DIARY OF MEDICAL DETACHMENT – STATION #167

MARCH 1944

2 March – Thirty six aircraft from this command took off at 08.30 hrs with the designated target Frankfurt, Germany. Bombing altitude was 25,000 ft and air temperature was – 45 degrees. The weather was clear over England, but there was 6-8/10th  cloudiness over the target. Bombing was done by pathfinder and the bomb run was thought to be good. Major Briggs led the first group and Capt Wood, the second.

One 533rd ship was lost, Lt Schultz and crew, knocked down by flak near the target. Eight chutes were seen to leave the ship while it was still under control. No enemy fighters were encountered. The remainder of the ships returned safely to the base. There were no killed or wounded, although there were two cases of frostbite reported, while Sgt Marden, of Lt Fastrup’s crew, 532nd, reported in with a very severe case of bilateral aero-atitis and was admitted to sick quarters.

MIA 533rd V/42-39891

Today the author of these notes was a professional witness at a court martial where they asked him a lot of silly questions, such as “Do you keep records in your hospital?” and “What are the stages of drunkeness?”, to which this old sage replied that he did not know the classification of drunkeness in stages and asked for enlightenment. I don’t believe I contributed much either for or against. Lt C D was on trial and was fined $100.00 a month for 12 months, just for hitting Lt Keating.

3 March – Today 36 aircraft were ordered to a ball-bearing factory at Oldenburg, 16 miles east of Berlin, Germany, but the Air Division commander scrubbed the mission when just inside the enemy coast. The approach was overcast over the north Baltic Sea. The mission was scrubbed because of the weather, but Lt Rogers and his crew are missing in action. The remaining aircraft returned safely to base and there were no wounded and only two cases of frost bite.

MIA 534th K/42-37986

4 March – Today the same mission was briefed with the approach over the continent instead of over the sea. On take off Lt Kuhl’s ship caught fire in #3 engine. It was finally brought under control. Nine other aircraft aborted, one by personal failure, Sgt Theodore A. Betela, 532nd, became airsick and his pilot had to return.

This EM has been airsick seven or eight times previously while training in the phases, and his pilot Lt Rickerson had tried to replace him without success. A recommendation has been sent the squadron CO requesting that he be permanently grounded and removed from flying status.

The formation was briefed for 21,000 ft, but due to haze the formation climbed to 25,000 ft and eventually ran into weather so bade they had to return. A target of opportunity was bombed by pathfinder and was identified as Cologne, Germany. They encountered dense flak over the target area and Lt Keyes and crews failed to return to this base.

MIA 532nd J/42-30151

On yesterday’s mission Lt Hytinen had the unusual experience of climb up through the clouds and when he broke out he was leading the formation all right, but the rest of the formation were FW 190s. No other aircraft were in sight, but nobody shot at anybody and some of the fighters peeled off to hit the group below.

Because of the large number of personnel abortions (non-medical), a meeting of all flying personnel was held in two sessions, one for officers and one for enlisted men, at which time the group policy regarding groundings and abortions was outlined by command. The policy is to be more severe and only in exceptional circumstances will individuals be grounded immediately before missions and any pilot that aborts without adequate cause will be handled by disciplinary action according to the merits of the cases.

6 March – Thirty aircraft from this command took off at 08.00 hrs this morning – target, Erkner, Germany, a ball-bearing factory 15 miles east of Berlin. Capt Wood led this group and we furnished the high squadron in the composite group. Bombing altitude was 21,000 ft, the outside  air  temperature was – 50 degrees, with undercast was two to four tenths, and observed bombing results were said to be good.

Many enemy fighters were encountered, FW 190s. ME 109s and JU 88s. The flak was heavy over the target area and over Osnabruck Germany, on the way in. Lts Coyle and Haushalter were seen to leave the formation with an engine on fire somewhere near the I.P. Lt Fastrup also lost an engine, but I don’t know just where.

Lt Cahill also lost an engine over Osnabruck on the way in, dropped his bombs to keep up with the formation but was unable to. He left the formation and finally had to ditch just off North Foreland, which is at the south-east end of the Thames Estuary. This crew is said to be intact and uninjured and they are at the RAF hospital at Manston, with Captains Cohler and Fricks are on their way to pick them up.

