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WAR DIARY OF THE 723RD BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)
1 JANUARY 1944 TO 1 FEBRUARY 1944
January 1, 1944 to January 8, 1944
The ground
echelon did not arrive at the A/B Manduria, Italy until January 15, 1944. Thus
the day by day account of squadron activities is incomplete for the first half
of January. The personnel that came by plane spent most of their time trying to
fix up a place to live, to try to keep dry and warm. It rained almost every day
and it was cold and disagreeable. The section heads began setting up their
departments but had very little to work with since the TAT equipment had not
and did not arrive until weeks later. The combat crews were eager to start
flying combat missions but the weather and the condition of the field was a
deterrent. The messing facilities of the squadron were not yet set up and the
enlisted personnel messed with the 722nd Squadron; the officers at
the regular Group Officers Mess.
January 8, 1944
The 723rd
Bomb Sq furnished eleven of the thirty six B-24 Bombers in a combined operation
of the 449th and 450th Groups. The target attacked was
the Mostar A/D, Yugoslavia. Each ship dropped 12 500 lb bombs. With the
exception of a small cloud over the target, the weather was clear. No enemy
aircraft was encountered on the entire mission. The flak was moderate and
rather inaccurate. All ships returned safely. The evening was spent by the
crews that participated telling of their experiences to all who would listen.
The "ice had been broken"; they had completed their first combat mission.
January 9, 1944
None of our
aircraft accompanied the Group on the mission to Zara, Yugoslavia. The boys
didn't feel so badly because they were not along, when they found out the group
was forced to turn away from the target about 20 miles off shore due to a solid
undercast over the target. The bombs were salvoed in the Adriatic.
January 10, 1944
Lt. Samsa
in Flight 1, position #6, and Lt. Hefner in Flight 2, position #7 attacked the
M/Y in Skopolje, Yugoslavia. Each dropped 12 500 lb bombs on the target. Heavy
flak of slight intensity was encountered but no enemy fighters were seen. The
result of the bombing was reported as unsatisfactory. All planes returned
safely. The combat crews are getting anxious for the ground echelon to get
here; they have had to guard and service their own planes and load them with
bombs and ammunition.
January 11, 1944
No mission
today. Everybody still trying to fix up a warm dry place to live. Plenty of
conversation about experiences on combat mission. Many walked out to the field
to observe flak holes.
January 12, 1944
No mission.
The runways are rough and wet. Ponds of water around the field. Everyone eager
to get their missions completed so they can go home. Many of the men went to
town just to look around,. Some purchases, nuts and oranges. Everyone notices
the poverty and low living conditions of the Italians.
January 13, 1944
Eight of
our planes joined the group in an assault on the airdrome at Perugio, Italy,
the main reconnaissance base of the GAF in the western and central
Mediterranean. Only two, however, managed to drop their bomb load of 20
fragmentation clusters on the target. 5 jettisoned their bombs.
ME-109's
swarmed in on us two minutes after we left the target. Lt. Francis Lael in AP
#454 observed the attack on Captain Miller's ship, hit in the cowling of the
number 4 engine. One of the enemy fighters was observed going down in smoke and
was probably shot down by Tail Gunner Devilin and Top Turret Gunner Turrentine
of Lt Lael's crew. Our men said that P-38 escort was excellent for "the good
old morale".
Lt Whitney
described this as a snafu mission. Visibility over the target was very poor and
no accurate description of results could be given.
January 14, 1944
The target
was the town of Mostar, Yugoslavia, reputedly an enemy headquarters with large
troop garrisons. Four of our planes dropped 12 500 lb demos each on the target
from 21,000 feet. The results were described as good. Captain Miller's ship was
hit badly by flak in the #3 engine and was forced to withdraw from the
formation, but it returned safely. There was heavy accurate flak around the
target. The group clashed with the ME-109's near the target area and back to
the Adriatic coast, but none of our planes were involved.
January 15, 1944
The ground
echelon of our squadron arrived at the base. The target today were the
marshalling yards at Prato, Italy. We had six planes on this mission, but Lt
Kellman managed to plaster the target, dropping 12 500 lb demos.
There were
no encounters with enemy aircraft and no flak of any kind was reported. The
weather and visibility over the target were good. Altogether, this was not too
successful a mission, as very few bombs dropped over the target area.
January 16, 1944
We were
assigned the task of destroying the enemy airdrome at Ossopo, Italy. Six of our
squadron's aircraft went out on this seventh mission, though only three hit the
primary target, dropping a total of 32 500 lb demos.
Lt
Whitney's plane (AC #228) dropped 12 500 lb demos on the alternate target,
which was the town of Zara, Yugoslavia, and sank a ship in the harbor.
