DIARY OF MEDICAL DETACHMENT – STATION #167

DECEMBER 1943

1 December – Seventeen aircraft from this group took off today with their target as Leverkusen, Germany. Bombing altitude was 26,000 ft and air temperature – 40 centigrade. Four aircraft were lost, there were four cases of frostbite and two of burns suffered by personnel.

One plane crash-landed in a field in Kent, and three 534th BS officers were evacuated to an English hospital at Rochester, Kent;- 1st Lt Harold H. Hytinen, suffered pan fracture, skull and nose, and lacerations, face; 2nd Lt William R. Cronin, suffered lacerations, face, fractured nose, sprained left ankle, and fractured olecranon, left ulna; 2nd Lt Richard I. Maursted, suffered fractures ribs, right. These three officers have since been sent to the 38th Station Hospital which is about ten miles north of Southampton.

MIA 532nd BS A/42-29506

MIA 535th BG R/42-31111

MIA 535th BS -/42-31097

MIA 535th BS N/42-3540

4 December – During the past two weeks things have gone along in a pretty hum-drum manner and only three operational missions have been flown, the details of which have been recorded earlier.

On Sunday 21 November, Major Gaillard underwent spinal anesthesia and had his redundant intro and peri-anal tissue excised. The convalescence was uneventful. (Like hell it was, but I fear the details would be boring; they certainly bored me!)

There has been a great increase in the respiratory disease incidence during the past two weeks, the rate having reached 1,100 plus for the week of 21 November and 900  plus for the week of 28 November. The disease seems to have an acute onset, with fever, general malaise, and muscular aches and pains. The course has been from 36 to 72 hrs with some residual weakness. The rate is not considered excessive or alarming, however we are instituting what measures we can to prevent cross infection.

Captain Ralph M. Wymer is this week attending the Provisional Medical Service School at `Pinetree’. Capt George J. Pease returned on 26 November from the Commando School at Shrivenham, looking none the worse for his experience.

I lectured today to the new combat crews and found them a fairly receptive and intelligent group. During the course of their questioning  it was learned that their equipment levels of heated gloves and shoes, silk gloves, gauntlets, long underwear and heavy socks are deficient. It seems rather futile to lecture to these groups about what they should have and then not be able to supply it. I also explained to them some of the mental mechanisms, the development of fear reaction, operational exhaustion, etc., and the amount of interest and intelligence they displayed was very encouraging. It probably will be interesting to explain mental mechanism to a large group of combat crewmen and then see if there is any value in prophylaxia.

The weather this past two weeks has been dull and grey for the most part, and the mud is soft and juicy and present everywhere. However, this climate seems not too unlike North Carolina and Georgia at this time of year and I think that most people that complain are feeling sorry for themselves without adequate reason. In general the disease incidence would compare favorably with that in the States.

The Saturday morning inspection was held as usual, and the organization seems to be maintaining its standards.

The monthly dance was held on 30 November, and it was the opinion of most that if the party had been any better behaved there would have been no point in having a party. The “Belle of the Ball” was escorted by Major Gaillard as usual.

Three rather decrepit, ancient meatballs from the E.V.S. Nursing Staff were here to interrogate our wayward personnel on the source of the “Picadilly Flak”. What an odd way for three nice old ladies to make a living!

Nine men were transferred out of the medical department into the Air Corps, and nine new men were sent to us from 1st Bomb Division. Those transferred are:

OUT: Pfc Robert H. Ball, Pvt Francis R. Knight, Pvt Raymond J.  Lashure –532nd  BS; Pvt Anthony J. Goral – 533rd BS; S/Sgt Homer B. Stamp, Pvt Edward F. Lorenz – 534th BS; Cpl Harvey G. King, Pvt Edward Conyor – 535th BS; Cpl Michael W. Spack – HQ 381st BG.