There was considerable damage to most of the aircraft that returned, but most of the damage is not major. The crew members seemed quite happy to see Ridgewell again but are convinced that the back of the Luftwaffe is not broken.

Only one man was wounded, Sgt Emery Y. Naha, 535th TG; diagnosis: 1. Wound, penetrating, mild, infra-scapula region, right, at posterior axillary line, caused by explosion of 20mm cannon shell near the ship.

MIA 532nd A/42-31448

* Toggler, sometimes taking over as bombardier.

MIA 533rd S/43-3215

MIA 534th B/42-31553

There has been an increase recently in the respiratory disease incidence and it has just about reached the peak in November. We know of no cause for it other than insufficient fuel and we have submitted a certificate to the quartermaster stating we felt that additional fuel was necessary. This certificate was submitted a month ago and no action has been taken yet.

After take off this morning this poor scribe took himself to bed and was awakened with difficulty some five hours later. To be awake and alert instead of tired and dopy from a lack of sleep is indeed a good feeling, and if possible I intend to log more sack time in the near future.

8 March – Our target was again Erkner, Germany, a suburb of Berlin. Col Kunkle and Capt Hecker led the formation and the target was attacked by 21 aircraft from this command. One ship aborted. Lt Pirtle was seen to abort well inside enemy territory and this was the last news we have of him.

Bombing altitude was 25,000 ft and temperature, minus 40 degrees. The weather was beautifully clear and visibility was up to 100 miles and many of the large German cities could be seen en route. The city of Berlin was plainly visible and landmarks easily identified. The target area, a ball-bearing factory, was hit by the formation that preceded us, and lead bombardier, Capt Hester, led the bombs right on the target. The fighter escort met us at the scheduled time and place and not one enemy fighter was seen by this group.

Flak was only moderate in the target area  and the outer guns of Berlin’s defences were almost at ineffective range.

There were no killed or wounded. The crews were tired after the long mission, 08.45 hrs to 17.30 hrs, but were mildly euphoric over their good fortune, by destroying their objective and not encountering any enemy attacks of any significance. It has been quite a while since the medical department has had any real work to do on the return of a mission and I hope that our good fortune continues.

MIA 532nd M/42-38029

Sgt Michael C. Babines Jr, 534th BS, was fatally injured at 19.30 hrs today. He was on the flight deck of an aircraft and three engines had been started, #4 engine caught fire and this man hastily got out of the escape hatch and ran into #2 propeller. He was brought into station sick quarters by ambulance, and immediately taken to 121st Station Hospital, Braintree, where he died at 00.30 hrs.

His diagnosis is as follows: A) Concussion, cerebral, severe. B) Fracture, skull, multiple, severe; C) Contusion, rt hand, rt are, rt parictal area, of skull, severe; D) Deceased. His remains are to be interred at the American Military Cemetery, Cambridge.

9 March – It sure gets early quick these days. Seven of the last eight mornings this poor scribe has arisen at 5am or before. Thirty one ships from this command took off with the target again a suburb of Berlin, a bomber assembly plant and airfield at an outlying district.  Take off was at 08.00 hrs and the briefed weather was 500 –1,000 ft over England with the top at 4,000 ft and scattered clouds over the target area about 6-8/10ths cover. The mission returned to this base without loss and without having seen a single enemy fighter. The target was completely overcast and bombing was by pathfinder method. The target could not be located so the group bombed Berlin instead. Bombing was done at 25,000 ft.

On the return trip due to an error in navigation, the group flew over Hanover and flak was encountered. One man was wounded, Sgt William D. Ingram, 535th  who was evacuated to the 121st Station Hospital, Braintree. He received a flak wound in the right thigh. Lt Hoffman completed his operational tour this date.

16 March – Thirty three aircraft from this command took off for a 1,300 mile round trip with an airfield just 20 miles from Munich as the target. Bombing was done at 21,000 ft through a 10/10th overcast by pathfinder method. All ships returned safely to the base.

