| Mission #1
Mar 15th [1945]
Target: Berlin [Oranienburg]
Bombs:
- 5 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
- 5 - 500 # [pound] I.B. [incendiary bomb]
Time: 8:20 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 6:30 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 23,000 [feet]
Position:
- # 2 Lo. Sq. [low squadron]
- Lead Ele [element]
Ship: 249 “P”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Melo. T. |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
| Destrofono |
B [bombardier] |
|
Combat Hrs. 8:20 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
I guess we all expected the worst. But surprisingly it wasn’t so bad.
Dover didn’t see any FLAK (he was to busy)
Emergency Kit came in handy. Joe broke his oxygen mask.
Will accidenty [accidentally] fired his guns. Missed a B-17 (luckly) [lucky]
Mack spent most of the time in the ball.
|
Mission # 2
Mar. 17th [1945]
Target: Leipzig [Bohlen]
Bombs:10 - 500# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 9:35 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 5 hours
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position: #3 Hi.SQ. [high Squadron]
Ship: 699 “Q” [verified as 699 by Wally Blackwell from Maxwell data]
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Selvosky H. A. |
TOG [togglier] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 17:55 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Saw plenty FLAK and pretty close (no damage)
Had a little excitement near I.P. [initial point] about fuel. # 2 & # 3 engines almost run out of gas. A quick transfer was necessary. (Dover forgot to pull
inboard toyko) [tokyo]
Run away prop over target.
Landed with only 95 gals [gallons] of fuel.
Dover didn’t see FLAK again.
Emergency Kit came in handy again.
Frenchy used a muff cause he had a bad glove.
|
Mission # 3
Mar. 21st [1945]
Target: Rheine
Bombs: 12 - 500# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 6:20 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4:30 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 23,000 [feet]
Position: # 2 Lead- Lead.
Ship: 699 “Q”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| McGrane |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 24:15 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
We all thought it was a milk run. Little FLAK but fairly accurate. Was a Perfect Day, could see bombs hit square on field.
Then 51’s went down and had some fun straffing [strafing]. We even saw the R.A.F.
[Royal Air Force]
Harry took time out to see FLAK, couldn’t believe his eyes.
|
Mission # 4
Mar. 22nd [1945]
Target: Gladbeck (Dortmund) [Dorsten]
Bombs:
- 34 - 100# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
- 2 - 500 # [pound] I.B. [incendiary bomb]
Time: 6:10 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4:30 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 23,000 [feet]
Position:
- #4 LoSq [Low Squadron]
- Low ele. [element]
- (tail end charley)
Ship: 896 “M”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Stack H. |
Tog [togglier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 30:25 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Plenty FLAK. Was lucky no Damage.
Oxygen went out in top turret. I almost passed out.
Helms thought the nose of the ship was going to get blown off over the target.
Harry sure did throw chaff. Was a steady stream.
|
Mission # 5
Mar. 23rd [1945]
Target: Coesfeld
Bombs: 12 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 6:00 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4:45 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position:
- # 2 Hi.Sq. [high squadron]
- Low ele [element]
Ship: 180 “G”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Fritch, P. A. |
Tog [togglier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 36:25 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Today we didn’t see a burst of FLAK.
But we sweat more than ever. Nearing the
IP. [initial point] # 4 turbo went out so no
power. I had a heck of a time trying to get
it working. But inposible [impossible]
Nolan feathered. We lost 2000 Ft Alt. [feet altitude] and was 2 1/2 or 3 miles behind.
Struggleing [struggling] to keep up.
Mack’s and Frenchy's inter phone went out over target.
# 4 unfeathered itself over the channel so
we came in with all four.
Was a little afraid it might not start and just windmill.
|
Mission # 6
Mar. 24th [1945]
Target:
- Enschede, Netherlands [Twente/Enschede, Holland]
- (Achmer) Editor Note: I don't think they went to Achmer, that was the target for later in the day.
Bombs: 12 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 5:30 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4:00 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 21,000 [feet]
Position:
- Lead Lo.Sq [low squadron]
- Lo Ele [low element]
Ship: “G”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Stack H. |
Tog [togglier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 41:55 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Mission reminded us of our days at MoDill [McDill AFB where they probably trained for overseas].
Small amount of FLAK.
Heaters went out and P, CP, N, Tog, & E
[pilot, copilot, navigator, togglier & engineer]
almost froze, cause they didn’t have heated suits.
Mack got mad at me. He cleaned his turret in vain.
|
Mission # 7
Mar. 30th [1945]
Target: Bremen
Bombs: 12 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 7:10 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4:45 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position:
- # 2 Lo. Sq. [low squadron]
- Hi. Ele [high element]
Ship: 180 “G”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Slovesky |
Tog [togglier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 49:05 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
FLAK was moderate.
