Captain Alan A. Arlin's Diary

398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association

Captain Alan A. Arlin's Diary

Arlin Mission No. 8

**June 24, 1944**
**Target:** **P Plane Inst., Belloy-sur-Somme, France**
Mission No. 8 Date – June 24, 1944 Assigned Target – P Plane Inst., Belloy-sur-Somme, France. Target Attacked – None Results – Aircraft Number – 7203-Z Bomb Load – 18 250 lb. General Purpose Position in Formation – Deputy Group Lead, "C" Box Time – 4 hrs. 40 min. Altitude over Target – 25,000' Casualties – None Damage – None Losses – None Loading List Pilot – Capt. Arlin, Alan A. Co-P – 2nd Lt. Stallings, Harold O. Nav. – 2nd Lt. Walkup, Charles A. Bomb. – 1st Lt. Baxter, M. V. Eng. – T/Sgt. Chmielewski, R. J. Radio – T/Sgt. Buchsbaum, Louis Gun. – S/Sgt. Wilson, W. C. Gun. – Cpl. Carter, C. M. Gun. – S/Sgt. Hoffman, A. W. Mission No. 8 Date – June 24, 1944 We have had our share of good missions as well as the rough ones. Now, we have had our first mission that was a complete failure. Our target was just inside the coast of France. Our group put up four groups of 12 ships each. Instead of going over in wing formation, each went over individually. It was a good idea if the weather had been as briefed, but as it worked out, it was just a waste of time and gasoline. We crossed the French coast and went on in to the target, but not once were we able to see the ground. We had a solid undercast all of the way and over the target. Nothing else to do but bring our bombs home. There wasn’t even a hole in the clouds where we could pick out a target of opportunity to bomb. We ran over a couple of light flak areas but none of the ships were damaged very much. We didn’t get hit at all. The good thing about this mission is that it was a very easy one, and we have one less to do now.

Notes:

First Lieutenant Alan A. Arlin of the 601st Squadron was the pilot of Rapid City original crew No. 31. On many of his missions, 1st Lieutenant and later Captain Alan A. Arlin was a lead pilot for his squadron or for the group.
The above transcription was provided by David L. Clark.
This transcription is a careful reproduction of the original except for occasional spelling and punctuation changes. In some circumstances, based on relevancy, some material may not have been transcribed.
Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

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