T/Sgt. Elliot Novek's Diary - Radio Operator, 602nd Squadron

398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association

**T/Sgt. Elliot Novek's Diary**
**Radio Operator, 602nd Squadron**
Editor’s Note: Technical Sergeant Elliot Novek was a radio operator with Nolan Thompson’s crew in the 602nd Squadron. He flew 22 missions between February 20, 1945 and 25 April 1945. On the way to England, Elliot Novek’s B-17 was forced to land at Bluie West One in Greenland due to a headwind and shortage of gas. T/Sgt. Novek prepared the original diary after each mission as a set of the following titled columns, “Date,” “Target” and “Flak” along with the mission number. He then made brief entries under each column. In the process of transcription for most entries, complete sentences or phrases were constructed to improve readability. The entry “Novek Mission No. _“ does not appear in the original diary. The entry “Comments“ does not appear in the original diary. The “Comments” entry includes the entries from the Novek “Flak” column and was renamed since these entries relate to more than the amount of flak experienced. Clarification of acronyms or special terminology or interpretation for certain words are shown in brackets [ ]. Incorrectly spelled words shown in brackets [ ]. The red words in the “Comments” column are transcribed verbatim from the original Novek Diary “Flak” column. The words in black are added by the transcriber to make the entry into a phrase or complete sentence. After the initial version of the Diary was released in January 2004 to the 398th website, Elliot Novek reviewed the Diary content and offered a number of comments and clarifications. These inputs have been included as a “Postscript” to each applicable mission. Postscript: When I wrote the Diary originally, it was for me to remember, and recall. Therefore, I did not title it. Also I shortened words so that I knew what it meant, never expecting that some 50 + years later my words would be made public. Lt. Paul Smith was navigator in the Thompson crew, and his seat was in a different position on the airplane than mine, and therefore he saw some things differently than I from my vantage point. Elliot Novek, February 3, 2004 Donald Parks February 2004 Novek Mission No. 1 Date: February 20, 1945 Target: Nuremburg [Nurnburg] Comments: The flak was moderate, pretty rough. Novek Mission No. 2 Date: February 21, 1945 Target: Nuremburg [Nurnburg] Comments: Flak was moderate, but accurate, plenty rough. Our airplane had 10 flak holes and two mighty close bursts. Novek Mission No. 3 Date: February 22, 1945 Target: Stendal Comments: No flak. Observed a jet fighter at 9500 feet low altitude. We sweat plenty. [Postscript: The jet fighter was an ME262 flying at 9500 feet, the same altitude as our squadron's altitude. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] Novek Mission No. 4 Date: February 25, 1945 Target: Munich Comments: Flak was moderately heavy, not too bad. Landed in France. Made 2 trans [transmissions]. [Postscript: We landed in France to gas up, I believe it was near Lyon. One of the radio transmissions was to request permission to land at the airfield in France. Elliot Novek, January 16 and February 8, 2004] [Editor’s note: T/Sgt. Elliot Novek was the crew’s radio operator. “2 trans” is referring to making two radio transmissions during the mission.] Novek Mission No. 5 Date: March 2, 1945 Target: Chemnitz Comments: No flak, we were lucky. [Editor's Note: The 398th Official Mission 2 March 1945 was to Bohlen, Germany. Some notes indicate Bohlen, was a secondary target that day, perhaps Chemnitz was the primary or another secondary.] Novek Mission No. 6 Date: March 4, 1945 Target: Ulm Comments: No flak, this was a good mission. Novek Mission No. 7 Date: March 5, 1945 Target: Chemnitz Comments: No flak, this was a good mission. Flew at 29,000 feet. Novek Mission No. 8 Date: March 8, 1945 Target: Hulm [Huls] Comments: Flak was moderate, plenty rough. Lou passed out from anoxia. [Postscript: Lou was a member of the Nolan Thompson's crew. He was the ball turret gunner. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] Novek Mission No. 9 Date: March 9, 1945 Target: Kassel Comments: Flak was intense, pretty rough. Novek Mission No. 10 Date: March 11, 1945 Target: Bremen Comments: Flak was intense, pretty rough. The target was sub [submarine] pens. Novek Mission No. 11 Date: March 12, 1945 Target: Dillenburg [Dillenberg] Comments: No flak. We sweat it out. Novek Mission No. 12 Date: March 15, 1945 Target: Oranienburg Comments: Flak was intense. It was rough 20 miles out of ‘Big B’ [Berlin]. Novek Mission No. 13 Date: March 21, 1945 Target: Rheine-Salzbergen-jet fld [field] Comments: Flak was moderate and too darn close, within 3 feet. Novek Mission No. 14 Date: March 22, 1945 Target: Dorsten Comments: Flak was moderately intense. Pete had a close one. The target was 15 miles from our own lines. [Postscript: Pete was the flight engineer on the Nolan Thompson crew. He was struck on the helmet by a piece of flak. