326th Squadron
Daily Operations Journal

April 1944

1 April 1944
a nice time for the non-flyable weather with all the monthly reports going out

clearing weather in the afternoon

nothing really accomplished today

2 April 1944
no flying today
it is raining and very foggy weather

Lt. Lock and Lt. Shevchik; Sgts. Mullins, Scanlon, Buckner, Warner and Wall all visited the office telling all sorts of stories
Sgt. Scanlon, the best talker, told some interesting stories
about the only news about the rest of Lt. Lock's crew, all the men were lined up in the waist ready to bail out
it was assumed that they might have survived the jump

Lt. Koss and crew going to the rest home today

3 April 1944
all planes grounded today
they a re checking out all landing gear motors

Capt. Stone, former operations officer, stopped in for a short visit in the morning
he, Lt. Stroud going on pass

4 April 1944
rained all day
no flying

5 April 1944
three ships flying practice mission
two ships flying practice bombing mission

6, 7, 8 April 1944
one new crew came in
meeting of operations officers held
the Rank is dissatisfied with the way the outfit is being handled

mission for the 7th is again scrubbed
again for the third straight day the mission has been scrubbed

tail #156 is flying a practice bombing mission in the afternoon

9 April 1944
turnout at church was marvelous this morning

seven crews went out this morning, but were recalled due to the heavy cloud formations making it difficult for the ships to stay in formation

our air division returned and the other two divisions bombed the Reich

some local flying

one cross country with Lt. Smith, p; Lt. Stroud, CP on a hop to Hardwick to a B-24 outfit, the 93rd BG
on the trip over we almost traded wings with a Mosquito (not an insect) and then on return takeoff [sic] pin snapped in the tail wheel and after going from side to side of the runway we managed to takeoff [sic] with quite a bit of sweating
Lt. Smith landed the ship nicely on return

plenty of friend chicken was consumed by the EM [sic] and myself at the combat Mess

10 April 1944
finally made a trip today

seven crews:

Lt. Wenger - #536
Lt. Ledyard - #227
Lt. Hodges - #489
Lt. Jones - #898
Lt. Burkhalter - #958
Lt. Anthony - #218
Lt. Donoher [sic] - #217

target Brussels/Evere in Belgium
an airfield
from 21,000 feet

high squadron and low group met with medium success

11 April 1944
leading the air division today the 326th had Col. McDonald from Wing with Lt. Makowski in ship #978

also crews of
Lt. Wenger - #914
Lt. Koss - #218
Lt. Rosenfeld - #898
Lt. Donaher - #362
Lt. Burkhalter - #110
Capt. Belongia flying deputy lead with Capt. Jones of the 407th

crew of Lt. Donaher - P
Lt. Brown - CP
Lt. Bohlander - N
Lt. Keller - B
Sgt. Sandler - R
Sgt. Harcourt - E
Sgt. Kanel - BT
Sgt. Findley - TG
Sgt. Edinger - WG
Sgt. White - WG

were all missing in action

this crew's ship was hit by flak and went down under control
possibly they headed for Sweden because they couldn't make it back

flak very intense today
many of the group ships came back full of holes and fighters were thick

losses for the 8th AF, 64 bombers and 16 fighters lost to the enemies [sic]
120 fighters lost

a thousand of each went out today counting the heavies and their fighter escort

so many times the BBC announces in their news summaries that US bombers go out today with allied support. Their beat up old Spitfires and Hurricanes manned by everybody else but the British go to the French coast and then our 47s, 51s and 38s go all the way in. At times this is ridiculously humorous and at times makes you boil. Go ahead and laugh. The British are doing a good job, but at times they seem to take more credit than was really due them.

target for today was Stettin
meager results where a year ago the British lost 79 planes on this one target

our boys bombed from 15,000 feet

12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 April 1944
these two days our boys went out
six and seven crews flying low-low were recalled each time

weather didn't look good from the outset

but they all were trying to get the job done
C'est la Vie.

