Melvin L. Kliss of the 492nd Bomb Group

Melvin Louis Kliss was born January 6, 1922 to Louis and Cora Kliss of Long Beach, California. Kliss lived in Long Beach until he joined the Army Air Force in 1943. Long Beach was a fast growing town adjacent to Los Angeles- in the 1930s, it was an oil boom town, its prosperity hardly affected by the 1933 earthquake that leveled many buildings within the city. As the war began, more than 140,000 residents lived in Long Beach, thousands of whom would go to working in the aircraft or shipbuilding industries during WWII.  Douglas Aircraft Co. opened a massive airplane plant in 1941 that built C-47s, B-17s, and A-20s. The Calship yard opened on Terminal Island in Long Beach in late 1941 and eventually employed 40,000 workers. Long Beach also saw the deportation of thousands of Japanese residents in 1942, many of whom worked in fish canneries along the coast.

Melvin Louis Kliss registered for the draft on February 15, 1942; he was living with his parents at 1941 Dawson St. in Long Beach, California and was working for R.E. Campbell at 7^th St. and Bellflower Road in Long Beach. He gave his measurements as 6' 1” tall, 175 lbs with blue eyes, blonde hair, and a light complexion.

Sergeant Melvin L. Kliss, 856th Bomb Squadron, 492nd Bomb Group

Kliss was drafted and entered the service June 14, 1943 at Los Angeles, California. His residence was listed as Los Angeles Co., California, white, single with no dependents, completed 4 years of high school, and was working as a semi-skilled craneman at Calship the time of entry into the service. California Shipbuilding Corporation (Calship) operated a shipyard on Terminal Island in Los Angeles harbor during the war years building Liberty ships.

Trolley schedule to the Calship Yard
April 1943

Melvin Kliss received training as an aerial gunner and was assigned to a B-24 as a replacement air crew for the 856^th Squadron, 492^nd Bomb Group based at RAF North Pickenham. The 492^nd Bomb Group was part of the all B-24 Second Air Division and had a reputation as a 'hard luck' group. Sergeant Kliss arrived in England sometime in June 1944 as the right waist gunner on Replacement Crew R-14. This crew, also known as the Abernethy Crew, consisted of: Second Lieutenant Curtis A. Abernethy (pilot), Second Lieutenant Jack H. Stanton (co-pilot), Second Lieutenant Richard S. Krear (bombardier-navigator), Sergeant Alfred F. Childs (ball turret gunner), Staff Sergeant Percival G. Prince (top turret gunner), Staff Sergeant Willard E. Hoods (radio operator), Sergeant Ralph J. Carusone (left waist gunner), Sergeant Ralph F. Del Prete (tail gunner). This mission was flown without a navigator. This crew had flown two missions prior to the Kiel mission: aircraft factory at Magdeburg on June 29^th and a German airfield at Beaumont-le-Roger, France on July 4, 1944.

A typical B-24J from the 492nd Bomb Group

The 492^nd BG took part in mission 455 which was a mission that dispatched eight B-24 groups against harbor installations at Kiel, Germany. The group launched 34 ships of which 31 made it to the target; no enemy fighters were encountered on the mission but the mission suffered heavily from flak over Kiel; 100 of the B-24s sustained damage including Kliss' ship; B-24J-145-CO 44-40064 was damaged by flak and ditched in the English Channel. The B-24 had been built by Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, California; no photo of the ship is available.

Melvin L. Kliss uniform grouping that I acquired over the summer; it includes his dress uniform jacket, wool overcoat, shirt, and Type A-4 flight coveralls. Other items not shown include his B-4 bag and an oxygen mask storage bag. Sergeant Kliss took part in three missions before his B-24 crashed in the North Sea following a raid against Kiel. Sergeant Kliss survived but was so badly injured that his combat career was over; two other airmen on his ship did not survive the ditching. His dress uniform features his sterling aerial gunner wings and three ribbons: Purple Heart, European Campaign ribbon with two stars, and a WWII Victory ribbon. On the left sleeve is one bullion stripe denoting six months of overseas service while on the right sleeve is a patch noting his armaments specialty. 

According to Lt. Stanton, engine No. 3 had developed an oil problem before arriving over the target and the prop had been feathered before the crew bombed their target in Kiel. The crew started to return with the formation, falling slightly behind, but about 30 minutes out from the German coast, engine No. 2 cut out. The crew was directed to toss any extra weight (guns, ammunition, etc.) in an attempt to lighten the aircraft and air-sea rescue was called. The ship had dropped to 5,000 feet and was about 90 miles from the English coast with the rescue boat 30 miles from their position when engine No. 1 ran away and cut out. An SOS message was sent out and the aircraft was ditched about 40 miles east of Yarmouth, England. Lieutenant Abernethy reported that the entire crew was in the designated ditching positions when the ship hit; the ship broke up quickly and the men were scattered about “most of us dazed or in shock.” 

The rescue boat arrived 15 minutes later, arriving at 12:50 P.M. Lieutenant Krear, bombardier, and Sergeant Del Prete, tail gunner, were listed as missing but the rest of the crew was rescued, all suffering bruises or fractures.  A group report attached to the MACR dated September 1944 lists Sergeant Kliss as “L.I.A.” with a date of July 6, 1944; not KIA or MIA; this means lost in action, or unable to return to duty due to injuries suffered.

This image shows a B-24 from the 492nd Bomb Group over Kiel on the July 6, 1944 mission that resulted in the end of Sergeant Kliss' combat tour with the 8th Air Force. 

Melvin Kliss was featured in the June 27, 1945 edition of Frances Langford's Purple Heart Diary, the heading of which read “Just Be Yourself, That's All a Vet Asks.” The Pittsburg Sun-Telegraph issue of June 27, 1945 reported that Sergeant Kliss was recuperating from operational fatigue at the A.A.F. Regional and Convalescent Hospital in Santa Clara, California. His episode was brought about by the traumatic nature of ditching his B-24 during the July 6, 1944 mission against Kiel. 

Lt. Krear was serving as the bombardier on Kliss' crew
and is listed as missing in action.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette July 25, 1944

Kliss thought it was a mistake for civilians to avoid discussing combat experience with returning veterans. “I'm afraid too many home folks are swallowing that tripe, and those dishing it out aren't helping us a bit. How do they know we don't want to talk about what we've been through? I know I do. Hell I don't want anyone to think I'm a problem child. This war has put a lot of things on my chest- things I couldn't put in letters. Talking about them now helps relieve me.” 

Melvin particularly scored those who, instead of listening sympathetically to their experiences, patronizingly switch subjects on them. “I guess they mean well. They probably think they're saving us from being nervous. But they're just making is more nervous than ever. When we feel like shooting the breeze, and common sense will tell you when we're in the mood, for Heaven's sake don't try to stop us. Nothing as important could happen to us for the rest of our lives. What else should we talk about?”

Melvin L. Kliss from his 2016 online obituary. 

Obituary published in South Bay Daily Breeze (Torrance, California) July 19, 2016:

“Melvin Louis Kliss passed away on July 13, 2016 at the age of 94. He was born to Louis and Cora Kliss in Long Beach, California on January 6, 1922. After attending school and spending his childhood in Long Beach, he joined the Army Air Force, 8th Air Force, 492nd Bomber group and served in Europe during World War II.

Mel met Ruth Stout a couple years after returning from the war and they were married in 1948, making a home in San Pedro. They raised two boys: Gary Melvin and Larry Louis Kliss. Mel worked for Southern California Edison for 37 years, and after retiring in 1985, he and Ruth spent their retirement years traveling and enjoying the sights of the world. Mel was an active member of Christ Lutheran Church in San Pedro serving in a number of different capacities. He was also a member of Mended Hearts Chapter 73, Long Beach, Peck Park Senior Center, Anderson Thursday Seniors and the San Pedro Elks Lodge. Mel is survived by his sons, Gary Kliss (Rayeann) and Larry Kliss (Jan), grandson Brian Kliss (Melissa) and twin great granddaughters Ava and Keira, granddaughter Tina Daniel (Ed) and great granddaughter Claire.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Cora, wife Ruth of 54 years, and brothers Clyde, Al and sister Dorothy. A Christian Memorial service will be held Saturday, July 23 at 3 pm at Green Hills Memorial Chapel, Rancho Palos Verdes.

Pub Politics: A Primer for American Servicemen in 1943

    The scene is a typical English pub at suppertime in summer of 1943. The usual crowd is in the pub, men and women alike: an English sailor and his father playing a board game, two tough-looking Scotsmen in uniform lean against the bar while two women sit nearby discussing the events of the day; a solitary man sits at a table reading the newspaper while behind him a group of neighbors play a game of darts. It is a calm sedate scene of wartime domestic tranquility.

