DIARY OF MEDICAL DETACHMENT – STATION #167

OCTOBER 1943

2 October – Twenty aircraft from this base took off at 13.45 hrs for the second attack on Emden, Germany. Two aircraft aborted, and the remaining 18 went over the target, and returned home safely. There were no killed or wounded.

For the second time the Forts had a P-47 escort all the way. The mission was further remarkable in that flak suits were worn for the first time. An estimated 80% of the crew members wore the suits and experienced satisfaction with them. Others used them as anti-flak pads around the bottom of the airplane.

The bombs were dropped on a pathfinder outfit through 10,000 ft overcast. Most of the bombardiers and navigators felt at that time calculations the bombing was reasonably accurate. The air temperature at bombing altitude, 22,000 ft was –23 degrees C. There were no frost bites.

Just before the flight a tail gunner S/Sgt Clarence M. Jones, 534th BS, became hysterical and refused to go on the mission. He had had six previous missions and his reactions seemed to be a profound emotional upset.

One thing that has impressed me is the impersonal attitude of the combat crews to their work. They mean to feel neither hate no pity for the enemy. Their chief group reaction seems to be a healthy respect for the potentialities of aerial combat, but they direct their bombing and fighter attacks almost without emotion and very much in the manner that a problem would be attacked in civilian life.

4 October – Twenty one aircraft took off at approximately 07.00 hrs for a mission. There were nine abortions, but 12 aircraft proceeded to the target, which was the center of the city of Frankfurt, Germany. Most of the aircraft aborted after being over the continent. The remaining aircraft completed the mission.

We had no injuries, but there were two cases of frostbite; S/Sgt William E. Abbott, 533rd BS, received frostbite to neck, 1st degree, and S/Sgt Clyde C. Draa, 534th BS, who received frostbite, mild to face, left side. He was put on duty, but S/Sgt Abbott was admitted to Quarters. From a group standpoint, bombing results were considered good.

At approximately 08.00 hrs there was a head-on collision on the perimeter track at the south end of the north-south runway. M/Sgt Victor A. Cottinger, 532nd BS,  was driving a weapons carrier and Pvt Robert Sabating, 1142nd MP Company, was driving a command car. There were six men injured in the accident and were treated at sick quarters. Two men, M/Sgt Cottinger, and Pvt Harold M. Silvious, 533rd BS, were evacuated to the 121st Station Hospital at Braintree. S/Sgt Robert (NMI) Miller, and Cpl Armando Di Nicola, both 533rd BS, were admitted to station sick quarters. The other two men returned to duty.

M/Sgt Cottinger went to 121st Station Hospital by ambulance after receiving first aid at station sick quarters. About 13.00 hrs he was flown by a Fortress from this base, from Andrews Field to 49th Station Hospital, Diddington, Hunts., for surgical treatment, by a neuro-surgical team.

Two medical officers, Capt Milton M. Bland, and Capt George J. Pease, attended the Staff Meeting at 121st Station Hospital, today.

8 October – A status board showing the combat crews and medical personnel has been obtained. It is black, covered with plexi-glass, and shows organization, positions on crew, and the number of the crew for each of the four squadrons. It also shows the organizations included in the medical department. The new wing to the sick quarters was opened this date and is being used as an officers’ ward.

Twenty one aircraft from this station took off at 12.00 hrs- target: Bremen, Germany. The ships returned at approximately 17.30 hrs. Seven ships were missing, and personnel included in these ships is as follows:-

MIA 532nd B/42-29854

MIA 532nd G/42-30009

MIA 533rd R/42-29765

MIA 534th C/42-30722

MIA 535th T/42-30864

MIA 535th R/42-29941

MIA 535th Z/42-3123

Of those ships returning, several were badly damaged and “Tinkertoy” ground-looped just off the runway. It had the nose shot out and the pilot 1st Lt William J. Minerich, had his head blown off by a 20mm cannon shell. There was hardly a square inch of the entire cockpit that was not covered in blood and brain tissue. One half of his face and a portion of his cervical vertebrae  was found in the front of the bomb bay. The decapitation was complete.

The co-pilot Lt Thomas D. Sellers is certainly deserving of any award that may be given him for his heroic work in bringing this ship back to base. The bombardier and navigator, 2nd Lt Henry G. Palas and 2nd Lt James K. Stickel, were also slightly wounded and frostbitten.

The tail gunner on Lt Miller’s crew, S/Sgt Stephen J. Klinger, 534th BS, was KIA. His diagnosis was as follows:- 1. Wound, perforating, sideline of neck, about 2” in diameter involving the brachea and great vessels of the left side of the neck. 2. Compound fracture of the upper 1/3rd  right forearm, wound of entrance about 1” in diameter; incurred by low velocity missile.

After this mission, in visiting the many crews right after they hit the ground, the tense excitement of many was apparent and in many cases were border-line hysteria. An effort was made to massively sedate a large number of the crew members and it seemed to work quite satisfactorily. This was the roughest mission experienced in some time and most of the personnel ceased to feel the losses keenly.