True air speed was 230 mph [miles per hour] over target.
Ran into bad weather on way back. Had to break formation and let down by instruments.
Could barely see wing tips. Another plane almost hit our tail. Went right over the top of us.
Landed in small groups all over England.
|
Mission # 8
Mar. 31st [1945]
Target: Halle
Bombs: 12 - 500# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 8:48 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 5:30 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position:
- Lead Lo Sq Lo Ele [low squadron low element]
Ship: 276 “N”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Slovesky |
Tog [togglier] |
| Klein |
Spot [Spot Jammer] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. 57:50 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
FLAK was moderate but we almost had it. After bombs away we went into dense stratus clouds. The whole formation opened up to prevent collision. But suddenly another formation came sliding in on our left. Too many tried to warn pilot. Finally Joe got thru [through]. “Down Down” was all he could say. Findlay saw it and grabbed the wheel and straight down we went.
So I got out of turret to grab chute. It was gone. Just then the ship snapped back. We were headed for a ship which we almost hit. I landed on my head near hatch. I guess we all owe our lives to Findlay and God.
|
Mission # 9
April 4th [1945]
Target: Rhinstein [Reinsehlen] (Oberpfaffenhofen)
Bombs: 38 - 100 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 9:35 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 5 Hrs. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 15,000 [feet]
Position:
- #2 Hi.Sq. [high squadron] (Deputy) [Editor's Note: They were Deputy Squadron Lead]
- # see note
Ship: 853 “L”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Peirce |
C.A. [commander of aircraft] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Rzepnicke |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
Note: Peirce was Major Burke Peirce, the 398th Group Training Officer. |
Combat Hrs. 73:25 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
This was the third day we started on this one.
First ship blew a tire.
Second flew 11 min. before I.P. [initial point] and was recall. Got 6 hours credit. (as time)
Next day:
- first ship NG # 3 [Thought to be No Good #3 engine].
- Second no bomb sight.
- Then 6 hr [hour] delay. Third ship ready & mission was scrub.
Editor's Note: The first paragraph of the diary tells about previous attempts to fly missions between March 31 and April 4. These attempts included a blown tire on one ship and then a long recalled mission that didn't count in a second. The third day they had an engine problem on one plane, then no bomb sight in another one (they were deputy and needed one) then they had a third one, but the mission was scrubbed. Wally Blackwell, Dec 2005
What a mission. Made 3 runs on target and didn’t get bombs away. But they kept us moving with their FLAK. The ship had 22 holes. We could count with ease.
Almost had to feather #2 engine on way back over channel.
Editor's Note: For the April 4th mission, they flew to the target but were under orders not to drop the bombs unless they had the target. They couldn't find it due to weather, did some runs on different targets they couldn't find and brought all the bombs home. All got plenty of flak holes. Wally Blackwell, Dec 2005
|
Mission # 10
April 8th [1945]
Target: Derben
Bombs: 10 - 500# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 9:40 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 5:45 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 24,000 [feet]
Position:
- #2 Lo Sqdn [low squadron]
- ( Deputy)
Ship: 157 “W”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Peirce |
C.A. [commander of aircraft] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Rzepnicke |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Frenchy |
TG [tail gunner] |
Note: Peirce was Major Burke Peirce, the 398th Group Training Officer. |
Combat Hrs. [hours] 83:05 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Today we flew the roughest mission yet.
Made two 360° [degree] turns. 3 passes
at target and third was it.
Col. [Colonel] Daily got a direct hit in tail & blew it off.
Lt. [Lieutenant] Wells on our other wing got hit between #1 & #2 engine. Blowing the wing off. He slow rolled to left. Spun down in flames and blew up about 2000 ft. [feet] below.
Our tail got hit and Frenchy got it in the hand & neck. Joe and I did some sweating taking care of him.
We lead formation back to coast the[n] scrambled for [home] field [at] 260 I.A.S. [Indicated Air Speed], almost full power.
I’ll never forget this one.
Editor's Note: Lt. Col. Lewis P. Ensign, the Group CO lead the Group. And Lt. Col. Edwin B. Daily, the Deputy Group CO led the Low Squadron, which was unusual as Colonel Daily usually led the Group. The Squadrons bombed individually.