The heart of English small town life, the "Pub." 

    Hollywood star Burgess Meredith, since 1942 a member of the U.S. Army, leans nonchalantly at the door surveying the scene approvingly when a sharply dressed U.S. soldier struts into the pub. “Get a load of this,” Meredith purrs with a knowing look as the soldier proceeds to insult the English father and son by saying that they're “playing a girl's game,” then strides to the bar and crudely flirts with the barmaid who is old enough to be his mother. “Hiya babe, whatcha doin' tonight,” he asks in a flippant New York accent after he strokes her chin with his finger. “Firewatchin',” she retorts coldly, “Whadaya havin'?” The disappointed soldier chides her, “You're one hep tomayta,” reaches into his pocket and flashes his stack of English bills, asks if the money is any good, and brags to the barmaid that “I've got a million of 'em.” The two Scotsmen (wearing kilts with their uniforms which are lined with ribbons) come into view and the serviceman calls them out with a whoop and sneers “Twenty years a chambermaid and never cracked a pot.” He spies the ribbons and asks the Scotsmen if they earned the ribbons for “good conduct.” One of the Scotsmen asks if the American likes being in England and the Yank says “I don't like it. Back home I have steak for breakfast, and there's six in the family and every morning we all have steak for breakfast.” As the American starts to make his exit, he claps the Scotsman on the shoulder and says, “Well Sandy, take care of yourself.” He looks down at the kilt, and acidly jokes “And keep your skirts clean!” By this point, everyone in the bar is looking at him in disgust. “Guess I better blow,” he says then disappears in a cloud of smoke. Meredith states that he had to do that as the soldier was “too bad an example,” and then proceeds to win over the pub with his own calm, quiet, and charming demeanor.

Burgess Meredith was the star of the wartime training film
entitled "A Welcome to Britain" which was released in late 1943
and became part of the regular orientation for
newly arrived American servicemen in England. 

    By the summer of 1943, the U.S. Army Air Forces in England had begun a rapid expansion that would eventually see nearly a half million airmen stationed on the island. While American servicemen and British civilians shared a common language, religion, and culture, old antagonisms and a fundamental lack of familiarity with English life (the last great migration of English to the U.S. predated the U.S. Civil War) presented a ripe opportunity for misunderstandings that could undermine the alliance American (and British) leaders hoped to form. Hitler's propagandists were already busy flooding the airwaves with commentary meant to rekindle old resentments and disagreements between the two countries. Seizing upon American resentment about WWI and the failure of many countries to pay their war debts to the U.S. to stoke American passions against England, German propagandists also asked the English why they were fighting to save “Uncle Shylock and his silver dollar.”

    The War Department and the Office of War Information in cooperation with the British Ministry of Information, made efforts to counter this German effort by publishing A Short Guide to Great Britain, and also collaborated on a 1943 film called “A Welcome to Britain” starring Burgess Meredith and Bob Hope. (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyYSBBE1DFw ) “The first and major duty Hitler has given his propaganda chiefs is to separate Britain and America and spread distrust among them,” warned the introduction to A Short Guide to Great Britain. “We can defeat Hitler's propaganda with a weapon of our own: plain, common horse sense.”

8th Air Force commander General Ira Eaker (right) made a brief appearance at the beginning of "A Welcome to Britain." 

    “A Welcome to Britain” became part of the required indoctrination for every American serviceman who arrived in England upon its release in late 1943 and copies of A Short Guide to Great Britain were likewise distributed to each and every soldier. Copies of the booklet still remain relatively common and can be purchased on eBay in decent condition for roughly $20. My personal copy was inscribed by a airman attached to the 486^th Bomb Group, an 8^th Air Force B-24 outfit based at RAF Sudbury. The booklet has an intriguing but unexplained nugget drawn upon the interior map of Great Britain- a line labeled “back” is drawn with directional arrows from Le Havre, France around the southern horn of England to the Welsh town of Cardiff on the western coast of England with the date September 15, 1944, indicated a sea voyage of some sort from the continent back to England.

A Short Guide to Great Britain, 1942

    The intent of both the film and the booklet was to give incoming Yanks some basic rules for social navigation. “The best way to get on in Britain is very much the best way to get on in America,” the Guide stated. “The same sort of courtesy and decency and friendliness that go over big in America will go over big in Britain. They will like your frankness as long as it is friendly,” a point also emphasized in “A Welcome to Britain.” The primary message was to conduct yourself like a guest, and take care to not criticize. Don't brag about how the U.S. won WWI (“each nation did its share”) or how poorly the British did in the first years of WWII. “Remember that crossing the ocean doesn't automatically make you a hero.” And “NEVER criticize the King or Queen.”

    Another key point was that the “British are reserved, not unfriendly. On a small crowded island with 45 million people, each man learns to guard his privacy carefully, and is equally careful not to invade another man's privacy.” The film makes this same point as Meredith encourages the viewers to give the Englishmen time to warm up to you. The British also disliked braggarts and show-offs, and especially frowned upon well-paid American servicemen throwing their money around. “When pay day comes it would be sound practice to learn to spend your money according to British standards. The British 'Tommy' is apt to be specially touchy about the difference between his wages and yours.” The British reputation for toughness was also noted. “The English language didn't spread across the oceans and over the mountains and jungles and swamps of the world because these people were panty-waists,” the Guide chided. “Don't be misled by the British tendency to be soft-spoken and polite. If need be, they can be plenty tough.”

    The English countryside, while aged and picturesque, also showed the ravages of war. “Britain may look a little shop-worn and grimy to you,” the Guide stated. “The British people are anxious to have you know that you are not seeing their country at its best. The trains are unwashed and grimy because men and women are needed for more important work than car washing. British taxicabs look antique because the British build tanks for herself and Russia and hasn't time to make new cars.” Colonel Dale O. Smith, who led the 384^th Bomb Group of the 8^th Air Force for a year, recalled that upon arriving in England, he knew he was entering a “war zone” and not visiting a “nation at war.”

    Sergeant Eddie Picardo, a tailgunner in the 44^th Bomb Group, recalled an incident where he inadvertently ran afoul of the principals of pub politics. It occurred shortly after he arrived in theater and had been sent to Northern Ireland for ten days of 8^th Air Force-directed training. He slipped out of camp and found a local pub hosting a dance. He went in and soon was jitterbugging with a comely Irish lass. “Finally the music stopped and we found ourselves in front of the bandstand and on the bandstand stood a photograph of King George,” he wrote. “My Irish beauty held my hand and walked me up to the photograph. I thought she was going to flatter her king, but instead she looked at the picture and suddenly shouted 'You bastard' and spit on the picture. Instantly some guy threw a punch at her. I blocked it. A second later, someone hit me in the back of the head. The next thing I knew I had bodies under me and bodies over me and there we were with no passes in the middle of a political and religious firestorm between Catholics and Protestants. Catholic or not, it was a fight I wanted no part of.” (see Eddie S. Picardo's Tales of a Tail Gunner: A Memoir of Seattle and World War II, Seattle: Hara Publishing, 1996, pg. 146)

Meredith and an unnamed African-American soldier made a pitch for racial peace in "A Welcome to Britain." Meredith points out to the G.I.s that the racial divisions so much a part of life in the U.S. have no place in England. "The point is, we're not at home." 

    A final interesting aspect of “A Welcome to Britain” is late in the film when Burgess Meredith meets an African-American soldier on a train. The two men walk off the train in friendly conversation with an elderly Englishwoman from Birmingham who invites both soldiers to her home for tea. When the other soldier walks off to purchase some cigarettes, Meredith speaks right to the camera. “Now let's be frank about it. There's colored soldiers as well as white here, and there's less social restrictions in this country. That's what you heard: an Englishwoman invited a colored boy to tea, she was polite about it, he was polite about it. Now look, that might not happen at home, but the point is, we're not at home. The point is, too, if we bring a lot of prejudices here, what are we going to about them?” Meredith then spies General John C.H. Lee, head of the Services of Supply, and asks him to say a word about the issue of race. General Lee gives a short speech about the Army giving African-Americans an equal chance at real citizenship. “We're all here as soldiers, and everything we do, we do as American soldiers, not Negroes and white men, as rich or poor, but as American soldiers. It's not a bad time, is it, to learn to respect each other both ways.” Lee's progressive attitude on racial integration popped up again later in 1944 when he pushed for Eisenhower's headquarters to accept African-Americans as replacement infantrymen.

