CHAPTER X THE OLD ORDER CHANGETH, JULY 1944

(A) Narrative History.

In the month of July the 461^st Bombardment Group ran the gamut of human experiences. The most violent of the emotions created were those of grief, chagrin, surprise, frustration, and disappointment which immediately followed the losses of forty officers and men and four airplanes at Nimes, France, on the 12^th of July and one hundred thirteen officers and men and fifteen planes at Linz, Austria, on the 25^th of the month - all to fighters.

For the ninety seven officers and men who returned to the United States on a rotation basis there was joy. For the many officers and men who successfully completed fifty combat sorties there was deep satisfaction. For the members of the new crews coming into the Group there were high hopes and ambitions. For all members of the command there was pride in the accomplishments of the Group, the commendations received by the Group, and the praises bestowed upon the Group by the Commanding General of the Fifteenth Air Force, Major General Nathan F. Twining. For the Commanding Officer and both his Senior and his Command Staffs there were anxieties, fears, hopes, bewilderment and almost despair. The many difficulties experienced by the Group during the month of July stemmed directly from the failure of some higher echelon to feed replacement crews into the Group during the months of May and June. As a result, instead of gradual transition there was a sudden and almost complete but costly change of flying personnel.

On the first day of the month Lt. Colonel Hawes and Lt. Colonel Grogan, who had been traveling on special orders, returned from a five day trip to Rome. They were the first officers from this Group to visit Rome on this basis. Following their return a schedule was worked out under which a different detail of officers and men from the Group visited Rome each week on special orders.

Lt. Colonel Hawes and Lt. Colonel Grogan celebrated the Fourth of July by flying a special United States flag over Group Headquarters for the day. This flag, which was pure silk, had been sent to Lt. Colonel Hawes by his wife. It had previously been given to her by her father, the late Mr. Jacob W. Hermes of Nanuet, New York, who had been a silk importer. The flag was originally a gift to him from a silk manufacturing company in Japan with whom he had done business before the outbreak of the war.

On the 10^th of July, forty two officers and fifty four enlisted men, with Captain Marion C. Mixson in command, left the base to go by truck to Naples from where they were to return to the United States. A few of these individuals were supposedly being sent home permanently from this theatre of operations, but most of the officers and men were actual or potential staff personnel or flight leaders. A few days after they left the base, Major James C. Dooley, the 766^th Squadron Commander, joined the detail at Naples for the return trip to the United States. After the detail had left the Group the Air Force reversed its decision concerning its rotation policy. Once again combat crew members knew they would be going home for reassignment upon completion of fifty sorties. With the reversed decision of the Air Force was another stipulation that only staff personnel now on rotation to the United States could be returned to the Group and that such personnel must be requested by 31 July 1944. Thus the Group definitely lost the future services of twenty five officers and forty men, and possibly the services of eighteen staff officers and nine men whose return was requested.

With the departure of Major Dooley on 17 July 1944 several changes in personnel too place. Major Burke, who for the past eleven months had done an outstanding job as the original Operations Officer of the Group, replaced Major Dooley as Squadron Commander of the 766^th. This was considered both a pleasant change and an opportunity for the aggressive, resourceful little Major to get some command experience. Major Harrison G. Word, who had been Major Burke’s Assistant Operations Officer became the Operations Officer. Captain Joseph N. Donovan, the Assistant Operations Officer of the 766^th Squadron was transferred to Group to be Major Word’s Assistant. When Major Burke, leading the Group for the first time as a squadron commander, was shot down on the disastrous mission to Linz on 25 July 1944, Major Word succeeded him again, this time as the 766^th Squadron Commander. Captain Donovan became the Group Operations Officer with Captain James B. Robinson Jr. As his assistant. The Group was feeling the loss of its officers who were home on rotation. Colonel Glantzberg was glad that higher echelons had disapproved his recommendation that Lt. Colonel Hawes be sent home on rotation.

Several other changes in and additions to the Group personnel were made during July. On the 3^rd of July, paragraph’s 5 and 6 of the Group’s Special Orders No. 54 placed the following radar navigator operators, “mickey operators”, on detached service with organizations of the 461^st Group: 2^nd Lt. Leonard C. Gizelba, 0692390; 2^nd Lt. Arthur J. Marangelo, 0692045; and 2^nd Lt. John W. Carroll, 0707011. Paragraph 3 of Special Orders No. 55, dated 6 July 1944, added F/O John N. Panagietopoulos, T-123298, to the Group as another radar navigator operator. Two more “mickey operators”, 1^st Lt. Eltinge H. Read and F/O Edward R. Carey, were added to the Group on July 29^th by paragraph 5 of Group Special Orders No. 72.

Paragraph 15 of the Group Special Orders No. 60, dated 15 July 1944, reads as follows: “Having been asgd to this Gp pursuant to Par 4, SO 93, Hq 49^th Bomb Wing, dtd 15 July 44, CPL (274) DYNES, CHARLES E., 37326291, is further asgd to Hq 461^st Bomb Gp.” Having formally had extensive newspaper experience in civilian life, Corporal Dynes was immediately made the chief non-com of the Public Relations Department of the Combat Intelligence Section.

