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

Powers (E), Berty (R); Sgt.'s Schafer (AE), Payne (AR), Kolence (G), Grabowski (UG).
Ship #372: Lt.'s Reid (P), Morgan (CP), Haus (N), Marghita (B); T/Sgt.'s Kretchmer (E), Lowry
(R); S/Sgt.'s Stoddard (AE), Hovey (AR), Czarnecki (G), Gustafson (UG).
Ship #739: Lt.'s Bramble (P), Mack (CP), Ellis (N), Singer (B); T/Sgt.'s Williams (E),
Zimmerman (R); S/Sgt.'s Bernasconi (AE), Ridings (AR), Reich (G), Poppa (UG).
Ship #712: Lt.'s Ward (P), McNulty (CP), Murray (N), Walshe (B); T/Sgt.'s Vinson (R); S/Sgt.'s
Kyle (E), Silberger (AE), Clarity (AR), Chandler (G), King (UG).
31 December 1943:
Personnel Changes: 1/Lt. Nugent promoted to rank of captain effective 27 Dec. 1943. 2/Lt.
Malkowski promoted to rank of 1/Lt. effective 27 Dec. 1943. Sgt. Simmons from duty to absent,
sick LD with the 49th Station Hospital effective 29 Dec. 1943. Sgt.'s Brunst and Loper from
absent, sick LD with the 49th Station Hospital to duty. Sgt. Stratton from duty to absent, sick
LD with the 49th Station Hospital. PFC Gus R. Frain assigned and joined (HQ 91st Bomb
Group). S/Sgt. Lewis A. Hill from duty to transferred to the 12th RCD.
Mission: To Cognac, France: Seven A/C of this squadron took off at 0820 hours to bomb the
Bordeaus-Merignac Airdrome located five miles west of Bordeaux, France, with the village of
Chateau-Bernard, France as the secondary target. Moderate and accurate AA fire for our group
at 18,000 to 19,000 feet was reported by returning crews. Fifteen to twenty-five enemy fighters,
mostly ME109s and FW109s and two JU88s were observed and these were in contact with our
group from the time it crossed the French Coast going in until just before reaching Cognac.
Fighter escort was scheduled for entire route over enemy territory; but due to the fact that our
group entered the French Coast south of course and about forty minutes late none were seen until
reaching the secondary target at Cognac. One A/C of our group was lost when attached by seven
or eight enemy aircraft upon entering the French Coast and another was hit by flak upon leaving
the French Coast and failed to return. Crew reports were that bombing was good and well
concentrated on target area of the Cognac Airdrome which was bombed due to 10/10 cloud cover
over the primary target. Flames and smoke could be seen for about twenty minutes after leaving
the target area. All ships of this squadron completed the mission and returned safely.
No Casualties.
Crews credited with mission:
Ship #639: Major Bishop (Air Commander), Capt. Gladstone (P), Lt.'s Homuth (N), Gannon (B),
Brooke (G); T/Sgt.'s Kirk (E), Dugan (R); S/Sgt.'s Wyzkoski (AE), Johnson (AR), Belville (UG).
Ship #739: Lt.'s Bramble (P), Mack (CP), Ellis (N), Singer (B); T/Sgt.'s Williams (E),
Zimmerman (BR), S/Sgt.'s Bernasconi (AE) (AE) Ridings (AR), Reich (G), Poppa (UG).
Ship #040: Lt.'s Gorby (P), Thurman (CP), Wallner (N), Rodriguez (B); S/Sgt.'s Parkins (E),
Thau (R); Sgt.'s Pilcher (AE), Bellettiere (AR), Reynolds (G), Beanblossom (UG).
Ship #761: Lt.'s Ward (P), McNulty (CP), Murray (N), Walshe (B); T/Sgt.'s Jerge (E), Vinson
(R); S/Sgt.'s Silberger (AE), Clarity (AR), Chandler (G), King (UG).
Ship #966: Lt.'s Hackleman (P), Camosy (CP), Jordan, D. B. (N), Jones R. L. (B); S/Sgt.'s
Powers (E), Berty (R); Sgt.'s Schafer (AE), Payne (AR), Kolence (G), Grabowski (UG).
Ship #746: Lt.'s Samuelson (P), Kovachevich (CP), Smith, J. L. (N), Kaiserski (B); T/Sgt.'s
Walsh (E), Ford (R); S/Sgt. Franchuk (AE), Lasker (AR), Dumouchel (G), Garofalo (UG).