1. 2nd Lt Alfred Coffman, Jr., MIA on Nancy mission, re-assigned from USSTAF; 2nd Lt Glen A. McCabe and T/Sgt Russell H. Jevons, MIA on Bordeaux mission, left for HQ, 1st Air Force, Mitchell Field, NY.

Tours complete, the following were transferred to the 12th RCD, casual pool, Chorley, Lancs.: 1st Lts Thomas L. Honahan, Roy Meyers Jr., James T. Shore; T/Sgts Charlie R. Myers, James R. Stewart and S/Sgt John E. Wood.

2-4. No change.

5. The following promotions were announced today; To T/Sgt: Arthur P. Andrzejewski, Joseph A. Bearer, William P. Kiniklis, Paul R. Vanderzee, Bertram M. Williams and Clinton S. Word. To S/Sgt: Milton G. Bailes, John J. Boland, Lennace J. Boudreaux, Dean L. Carrier, John W. Dawson, David G. Gildin, Alan D. Hawkinson, Robert D. Helmer, Frank J. Marushack, Robert L. Megee, Ralph E. Price and Harry G. Sedoryk.

6. A mission to Oberpfaffenhofen was scrubbed. 2nd Lt Alfred T. Coffman, transferred to HQ, 1st Air Force, Mitchell Field, NY.

7. A mission to Oldenburg was scrubbed. T/Sgt William P. Kiniklis, evader, left today the 1st Air Force, Mitchell Field, NY.

8. Scheduled for an 09.00 hrs take off, planes were held on the ground by fog for about an hour, when late morning sun dispelled the mists and permitted the beginning of take-off to hit the airfield at Oldenburg, near Bremen.

Led by Lt Pluemer, seven Forts of this squadron were part of the 29 strong group formation. Visibility: faint haze on target but crewmen saw ground and smoke after bombing. Results were generally good; the 91st BG had covered the MPI with smoke of their hits, and our bombardiers let go into it. There was flak in the target area but only moderate, but accurate and about 15 minutes duration. Our escort was very good all the way and no enemy aircraft were seen.

Along with Lt Pluemer, our pilots were: Lts Wilson, Mullane, Putek, Soeder, Bartlett and Urban. Back from the rest home came Lt Enos and crew.

9. The group got a credit for the mission to Gnydia, Poland today, because a crew from another squadron, lost, followed a group to bomb the mentioned target.

However 29 of our ships took off for this same target, but received and complied with a weather recall, the conditions so bad at altitude that proper assembly of formation was practically impossible in an attempt to attack Koch Kannonenberg air armament depot.

Lt Soeder piled up his ship at the end of the runway after three unsuccessful attempts to lift her for take off. He was travelling at 160 mph and drawing 39" of mercury, and still the ship would not lift. There was major damage to ship in nose compartment, but crewmen, who had assembled for the crash in the radio room, were uninjured.

S/Sgt John J. Wardell today was discharged from the AUS and sworn in as 2nd Lt.

10. Thirty-two Forts took off at 06.15 hrs for a four-and-three-quarters hour trip, led by the 534th, to hit a factory at Brussels, for our main target, and the airfield at Woensdrecht, for the composite, in which the 535th flew carrying M-47s.
Lt Putek led our seven ships, the others being: Lts Hallecy, Mullane, Urban, Ringgenberger, Liddle and Bartlett.

Visibility was clear for us and we hit the primary well. Our ships met moderate flak in the target area only, met no fighters while our escort operated well.

To rest homes today: 1st Lt William A. Pluemer, Edwin K. Stanton, 2nd Lts Julius K. Schnapp, Donald M. Traeger; T/Sgts Leo W. Dudgeon, Valentino DiNicola, S/Sgts Deverett D. Bickston, Israel A. Salazar, Vincent L. DeLucca and Wayne B. Pegg.

11. Today's target for the main group, was an aircraft component plant at Cottbus, while the composite went for a similar target at Sorau. The 535th led the 1st Combat Wing to Cottbuss, with Major Jones up front, the pilots being: Lt Enos (with Major Jones), Mullane, Urban, Liddle, Bartlett, Hallecy and Ringgenberg.

Visibility was clear except for some broken clouds, bombing was very good right on the MPI. Flak was meagre on the way in but none in the target area. Enemy aircraft were seen at a distance, but there were no direct attacks, as in the case of the composite group, as fighter escort was good all the way. This was a near-ten hour mission.

12. The group received a stand down order last night, we and the 91st BG did an unusually good job on yesterday's operation. HQ rumour says today's lay-off is a bouquet for our Combat Wing only.