Paragraph 3 of Group Special Orders No. 63, dated 18 July 1944, reads as follows: “Having been asgd to this Gp per Par 1, SO 94, Hq 49^th Bomb Wg, dtd 16 July 44, 1^ST LT (0141) RAYMOND, EUGENE B., 0854519, is further asgd to Hq 461^st Bomb Gp, and is hereby designated Group Radar Officer.”

On July 26^th Captain William F. Foster became the second combat intelligence officer to be lost to the Group. Authority: Group Special Orders No. 70, dated 26 July 1944, paragraph 7: “Pursuant to Par 6, SO 200, Hq 26^th Genl Hosp, APO 363, US Army, dtd 22 Jul 44, CAPT FOSTER, WILLIAM F., 0301540, is reld fr asgd to the 765^th Bomb Sq, this Gp, and is trfd to Del Pnts, 26^th Genl Hosp.”

On July 27^th 2^nd Lt. Robert E. Evans III, who had completed fifty sorties with the Group as a co-pilot and a first pilot, was transferred at his own request to the 14^th Fighter Group. He was the first pilot in the Group ever to be granted a request for a second tour of duty in this theatre of operations. Authority: Group Special Orders No. 71, Paragraph 3, dated 27 July 1944.

Additions to flying personnel:

July 3 --	2^nd Lt. John H. Smith and crew 2^nd Lt. John J. Kane 2^nd Lt. Captain E. Jones Jr. 2^nd Lt. William E. Waggoner
July 7 --	1^st Lt. Curtis G. Green Jr. 2^nd Lt. Edward E. Myllmaki 2^nd Lt. Sheldon M. Rutter 2^nd Lt. Anthony M. Catana
July 23 --	2^nd Lt. Arthur T. Jehli Jr. And crew 2^nd Lt. Robert E. Sterrett and crew F/O Rudolph C. Carr F/O Charles R. Westfall
July 25 --	2^nd Lt. Douglas A. Herrin and crew 2^nd Lt. Elias E. Moses and crew 2^nd Lt. Leslie L. Summers and crew 1^st Lt. Allyn E. Roberts and crew
July 27 --	1^st Lt. Robert J. Luebke and crew 2^nd Lt. Robert U. Roswurm and crew 2^nd Lt. Clarence W. Bloxom and crew 2^nd Lt. Wray M Stitch and crew 2^nd Lt. Robert A. Warren Jr. and crew 2^nd Lt. Lauren L. Schwisow and crew 2^nd Lt. Rolland T. Olson and crew 2^nd Lt. Harold G. Koeppel and crew 2^nd Lt. James H. Spencer and crew 2^nd Lt. Robert E. Schweisberger and crew

On July 30^th, Major General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General of the Fifteenth Air Force, came to Group Headquarters to decorate the Wing Commander, Colonel William L. Lee, with the Distinguished Flying Cross as a reward to the Colonel for the Ploesti mission of 15 July. Several members of the 461^st Group were also decorated by the General. One of them was 1^st Lt. Leonard P. Cash, who received the Silver Star for repeatedly escorting crippled planes home from combat missions.

Following the presentation of the award, the General addressed Colonel Lee, Colonel Glantzberg, and the formation. Speaking in a crisp but friendly manner and using short sentences, the General expressed pride in and satisfaction with the 49^th Wing and the 461^st Group. He said again that the Group was one of the very best in the Air Force and that the spirit and morale of the outfit was a matter of common knowledge and favorable comment at Headquarters of the Fifteenth Air Force. He closed his remarks by saying he had always been confident of the ability of this Group to carry out its assignments in a superior manner.

(B) Operations.

During the month of July the Group flew a total of twenty-one combat missions. The average number of planes airborne per mission was thirty. Of the 630 planes which were airborne, 68 returned early. Crew members accumulated a total of 4447 combat hours, a total of 1175 of the 1469 tons of bombs that were carried by airborne planes were dropped on briefed targets. In destroying 43, probably destroying 23, and damaging 9 enemy airplanes, the Group inflicted more losses upon the enemy than in any other previous month. The losses to the Group, on the other hand, were also heavier than for any other previous month. These losses total 24 planes, two individuals killed, 194 missing in action and 28 injured.

With one mission to Czechoslovakia and one to Greece during the month, the Group brought to nine the total number of countries in Europe in which it had bombed. The targets ranged all the way from the most difficult to “freshman missions” as easy as those first flown by the Group in early April. On the whole, however, the targets were consistently the roughest ever flown by this Group. Never before had the Group been called upon to fly fifteen consecutive missions as difficult as those flown by the Group during the twenty day period from the 2^nd to the 22^nd day of July. Of the six missions flown after the 22^nd of the month, three were extremely rough.

