Feb. 1

No mission today, but we had to fly. We flew with Col. Baker, our group leader. He asked for the best crew in our sqd., and they took us. The rest of the Sqds. had a mission and we looked over their formations. We were up for 2 hours. We missed out on a very short mission. Went to the show with Rat. Played black-jack till 1:30 a.m. and won five pounds-ten.

 

Feb. 2

Got up this morning for a mission and a hot one, too. It was no other than Big “B” for Berlin. We were to help out the big Russian offensive by bombing the hell out of the city. We were pretty glad to have it scrubbed, it would have been rough. Got back in the sack as soon as possible and was awoken at 10:30 for a damn practice mission. We were up for 4 hours. Hit the sack early, we’re alerted for tomorrow.

 

Feb. 3

Mission 28

 

Berlin, Germany “. . . We dropped our bombs right in the heart of the city. The bomber stream was 300 miles long.” 

 

 

 

Feb. 4

No mission today, got up at 1:00 p.m. Missed breakfast and lunch. I was really corked after yesterdays mission. Had an hour of jam handy and went to the afternoon show. Saw “Kismet”, pretty good show. Got quite a lot of mail and wrote quite a few letters in the evening. We’re the only crew in the hut now and it’s nice and quiet for a change. The two other crews are on pass. We go on pass the 8th.

 

Feb. 5

Got up this morning a 0315 to go on a mission. It was scrubbed because of bad weather. It was a good one to get scrubbed because it was Munich and that’s a rough one. After it was scrubbed, I went back to the sack again and slept till after noon. The laundry man came with my clean laundry and came again for dirty at noon, while I was asleep, and took my clean stuff by mistake, for dirty.

 

Feb. 6 Mission 29

 

Chemnitz, Germany “ . . . Bad weather coming back, almost ran out of gas.”

 

 

Feb. 7

Stood down today. We’re pretty tired from yesterdays mission, so it was a good deal. Layed around most of the day. Got stuck with detail for two hours. (Digging) We’re going on pass tomorrow.

 

Feb. 8

Got up a 0700 and went to breakfast. Caught the 1000 train for London. Got in at 1300 and got a room at the Brighton Hall Hotel, near Russell Square. Went to a stage show, “When the Sunshines” Johnny, Bogo, and I. We had a box seat, no less.

 

Feb. 9

Got a mud pack and facial today, nothing but the best. A rocket bomb landed three blocks from us, We were hit by broken glass. We went right up to where it hit and it was really a horrible sight. It hit an apartment house.

 

Feb. 10

Just made the train back to camp, we slept a little too long. Got my laundry back finally and now I can wear clean underwear. Played poker till 2300. Alerted for tomorrow.

 

Feb. 11

Got us up at 0200 this morning to go on a mission to Hanover. It was scrubbed, bad weather coming back to base. Went back to bed and slept till 1400.

 

Feb. 12

Stood down today because of weather. Slept late and layed around most of the day. Got quite a few letters and answered them. Cleaned up the hut a little, was it a mess. We had a big game of poker here last night. Got a little dog in the hut now, but he is not house broken. He’s a cute little character, but he tears up everything he finds. He cut loose on one of the fellows beds, so we evicted him.

 

Feb. 13

We were stood down today for training. We went to school from 0900 to 1700 and it was the same old baloney. Gunnery, Aircraft Rect., ditching, etc. we were alerted for a mission tomorrow at 1800. Played poker again and I was really hot, won 10 pounds. (40 bucks) Had a cheese sandwich before going to bed and didn’t get much sleep.

 

Feb. 14

Mission 30 

 

Dulan, Germany “. . . We got 43 holes in our ship, three in the waist. One missed me by 3 inches. . . Pretty rough mission.”

 

 

 

Feb. 15 Mission 31

 

Cottbus, Germany “. . . We ran out of gas, it was the longest mission ever flown by the 8th A.F. We landed in Merville, France . . . Hit the field in heavy overcast with five minutes gas left. One engine cut out over the field. Slept in ex-German headquarters.”

 

 

Feb. 16 MERVILLE, FRANCE Hit the sack at 7:00 p.m. last night and got up at 0800 this morning. We are quartered right in the center of town. German writing all over the place and all the bridges blown up. Got some souvenirs and looked over the town. They say 40% of the town are collaborationists and most of the young girls left with the Germans. What little French I know came in handy. The weather cleared this afternoon, so we took off for home. A P-51 pilot, who cracked up, came home with us. Ollie made a beautiful landing.

 

Feb. 17

Stood down for training, but they still have us in France, so no training for us. Got up at 0100 and made myself, and the rest of the chow-hounds in the hut, some breakfast from our K-rations we brought back from France. We have quite a bit left and it’s pretty good. Went to the afternoon show and saw “To Have or Have Not” Good show. Wrote some letters and had a snack of K-rations before retiring.

 

Feb. 18

Stood down today because of lack of ships. Most of the ships in our group have major battle damage. They went to Frankfurt yesterday. Got up at 1100. Played poker most of the afternoon. Cleaned the guns and took a shower. The weather is really nice today, the best in four months. Wrote some letters, Made something to eat from K-rations.

 

Feb. 19

Stood down again today, no ships ready yet. Got up at 1030. They put us on detail again, picking up papers. It only lasted about 30 minutes, but it hurt our pride. We played horse-shoes most of the afternoon. Had a meeting, an R.A.F. officer spoke on night fighters. Played some more horse-shoes in the evening. Fred and I played partners and won three straight games.

 

 

 

 

Feb. 20 Mission 32

 

 

Nrnberg, Germany “. . . The weather was the worst I’ve seen for flying a mission, half the ships got lost on the way over.”

 

 

 

 

Feb. 21

Stood down for training, but my crew, being an old and experienced crew, didn’t have any school. Got up at 1100 and had a bite to eat. Got our rations and shot a little skeet. I hit 22 out of 25 my second round. Played some horse-shoes and had a couple of damn good games. We’re alerted for tomorrow. Hit the sack early.

 

 

Feb. 22 Mission 33

 

Ansbach, Germany “. . . No flak . . .but the weather was bad enough to make up for the lack of flak. We really sweat this one out.”

 

 

Feb. 23 Mission 34 

 

 Nuemarkt, Germany “. . .made three passes on the target. Boy, did I sweat.”

 

 

 

Feb. 24 Mission 35

 

Bremen, Germany “Took off for the last time at 0840. Still can’t believe we made it. Had a big squad party and I got plastered, but good.”