1. The new month started quietly with no action. There is a mountainous heap of broken-down packing cases outside the supply tent at the upper end of the site, but not even these can start a moving rumour.

1st Lt Carson, bombardier, left for 70th Replacement Depot, having completed his tour; four EM left on furlough: Sgt Fitzpatrick, Cpls Gupton, Jacobs and Pfc Sullwold.

1st Lt John J. O'Connor late last month received the DFC for his job against the jet-propelled fighters, coming home on two engines. Meanwhile the automatic DFC for a tour of duty is out. Recipients will get the award on the basis of special recommendation from the group committee.

2. A stand down announced last night meant non-operational again today.

Promoted from 2nd to 1st Lts are: Raymond R. Beine and Norman M. Jones; S/Sgt Julius M. Cates, tech supply, has been transferred to the 7th Station Complement Sq on the base.

The following 15 EM left on furlough: T/Sgt Cannon; S/Sgts Duffy, Ford and LeFors; Sgts Martin and Pittenger; Cpls Brown, Finkel, Ginger, Haverley and Kitson; Pfcs Buchanan, Greene and Sosby and Pvt Altimus.

3. A mission to Bebra, Germany, Field Order #345, was scrubbed this morning. The sky has been overcast and the strong wind blowing, all day.

Tours completed gunners: S/Sgts Clair and McGorgary left for the 70th Replacement Depot while Capts Demagalski and Grey are off on 7-day leaves.

4. By all round agreement, this was a milk run, with ten of the squadron crews participating in the group's PBO on 10/10th covered railway storage sidings at Soest, Germany, when neither flak nor fighters opposed our effort.

Our pilots were: Lts Marby, Metts, Garrett, Max Miller, Sweetland, Stuart, Malleus, Beine, Osborne and Greenspan.

5. Although this morning is beautifully clear, with a high, bright moon lighting the sky at 07.00 hrs, the group is not flying. Red-red assembly flares indicates some outfits in the Division are going over.

But for our boys they have cooked up a long gunnery mission, browning off all who have to fly the five or six hours over the North Sea, whanging away at a slow-moving sleeve target, if the target ship keeps the date ! Otherwise if past experience is any indication, they'll just fly formation, up and down, until they have put in their time.

Two more new crews have been assigned: 2nd Lts Vincent J. Peters, Alexander D. Nelson, Hugh D. Robinson, George C. Kelley; Cpls Chris Gianocopulos, Edward R. Stoeckler, Henry A. Bogarty, Chester M. Slomczenski and Robert B. Bolin.

2nd Lts Elmer B. Wulf, Harlan F. Kriete, Roy E. Cook, Raymond D. Dahlgren; Cpls Edward Turner, Calvin J. Hockley, Charles F. Knaus, Gordon J. Kubiak and Virgil E. Miller.

6. The group pulled a pre-dawn practice mission today, but no combat op.

7. A mission planned for Munster was scrubbed. Tours completed, T/Sgt Henry Meier and S/Sgt Robert B. Weatherman left for the 70th Replacement Depot.

Eighteen combat officers, including Major Taylor, have been re-classified from obsolete or non-applicable categories to 1091, pilot. Six ground officers have also been re-classified. Leaving for rest homes are 1st Lt Smith, 2nd Lt Rehm, as have five EM.

The following promotions have been announced: S/Sgts Salvatore J. Francese, LeRoy S. Lyons, David M. Marmolejo, Jack A. Littell, Lucio Maddalena and Nick F. Patriarca to T/Sgt; Sgts John Belogenis, Leonard F. Park, Charles R. VanBuskirk, Julius J. Grossman, Lowell W. Keeler, Robert E. Stillwall, Lawrence S. Abbott, Leonard DeLisle and Warren J. Keenan to S/Sgts; Cpls Henry A. Bogatay, Chris Gianopoulus, Charles F. Knaus, Virgil E. Miller, Edward Stoeckler, Robert B. Bolin, Calvin J. Hockley, Gordon J. Kubiak, Chester M. Slomczenski and Edward Turner.

8. Another stand down last night. This morning frost covers the ground and clouds are at about 5/10th.
Former combat officer, and lately squadron supply head, 2nd Lt Orlan D. Carmichael, has been transferred to First Air Division HQ. Cpl Jacobs returned from furlough.

9. Col Leber led our group of 37 Fortresses to a PBO bombing of the Unterturkheim railway marshalling yards at Stuttgart today. The formation met moderate but accurate flak which wounded six men, one known to be seriously, but none in our squadron.