Since Colonel Daily was disabled, Major Peirce, the squadron deputy lead that day took over the squadron lead. Major Peirce then led the squadron formation back to the English coast. Then the squadron broke up there, which was unusual, and Peirce headed for home by himself ASAP. However, I never knew that a B-17 could go 260 mph on the level, maybe he was letting down most of the time in a hurry to get his wounded home ASAP. [Wally Blackwell, Dec 2005]
|
Mission # 11
April [9] [1945]
Target: Munich [Oberpfaffenhofen]
Bombs: 34 - 150 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 8:00 [hours and minutes]
Oxy: [oxygen]: 4 hr. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position:
- # 5 Hi.Sq. [high squadron]
- Lo. Ele. [low element]
Ship: 180 “G”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Doyle J. |
Tog [togglier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 91:05 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
I sure was praying for a scrub today. Had 3 hr. [hours] delay. Took off at 12:30 [hours and minutes]
Seemed funny without Frenchy. Several times Smitty sounded like him.
Mission wasn’t too bad but bad enough.
Saw the Alps. Two bomb shackles froze. So we had to kick them out. 2 jets in area but didn’t attack also saw some Swiss fighters.
Editor's Note: The Will diary indicates Mission #11 to Munich in April 1945 but does not indicate a date. S/Sgt. Frank M. Mackey's diary indicates that on Mission #11 they flew on 9 April 1945 to Munich. Both S/Sgt. Frank M. Mackey and T/Sgt. Ralph F. Will appear to have flown Missions 1-15 together. Thus using the Mackey diary, a date of 9 April 1945 is presumed for T/Sgt. Ralph F. Will's diary for his Mission #11. Note the actual target for that day was Oberpfaffenhofen which is nearby Munich. Many times the men just referred to the name of the larger more well known city.
|
Mission # 12
April 13th [1945]
Target: Neumunster
Bombs: 10 - 500# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 7:45 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 2:40 [hours and minutes]
Alt [altitude]: 18,000 [feet]
Position:
- #3 Lo Sq. [low squadron]
- Lo. Ele. [low element]
Ship: 896 “M”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Scott |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 98:50 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Any more like these last few *!*!!!*. [profane words]
After bombs away we heard a large explosion at 12 o’clock. I thought we were hit cause our plane shook.
The whole bomb load of “X” X Ray Deputy, Lead Sqdn. [squadron] blew up about 150 ft. [feet] below it. 4 pealed off. Two were on fire. Eight bailed out before one blew. Five from another. The other two were out of control, crashed in vicinity of primary [target].
[See note below for interpretation of the event and also the meaning of “X” X Ray.
Editor's Note:
- The event described is when the very high explosive RDX bombs touched while being dropped by the 601st Squadron. See the 398th's Mission Page for 13 April 1945, Neumunster.
- Wally Blackwell provided the following interpretation of “X” X Ray Deputy, Lead Sqdn. The Deputy Lead aircraft that blew up was 8636-X. Thus it is thought that T/Sgt. Ralph F. Will abbreviated the aircraft as "X". The term X Ray was the Phonetic Alphabet for the letter "X". The phonetic alphabet is commonly used in aircraft communication.
|
Mission # 13
April 15th [1945]
Target: St. Talais ( Ft. Rogan, France)
[Fort Royal, France]
Bombs:
- 2 - 2000# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
- 1 - 1000# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 8:25 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 2 hrs. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 15,000
Position:
- #2 Lead Sqdn. [squadron]
- Deputy
Ship: 915 “U”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| McClellan T.R. |
VN [visual navigator] |
| McCarty J.M. |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
LW [left waist] |
| Joe |
RW [right waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 106:15 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
This was sweat mission (“13”). We assembled over France. Went passed Paris.
Had trouble with V.H.F. Had to make a 360° [degree] over target.
Saw Navy ships give support to our bombing by shelling coast.
On second run we saw our bomb hit square in the target, a fort. Was a nice trip back.
|
Mission # 14
April 16th [1945]
Target: Regensburg
Bombs:
- 16 - 250# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
- 2 - 500# [pound] I.B. [incendiary bombs]
Time: 8:30 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 3 Hrs. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 25,000 [feet]
Position:
- #2 Hi Sqdn [Squadron]
- Deputy
Ship: 564 “X”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| McCarty J.M. |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 114:45 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
What a day for FLAK not a cloud in the sky. About 2 min [minutes] before target. It started and they really had us in their sights. FLAK was every where.
Our sqdn. [squadron] was the only that didn’t get their bombs away. So we circled and went into it again.