The bombing average of the Group for the months of April, May, and June had been the highest in the Air Force for the three month’s period. With an average of 32 percent, the Group was 3 percent higher than its nearest rival, the 97^th Group, which had an average score of 29 percent. During the month of June, the 461^st Group with a bombing average of 38.8 percent had ranked fourth in the Air Force. In dropping 1 percent in July from its June average, the Group dropped from fourth to sixth position in the Air Force.

MISSIONS

Mission No. 53, 1 July 1944 - Munich Neuibiberg A/D Installations, Austria (Cancelled)

Mission No. 53, 2 July 1944 – Budapest Rakos M/Y, Hungary

The change in the old order of things began with the very first mission in July. The target was the Rakos Marshalling Yard in Budapest, Hungary. Although the Group had not bombed in Budapest since the 13^th of April, crew members remembered well that city as a hot target. On the occasion of this mission there was plenty of flak but not too much of it was within range of the Group. Flying as the last Group of the Wing formation, the bombardiers dropped their bombs on the marshalling yard through the smoke started by the other Groups. For the first time in its history the Group suffered the deep humiliation of having the Air Force score the efforts of the Group at zero. Captain Leffler, Group bombardier, talked long and loud in an effort to have the Air Force change the rating to “no score”, but to no avail.

Mission No. 54, 3 July 1944 – Bucharest Mogasala Oil Storage, Roumania

Bad weather continued to dog the 461^st Group in its effort to find a clear day at Bucharest. The target for the day was the Mogasala Oil Storage near the central part of the city. When the Group, led by Lt. Colonel Hawes, arrived at the target, it was partially obscured by cloud coverage. Some of the planes in the formation dropped their bombs with fair results. On the way to the primary target the route had been close to the first alternate target, the Iron Gate on the Roumania side of the Danube River. As the formation passed over this target it was noted to be opened. As a result, some of the bombardiers did not drop at Bucharest but returned to drop at the Iron Gate. F/O Mac L. Lucas, after fighting mechanical failures of his plane all the way across Yugoslavia on the return route from the target, was finally forced to bail out his crew near the Adriatic Coast.

Mission No. 55, 5 July 1944 – Beziers M/Y, France

The third target for the month was located in the third country in which the Group had bombed during July. The target was the large marshalling yard at Beziers, France. The purpose in hitting this target was that of hampering the movement of two German divisions from Southwest France to the fighting front in Normandy.

Photographs of this mission are not interesting. The 451^st Group, which led the Wing, dropped its bombs diagonally across the target. The pictures of the 484^th Group, which was second in the Wing formation, are almost identical with those of the 451^st, showing that the second Group dropped practically all their bombs into the smoke started by the 451^st. Pictures of the 461^st, which was the last Group over the target, are practically identical with those of the 484^th. Groups of the 49^th Wing probably saturated this target with a higher concentration of bombs than they had done on any previous target. Later reports showed that a great deal of damage had been done. The mission was scored 45 percent.

On this mission S Sgt. Lawrence B. Custer of Lima, Ohio, the tail gunner on Lt. Aldredge’s crew, became the first member of this Group to complete fifty sorties.

COMMENDATION

“FROM: LEE, CO, 49^TH BOMB WING (H), APO 520

“TO: COMMANDING OFFICERS, 451^ST, 461^ST, 484^TH BOMB GROUPS, APO 520, US ARMY

“THE FOLLOWING TELETYPE IS QUOTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION, FAF ABLE-72 CONFIDENTIAL: ‘YOUR ENTIRE COMMAND IS COMMENDED FOR THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON GERMAN TROUP TRAINS IN THE MARSHALLING YARDS AT BERIERS. THIS IS ONE BUNCH OF HUNS THAT WON’T REACH THE BEACHHEAD.’”

Mission #56, 6 July, 1944 - Aviano Oil Storage, Italy

The target for Mission No. 56, which was approximately 600 feet square, was probably the smallest target ever assigned to this Group. It was an oil storage plant in open country near an airdrome at the Town of Aviano, Italy. Major Burke continued to be the fair-haired Group leader when a score of 48 percent was recorded for this mission. Then 1^st Lt. Ausbon E. Aldredge of Alexandria, Louisiana, set his plane down on the runway on returning from this mission, he became the first pilot and the first officer in the Group to complete fifty sorties. Another of his enlisted men, S. Sgt. Maywood Carpenter from Summerville, Ohio, also completed his fifty sorties with Lt. Aldredge. Wing Commander William L. Lee rode as an observer on this mission.

Mission #57, 7 July, 1944 - Blechhammer North Synthetic Plant, Germany

Back again to Blechhammer, Germany; this time to the North Plant. Again Colonel Glantzberg led, again the weather was bad, again smoke pots and the anti-aircraft were at work. The bombs were dropped by pathfinder. Although the photographs are poor, not much damage is believed to have been done to the target. Thirty-two enemy planes were seen, five were destroyed and four probably destroyed. A total of twenty-one of our bombers were damaged on this mission two men were injured.

