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

and a lot of the fellows take this time off as an opportunity to
write home and to do a lot of things of a personal nature. Passes
are given so they can visit with the local people in towns
nearby.
There is a library provided by the American Red Cross, as well as
a snack bar where a soldier can go for refreshments or to read a
book or a newspaper. Also, there is a theater located over the
consolidated mess, which shows American films, as well as
English. The Church Services, Red Cross Club, and the Theater
contribute no little art toward maintaining the high level of
morale that is to be found among the troops of this squadron.
11 Jan. 1944: Mission to Oschersleben, Germany: Oschersleben,
Germany, that is the FW-190 factory there, felt the full impact
of tons of bomb's dropped from ships of the 8th Air Force on
January 11, 1944. This squadron sent seven ships, all of which
returned except ship #372. It fell a victim to German fighters,
which gave us a lot of trouble for a change. Our fighter escort
did not seem to our gunners, so efficient as they have been in
the past. However, the enemy lost six fighters destroyed, and two
damaged by our gunners. T/Sgt. Joseph T. Depoti, top turret
gunner, and S/Sgt. Walter P. Meader, Jr., ball turret gunner,
both flying in ship #939, each shot down a FW-190. S/Sgt. Robert
C. Kyle, top turret gunner, S/Sgt. Rathel C. Bennett, tail
gunner, and S/Sgt. Fred A. Tabor, waist gunner, flying in ship
#172, each shot down an ME-109 or FW-190.
One FW-190 and one ME-109 were identified as damaged by T/Sgt.
Marvin Powers, Jr., a top turret gunner, and 2/Lt. Roy L. Jones,
bombardier, nose gunner, respectively who were flying in ship
#739. Those individuals, who succeed in taking such a toll of the
enemy, earn the gratitude of all in this command and of all the
people of the United Nations who are allied in this war against
the enemy. For each enemy fighter destroyed, the gunner who does
it is awarded the Air Medal or an Oak Leaf Cluster thereto.
Ships of this squadron taking part in this mission and their
crews were: #774, Captain Thompson and crew; #739, 2/Lt.
Hackleman and crew; #761, 1/Lt. McFarland and crew; #939, 2/Lt.
Maziarz and crew; #172, 2/Lt. Sutherland and crew; #040, 2/Lt.
Gorby and crew; and #372, 1/Lt. Reid and crew. The latter was
shot down by enemy fighters in the vicinity of the target. It is
not known whether or not they are alive and prisoners of war or
still at large somewhere in enemy occupied territory Even if the
ship is severely damaged or destroyed, its personnel can often
don their parachutes and bail out to safety. Here is a complete
list of the crew which is carried as "mission in action": Pilot,