Weather began fouling at the German border and continued increasingly bad until in the target area. It was uncertain until the very last minutes whether instruments or visual technique would be used at bombs away. Only a few men cared to make any comment on bombing results, generally obscured by broken overcast. However, S/Sgt James C. Smith, ball turret on Lt O'Connor's "Pair of Queens", reported seeing tight patterns bursting red, sending up thick smoke from the yards.

No enemy aircraft were encountered and our escort was there all the way, but a late report has Lt Clark and crew on "Boulder Buf", down near Melun, with five wounded aboard. No details yet.

Participating today were: Todd (with Stallings), Beine, O'Connor, Springmeyer, Thornton, Malleus, Clark, Robuck and McGriffin.

T/Sgt Joseph R. Gray, gunnery instructor, has left for assignment to the AAF's Central Gunnery Scholl, at Laredo, Texas. A former engineer and a top turret gunner wounded in May 1943, hospitalized until August of that year and assigned to this squadron that month, Gray will get leave before reporting to Laredo.

From rest homes come 1st Lts Milewski and Rojohn, 2nd Lt Chamberlin, T/Sgt Heatherington, S/Sgts Gray, Abbott, Brantley, Macnyk and Williams. Returning from furloughs are: T/Sgt Cannon, S/Sgts Duffy, Ford, Lefors; Sgts Fitzpatrick, Martin, Pittenger; Cpls Brown, Finkel, Ginger, Haverly, Kitson and Gupton; Pfcs Sullwold, Buchanan, Greene and Sosby; Pvt Altimus.

10. At 06.30 hrs the sky was clear, temperature low, but at 07.00 red-red flares from the control tower indicated a mission to Mainz was scrubbed.

Back from rest homes are: 1st Lts Mitchell and Keating; T/Sgts Ackerson, Trainor and Francese; S/Sgts Karcher and DeCesare. 2nd Lt Frank J. Kappler returned from DS with the 384th BG at Grafton Underwood; tour of duty pilots 1st Lts Marbury and Miller left for 70th Replacment Depot; 1st Sgt Charlie Butts left on 7-day furlough.

11. Fortresses took off at 06.30 hrs, in clear, cold, damp weather, for an attack on the Ludwigshafen-Mannheim railroad bridge. The target was attacked by GH through 10/10th undercast. Weather was fair up to half an hour before the target when clouds and haze forced the group to sacrifice altitude for the bombing.
Flak was meagre but accurate and cost the 532nd a crew and ship, which exploded under a direct hit in the target area.

The squadron had no aborts in this largest daylight mission (1,600 US heavies over the Reich). Our pilots were: Lts Simmons (with Capt Scarborough), Mitchell, Rojohn, O'Connor, McGriffin, Springmeyer, Greenspan, Robuck and Malleus.

1st Lt Robert Osborne, pilot, tour completed, is headed for the 70th Replacement Depot; Capts Demagalski and Gray returned from leave; promotions from 2nd to 1st Lts announced for: George A. Peterson and Ralph E. Quatrine.

Lt Clark and crew have been reported definitely down near Melun, France, on mission of Dec 9, casualties are reported but no details available. With Lt Clark were 2nd Lts Murphy and Simpson; T/Sgt Fischer; S/Sgts Robey, Wallstrom, Sladek, Foster and Sgt Irving Dunham.

12. Captain Tyson, squadron operations officer, took off in the lead of 37 ships this morning to a 10/10th job on Merseburg. Moderate and inaccurate flak bursts both above and below the formations on the bomb run, and Capt Tyson is of the opinion chaff and other were working well. No enemy fighters were encountered and the escort was excellent.

Taking part were: Lts Garrett (with Tyson), Mitchell, Bowser, Stuart, Metts, McGriffin, Greenspan, Malleus and Robuck. One abort was recorded in another squadron, while we put up eight ships, with one on loan from the 534th.

Nineteen EM left on furloughs: M/Sgts Allen and Davis; T/Sgt Faulconer; S/Sgts Dodd, Surgens; Sgts Barrett, Ingham, Kleinmeier, Martinsen, Minnemeyer; Cpls Doyle, Hobson, Ruhl; Cpls Alley, Baxter, DiDiego, Estes, Keenan and LaFlamme.

Driver Pfc Sammie H. Davison has been transferred out to the 70th Replacement Depot, on emergency transfer to the States. One of his parents is seriously ill.

Sgt R. J. Harris left for DS with the 311th Signal Gp (Av), at Station #103, Brampton Grange, Huntingdon, 1st Bomb Wing HQ; S/Sgts Bond and Hermance left for rest home, 1st Lt Kessel off on 7-day leave and tour-of-duty pilot, 1st Lt Bant left for 70th Replacement Depot.