Mission #58, 8 July, 1944 - Korneuburg Oil Refinery, Austria

On July 8^th Lt. Colonel Hawes came through with a great mission to the Korneuburg Oil Refinery, Austria. Fifty-two percent of the bombs were dropped within 1000 feet of the center of impact. The weather was excellent, but there were enemy airplane encounters and plenty of damage by flak. The 49^th Wing formation on this mission was exceptionally good.

Mission #59, 11 July, 1944 - Submarines at Toulon, France

Lt. Colonel Applegate led the Group in an attack on submarines stationed in the harbor of Toulon. The weather was excellent and the Germans were slow in starting their smoke pots. The flak was only moderate in intensity. For some reason, however, most of the bombs overshot the target to the right with only fair results.

Mission #60, 12 July, 1944 - Nimes, Marshalling Yard, France

By the 12^th of the month several of the crews had completed their fifty sorties. Upward of 100 combat crew members had been sent back to the United States on a rotation basis. Other crews were at rest camps. The number of crews available, consequently, was limited. For this mission it was decided to fly a formation of four flights instead of the customary six flights.

For the first time in its history the 461^st Group was really hit on the bomb run by a formation-concentration of enemy fighters. Twenty-eight enemy fighters hit the last flight of six planes and knocked down four of them. Three of the planes went down over the target at Nimes, France, and the fourth apparently failed in an effort to ditch within the sight of Toulon. The planes lost over the target were those piloted by 1^st Lt. Richard S. Fawcett, 2^nd Lt. Frederick L. Dunn, and 2^nd Lt. Chester A. Ray Jr. Lt. Fawcett's plane was in bad shape when last seen. From all three planes, never the less, chutes were seen to open. 2^nd Lt. William J. Barnes, the youngest officer in the Group, was pilot of the plane which attempted to ditch in the Gulf of Lion.

The fighter attack split up the bomb run with the result that the mission was scored only 24 percent on the big Marshalling Yard. Seven enemy planes were shot down. It was apparent to all that evil days had at last caught up with the hitherto invincible 461^st

Mission #61, 14 July, 1944 - Petfurdo Oil Refinery, Hungary

Although Major Dooley flew the day following this mission, this mission was the last on which he led the Group before going home on rotation. His swan song as a Group leader netted him and the Group the highest score thus far ever obtained by the Group when 82 percent of the bombs were dropped within 1000 feet of the center of impact on the Petfurdo Oil Refinery near Budapest in Hungary. The weather was CAVU, only two enemy airplanes were seen, and only slight flak was experienced at the target.

Mission #62, 15 July, 1944 - Creditul Minier Oil Refinery, Ploesti, Roumania

The all-out mission of the Fifteenth Air Force against the Ploesti Oil Refineries on the 15^th of July had been designed as the final knock-out blow. On the 26^th of June, the Air Force had conducted a meeting with representatives of all the Groups to discuss this mission and to clarify pathfinder bombing. The day following this conference Captain Leffler began both a bomb trainer program and an air training program to continue pathfinder methods which were already well developed in this Group. Carefully selected flight leader crews were withheld from combat missions during this intensified training program. For days they flew practice missions against Pianossa Island.

Fully two weeks before the mission was flown, the 461^st Group had been designated as the Group to lead the Wing. This put Colonel Glantzberg in the lead plane. With him were the old reliable team of Captain Strong, Captain Leffler, Captain Pruitt, Lt. Sullivan, and Lt. Gizelba. Colonel Lee flew as Wing Commander with Captain Waiters.

The Creditul Minier Oil Refinery, three miles south of the city limits of Ploesti, was the Wing target. Using pathfinder methods, Lt. Gizelba completely saturated the vital installations of the refinery with bombs. The success of the mission earned for Colonel Lee and Lt. Gizelba the Distinguished Flying Cross. The target was partially obscured by six-tenths cloud coverage. Intense, accurate and heavy flak damaged fourteen of our planes and knocked down the one piloted by 1^st Lt. William L. Weems.

Mission #63, 16 July, 1944 - Wiener Neudorf Aircraft Engine Factory, Austria

The Group continued the use of pathfinder methods with a formation of four flights against the Wiener Neudorf Aircraft Engine Factory in Austria on 16 July. Bombing through an almost complete undercast, the Group missed the target when the bombs fell short and to the right.

Mission #64, 18 July, 1944 - Manzell Dornierwerke Aircraft Components Factory near Friedrichshafen, Germany

Lt. Colonel Hawes maintained his personally unpleasant tradition on this mission of being the hard luck leader in the Group. For more than three months he had drawn more than his share of rough missions to lead. He had led formations around, through, and over weather that would have turned back a less determined leader. His formations had repeatedly been attacked by fighters and his targets had repeatedly been obscured by clouds, haze, or smoke pots. Despite all this he was still trying to turn in another really superior mission. Fate, on the other hand, refused to smile on his efforts.

