| [Precombat] | HISTORY
OF THE 381ST BG (H) |
NOTE: The official 381st Bomb Group (H) history was classified Secret, and is so noted on the microfilm. There is a statement of declassification on the film box and in the first few frames of the film. The film is not the easiest to read. The quality of microfilming photography leaves much to be desired. It is obvious that the typewriter ribbons could have been newer, but what do you expect, there was a war going on!
381st
Bomb Group (H)
War Diary
Roll BO369: Frames 1520 thru 1526
2 June 1943 to 29 June 1943
Submitted by:
Saul B. Schwartz
1st Lt., AC
[2] Ground forces, aboard the Queen Elizabeth, Arrived European Theater of Operations (Gourock, Scotland) 0800.
Arrived Station No. 167 (Ridgewell, Essex, England) 1400.
[20] Group Band was organized
[21] Preparations for the group's First Mission were made in accordance with Field Order No. 152B. With the 384th, the 381st was to run a diversion to the main effort. The bombs were loaded and the crews were briefed. The mission was called off, however, before the planes went up.
[22] Field Order 153B was received at the S-2 office at 0052 hours.
Field Order 153A (main effort) was received at 0545 hours.
The 381st Bomb Group earned its place in the strike force of the Eighth Bomber Command today, taking part, with the 384th Bomb Group, in a successful operation against Antwerp.
The operation was a diversion to the main effort, directed against Kiel.
Twenty-one Fortresses took off at 0700 hours, led by a few aircraft of the 91st Bomb Group. Lt. Col. Joseph J. Nazzaro, commanding officer, was in the lead ship. Brigadier General Frank O'Donnell, commander of the Eight Fighter Command, flew with Lt. Robert L. Withers as an observer.
Two Fortresses are missing and two crash landed in England. One, because of a mechanical failure, returned early. Seventeen of the planes are known to have bombed the target and it is believed the two missing aircraft also let their bombs go in the target area. Results of the bombing were reported as "good".
The missing aircraft were believed observed crashing, one on the continent the other in the channel. Observers said they saw six parachutes leave one of the Fortresses and two leave the other.
Of the two which landed away from base, Lt. Jobe's crew reported only minor injuries, while Lt. Schenk's crew reported six casualties. The injured were:
T/Sgt. John D. Sinclair, RO, of Lithonia, Ga.
S/Sgt. James F. Sloan, AG, of Vian, Oklahoma, and
S/Sgt. Charles W. Briton, AG, of Duquesne, Pa., who were seriously injured, and
2nd Lt. George C. Williams, Bombardier, of Warren, Ohio,
S/Sgt. George C. Bardsley, RO, of Methuen, Mass., and
S/Sgt. Mitchell J. LaBuda, AG, of Chicago, Ill., who sustained minor wounds. All were treated at the 12th Evacuation Hospital, Disp.
The 16 Fortresses which landed in formation here reported only one casualty:
S/Sgt. Arnold. B. Lorick, tail gunner, of Batesburg, S.C. who was killed at his gun station.
The missing are:
1st Lt. John J. Martin, Jr., pilot, Barwick, Pa.,
F/O Robert J. Marsh, C.P., of Fresno, Cal.,
2nd Lt. Harry J. Long, N., of Des Moines, Iowa,
2nd Lt. Wallace W. Hoag, B., of Minneapolis, Minn.,
S/Sgt. Leonard J. Formaro, AG, of Baltimore, Md.,
S/Sgt. Bill Geary, G., of West Mayfield, Pa.,
Sgt. Hugh F. Goswick, RO., of Spicer, Minn.,
Sgt. John B. Hutchinson, AG., of San Joco, Cal.,
Sgt. James S. Lantto, E., of Marquette, Mich.,
Sgt. Glenn W. Witts, AG., of Lancaster, N.Y.,
1st Lt. Earl Russell Harr, pilot, of Minneapolis, Minn.,
2nd Lt. Chester Lytle Hoover, B., of Graybull, Wyoming,
2nd Lt. George Paul Griffith, N., of Live Oak, Cal.,
2nd Lt. William Robert Roberts, C.P., of Farwell, Tex.,
T/Sgt. Robert E. Mandell, RO., of Toledo, Ohio,
S/Sgt. Arthur Ariail Jones, AG., of Greenville, S.C.,
S/Sgt. Everett Irving Hodadon, G., of Auburn, Me.
S/Sgt. Charles P. Maury, AG., West Concord, Minn.,
S/Sgt. Hubert Richard Clark, AE., of Cobden, Ill.,
T/Sgt. Glenn H. Chapin, E., of Ansen, Tex.
The Fortresses met moderate flak and moderate fighter opposition. Claims totaled three enemy fighters shot down and two or three destroyed. The Fortresses flown by Lt. Schenk and Lt. Jobe had the roughest trip. Sinclair, RO in Schenk's ship, has been recommended for decoration. Wounded himself, he helped extricate the wounded tail gunner from the tail and returned subsequently to man the tail gun until the Fortress reached safety.