Lt Clark, with T/Sgt Fischer, S/Sgt Foster, Sgt Dunham returned to base today; 2nd Lt Simpson, seriously wounded, as were S/Sgts Robey and Hallstrom are hospitalized in France; 2nd Lt Murphy and Sgt Sladek, the latter already decorated with the Purple Heart for wounds received earlier, are temporarily hospitalized with slight wounds, at the 40th Field Hospital, France.

13. Non-operational today as a stand down was ordered last night. Weather is misty, damp, chilly with poor ground visibility. Then the heaviest fog of the season rolled over the base shortly before noon, which caused the cancellation of the liberty runs.

1st Lt Robert H. Angevine, mickey navigator is promoted to captain.

14. Another stand down was ordered last night, with a leaden sky, intermittent rain, following today.

15. Thirty seven group Forts took off to bomb marshalling yards at Kassel this morning. One (not 535th) aborted. Flak was meagre and inaccurate, our formation met no enemy planes, and bombing was handled PFF through 10/10th cover. The same old story. Wether continues to offer the most opposition.
Pilots for today were: Lts Metts (with Muth), McGriffin, Thornton, Robuck, Bowser, Greenspan, Rojohn, Stuart, Springmeyer and Beine.
Back from rest homes came: 1st Lts Sweetland, Smith, Doda and Carter; 2nd Lts Rehm, Francis and F/O Grace; T/Sgts Neeley, Sewell and Hamilton; S/Sgts Yevtich and Sgts Buckley.

16. Non-operational again today.

By order of Col Leber, it has been announced that time interval between furloughs has been increased from three to six months. How our best-laid plans to take it where it hurts!

17. Heavy overcast prevailed today and there was no operation.

M/Sgt Edgar Dutton returned from DS with the 15th Air Force in Italy; 1st Sgt Charlie Butts returned from furlough.

S/Sgt O'Sullivan has completed a special course at the RAF station at Kirkham, near Blackpool. With his return to base Pfc James lane leaves for DS at Station #158, Uttoxeter, Staffs.

18. Despite five aborts, two from this squadron (McGriffin in 538-E and Greenspan in 018-U), the 1st Combat Wing today was the only outfit to bomb its assigned target, marshalling yards at Cologne. Mechanical failures caused the abortives, weather was pooir, undercast solid all the way anjd again bombs went down by instrument calculations. Only one flak burst was reported, no Luftwaffe,, no losses, no casualties.

Squadron pilots were: Lts Todd (with Capt Stallings), O'Connor, Rojohn, Stuart, Beine, Peters and Wulf.
To the 70th Replacement Depot, tour complete went: 1st Lt Moulton, T/Sgts Dana V. Clark, Jr., Paul E. Miller, Mike M. Navarro, and Dwight Y. Upton; S/Sgt Michael Cooney (the latter taking with him an ancient, fringe-visored mechanic's cap which has, here and in the South Pacific, completed 99 combat missions. Cooney meant Sgt Godfrey, Metts' tail gunner, to put the bonnet through its 100th, but at the last minute couldn't overcome sentimental attachment, lugged it home as bait which perhaps will some day shut up a pack of inquisitive grandchildren.

T/Sgt Fischer, S/Sgts Amell, Foster and Sgt Dunham took off today for a session at a rest home.

19. A mission intended for Schwerte, Germany was scrubbed. There was plenty of fog, with 25-yard ground visibility today.

S/Sgts Lewis and Brostek left for rest homes, Pfc Patrick J. Lani, driver now in hospital, has been transferred out of the group; T/Sgt Lionel J. Pilon, boss ordnance man, is on DS at Station #520, Melton Mowbray, Leics.
Three new crews have joined the squadron; 2nd Lts Curtis D. Kuhns, James D. Larson, Richard O. Waltz, F/O Paul T. Cawley; Cpls Gaylord R. Allen, Jr., Richard E. Cox, David G. Kehr, Frank D. LaBellarte and Fred L. Menotti.

2nd Lts Leo B. Nugent, Russell C. Mosley, Douglas A. Bridges, F/O Clifford F. Decker; Cpls Bill R. Buttry, John A. Cuestra, Edward J. Franklin, Leslie A. Rose and Walter A. Stevenson.

2nd Lts John A. Williamson, Arden D. Callender, James F. Garvey, William A. Durston; Cpls David W. Cree, Robert H. Lay, Robert M. Kershaw, Edward J. McDonald and Jeremiah W. Sullivan.