Lt. Wild and crew were transferred to the 325th Squadron after they lost six crews on one raid
This was to help them rebuild their decimated unit

Lt. Roll is transferred in from the 407th

14th of April is a stand down with several cross country hops in the afternoon

on the 15th a practice mission was flown and some more cross country hops are made

a couple of new crews are also assigned, Lts. Mahone and Wallace

the 16th, one cross country hop to Wharton

Lt. Wenger and six of his crew are being flown near to Repple Depple #12 after they had completed their tours

on the 17th, Monday, seven crews are sent out in the afternoon at 1350 hours, but they were recalled and abandoned the attempt due to sour weather conditions all over

18 April 1944
seven crews as follows:

Lt. Koss - #218
Lt. Smith - 217
Lt. Rosenfeld - #958
Lt. Anthony - #536
Lt. Langfeldt - #907
Lt. Hodges - #227
Lt. Jones - #898 (returned early)

no need for a fill-in

target for today was Orienburg [sic] [Oranienburg], Germany

flying in low squadron, high group

five men in Lt. Koss's crew finished up on this trip

incendiaries dropped from 26,000 feet

flak light with no enemy fighter opposition

average of 8 ½ hours spent on this trip

for a change 40th Combat Wing had no losses

19 April 1944
target today was Kassel, Germany

Lt. Jones - #898
Lt. Ledyard - #218
Lt. Smith - #217
Lt. Rosenfeld - #536
Lt. Mahone - #489
Lt. Hodges - #227

major Word flew with PFF high squadron, composite high group

Mulchrone completes his tour today
flak, fighters light today

bombing results also good

20 April 1944
crews flying this trip:

Lt. Makowski - #536
Lt. Koss - # 907
Lt. Price - #975
Lt. Anthony - #753
Lt. Langfeldt - #513
Lt. Jones - #735
Lt. Smith - #218
Lt. Hodges - #217

target - Pas de Calaise [sic], French coast

about the only thing to say about this affair is that flak was fairly heavy and that they are taking the job of the Liberators (B-24s) away from them

Sgts. Lovett, Few, Purvis, Gay, Andrews, Still completed their operational tour of duty today

22 April 1944
six crews to Hamm, Germany
hitting the marshaling yards with very good results
unusual night landing on this raid was after 1030 pm

crews going,flying high squadron low group:

Lt. Koss - #536
Lt. Smith - #907
Lt. Anthony - #217
Lt. Hodges - #227
Lt. Jones - #898
Lt. Rosenfeld - #958

Koss, Hunt, Bowling, Goodwin completing tour today

unusual report today
at a Liberator base near the coast seven B-24s were shot down in their traffic pattern by German fighters who followed them back from the raid and made a real killing.
it was a sobering surprise for everyone

The Gerry wasn't asleep at all

23 April 1944
mission for today was scrubbed

It is a BEAUTIFUL DAY here, but the weather was awful over the continent.
too lousy for any bombing at all

two new ships assigned to the squadron today
serial numbers 42-32001, 42-97319

24 April 1944
rough way to start a week

following crews:
Lt. Makowski-Capt. Belongia - 156
Lt. Ledyard - 536
Lt. Rosenfeld - 914
Lt. Anthony - 218 (Toonerville Trolley)
Lt. Mahone - 217

were on the mission

two crews were listed as MIA (missing in action)
Lt. Anthony
Lt. Rosenfeld

target was a German city that was exceptionally well defended, Oberpfaffenhofen
an assembly, repair factory

attitude for bombing was 21,000 feet

a very long trip as the plant was located about 15 miles south of Munich, Germany

excellent bombing recorded

three fighter attacks during the long flight
heavy flak was met at the target area

three ships from the 407th Squadron also went down

Lt. Makowski was hit in the foot by what was thought to have been a 50 cal
later determined to be a 30 cal or 7mm round (enemy fire)
although it was a flesh wound it will put the Lt in the hospital for several months

attacks made by silver ME 109s coming down out of the sun

was estimated that about 150 enemy planes were involved in the separate attacks

gunners not getting fighters on every trip today as in raids in the past were not able to identify them fast enough [sic]
plus the cunning tactics of the Jerrys [sic] was something else to reckon with

crews going down today were alleged to be under some control
chances are that Lt. Rosenfeld was able to get to Switzerland