At 08.00 hrs the station is fog bound. Even the pigeons are walking, ground visibility limited to less than 200 yards.
T/Sgt French, who left for London yesterday., is today due to participate in Old Gold Cigarette Hour broadcast, tomorrow goes to Wide Wing to receive his Distinguished Service Cross for the "Touch-The-Button-Nell" episode. Lt Saul B. Schwartz, PRO, will meet him at Wide Wing to cover. Lt Putek, pilot of "Nell", will receive the Silver Star, the squadron's first, for the part he played.

Since Monday, two days ago, S/Sgt Fred Miller, boss operations NCO, has been breaking in to replace 1st Sgt Charlie Butts, transferred out sick.

2nd Lt Conrad M. Blalock, formerly MIA, today was re-assigned from HQ, USSTAF; Reduced to Pvt: S/Sgt William B. Blackmon, Jr., air gunner; promoted to T/Sgts: James E. Haynie; to Sgt: Ernest F. Waggy, Howard D. Browse and William B. Blackmon, Jr.

13. Major Halsey and Lt Enos led the 1st Combat wing to Schweinfurt, to bomb the same old ball-bearing plant. Other pilots were: Lts Hallecy, Putek, Bartlett, Liddle, Ringgenberg and Mullane (missing in action). Lt Urban aborted with one wing tank leaking gas heavily.

Flak was moderate in the target area, and the ships reported being heavily hit. Bombing was believed to be good, with visibility VACU in the target area. About 60-100 enemy aircraft were seen attacking other Fort formations in the target area, but our group met only two quick passes from strays.

MIA crew: 2nd Lt James F. Mullane, 1st Lt T. Paxton Sherwood, 2nd Lts Patrick D. O'Phelan, John J. Kirby; T/Sgt Edward A. Stahlke, Robert E. Kettlety, S/Sgts Thaddeus Tarczynski, Lewis F. Sparrow and Frank G. Troxler.

Lt Stickel, squadron navigator, finished up today.

14. Another stand down order came last night. Today is warm, sky filled with broken, heavy clouds through which the sun breaks through occasionally.

T/Sgt French and Lt Schwartz returned from Wide Wing; M/Sgt Harold L. Davis, one of our oldest crew chiefs, was hospitalized today after a serious bicycle accident last night.

Three new crews were assigned today: 2nd Lts Andrew G. Claytor, Robert H. Chisholm, Roy J. Rice Jr., Chester E. Hudson; S/Sgts Walter R. Williams, Nicholas A. Sango, Grover E. Padgett, Kenneth Starks and Robert C. Huttlinger.
2nd Lts Richard L. Snyder, Forrest L. Campbell, Walter L. Tyson, Marcus W. Todd; S/Sgts Johnnie L Daniel, Raymond D. Vitkus, David W. Souder, Donald H. Thomas and Joseph M. Connable.

2nd Lts James C. Parkman, Lester A. Gillette, Richard E. Shaw, James H. Long; S/Sgts Henry W. Harris, Harry I. Shenkel, Edward G. Graybill, Donald C. Davis, Chester W. Jech, Stacey Culberson and Yonan D. Yonan.

Also assigned: Pvt John M. Howry.

15. "Squat 'n Droppit" 42-39906, was burned beyond hope of salvage this morning after landing from a practice mission. We saw something like this at Pyote, Texas, when one of the 19th BG's Forst caught fire during re-fuelling and burned flat to the ground.

16. Promoted to 1st Lts were: William M. Hotaling, Harlan D. Soeder and George D. Wilson.

17. The weather today was overcast, chilly with dampness everywhere, as usual, thus mission was scrubbed, to Ison/Couvron, France.

Promoted to 1st Lt today were: Gordon D. Baker, Michael W. Buschbaum, Roy J. Fayard,, Frank T. Palenik, Dacil G. Ripperton, Julius K. Schnapp and Donald M. Traeger.

18. Today the weather was clear at 07.45 hrs, then clouded up about 08.00, but lifted again in time for 29Forts, led by the 532nd, to take off at 09.45 hrs, as scheduled, to bomb the tank assembly plant at Oranienburg, north of Berlin.

Haze prevailed in the target area, but bombardiers could see their objective are results are believed to be good. No enemy aircraft were encountered and flak was meagre everywhere.

Participating were: Lts Hallecy (who finished up), Putek, Urban, Riggenberg, Liddle, Gnatzig and Soeder (missing in action).

The latter was riding on No. 3 position, lead element of our high squadron, ordinarily one of the most secure spots in any formation. No one has a report as to what has happened to them.

MIA crew: 1st Lt Harlan D. Soeder, 2nd Lt Philip E. Mulhall, F/O Jerome D. Becker, 2nd Lt George C. Grote; S/Sgts Harry C. Sedoryk, John J. Boland, Frank J. Marushack, Alan Hawkinson and Milton G. Bailes.

19. PFF's led 30 group aircraft from an 06.15 hrs take-off to bomb the Henscel aircraft works and airfield at Eschwege, SSE of Kassel. All of our ships, except Lt Nelson flew in the "A" contingent, which led the 1st Combat Wing.

