5845-A |
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30. 2nd Lts, Lyons, Mee, and Petrillo appointed 1st Lts as of 23 July. For the 3rd day and for 4 out of 5 days the squadron again put up 6 planes to attack enemy installations. This time it was the Fieseler Flagseugbau Aircraft Components Works at Kassel, Germany. All A/C successfully bombed the primary target, each dropping 10x500 GP bombs. Enemy fighter opposition was strong. An estimate of f150 E/A encountered by the entire group from target to the Dutch coast on the return trip. Claims for the day were: one destroyed by S/Sgt. Don Schneider, one probably destroyed by S/Sgt. C. J. Beasley and one damaged by T/Sgt. C. M. Johnson. There were no battle casualties as all s hips returned safe to base. Following crews participated:
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A/C 42-3845 |
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| A/C 3118-N Lishon, Dexter, 1st Lt., Pilot Gluck, R., 2nd Lt. Navigator Riddle, L. G., S/Sgt., Radio Op Maidson, C. D. S/Sgt., Ball Turret Phelan, J. C., Sgt., Left Waist |
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Aircraft not listed |
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A/C 30145 |
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A/C 42-30028 |
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| A/C 42-30004 Ohl, C. O., 1st Lt., Pilot Waldman, R. J. 2nd Lt., Navigator Sikorski, Mike, S/Sgt., Radio Schneider, D. H., S/Sgt., Ball Turret Whitford, G. D., S/Sgt., L. Waist |
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31. Captain G. C. Shackley was relieved from assignment as squadron operations officers to replace Capt. Arthur Brigs as assistant group operations officer.
Strength for the squadron at end of month stands at 329 EM, 51 officers, one w/o.
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