    After the General leaves, the African-American soldier offers Meredith a cigarette and takes one himself. Meredith then lights the other's man's cigarette while patriotic music plays in the background. It is a remarkably forward-thinking piece of film that may have helped plant some seeds that germinated in the Civil Rights movement 20 years later. At the very least it challenges some of the racial mores of the time.

Besby "Frank" Holmes at Pearl Harbor

Second Lieutenant Besby “Frank” Holmes had enlisted in the Army in March 1941, graduating from advanced flight training in November and immediately being shipped to Hawaii. He was assigned to the 47^th Pursuit Squadron, 15^th Pursuit Group based at Wheeler Field. On the morning of the attack, he was assigned to Haleiwa Field and had checked out in a P-36 the day before for the first time.

    We had been on a 7 day alert 24 hours per day. Everyone in the military forces had been restricted. Haleiwa was at the extreme north end of Oahu; Wheeler Field, which was right in the middle of Oahu, was our group's main base. Honolulu was on the other extremity of Oahu and that's where everybody from the three services went. We were going to have a fine Saturday night. We'd been restricted for 24 hours a day, but the teacher let the monkeys out.

    Nobody warned me about sweet rum drinks. One is fine, two is great, three is murder, and four is death. I don't know how many I had. I woke up the next morning with a horrible headache. I was down. All I could think about was getting up, going to church, getting Mass out of the way, putting my swimming suit on, getting out on a beach, and letting the sun bake the poison out of my body. I got up, got dressed, and went across the street to church. I had on a brown pin-striped suit and a green wool tie made by the Navaho Indians in Arizona.

    I was praying to God that my headache would go away when the first bombs fell. The church was open all the way around, for air circulation. I heard this whirring, whooshing noise. I thought, 'the stupid Navy! We called the alert off yesterday and they're still practicing.' The sexton ran out to the altar and whispered in the Irish priest's ear, but the priest didn't say any to the congregation. He just moved up the tempo of mass. I was having trouble following him. I couldn't stay with him in my missal. He didn't say anything about the bombs, but mass ended real quick. I walked outside and saw all the military trucks roaring up and down Kalakaua Boulevard. I thought 'what'd going on?'

    I darted across the street to the Royal Hawaiian and got up to the room. Johnny Voss and his cousin, the assistant manager, were so excited they were practically chasing each other around the room. In the middle of the table they had a little portable radio. The radio announcer was saying 'Don't get excited, don't get excited. The Japs have attacked Pearl Harbor but the Army has the situation well in hand.' And I thought, 'Dear God, if the rest of the Army feels like me, we're in trouble.'

    Fortunately, Johnny had the presence of mind to put his uniform on. I was still in my brown pin striped suit, We dashed outside, stopped the first car that went by (a little Studebaker Champion), and commandeered it. It was a civilian car. The guy said, 'What do you want, kids?' I said, 'we gotta get to our air base. We're both pilots.' He said, 'great,' moved over to the middle and said, 'you drive.' So I jumped in and drove. As we passed Pearl Harbor, the battle was in full force. I saw the Arizona's side blow out as we went by but we still didn't know what was going on. We were in a little fire engine red car; I don't know why we weren't strafed because it looked like a fire vehicle or something.

    We passed Pearl Harbor and drove up a hill to Wheeler Field, our main base. It was a shambles. There were 75 P-40s lined up on the edge of the parking ramp; they were all burning. We drove to my hangar but it was all aflame. As we drove up, the top just melted and crushed in. A big old sergeant saw me and said 'Lieutenant, I got an airplane for you to fly.' I said, 'Great, where is it?' Just by the hillside was a biplane with two cockpits. I don't even know what it was. It hadn't moved in the two weeks I'd been in Hawaii. The sergeant said, 'There it is Lieutenant, let's go.' And I said 'thank you very much, Sergeant, but I don't think I want to fly that thing.'

    I jumped back into the car and drove off from Wheeler, back to Haleiwa, which was 8-10 miles away. I drove through the gate we had left the afternoon before, but some idiot had put up a barbed wire fence. Well I didn't see the barbed wire fence and drove right through it. I said to this poor guy whose car we had commandeered, 'I'm so sorry, I'll pay for it.' He said, 'forget it Lieutenant, glad to help.' As I jumped out of the car, a big old line chief saw me. He grabbed me, handed me a parachute and a helmet, and said 'son, I've got an airplane that's ready to go.' Mind you, I'd only just checked out in this P-36 the day before. I had had one flight in it. He grabbed my shoulders with his big hands and got on my parachute. Someone ran up and handed me a naked .45. No holster, just a .45 pistol.

    We were running to the P-36 which was about 150 yards away, when I heard a boom, boom, boom. I looked around and saw the dust was spreading up around my airplane. I didn't like that at all. I looked over my shoulder and saw that a Val dive bomber was strafing my Curtiss Hawk. The Val was about 45 yards from me so I started firing at him with my pistol. One of the kids said, 'By God, you've hit him!' I emptied the pistol. I looked at the empty, smoking thing. I threw it up in the air and said, 'Got him! Hell, I hit the canopy.' I had seen the canopy craze but I thought, he's not on fire or going down. I said, 'Let's go and hide. I don't want to be caught out in the open.' We hid behind some bushes but the Val didn't come back. We picked up my parachute and helmet and went on out to the airplane. The Val hadn't touched it.

P-36 cockpit and instrument panel

    I got in the cockpit. The P-36 had a peculiar starting system; it had an 8 gauge shotgun shell compression starter. The charge was ducted into the bottom three cylinders of the radial engine. If everything was right, it would kick the prop over three revolutions. If you had the primer set, the mixture set, everything set, and your tongue was in the right corner of your cheek, maybe it would fire. I had six shotgun shells and fired five without getting the engine started. I had one left, so I jumped and handed it to the big line chief. I said 'you start it, I'm all thumbs.' It was a cranky starting system. He jumped in and started it; not sure if I said to myself 'damn him' or 'good for him.'

    When the engine started, the line chief began to jump out but I thrust him back into the cockpit. His eyes opened up to the size of saucers like I was going to make him fly the plane. I said, 'Sarge, just load the gun. Turn on the switches and turn on the gunsight. I don't know where the hell the switches are, and I've never loaded a gun in this plane.' He turned on the gunsight, put the circuit breakers in for the firing mechanism, and charged the gun. The P-36 was armed with a .30 and .50 caliber machine gun, which both fired through the prop. However, since we were at gunnery camp and .50 caliber ammo was too expensive to waste on gunnery training, I had just the one .30 caliber pop gun firing through the prop for my second flight in a P-36. That's how I went off to war over Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

    I took off and chased all over the island. It seemed like everyone on the ground who had a gun fired at me. I flew over Wheeler Field and Schofield Barracks first, as they were closest to Haleiwa. They were both a shambles. My next destination was Pearl Harbor, with Ford Island Naval Station in the middle. The damage was awesome. Huge ships were sunk and burning, fuel was burning, aircraft were burning, and hangars were burning. The antiaircraft fire that was directed at me was pretty intense, but fortunately, it was very inaccurate. I left the vicinity of Pearl quickly when I could find no enemy aircraft and I took a quick look at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station. It was much the same as Wheeler and Ford Island. Hickam Army Airfield was also beat up. Next, I flew over the Pali to Kaneohe Naval Air Station on the eastern side of Oahu. It was also beat up but not as badly as Pearl Harbor and the fighter bases around it. Men on the ground at Kaneohe fired at me. I thought that it was ridiculous that everybody on the ground was firing at me while I never saw a Japanese plane in the sky. Thank the Lord I didn't run into a formation of Zeros. They would have creamed me.

    I decided to return to Haleiwa and land. My whole flight lasted about 30 minutes. In my absence, some B-17s inbound from the U.S. had found our tiny little dirt field and had safely landed. They had no alternative as all the major airfields had been put out of commission. We had no tractors to tow the four engine bombers so we manhandled them underneath some tall trees. It was the best camouflage we could provide. An extended period of chaos ensued. Rumor after rumor circulated- a new air attack was imminent, it wasn't, a landing was about to occur, a landing was underway at Pearl, a landing wasn't underway at Pearl. I couldn't keep up with the rumors. Since all of the Army Air Corps fields on Oahu has been attacked and damaged except Haleiwa, all the operable P-36s and P-40s on Oahu came to our dirt strip. Additionally, numerous pilots who were senior to me (just about all of them) arrived. Naturally, my P-36 was taken away from me by one of the senior pilots.

Wheeler Field in the aftermath of the Japanese attack

    During the rest of the day, there was a lot of scurrying around doing things then undoing them. Then all the senior pilots spent that night in the cockpits of their assigned planes while junior pilots were sent to be beach guards. Johnny Voss and I were instructed that when, not if, we spotted the Japanese landing craft approaching the beach at Haleiwa, we were to fire our weapons, one .45 caliber automatic apiece, at them or into the air three times. That was the signal for all of our pursuit planes to immediately scramble and take off inland. A late rumor indicated that all the holes in Wheeler's runways had been filled in, so hopefully they would all be able to land safely.

