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

done on account of the weather.
15 March 1944: On the 15th, there being no operational mission,
considerable practice flying was done, local, practice bombing,
and formation flying. All training devices on the ground were
also used to capacity.
16 March 1944: The 16th found another operation mission on our
schedule. The target was the Lechfeld A/F Six ships of this
squadron participated. Results of bombing as observed indicate
but little success on this mission. Ship #542 aborted due to
mechanical trouble. The taking part in this operation were: Ship
#513, Lt. Wood and crew; #542, Lt. Reid and crew; #774 Lt.
Register and crew; #580 Lt. Gorby and crew: #909 Lt. Hackleman
and crew: and #565, Lt. Bradford and crew. The latter is listed
as missing in action, but it is believed that the ship may have
landed in Switzerland with the following crew: 1/Lt. Doyle
Bradford, 1/Lt. Robert C. Mersereau, Copilot, 1/Lt. Albert
Trendell, Navigator; 1/Lt. Jack T. Alhern, Bombardier; S/Sgt.
Robert A. Peterson, Engineer; S/Sgt. Lucien Bright, Waist Gunner;
S/Sgt. Norman Smith, Radio Operator; S/Sgt. Nicholas. Merlotti,
Waist Gunner; S/Sgt. Malcolm G. Brandt, Tail Gunner; and S/Sgt.
Robert E. Sodel, Ball Turret Gunner. There is good reason to
believe that all are safe and interned for the duration of the
war.
1/Lt. Manuel Fisher, Navigator, completed his tour of operational
duty and was transferred to another station. S/Sgt. Melvin
Schissler, Ball Turret Gunner, also completed his tour and was
transferred.
17 March 1944: On the 17th, there was a mission canceled against
Augsburg, Germany, but it was sometime due to adverse weather
conditions. In so far as the ground crews are concerned, they
would much rather the mission is carried out once it is scheduled
since a big part of their work consists of getting the ships
loaded and in condition for a take-off. Combat crews, once they
have been briefed and made ready so as if they would just as soon
go on. However, since the mission was scrubbed, there was nothing
left to do except to go to ground school and to other training.
On the 16th, two new crews reported to the squadron for tours of
operational duty with the exception of the pilot. Individuals
reporting were: 2/Lt. Bruce, Pilot; 2/Lt. Grimmer, Copilot; F/O
Pluskey, Navigator; F/O Cusick, Bombardier S/Sgt. Lakes Engineer;
Sgt. Brown, Assistant Engineer; S/Sgt. Chaves, Radio Operator;
Sgt Hurley, Assistant Radio Operator; S/Sgt. LeBard, Tail Gunner;
Sgt. Erlinghauser, Ball Turret Gunner; F/O Nash, Copilot; 2/Lt.