Lt. Harvey B. Kramer's Diary

Navigator, 600th Squadron

EXCERPS FROM THE DIARY OF HARVEY B. KRAMER
Navigator, Rohrer Crew – 600th SQ

With thanks to Steve Kramer, his son

Whiling away the days in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II, First Lt. Harvey B. Kramer, U.S. Air Force, of Greenfield, Mass., kept a journal. It covers his experiences as a navigator aboard a B-17 based in England, and then as prisoner of war. Certain parts are unintelligible, and others were blanked out by someone for military reasons.

The journal was not discovered until Kramer passed away in 1993, when his wife and children found it in a small box, together with an Air Medal, a Purple Heart, and some pieces of his parachute left from bailing out over Berlin after his plane was shot down during a raid. He never mentioned the journal, or his medals or other mementoes to any of his family or friends.

The journal appears to be an ordinary lined essay book, apparently distributed by the Red Cross in the prison camp. It has a heavy blue paper cover, and a label bearing the words “Offered by European Student Relief Fund” in English, French and German, with the address “Adresse: 13 Rue Calvin, Geneve, Suisse”. On the label, printed in pencil, and almost obliterated by smudging, is the name “Lt. H.B. Kramer, BBK 5L and what appears to be C or G ome F”

Inside the cover, barely legible , is a penciled list of the crew of Lt. Kramer’s B-17. It reads as follows:

1ST PILOT-------------------- 1ST LT R.L. ROHRER
CO-PILOT---------------------2ND LT A. SISTEK
NAVIGATOR------------------2ND LT H.B. KRAMER
BOMBARDIER----------------2ND LT C. FRANKS
ENGINEER--------------------SGT D. CHISNELL
RADIO OP---------------------SGT H. COOPER
ASST ENG---------------------SGT R. GREEN
WAIST GUNNER-------------SGT _. MONTGOMERY
BALL TURRET----------------SGT F. HENNING
TAIL GUNNER----------------SGT P. JONES
SUB KEY-----------------------2D LT T. CANTRELL

In an address listing section at the back of the book, which may contain the names of other prisoners of war, there is a Ted Cantrell, 22-55 33rd St., Astoria, L.I., and a number RA8-1176. Also a Clarence Franks, Jr., 1927 E. 8th St., Tulsa, Okla; Clyde Jones, 1104 So. Adaams St., Ft. Worth, Texas; Richard L. Rohrer, RD 1, Mt. Union, Penn. and 631 Warm Springs Ave., Huntingdon, Penn; Tony Sistek, Chicago, Ill, all of whom may have been the crew members listed above. [They are]

There are other names entered, which will be listed later.

The journal then begins:

Overseas

January 7, 1944
Reported for active duty and was assigned to a B-17 OTU Group (398th) stationed at RCAAB [Rapid City Army Air Base]. Was immediately assigned to a combat crew and proceeded thru the phases of training.

March 4, 1944
Had embarked on our 3rd phase and on this date we were assigned one of the new B-17 G’s which the group was to fly overseas. Our new ship was largely responsible for our 3rd phase of training being most enjoyable.

April 8, 1944
Departed from RCAAB [Rapid City Army Air Base], bag and baggage, aboard our ship, for Grand Island, Neb., our designated staging area where we were processed for our expedition overseas. Due to inclement weather, we were held up at this station for approximately two weeks.

April 19, 1944
Finally departed from Grand Island on our cross-county trip to Grenier Field, N.H., which was to be our aerial P.O.E [Port of Exit]. Blessed with CAVU [Ceiling And Visibility Unlimited] conditions, our trip across a greater part of the country was exceedingly enjoyable. We flew over such familiar places as Albany, Troy, North Adams, and above all circled several times around the old homestead (Greenfield, Mass.) and then flew the remaining short distance to Manchester (N.H. - site of Grenier AFB). Our stay here was quite brief, for the remainder of our group had preceded us on their way to England by a few days.