There was one man injured, T/Sgt John T. Eylens, 533rd, who suffered a burn, 2nd degree of right thenar eminence, and a burn, 1st degree, right hand.  This was caused by trying to put out a fire in the cockpit of Lt Duncan’s ship, but the RWG T/Sgt William J. Yanzek, jumped out over enemy territory when the fire started and he is confirm as MIA.

The liquor ration was issued to combat crews at the briefing block hut just before they were interrogated. Most of them seemed to like the idea, but I am not convinced that it has the real value, nor am I convinced of the idea of having the medical department associated with a bottle of whiskey. At the present time we are doing about as much catering as we are medical work and at every mission we dole out carbohydrates, coffee, cookies and now whiskey.

For the past three days Major Stokes and Capt Weishart, attached to the Eighth Air Force, were visitors on this station. Capt Cohler is attending school in London on ear surgery.

18 March – Thirty three aircraft from this command took off at 08.00 hrs with the target the Dornier aircraft factory and airfield at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, south west of Munich. Bombing was at 22,500 ft, visibility good, and direct hits on the directives were observed. Flak was light in the target area and only one group of enemy fighters were seen and these were quickly scattered by friendly fighters. The temperature at bombing altitude was  41 degrees below. All ships returned safely to this base. There were no killed or wounded.

Lt Robert Miller, 534th completed his operational tour and buzzed the tower on three engines.

19 March – The monthly officers dance was held this date and this poor scribe having been saddled with the job of entertainment chairman did his utmost to entertain and straighten out a very unfunny comedy of errors. Transportation, chorus girls, food, lodgings, towels, whiskey, money, visitors, uninvited guests, inebriates, broken glass, spilled ice cream, etc., etc., all added to the collective merriment and my misery. Most of my energies in the coming month are going to be directed to relieve myself of the responsibility. The delegation of duties has already begun. It is the opinion of many of the members that this was the best party we have had to date.

20 March – Frankfurt, Germany was the target for 30 aircraft of this command, which were led by Major Briggs and Lt Silvernale. The group was scattered over the target due to poor weather, and six ships failed to return to this base.

Lts Urban, Williams and Schomburg landed at Exeter; Lt Monahan at Harrowbeer and Lt Wilson at Predannack, all in the west of England. Lt McIntosh and crew have not been heard from and when last contacted they were over the Atlantic, south of England, and had been give orders to ditch. Air-Sea rescue and fighters were on their way.

No significant opposition was encountered either by flak or fighters. It is of the opinion of the pilots that flew the mission that the higher headquarters were in error in sending them on this mission.

MIA 535th O/42-31381

Mr Lawrence Smith, of Cambridge, Mass., a war correspondent, serving under the Surgeon General, with the duty of depicting war medicine pictorially, is visiting at this station. He was sent to this base by Col Wright of the Air Division who seemed to think we had a bit more atmosphere than most. (You can construe this last remark in your own light!).

Captain Milton N. Bland went on his leave to Scotland today and Capt Bernard H. Cohler returned from his trip to London.

22 March – This command provided 30 aircraft which took off at 07.30 hrs with the target designated as Berlin, Germany. Bombing altitude was 25,000 ft and outside temperature was – 31 degrees. Major Osce V. Jones led the group.

The target was 10/10th overcast  and the secondary target (in Berlin) was bombed by pathfinder method. All the aircraft returned safely to this base about 16.30 hrs which was one long flight. Enemy fighters were seen but none attacked. Flak was light and inaccurate.

Last night during an air raid, two German planes were shot down and there were two parachutists in the vicinity. Station Defense and Home Guard were called and had a hell of a good time catching them. Unfortunately the culprits were apprehended by the Home Guard rather than our own stalwarts.

2nd Lt Clifford W. Collum, 533rd, walked into a propeller of an aircraft prior to the mission and was killed instantly. His diagnosis is: Fracture, compound, comminuted, skull, left frontal and parietal regions with complete evisceration of brain. Accident occurred about 06.15 hrs. The remains were taken to the American Military Cemetery at Cambridge.

Captain Odell L. Dannenbrink, M.C.,  arrived at this station today and is assigned to the 7th Station Complement Squadron, from the Eighth Air Force Replacement Depot, at Stone, in Stafforshire.

