Mission Diary of Albert J. Thibodeau

This is a diary my father kept while he was serving with the 450^th Bomb Group in Manduria, Italy.  He and his crew flew the B-24 bomber.  Dad was the ball turret gunner, or, as he called it, the "belly gunner."  He wrote this diary or mission log on standard letter writing stationary at the end of each mission or sortie.  I have tried to reproduce it exactly as written; however, there are some cities that I could not quite decipher. There are also some words or abbreviations that may need an explanation.  These are in parenthesis immediately after the word.  The "Time" is takeoff and landing time, and "Total" is the flight time in hours and minutes. 

Every time I read this, it enhances by respect, gratitude, and awe for my father, his crew, and all the folks who fought for us in WWII.  I am sure you will feel the same.  David Thibodeau

July 6 – 44

Arrived at Manduria Italy

July 23 – 44

My first mission.  A milk run if there ever was one.  A half hour ride to Albania.  500# bombs to destroy Refinery and gas and oil storage tanks.  No flak no fighters.

Time: 1022 – 1338  Total 3:16

July 26 – 44

My second mission and a double.  Should have been a triple.  Went to Markensdolf Austria, to destroy an Air Drome there.  Hit our target.  Heavy and intense flak.  No fighters.

Time: 0718 – 1350  Total 6:32

July 27 – 44

My third sortie.  It was in Budapest Hungary.  We went after tank and Gun Buildings.  We missed our target.  Lots of flak and a couple of fighters.  Lost plane.

Time: 0522 – 1238  Total 7:10

Aug 3 – 44

My fourth sortie.  A milk run, in Ora, Northern Italy.  A railroad bridge which we did not touch.

Time: 0614 – 1314  Total 7:00

Aug 8 – 44

My fifth mission (Sortie).  A diversional raid on a fighter field in Alibunar Yugoslavia.  Missed field but hit town.  Carried frag bombs.

Time: 0600 – 1230  Total 6:30

Aug 12 – 44

My sixth sortie.  A long haul to France.  No flak no fighters.  Engine trouble on way back.  Got off course landed near Foggia.  Hit shore Batteries.

Time: 0724 – 1530  Total 8:06

Aug 15 – 44

My seventh mission.  Was to France again on D day.  That was some mission.  We had to wait in line to go over the target.  With fighters and bombers there was about 5,000 planes.  Had engine trouble again and landed in Naples with two engines and very little gas.  Stayed over-night so I saw Clarence.  {Clarence is his brother}

Time: 0220 – 1005  Total 7:45

Aug 22 – 44

My eighth sortie.  A double to Vienna Austria, we went after underground gas and oil tanks.  It seemed like we were in intense and accurate flak for 20 min.  Thought sure I would have to bail out that time.  A piece of flak hit the oil cooler and thought for sure it would explode any minute.  Pappy feathered the engine and came home safely.

Time: 0620 – 1310  Total 6:50

Aug 24 – 44

My ninth sortie.  A marshaling yard in Yugoslavia.

Time: 0620 – 1230  Total 6:10

Aug 27 – 44

My tenth sortie.  The Po river bridge in N. Italy again.  No flak no fighters but missed again.

Time: 0625 – 1215  Total 5:50

Aug 28 – 44

My eleventh sortie.  A M/Y in Misholc Austria.  Light and inaccurate flak. (thank God)

Time: 0715 – 1415  Total 7:00

Sept 1 – 44

My twelfth sortie.  A bridge in Kraljevo, Yugo.  No flak no fighters.

Time: 0805 – 1210  Total 4:05

Sept 2 – 44

My thirteenth sortie.  A M/Y (marshalling yard) in Kraljevo, Yugo.  No flak no fighters.  Sure was scary tho.  Made three runs over the target on account of overcast.

Time: 0745 – 1245  Total: 5:00

Sept 5 – 44

My fourteenth sortie.  A rough one in N. Italy.  The Ferrara Bridge.  George got a piece of flak in his knee which put him in the hosp. And Dudley was scratched in the arm and in the flank.  They both received the purple heart.  Heavy and intense and accurate flak.

Time: 0650 – 1210  Total 5:20

Sept 8 – 44

My fifteenth mission.  (sortie).  The M/Y in Nis Yugo.  Light and inaccurate flak.

Time: 0655 – 1155  Total 5:00

Sept 12 – 44

My sixteenth sortie.  A ME-109 fact. (factory) in Munich, Germany.  Heavy accurate and intense flak.