April 21, 1944
On this date, we were cleared for our first leg of our journey to England, which was from Grenier to Goosebay in Labrador. We took off from Manchester and in short order were winging our way over the U.S. boundaries into foreign territory. For the most part, this leg of our journey was over the wastelands and wilds of Labrador and consequently provided very little scenic interest. We eventually landed at Goosebay, the lonely ATC [Air Traffic Control] outpost en route to Europe. Here we discovered that our trip was to include a stop at Iceland, rather than a direct hop to Prestwick, Scotland. We were briefed for this 1600-mile over water journey, and made preparations to take off, weather permitting.

April 22, 1944
One hour before midnight on this date was take off time for our hop from Goosebay to Meeks Field in Iceland. We took off two hours late, and after 8 ½ hours of uneventful flying, fortunately, over the icy waters of the North Atlantic, we came in sight of the snow-capped hills of the coast of Iceland. We landed, and were not too surprised at the complete desolation and bleakness of this army communications and airway outpost. The weather was dubious, but we were happy to obtain our clearance the following morning for our next leg, which was to take us to either Scotland or Ireland, depending as usual upon the weather.

April 23, 1944
We were now in a combat zone, and were on the alert during the entire trip from Meeks to Nuts Corner in Ireland via Stornaway, Scotland. Our first glimpse of Ireland was one which we shall remember always. We had been flying for several days over ice, water and snow, not to mention the hundreds of miles of undercast which was the condition present as we neared the Irish coast.

We began our letdown through the undercast several miles out to sea, but did not break through until we had passed over the coast line. At this time, there was unfolded to us from below a panorama of fertility which one seldom sees from the air. Fields of the rich Irish green in contrast with the rust-colored housetops presented in truth an impressionable scene.

We landed here, and except for the short hop over the Irish Sea to our base in England, our trans-Atlantic flight was complete. Here also we joined several crews of our group who, along with us, were waiting for the following day to complete our journey.

April 24, 1944
On the morning of this date, we took off from Nuts Corner and assembled in formation over the field. In the lead position was flying an ATC Pilot who was very familiar with the terrain and the landmarks surrounding our base in England and whose job it was to lead us to our base.

We flew over the Irish Sea, and in a matter of a very few minutes we caught our first glimpse of England which was to be our sanctuary during our combat career, however long or short it was to have been. We circled our base and landed. For the following four days we were kept busy getting settled in our new quarters, and receiving various lectures in order to familiarize us with the procedure of combat operations in the ETO [European Theater of Operations].

May 6, 1944
A memorable day, for it was in the wee hours of the morning this date that we took off on our first combat mission.

May 7 – June 2, 1944
COMBAT!

June 3, 1944
Put on D.S. to Bassingbourne

June 6, 1944
D-Day etc -------

June 21, 1944
A day which will live forever in the memories of the men on our crew, for it was to be a raid on Big “B”. Little did we know that it was to be our last raid out of England in the War against Germany. Details of this mission, which was an omnipotent one for us, are withheld for security reasons, and will be disclosed at a future date. On this date, however, we were forced to abandon our ship and resort to a means of transportation earthward known as the parachute. My contact with terra firma was made in rather a hostile area, namely directly in the center of the German capitol, Berlin, approximately four blocks distant from the area which we had bombed. Need I describe my reception? I assure you I was not too graciously received.

Accounts of Downing of Rohrer Crew

Then follows two separate accounts of the downing of their B-17 over Berlin, first by Lt. Kramer, the navigator, and the second by Lt. Clarence Franks, Jr., the bombardier, who apparently was in the same prison camp.

By Lt. Harvey B. Kramer:

“At approximately 10:20 A.M. on June 21, 1944, we made our turn off the I.P. [Initial Point – the beginning of the bomb run] on to the Bomb Run for another assault on Berlin. (The crew had been flying almost daily bombing missions over Berlin since May 7, 1944.) With the visibility unlimited, we were set for a perfect pattern in the heart of the city.