    I trudged up and down my mile and a half of beach all that dark and lonely night, passing Johnny Voss every half hour or so. In the tropics and semitropics, the waves take on a luminescence that to my untrained eye, looking like the bow waves of landing barges. I must have seen a thousand waves I was certain contained troop-filled barges. Fortunately, no one fired a false alarm. If all 20 or so P-40s and P-36s had attempted a takeoff from that tiny dirt strip at night with no runway lights, taxi strips, or control tower, it would have been awful. Dawn finally arrived. There had been no further attacks. I cannot remember a more welcome sunrise.

Source: 

Hammel, Eric. Aces Against Japan: The American Aces Speak. Novato: Presidio Press, 1992, pgs. 5-10

Francis "Gabby" Gabreski at Pearl Harbor

Francis "Gabby" Gabreski was a 22 year old Pennsylvania native who joined the Army in 1940. He was a second lieutenant in the 45^th Fighter Squadron, 15^th Pursuit Group, Army Air Corps flying P-36s and P-40s while stationed at Wheeler Field at the time of Pearl Harbor. He later transferred to the ETO and as a member of the 56^th Fighter Group, scored 31 kills over the Germans. He ended the war as a POW and scored a further 6 ½ kills in the Korean War. His reputation follows as one of the finest fighter pilots to ever wear the uniform.

    I was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. I had a problem. Kay and I had had our first falling out the night before and I had to figure out how to handle it. Should I go to Mass at Wheeler chapel this sunny Sunday morning and seek some divine guidance on how to handle it? Or should I go straight over to Schofield, where I knew she would be attending services, and try to work things out right away? It was December 7, 1941, a little before 8 o'clock in the morning.

    I got up and went into the bathroom in our barracks to clean up and shave. At first, I didn't pay much attention to the roar of low-flying aircraft passing by outside. After all, this was an airbase here at Wheeler. But when I heard the rumble of explosions and the rattle of machine gun fire, I went to the window to see what the hell was going on. Just then a gray monoplane roared past the barracks. I could see its fixed landing gear and the red circles it carried for insignia. And the gunner sitting behind the pilot was firing away for all he was worth. I stood there in shock for a second until the truth hit me. That was a Japanese aircraft. We were under attack!

    Once I figured out what was happening, I started running up and down the hallway yelling at the pilots to get out of bed because we're under attack by the Japs. As the guys gathered in the hallway, I tried to make some sense out of what I'd just seen. We could hear explosions going off in the distance, so everyone crowded to the windows to see what we could see. The front of our building faced the airfield from higher ground. We could see smoke billowing from the airplanes burning on the flight line. There was black smoke coming from the hangars as well, but they weren't engulfed in flames. It also looked as if the airmen's mess had been hit. We pilots pulled on our flying clothes as quickly as we could and headed out the door.

    The flight line was about 500 yards from the barracks and a road ran between the two. To the left of the road, you could see the hangar line up on a slight rise. Everything was going up in flames. We got out the front door, and just as we were ready to get into our cars and head over there, another Japanese plane headed right for us and started shooting. All of us hit the dirt, some guys ducked under the barracks for cover. Others hopped under the cars. Fortunately, no one was hit. I decided to make my way to the flight line on foot, but I hadn't gone far before a car full of pilots pulled up and I joined them for a short ride. No one seemed to be in charge at the hangars, so we just pitched in where it looked like we could be most useful.

    The first thing was to try and separate the undamaged fighters from the ones that were on fire. I plunged into the work with the other guys. The heat and smoke were terrible. We would pull the chocks out from under a fighter's wheels and then push it for all we were worth until it looked as if the plane was a safe distance out of the way. Then we'd start on another one. We didn't have time to think about how dangerous the work was. Most of the fighters we saved were P-36s because the P-40s had been parked together in the most exposed position. All this time, the fires continued to burn in the hangars. At one point, someone noticed that all the refueling trucks were parked in there and in growing danger of exploding. But when we tried to start the trucks so we could drive them out, we found they were locked. What was worse, no one seemed to know where the keys were.

    Then the ammunition that was stored in the hangars began to cook off. Bullets were exploding in the fire and shooting every which way. It was chaos. We just had to leave the fuel trucks where they were. After about an hour, we had salvaged everything we could. Things that were on fire, like tires, we just left to burn themselves out. The only good thing about the situation was that the planes on the ramp contained no ammunition and very little fuel. That made it a bit easier to save the planes, though it also made them useless for the time being.

    Only 10 or 11 planes were ready, so Captain Tyler and the flight leaders looked over who was available to fly them and came up with a flight roster. Woody Wilmot must have read my eyes that I was eager to go, so he assigned me to fly number 4 in his flight. This was it. War was on, and I was going to do my part. I took it for granted that we would probably be getting into combat. Maybe I would shoot down an enemy plane. Maybe I would get shot down myself. I didn't expect to be killed, but I'll have to admit the thought crossed my mind. It didn't matter. The main thing was to attack the enemy. We had a mixed group of P-40s and P-36s; I got a P-36. I tried to keep myself calm as we climbed out together, heading south. In a few minutes, we were over Pearl Harbor. Boy, what a sight. Black, billowing smoke rose high into the heavens. I could see ships over on their sides, burning. It was a horrible mess.

Gabreski took the skies over Pearl Harbor in a P-36A similar to the one shown above. 

    We flew over at about 4,000 feet but by now everybody down there on the ground was so jittery that they fired on any airplanes they could see, including ours. We were high enough that small arms fire couldn't reach us, but they blasted away nevertheless. We could see tracers arc up toward us and occasionally a smoky burst of flak would explode nearby. Crazy Fred Schifflet, who was flying a P-40, decided he's go down lower so the people on the ground could identify us as friendly aircraft and stop shooting at us. I guess everyone makes foolish mistakes at one time or another. Anyway, he rolled out of formation and zoomed down across Hickam Field waggling his wings so everyone could see the U.S. insignias on them. The only trouble was the insignias in those days consisted of a blue disc with a white star on it and a red circle in the middle of the star. Forget the disc, forget the star. All the people at Hickam saw that red circle. They opened up with everything they had on old Fred: pistols, rifles, machine guns, probably even a few rocks and beer bottles.

    Almost immediately, Fred yelled over the radio that he had been hit. A little peevishly, Tyler ordered him to fly back to Wheeler. The rest of us steered clear of Pearl Harbor and continued to search the skies for another 45 minutes, but the Japanese were long gone. We never did receive any orders from the ground, so when our fuel started to get low, Captain Tyler led us back to Wheeler. I was pretty discouraged as I taxied to our hangar area. Pearl Harbor was a shambles. The other airfields had been damaged as badly or worse than ours. We had accomplished nothing. Then I caught sight of Fred's plane. It was so pathetic it was almost funny. The P-40 was full of small holes where it had been punctured by small arms fire. You could see where the bullets had hit the cockpit area, but luckily none of them hit Fred. The plane was junk, good only for salvaging parts to fix other P-40s.”

“Fred was already in the operations office when we arrived and he was complaining long and loud about the rude greeting he had received from the Hickam gunners. He didn't get much sympathy from us. What did he expect them to do under the circumstances after the pounding they had taken all morning? We spent a terse afternoon awaiting further instructions. The questions mounted. Had anyone located the Japanese carriers yet? Would they attack again? Worse yet, would they invade the island? No one knew anything except what we had seen. We stayed at the operations room until evening. A curfew was established at night. We were instructed to stay close to the phone and return the next morning with our sidearms, which were .45 caliber pistols.

    Once we began to disperse and the married fellows headed off to rejoin their families, I started to think about Kay. In all of the excitement of the day, I had hardly given her a thought, but now I was worried about her. I tried to call her at Colonel Bush's house, but I couldn't get through. It wouldn't have done any good anyway, since all of the civilians had been moved from Schofield to Honolulu during the day. She finally reached me by phone about 3 days later. It was a tense night for everyone because we had not idea that the Japanese task force had already turned around and was on its way back across the Pacific. We were worried about saboteurs or even a full scale invasion but the fact that the Japanese had done all the damage they intended to do.”