Time: 0655 – 1350  Total 7:55

Sept 13 – 44

My seventeenth sortie.  Another milk run to the Po Valley Ora bridge in N. Italy.  No flak no fighters.

Time: 0745 – 1500  Total 7:20

 Sept 15 – 44

My eighteenth sortie.  A new country to add to my list, we hit a M/Y in Greece.  No flak no fighters.

Time: 0725 – 1210  Total 4:45

Sept 24 – 44

My nineteenth sortie.  We hit the Athens Air Drome in Greece.  No flak no fighters.  Flak was off to our left.

Time: 0925 – 1525  Total 6:00

Oct 4 – 44

My twentieth sortie.  A bridge in the Brenner Pass in N. Italy.  Intense and accurate flak.

Time: 0605 – 1320  Total 7:15

Oct 7 – 44

My twenty first sortie.  A nerve wrecker if there ever was one.  We hit Vienna's oil and gas supplies.  They have about 400 guns but they could reach us with only about 150.  Flak was intense and accurate.  One hole in ship near Pappy's foot.  The second time I had ball down.  We expected fighters but we did not encounter any.

Time: 0900 – 1645  Total 7:45

Oct  8 – 44

Left for Vienna again today, but they called us back on account of weather.  I was very happy about that.

Oct 10 – 44

My twenty second sortie.  We were supposed to hit a M/Y in N. Italy in the town of Padua.  We never did reach our target tho.  Weather made it impossible.  A milk run.

Time: 0725 – 1250  Total 5:25

Oct 11 – 44

My twenty third sortie.  Suppose to have hit the oil storage tanks in Vienna.  Did not reach the target because of weather.  Ran into clouds which were as bad as flak.  Could not see our wing tip at times.  Left formation, dropped our bombs on some unfortunate city in Hungary and returned to the base alone.  Altitude was 24,000 feet.  Temp was 43^o below C (Centigrade).

Time: 0730 – 1230  Total 5:00

Oct 12 – 44

My twenty fourth sortie.  A raid on enemy barracks in Bologna N. Italy.  "D" day of Bologna.  The flak was quite heavy but we skimmed through without a scratch.  Our altitude was 25,000 feet, the temp was 40^o below C.  Flew with another pilot today in No. 2 position.

Time: 0800 – 1440  Total 6:45

Oct 13 – 44

My twenty fifth sortie.  Don't know whether it's a single or double yet, but sure hope it's a double.  Flak wasn't so bad but we stayed on course.  It was between Vienna and Budapest.  Altitude was 22,500 feet.  Temp was 18^o below C.

Time: 0745 – 1445  Total 7:00

Oct 14 to 18

Rest Camp at Santa Cesarea.  Came back the 19^th.

Oct 23 – 44

My twenty sixth sortie.  Went up to N. Italy again to bomb the Brenner pass.  Hit our target and did not encounter any opposition.

Time: 0820 – 1540  Total 7:20

Oct 31 – 44

My twenty seventh sortie.  Went to bomb some town in Yugo (Podgorica) but could not see it.  Made two attempts.  Got about 10 minutes from target and turned around.  Came about half way back home and they decided to go back to the target.  Went over it this time but did not drop bombs.  No opposition.

Time: 1115 – 1555  Total 4:40

Nov 15 – 44

My twenty eighth sortie.  Our first mission alone.  Explanation: Seeing as the weather is closing in nearly every day and a formation is impossible they fly single ships.  We are one of them.  These are mostly night missions when the target is at least 9/10^th covered.  Today the target was fully covered.  We took off at 6:50 this morning and flew blind an hour after takeoff.  It was rather rough the round trip but was very successful.  These raids are called nuisance raids.  There was no flak no fighters.  Just rough weather.

Time: 0650 – 1320  Total 6:30

Nov 18 – 44

My twenty ninth sortie.  A regular mission over Vienna, Austria.  We flew at 24,500 feet at a temp of 38^o below C.  We flew in No. 2 position.  I flew the waist.  There was clouds about 10,000 feet almost pure white and when the flak burst it really looked beautiful.  The flak was intense and inaccurate.  No ships lost.

Time: 0645 – 1435  Total 7:50

Nov 20 – 44

My thirtieth sortie.  A milk run to some town in Yugo (Doboj).  We were supposed to hit a bridge. Missed it.  No opposition.