IN: Pfc Benoit J. Caya, Pfc Van Horne Smith, Pfc Francis C. Cramer – 532nd BS; S/Sgt Harold J. Schlosser; Pfc John F. Sweeney, Pfc Harold E. Styers –534th BS. Cpl Jeronimo A. Casaz; Pfc Ralph A. Beaulieu – 535th BS; T/5 Sammie C. Eads – HQ 381st BG.

S/Sgt Andrew H. Schnitzler was sent to the Central Medical School during the past week from the 534th. He was sent with the diagnosis: 1. Functional symptom due to combat stress; 2. Masopharyngitis, acute severe; 3. Sprain, sacroiliac, left.

On December 3 we were notified that Cpl Jack H. Flinn, 1900101, 533rd Bomb Squadron, died at 121st Station Hospital, Braintree. The following is a summary, by Major Appleton, of the 121st  St. Hosp:-

“Cpl Flinn was admitted on 19 November with urethral smear, positive gonococcus. Patient previously received 41 grains of sulfathiazole in ten days. Given 15 grains every four hours for seven days and 15 grains four times a day for next three days. General condition of patient was fairly good at 11.00 hrs on 3 December except for unconsciousness with 106 degrees rectally. Urine output 560cc for period following fever until his death. Patient had sudden cardiac failure with death occurring at 10.30am . An autopsy is being performed.

5 December – About 04.30 to 08.00 hrs there were eight cases of acute gastro-intestinal upsets who reported to sick quarters, and in instances they had eaten midnight chow at Consolidated Mess, and all had roast beef in common. Symptoms began from 01.00 to 03.00 hrs and were characterized by repeated attacks of nausea and vomiting, frequent bowel movements and abdominal cramps of varying severity. One patient was vomiting bright, red blood, and had such abdominal pains that it was necessary to give him a hypodermic of morphine and atropline to afford him relief. All were admitted to quarters and by noon were able to eat and felt practically normal, being discharged before the day was out.

Major Gaillard reported to the Eighth Air Force rest home at Stanbridge Earls, to be medical officer in charge for a period of one week. He was flown down by a crew from this base accompanied by Capt Louis B. Ralston.

About 10.00 hrs an emergency call was received from the Police Station at Haverhill, just over the Essex-Suffolk border, with information that there had been a truck overturned in a ditch and there were about four soldiers injured fairly severely. Extra plasma and supplies, and blankets were laced in the two ambulances which were dispatched to the scene of the accident at the northern outskirts of Haverhill.

There was found a 2 ton truck lying on its side in a deep drainage ditch just off the road. It was loaded with a group of engineer band members who were on their way to play for an airfield dedication and dance. There were several fracture cases of the ankle, one clavicle, one with possible concussion, and several with minor contusions, abrasions and scratches. A British civilian doctor had been called and had rendered effective first aid treatment by the time of our arrival. We replaced the morphine and bandages he had used and thanked him for his services.

The two ambulances were loaded with ten cases; four of them being stretcher. There were to others that we could not accommodate in our ambulances, were transported to Braintree, 121st Station Hospital, by an ambulance from the 49th Station Hospital which arrived at the scene at this time. One of the patients they took was a stretcher cases and all in all 12 cases were carried to the 121st, where preparation had been made previously for a speedy handling of the injured.

8 December – Captain Cohler and Lt Fick were witnesses at the General Court Martial hearing for Pvt JW, in the notorious Sudbury rape case.

The medical officers conducted lectures for six hours on first aid against chemical attack to base personnel.

9 December – The weather is still certainly bad, and there has been no flying for the past several days. Capt Ralston is still away, being grounded with aircraft which carried Major Gaillard and party to the rest home.

The two nurses, Miss Margaret M. Gudobba and Miss Grace Hawkes, and the two sergeants assigned to them departed today for AAF Station 480, at Grantham, Notts., per telephone orders as of 8 December from 50th Troop Carrier Wing. Transportation was furnished by command car and trailer. They departed from this station at 13.30 hrs.

11 December – Thirty aircraft from this command took off today with the target Emden, Germany. There were two abortions and the other 28 planes returned safely. There were no casualties or missing.