Both "A" and "B" groups bombed the same target with good results, but "B" made a complete 360 degree turn after the bomb run and tangled with 50 of about 200 enemy aircraft, which hit the 534th especially hard. They lost two ships, had three return bearing a total of one dead and five wounded.

Our squadron had neither casualties or claims. No flak encountered, but some, very meagre, seen at a great distance in the target area. Lt Herman finished up today.

Participating were: Lts Putek, Riddle, Urban, Gnatzig, Nelson and F/O Haring.

20. Our Forts, including 10 from this squadron, took off at 16.00 hrs for a short run to bomb military installations near Croisette, France. They found solid undercast at the target and did not bomb. Five of our ships were heavily shot up by flak, which was moderate but accurate in the target area, but no enemy fighters were seen.

Completing their tours today, were: T/Sgt Fischel, S/Sgts Cook, Hanson and R.R. Smith.

These pilots made the run: Lts Putek, Wilson, Riggenberg, Liddle, Urban, Pluemer, Bartlett, Gnatzig, Nelson and F/O Haring.

1st Lt Stanley Holewinski, bombardier, who finished up recently, today was transferred to the 6th CCRC, Station #376, Watton, Norfolk, for future combat duty in Mosquitos, many of which are now flown by USAAF.

21. A mission to Merseburg was scrubbed today.

S/Sgt Robert J. Gugenheim, last of the original crew of "Chap's Flying Circus", today was discharged from AUS, and sworn in as a 2nd Lt. This is the third member of Major (then Capt) Chapman's old crew to be commissioned. Lts Crowley and Wardell are already assigned as gunnery officers; Lt Gugenheim will soon be.

Two new crews assigned: 2nd Lts Ray H. Flint, Frederick R. Jarvill, Lorance E. Hamilton, Woodrow W. Lyles; S/Sgts William A. Garrick, Sgts Willard E. Bessey, James L. Judd, Delton W. Carpenter, David Jensen and Robert Q. Pope.

2nd Lt Howard R. Yates, Robert J. Klutho, Earl L. Reno, F/O Joseph F. Grace; S/Sgts Ronald A. Founds, James E. Dixon, Sgts Chester M. Erringer, Morton L. Ex, Robert L. Kantor and Paul C. Smith.

22. Six of our crews participated with the group in what looked like a very good bombing of the marshalling yards at hamm. No flak, no fighters, good escort, bombs went into the smoke of the previous group's work. The entire yard set-up was covered in smoke.

Feature angle of this one was the late returned, briefed for 22.00 hrs. They made it on time, the first landings coming at dusk, the last in darkness, with the great white landing lights glaring onto the runways. A Liberator crew came down here after having been warned away from landing at its own base, near Bungay, Norfolk.

Intruder enemy fighters were reported in that vicinity. Later reports show several Libs were shot down by the Germans as they came in for landings at their own base. Jerry used an old British stunt, taking advantage of dusk and early dark on an otherwise perfect night for combat.

Pilots and crews taking part were: Lts Wilson, Ringgenberg, Bartlett, Urban, Liddle, Pluemer and F/O Haring.

23. A mission to Merseburg was scrubbed today.

T/Sgt Carroll L. Fischel, radio operator who recently finished his tour, was transferred to the 532nd, for duty as ROG on one of our "Relay" ships, which act a flying radio stations for the relaying of messages from operational formations in Germany and eastern Europe.

Lt James Tyson and crew, now flying PFF from Alconbury, have been re-assigned to this squadron, but will continue to operate from the PFF base, on detached service. Eventually they'll move back here.

Two new crews assigned today were: 1st Lt Thomas Barnicle, 2nd Lts Joseph A. Albers, Corbin J. Robertson, Elvin E. Andrews; S/Sgt Hugo E. Pancheri, John D. Janssen, Sgts Nicholas M. Rotz, Merrill W. Meyer, William F. Gaddy and David Caldwell.

2nd Lts Wayne A. Schobert, Eugene J. Roberts, Holly W. Boots, Bernard Goodman; Sgts Ralph D. Bowers, Thomas G. Bowser, Burtner L. Seibert, S/Sgt Russell H. Adams, James W. Thompson and Sgt Samuel T. White Jr.

24. Capt Armstead and Lt Henslin led the "B" group in the 381st's attack onn the aircraft storage depot at Erding, near Munich today. Visibility was good and so was the bombing.

Crews reported at least eight other similar target in the Munich area were well hit and smoking as they pulled off their particular bomb run. Flak was moderate to heavy in the target area, but there were no enemy fighters.
In addition to Armstead and Henslin, these pilots took part: Lts Gnatzig, Riggenberg, Claytor, Putek, Nelson, Bartlett and F/O Haring.