Lt. Anthony became a resident of the Stalag Luft #17

Lt. Rosenfeld had two engines shot out so he was lucky he met no more nazi [sic] fighters

25 April 1944
six crews flew to Nancy/Essey, France
it was an airfield occupied by the nazi [sic] crews

the observed hits were all over the runways and considered good

a couple of ships returned with many flak holes
a couple had feathered engines

Lt. Stroud in ship number 227 (Cookin' With Gas) sheared a tail wheel pin on take off, making a good landing on return after a near miss take off

crews making the trip:

Lt. Smith - 898
Lt. Jones - 217
Lt. Stroud - 227
Lt. Burkhalter - 489
Lt. Mahone - 513
Lt. Langfeldt - 958

flying high squadron lead group no fighters were seen
flak light

a few P-38s Lightning escorts coming back from a mission flew low over the aerodrome

new ship assignment
serial number 42-97121 named Calamity Jane received today

26 April 1944
on pre-dawn take-off:

Lt. Price - 054
Lt. Larrance - 217
Lt. Langfeldt - 319
Lt. Burkhalter - 489
Lt. Mahone - 958
Lt. Ledyard - 001

Capt. Belongia flying 054 with Lt. Price flying the group to Brunswick, Germany

target the center of the city

moderate flak with no fighter opposition

Lt. Smith and crew were out on an air sea rescue mission

27 April 1944
Lt. Smith - 546
Lt. Bowers - 319
Lt. Burkhalter - 489
Lt. Hodges - 898
Lt. Brand - 753
Lt. Mahone - 217
Lt. Langfeldt - 735

to Pas de Calais this afternoon

The Hun is being bombed steadily by the day.
The 8th Air Force wants to round out a good month.

no casualties on this raid
although the flak was fairly accurate

28 April 1944
crews flying today to Avord, France
an airfield

bombing from 15, 000 ft.

Lt. Price - 001
Lt. Haugen - 898
Lt. Hodges - 217
Lt. Brand - 958
Lt. McCormick - 319

flying lead squadron, lead group with Lt. Col. Keck as wing leader

went to London to identify F/O Busboom and Lt. New, co-pilot and navigator from Lt. Grumbles' crew, who had returned about two months ago

reports that Sgts. Martin and Morgan of Lt. Walsh's crew missing in December 43 are returning

Lt. Haugen finished up today

29 April 1944
flying high squadron and low group to Berlin

Lt. Hodges - 121
Lt. Langfeldt - 319
Lt. Burkhalter - 489
Lt. Mahone - 217
Lt. McCormick - 753
Lt. Brand - 958
Lt. Munson - 513

Capt. Holch completed his tour with the 407th on an afternoon raid
hitting an airfield in France

heavy flak with very heavy fighter opposition
losing two crews

Lt. Langfeldt - P
Lt. Wallace - CP
Lt. Heldorfer - N
Lt. Rogers - B
S/Sgt. Howard - RO
S/Sgt. Broderick - E
S/Sgt. Neff - BT
Sgt. Beldinger - TG
Sgt. Sullivan - WG
Sgt. Monti - WG

also
Lt. Munson - P
Lt. Lalley - CP
Lt. Margosian - N
Lt. Clark - B
Sgt. Wheling - RO
Sgt. Bomberg - E
Sgt. Glisynski - BT
Sgt. Vitale - TG
Sgt. Gholson - WG
Sgt. Brannen - WG

on the raid of the 27th these men finished up:
Lt. Smith
Lt. Campbell
Lt. Walluk
Lt. Bowers
Lt. Larrance
Lt. Roth
Sgt. Kasniewski
S/Sgt. Brunson

three new crews assigned to the squadron today
Lt. Pearl
Lt. Shanks
Lt. Seitz

on Lt. Pearl's crew, Lt. Hall returned as navigator
he had served a complete tour in Africa with the 97th Bomb Group
had been the lead navigator with 325th at Bovingdon
He now steps in as the squadron navigator
He might even get a promotion

30 April 1944
on the last day of this month the 407th is flying the only suqadron with another composite group

new crews are being indoctrinated
For the first time in the group the 326th did it, flew the entire month without an abortion.
They have a lot of other firsts.

Last updated 8-29-02 1937 est (2337 z)