23 March – Thirty three aircraft took off at 06.45 hrs after briefing at 03.45 hrs, the target an airfield south east of the Ruhr. Bombing altitude was 20,000 ft with outside air temperature – 31 degrees. The group was led by Col Kunkel with Major Halsey as deputy, and the 381st led the combat wing. The target was completely overcast and the city of Hamm was attacked through broken cloud cover and bombed successfully. All aircraft returned safely to this base at 15.15 hrs.

24 March – Another early start saw 22 aircraft from this command take off at 05.45 hrs after a briefing at 02.45 hrs. The designated target was Schweinfurt, Germany, the ball-bearing factory that has been hit by the group before. Bombing altitude was 20,000 ft, but the weather was lousy from the word go. Crews were briefed for three cloud layers but ran into bad weather all the way and had heavy, dense clouds at flight altitude in the bombing area.

One bombardier reported the two 532nd ships collided in mid-air. One exploded and the other left the formation damaged. On take off a third ship, flown by Lt Haynes, hit the ground about four miles from the base at Bailey Hill, Farm, Birdbrook, then exploded in the air. Seven identified bodies have been recovered and parts of the other three bodies have been found. The crash was strewn over an area of about 700 yards with engines an props at almost unbelievable distances from the scene of the explosion.

CTO 532nd A/42-38102

* By exclusion.

MIA 532nd E/42-40008

MIA 532nd K/42-31490

2nd Lt Michael W. Buschbaum, 534th bombardier, was wounded by flak which came through the nose, and his diagnosis is: 1. Fracture, simple, 2nd phalanx, 4th finger, ft. hand. 2. Wound, contused, minor, on dorsal of 4th and 5th fingers of right hand.

The ships returned about 15.00 hrs and landed in haze with visibility down to one mile.

26 March – Captain George J. Pease returned after a month at the 303rd Station Hospital yesterday. Capt Cohler accompanied the bodies of the Birdbrook crash to the U.S. Military Cemetery at Cambridge.

After an 03.45 hrs briefing of a target in Germany, the mission was scrubbed before take-off, but 33 ships took off at 13.00 hrs for targets in the Pas de Calais area with visible bombing to be done by the individual squadrons at an altitude of 20,000 ft. The mission was uneventful, especially the lack of flak, and all the aircraft returned to base.

There was a tie-up on take off when a ship went through the perimeter track and blocked six aircraft, so take off was slightly delayed.

Lts David A. McCarthy and Connors C. Meyers completed their operational tour of 25 missions.

27 March – Twenty nine aircraft from this command took off about 10.00 hrs following a briefing at 05.45 hrs with a scheduled take off at 06.45 hrs. The target was an airfield at St Jean D’Angely, which is in the south of France, not too far from the Spanish border. The weather here was fog and haze up to about 4,000 ft and beautifully clear over the continent and up to the target area.

The bombs were away on the target and Capt. Hester, lead bombardier, states that the hangar (M.P.I.) opened up like a flower and a breeze carried the smoke away in time for the composite group to blast it again. Bombing altitude was 22,500 ft. No one was wounded or killed and all the ships returned to the base.

There was no enemy fighter opposition, and flak was light and inaccurate, while the fighter escort was superb. The crews described it as the perfect mission, however all the crews were rather tired following the long haul and the return to this base was around 17.50 hrs, which makes a total of 16-18 hrs of very hard work.

28 March-  Briefing at 05.30 hrs and the scheduled take off at 08.30 hrs actually took off at 10.30 hrs because of haze, the target today being an airfield north of Rheims, France. Bombing altitude was around 18,000 ft and the enemy coast was crossed at 20,000 ft. Here again bombing was visual and quite successful, while the fight support was very good, and flak over the target area was light but accurate.

Lt Liddle caught some flak in one of his engines and they caught fire over the south of England. All the crew bailed out and the ship was put on A.F.C.M. (automatic pilot) and headed towards Germany, but unfortunately it crashed in England. All crew members returned safely to base. 

