Jan. 1  

Mission 23 

Coblenz, Germany  DEPUTY LEAD  “ . . . Got flak three times today . . . Boy, did I have a hang-over. Everything went wrong today.”

Jan. 2   Stood down today because of a shortage of ships. We flew only 13 out of the group. We’ve been losing quite a few ships lately. Got up at 11:30 a.m. and we all really needed the sleep. Got a hair cut, which I needed very much. Took a shower, my first of the new year, I also needed that very much. Got my rations. Sewed on my staff stripes. Got some new ships in today. The “limy” finally came for the laundry. I thought I was going to have to do it.

Jan. 3  

Mission 24 

Aschaffenburg, Germany  “ . . . Saw the Alps . . . Flew deputy lead.”

Jan. 4   No mission today because of adverse weather conditions. Got up at 9:00 a.m. and had to go to ground school for about half an hour. Layed around in the hut and read most of the day, it was too damn cold outside. Got some food from the mess hall and had quite a snack at night. Boy is our hut a mess. Lost a couple of pounds playing poker, my luck is (unreadable)

Jan. 5   Got us up at 5:30 a.m. for a &@#%$ practice mission. Briefed at 7:00 a.m. Took off at 9:00 a.m. Landed at 1:00 p.m. Bombed two practice targets at 20,000 ft. 3 hours on oxygen. 32º below 0º. It snowed pretty hard last night and there’s about one inch of it on the ground today. It looks nice, but it’s cold as hell. Played  a little ping-pong. We found out today that we’re lead crew. This is a hell of a time for that.

Jan. 6  

Mission 25

Ludwickshaven, Germany  “ . . . they put up a hell of barrage, but luckily we didn’t get hit.”

Jan. 7  

Mission 26 

Paderborn, Germany  “ . . . We bombed railway repair shops and roundhouse with 12 500 lb. G.P.’s”

Jan. 8   No mission today and we really needed the rest. The “wheels” however, decided to have a parade in preparation for Wed., when a General is coming to inspect our base. They got us out about 10:00 a.m. and marched us about a mile in a snow storm. We really had some snow today, about two inches. We are probably going to the “flak” home tomorrow, I hope. We had quite a meal in the hut tonight. Spam, Chicken soup and chocolate.

Jan. 9   Stood down again today. We’re still sweating out a “flak” leave. My crew is off flying for a while, they say we’ve been flying too much lately. It’s still snowing pretty hard and is now about three inches deep. We had to clean all the stuff off the shelves and fix up the hut. A general is coming to inspect our base tomorrow. Our new ship got shot up in a raid on Frankfurt.

Jan. 10   Stood down today for the big inspection by a two star general. This is the first time I’ve really seen our hut clean. We had another big snow storm today and there’s now four inches on the ground. It was cold as hell out on the perimeter while he inspected us and it snowed. Went to Bury St. Edmon with Ward. Took a shower. Murphy came to see me, was sure glad to see him

Jan. 11   Got up at 11:30 a.m. this morning, we’ve really been getting the sack time these last few days. Murphy left to go back to his base. It snowed again today, not as much as yesterday. We found out were not getting a “flak” leave yet, but were going on pass tomorrow. Cleaned up my clothes and pressed my pants to get ready for London. This is our first pass in a month and a half. London, here I come.

Jan 12   Got up at 9:00 a.m. and had to rush like hell to catch the 9:30 bus. It rained last night and all the snow is just about melted. We arrived in London at about 1:00 p.m. The whole crew, except for Ward, came in together. We couldn’t get a room at the Regent, so we stayed at the Hamilton House. What a dump. Went to a show and hit quite a few “pubs”. Got lost.

Jan. 13   Got up and 10:00 a.m. and went to the Victory Café and had two steaks for breakfast. Went back to the Regent and got a room for three, but all five of us slept there. Met “Frenchy”. What a character! She showed us some swell places to eat. Went to Covent Gardens to the dance. Boy, it was crowded. Came back to the Regent at 12:00 a.m. and ordered some sandwiches & beer up to the room. Rivas and Rat slept on the floor.

Jan. 14   Got up at 11:00 a.m. My aching back am I corked out. Had another steak for breakfast. Boy, do I love those things. Sat around the hotel most of the day and talked to the characters. We had to catch a train at 5:00 p.m. and “Frenchy” saw us to the station. We’ve adopted her as a good luck charm. Got back to base at 9:30 p.m. We’re alerted for tomorrow, and I’m beat.

Jan. 15   No mission for Olin’s crew today, thank God. They only used six crews from our sqd. Collins came in about 8:00 a.m. and told us we’re going to the “flak” home tomorrow. The luck seems to be with us. We found out that Johnny got a destroyed out of his fighter, and Bogo and I get a damaged. We really need the “flak” leave since we went to London. Nine days of peace and quiet. Rodger

Jan. 16   Left for London at 9:30 a.m. Arrived at 1:00 p.m. and tried to get a room at the Regent Palace, they were filled up, so we stayed at the Red Cross. Had a few drinks at the Regent bar and went to the show. Saw “Since You Went Away” A good picture. Had a bite to eat at the “Corner House” and hit the sack. We leave for the Rest home tomorrow.

