THE 535th Bomb Squadron was one of four similar units which, with a headquarters administrative staff, comprised the 381st Bomb Group (Heavy), and was activated 3 January 1943, at Blythe AAF, Ca., with captain William W. Ingenhutt as squadron commander, the cadre was composed of nine officers and 57 enlisted men (EM), all drawn from the personnel of the 381st Bomb Group.

The officers' cadre, commanded by Capt Ingenhutt, was: 1st Lt Arthur C. Briggs, Operations; 1st Lt Clayton R. Greenwood, Engineering; 2nd Lt Richard L. Tansey, Adjutant; 2nd Lt Melvin Feigel, Pilot; 2nd Lt George B. McIntosh, Co-pilot; 2nd Lt Leonard L. Spivey, Navigator; 2nd Lt John M. Stratcotenko, Bombardier and 2nd Lt Walter L. Richey, Communications Officer.

With M/Sgt Andrew J. Banas, Line chief, as ranking NCO, the EM included three T/Sgts, five S/Sgts, 13 Sgts, 13 Cpls, 13 Pfcs and nine Pvts.

The model crew consisted of Capt Ingenhutt, P; Lts McIntosh, CP; Spivey, N; Stracotenko, B; S/Sgts Leo I. Perkins, ETTG, Thomas R. Moore, RO; Sgts Charles G. Dodge, BTG, Robert L. Colborn, Arthur L. Everett, WGs and Russell A. Huebner, TG.

5. The squadron arrived at its first training station, Pyote, Texas, and got its first two Fortresses: 42-5479 and 42-3019, later transferred out at Pueblo, Col.

15. The first promotions raised Pvts John W. Dawson, Charles I. Forbes, Marion S. Kweitniewski and Julius Kanovitz to Pfcs.

16. 2nd Lts James B. Linskey, Armaments Officer and Orlando H. Koenig, Pilot, were assigned to the squadron. S/Sgt Phillip C. Kocher transferred to Orlando, Fla., as the squadron's only successful OCS candidate.

17. 2nd Lt William Dendy, material liaison, was attached to Group HQ for special duty.

24. 2nd Lt Minick was assigned as Asst Eng Officer, along with 106 new men, the new squadron had added four officers and 195 EM attached by the end of the month. Several administrative flights and general organizations, along with the performance of "usual garrison duties", made up the month's air and ground activities.

27. Cpl Joseph J. Gentile was granted the squadron's first emergency furlough.

FEBRUARY 1943

Three full crews, well out of Phase I in their training, joined the squadron on February 2, their arrival opening the way to a full month's program of second phase training. The new combat men, totalled 31, or 12 officers and 19 EM.

The officers were: 2nd Lts William A. Bechter, N; Harold M. Becker, B; Thomas G. Burgett, B; William F. Cormany, CP; Charles W. Dowell, P; Edwin D. Frost, Jr, N; Melvin B. Hecker, P; Robert J. Holdom, P; John J. Pence, CP; James A. Phillips, B; Arthur W. Ricks, N; F/O Fred G. Evans, P.

Among the enlisted men, ten Cpls were promoted to Sgt; 12 Pfcs to Cpl; and 27 Pvts to Pfcs.
Squadron strength at the close of the month had reached 28 officers and 263 EM assigned, with the addition of 16 officers and 58 EM over the 28 days.

Captain Joseph M. Murray, S-2 Officer arrived Feb 6; 1st Lt Milton H. Bland, Medical Officer, Feb 8; 2nd Lt Charles A. Specian, Orderly Officer, Feb 12; 1st Lt Tipton, Asst Engineering Officer, Feb 20 (replacing Lt Minick, transferred to the 534th); 2nd Lt Hubert J. Grimshaw, navigator, Feb 23; Lt Ricks was granted his request for transfer to the 96th BG, Feb 25.

Six Fortresses were added this month, bring the total planes to eight.