Time: 0910 – 1355  Total 4:45

Nov 22 – 44

My thirty first sortie.  A tough target and had a tough time.  George got hit again.  One week out of the hospital and got hit on his second mission in the other leg.  Whitey also got hit.  Not too bad (I hope.)  George got hit in the left thigh.  Piece of flak still in leg I believe.  Sure hope for sure he won't have to fly anymore, for his sake.  Administered him first aid and dropped him off in Bari, the 26^th General Hospital.  Whitey was also put off there, won't know what happened until he returns.  Shot out interphone system again.  I nearly passed out while summoning aid.  Went over target at 25,200 feet.  Temp was only 25^o below C.  I through out window through camera hatch.  The piece that hit George would have hit me in face if about one foot further back.  Explanation – the Lord was with me.

Time: 0830- 1430 and 1600 - 1625  Total 6:25

Thanksgiving tomorrow.  Sure have a lot to be thankful for.

Dec 6 – 44

My thirty second sortie.  I flew as camera man today.  Broke in new man in Ball.  My first sortie after new deal.  35 sortie deal instead of 50 missions.  It will leave me about 3 or 4 trips I believe.  We carried 6 – 1,000 lbs. Bombs to a M/Y in Sopron Austria.  We hit our target.  Altitude was 22,500 feet.  Temp was 25^o below C.  We did not encounter flak or fighters much to our surprise.

Time: 0715 – 1415  Total 7:00

Dec 7 – 44

Started out this morning at 0145 on a single ship mission.  We were briefed at 0030, we were to fly in weather just about all the way.  Half way there the turbous in No. 3 and 4 engines went out.  Had to turn back.  Arrived at field about 0400.  Had to drop bombs in Adriatic in order to maintain altitude.  No credit for mission, still 3 to go.  Incidently, today is 3 years we been at war.

Dec 8 – 44

My thirty third sortie.  Finally got a night mission in.  Started out for Vienna, but got as far as Sopron and was told by other planes not to venture any nearer, because of fighters and not enough coverage.  Made a three sixty and let our bombs go on a town near Sopron.  Saw flak.  It looked dangerous and yet beautiful.  A red fiery blast.

Time: 0145 – 0800  Total 6:15

Dec 9 – 44

Took off with Lt. Hirst this morning for Linz, Germany.  Need one more to catch up with Pappy.  Up to date Wells finished last night.  Pappy and Wolfe need one more.  Dudley and me need two.  Jack needs 4.  G. I.  isn't on our crew anymore but he needs 5.  Sure wish I could get that one more in before Pappy gets his.  Want to be on the last mission with him.  Better luck soon, I hope.

Dec 11 – 44

My thirty fourth sortie.  I took off with some other crew this morning as camera man, in order to catch up with Pappy.  I did, the hard way.  We went up near Vienna to get a M/Y.  Flak was intense, heavy and accurate.  Lost two ships in the box behind us.  We came back on three engines.  We had 7 or 8 flak holes in the ship.  Altitude 25,000 feet, Temp –30^o C.

Time: 0800 – 1600  Total 8:00

Dec 12 – 44

My thirty fifth and LAST Sortie.  I sweated this one out from the time we were scheduled to fly to the time we landed.  I slept a little that night and was up at 0500.  Briefing was at 0545.  First thing he told us we were guinea pigs.  We were to lead a formation of two ships in weather to Poland.  A trip of about 750 miles one way.  When we returned it was a trip of about 2,000 miles with all the zig zagging we had to do.  Our altitude was 26,000 feet and were to bomb by P.F.F. (Radar Path Finder equipment).  We had a load of 6 – 500# bombs and one propaganda leaflets.  Two of those bombs were long delay.  We passed over Yugo, Hungary, Austria, Germany, Romania, Czechoslovakia, Poland and Italy.  8 different countries.  Couldn't see these countries because there was an undercast just about all the way, and a big part of the time we flew by instruments.  We saw flak about 12 different times and was in the midst of it a couple of times.  On the way back we had to feather No. two engine.  Oil leak.  Our first mission made a three engine landing and also our last. 

I'm a new man now that I know I'm through.  I went to church that night and thanked my Father above.

Time: 0725 – 1535  Total 8:10

Had big reception when we landed.  Pappy, Dudley, and Wolfe and myself finished and had our pictures taken by quite a few of the boys.  Good old terra firma.  Lots of terra and a lot more firma.