Lt Gernand
(AC #620) hit and destroyed a railroad bridge. We met the most serious enemy
fighter attack to date and suffered our first losses. Lt Holloman's (AC #724)
crew bailed out at sea after two motors were set aflame, and they were reported
as missing. Or planes were all shot up rather badly, but there were
compensations. AC #163 (Lt Courtwright) claimed two ME-109's destroyed. We
claimed a total of 9 enemy aircraft destroyed and two probably destroyed.
Four
members of Lt. Henderson's crew were injured. A great shock went through the personnel
when they realized how tough war could be. Everyone, especially combat crew
members had wonderment in their actions and appearances.
January 17, 1944
No bombs
were dropped on the target today, the marshalling yards at Arezzo, Italy, by
any of the Group, and this was not credited as an actual mission. An abrupt
turn by the formation leader caused disruption of the following group. The loss
of vision due to this maneuver made it advisable for the Group to return. Four
of our planes went out, all of them dropping their load of 10 500 lb bombs over
the Adriatic.
January 18, 1944
The target
was the marshalling yards at Pisa, Italy. Six of our aircraft accounted for 18
of the 79 tons of 500 lb demos that were dropped squarely on the target. All
reported a complete smearing of the target, and subsequent photographs bore
this conclusion out. Although no enemy planes attacked us, one of our
squadron's planes observed eight single engine aircraft which not identified.
There was flak near the target, but it was inaccurate, and we suffered no
damage.
January 19, 1944
The Group
failed to bomb the primary target, the A/D at Perugia, Italy, but the alternate
target, the A/D of Iesi, Italy, was well hit, with hangars possibly destroyed.
Only two of our planes participated (AC #143 and #710). Lt Clay (#710) hit the
target with 10 500 lb demos, as did Lt Gernand (#143). They reported smoke over
the hangars and administrative buildings. No enemy aircraft or flak was
encountered.
January 20, 1944
Continuing
the pattern of attack on the enemy's fighter airdromes, we headed for the A/D
at Guiconia, Italy. None of the five planes we sent out managed to strike the
target. Lt. Kellman's plane dropped 1 ton bombs on an airfield near Marigliano.
Our planes were unable to observe results.
January 21, 1944
The Group's
12th mission was flown, the target being the Marshalling Yards at
Prato, Italy. Seven of our plane participated in this mission, which was
unsuccessful because a solid overcast prevented an observation on the target. None
of our aircraft attempted to bomb, 6 jettisoning their load and the other
returning 8 of the 10 500 lb. demos. allotted. The enemy failed to show itself
either in the form of fighters or flak. Lt. Lael (AC #454) suffered engine
trouble. All of our planes reported spotting the huge invasion convoy heading
north.
January 22, 1944
Led by
Captain Miller, the Squadron Commander, six of our planes accounted for 15 of
the 75 tons of demolition bombs which were dropped on the Marshalling Yards at
Arezzo, Italy. We achieved a very heavy concentration of hits on train sheds,
warehouses and workshops. There was no fighter opposition of any kind and the
flak which we met over the target was inaccurate. Our planes all observed the
heavy convoy of ships south of Rome, undoubtedly loaded with troops which
established the new bridgehead.
January 23, 1944
The target
for our fourteenth mission was a landing strip, 10 miles east of Rome and the
Rieti A/S. Discovering a complete overcast over the Point, the Group struck at
the Rieti A/D in Italy.
January 28, 1944
We headed
for the Ferrara M/Y in Italy, one of the two principal lines of military supply
for the German forces in Italy. This was not a wholly successful venture,
however, as the bomb photos revealed an incomplete coverage of the target. Six
of our planes hit in the vicinity of the Marshalling Yards. No enemy aircraft
were encountered and there was no conspicuous flak.
January 29, 1944
We
continued the assault on the enemy's communications and supply system, the
target being the Sienna M/Y and Railroad Junction. All bombs dropped on that
target area were on an ETA – through a solid undercast. It was not possible,
therefore to assess the damage. Our squadron sent 9 planes over and none of
them could report any positive observation of results. We had no clashes with
enemy aircraft and no flak was encountered.
January 30, 1944
Eight of
our planes dropped 20 120 lb. fragmentation bombs each on the Udine A/D in
northern Italy and good coverage was reported. We ran into rather serious
trouble today. After rallying from the target, ME-109's attacked in force.
Three of them hopped on Lt. Nielson's plane before the target area was reached.
Sgt. Zelford Mathis, the ball turret gunner on Lt. Gernand's crew, claimed to
have shot down one of them. Sgt. Joseph C. Portugues was wounded by flak and
received the Purple Heart. His plane returned to the field with18 flak holes in
it. The rest of our aircraft escaped damage.
January 31, 1944
The job of
the Group on its 20th Mission, rounding out the month, was to
destroy the installations at Aviano A/D, and it was well carried out. Eight of
our planes took part, dropping a total of 23 tons of demolition bombs.
Gale H Gillan,
2nd Lt., Air Corps,
Squadron Historian.
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