“Ours being a lead ship with Major Killen in command, there were three of us in the nose, creating rather cramped conditions. Going in on the target, our positions were as follows: Lt. Franks in the bombardier’s chair, Lt. Waramer was perched on the foremost edge of the navigator’s table, and I was seated on an ammo box in front of the ‘G’ set.

“About 1-1/2 minutes before ‘Bombs Away’, I was tossed off my impromptu seat by a terrific jar. We immediately knew that the ship had been hit, but how badly – we in the nose, did not know at the time. The nose compartment was filled with powder smoke of almost blinding intensity.

“A matter of seconds after we were hit, Lt. Rohrer (the pilot) called over the interphone to make preparations for bailing out, and to do so upon the sounding of the emergency bell. Upon his order, we immediately shed our flak suits, and hooked up our chest packs, noticing in the meantime that our oxygen supply had mysteriously vanished.

“Also during this brief interval, Lt. Franks (the bombardier) had dropped his bombs, and I discovered that I had received a gash in the head which was bleeding rather profusely.

“At this time, the ‘bail out’ signal was given by Lt. Rohrer, and we left the ship thru the nose hatch after having destroyed as much secret matter (log, radio code, maps, etc.) as was possible. We were directly over the target when we bailed out, and consequently I didn't resort to an extensive delayed jump, and popped my ‘chute at about 12,000 feet, hoping the wind would cause me to drift out of the target area. During my descent, I observed several wings of bombers drop their bombs, and also saw our target was one mass of smoke.

“I landed in a back yard several blocks west of the target, and was greeted by a civilian wielding a sledge-hammer. Fortunately, I rolled with the fall to such an extent that his stroke – instead of crushing my already aching and bleeding head – simply glanced off the back of my skull-bone.

“Before he could recover for another swing of his hammer, I had freed myself of my (parachute) harness, and had grabbed him by the throat. Just at this time, the Police arrived and separated us.

“By this time, the blood from the wound I had received in the air had covered my eyes and face so that I had to use a strip of my chute to stop the flow.

“The Police conducted me on a ‘forced march’ thru the streets of Berlin via the kicking and pummeling method to a Police Station. This was interrupted by a meeting with two members of the Gestapo, who dragged me into an alley, where we had a veritable one-sided free-for-all.

“At the Police Station, I was relieved of all my possessions, and kept in solitary confinement without food or water until the following afternoon when I was taken to an airport on the outskirts of Berlin, where I joined up with Major Killen and Lt. Rohrer. Here also, a piece of flak was removed from the wound in my forehead.

“During my walk thru the city, I observed widespread ruins and devastation, and the attitude of the populace was extremely hostile. I had received no food or medical attention for two days.

“We left Berlin on the 23rd for the Interrogation Center near Frankfurt. Here, I was placed in solitary for seven days, and interrogated four times. We were moved from here to the transient camp and thence to Sagan, where we arrived on July 5, 1944.

Statement by Lt. Clarence Franks, Jr., Bombardier:

“Our target for June 21, 1944 was a (identity of target is erased) in the center of Berlin. Our bombing altitude was 27,000 feet, and I was flying in the wing lead position. We approached our target on P.D. 1, and bombed in wing formation. Our ship was the (erased) plane [possibly ‘Mickey’ or ‘lead’ plane], but due to clear weather, we bombed visually.

“At 10:20 A.M., one minute before I cleared our bombs, our ship was hit by a direct burst of flak. The burst tore off the #3 engine propeller dome, and sent streams of oil over the right wing and fuselage. The entire right side of the nose section was badly perforated, and the Bombardier – Co-Pilot’s oxygen system was shot out. Flak also broke the Plexiglas nose, left of the bombsight and struck me in the left groin, knocking me backwards over my chair and turret. The #3 engine immediately began running away, so the pilot, Lt. R.L. Rohrer, gave the signal to stand by to bail out, and a few seconds later ordered the crew to jump.

