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

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

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th<br />

31 March 1945: The group’s 325 mission for <strong>the</strong> total ending<br />

March, 1945. The group bombed <strong>the</strong> railway station at Halle and<br />

Aschersleben , Germany . Lead and high squadrons bombed Halle by<br />

PFF methods with unobserved results. The low squadron, while on<br />

<strong>the</strong> bomb run, ran into a collision course with ano<strong>the</strong>r formation;<br />

and was unable to drop <strong>the</strong>ir bombs. 5 A/C made a 360 and bombed<br />

Halle , <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r 7 bombed A M/Y at Aschersleben visually with<br />

good results. Our squadron’s twelve A/C furnished <strong>the</strong> low<br />

squadron as follows: #630, Lt. H<strong>of</strong>fman and crew; #379, Lt.<br />

Martinson and crew; #276, Lt. Thompson and crew; #615, Lt.<br />

th<br />

Sc<strong>of</strong>ield and crew; #618, Lt. Borgstrom and crew; #205 (324 ),<br />

th<br />

Lt. Hunt and crew; #939, Lt. Cochran and crew; #568 (324 ), Lt.<br />

st<br />

Blanchet and crew; #636, Lt. Harvey and crew; #843 (401 ), Lt.<br />

st st<br />

Dean and crew; #217 (401 ), Lt. Smiekel and crew; #504 (401 ),<br />

Lt. Holliday and crew. All returned safely and <strong>the</strong>re were no<br />

aborts.<br />

rd<br />

SUMMING UP MARCH 1945: The 323 <strong>Bomb</strong> Squadron completed 185<br />

sorties for <strong>the</strong> month <strong>of</strong> March, without an abortive.<br />

Ship #909 holds <strong>the</strong> ETO record to date (April 12, 1945) <strong>of</strong> 132<br />

completed missions without an abortive. An article concerning<br />

this ship and its ground crew appeared in a March issue <strong>of</strong><br />

“Yank”, and also <strong>the</strong> “Stars and Stripes”. This article was<br />

submitted by <strong>the</strong> squadron’s executive <strong>of</strong>ficer, Major Edward J.<br />

Butler.<br />

The squadron supplied 6 men in February and 3 men in March for<br />

<strong>the</strong> infantry quota.<br />

Thus ends <strong>the</strong> month <strong>of</strong> March, 1945.<br />

APRIL 1945: Prepared by Capt. Laurence E. Baird & Sgt. Dull<br />

1 – 4 April 1945: There were no operational missions on <strong>the</strong>se<br />

days. Ground school and training activities were carried out by<br />

th<br />

this squadron. On <strong>the</strong> 4 , our squadron took <strong>the</strong>ir turn and were<br />

“stood down” even though <strong>the</strong> group participated in a mission to<br />

Fassberg , Germany .<br />

5 April 1945: A mission to <strong>the</strong> ordnance depot at Grafenwohr ,<br />

Germany with excellent results <strong>of</strong> our group’s bombing on <strong>the</strong><br />

number one target. The squadron participated by sending twelve<br />

aircraft and crews, all <strong>of</strong> which returned safely to base and<br />

without an abortive. The following completed this mission: Major<br />

Taylor and <strong>the</strong> “A” crew in ship #471, flying CBW lead; #379, Lt.<br />

Martinson and crew; #276, Lt. Dean and crew; #630 (Dep. CBW<br />

lead), Lt. Sc<strong>of</strong>ield and crew; #540, Lt. Borgstrom and crew; #636,<br />

Lt. Harvey and crew; #939, Lt. Cochran and crew; #841, Lt.

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