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

crew; ship #965, Lt. Hackleman and crew (aborted), ship #939, Lt.
Maziarz and crew; ship #774, Capt. Thompson (91st BG) and Lt.
Stringer and crew; ship #639, Lt. Osterburg and crew; ship #585,
Lt. Bradford and crew; ship #580, Lt. Mack and crew; ship #759,
Lt. Register and crew; ship #172, Lt. Wilkinson and crew; ship
#815, Capt. Dalton and crew; ship #712, Lt. Pickard and crew.
Thirteen ships, a record number for the squadron went over the
target and dropped their bombs.
Capt. Karl W. Thompson completed twenty-five missions on this
date. So did Lt. Drayton W. Stringer, pilot and S/Sgt. James S.
Hachey. Capt. Thompson was recently transferred from the squadron
and assigned to duty as assistant group operations officer, but
he elected to do his twenty-fifth mission with his original crew.
As their ship approached the landing field, they gave it a "real
buzz" coming close to the ground and putting on a good show. It
was fully as sensational as that of Major Bishop in the "Careful
Virgin" on the 21st of January, although the "ducking" ceremony
was not carried out by the ground crew. Lt. Stringer and S/Sgt.
Hackey have earned the DFC, after presentation of which they will
be transferred to a new assignment. The three individuals
mentioned have a splendid record in the squadron, and the fact
that they did their allotted score of missions without serious
difficulty indicates their skill and efficiency as airmen of the
highest type.
21 Feb. 1944: On the 21st, Germany was attacked again at
Gutersloh and Achmer. Eight ships of this squadron took part, as
follows: Ship #504, Major Berry , Air Commander, and Lt.
Samuelson Pilot and his crew led the group; ship #939, Lt.
Wilkinson and crew; ship #746, Lt. Register and crew; ship #815,
Capt. Dalton and crew; ship #965, Lt. G. M. Williams and crew;
ship #712, Lt. Ward and crew; ship #040, Lt. Osterburg and crew;
ship #759, Lt. Mack and crew; six of these ships completed the
mission and returned to base. The flak was quite heavy as well as
fighter opposition. . Our ship's #712, #040 and #759 were flying
as an extra three-ship element. They were hit hard by enemy
fighters and two of them were knocked down, ship #712, Lt. Ward
and crew and ship #040, Lt. Osterburg and crew. Both seemed under
control when last seen and it is believed that personnel had a
very good chance of getting safely to the ground. Ship #712 was
last seen near Winden, Germany.
The following personnel are carried as missing in action: 1/Lt.
Neal P. Ward, Pilot; 1/Lt. James McNulty, Co-pilot; 1/Lt. Donald
S. Murray, Navigator; 1/Lt. Marion M. Walshe, Bombardier; T/Sgt.
Kenneth F. Jerge, Engineer; S/Sgt. Lawrence H. Silberger, Waist
Gunner; T/Sgt. Thomas G. Vinson, Radio Operator; S/Sgt, Richard