“I resumed my original station at the bombsight, and continued synchronizing on my target. At 1001, I released my bombs, and after seeing the deputy leader drop his bombs on my signal, I jumped from the ship, which was out of control and losing altitude rapidly.

“I made a delayed jump to approximately 10,000 feet, falling directly over our target, and as such, saw our target smoking furiously. On my way down, three wings of bombers dropped their bombs on Berlin.

“I landed in the heart of the city, and my chute caught on the roof of a seven-story building. I stayed there, hanging for one hour until the entire raid was over, during which quite a number of additional bombers came and dropped their bombs on Berlin.

“Police and civilians finally pulled me up by my chute shrouds to the roof, and I descended by way of a roof door to the 7th floor landing. There I was roughly searched, especially for firearms. After reaching the street, the police marched me 7-1/2 blocks to the police station. On the way, I was continually verbally assaulted by the civilians, and on one occasion was kicked by two Wehrmach soldiers.

“At the police station, I was thoroughly searched and deprived of all my possessions. While sitting there, I received two blows to my chin by a policeman and a soldier. I was later taken to a cell, and three hours later was taken to an airport on the outskirts of the city.

“By this time, my groin was causing me great pain, and I tried to encounter a doctor, but with no success. At the airport, I was again searched, and spent the night on a wet concrete basement room floor. At 5 p.m., June 22, 1944, I was taken to one of the Berlin railroad stations, left Berlin and arrived at Oberursel at 5 a.m. June 23, 1944, at the Interrogation Center.

“I was placed in solitary confinement for 11 days, and after being interrogated two times, was taken on July 2 to the transit camp at Wetzlar. Left there on July 3, and arrived at Sagan, Stalag Luft III on July 5, 1944.

Following are several pencil sketches, one apparently of the bomb run, with X’s marking where the bombs landed on the target. The second sketch shows where the flak first hit the B-17 on the left side of the fuselage striking the #3 engine propeller dome causing an oil fire, and the location of the nose seats, Pilot Communications System, Oxygen System, with the note “All radio wires severed from Control Box.”

The next page is headed “HOW TRUE” appears to be Harvey’s handwriting:

“When many men are together for months at a time with no change of companionship and few interests outside the immediate circle that surrounds them, something is sure to happen."

“Tiny incidents assume gigantic proportions, little tricks of character or manner stand out in such bold relief that a new perspective is essential if irritation is not to set in. Every man sees his neighbor as he is, shorn of all patience, naked in soul, as a child sees his elders, with the pitiless, white gaze of youth. It is as though each member of the group (combine) were separated from the others by an immensely powerful magnifying glass.”

MUSIC—A KRIEGIE IS DREAMING

A KRIEGIE IS DREAMING OF SWEING BANDS AND MOVIES NEW—A RENDEZVOUS AT EVENING, AND DINNER FOR TWO.

A KRIEGIE IS DREAMING OF PARTIES AND COCKTAILS TOO OF DANCING UNDER STARLIGHT, HIS ARMS ABOUT YOU.

THE DAYS ARE FILLED WITH LONLINESS AS HOURS DRAG SLOWLY BY, BUT NIGHTS STILL HOLD THEIR LOVELINESS, WITH DREAMS THAT NEVER DIE.

A KRIEGIE IS DREAMING, AND WISHING, AND HOPING TOO THAT SOON THIS KRIEGIE’S DAY DREAMS WILL ALL COME TRUE.

THE DAWN WILL BRING A NEW MELODY

The dawn will bring a new melody—
I’ll be awakening to find
That she’s no longer in my mind,
And my thoughts are free.

No longer will that old reverie
Reflect her image on my brain.
And so my heart will feel no pain
For what used to be.

Tonite erased the strains
That once cast a spell
That once inspired refrain
Has now faded.

Tomorrow brings a new change of key
For I’ve forgotten how I care
To seek a love she never shared
And my heart is free.