Source: 

Gabreski, Francis and Carl Molesworth. Gabby: A Fighter Pilot's Life. New York: Orion Books, 1991, pgs. 39-44

Arnold Watterson's War Diary with the 384th Bomb Group

    Arnold Watterson, a native of Cridersville, Ohio, enlisted in the Army Air Force in 1942. After completing basic training at Camp Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, he was sent to aircraft mechanic's school at Keesler Field, Mississippi. He graduated in November 1942 then spent a month at B-17 school with Boeing in Seattle, Washington at which point he was assigned to the 546th Bomb Squadron, part of the newly formed 384th Bomb Group flying B-17s. The group completed its stateside training and by June 1943 was on its way to England where it was assigned to the 8th Air Force. His diary picks up the story from that point.

Corporal Arnold Watterson and his bride Ruby Hinkle
on their wedding day in April 9, 1943. 

Watterson served two years as part of a ground crew at Grafton Underwood England during World War II. His primary job was "keeping 'em flying." While he initially worked as a mechanic, in January 1944, he was promoted to crew chief and was apparently a very good one- he was awarded the Bronze Star for keeping his B-17 named "The Challenger" flying for 100 straight missions. He remained with the squadron until the end of the war and was discharged in September 1945.

    He kept a war diary for most of his time while in England. Most of his entries consist of just one or two lines but give a sense of life for the ground crews of the 8th Air Force. He also took quite a few pictures of friends and life on the base at Grafton Underwood, most of which I have shared with the 384th Bomb Group website which can be viewed here.

Special thanks go to my step dad John Watterson for preserving this diary and photos which paint a fascinating picture of life with the 8th Air Force during World War II.

Private Watterson with his future wife Ruby Hinkle upon completion of basic training at Camp Benjamin Harrison, Indiana in June 1942.

June 1, 1943

At sea somewhere on the Atlantic. Stormed yesterday but OK today. Not sure of destination but should arrive tomorrow. (Ed. Note: Arnold Watterson left Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, sailing aboard the Queen Elizabeth on May 27, 1943 at the Port of New York.)

June 2, 1943

Entered the Firth of Clyde at 06:00. Dropped anchor at Greenock, Scotland, welcomed by hundreds of seagulls. Threw overboard everything loose. (Greenock is downstream from Glasgow.)

June 3, 1943

Boarded the ferry at 10:00, welcomed at dock by Scottish band. The land felt very good. Boarded train and rode through prettiest country ever seen.

June 4, 1943

Arrived here at 12:15, 20 minute truck ride to camp. Ate chow and to bed by 03:00. Got up at 11:00 and slowly getting settled. Looks like a nice place. (‘Here’ is Station No. 106, Grafton Underwood Field, Northamptonshire, England.)

June 5, 1943

Awakened by alarm at 12:20-no planes seen but gunfire could be heard. Walked about a mile out to planes, ours not here yet.

June 6, 1943

Removed de-icer boots, pretty good to be working again. June’s birthday-poor kid. Getting settled, not much work. (Watterson’s reference to June is a remembrance of his younger sister who had died the previous year.)

June 7, 1943

Very nice day, pulled inspection on 026 (42-30026 B-17F-80-BO “Battle Wagon”). My ship not here yet, but expect it tomorrow. Raining hard tonight. Good night for alert.

June 8, 1943

A very nice day. 036 came in tonight but I haven’t seen it yet (42-30036 B-17F-85-BO, no name). Got our exchange currency tonight and rations, too late for me to get any. First mail call.

June 10, 1943

Planes overhead all the time, getting pretty good at a tight formation. British planes passed over all night long.

June 11, 1943

Worked some in the A.M., slept in the afternoon. Back mail came in and I got 12 letters. Ruby asks if I still love her- crazy kid. (Ruby is name of Watterson’s wife.)

June 12, 1943

Guard duty tonight. Plane flew all afternoon so no work to do. Had lecture on ground defense-some laugh.

June 13, 1943

First V-mail from Mom. Washed clothes this A.M., rummaged around wreck this afternoon. (036 referenced in June 8^th entry had mid air collision over Grafton Underwood on June 12^th.) Another nice day. 005 came in today. (42-30005 B-17F-80-BO ‘Salvage Queen’)

June 14, 1943

Sort of chilly today but not bad. Received some photos from Ruby-do they look good. Here’s a kiss, honey.

June 15, 1943

Payday-this money won’t even fit in my bill fold. Have hopes of going to town soon. Raining today.

June 16, 1943

Finished 005 today. Out of work again. Expect to get another plane same day. Think I’ll be assistant crew chief on it.

June 17, 1943

Finished up 005. Using inflation jacks on P.T.’s (Sgt. Percy T. Francis) ship. Started plane with oil cooler out-some mess.

June 18, 1943

Got a new ship-058. (42-30058 B-17F-85-BO, not named, lost in action June 26, 1943). Hope we have better luck this time. Rained all day and night.

June 19, 1943

Nice day-just about done modifying new ship. All personnel restricted to post for some reason-mission?

June 21, 1943

Slowly getting 058 modified. As fast as we add a part, someone takes it off. Very disgusting.

June 22, 1943

Our first combat mission, group lost two planes. 005 (Salvage Queen) got shot up pretty bad, waist gunner hurt, lots of excitement for a change. Ours didn’t go.

Mission to General Motors Truck Factory, Antwerp, Belgium

June 23, 1943

Second mission-no bombs dropped? (Lt. Philip A.) Algar flew our ship-good shape. The whole field sweats the ships out.

June 24, 1943

Guard duty last night, armorers woke me at 12:00 to unload bombs. Washed clothes this A.M., nothing to do. Sure is swell outside, I think I’ll lay in the sun.

June 25, 1943

Stayed in the plane all night-early mission. Weather closed in and the planes came back. Sick as hell in the night-a little better today.

Mission to submarine pens at Hamburg, Germany

June 26, 1943

Another mission-058 blew up in air- (Lt. Joseph) Rosio and (1^st Lt. Lykes S.) Henderson (037) lost. No bombs dropped again-everybody mad as hell-too much sacrificed.

Mission to Villacoublay Airfield, Paris, France

June 27, 1943

Free-lanced today-helped (Arthur) Kohn on 026 (Battle Wagon). Everybody calls me Gremlin- in fun of course.

June 28, 1943

Another mission- dropped eggs. No opposition. Worked on (Lawrence) Coon’s new ship, modifying it. Weather still swell.

June 29, 1943

Another trip but couldn’t see target-guess they’re striking airfields. Salvoed bombs on 196 (42-30196 B-17F-90-BO ‘Sad Sack’) to see what caused accident. Someone must be nuts.

June 30, 1943

C2 tonight so off today. Not many drunks showed up. Lieutenant (Thomas) Davis spent most of the night with me. Paid today-lots of gambling.

July 1, 1943

A swell day-no mission. The replacement crews are doing some flying. Writing letters now. Heard rumors of getting bomb bays soon.

July 2, 1943

No plane yet so no work. Spent half a day on the line just laying around. Went to show-some way to win the war.

July 3, 1943

Still no work. Everybody in town tonight-big doings. Just reread letters. Still very much in love-can’t wait to get home.

July 4, 1943

Mission-all back with a few bullet holes. Tom Wheeler arrived as replacements seemed good to see him.

July 5, 1943

U.S. formally took over this field today, parade and flag raising. Some stuff! Mac and I played snooker in the afternoon.

July 6, 1943

Trading all our Tokyo planes for old Fs. Beats me-spent afternoon helping (Crew Chief S/Sgt Jack) Hunter modify his wreck. Eskimo sleeping out.

April 5, 1944

How time flies. Barracks to quiet tonight, so I got to rummaging through my things and found this. Wonder how long I’ll keep it this time. Made crew chief on January 20, 1944-991, which was group lead ship aborted because of lack of oil. (SSgt Jack) Hunter demoted to Private and shipped out. I took his place and had seven missions until ship went down on 1^st Big Berlin. Had charge of night crew until getting new ship which was no fun. Changed engines on 211 and 222. Had the hell scared out of me by Lieutenant (Thomas) Davis and his taxiing-he’s crazy. Get in new silver ship 081-looks like a good G.I. job 3-12-1944 (42-97081 B-17G-40-BO, Patricia the Bronx Embalmer, lost in action May 8, 1944). Got in nine missions in March- no mechanical trouble yet. Lieutenant (Joseph) Corcoran pilot, Lieutenant (Gilman) Stewart co-pilot, ship named Patricia-the Bronx Embalmer. April started out rainy and up to now is same- no missions yet this month but are alerted tonight for the first. Spring is definitely here. What I’d give to go fishing.

April 6, 1944

Alerted last night but weather turned bad-no flying all day. Puttered around. Major (George W.) Harris (546^th Squadron C.O.) stopped by and asked about plane-looked at shack-that is the nuts. Jake got a new ship. Just heard that Harris went to Captain (Edgar C.) Campbell and requested I be made Tech. Must have made some impression. Ha!

