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

Individuals remaining on the ground carried out an extensive
ground school schedule. It is becoming even more apparent, that
time so spent, pays dividends in the air.
7 May 1944: Today, Berlin, Germany was the target. The mission
was completed but results of bombing remained unobserved due to
the overcast. This Squadron sent seven ships as follows: Ship
#040, Capt. Ranzoni and crew; #276, Lt. Bruce and crew; #580, Lt.
Kovachevich and crew; #304, Lt. Pryor and crew; #909, Lt. Klinger
and crew; #975, Lt. Collier and crew; #938, Lt. Maxwell and crew.
Ship #938 aborted due to malfunction of supercharger. Also, ship
#276 aborted. This was due to a malfunction of the oxygen system.
#580 failed to return. Before reaching the target, one of its
engines had quit. Later on reports were that it had been seen on
its way back, coming near the enemy coast. Several ships from
this group went out on air sea rescue in hopes of picking the
crewmembers up, but no trace was seen of them. The crew was
composed of the following individuals: 1/Lt. Nenad Kovachevich,
Pilot; 1/Lt. William J. Thurman, Copilot; 1/Lt. Edward H.
Wallner, Navigator; 1/Lt. Eleuterio C. Rodriguez, Bombardier;
T/Sgt. Frederick G. Parkins, Engineer; S/Sgt. Donald F. Pilcher,
Ball Turret Gunner; Sgt. Ralph Liedtke, Radio Operator; S/S
Bernard F. Bellettiere, Waist Gunner; and S/Sgt. William A.
Reynolds, Jr. Tail Gunner. This was an experienced crew. Lt.
Wallner was on his thirtieth mission. All the others were near
completion of their tours.
th
8 May 1944: On the 8 , Berlin, Germany was bombed again, results
of which were unobserved. Six ships of this squadron took part as
follows: #240, Lt. Knight and crew; #276, Lt. Haskell and crew:
#075 Lt. Gardner and crew; #116, Lt. Sheriff and crew; #304, Lt.
Bruce and crew; and #075, Lt. Riser and crew. The latter ship
aborted due to inability of crew to close bomb bay doors either
electrically or manually after dropping one bomb to lighten load
in order to land.
S/Sgt. Roy J. Schleich, Jr., Waist Gunner; completed his tour of
operational duty on this mission. All ships returned safely to
base.
9 May 1944: A target at St. Dizier, France, was bombed on the
th 9 . All ships of this squadron returned safely to base. There
were no abortives. The bombing was successful. Six ships from
this organization took part as follows: Ship #234, Lt. Sheriff
and crew; #563, Lt. Miller and crew; #562, Lt. Collier and crew;
#278, Lt. Thomas and crew; #304, Lt. Pryor and crew; #116, Lt.
Wilkinson and crew.
Ground school and training operations were carried out by crews