Our guarding angel was with us again. We all got back unhurt.
|
Mission # 15
April 17th [1945]
Target: Dresden
Bombs: 12 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 9:35 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4 Hrs. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 21,500 [feet]
Position:
- # 2 Hi Sqdn [high squadron]
- Deputy
Ship: 896 “M”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Findlay |
CP [co-pilot] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Destrofono V.V. |
B [bombardier] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 124:20 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
Today was another rough one. Was to bomb at 24,000 [altitude feet] but we couldn’t stay in formation because of clouds.
At 21 [21,000 altitude feet] it was very hazy and sky full of contrails. Bombs away first run and FLAK on our tail and all over.
Few minutes later we were attacked by Jets (ME 262). Tracers and lead went from every direction. I sure was scared. Couldn’t get a shot at him, because another 17 [B-17] was within pattern.
3 of our planes were badly damaged by Jets. Others by FLAK.
|
Mission # 16
April 21st [1945]
Target: Munich
Bombs:
- 4 - 500 # [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
- 6 - 500# [pound] I.B.[incendiary bombs]
Time: 10:40 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 4 Hrs. [hours]
Alt [altitude]: 28,000 [feet]
Position: Lead Lead Sqdn. [squadron]
Ship: 716 “C”
Crew
| Ashworth, Maj [Major] |
C.A. [commander of aircraft] |
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Helms |
DR [dead reckoning navigator] |
| Stugard Maj [Major] |
N [navigator] |
| Collins Capt [Captain] |
B [bombardier] |
| Agnew 1st Lt. [first lieutenant] |
VN [visual navigator] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Dover |
R [radio] |
| Mack |
BT [ball turret] |
| Passmore |
W [waist] |
| Bodel 2nd Lt. [second lieutenant] |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 135:00 [hours and minutes]
Notes:
We were to bomb at 21,000 [altitude feet] but it was very misty very heavy contrails.
Joe and I were the only gunners, and he didn’t any sights in the waist. Lucky no enemy planes.
Tail gunner was a Co-Pilot and didn’t know how to charge guns. No guns in nose at all.
At 28,000 [altitude feet] it was 40° [degrees] below.
Bombed P.F.F. [Pathfinder Force]. FLAK was plentiful but not very accurate. Joe and I sweat the most, said I got big head with all the Brass (kidding).
Editor's Notes:
- The Will diary indicates for Mission #16 a date of 24 April 1945 for a mission to Munich. There was no mission on April 24 but there was one on 21 April 1945 to Munich. Wally Blackwell checked the Maxwell data for 21 April and found the identical crew that T/Sgt. Ralph F. Will listed in his diary. Thus the data in this diary entry is for a 21 April 1945 mission to Munich.
- Wally Blackwell has identified the following full names and positions:
- Major Dean H. Ashworth, C.A. on this flight
- Major Frederick Stugard, probably 600th Squadron Navigator
- Captain Hamilton Collins, 600th Squadron Bombardier
- Helms is listed as Navigator in the Maxwell data crew listing for this mission. He was the secondary or "to be sure" navigator up front in the Group Lead ship. They had big weather coverage problems. They never saw the ground from the Initial Point to the target and dropped by the visual navigation. I think we can assume that Helms was keeping track of where they were by "dead reckoning" as a back up for the whole mission [Wally Blackwell].
|
Mission # 17
April 25th [1945]
Target: Pilsen (Skoda-Chec) [Pilsen, Czech]
Bombs: 20 - 250# [pound] G.P. [general purpose]
Time: 9:40 [hours and minutes]
Oxy [oxygen]: 3 Hrs.[hours]
Alt [altitude]: 19,500 [feet]
Position: Lead Lo Sqdn [low squadron]
Ship: 716 “C”
Crew
| Nolan |
P [pilot] |
| Tatchio [1st Lt. Orrin R. Tatchio] |
C.A. [commander of aircraft] |
| Helms |
N [navigator] |
| Homan |
B [bombardier] |
| Clark |
VN [visual navigator] |
| Will |
E [engineer] |
| Conway |
R [radio] |
| Joe |
W [waist] |
| Smitty |
TG [tail gunner] |
|
Combat Hrs. [hours] 144:40
Notes:
Plenty FLAK. Inpact [impact] 3 Hrs [hours] after take off (5 am)
B.B.C. [British Broadcasting Company] broadcast to slave workers at Pilsen, etc. that the 8th Air Force was on its way and not to go to work or near.
It was to be visual but w/ [was] 7/10 cloud.
Second run was P.F.F. [Pathfinder Force]. (against orders)
[The] Mickey Ball got hit. One went thru [through] wing & # 4 Tokyo tank and exploded above. To beat that # 3 main tank was siphoning. Lost over 100 gals. [gallons]
Two ships went down in 601 [601st squadron]. Sixteen lost the whole day.
|
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