En route to the important Manzell Dornierwerke Aircraft Components Factory near Friedrichshafen, Germany, Lt. Colonel Hawes, leading the Wing, ran into bad weather which caused many of the Pilots to return to their respective bases. When the weather cleared - some thirty miles short of the target - the Colonel rallied the Wing formation for the bomb run. Weather over the target was CAVU, but the anti-aircraft fire was extremely intense and accurate. A total of 27 percent of the 1000 pound RDX bombs scored within the prescribed 1000 foot circle.

COMMENDATION

From: Lee CO, 49^th Bomb Wing (H), APO 520.

To: Commanding Officer, 451^st 461^st 484^th Bomb Group, APO 520, US Army.

"Confidential, with reference to raid made 18 July 1944 and Commendation received from Commanding General, Fifteenth Air Force, on same, I wish to add my hearty congratulations and deep appreciation of a job superiorly performed. This well performed mission indicates that the mission was expertly planned and excellent judgment on the part of the Combat Wing Commander was used in its execution. It also indicates superior air discipline on the part of all Groups and the personnel thereof. Please convey the above Commendation to all personnel of your Command and carry on smartly.”

Mission #65, 19 July, 1944 - Schleissheim Airdrome Installations, Munich, Germany

Success still crowned the efforts of Major Burke as a Group leader on the difficult mission to the Schleissheim Airdrome Installations at Munich. The target was partially obscured by clouds and the flak holed eighteen of the twenty-three planes over the target, but 43 percent of the 1000 pound general purpose bombs were within 1000 feet of the briefed aiming point.

Mission #66, 21 July 1944 - Brux Synthetic Oil Refinery, Czechoslovakia

Targets selected by the Fifteenth Air Force continued to be rough. Lt. Colonel Knapp led the Group on its first mission to Czechoslovakia. The target was the synthetic oil refinery at Brux. The bombs were dropped through a five tenths cloud coverage by the pathfinder method.

Mission #67, 22 July,1944 - Romana Americana Oil Refinery, Ploesti, Roumania

Still rough. Despite the efforts of the Air Force on the 15^th day of July to finish off Ploesti, the Romana Americana Oil Refinery was assigned to the Group as its target for 22 July. Colonel Glantzberg led the Wing. In the lead plane with him were Lt. Specht, Captain Leffler, Major Pruitt, Lt. Simeroth, and Lt. Gizelba. After the Group was on the bomb run, Colonel Glantzberg's plane had No. 4 engine knocked out by flak and the No. 3 engine set on fire. Captain Leffler salvoed the bombs as the plane went into a circle to the left. After losing 8000 feet, Colonel Glantzberg and Lt. Specht were able to level off the plane. The fire in the engine was extinguished by feathering the prop. After the fire had been extinguished the prop was unfeathered and the crew came home on three engines.

All the planes dropped their bombs as briefed on the Group leader. All of them fell short of the target. Of the twenty two planes on the bomb run seventeen were hard hit by flak and four others were lost. Two planes, one piloted by 2^nd Lt. Clarence W. Bloxom and the other one by 2^nd Lt. Elias R. Moses, both of whom were flying their second combat mission, left the formation after the target and disappeared. 1^st Lt. Taylor bailed his crew out near the base when he had but one engine left. 1^st Lt. Holmes also bailed his crew out near the base when leaks in his gas line caused him to run out of fuel. One man on Lt. Taylor's crew, F/O Irving Smithkin, was fatally injured in parachuting to earth.

While the planes were away from the base on the mission, a fire, which had started in a wheat field west of the base, swept up to the fire barriers which had previously been burned around the edges of the field. No damage was done to the installations or equipment on the field, but the bomb dump was set on fire. Smoke from the conflagration covered the field with the result that only five planes, including the one piloted by Colonel Glantzberg, were able to land. Captain Donovan, who had flown the mission as deputy group I leader, took about half the planes in the formation to Pantanella. The remainder of the planes landed at various fields in the area of Torretta.

The 280 heavy anti-aircraft guns at Ploesti had turned the trick for the first time of keeping the 461^st from reaching its target.

Mission #68, 24 July 1944 - Troop Concentrations at Pljevlja, Prejepolje, Sjenica, and Andrijevica, Yugoslavia

By the end of the third week of July most of the original combat crew members had completed their missions. Replacement crews were coming into the Group very rapidly. The Co-pilots of several flight leader crews, often having been "ranked" out of the missions by staff pilots and so being behind their respective crews in the number of sorties flown, had recently been made first pilots and assigned to fly with the new crews. The Air Force decided that a "freshman mission" led by experienced personnel was needed by the Group. As the result of this decision, together with the request of the Yugoslavs for help, a comparatively easy mission was assigned to the Group. The targets were German troop concentrations which were not defended by heavy anti-aircraft guns.

Since there were four targets and since the Group was authorized to prepare the details of its own field order for this mission, it was decided that each of the four flights would hit a target. All of the targets were hit successfully. The 766^th Squadron, which had the largest target, dropped 88 percent of its bombs on the briefed aiming point. The mission, on the whole, was good.

