Dailies of the 323rd - the 91st Bomb Group!

Register and crew, had to return because of mechanical failure
but had gone quite far into enemy territory and had seen enemy
fighters, so it was considered a sortie. Other ships and their
crews were: #513, 1/Lt. Kuehl And crew; #118, Lt. Wilkinson and
crew; #909, Lt. Gorby and crew; #580, Lt. Hackleman and crew;
#911, Lt. Claude Williams and crew.
5 March 1944: Next day, being Sunday, there was nothing done in
the way of ground school. One local flight of two hours made up
the day's activity. Individuals went to church services, wrote
letters, and visited nearby towns. It is evident that no one
suffers from being bored with a lot of time on his hands that he
knows not how to spend. It is noticed that the mess halls serve
chicken for the noon meal at the Consolidated mess, and, usually
in the evening, at the Combat and Officer's messes. The Reading
Room at the Red Cross Aero Club is fully occupied on Sundays.
There the men have facilities for writing letters and reading
books from the library.
6 March 1944: On the 6th, Berlin, Germany was again the target,
especially Hoppergarten. Seven ships of this squadron took part,
two of which aborted. One ship #761, crash-landed at Steeple
Morten shortly after take-off. All crew members escaped
uninjured, but the ship was so badly damaged that it was
considered a complete loss. As there was 10/10ths cloud cover
over the target, results of the bombing were not observed;
however, photos indicate that the primary target was not hit -
the bombs going in the Hoppergarten area. Two ships were lost and
their crews are being carried as missing in action. Ship #118,
with the following crew members missing: 2/Lt. Benjamin J.
Fourmy, Pilot; 2/Lt. Herbert A. Merkle, Copilot; 2/Lt. James G.
Daragan, Navigator; 2/Lt. Arleigh F. Hale, Bombardier; S/Sgt.
Frederick B. Walker, Engineer/gunner; S/Sgt. Russell Brinkerhoff,
Waist Gunner; Sgt. James H. Pultz, Radio Operator; Sgt. Arthur P.
Collins, Jr. , Ball Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. Theodore C. Zawadski,
Tail Gunner; S/Sgt. Joseph Meroit, Waist Gunner. This was a new
crew which was on its second mission at the time.
Ship #911, with the following crew members, also fell a victim to
enemy fighters; 1/Lt. Eugene G. Harding, Pilot; 2/Lt. Leonard J.
Hosack, Copilot; 2/Lt. Watson L. Grant, Navigator; 2/Lt. Walter
R. Donahue, Bombardier; T/Sgt. John J. Frawley, Engineer/Gunner;
S/Sgt. Wallace S, Bayor, Waist Gunner; T/Sgt. Hubert Peterson,
Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Manuel Grazio, Ball Turret Gunner; S/Sgt.
Charles W. Pesco Tail Gunner; and S/Sgt. Jerry Bernasconi, Waist
Gunner. This was an experienced crew.
2nd/Lt. Herbert J. Merkle, Copilot on ship #118, was on his