S/Sgt Hanson was transferred to the 12th RCD casual pool, tour complete; to rest homes went: Lts Liddle, Baker, Hotaling and Buschbaum; with T/Sgt Word, S/Sgts Burke, McFadden, Naha and Schmitt.

25. Lt Claytor and crew, including veteran Charlie Middleton, are missing in action from today's attack on the airfield at Metz, France. They flew with another squadron.

Visibility and bombing were good, crewmen even able to see parked aircraft on the ground destroyeed by hits and blast. There were no enemy fighter attacks and only a dozen or so Jerries seen in the distance all day. Flak was moderate but accurate in the target area.

Some of the combat men are wondering why Middleton, with more than twenty missions, was sent with a green crew.
MIA crew: 2nd Lts Andrew G. Claytor, Robert H. Chisholm, Roy J. Rice Jr., Charles D. Middleton; S/Sgt Nicholas A. Sango, Walter R. William, Sgts Joseph M. Connable, David W. Souder and Raymond D. Vitkus.

26. For the third mission in as many days, the group attacked Brunswick, led by Col Leber, group CO. The target was bombed through a 10/10th undercast. Flak was moderate, enemy fighters non-existent and there was a perfect escort.
Completing their tours today were: Lt Hooker, S/Sgts Moerlins and Lawrence.

Today's pilots were: Lts Snyder, Pluemer, Wilson, Hooker, Putek, Gnatzig and F/O Haring. The latter's navigator, Lt Scott, was slightly wounded in the back by a flak fragment.

27. This was the group's 100th mission, their fourth in as many days, military installations near La Glacerie, France bing the target, but a complete cloud cover prevented bombing.

Major Jones and Lt Putek led the group, our other pilots being: Capt Armstead, Lts Bartlett, Wilson and Gnatzig.
Flak was moderate at the coast but very accurate, these Jerry gunners are the "post-graduates" in their line. They seemed to get plenty of unopposed practice. Battle damage to Forts were severe in many cases, but there were no casualties.

Finishing up today were: Lts Putek, Bartlett and Deasey; S/Sgts Burckhalter and Vinovich.

28. "There are no milk-runs". Old timers among the combat men know that, and the newer ones learned it today in the loss of Major Jones and Lt Henslin and crew in "Georgia Rebel II", just after a very good "bombs away" at the St Avord airfield, France.

An explosion - either a direct flak hit or due to malfunction -in #2 engine sent the ship out of the lead position and down, apparently under rather good control. The engine twisted, caught fire and fell out of the nacelle.

The ship pulled up and careened off to the left and went down through the low squadron and was seen to break up. Unfortunately the tail gunner, S/Sgt Sell's chute fouled on the tail and he was carried down with the ship. Lt Pluemer took over the lead.

MIA crew: 1st Lt Harold F. Henslin, Major Osce V. Jones, 2nd Lt Arthur L. Guertin, 1st Lt Eugene Arning; T/Sgt John R. Karr, J. V. Padgett, S/Sgts George B. McLaughlin, Clarence Williams, Sgt William B. Blackmon and S/Sgt Edward H. Sell.

29. For the sixth mission in six days, Lt Enos flew as pilot for deputy leader Major Halsey for the trip to Berlin. Formations found 8/10th undercast over the city and met rough flak, but bombed and observed fires after explosives hit.
The escort was good, no enemy fighters seen and there were no claims or casualties. Lt Snyder aborted, while also making the run were: Lts Ringgenberg, Nelson and Gnatzig, who landed away from base with an engine out, a second virtually dead, and with less than 25 gallons in each of his wing tanks.

Since the 25th Lts Hallecy and Herman have been transferred to the 12th RCD, casual pool at Chorley, along with Sgts Hansen, Cook, R.R. Smith and Burgasser.

M/Sgt Harold David, suffering from a fractured skull incurred in a recent bicycle accident, was transferred to the 65th General Hospital. 2nd Lt Earl B. Duarte, pilot of the crew lost on the Bordeaux mission on December 31, was re-assigned.
T/Sgt Lester H. Hall, message centre chief, is on his way home on orders for assignment as chief of a new base's message centre somewhere in the States.

Sgt Nassam Abraham and Pvt Frank Hernandez went to Cambridge to enter the Division boxing matches. Nassam won by a KO but Hernandez lost by same.

30. It is now seven on the trot, a mission when only 12 group Forts participated in today's mission to the Bron airdrome, near Lyons. No crewmen from this squadron flew.

Lts Bartlett and Urban; Sgts Gasper, Holmes, Lorence and Moelins, all of whom finished up recently were transferred to the 12th RCD casual pool, Chorley, while 2nd Lts Blalock and Duarte were transferred to HQ 1st Air Force, Mitchell Field, NY.; Lt Scott returned to duty from hospital today.