Lt Dan Henry brought his 534th  ship back to the field and from the control tower with the aid of field glasses a large through and through hole was seen just back of the waist windows where a direct hit had killed both waist gunners, Sgt James P. Norcom and Sgt Richard Toler and presumably tail gunner S/Sgt Frank Kurtz. The rudder and elevator controls were shot out and Lt Henry was flying the ship on A.F.C.M. Five crew members bailed out over the field and after driving over ploughed field, through woods, over ruts and ditches I finally rounded up four of them but missed the last who was wounded, S/Sgt Carl Mongrue, had been picked up by the British and received treatment at station sick quarters by the time I arrived.

Lt Henry and co-pilot Lt  Chrisler, headed the ship out to sea and jumped about ten miles this side of the coast, both returning safely to base. The crew was heavily sedated and we are going to sent them to a rest home.

Ditched 534th K/42-37754

S/Sgt Mongrue’s diagnosis is as follows: he was sent to the 12st Station Hospital at Braintree. 1. Wound. Penetrating, mild, 3 ½” distal to the olcerahan on the posterior portion of the forearm.

Captain Dannenbrink was transferred to the group at Bassingbourn after a long stay of three/four days! Capt Bland returned from his trip to Scotland today, while Lt Col Shuller visited the station this date.

Also of personal interest if not medical interest was this poor scribe’s unheralded and ungracious fall from one of the genus equus, the first time since the summer of 1941. She was a thoroughbred mare who had not been ridden for a number of months and while going at full trot I was urging her forward when her front legs collided and I did a full somersault remaining in the air for an interminable length of time and finally landed smack on my back. Dazed and undaunted I remounted and rode her home.

29 March – Briefing was at 07.00 hrs this morning, when 33 aircraft took off for Brunswick, Germany with an aircraft assembly factory as the target with the airfield the primary target. The 381st was leading the combat wing, in very poor weather and there was little likelihood of visual bombing.

On the way home formation’s return to the base were about an hour late arriving and the weather was closing in rapidly, visibility being less than a mile when the first ships landed and by the time the last one landed it was much less with all heavy drizzle and rain.

Only 20 aircraft returned to home base, the other 13 landing at various R.A.F. and U.S.A.A.F. bases. The following crews are still at the bases listed below, during this writing (30th March): Lt Renick – Wratting Common; Lt Meyers – Bassingbourn; Lt Hesse – Mildenhall; Lt Bradner – Chedburgh; Lt Moore – Snetterton Heath; Lt Urban – Debenham.

No aircraft were lost and the crews reported intense fighter attacks in the target area. Major Halsey’s ship received direct hits from 20mm cannon shells which knocked him out of formation but he was escorted home by numerous friendly fighters. Ship #781 of the 533rd got a direct hit in the waist and both waist gunners, Sgts Fred Lawson and Rutherford Clark, recieved multiple, minor wounds from fragments of the exploding 20mm cannon shell. The RO on Lt Mullane’s ship, S/Sgt Phillip Smith, received a mild, penetrating wound, posterior aspect, left thigh, also as a result of exploding 20mm cannon shell.

Sqd Ldr Brown arrived at this station to acquaint himeself with our methods of handling operations. Medical care, etc., while Capt Ralston went to the R.A.F. Gransden Lodge for seven days for the same purpose. Capt Wymer went to the Eighth Air Force Rest Home, Lymington, Hampshire, as medical officer in charge for a period of seven days.

31 March – Lt Wayne G. Schomburg, Capt Paul M. Stull and four enlisted men: T/Sgt Charles L. Carter, T/Sgt Donald B. Carr, T/Sgt Melvin F. Wilson and Pfc Albert McClain, all of the 534th BS, were killed when the aircraft they were flying stalled on approach and hit the ground at about a 45 degree angle.  It is generally assumed, but without proof, that Capt Stull, an engineering officer, was attempting to land the aircraft. His interest in flying has long been known to me and I know he obtained as much artificial stick time as possible.

Capt Stull and T/Sgt Carr were identified by dog tags, Lt Schomburg by unburned V-Mail letter in his pocket and by his wallet; T/Sgt Wilson by dental identification; T/Sgt Carter by dental examination and Pfc McClain by exclusion. The bodies were taken to the U.S. Military Cemetery at Cambridge.