All returned pilots were loud in their praise of the P-47 fighter escort provided for the mission. Both the Schenk and Jobe crews attribute their safe return to the appearance on the scene at the critical moment of the Thunderbolts.
[23] Twenty three members of the 533rd Bomb Squadron and a civilian employed at this station lost their lives when bombs being loaded into plane No. 024 exploded shortly after 1100 hours. There were two explosions. The blasts completely destroyed 024 and severely damaged 992, which was in the next revetment. A Board of Inquiry was unable to determine the cause of the blast.
The dead are:
2nd Lt. Paul E. Tull, Hanover, Ind.
T/Sgt. Charles H. Wilton, Richland, Wash.
T/Sgt. Erwin Bohlander, Glenham, S.D.
S/Sgt. Michael J. Egan, New York, N.Y.
S/Sgt. Elwood P. Harris, Richmond, Va.
S/Sgt. James J. Lintgen, St. Cloud, Minn.
Sgt. Henry Bongiono, Charleroi, Pa
Sgt. Dennis L. Collins, Churchville, Va.
Sgt. Christian Langolf, Port Huron, Mich.
Sgt. Joseph L. Nell, Atlanta, Ga.
Sgt. Joseph J. Kristapovich, Worchester, Mass.
Sgt. Louis Smulowitz, Wilkes-Bare, Pa.
Cpl. Roger H. Allen, New Haven, Conn.
Cpl. Charles A. Feeley, Providence, R.I.
Cpl. George Fiamma, Cor___, N.Y.
Cpl. Milton J. Forestal, St. Louis, Mo.
Cpl. Melvin L. Jenkins, Tampa, Fla.
Cpl. James H. King, Pilot, Va.
Cpl. Elmer F. Madden, Pawtucket, R.I.
Cpl. James A. Main, Burton, W. Va.
Cpl. Guy McDuffee, Nashville, Tenn.
Cpl. Joseph F. Sproha, Wharton, N.J.
Pfc. Robert M. Ashcraft, Mannington, W.Va.
John P. Humwick, Civilian
Injured were:
W/O Joseph L. Nutt, Orlando, Fla., who suffered from shock, and
Pfc. Glenn W. Burkland, Hoquiam, Wash., who sustained a broken leg.
In accordance with Field Order No. 154B, 22 aircraft, with Lt. Col. Joseph J. Nazzero in the lead ship, took off at 1543 for St. Martin Bernay, France, to bomb headquarters building of the airport. The operation was a diversion (in conjunction with the 384th Group). The main effort was directed at Villacoublay airdrome and airplane assembly plant.
The Group formation was recalled after reaching the French Coast, at 1800 hours., returning to base at 1941. There were no encounters and no casualties.
[24] The Group got its first replacements.
A crew headed by 1st Lt. Charles P. (Tex) Atkinson arrived on the Station and was assigned to the 533rd Squadron.
Arnold B. Lorick, S/Sgt., who was killed at the tail guns of a B-17 in the Group's first operation, over Antwerp, was buried with military honors at Brookwood Cemetery.
[25] S/Sgt. Charles W. Brinton, armorer and waist gunner, of Duquesne, Pa., who was injured in the June 22operation against Antwerp, died at 2100 hours at the 12th Evacuation Hospital, Disp. He had received a blood transfusion from Lt. George C. Williams, bombardier, who had received minor flak wounds in the same operation, prior to his death. Eight more blood donors, all enlisted men of the 533rd Bomb Squadron, were on hand at the hospital.
Lead by Lt. Cols. Joseph J. Nazzero and Leland G. Fiegel, 24 Flying Fortresses took off from here at 0545 to bomb the Flocner Aero Works at Hamburg, Germany in accordance with Field Order No. 155.
A 10/10 cloud cover in the target area made observation impossible. Fourteen of our aircraft are known to have dropped their bombs on an unseen target of opportunity believed to be within the target area. 2nd Lt. William G. Tsialas, of New York City, bombardier on one of the planes, said he recognized the water way formations about Hamburg through a rift in the clouds at the moment he let his bombs go.
Our formation encountered meager to moderate fighter opposition. Claims totalled six enemy aircraft destroyed, two probably destroyed and six damaged. Four of our Fortresses returned early, three landed away from base and one is missing.
Our casualties include:
S/Sgt. Invan J. Tieman, left waist gunner, of Winamac, Ind., who was killed
S/Sgt. John W. Podrosky, right waist gunner, of Monogahela, Pa. Was seriously wounded.
Both were members of Lt. Lishon's crew.
