Mission 23 June 20, 1944

Today was another noball raid and a little rough if I must say so.  We got an early start by getting up at 1230 with take off at 4:30 and back at 8:30.  We were flying our own ship “K” leading the 492nd.  We had a 1st Lt. for command.  It was fairly clear but we bombed G.H. with fair results.  We didn’t see any fighters but the flak was bad.  We did everything possible to get out of it but to no avail.  We got about a dozen hits the largest being about 5 by 9 inches.  Every ship in our Sqdn was hit today.  Lt. Bushes navigator was hit.

Mission 24 June 22, 1944

I think after today we’d better thank the Lord for little favors.  Capt. Mitchell flew with us in our own ship leading the 491st to another noball target northeast of Abbeyville.  There was just a few scattered clouds so we bombed visual and with excellent results.  I hope I never see or hear any more flak as I did today.  Those gunners were sure putting it up around that lead ship.  We got into it on the bomb run and most of the way out.  It was very heavy and too accurate.  When it gets close enough to hear it’s too close.  Again it was impossible to get out of it and as the result our ship was hit all over.  I guess we had about 150 holes.  There are 12 gas cells and 11 of them hit.  Toll had some plexiglass knocked in his face when a piece went through the dome of his turret.  I was down by the bomb bays watching the results of our bombs and the command pilot was looking over my shoulder.  He says I ducked once but he must of been wrong cause I never raised up.  We got hit in the bomb bay just before bombs away.  Those rocket sites have first priority now that they are hitting London.  I think the Germans have their best AA gunners protecting them too.  Our ship will be in Sub Depot for some time.  I think I broke all speed records for sending  in a bomb strike message today. We were still in flak so I didn’t waste any time.  They got it the first time.  I wonder if the guy who copied it had any idea how scared I was just then

Mission 25 June 27, 1944

We had one of those days that makes a fellow grow old before his time today.  We flew “R” leading the 448th with Capt Smith as command.  The Target was a Marshaling yards about 25 miles north of Paris. We didn’t see any fighters but ah that flak.  We really got it again today.  I don’t know how they can put that AA fire up about five miles and get it so close.  This today was even worse than the last mission.  Demkey got about five holes in his nose turret that knocked glass in his face.  It knocked the electric and hydraulic system out of Toll’s tail turret.  There was a hole about 25 inches long above the right waist window.  The worst part was the oxygen line was hit before we even got to the target.  Part of us were out of oxygen in no time flat.  We were just ready to hit the deck when I called the pilot that we could double up so I took off for the nose where there was still oxygen.  I almost passed out before I got there.  Okie went to the waist and the command pilot used the large walk around bottle so we were able to lead them on into the target.  We bombed GH & hit the target.  It was sure a relief to get back today.  We had at least 60 flak hits including three of the engines that will have to be changed.

Mission 26 July 2, 1944

The worst part of the one today was the command pilot, Major Wallace.  He was a cross old devil but Lt. Clark set him right when we got down.  We led the 467th to a noball target.  No fighters and as it was overcast the flak was at our chaff.  We bombed from 24,000 feet.

Mission 27 July 4, 1944

We celebrated the fourth today by hitting an airfield back of the beachhead.  We flew our own ship “K” and led part of the 392nd.  For once we didn’t have a command pilot so Lt. Moore flew pilot & Clark co-pilot.  We really got along swell even if we did have to go to 26,000 feet to get above the clouds & vapor trails.  We had a swell GH run with no flak, no fighters which sure helps my morale.

Mission 28 July 5, 1944

We didn’t do so good today.  We flew “K” leading the 467th to an air field just out of Brussels, Belgium. Capt Beatty flew command.  We missed the target and got a flak hit in #4 over the target.  It will have to be changed.  The flak was accurate but there wasn’t very much of it.  No fighters.