April 8, 1944

Up for a mission but scrubbed. No flying all day so just loafed. P.T. (Percy T. Francis) and I went to Bridgestock in P.M. Two gals fighting over (David C.) Payne’s peanuts.

April 9, 1944

One whole year of married life. A hell of a marriage-almost forgotten what my honey looks like. Up at 3:30 for takeoff at 7:30. Due back at 7:00-weather set in bad, I doubt if they make it home tonight. Longest mission we ever pulled. Went down on another field-Lieutenant (George W.) Schock (Pilot of B-17G 740) was lost today-the nicest fellow I ever met. Hope he’s safe.

April 10, 1944

Our squadron stood down-short mission. Planes came back at noon. Lieutenant (Joseph) Corcoran looked very sheepish when I accused him of F.O. Ship Ok. Made Tech today, so rumor must have been right.

April 11, 1944

Another long mission-11 hours. Boy have we got work! Two outer panels at least, Lord knows what all!

April 12, 1944

The poor thing!! Two wing panels off and one stress plate, no wing tanks damaged-lucky? Got one O.D. job to put back on. Mission recalled today.

April 13, 1944

Changed right hand flap and got right hand panel back on- left hand not finished yet. A swell day-mission to Schweinfurt again- 545^th and 547^th lost 9 planes. We came off lucky-two aborts in our squadron. Colonel Hewitt stormed all over the place.

April 14, 1944

Plane back in one piece-now to find the rest of it. No mission.

April 15, 1944

Worked to 12:00 P.M. in rain-finally stood down so off to bed.

April 16, 1944

Finally getting settled-still have to remove paint from right hand panel. Mission in A.M. no doubt. Plane seems OK, but never flown since panels removed.

April 18, 1944

Same as yesterday. All present in the barracks this P.M. Weather sort of cloudy.

April 19, 1944

Something big in the wind-saving 081 for ? Not much doing again today. Mission this A.M., all returned OK. Raining tonight- flew yesterday for a change.

April 22, 1944

Scrubbed two missions and finally took off at 4:30, back at 11:00 P.M.

April 23, 1944

Planes back ok, worked till 3:00 P.M. and up at 5:30, scrubbed mission

April 24, 1944

Gone 10 hours today-lots of damage, flaps, nose, plenty of sheet metal. Lieutenant (Bernard J.) Collins finished-was he pleased! Ship caught on fire upon landing and burned up. What fire fighters we got!

April 25, 1944

Every time we turn around there’s more holes. Lots to do-at least four days. Swell weather to work but looks like rain. What I’d give for a good pass. Invasion can’t be far off-planes all over the sky.

April 28, 1944

Finally got the ship fixed, another wing panel job. Now have two O.D. panels on silver ship-sure is pretty.

April 29, 1944

Went to Berlin today-minor damage. Weather still nice.

May 1, 1944

Up all night-take off at 3:30. Very pretty to see of the lights in the darkness. Lieutenant (Bernard J.) Collins came down in P.M. with a quart of wine leaving for ? tomorrow. Sure was a swell guy. Hope he makes out ok.

May 2, 1944

Nice day but windier than I ever saw it. Practice missions in afternoon. Stocker’s plane crashed yesterday-touch landings.

May 7, 1944

Aborted on the ground this A.M. The group’s 100^th mission, about the fourth in the E.T.O. to achieve it. Nice today but very chilly at 3:00 A.M.

May 8, 1944

Spent the night on the line, didn’t go until 4:00 P.M. Just across the Channel but it was rough-Patricia ditched in the Channel- 3 got out. Crew from the 547^th.

May 9, 1944

Sweated out (Lieutenant Joseph J.) Corcoran on a 544^th ship. Sure glad to see him back-came taxiing in a whopping. Thirty missions and not a scratch-in climbing out of the plane he fell off the step. Went to interrogation with them and almost got drunk! Spent rest of the afternoon with the crew laying in the sun and talking.

May 12, 1944

Got another plane today- not very impressed with it. Missing out on lots of missions.

May 15, 1944

100^th mission party-very chilly out. Picnic lunch which was very good.

May 22, 1944

Three missions to date and each time shot up badly. Worked until 4:00 A.M. last night. Now have a wing panel job. Weather is still nice which is a good thing.

May 27, 1944

(Winston) Riley and I just back from London. Nothing exciting happened. Got to daydreaming on the train that I was on my way home in the good old U.S.A. The countryside was very pretty. All here on the post carry side arms-paratroopers attacked B-24 base a short time ago.

June 2, 1944

(Lieutenant Joseph J.) Corcoran flew in a new ship today-stationed in northern Ireland.

June 3, 1944

11 missions to date- Lieutenant (David L.) Rucker assigned to ship. Finished combat crews getting a raw deal- permanent guard duty for three months and then? Lieutenant (Gilman) Stewart left yesterday- asked him to write the folks.

June 5, 1944

Leonard Ulm visited me today. Took time out to visit him and then worked until 9:00. Went back down at 11:00 and stayed in shack. Something must be up as we are under orders to shoot anyone not knowing pass word and wearing arm band.

June 6, 1944

June’s birthday and also invasion. Had a 5 o’clock mission- three different groups went out. Too hazy to observe anything according to pilot. Rained in P.M. and grounded planes.

June 7, 1944

Seems no different than pre-invasion days-only one mission today. Worked till 8:30 again-seems like we always have something to do.

June 11, 1944

Weather remains nice. 16 missions to date, short trips now which suits me fine. Only three of us on crew. 20 planes in squadron. Everyone says we will be moved by September 1^st. We’ll see.

June 17, 1944

Stood down after going strong since the 6^th. Weather remains nice. Kept pretty busy today and changed starter. Frank Leonard from Lieutenant (Joseph) Corcoran’s crew is with me now. Al (Kosic) and Bert (Cullip) still here too. Bob got a ship of his own.

(Lauren L.) McKinney’s ship wrecked yesterday- evidently tried to take off with locked controls. He’s lost four and none in combat. Ship and (Winston) Riley got plenty of flak again.

June 28, 1944

Took off at 4:00 this A.M. Weather settled in and planes didn’t get back. (Winston) Riley and I are supposed to go on a 24 hour pass. Raining cats and dogs so I doubt if we go.

July 7, 1944

The first five days of the month were very wet-rain every day. Last two have been very nice but plane hasn’t flown since June 30^th. Just came from the line (10:00) after sweating (Lieutenant David) Rucker in. Finished 31 missions tonight in less than two months.

July 9, 1944

More rain and I am beginning to get nervous from this inactivity. Rumors flying thick and fast and most agree we’ll leave by September or shortly after. Can’t describe what its like to dream.

July 10, 1944

Lost two planes today-collided in mid-air due to air pocket. Only four got out.

July 12, 1944

Another long mission-not back until 7:00 P.M. Everything ok. Bombing Munich in retaliation for Buzz Bombs. Anything goes.

July 13, 1944

Got up at 3:00 for only a spare. Slept rest of the day.

July 14, 1944

Attended a USO show-pfew! One ballet dancer and the rest opera. Half the crowd walked out. Very rude.

July 15, 1944

Lieutenant Rosboro (Pilot/First Lieutenant James Edward Roseborough, KIA, flew B-17G 42-97273 ‘Aces and Ates’) went down today-next to last mission-Munich. First crew we’ve lost in 64 missions. First plane since I lost 081.

July 16, 1944

Made Master Sergeant today-that’s all!

July 17, 1944

Went to Calais again-back at noon. No damage.

July 20, 1944

Another long raid-lots of body damage. One navigator had head shot off. Waist gunner in mine had broken leg.

July 21, 1944

Engine change-first on my plane-36 missions. M.E. for tomorrow-my guess is Berlin-will see.

July 22, 1944

Poor guess-went out for troop support today- 1500 yards ahead but visibility poor and brought them back.

July 23, 1944

Same as yesterday but done some good this time. 500 got one small piece of flak but it killed the tail gunner.

July 25, 1944

Again today and back at 2:00-went to show in P.M. (Pilot/First) Lieutenant (Ben H.) Clements assigned to ship. He’s a redhead with a likeable disposition.

July 31, 1944

Payday and our first fog of the fall.

August 1, 1944

Worked till 1:00 A.M. last night. Got Spam from home today. One of the 544^th planes exploded after take off this A.M.

August 4, 1944

Planes crashed in the woods last P.M. Too foggy to see field. Same this A.M. but took off at 9:00 on a 10 hour mission. Experimental works.

August 5, 1944

Rough! Quite a bit of flak-Hamburg. Got a spar hit but don’t know what work I have to do. 5 men bailed out of Jake’s ship for no earthly reason. Hydraulic motor on fire.