Jan. 17   AT BUCKLANDS  We left London today for Molesford. Our rest home is near there. The name of the place we stay is “Bucklands” We didn’t expect it to be very good, but it turned out to be much better than I ever expected it could be. We checked in about 1:00 p.m. and they gave us civilian clothes. We played a game of football against an officers rest home and beat them 14-0 and won back the fur lined “P” pot.

Jan. 18   We were awakened this morning by Whitie (our Butler) and given tomato juice in bed. I then proceeded to go back to sleep. Boy, was I sore all over from that football game yesterday. Layed around all morning. The Red Cross girls here are really swell. Ange, Tish, and Marian. Ange is from San Francisco. We had a game of baseball with the officers again and beat them 20-19. Good game.

Jan. 19   Went to town this morning. Wallingford is it’s name, it’s a very nice little town. Ward and I bought some tings to take home. Wen made an appointment to make some pictures. We shot some skeet and had a movie show in the afternoon. Benny Hamrick, the Col., and I went into town at night and had a few beers. There was a dance at Benson, about two miles, so we rode our bikes over.

Jan. 20   Just made breakfast this morning. Played some poker all morning and won a pound-ten. Shot some skeet in the afternoon. Had a game of basketball with another E.M. rest home and beat them 36-8. We really have a sharp team. Our officer, in charge of the rest home, is really a swell guy/ We had a snack when we got back home.

Jan. 21   Missed breakfast this morning, got up at noon. The basketball game last night really did it. I can hardly walk. Benny, Jim, Put, Bogo and I got eager and decided to play a round of golf. It was a nice course, but all up hill. We lost 10 balls and had to quit on the 7th hole. I had a 56 score and only lost one of the balls. We drank more beer at night.

Jan. 22   It snowed all day today and it’s pretty cold out. Marian, Ray and I rode into town on our bikes and bought some more things to take home. We played cards most of the afternoon and had a game of volleyball, we won two out of three games. It was pretty slippery on the snow. Put and I shot a little archery. We had a movie at night and Benny and I emptied the beer keg.

Jan. 23   Slept till noon again today. Played the officers a game of football and ended in a scoreless tie. It was slippery as hell and snowed a little. Shot some more skeet. Played another game of basketball & beat the officers 46-10 and won another “P” pot for dear old Bucklands. Had another picture and drank some more beer. We’re leaving tomorrow and really dread it.

Jan. 24   Got up for breakfast and started to get ready to leave for London. It was just like leaving home. They really treated us swell. They invited us back again, if we get the chance. We arrived back in London about 4:00 p.m. and got rooms at the Regent Palace. Went to the show “Frenchman’s Creek” and had a bite to eat. Hit the sack early.

Jan. 25   Got up at 11:00 a.m. and had some breakfast at the “Corner House.” Left London for camp at 1:00 p.m. Arrived back at 4:00 p.m. There’s plenty of snow on the ground up here, too. Found out that Lee Baldwin, a kid in our hut, credit for 2 fighters. It sure feels funny to be back here. Wrote some letters and hit the sack early.

Jan. 26   No mission today, bad weather. Got up at about 11:00 a.m. Layed around most of the day. Had a meeting of all crews to give out citations. My crew got another Oak Leaf Cluster for the Air Medal. Wrote some letters and read. Played some cards. All the pipes are frozen up and we can’t wash or use the can.

Jan. 27   Got up this morning to go on a mission at 3:15 a.m., but it was scrubbed because of fog. It was to Hamburg and a darn good one to get scrubbed. We were to hit the submarine pens in the city. Went back to the sack and slept till after twelve. Made a raid on the lumber pile and have a nice pile in our hut at the present. Read and wrote a few letters.

Jan. 28   No mission today for the same old reason. We’ve had quite a bit of snow lately and it’s cold as hell in reverse. All the water pipes are frozen up and we can’t get any water on our site at all. It’s been that way for almost a week and we’re getting pretty P.O.’ed about it. They’re using a blow torch on the pipes to try and thaw them out.

Jan. 29  

Mission 27  

Kassel, Germany  “ . . . Bandits were reported in the area. Instructor got sick over target.”

Jan. 30   Got up at noon today. Got my first good nights sleep in a week. You can really sleep after a mission. We had a windstorm last night and it blew the snow into drifts about three feet deep. Had a snow fight with some of the boys in the hut. Had a “meeting of all combat crews.” Gasser’s crew is going to the flak home tomorrow, so we can get ahead of them again.

Jan. 31   Stood down again today. Fog and rain. It was quite a bit warmer today than yesterday. Got up at noon. Cleaned the guns. Took a much needed shower and got my rations. Played Hearts with Johnny, Bud, and Lee for most of the evening. Wrote some letters and read a little. There's a black-jack game on, so I guess we won’t get to bed very early tonight. Not alerted yet.