The crew of the missing aircraft, listed as "missing" included:
1st Lt. Robert K. Schrader, pilot, of Chicago, Ill.,
Capt. John H. Hamilton, Jr., C.P., of Morrison, Ill.,
2nd Lt. Edward J. Rogers, N, of Kansas City, Mo.,
2nd Lt. Edward G. Samara, B, of Retsof, N.Y.,
Sgt. William W. Yarnell, R.G., of Long Beach, Cal.,
T/Sgt. William K. Cutting, T.T.G., of Des Moines, Iowa,
Sgt. Cecil A. Pruett, B.T.G., of Whitehall, Ill.,
Sgt. Stephen Kurnafil, R.W.G., of Syracuse, N.Y.,
S/Sgt. Theodore W. Leidecker, L.W.G., of Kankakee, Ill., and
Sgt. Levis E. Frisbee, T.G., of Jow, N.C.
[26] With Lt. Col. Leland F. Fiegal in the lead ship, nineteen Flying Fortresses took off from this base at 1507 to join with other aircraft of the 101st Combat Wing in an attack upon the aircraft assembly plant at Villacoublay, France. The operation was a main effort.
An 8/10 to 9/10 cloud cover over the target, coupled with poor visibility and an undercast made bombing impossible, causing the group to abort. Seven of the planes, including the lead ship, returned early because of mechanical failure. With Col. Fiegel leaving the formation, leadership of the group fell upon 1st Lt. Osce V. Jones, of Albany, Ga., who headed the A flight, at the French coast. Our claims were one destroyed and one probably destroyed.
The Group met meager and inaccurate flak on its mission. All our planes returned safely to England, eleven landing here at 2044, while one landed at Bovington for gas, the only casualty was:
T/Sgt. Shirley E. Goucher, of Canton, Mass., who flew with Lt. Robert O. Fricks. His wounds were slight.
The 23 who died in the explosion on the 23rd were buried with military honors in the national plot at Brookwood Cemetery. Services were conducted by Chaplain James G. Brown. As the roll of the dead was called, a Sergeant saluted before each grave. Taps ended the ceremony.
[27] A memorial service for the 23 who lost their lives in the June 23rd explosion held at the station chapel at 0800 hours. About 400 attended, the personnel of the 533rd Bomb Squadron, of which the dead were members, filling most of the seats. The service which was non-denominational, was conducted by Chaplains William Miller, Martin J. Collet and James G. Brown. Candles were lighted on the alter which was draped with the American flag and a wreath was placed on the altar, also.
[28] Forming the spearhead of one wing of a large attacking force, 22 Flying Fortresses took off at 1410 hours under the leadership of Lt. Col. Joseph J. Nazzaro to bomb the locks at St. Nazaire. The operation was part of the major effort for the day.
Columns of smoke rising 10,000 feet over St. Nazaire were evidence of the success of the mission. Reports from the crows were to the effect that the target had been completely demolished.
All aircraft returned safely to England. Casualties were few. None of the injuries were serious. The injured were:
Capt. Landon C. Hendricks, of Orlando, Fla., squadron commander, who received a slight wound in his right side; T/Sgt. John P. Kapustka, of Middleton, Mich., top turret gunner, wounded in the knee by the same shell that hit Capt. Hendricks; and Sgt. Daniel A. Vina, of Tampa, Fla., tail gunner, with Lt. Tucker's crew, who received powder burns and shrapnel in his left heel and buttocks when a 20mm. shell exploded in his ammunition box.
Crews believed it was the Group's most successful operation to date. Claims totalled seven enemy fighters destroyed, four probably destroyed and three damaged.
[29] Sgt. Robert H. Anderson, of Thaxton, Va., a member of the 7th Station Compliment Squadron was accidentally shot in the left chest about 1630 hours and died in the Station hospital a few minutes later. The shot was fired by Sgt. Martin L. Miller, of Lafayette, Ind., a member of the same squadron, in quarters, during the course of a friendly discussion regarding whether or not Sgt. Miller's Thompson sub-machine gun was clean.
Forming the second and third squadrons of the lead element in a division mission, 14 of our aircraft took off under command of Capt. Arthur Briggs, assistant Group Operations officer, to bomb the Triqueville Airfield, Pont Audemer, France.
Although the target was reached at 1849, a 9-10-10 cloud cover prevented observation and no bombs were dropped.
The trip was a no-runs, no-hits, no-errors trip. No flak or enemy planes were encountered. There were no casualties.
Two of our aircraft returned early to base, one because a life raft broke loose, making holes in the stabilizer, the other because the turbo supercharger of its No. 4 engine went out.
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END MONTH OF JUNE
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From USAF Historical Research Center film no. BO-369, frames 1520 thru 1526.
Information on this reel was declassified in accordance with USAF Regulations.
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The above is quoted from the Official History of the 381st Bomb Group (H).
Microfilms of the 381st records were obtained by our founder and first president, T. Paxton Sherwood. Pax graciously made the film available, and with the use of microfilm readers at the Family History Center in Madison, WI, and one on loan from the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, several frames will be reproduced in future Flyers. When the frames are clear enough for direct printing, they will be shown as is from the film. However, most of the film is poor quality and must be "transcribed". There was considerable temptation to correct obvious errors, but that would have altered the "facts".
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