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

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Wenernunse at the same time. 26 July 1943 Six ships of our squadron took off at leading flight of 91st group, which was lead group of 101 C. W. with Major Bishop and Capt. Lethers in lead ship for a mission to Hamburg. Poor visibility caused difficulty in assembly and our group went over the target with another C. W. Our planes over the target were piloted by Maj. Bishop, Capt. Lethers, Lt.'s Silvernail, Smith and Miles. Bombing was fair. 29 July 1943 Three ships of our squadron stood by as spares for mission to Kiel but did not fill in and returned to base. 30 July 1943 Six ships, Pilots Lt.'s Silvernail, Thompson, Smith, Kethley, Miles, McCannon, Von der Heyde took off on mission to Kassel. Lt. Mc Cannon and Lt. Miles were missing but crossed the target and the other ships completed the mission. E/F were out in great numbers and flak was intense. Bombing was good. Members of the missing crews were as follows: P - Lt. McCannon, CP - J. P. Bruce, N - Lt. R. U. Duggan, B. D. V. Ohwan, E - T/Sgt. A. Cianfichi, WG - S/Sgt. H. R. Sparks, R. T/Sgt. Douglas V. Blackwood, BT - S/Sgt. Mike a Perotta, TG - S/Sgt. Herman Poling, WG - S/Sgt. Geo. R. Kruger. P - Robert M. Miles, CP - Lt. Harold T. Holden, N - Robert L. Gru. B - Lt. Erwin Feld, E. T/Sgt. James H. Parris, TT - Stanley C. Chmielewski, UG - T/Sgt. Frank Phanouf, WG - S/Sgt. Chester P. Lawless, TG - S/Sgt. Fred J. Maynard, WG - S/Sgt. Earl E. West. July 1943 33 men joined the ground echelon during the month. NOTE: Days when no flying on missions or practice flights were mentioned -- combat crews were actively engaged in the regular class instruction as prescribed by wing. 323rd DAILY REPORTS 1943 AUGUST (1 thru 11 were not in the Daily Reports) 12 August 1943 Six planes of our squadron took part in a mission to bomb public utility and artificial gasoline plants at Gelsenkirchen in the Ruhr - Pilots Capt. Lethers, Lt.'s Rodman, Arcaro, Silvernail, Kethley and Thompson. Major Bishop lead the group with Capt. Lethers and bombing accuracy was not too good, owing to poor visibility and smoke screen. Lt.'s Kethley and Thompson's ships were badly hit by the first E/F attacks and did not return. Their crews were as follows: Billy K Delta Rebel No. 2
P - 1st/Lt. Jerold D. Kethley P - 2nd/Lt. Robert Thomson CP - 2nd/Lt. Ennis Cox. CP - 2nd/Lt. S. Klimkow N - 2nd/Lt. Robert Stenberg N - 2nd/Lt. G. F. Lausted B - 2nd/Lt. James Cullen B - 2nd/Lt. M. J. Couzzi RO - T/Sgt. Conrad Dessault RO - T/Sgt. R. I. Brooks TT - S/Sgt. Robert Danielson TT - T/Sgt. C. J. Goodwin, Jr. BT - S/Sgt. Harold Stokes BT - S/Sgt. Wayne Kienberger WG - T/Sgt. Alfred Bragg WG - S/Sgt. R. S. Ziernicki WG - S/Sgt. Wilfred Bacon WG - S/Sgt. M. Langley TG - S/Sgt. John Burke TG - S/Sgt. Charles Blonstein Capt. Lethers and Lt. Silvernail and Sgt. Wilson completed their twenty-five missions. This was the first attack by USAAF on the Ruhr proper and was carried out by our group at 30,000 feet, also a new high bombing altitude. Intense cold of 42 degrees centigrade below Zero. S/Sgt. H. R. Braum of our squadron and one other member of the 91st died from lack of oxygen and exposure. The 91st lost 4 ships in all and we lost the old "Delta Rebel No. 2" on its thirty-third trip over enemy territory. 15 August 1943 Three ships of our squadron; pilots Lt.'s Bennett, Smith and Von der Hyde completed a mission on an airdrome near Holland (which bombed flushing) with fair results. All ships of the 91st returned safely. 16 August 1943 Four planes of our squadron - Pilots Lt.'s Bennett, Arcaro, Smith and Von der Heyde took off on a mission to bomb aviation installations at Le Bourget Airdrome near Paris. The bombing was most successful, without loss to our group, over enemy territory. Lt. Bennett was abortive and Lt. Smith had an explosion in his ship two miles short of the French Coast. He turned back and ditched in the channel 4 miles off the English Coast. All of his crew were immediately rescued and landed at New Haven. 17 August 1943 Three planes of our squadron, Pilots Lt.'s Bennett, Arcaro and Von der Heyde took off for Schweinfurt, Germany on the longest mission yet for our wing. All three of our planes were missing on this very disastrous bombing mission in which our group, which led the whole attack
Page 1 and 2: Dailies of the 323rd Transcribed by
Page 3 and 4: Louis Briglia (B) John McCormack (E
Page 5 and 6: navigator for one ship, and S/Sgt.