Back from furloughs are: M/Sgts Allen and Davis; T/Sgt Faulconer; S/Sgts Dodd, Surgens; Sgts Barrett, Ingham, Kleinmeyer, Martinsen and Minnemeyer; Cpls Doyl, Robson, Ruhl, and Pfcs Alley, Baxter, DiDiego, Estes Keenan and LaFlamme.

20. Another mission was scrubbed today, this one plane for targets in Cologne. As yesterday, crews were awakened, fed, briefed before the show was finally called off. More fog today anyway.

1st Lt Mac Stallings returned from rest home and tour completed, S/Sgt William H. Sedewall left for home via the 70th replacement Depot.

21. Non-operational again today. The fog has lightended to heavy mist, with chill drizzle starting at 07.00 hrs and lasting nearly an hour.

The annual Children's Chistmas party is slated for a run through at the Aeroclub tomorrow.

Promotions include: Sgt Gurton R. Whittingham (Arky to you, goat fancier and squadron boss cook) to S/Sgt; 21 gunners promoted five to T/Sgt and 16 to S/Sgt.

1st Lt O'Neill, bombardier, finished his tour and left for the 70th Replacement Depot; Cpls Burgoyne, Bray, and Pfc Bollong left on furloughs.

22. Non-operational again today, with the fog in tight this morning, lifting somewhat, but persisting this afternoon.

The kids' Christmas Party at the Aeroclub included movies, ice crean cines, candy, oranges and gifts from two Santas, Cpl Tommy Terreri took over from the original redcoat after the former burned out under a fast 90 minutes of meeting and greeting most of the 350 energetic kids who showed up. Terreri was assisted in the gift-giving by some of the 50-odd officers and GIs who showed up to lend a hand, partake a little of the only genuine Chrstmas cheer we're likely to see around this bog.

A great many bad guessers figured we'd be long since out of welcome of Christmas 1944. So it goes. Instead of grovelling for terms, any terms, Jerry's jamming a corridor through the Ardennes into Belgium, heading for the Meuse. Wonder how the Christmas 1945 party will stack up against today's.

Sgt R. J. Harris has been transferred from 8th Air Force Service Command to DS, Continent with the 401st Signal Company, still on DS; 1st Lt Floyd Metts, pilot, left for home today, via 70th Replacement Depot, tour completed.

2nd Lt Murphy and S/Sgt Sladek have returned from brief hospitalization in France, after being slightly wounded in action over Stuttgart on the 9th.

23. Stand down last night. Weather cool, damp and partially overcast this morning.

Distant, but building-shaking explosions at 07.05 and 07.10 hrs were followed about 08.00 by the appearance of a low flying buzz-bomb, cutting across the south side off the base, a fighter hot after it. Both disappeared behind low horizon cloudbank after the fighter let a couple of short machine gun bursts without any luck.

Today the group slow-times 12 ships, three from out squadron, all engine burn-outs from the heavy overboost run of the 18th. The job was done in the two clear hours afforded us around noon, the first break in the weather since the planes returned from Cologne on the 18th.

John W. Dawson and George E. Smith promoted from Pvt to Pfc; Sgts Bond and Hermance returned from the rest home.

24. The squadron flew in "A" Combat Wing, which led the entire First Division (Col Leber with the 534th in front), in the Eighth Air Force's biggest job to date. More than 2,000 heavies, 900 fighters, exclusive of the RAF's great effort, bombed communications and airfield targets behind the German lines in the area between the American First and Third Armies.

Our specific target was was an airfield and temporary installations but no runways at Ettinghausen. Other squadrons in the group hit similar targets at Kirch Gons.

The weather was absolutely VACU and strike photos show we bongoed on the field, only one bomb falling outside the tight but big chrysanthemum pattern on the button. Flak was moderate half an hour before the target, but then there was none. There were no Luftwaffe around.

Our 12 participants all on squadron ships were: Lts Davison, Smith, Thornton, Sweetland, McGriffin, Greenspan, Robuck, Wulf, Peters, Rojohn, Springmeyer and Malleus.

The group put up a total of 51 ships, Lt Davison led this squadron, in addition to the ships used by our outfit we loaned out to other squadrons.

Weather was poor, many areas socked down tight, in Western England this evening, and 75 planes from other groups landed here. Our mechanics, refueling men, armament and ordnance workers took care of the lot.

25. We got our White Christmas and Jerry got a break today. The heaviest frost in more than 50 years covered everything with snow-like thickness and the pure brilliance of numberless crystals, heaped up into stalactites and trees and shrubs as well whitening the grass. And they called a scrub this morning on an intended operation agaist Schwerte, Germany.

