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

he had been on two with the Royal Air Force before transferring
to the USAAF ( Which it was thought were counted on his tour of
thirty). But such was not the case. At any rate, several members
of the ground crew were on hand with a tub of water and gave him
the "Customary Dunking" immediately after he landed. Since a
mistake had been made, it was decided to credit him with a
"Dunking" so he will not be subjected to that ordeal after he
completes the two remaining missions he has to do.
12 April 1944: On the 12th, there being no operational mission
scheduled, considerable ground school and training activities was
engaged in by all members of combat crews. Two ships did practice
bombing, each dropping twenty practice bombs. The crew engaged in
what is called mobile skeet, each firing 20 rounds with an
average score of eleven. This is a new feature in the training
program. Firing is done from a truck which is moving at about
thirty five miles an hour. It is thought that firing while in
motion gives better training to the gunner than if he is standing
still and shooting at a moving target.
13 April 1944: Schweinfurt, Germany, was the target for the 13th.
That has come to be quite a familiar one to this squadron. In the
past it has been the very toughest of targets, especially when we
recalled the 17th of August, 1943, when the three ships of this
squadron went on this mission and failed to return. On this date
eight of our ships participated in the mission, all of which
successfully dropped their bomb loads and returned safely to
base. The eight ships and their crews are as follows: #909, Lt.
Gorby and crew; #563, Lt. Moran and crew; #636, Lt. Bruce and
crew; #774, Lt. Riser and crew; #509 Lt. Hackleman and crew;
#304, Lt. Pryor and crew; #151, Lt. Sheriff and crew; and #276,
Lt. Wilkinson and crew.
One new combat crew reported for a tour of duty with the squadron
composed of the following individuals: 2/Lt. William Clements,
Navigator; 2/Lt. Jack Collier, Pilot; 2/Lt. John Kelleher,
Copilot, 2/Lt. Barry McDermott, Jr., Bombardier; S/Sgt. Harry
Word Engineer; S/Sgt. Stephen Kocut, Radio Operator; Sgt. Charles
Semon, Tail Gunner; Sgt. Tommy Candall, Waist Gunner; Sgt.
Denker, Waist Gunner; and Sgt. Zirnheld, Ball Turret Gunner.
Combat crew members who did not participate in the mission on
this date engaged in ground school and training activities. One
ship flew a practice bombing mission and dropped 20 - 100 lb.
Practice bombs.
On this date, another combat crew reported for a tour of duty
with this squadron composed of the following individuals. 1/Lt.
Albert F. McCardle, Pilot; 2/Lt. Joseph Vandenboom, copilot;