Mission #69, 25 July 1944 - Herman Goering Tank Works, Linz, Austria

And then it happened. Major Burke's long string of highly successful missions was broken by disaster. Now the Commanding Officer of the 766^th Squadron as a replacement for Major Dooley, who had returned to the United States, he led a four-flight formation of twenty-one airplanes in an attack on the heavily defended Herman Goering Tank Works at Linz, Austria. Just after the bomb bay doors had been opened and the formation had begun its bomb run, it was attacked by twenty-five twin engine and 125 single engine enemy planes.

Taking advantage of the fact that most of the planes flown by new crews did not have their ball turret down on the bomb run, the twin engine planes came up under the lead flight of the formation and began throwing rockets through the bomb bay doors. The first plane to go down was Major Burke's lead plane. Instead of packing the formation in close, the inexperienced bomber pilots spread the formation. Captain Franklin, 1^st Lt. Henry, Lt. King, Lt. Sullivan, and Lt. Gizelba, flying the Deputy Lead plane, salvoed their bombs and attempted to rally the formation. By this time, however, the single engine fighters, still attacking low but now from the rear, picked off planes in the struggling formation. Eleven bombers were knocked down as parachutes, tracers, rockets, enemy fighters, and exploding bombers filled the air with confusion. The nose gunner on one of the crews that returned from the mission counted thirty-two parachutes in the air at one time.

The pilot in the lead plane with Major Burke was 1^st Lt. Joseph B. Hesser. Pilots of other planes lost were 1^st Lt. Edwin W. Boyer, 2^nd Lt. Robert W. Fisher, 2^nd Lt. Richard E. Freeman, 2^nd Lt. Glenial Fulks, 2^nd Lt. Kenneth O. Githens, 2^nd Lt. John J. Kane, 2^nd Lt. Grover F. Mitchell, 2^nd Lt. Rolland T. Olson, 2^nd Lt. Wray M. Stitch, and 2^nd Lt. Robert A. Warren, Jr. In addition to the eleven bombers shot down over the target, four more were lost on this mission. The plane piloted by 2^nd Lt. Douglas A. Herrin, one of the eight that returned to the Base, was so badly shot up that it was salvaged. 2^nd Lt. Casper T. Jenkins, with three wounded men aboard, washed out his plane when he attempted to land it at Foggia. 1^st Lt. Edgar M. Trenner, using parachutes as a substitute for flaps and landing with a punctured tire, washed out his plane at the Base. 2^nd Lt. Robert G. Wester bailed his crew out over the friendly Isle of Vis.

The last flight in the formation was led by 1^st Lt. Robert E. Arbuthnot. As the enemy planes flew past his plane in attacking the bombers in the front of the formation his gunners had a field day. They claimed 14 enemy aircraft destroyed, 6 probably destroyed, and 3 damaged. The claim of the twelve crews that finally returned to the base was 31 destroyed, 19 probably destroyed, and 9 damaged. Of the 19 planes claimed as probable it is likely that many of them were actually destroyed, but the gunners were too busy to follow the downward flight of crippled planes to the ground.

Of the 113 officers and men who went down on this mission, seven officers and nine enlisted men were flying their fiftieth sortie. 1^st Lt. Ernest R. Henry was the only individual flying his fiftieth sortie on the mission to return to the base.

For the first time in its history, enemy fighters successfully turned back the 461^st Group short of its target.

Mission #70, 27 July 1944 - Pec, Yugoslavia

The Air Force gave the Group off on the 26^th of July to lick its wounds, and on the following day the field order specified another "freshman mission" to Yugoslavia. The weather was CAVU. There was neither flak nor fighters. 1^st Lt. Patrick J. Flaherty, still shaken by his experiences at Nimes, France on the 12^th of July when his face was cut by flying glass, failed to identify the conspicuous target of Pec. The town, a center of German resistance, was missed completely. Lt. Flaherty was permanently grounded from flying combat missions following this incident. Colonel Glantzberg flew this mission as an observer in a P-38.

Mission #71, 28 July 1944 - Phlorina, Greece

Another chance for the jittery old crews and the completely inexperienced new crews to convert a "milk run" into a successful mission. This time the Group, led for the first time by the new Group Operations Officer, Captain Joseph N. Donovan, turned the trick by dropping 40.7 percent of the bombs on the briefed target. Greece became the ninth country in Europe in which the 461^st had bombed when the railroad station and Marshalling Yard at Phlorina was hit with a good pattern of bombs.

Lt. Colonel Hawes flew the P-38 as an observer on this mission, but Colonel Glantzberg chose the spot of co-pilot in one of the last planes in the bomber formation. At the critique following the mission the Commanding Officer radiated his old confidence. Smilingly he told the crew members that he felt ten years younger after seeing the formation flying and the pattern bombing done that day.

The last paragraph of Intops Summary No. 388, dated 13 August 1944, reads as follows:

"5. BOMB DAMAGE - A ground report recently received indicated the success of the attack of 28 July by B-24's of the 461 1st Bomb Group on Phlorina M/Y. This report states that the railroad station was badly damaged and casualties to the Germans approximately 250 killed, 750 wounded, many while waiting to entrain."