Excepting skeleton staffs and men from the motor pool needed to chauffeur the visiting combat crewmen around. Offices are taking it easy today. Activities include free beer for GI's at Theater, PX and RAF site (paid for out of the Officers Club Fund); reception for two graders at the Officers Club, with lethal rum punch included in the do. Much fraternity and informality was reported out of this affair.

The Aeroclub offered coffee, refreshment and music, following a sing and Major Wilcox's reading for Dicken's Christmas Carol there last night. Fog held us tight all day.

The Consolidated Mess's turkey feed was the biggest yet, including plenty of turkey, plus two green vegetables, potatoes, cranberries, bread and butter, coffee, chocolate pudding in open-face pie form, marble cake, oranges, apples and hard candy. The whole job was well handled and the cooks got plenty of credit on the spot. Most of us just waddled away to a comfortable corner where we could digest the works slowly !

26. Non-operational today, although the weather is gorgeous, cold and clear with the frost still clinging thickly everywhere. Some of the "visitors" planes got away today.

T/Sgt R.C. Adams left for the rest home.

27. No-operational again today. T/Sgt Donald L. Coultrip, tour completed, was off home via the 70th Replacement Depot; 1st Lt Clark returned from rest home and T/Sgt Pilon from DS.

Promotions from 2nd to 1st Lt included: Robert M. Francis, Roy H. Kephart, James F. Arnold and John J. Motto.

28. Major Briggs, Group Operations, with Capt Demagalski up front, this squadron led the "B" group of the Combat Wing to a PBO bombing, through 10/10th clouds, against the Ludendorf bridge, at Remagen.

There was no flak, no enemy fighters, big escort, perfect weather at altitude and all clouds well below the formations. Crewmen described it as their easiest mission. As well as Capt Demagalski, our other pilots were: Lts Mitchell, Rojohn, Biene, Springmeyer, Robock, Grobe and Malleus.

Major Benjamin P. Vickery Jr., a former training unit operations head in the States, has been assigned as a combat officer; also assigned in is Pvt Ernest J. Daneri, from the 7th Station Complement Sq.

T/Sgt Fischer, S/Sgts Amell, Foster, Dunham, Brostek and Lewis returned from rest home; while Cpls Bray and Burgoyne, and Pfc Bollong returned from furlough.

1st Lt Stuart, pilot, has finished his tour and headed for the 70th Replacement Depot; Pfc Clranence R. Greene, old-timer about the site, has been transferred out, having been absent sick for some time.

29. A mission to Ruhland today was scrubbed, although some divisional groups are flying for other targets. 1st Lts Ralph W. Spatz, Melvin R. McIntyre and Henry S. Tabor left for 7-days leave.

30. Col Shackley, 533rd, described this one as another milk-run, as our Forts hit Mainz, Germany, through 10/10th clouds, unopposed. Our planes returned at 16.00 hrs. We lent the 533rd a ship.

Participating pilots were: Lts Rojohn, Bowser, Thornton, Sweetland, Greenspan, Grobe, McGriffin, Wulf, Robuck and Springmeyer.

Another new crew was assigned today: 2nd Lts Wilbur J. Hawley, Charles A. Wesel, F/Os Joseph A. George, Lawrence E. Boomershine; Cpls Thomas F. Butler, James E. Elliott, Sylvester J. Caster, Thomas N. Laffin Jr., and Frederick D. Loose.

31. This marked the third floater in a row for us. Although the radio tonight says the Luftwaffe attacked some American heavies today, our group made it to Prum and back for a 10/10th operation there, hampered by neither enemy fighters nor flak. Flying weather was good at their altitude. Lt Bowser aborted with engine trouble on "Queenie".

Pilots who completed the run were: Todd (with Stallings), O'Connor, Sweetland, Grobe, Greenspan, Biene, Robuck and Wulf.

S/Sgt Hersey returned to duty from hospital and former Pvts Altimus, Bentley, Bluitt and Worley promoted PFC; tours completed, T/Sgts Weise, Torbet, Tabor, Gates, Rolla, and S/Sgts A. E. Miller, Gray, Lynch and Erringer left for home today; S/Sgts Brantley and Abbott were re-classified to 748.

The old year went out with a GI dance at the station theatre, an officers' dance at their club, the PX grog shop open till midnight and a light snow about 19.00 hrs. There were only a couple of unimportant fights in the beer parlor, probably because everyone's worn out by what has been the longest single fight on record: the Allies against the weather man, who has consistently given the Jerry every break.
1945 couldn't be worse from that standpoint.

SO MUCH FOR 1944.