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

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
fourth mission at this time. S/Sgt. Lawrence Morel and S/Sgt.
William Donmoyer completing their tour of twenty-five missions on
this date. They were reassigned to duty elsewhere.
1/Lt. Cecil Williams, Squadron Bombardier, flew as bombardier in
the lead ship leading the first wing over target on this mission.
7 March 1944: Usually after there have been as many as three
operational missions in as many days, there is very little
activity on the Fourth day, because the crew members are quite
tired. So it was on the 7th, there being no ground school and
only one cross-country flight of 2 ½ hours. It will be noted that
there have been four missions within a period of five days.
However, another reason for there being no training activity, and
perhaps the chief one was that a mission was planned against
Gutersloh, Germany, but was later scrubbed after the crews had
been called from their beds early in the morning and had attended
briefing.
8 March 1944: On the 8th, Germany was again bombed. Erkner, a
suburb of Berlin, Germany, and the ball bearing factory there
being very successfully attacked. There were a few fights with
the enemy, but our escort was quite strong that day and all ships
but one returned safely to base. Ship #513 aborted due to
technical difficulty within a short time after takeoff. The
following ships took part: #513, Lt. Kuehl and crew; #909, Lt.
Hackleman and crew; #774, Lt. Register and crew; #580, Lt. Gorby
and crew; and #892, Lt. McWilliams and crew.
The last-named ship was seen turning back, after having dropped
its load of leaflets, near the I. P. Which is in the vicinity of
the target. He was having some sort of mechanical trouble. When a
single ship has to leave the formation and undertake the return
journey alone so far into enemy territory, its chances of doing