Mission #72, 30 July 1944 - Budapest Duna Aircraft Factory Buildings, Hungary

Off again to bomb a rough target after the freshman missions and the Linz catastrophe. The Group, with Colonel Glantzberg leading, did a good job on the Duna Aircraft Factory Buildings in Budapest, Hungary, despite the fact that one Flight in the formation dropped its bombs at the initial point. The cloud coverage was two tenths, the flak was moderate, accurate, and heavy and the enemy planes seen were nine. Twelve of the nineteen planes over the target were hit by flak. A total of 28.6 percent of the 500-pound RDX bombs were scored on the briefed aiming point. This was the first time the Group had been back to the Duna Aircraft Factory since its highly successful mission of 13 April 1944.

Mission #73, 31 July 1944 - Bucharest, Prahova Oil Refinery, Roumania

Back to Bucharest for the last mission of the month with the usual results over that target area. The target was the Prahova Oil Refinery that is located near the railroad tracks in the northwest section of the City. The cloud coverage was five tenths. As usual there was moderate, inaccurate flak. Only 8.8 percent of the bombs were scored within 1000 feet of the center of impact. The mission was led by Major Word who had succeeded Major Burke, first as Group Operations Officer and now as the 766^th Squadron Commander.

Editors Note: The month of July was a bad one for the 461st. We lost 20 aircraft to enemy activity, mostly fighters, as reported in the mission summaries. The following crews, only the pilot's name is given, were listed missing in action on the dates shown.

PILOT	DATE	TARGET
2^nd Lt. Mac L. Lucas	3 July 1944	Bucharest, Hungary
1st Lt. William J. Barnes	12 July 1944	Nimes, France
1st Lt. Richard S. Fawcett	12 July 1944	Nimes, France
1st Lt. Chester A. Ray, Jr.	12 July 1944	Nimes, France
2^nd Lt. Frederick L. Dunn	12 July 1944	Nimes, France
1st Lt. William L. Weems	15 July 1944	Ploesti, Roumania
1st Lt. Edwin L. McCrary	22 July, 1944	Ploesti, Roumania
1st Lt. Clarence W. Bloxom	22 July, 1944	Ploesti, Roumania
2^nd Lt. Elias E. Moses	22 July, 1944	Ploesti, Roumania
2^nd Lt. Wray M. Stitch	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. Genial Fulks	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. Robert A. Warren, Jr.	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
1st Lt. Edwin W. Boyer	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. Rolland T. Olson	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. Kenneth O. Githens	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
1st Lt. Richard E. Freeman	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. John J. Kane	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
1st Lt. Joseph B. Hesser *	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
1st Lt. Grover F. Mitchell	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria
2^nd Lt. Robert E. Fisher	25 July, 1944	Linz, Austria

*Major William Burke, 766th Sq CO, and 2^nd Lt. Joseph Pagoto, Mickey Operator were aboard his lead aircraft.

(C) Photo Section.

The enclosed photographs accompany this history for the month.

(D) Special Accounts.

a. Promotions

Officers

13 July 1944 -		Marion M. Pruitt, Group Navigation Officer, from Captain to Major.
1 July 1944	Enlisted Men
MOS	Name		ASN	Grade
(275)	Theodore B. Epstein		12128843	Sgt to S Sgt
(345)	Carl L. Shipp		37015999	Pfc to Cpl
(502)	Regis W. Wiegand		33290754	Cpl to Sgt
(405)	William H. Hoge		19075115	Pfc to Cpl
(590)	James H. Lane		34355918	Pvt to Pfc
15 July 1944
(911)	James D. Buchanan		20721962	S Sgt to T Sgt

b. Missing in Action Reports.

(Returned to Duty)
Name		MIA Date	Target	Returned Date
Sgt Alvin F Borchert		3 July ‘44	Bucharest	24 July 1944
Sgt Harry V Crown		3 July ‘44	Bucharest	24 July 1944
S Sgt Raymond J. Lucas		3 July ‘44	Bucharest	24 July 1944
Sgt Robert C. Sweeney		3 July ‘44	Bucharest	24 July 1944
(Prisoners of War)
Rank	Name		MIA Date	Target
2^nd Lt.	Virgil S. Miles		10 May ‘44	Wiener Neustadt
2^nd Lt.	William E. Rider		10 May ‘44	Wiener Neustadt
Sgt	Joseph R. Baca		10 May ‘44	Wiener Neustadt
S Sgt	Anthony Catalano		10 May ‘44	Wiener Neustadt
S Sgt	Frank P. Caron		24 May ‘44	Wiener Neustadt
2^nd Lt.	James C. Laulis		26 June ‘44	Korneuburg
F/O	Samuel M. Zive		26 June ‘44	Korneuburg
Sgt	Bevins Clark		26 June ‘44	Korneuburg
Sgt	Ned W. Wieman		26 June ‘44	Korneuburg

c. Awards and Decorations.

	HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE APO 520
GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 1802		13 July 1944.

SECTION I – AWARDS OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.

ROBERT W. WALTERS, 0-667602, Captain, 767^th Bomb Sq, 461^st Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. On 11 May 1944 Captain Walters was pilot of a B-24 type aircraft on a hazardous mission to bomb a vital oil refinery in Rumania. Enroute to the target his aircraft developed mechanical failures in two engines, but in spite of these difficulties he continued on, and despite determined enemy opposition by anti-aircraft fire and fighters, which caused severe damage to his plane, aided materially in the tremendous damage inflicted on the assigned target. Turning from the target his damaged aircraft was forced to leave the protection of the formation. Through superb pilotage and courageous determination Capt. Walters fought his way throughout the long trip through enemy territory, and in spite of the almost unflyable condition of his aircraft, brought both plane and crew safely to their home base. By his leadership, professional skill and devotion to duty, as evidenced throughout thirty-four (34) combat missions, Capt. Walters has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Residence at appointment: Miami Beach, Florida.

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 1864

15 July 1944.

SECTION I – AWARDS OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.

Under the provisions of AR 600-45, as amended, and pursuant to authority contained in Circular Number 26, Headquarters NATOUSA, 6 March 1944, the Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded the following named personnel, Air Corps, United States Army, residence and citation as indicated:

PHILLIP R. HAWES, 0-21220, Lieutenant Colonel, Headquarters, 461^st Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as pilot of a B-24 type aircraft. On 23 June 1944, Lt. Col. Hawes led a wing formation on a bombing mission against an important enemy oil center in Rumania. Despite severe and adverse weather conditions together with determined enemy resistance, Lt. Col. Hawes skillfully maneuvered the entire formation through the enemy defenses for a highly successful bombing run. Under his superior leadership the formation virtually destroyed the assigned objective. Turning from the target, he quickly rallied his formation, and again brought them through adverse weather conditions for a safe return to base without loss. By his outstanding professional skill, leadership and devotion to duty, together with his personal combat record of over twenty-six (26) successful missions against the enemy, Lt Col Hawes has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Residence at appointment: Nanuet, New York.

EDWIN T. GOREE, 0-724610, Major, 764^th Bomb Sq, 461^st Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as pilot of a B-24 type aircraft. On 6 June 1944, Major Goree led his group on a particularly hazardous bombing mission against an important enemy oil refinery in Rumania. In the target area the formation encountered an intense concentration of accurate, heavy flak, both aimed and barrage, and many aggressive attacks were made by enemy fighters. Despite this severe opposition and the fact that the target was partially obscured by smoke, Major Goree led his formation directly over the target for a highly successful bombing run. Turning from the objective he skillfully rallied his formation avoiding an area of flak concentration, thus avoiding possible loss to his aircraft and brought the entire formation safely back to base. By his leadership, sound judgment and professional skill, as evidenced throughout his combat career, Major Goree has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Residence at appointment: San Francisco, California.

JAMES O. BEAN, 0-794458, First Lieutenant, 764^th Bomb Sq, 461^st Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as pilot of a B-24 type aircraft. On 14 May 1944, Lt Bean led his formation on a bombing mission against vital enemy strategic installations in Italy. Through superior leadership, coordination, and maintenance of strict flight discipline, despite severe damages sustained by his aircraft, he brought the entire formation through extremely heavy enemy opposition by intense barrages of heavy anti-aircraft fire for a highly successful bombing run which caused heavy damage to be inflicted on enemy rolling stock and supplies, seriously crippling this important link in the enemy lines of transportation and communications. Through the use of exceptionally efficient combat tactics Lt Bean accomplished this difficult and hazardous mission with a minimum of losses that were far below the normal expectancy for suck an assignment. By his outstanding airmanship, gallantry, and devotion to duty, Lt Bean has upheld the highest traditions of the Military Service, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Residence at appointment: Elnore, Indiana.

EARL M. DeWITT, 0-733413, First Lieutenant, 764^th Bomb Sq, 461^st Bomb Gp. For extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as navigator of a B-24 type aircraft. On 7 May 1944, Lt. DeWitt led his group on a bombing mission against an important and heavily defended rail and communications center in Rumania. Because of adverse weather conditions, shortly after getting on course, the formation was required to fly under complete instrument conditions that made navigation extremely difficult. However, despite this hazardous condition, Lt. DeWitt successfully brought his group to the target, doing a superior job in avoiding several heavy enemy flak areas enroute. A perfect bombing run was made, the bombs being dropped with devastating effect, scoring numerous direct hits on the roundhouse and rail center and inflicting great damage to other nearby installations. Adverse weather was encountered on the route to base, but Lt. DeWitt again utilized his exceptional skill to bring the formation safely back to base without loss or damage. By his superior leadership, sound judgment and professional ability on this and other combat missions, Lt DeWitt has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Residence at appointment: Sparta, Wisconsin.

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 1865

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