At the briefing on the morning of October 9, most of those who had received  six grains of sodium amytal were in much better shape than those who had not. However there were two cases of dizziness and headache, to which we attributed to the sodium amytal. The medical department ran into a little command difficulty in administering this sedation, but we hope to be able to explain the value of the procedure to the satisfaction of the command.

The morale of the crews remains good. They are all looking forward to the day we can have long range fighter escort. There were 30 B-17s lost by the Eighth Air Force  on this raid and an estimated 145 enemy fighters destroyed.

9 October – At 12.00 hrs, 16 B-17s from this command took off with the target the Focke-Wolf factory at Anklam, Germany. The Target is thought to have been destroyed. The greater part of the flight was over the North Sea, and three aircraft failed to return to base.

MIA 533rd K/42-30012

MIA 533rd Y/42-3180

MIA 534th J/42-29958

Lt Loftins’ crew was seen to parachute over Germany. Lt Carqueville  left the formation somewhere in enemy territory. Major Hendricks  was on his return trip over the North Sea and apparently felt he was out of the fighter zone and left the formation. He was jumped by fighters and was seen to lose altitude rapidly, and estimates of four to six were seen to leave the ship. Some crews reported the aircraft ditched, and one reported that the ship exploded just before it hit the water. However it should be pointed out that the aircraft were flying at approximately 15,000 ft, and assuming that Major Hendricks’ aircraft was in control, the distance between the formation and the ship as it reached sea level would be at least 20 – 30 miles, consequently the accuracy of the observation may be questioned.

Four other men were also missing, from the 532nd BS:- 2nd Lt Max E. Liming – CP; 2nd Anthony P. Taormina – N; 2nd Lt John B. Morgan – B; T/Sgt Gordon Teal – ETTG.

Apparently just as the formation was reaching the Danish coast, a 20mm cannon shell exploded in the cockpit of Lt Douglas Winter’s ship, and he was temporarily stunned or blinded by the flash. When he came to, the bombardier and navigator had already left the ship, the co-pilot was jumping and one of the crew members gave him a farewell salute and jumped.

The ship was in a steep gliding turn and there was a fire in the rear of the cockpit. Lt Winters righted the ship, put on the automatic pilot, went back and put out the fire, and brought the ship safely back to England, landing at another base. He suffered a mild flash burn of the face. He was the only one in the forward part of the ship and the courage and determination and skill that he displayed has been the basis for recommendation of a high military award. 

In the last two days this group has lost ten aircraft and many old crews and the effect has been demoralizing  to the staff and the combat crews. We all feel these losses very keenly and smiles and apparently cheerfulness are forced and everyone is quite well aware of the others’ feelings. The loss of two squadron commanders, Majors Ingenhutt and Hendricks has especially affected us, both from the standpoint of morale and administration.

Four men received injuries on this raid, and are as follows:-

2nd Lt Donald Frieze, 532nd BS: received penetrating wound, external surface, left hand.

Sgt Clyde Draa, 534th BS: suffered two mild abrasions to forehead and abrasions to index and fourth fingers of left hand.

Sgt Michael Feller, 534th BS; received mild burn, cervical region, behind angle of jaw, and contusion, mild over the middle of right clavicle.

S/Sgt Salvatore Bozzette, 532nd BS: suffered wounds, penetrating,  multiple, moderate severity, about 3cm in diameter, 3 on right thigh and one of left thigh, two on forearm, one on left cervical region, one on left lower chest, one left iguinal region, by fragments of exploding 20mm cannon.

10 October – Despite the punishment the group had taken in the raids of Oct 8th and 9th, eight aircraft were in commission and took off at 11.30 hrs in a heavy fog and haze, with Munster, Germany as the destination. Lt Col Dunlop and Lt Col Terry were in the lead. The target was severely hit.

Six aircraft returned to base safely and two landed elsewhere. There was one man wounded:- S/Sgt Andrew S. Schnitzler, 534th BS waist gunner: 1. Wound, multiple, mild of neck, posterior.

A number of the ships were badly shot up, and Lt Clore’s ship had two holes blown in the radio compartment and in taxing round the dispersal site, the radio operator and waist gunner stuck heads through the holes and were grinning like monkeys. They apparently had adequate reason to be happy.

There is an interesting story of anoxia, and from the medical viewpoint, it is doubtful if the narrative is correct. T/Sgt William F. Vance, 534th BS ball turret, on his 24th mission:- The tube broke from the oxygen bottle to the turret when the turret was cranked down when the plane was airborne. Split at first, he tried to tape it without success, then tried to use bail-out bottles. He passed out at enemy coast at 20,000 ft – out for two hours. Recovered at 20,000 ft on way back, was at 25,000 then down, was out completely for a while. Later he could hear pounding but could not do anything about it. He eventually recovered enough to man turret after using fresh bail-out bottle. He laid on the floor of the radio-room, until the ship landed at Wendling (392nd  BG, a B-24 base) and went to hospital and `got a white pill’, from an EM, before returning to base. (The Sgt showed no ill effects when he reported here.)

The mental attitude and morale of the crews is the lowest that has been yet observed.