About 19.15 hours a red air raid siren alert was called over the Tannoy. The Jerries dropped flares and bombs on a nearby airdrome and did considerable damage to buildings as well as injuring several of the personnel. Lights were turned off at this base until late in the evening. This was one time that a bombing in this vicinity was a little too close for comfort.

13 December – Twenty eight aircraft from this command were briefed and sent to Bremen, Germany, today. The mission proved to be very successful for our group as we suffered no casualties on missing in action.

Due to the fact that we had no lights or water on Friday evening the regular weekly inspection was called off.

14 December – An inspection of combat crews’ living sites was made this date and they were found to be in a deplorable condition. They are dirty, crowded, inadequately blacked out, damp, inadequately heated, and seem inadequate for the care of this type of personnel.

The matter of stoves was taken up with the utility officer, Lt Gray,  and the Ground Executive, Col Reed, states that sixty American stoves were due to arrive shortly and would be used where necessary on combat sites. It is Col Reed’s opinion that much of the grief of the combat crews is brought about by their laziness, lack of discipline, etc., and he feels disinclined to “baby” them, as he expressed it. The coke is distributed to the site daily in inadequate quantities and is appropriated by the first come, first served method; as a consequence the combat crews have been chopping down trees in the surrounding territory, but the green weed will not burn and the barracks are still cold and damp.

Many of them spend a great deal of their times as scavengers looking for fuel. Just the other night, a clear moonlight night, a 1st Lt and first pilot, was seen running at full speed across a plowed field with a sack of coke over his shoulders and an Englishman behind him. He made it but the condition is obviously a rather sad one, and certainly does not contribute to the health and happiness of the troops. Some of the officers have been sleeping in their flying clothes to keep warm.

Col Reed states that everything that can be done has been done to obtain fuel and that it would serve no useful purpose for the medical department to write through command channels complaining of inadequate housing. Regardless of what measures are necessary (that is to do the work for them, or see that they are severely disciplined to do it for themselves) I feel that it is mandatory for the physical efficiency and morale that their lot be bettered.

Another thing that has come to my attention about the fuel shortage is that such notables as Capt Murray, the ex-professor of anatomy, and Capt Bland, Flight Surgeon of the 535th BS, have been visiting the ash piles behind the enlisted men’s barracks and are quite enthusiastic about the “big pieces” of coke they had salvaged. Some ingenious members of the organization have found that a six pence can of shoe polish is a good substitute for kindling wood and that the shoe impregnate is supposed to protect against noxious gases is also a highly inflammable item.  Praise the Lord! At last we have found a useful use for this material we have been toting across the world for the past six months.

16 December – Thirty three aircraft from this command took off at 08.45 hrs with the target Bremen, Germany. Bombing altitude was 26,000 ft and outside air temperature – 40 degrees centigrade. The target was 10/10th overcast and the group was in the third division that hit the target. The flak was quite intense, but apparently not too accurate for most of our group escaped serious damage.

The target was, of course, not seen, but tremendous quantities of black smoke was seen to be welling up in the target area where the previous division had dropped their bombs. Some observers reported a few enemy fighters, others say that they were probably our own P-51s. All our ships are accounted for at this writing. There were no wounded.

20 December – Thirty three aircraft from this command took off at 08.15 hrs with the target Bremen, Germany. Bombing altitude was 26,000 ft with an outside air temperature – 42 degrees centigrade. The weather was beautifully clear 8/10th of the way over and from 6-8/10th over the target area, attacked by nine combat wings. The flak was the heaviest we have encountered since Munster in October.

Four ships did not return and Col Leber and Lt Clore, landed at Mildenhall, Suffolk, an RAF base; Lt Petroski landed at Attlebridge a few miles away. His top turret gunner S/Sgt Lee B. Gibson, died of anoxia and details will follow.