August 7, 1944

Pulled our outer wing panel and main tank. Depot changed mind and said no need of it! Boy did I swear. Hot as hell today-very nice weather.

August 9, 1944

At long last have the plane back in one piece. Loaded it for a mission even before we were done.

August 10, 1944

P.F.F. ship came back from mission and caught fire in traffic pattern. Four bailed out- one chute never opened and one other died of injuries-others ok. Plane landed safely and fire put out.

August 12, 1944

Mission 47 today-510 (42-97510 B-170G-15-VE ‘Satan’s Playmate’) landed in France for gas. Pilot said women and children swarmed all over the plane. Down to Bridgestock last night. Marcy says this is the hottest it has been for several years.

August 16, 1944

Mission 50 on the plane today.

August 17, 1944

Stood down for a change. Shipping rumors all over the place-maybe the fortune teller knew her onions.

August 19, 1944

Rain today-first in a long time. Engine change and a tank to get dropped. Did we ever get soaked.

August 24, 1944

(Winston) Riley and I were up to Leeds on a 48 hour pass-pretty nice people. People seem more friendly than in London.

August 25, 1944

Came back to two engine changes. The last originals on the ship.

August 28, 1944

Raining today and very chilly. Gosh, but I hate to think of this winter. Honestly believe I’ll be home before the first of the year.

September 8, 1944

Tempus Fugit shot up again about three days ago, busy ever since. Still it rains. (First Lieutenant Ben H.) Clements asked how I’d like to fly back. Boy would I like to surprise the folks some fall day.

September 11, 1944

Lost Pierce’s ship on the 9^th and P.T.’s (Percy T. Francis) today. Seems more like old times. We didn’t go-engine change. Allies inside Germany according to the radio-pilots say they are way in. Who knows.

September 12, 1944

(Sgt Alfred G.) Clayton’s ship landed on the coast-engine out. Fog in late this evening.

September 13, 1944

Bob Jones landed on coast but guess it is a wreck. Only 16 ships on the field in commission, 7 in our squadron. 501 up for slow time-be ready by morning.

September 14, 1944

Got up at 4:00 A.M. but no trip, too foggy. 501 up getting more time on the engine. Interviewed yesterday for some kind of an award. Ho hum.

September 15, 1944

Plane landed at another field last night and blew a tire. I’d asked to change them two days ago. Didn’t have any trouble getting tires today. Ha!

Going on furlough tomorrow. Notice in previous entry that we may leave by September 1^st-still here. We are building packing boxes though, supposed to be finished by the 20^th. Skippy visited us today-been in hospital 2 months with ankle he broke in ball game. Crew from (Howard B.) Pierce’s ship landed inside Germany but made it back to the field in two days. 6 more missions to make by the 23^rd of month- 200 mission party.

September 22, 1944

Back from furlough today-London. All barrage balloons moved to coast for Buzz Bombs.

September 23-24, 1944

Party-stayed in barracks on 23^rd. Rain on 24^th-all events cancelled but nobody working. Women all over the post-no morals whatsoever. Glad to still be in love with my honey.

September 25, 1944

Mission 60 today. (Harold) Schieble’s plane collided with a B-24 and still came back to base. (Frank) Presnietz lost his. Sick as hell today-something I ate.

September 28, 1944

Lost 222 (42-31222 B-17G-5-BO ‘Lazy Daisy’) today-another mid air collision. Old 501 back again. Went to Tiddington and donated a pint of blood. No ill effects.

October 5, 1944

Boom! The whole squadron got it today- Cologne. Hope the weather stays nice. Four missions the last five days.

October 11, 1944

Changed one engine and another went out on slow time. Been busy ever since 5. Ok now but didn’t go in today’s raid and am I glad! Have 13 planes but only three in commission tonight. Cologne again. Lost two ships as far as we know. Hope my luck holds for another 25 missions. We’ll see.

October 15, 1944

Mission yesterday and today-no damage. Weather pretty cool but nice in the daytime. Heard the Ohio State-Wisconsin game last night. Only one in the barracks- oh to be rich!

(In a game carried via shortwave radio by the Armed Forces Radio Network, the Ohio State Buckeyes football team defeated the Wisconsin Badgers 20-7 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. The Buckeyes didn’t lose a game during the 1944 season, ending the season ranked number two in the nation.)

October 17, 1944

Cologne again and we should have stayed home. Today made 70 missions on the wreck. Another crash landing last night-almost a weekly occurrence it seems.

October 18, 1944

Not much damage, only seven Tokyo tanks and wing panel. I feel all pulled out tonight.

October 24, 1944

At long last- everything in ship shape until preflight. Worked until 3:00 A.M. by myself changing magneto to no avail. Worked all day and finally found trouble about 4:00. Magneto harness?

October 26, 1944

I’m a liar-same trouble all over again. (Line Chief Marvin) Hudson finally found the trouble tonight. Water in vibrators-time consumed, four days.

October 30, 1944

Well what do you know? A mission today and all is well.

November 5, 1944

Lousy weather. Mission last two days and everything ok.

November 6, 1944

Boom! Two wing panels, cylinder and interior damage. Raining like hell tonight and I had to go back and tie down the plane. Still at it trying to get plane out of the mud.

November 15, 1944

A very heavy frost this A.M. Still pretty hazy (12:00) and looks like rain. Planes will probably have trouble getting back. No mission since November 7^th.

November 17, 1944

Planes not back yet-first time this has happened for a long time. Came over the field this afternoon but had to go back.

November 18, 1944

Planes arrived late this P.M. Weather still damp. Fourth engine change for us.

November 20, 1944

Worked late last night and got slow timed today. (First Lieutenant Ben H. Clements) Clem only has one more to go. Hope he flies 501 on last trip.

November 23, 1944

Thanksgiving Day. Had a nice piece of white meat and all the trimmings. Mission today and (First Lieutenant Ben H. Clement) Clem finished up. He’s really a tickled boy and promised me anything I wanted. Spent about 2 ½ hours in the barracks this evening and I enjoyed talking to him. Promised to write Ruby and Mom-bet he does too. Too bad we had no phone as he wanted to call Ruby.

November 28, 1944

On 48 hour pass in the barracks. Weather is still swell and still running a mission a day. I got my $5 today. Mission 81 on the plane today.

December 7, 1944

Had two planes crash land this week, (James) Flynn’s and (John Stachon) Stackos’. Jim’s was hit with a 7 lb piece of flak. Lieutenant McClean (Pilot/Second Lieutenant William S. McLean) assigned to plane now. Cornered me today and gave me Bronze Star.

December 10, 1944

First snow today-didn’t stick on the ground. (Bernard C.) Ollman back from Russia. Lots of tales. Rode 2500 miles by truck and 21 days on the water.

December 11, 1944

Mission today but not back yet (11:00). Seems to be warming up.

December 14, 1944

Field closed in the past two days, warmer today though plenty busy with inspections. Slick’s plane didn’t come back the 12^th.

December 17, 1944

Mission yesterday which was diverted before completed. Didn’t come back till this P.M. P.T.’s (Percy T. Francis) plane cracked up on landing at other base. Only came in on December 7^th. 014 back into squadron today.

December 19, 1944

Mission 88 today and also an engine change.

December 22, 1944

Finished the engine change. Foggy weather here for four days and worse tonight.

December 23, 1944

Made the Tanoy tonight-my! Soon want us for a personal appearance.

December 24, 1944

Awakened this A.M. by an explosion. Quite a few V-1s landed somewhere. Planes took off in zero visibility, arrived back safely but closed in before all get down.

December 25, 1944

Worked until 5:00 A.M. on turbo. Slept most of the day. Terrible weather at present- heavy frost, cold and foggy.

December 27, 1944

Another all night job, more fun. Scrubbed ship.

December 30, 1944

The spell is broken. Aborted today on 117^th mission. #2 engine went out on takeoff.

December 31, 1944

All in town but P.T. (Percy T. Francis), (Harold) Schieble, and I. Pretty cool outside too. 9:30 now so I’ll kiss Ruby goodnight and hit the bag. Happy New Year’s honey.

January 1, 1945

It don’t seem a bit different today. Starting out the New Year right. The engine we just changed went out on takeoff for slow time.

January 2, 1945

Going to change the others while we are at it. Raining tonight and just had a red alert.

January 7, 1945

Oh Joy, finally back in ops again and another abortion. Props ran away. I just don’t give a damn anymore. I need a pass and a few drinks-getting edgy as hell.