14 October – Crews were briefed at 07.00 hrs and the target was the ball-bearing works at Schweinfurt, Germany. The mention of the word `Schweinfurt’  shocked the crews completely. It will be recalled on August 17th this group lost so heavily at this same target. Also conspicuous by its omission was the estimated number of enemy fighters based along this route. Upon checking with S-2 later, it was found that this omission was intentional and that the entire German fighter force of 1,100 aircraft were based within 80 miles of the course. The implications are obvious.

As I went round to the crews to check our equipment, sandwiches, coffee, etc., the crews were scared, and it was obvious that many doubted that they would return. We did get a break in that we didn’t go over the target in an ordered sequence and the outfits that went on in the position we were supposed to fly, lost heavily. The radio this morning stated that 60 B-17s were lost on this operation. There were three abortions in our group, and in our combat wing that went over the target, there were only 30 aircraft, and a minimum of 40 seemed almost mandatory. Someone must have held up by the hand.

Take off time was at 10.35 hrs. The planes returned at 17.35 hrs. Ridgewell was the only airdrome in the First Air Division that was open and we expected to receive the entire division, but fortunately at the last minute other airfields opened and we received only a few ships from other bases.

The wounded were as follows:- 532nd BS: S/Sgt Ernest E. Smith; 1. Wound, penetrating of right thigh, junction of lower and middle third, anterior surface – caused by exploding 20mm cannon shell.

533rd BS: 2nd Lt Turner I. Jones; 1. Wound. Lacerated, nose, left side of bridge, severe. 2. Fracture, compound, comminuted, nose, severe. 3. Contusion right infra-orbital, moderate severe (flak).

534th BS: S/Sgt LeRoy C. Weaver; 1. Contusion, moderate severity, left leg, distal one third, accidentally incurred by catching leg in ball turret of ship; 2. Abrasion, mild, left ankle, anterior surface accidentally incurred in plane.

535th  BS: 2nd Lt Carl W. Dittus; 1. Wound, lacerated 2” in length, moderate severity inner aspect, lower 1/3 forearm, left. Caused by 20mm cannon shell.

413th  BS (96th BG): S/Sgt Alan W. White; 1. Wound, penetrating mild, posterior aspect, right thigh, midline 2 ½” above popiticel, caused by flak, low velocity.

413th BS (96th BG): S/Sgt James L. Berry; 1. Wound, penetrating scalp, frontal portion, 1” long, moderate severity, caused by flak. 2. Frost bite, moderate severe, 2nd degree, involving all terminal phalanges, both feet and both small fingers. Caused by failure of heated suit.

Two ships ground looped on their return, but there were no casualties.

Lt Yorba’s crew went down in German territory after the target. Lt Muteline had extreme difficulty in bringing his ship back to England and finally landed down south several hours after the other ships had landed.

Colonel Nazarro was more visibly effected by this mission than by any I have observed, and he stated last night that he was more tired than when he, himself, had flown long missions. He seems to embody the personal feelings for his men that is sometimes lacking in commanders, and yet does not hesitate to do what is necessary to accomplish the mission.

15 October – The men on the line were cleaning the back of a gas truck with gasoline at approximately 14.50 hrs, when suddenly the gas truck caught fire.  No reason can be given for the fire, except that the engine was running in the truck and probably sparks from the motor set the gas. There were three men near the truck at the time and one of them received 2nd degree burns of the left ear, left side of face and left hand – Sgt Harold G. Bigler, 532nd BS., who was admitted to sick quarters at 15.00 hrs. No other injuries resulted from the explosion.

The combat crews were given 48 hr passes to relax their nervous tension.

16 October – Inspection of the medical detachment was held this morning at 10.00 hrs. Lt Col William J. Reed, was inspecting officer, and commended the detachment very highly. He was well pleased with the medical, physical layout.

17 October – Major Gaillard departed this P.M. to attend school for one week at the Eighth Air Force Provisional Medical Field Service School, at Station # 101, per authority contained in par. 10, SO 26, HQ, 1st Bombardment Division, dated 11 October.

Briefing was held this morning then while passing out sandwiches, coffee, cookies, etc., to the crews, the mission was scrubbed.

18 October – Eight planes took off at 06.45 hrs to Thurleigh, Bedfordshire, for briefing to make a composite group. Destination was Duren, Germany, but the mission was scrubbed some while after take off. All planes returned safely, but one enlisted man, S/Sgt Edward J. Meyers, 535th BS, received frostbite, right molar area, 2 ½” x 1 ¼” of moderate severity. No lanolin was used.

The staff visited patients at 121st Station Hospital, Braintree. The staff meeting which was scheduled to be held did not materialize.

20 October – Eight planes took off at 06.15 hrs and were briefed at another base. They joined aircraft from another group to make up a composite group, the target being Duren, Germany. There was one abortion, and the other seven did not reach the target so returned with their bomb load.

There were no casualties, although there was one case of frost bite: Sgt Robert E. Smith, 535th BS; 4th and 5th fingers, right hand, moderate severity. Lanolin was used.

21 October – Fifteen planes took off the morning at 05.45 hrs. At 06.17 hrs operations called to say the mission had been scrubbed, thus all planes returned safely to base.

Poor weather for the rest of the month ruled out any aerial action.