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] [Editor’s Note: See Dairy of Paul Smith for March 22, 1945 mission description and comment on the flak damage.] Novek Mission No. 15 Date: March 24, 1945 Target: Achmer-air fld [field] Comments: No flak. Like the rest. [Postscript: “Like the rest” refers to the mission being tense and worrisome. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] Novek Mission No. 16 Date: March 28, 1945 Target: Berlin (Big B) Comments: Flak was intense and too close. A 9 hour mission. Novek Mission No. 17 Date: March 30, 1945 Target: Bremen Comments: Flak was moderately intense and inac [inaccurate]. Snow, like the rest. [Postscript: "Like the rest" refers to the weather conditions. We went through snow and wing icing to add to the intensity of the mission. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] [Editor’s note: See the Paul Smith Diary for a description of this mission where he records that there were snowstorms and icing on all the airfields near Nuthamstead on this mission.] After mission number 17 (March 30, 1945), Elliot Novek made lead crew. Novek Mission No. 18 Date: April 5, 1945 Target: Grafenwehr [Grafenwohr] Comments: No flak, this was a good mission. Made 3 trans [transmissions]. Mission was 9 hours and 15 minutes long. [Editor’s note: T/Sgt. Elliot Novek was the crew’s radio operator. “3 trans” is referring to making three radio transmissions during the mission.] Novek Mission No. 19 Date: April 8, 1945 Target: Derben (near Stendal) Comments: Flak was meager, but rough for some. Mission was 9 hrs 45 min-10 hrs 15 min long. April 12, 1945. We were the weather ship and made 16 trans. [transmissions]. [Postscript: Nolan Thompson’s crew, less the three gunners but including a weatherman, was dispatched to check out the weather conditions in support of the mission to be flown the next day, 13 April 1945. Pilot Thompson was ordered to report on weather conditions. As the crew’s radio operator, I sent out 16 weather reports via Morse code. The flight departed at night and as far as I can remember remained over the United Kingdom. Elliot Novek, February 8, 2004.] [Editor’s note: At some time in the future it would be worthwhile to research weather reporting work to determine how this assignment was integrated with other weather reconnaissance flights and bombardment operations.] Novek Mission No. 20 Date: April 16, 1945 Target: Regensburg Comments: Flak was meager. Ten missions to go. A tire blew out on the runway. [Postscript: We were a lead crew and therefore only had to complete 30 missions. The tire blew out, before take-off and our crew was transported by truck to another airbase to pick up another airplane. Henceforth, we never caught up to our group and flew the mission with another group. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] [Editor’s Note: Novek is referring to having 10 missions left on his tour. Also see “Comments” on Novek No. 21 below, same subject. As the war went on, missions were added as the relative risks went down. In addition lead crews flew fewer missions because of the higher risks. With policy changes or movement to or from lead positions, headquarters would pro-rate and/or adjust the number of missions required for each crew member during their tour.] Novek Mission No. 21 Date: April 18, 1945 Target: Rosenheim Comments: Flak was meager and inac [inaccurate]. Sweating out whether we do 30 or 35 missions. This mission was over 10 hours long. Novek Mission No. 22 Date: April 25, 1945 Target: Pilsen, Czech [Czechoslovakia]-Skoda Wks [Works] Comments: Flak was intense, accurate. This was not a good mission, rough. Over 10 hours long. [Postscript: General Eisenhower notified the people of Pilzen, Czechoslovakia not to go to work at the Skoda Works, that day, because the 8th Air Force would be over that location. Therefore, the German's monitored the same broadcast, and were waiting with heavy anti-aircraft guns. The bottom line was that we lost 2 planes out of 12 from our squadron. Elliot Novek, January 16, 2004.] non-Operational VE Day May 8, 1945 [Editor’s note: This was the last entry made in the diary.]

Notes:

T/Sgt. Elliot Novek was the Radio Operator for the Nolan Thompson 602nd crew.
The above transcription was provided by Don Parks, nephew of John Bornstedt, 601st pilot.
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 [ ].

The above diary entry has been placed on the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web site to share our history with a wider audience. You may view, download, print, copy and link to our content as you wish as long as the uses are personal or educational. 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web page content cannot be used for commercial purposes nor placed on other web sites whether commercial, personal or educational, unless authorized in writing by the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Official Board and/or the author.