Dailies of the 323rd - the 91st Bomb Group!
Dailies of the 323rd - the 91st Bomb Group!
Dailies of the 323rd - the 91st Bomb Group!
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All ships and <strong>the</strong>ir crews <strong>of</strong> this squadron returned safely to<br />
base. 1/Lt. Burk, <strong>Bomb</strong>ardier, completed his tour <strong>of</strong> duty <strong>of</strong><br />
thirty missions. It will be noted that during <strong>the</strong> month <strong>of</strong> March,<br />
this <strong>of</strong>ficer went on fifteen operation missions and did more than<br />
120 combat hours flying time. This was a record achievement for a<br />
combat crew member in this squadron.<br />
Ships taking part in this mission were: #534, Capt Kuehl and<br />
crew, #151, Lt. Sheriff and crew; #542, Capt. Ranzoni and crew;<br />
#276, Lt. Hackleman and crew, #563, Lt. Klinger and crew; #116,<br />
Lt. Thomas and crew; #075, Lt. Register and crew; #304, Lt. Pryor<br />
and crew; #634, Lt. Gardner and crew; #540, Lt. Gorby and crew;<br />
#504 Lt. Reid and crew.<br />
It was thought that 1/Lt. George Brooks, Copilot on Ship #276,<br />
had completed his tour <strong>of</strong> thirty missions, due to <strong>the</strong> fact that<br />
he had been on two with <strong>the</strong> Royal Air Force before transferring<br />
to <strong>the</strong> USAAF ( Which it was thought were counted on his tour <strong>of</strong><br />
thirty). But such was not <strong>the</strong> case. At any rate, several members<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ground crew were on hand with a tub <strong>of</strong> water and gave him<br />
<strong>the</strong> "Customary Dunking" immediately after he landed. Since a<br />
mistake had been made, it was decided to credit him with a<br />
"Dunking" so he will not be subjected to that ordeal after he<br />
completes <strong>the</strong> two remaining missions he has to do.<br />
12 April 1944: On <strong>the</strong> 12th, <strong>the</strong>re being no operational mission<br />
scheduled, considerable ground school and training activities was<br />
engaged in by all members <strong>of</strong> combat crews. Two ships did practice<br />
bombing, each dropping twenty practice bombs. The crew engaged in<br />
what is called mobile skeet, each firing 20 rounds with an<br />
average score <strong>of</strong> eleven. This is a new feature in <strong>the</strong> training<br />
program. Firing is done from a truck which is moving at about<br />
thirty five miles an hour. It is thought that firing while in<br />
motion gives better training to <strong>the</strong> gunner than if he is standing<br />
still and shooting at a moving target.<br />
13 April 1944: Schweinfurt, Germany, was <strong>the</strong> target for <strong>the</strong> 13th.<br />
That has come to be quite a familiar one to this squadron. In <strong>the</strong><br />
past it has been <strong>the</strong> very toughest <strong>of</strong> targets, especially when we<br />
recalled <strong>the</strong> 17th <strong>of</strong> August, 1943, when <strong>the</strong> three ships <strong>of</strong> this<br />
squadron went on this mission and failed to return. On this date<br />
eight <strong>of</strong> our ships participated in <strong>the</strong> mission, all <strong>of</strong> which<br />
successfully dropped <strong>the</strong>ir bomb loads and returned safely to<br />
base. The eight ships and <strong>the</strong>ir crews are as follows: #909, Lt.<br />
Gorby and crew; #563, Lt. Moran and crew; #636, Lt. Bruce and<br />
crew; #774, Lt. Riser and crew; #509 Lt. Hackleman and crew;<br />
#304, Lt. Pryor and crew; #151, Lt. Sheriff and crew; and #276,<br />
Lt. Wilkinson and crew.