January 10, 1945

Lots of snow and ice this A.M. Crews flying in terrible weather. Lost one ship on takeoff-four of ours failed to return. P.T. (Percy T. Francis), Slot (Ted Slotwinski), and I went rabbit hunting with sticks this A.M. Got wet is all.

January 12, 1945

Warmer and rain. Snow all gone. No mission last two days.

January 13, 1945

Up for an 8:30 practice mission after being stood down for two days. Diverted so no planes for a mission in A.M. One buzz bomb this A.M.

January 20, 1945

Mission today from which they didn’t return. Had a heavy snow. (Alfred) Clayton and another plane collided on runway after landing-too slippery. (Arthur W.) Kahn’s crew bailed out after running out of gas-110 missions on it.

January 21, 1945

Planes came back again. Group lost six ships by ditching.

January 22, 1945

Mission 96-everything ok. Two more ships collided on the runway. Our bombardier got flak wound on hand.

January 23, 1945

Mission today and none of them back-too much snow.

January 26, 1945

Planes back today-I’ve got a wing panel change-only battle damage in squadron. Getting it ready for A.M. Drafting men into infantry. Still cold and snow on the ground. No fuel but (David C.) Payne got a load of 2x4s.

January 28, 1945

Still snowing occasionally with lots of the ground. Two ships run off runway on takeoff-plenty slippery.

February 1, 1945

Mission today-first since 28^th. Just like spring today with the snow all gone.

February 3, 1945

Mission 100 and it was the end of the Challenger. Rumor has it they had an engine hit and went on to Russia. Pilot said in the A.M. he’d do it if in trouble. First and last mission on this plane was to Berlin.

February 4, 1945

Slept till noon and took a hell bath in the afternoon.

February 5, 1945

(Howard B.) Pierce got a new plane and we helped modify it. Heard complete story on 501-ditched in Channel-three men died. One life raft didn’t inflate entirely. Why did they try to make it?

February 6, 1945

Group to lead division on mission today. Some 547^th crew chief taxied plane into mud at runway intersection and none took off.

February 22, 1945

Lots of water under the bridge. Been on 48 hour pass-worked nights and now have another plane. Mission #1 today. (43-39203 B-17G-105-BO ‘Globe Trotter’)

March 3, 1945

Missions every day-not able to even pull inspections. A little cool but nice. Something big coming up-C-47s and gliders practicing like before D-Day. Probably jump across the Rhine.

March 9, 1945

Rumors of German planes strafing towns which are lit up. All night flying planes up for slow time. Twelve missions and hardly any flak seen. Hope it keeps up this way.

March 21, 1945

Been on an 8 day furlough to London. Plenty of rockets and not too far off. Visited where one hit and was amazed at the smallness of the hole. Saw some barrage balloons up again. Plenty of wounded infantry in town. Wouldn’t want better weather.

March 22, 1945

Flying every day-not so good today. We have both wing panels, both stabilizers, plus tanks and cables.

March 25, 1945

(Winston) Riley headed for Virginia again. I’ve a hunch this will end in no good for us. God, but I hope not. I love her so.

March 30, 1945

The group’s 300^th mission and very little damage. The weather is still nice. Predict the middle of April we’ll be off operations.

April 2, 1945

Waist guns being removed from all ships. Ball turret is also the rumor. Spamliner went on a mission March 31^st and led formation. Goldie (Edwin H. Goldsmith) was papa Easter Sunday.

April 5, 1945

Plane hit tree on takeoff, mashed hell out of the cowling and magneto harness. What a mess. Lucky to get back.

April 10, 1945

To love and honor until death do us part, I do. Honey I love you so much. Let’s hope our sacrifices will not be in vain.

April 25, 1945

Planes landing after mission crashed into parked plane. Nobody hurt. P-51 belly landed.

April 26, 1945

Our plane made a lone photo mission over Germany-gone 8 hours.

April 30, 1945

Been stood down for 5 straight days-almost a record. Snowed today and has been very chilly.

May 1, 1945

Believe we are actually off ops. Just standing by in case.

May 2, 1945

Big squadron meeting today and commanding officer practically said we are going to the states and not be occupation forces.

May 3, 1945

P.T. (Percy T. Francis), (Alfred) Clayton, and I were to the continent today. Landed close to Cologne and motored to Dusseldorf.

May 5, 1945

Rumors and more of them. The latest being we’ll be in south France by last of the month. Time will tell. Still think I’ll be here this year yet.

May 9, 1945

War has officially ended. Not much celebrating on the post. Orchestra playing nightly at club is all. No passes being issued. Lots of victory programs on the radio.

May 12, 1945

Lovely weather-crating all of our things and stripping planes of all guns, armor, etc. Turrets to be dropped and 50 seats to be installed.

May 14, 1945

Slightly cooler today, probably be that way for a while. Advance party leaving for France last of week. Wonder what sort of place it will be?

May 20, 1945

Since last entry, we changed #2 and #3 engines. Been to London on a 48 hour pass and #3 was changed again. Plane now at another base to have turrets dropped and seats put in. Expect to move around 1^st of June. Rained today and tonight.

May 30, 1945

Red Parent (S/Sgt Leroy C. Parent, shot down and POW 10/14/43 at Schweinfurt aboard 42-29800 ‘Me and My Gal’)- tail gunner on (Thomas) Wheeler’s crew showed up today. Liberated May 2^nd. Told of stuffing on food at first chance, made wireless sets from rings, etc. Passed time by making anything: dolls, suitcases, all from flattened tin cans.

June 16, 1945

Been laid up two days with a sprained back. Been to Istres (France) twice-looks worse each time. Some debate as to whether we’ll ever go at all. Suppose to be locating another place. Changed commanding officers at both Group and Squadron. Captain McNair says we’ll all be replaced in six months. Hope he’s right.

June 26, 1945

Rest of squadron left for Istres and I went to hospital-back.

June 28, 1945

Out of hospital and just lying around. Staying in the 547^th area now. Just the ball team and a few truck drivers here left of squadron.

July 2, 1945

Ted (Slotwinski) and I, Skip, and (Samuel) Vaughn went to London on a pass. Feeling pretty good but still limp.

July 6, 1945

Arrived at Istres-what a place!

July 7, 1945

Back in harness again-flight chief. Nobody kept very busy. Flying 12 ships per day in Green Project.

July 8, 1945

Only two complete squadrons here besides the 92^nd Bomb Squadron so we fly every other day.

July 17, 1945

Engines starting to go bad and quite a few are being changed.

July 19, 1945

Entered hospital at Aix, France. Back no better so I decided to find out what’s wrong.

July 21, 1945

Quite a few in my ward with my condition. Don’t know what they’ll do yet.

July 29, 1945

Doctor decided just a bad sprain and will get better so I’ll return to duty. (Line Chief Marvin D.) Hudson and Renero left for home on the 14^th of July.

August 2, 1945

Back in the squadron. (Roland) Flynn and Ehron (Philip Ehrhorn) and (Flight Chief Frank W.) Priesnitz left for home.

August 5, 1945

Guess the boys that went to England got shipped back to France in a mobile repair unit.

August 6, 1945

P.T. (Percy T. Francis) and (Arthur W.) Kohn left today and flew home-lucky guys.

August 7, 1945

All squadrons here now and only flying three ships per squadron. Not a very good arrangement.

August 12, 1945

Talk of Japan surrender. Lots of bitching on the line because of Rowland.

August 15, 1945

V.J. day but you’d never know it. Work as usual. Some of the staging areas had riots. Everyone wonders how it will effect demobilization.

August 16, 1945

Looks like Green Project may fold up-one ship per day.

August 17, 1945

The rest of the line left today for England-got half way and lost #3. Returned to Istres. Only 11 men of original Group left here on line. Some tall talk that the rest of the 85 points men will leave in a day or so.

August 18, 1945

Finally got started again and landed in Paris and then to the 358^th Fighter Group. Waited three hours in truck to get us. Reported Intelligence that we had ditched in Channel yesterday.

August 19, 1945

Assigned to 370^th Fighter Squadron. Has clothes check and a talk by the Group commanding officer. Only three of the original ten together now- Skip, (Howard) Pierce, and I. Went to Red in P.M. and met the rest of the gang and on to show.

August 20, 1945

Met the squadron commanding officer and reported to the hospital. Some physical-just asked questions. This is induction days all over again. Look to ship to the states soon-I hope.

August 26, 1945

Started to school today- Skip, Pierce, and I. Everyday but Saturday and Sunday but better than laying around.

August 27, 1945

Took five mile hike today (Saturday). Rumor has it that all will leave soon.

August 29, 1945

Left for Stone at 1:00 and arrived at 7:00. Finally got beds and eat about 10:00.

August 30, 1945

Starting processing all over again.