MARCH 1943

Fifty officers and 303 EM, or a total addition over February's figure of 22 and 40 in the respective divisions, comprised the squadron strength at this month's end. Five full combat crews accounted for nearly half of the increase. The following 20 combat officers were included in the new crews:

1st Lt Osce V. Jones, P; 2nd Lts Seth A. Armstead,CP; D. R. Jones, N; Lester W. Schneider, B; Frank G. Chapman, P; Richard D. Robinson, CP; Theodore Katz, N; Wilson W. Cupp, B; Harry M. Smith, P; Samuel J. Hawkins, CP; John P. Noonan, N; Lloyd W. Gwinn, B; Frederick T. Sumner, P; Omen V. Jones, CP; Paul H. McDonnell, N; Adrian F. Fredericks, B; Loren C. Disbrow, P; Donald E. Rogers, CP; Arthur L. Guertin, N; George Gaydos, B.

The squadron now has eight combat crews who continued second phase training missions in eight Forts, although routine maintenance work usually left one or two planes grounded most of the time.

Six day furloughs, the "last chance" before overseas shipments, were granted to officers and EM in groups not exceeding 15% of the squadron strength. No travel time was allowable, due to a rigid training schedule.

Promotions were highlighted by the elevation of Capt Ingenhutt to Major, as of the 23rd. Other promotions included 1st Lts Briggs and Bland to captain; 2nd Lts Tansey, Hecker, Holdom, Ritchey and Disbrow to 1st Lts, while 59 EM also received promotions.

Assigned during the latter half of the month were: 2nd Lts Saul B. Schwartz, S-2 Officer; Charles L. Guimento, Supply Officer; George H. Kessel, Mess Officer; Jack B. Painter, P; Everett F. Malone, CP; Theodure Jikutz, N; William A. Hodge, N and Clarence A. Watkins, Jr, B.

In this period five officers were transferred out: 1st Lts Dendy and Tipton; 2nd Lts Omen V. Jones, McConnell and Katz.

Seven EM over the 38 age limit were granted honorable discharges, four on the 17th and three on the 25th.

APRIL 1943

The squadron left Pyote, with little, if any, reluctance, for the third phase of training at Pueblo, Colo, on April 4. Combat crews flew the outfit's eight Forts, the ground crew echelon making the 760 mile station change by train. The latter personnel took up usual garrison duties at Pueblo on the 6th.

At this station training emphasis was placed upon formation and cross-country flying. Personnel changes by the month's end left the squadron with 17 new officers and 33 EM. The strength was 69 officers and 336 EM.

The new officers were: 2nd Lt Edwin R. Manchester, P; F/O Allen J. Chapin, P; 2nd Lts Marvin L. Smith, N;Robert L. Weniger, P; Robert Black, B; Charles W. Nevius, B; George R. DeSantis, Asst Ops O; Eli Zinn, Asst Eng O; Joseph D. Keating, Supply Officer.

2nd Lts Chapman and Spivey were raised for 1st Lts; promotions too, came to 69 EM.

A month's intensive third phase training was terminated with the departure on April 30 of all combat crews for six day leaves and furloughs.

MAY 1943

On the 10th ground and air echelons left Pueblo for their respective destinations, Camp Kilmer, N.J., and Salina, Kan., where they were due to undergo processing in preparation for overseas duty.

Ground forces reached Kilmer on May 12, after a 736 mile train trip. Clothing and equipment checks, physical examinations, lectures, drill, and plenty of time spent in nearby New York City and Philadelphia were the order of the day until the outfit's sudden shipment on the 26th to the docks at Brooklyn, New York, and quarters aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth. The liner left New York harbor next day and members of the squadron aboard her passed from May into June in mid-Atlantic.

The air echelon's high speed means of transport got them into the ETO, at Prestwick, Scotland, day after the Elizabeth sailed. Their stops were at Dow Field, Me., and Gander Lake, Newfoundland. All planes joined forces at Bovingdon, Herts., England on May 29. In preparation for the transfer to Station #167, Ridgewell, Essex Co., their combat operations base, about eight miles from Halstead, the nearest town.
Both sea and air crossings were made easily without unusual incident.

Three officers were assigned this month: 2nd Lts Robert H. Gravelyn, CP; John F. Lander, N; and William J. Rogan, Bombsight Maint. Officer.

Eight officers were transferred out: 2nd Lts Walters, Birchett, Fredericks, Grimshaw, Rogers, Pence, Jikutz and Zinn.

Promotions saw 2nd Lts McIntosh, Linskey and Kornemann up to 1st Lts. In addition 167 EM received new strips in all six grades.

Squadron strength at end of the month was 65 officers and 325 EM.