MIA 532nd BS N/42-3563

MIA 534th BS A/42-5845

MIA 535th BS X/42-5846

MIA 535th BS S/42-31075

The ship “Tinkertoy” was lost over the target area, and the report is that it was rammed by two enemy 109’s. It is suprising the effect that the loss of Tinkertoy had on the group. The ship was in the Deanna Durbin film, “Hers to Hold”, and had been with the group since the third phase of training. It had a long and interesting history, and has been on many raids over enemy territory. A number of people have been killed in this ship and the group looked on it with mixed horror and affection. We all feel the loss a bit more keenly than would have been anticipated. The crews were affected by the raid and came back tired and quite sober in thought and action. However, I do not feel that the raid will have any permanent effect upon the crews.

Captain Ralph M. Wymer went to Attlebridge to take the body of S/Sgt Lee B. Gibson to the 2nd General Hospital at Oxford, for autopsy.

21 December – Today the first of a series of “Army Talks” were instigated by Major Gaillard. The reaction will depend upon whether or not they will continue. Army talks are supplied by ETO Headquarters and the topic of this one was “Problems of Organized Peace”.

22 December – Briefing at 07.30hrs this clear and beautiful morning with the target designation Osnabruck, Germany. Osnabruck’s military importance is rail transportation between the industrial Ruhr and the Baltic Sea coast. Twenty four ships from this command took off at 08.45 hrs, bombing altitude 26,000 ft and temperature – 46 degrees centigrade.

Considerable fighter opposition was encountered and very little flak was seen, thus all the ships returned safely to the base, while there were no killed our wounded. Frostbite continues to be one of our major problems and nine cases were reported on the last two missions.

One thing that is causing a bit of concern among the combat personnel is the failure of the chin turrets to operate at 20,000 ft. Bombardier Lt ----, has been on five raids and on four of them the chin turret has not worked. He stated it is rather a lonesome feeling to be sitting in the nose of the ship with inoperative guns.

A visitor today was Lt Warren K. Gaillard of the 447th Bomb Group at Rattlesden, in Suffolk.

23 December – Lt Fick returned the box of paper cups to the supply depot and had them replaced with the microscope that had been signed for originally. Another one like that and we will have to instruct methods for a survey on Lt Fick!

Of some humanitarian, if not medical interest, is the verbal barrage that Major Gaillard is subjected to by his fellow officers regarding his forthcoming nuptials. He has been diagnosed, dissected and even utterances have been put about in the mouths of his unexpected progeny. It seems to be the sadistic desire of most of his fellow officers to see that the pre-nuptial period is spent in alcoholic devotion to such an extent that the post-nuptial period will be spent in convalescence. It is probable that Major Gaillard will do his utmost to look after his physical well being.

Captain Bland has received unfortunate news that his wife is critically ill and we all hope that more favourable news will soon be received soon.

24 December – At 10.45 hrs this clear and crisp morning 27 aircraft from this command took off to bomb rocket gun installations in the Calais area. Bombing altitude was 21,000 ft and temperature outside at – 42 degrees centigrade. The target was of special interest because of the recent German threat to unload rockets on London. Fifteen hundred aircraft of the Eighth Air Force his the target. The heavy bombardment aircraft were chosen for the mission because of the intense flak installations in the coastal areas. Bombing was done by individual squadrons and we are not yet sure of the results. Of special interest to the author of these poor notes is the fact this was his first combat mission and some of his reactions may be worthy of note.

First I was surprised at my experience no fear or apprehension at any time during the mission. The only reaction I had was at the time we were receiving flak hits and I wondered just what the hell I was doing up there instead of back down on the ground where I belonged. There was a feeling of exhilaration and interest in what was going on around me. In watching the flak explode and seeing the puffs from the guns below. Another sound that was especially pleasant was the smooth functioning of all our engines. They did not cough or spit once during the entire mission.

The first burst of flak which we heard prompted me to look out of the waist window whereupon I was unceremoniously grabbed by the tail and sat down beside one of the waist gunners. On the bombing run I tried leaning out of the window following the trailing bombs when the ship made a 30 degree turn to my side and almost tossed me out of the window. I clutched the air, airplane, and everything also and I finally got back inside.

