398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


S/Sgt. John Veenschoten's Diary
Radio Operator/Gunner, 603rd Squadron

Veenschoten Mission No. 18

17 October 1944
Target Cologne, Germany

Target – Cologne, Germany
Date – October 17, 1944

The entire Eighth Air Force bombed the city and our groups target was the marshalling yards. There was heavy flak over the city but it was inaccurate. We missed the assembly point over England and couldn’t find our group, so we flew in with the third air division (379th group). As we came into Germany I could see hundreds of planes strung out behind and ahead of us, each in its own group. Over [and above] the bombers, fighters in flights of four, swung back and forth. It made me doubly proud to be an American.

Notes:
  • S/Sgt. John Veenschoten was a Radio Operator/Gunner on Howard W. Rehme's 603rd Squadron crew.
  • The above transcription was provided by Wally Blackwell.
  • 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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