398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


S/Sgt. Kenneth A. Green's Diary
Gunner, 603rd Squadron

Green Mission No. 15

30 December 1944
Target Bischofsheim, Germany

December 30, 1944
Mission: Bischofsheim, Germany

We bombed at 24,000 feet marshalling yards and locomotive repair shops at east end of town. The temperature was –39 degrees. We encountered light, but accurate flak, but we were not hit. We were airborne 10 hours, and on oxygen 6 hours. One plane went down over the target. Another plane had a smoke bomb explode while airborne, and it killed the radar operator instantly. The plane returned after dropping their bombs in the English Channel.


Editor's Note: The original diary shows Bischofsheim on December 31 and Blumenthal on December 30. The 398th Official lists of missions indicates Bischofsheim on December 30 and Blumenthal on December 31. Because they believe this was just a date transposition, the diary transcribers changed the diary date for Bischofsheim to December 30 and Blumenthal to December 31 to get the mission place and associated text with the correct calendar date.

There were some inconsistencies in the original diary for the Bischofsheim entry and thus these were left out of the transcription at this time.

Notes:
  • For the first part of his tour S/Sgt. Kenneth A. Green was a Gunner on Kenneth S. Hastings' 603rd Squadron crew.
  • The above transcription was provided by Joe K. Mansell.
  • This transcription is a reproduction of the original. Spelling and punctuation changes have been made to improve readability. In some circumstances, material may not have been transcribed or was rewritten.
  • Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

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