All in all, my reaction was one of exhilaration and interest and I believe that I would enjoy aerial combat for a time at least, but of course my better judgement would prohibit such action. I flew the mission with Major Shackley and Lt McDaniel on the sip #721, “Sweet and Lovely.”

27 December – Lt Fick, Sgt Bassett and Cpl Johnson attended a meeting in the conference room  at 1st Air Division today. The meeting was intended to clear up problems that have been bothering the administrative personnel of late. MAC officers and chief clerks from every station in the 1st Division were represented, and it was  surprising and gratifying to learn that our detachment didn’t have the only ignorant administrative staff. Also we learned that our squadron surgeons were not the only offenders to the E.T.O. regulations – several stations seemed to have more unruly surgeons that we have.

30 December – Thirty three aircraft from this command took off at 08.00 hrs with the target Ludwigshafen, Germany. Bombing altitude was 22,000 ft and outside air temperature was – 29 degrees centigrade. Bombing was done by pathfinder over 10/10ths cloud cover. There was very little flak and few fighters.

All ships returned safely to the base and there was one anoxic death (see below). The group was composed of the normal group led by Col Nazzaro, as our division commander and the composite group was led by Major Halsey. The results of the bombing were not known at the time of this report.

S/Sgt Curtis E. Hickman, 533rd BS radio operator, aged 23. This individual when first seen by the medical department was dead. He was cyanotic, pupils were dilated and he had froth at the mouth, There was a moderate amount of froth on the floor of the radio compartment. He is said to have been alive and talking over the intercom as the ship started its descent over the English Channel which was approximately 1½ hours before he was seen by the medical department. Descent was at 400 ft per minute. The deceased was first noticed slumping over his chair by the ball turret operator as he was leaving the ball turret. The ball gunner does not know if the deceased was breathing or not. Emergency oxygen abd artificial respiration was begun immediately and continued until the ship returned and 50 minutes later. The oxygen mask was an A-14 demand modified, and when examined had two large pieces of ice in the two outlets. It is of the opinion of the bombardier and co-pilot that the ice was sufficient to obstruct exhalation. The fittings of the mask to the ship’s system were checked and it was found that the male plug would catch in the female before being fully inserted  and that when inserted it had to be separated with a pair of pliers with an estimated 25 –30 pounds pull. The ball turret operator states that the mask was disconnected when the deceased was first seen. The last entry that was made in the radio operator’s log was at 12.35 hrs, three hours before landing, and about ten minutes after leaving the target. The ship was in no difficulty at the time and was not under at attack by flak or fighters. Upon further checks it was found that the male connection on the A-14 mask fit either into other connections in the same ship in a normal manner. The body of S/Sgt Hickman was taken to 121st Station Hospital, for autopsy by Capt Louis G. Ralston.

1st Lt Paul B. Gleichauf, 1st Lt Richard J. Neiderriter and Capt Harold L. Stralser completed their operation tour this date.

31 December – Thirty one aircraft of this command took off today with the target an airfield near Bordeaux, France. It was quite a long hop and the ships that did not have Tokyo tanks were supplied with bomb-bay tanks. The field here seemed clear enough at the time at the time of return was around 16.00 hrs, but for some reason or another there were Division orders to land somewhere else in southern England. As a result our aircraft were scattered all over the southern end of the island and the weather did close in here about 17.00 hrs.

We were very disappointed at not having the ships return because of the big party at the Officers Club on New Year’s Eve. We tried to fly down a couple of cases of Scotch but the ships were so scattered the idea was abandoned. Seven of the ships did not return to this base. The anticipated party went over with unusually good results and everyone, including this poor narrator, saw the old year out and the new year in with a healthy golden glow. There were no untoward incidents and I think it was the best party to date, however we were terribly disappointed in not having many of our crews here.