Page 7 and 8: obscured by overcast that no bombs
Page 9 and 10: pens and docks at St. Nazaire, Fran
Page 11 and 12: 16 Feb. 1943 - Flight Officer Brook
Page 13 and 14: took part in the extremely successf
Page 15 and 16: Six ships from our squadron, pilote
Page 17 and 18: 22 June 1943 Six ships of our squad
Page 19: 10 July 1943 Six of our ships pilot
Page 23 and 24: RO T/Sgt. J. R. Kopolosky RO Sgt. D
Page 25 and 26: 24 August 1943 Captain Gladstone an
Page 27 and 28: France. Lt. Dalton returned early a
Page 29 and 30: 7 September 1943 PERSONNEL CHANGES:
Page 31 and 32: CREWS CREDITED WITH MISSION: SHIP #
Page 33 and 34: R. Williams assigned and joined per
Page 35 and 36: SHIP #739: 2/Lt.'s David A. Bramble
Page 37 and 38: AFCE Lecture 8 - P. B 9:00 Bomb Tra
Page 39 and 40: the formation after the target near
Page 41 and 42: Edward G. Davis, Melvin Leimas - du
Page 43 and 44: Bernasconi, Raymond Ridings (AR), W
Page 45 and 46: S/Sgt. Walter W. Reich, 12157456 Sg
Page 47 and 48: Flying: One A/C flew on a local fli
Page 49 and 50: Target Identification 55 - N,B,P,CP
Page 51 and 52: Bail Out & Dinghy Drill for 1 compl
Page 53 and 54: Sgt. Venceslaus M. Sikich (UG). Shi
Page 55 and 56: Link Trainer 6 - P, CP 5:15 Wing Ne
Page 57 and 58: (N), 2/Lt. Wilbur W. Nichol (B), T/
Page 59 and 60: The Purple Heart was awarded, per s
Page 61 and 62: (Average Score - 16. Average rounds
Page 63 and 64: flew on a local flight for a total
Page 65 and 66: Ground School: Men Man Hours Shadow
Page 67 and 68: Ship #040: Was forced to turn back
Page 69 and 70: and PFC Anthony J. Sopata from DS a
Page 71 and 72:
13 December 1943: Personnel Changes
Page 73 and 74:
Roy F. Grandquist, John V Hill, Abr
Page 75 and 76:
were placed from DS with the Burton
Page 77 and 78:
2/Lt. Edward J. Kaiserski S/Sgt. Je
Page 79 and 80:
Ship #774: Capt. Thompson (P), Lt.'
Page 81 and 82:
428, 739, 712, 070, 939, 172, and 7
Page 83 and 84:
did not seem to our gunners, so eff
Page 85 and 86:
omb run over the target area. Membe
Page 87 and 88:
aircrews. Ground school was well at
Page 89 and 90:
nothing left to do about it except
Page 91 and 92:
specially trained as leaders in thi
Page 93 and 94:
Hackey have earned the DFC, after p
Page 95 and 96:
signals with the Aldis lamp. No res
Page 97 and 98:
Kenneth Sutherland, Pilot; 2/Lt. St
Page 99 and 100:
and all returned safely, very littl
Page 101 and 102:
month was spent. 2 March 1944: On t
Page 103 and 104:
fourth mission at this time. S/Sgt.
Page 105 and 106:
as missing in action, but it is bel
Page 107 and 108:
alternate target , Ahlen, Germany w
Page 109 and 110:
ombers have had the assistance of a
Page 111 and 112:
with trained and well qualified ind
Page 113 and 114:
he had been on two with the Royal A
Page 115 and 116:
what happened, the cause being due
Page 117 and 118:
25 April, 1944: On the 25th, an Air
Page 119 and 120:
and crew; #151, Lt. Sheriff and cre
Page 121 and 122:
excellent work in this connection.
Page 123 and 124:
this group went out on air sea resc
Page 125 and 126:
Ground school and training activiti
Page 127 and 128:
T/Sgt. Glenn E. Smith, Radio Operat
Page 129 and 130:
abortives that have been caused by
Page 131 and 132:
RD 323 DAILIES JUNE 1944 1 June 194
Page 133 and 134:
Crews not flying went to ground sch
Page 135 and 136:
crew; #7504, Lt. Ransberger and cre
Page 137 and 138:
#7563, Lt. O’Toole and crew; #750
Page 139 and 140:
Two new crews reported for a tour o
Page 141 and 142:
William H. Olsen; Radio Operator, G
Page 143 and 144:
crews reported this occurrence on o
Page 145 and 146:
missions were permitted to go on pa
Page 147 and 148:
using various devices such as flash
Page 149 and 150:
1/Lt. Edwin R. Reid, Co-pilot, 2/Lt
Page 151 and 152:
Lt. Kolts. Lt.'s Ward and Kolts, la
Page 153 and 154:
enemy opposition was encountered bo
Page 155 and 156:
Lt. Samuelson and crew. The latter
Page 157 and 158:
mind. All personnel realize its imp
Page 159 and 160:
T. Clarity, Ball Turret Operator; S
Page 161 and 162:
on attack. I felt he was aiming at
Page 163 and 164:
Ship #939 was severely damaged from
Page 165 and 166:
28 - 29 Feb.1944: The remaining two
Page 167 and 168:
e rescued in time to prevent their
Page 169 and 170:
so safely are very slim. Enemy figh
Page 171 and 172:
Antoniuk, Navigator; 2/Lt. Lausberg
Page 173 and 174:
Kuehl and crew;; #909, Lt. Sheriff
Page 175 and 176:
another day, and made ready to atte
Page 177 and 178:
Germany, but this mission was cance
Page 179 and 180:
One new combat crew reported for a
Page 181 and 182:
already experienced in combat flyin
Page 183 and 184:
een reassigned to duty at Bovingdon
Page 185 and 186:
to say the least. Results of bombin
Page 187 and 188:
the crew injured. Sgt. Harry LeBard
Page 189 and 190:
not flying. th 10 May 1944: On the
Page 191 and 192:
Lt. Riser and crew; #7276, Lt. Mosl
Page 193 and 194:
th 25 May 1944: On the 25 , Nancy/E
Page 195 and 196:
nd Pryor and crew; #7504, Lt. Bruce
Page 197 and 198:
duty on this mission. T/Sgt. Street
Page 199 and 200:
maintaining normal flight. This mis
Page 201 and 202:
dropped thirty 100-lb. Practice bom
Page 203 and 204:
Vendon, France. This was what is kn
Page 205 and 206:
th 26 June 1944: On the 26 , there
Page 207 and 208:
th This was the month of months in
Page 209 and 210:
th (324 ) Lt. Col. Milton; Capt. Re
Page 211 and 212:
crewmembers not flying on this miss
Page 213 and 214:
was at McDill Field, Florida. Many
Page 215 and 216:
crew; #1909, Lt. Dietrich and crew;
Page 217 and 218:
Pickard and the ”A” crew in lea
Page 219 and 220:
#2116, Lt. Eblen and crew; #1909, L
Page 221 and 222:
Eblen and crew; #7540, Lt. Mullins
Page 223 and 224:
and crew; #1909, Lt. O’Neil and c
Page 225 and 226:
27 Sept. 1944: The squadron was “
Page 227 and 228:
#7276, Lt. Stevens and crew; #2116,
Page 229 and 230:
(401st), Lt. Rustand and crew. *(Ad
Page 231 and 232:
#490, Lt. Smith, Wm T. and crew. 17
Page 233 and 234:
squadron lead; #618, Lt. Kirkman an
Page 235 and 236:
“A” crew); #116, Lt. Scofield a
Page 237 and 238:
crews were allowed passes. 5 Jan. 1
Page 239 and 240:
ombed by FFF methods on this date.
Page 241 and 242:
Again, thirteen ships of our squadr
Page 243 and 244:
nd Cochran and crew; #578 (322 ) Lt
Page 245 and 246:
#540, Lt. Borgstrom and crew; #116,
Page 247 and 248:
our aircraft although by “PFF”.
Page 249 and 250:
mission for the day, all returning
Page 251 and 252:
Smiekel and crew; #618, Lt. Whitten
Page 253 and 254:
failure. 18 April 1945: Bombing was
show all

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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?