Diary of Don Maule's B-24 MissionsS/Sgt. Donald A. Maule, Waist Gunner on the B-24 Glory Bee, 8th AF, 2nd AD, 44th BG, 67th BS.
Crew: Harold Bergmann, Engineer; Donald Maule, LW Gunner; Colin Gregory, RW Gunner; Gene Wood, Tail Gunner; Reynold Whistler, Radio Operator; Wilbur Moretti (Dago), Ball Gunner; Wilbur Carter, Pilot; Jack Still, Navigator; Roley Arterburn, Co-Pilot, and Jess Kerr, Babardier.
This is transcribed from Don's writing and some of the translation may be incorrect but I think the message will be clear.
D-day. We got up at 0200 and went to eat breakfast. We had fried eggs. After that we went to briefing and were told this was D-Day and we were to go to the French coast and bomb. We left at 0630 and as we left the English coast, the water was full of boats going to France with our boys. When we got there it was cloudy so we didn't drop any bombs because we didn't want to hit any our own fellows. We got back at 1145. We flew at 15000 feet. We had twelve 500 lb bombs. No enemy fighters or flack.
We got up at 0700. We had hotcakes for breakfast. We bombed a small town in Northern France. Liscut railroad center to keep the enemy from sending troops and supplies from Paris to the coast. W left at 1045, it was kind of cloudy, but we could see the target. Lots of boats again today. I saw one firing at the French coast. We bombed at 20000 feet. Temperature was -28 C. We carried twelve 500 lb bombs. We got back to the field at 1700. We didn't see any enemy fighters or any ant-aircraft fire. We are scheduled again tomorrow. Kerr got frostbite on his neck.
Sunday. We got up at midnight, hardly any sleep. We had hotcakes for breakfast. They were terrible as the cooks were all drunk. We went to the briefing room and everything was all mixed up as the officers had had a big dance and were all drunk. We finally found out that we were supposed to bomb a large railroad bridge in Northern France by the town Montfort. We took off at 0430. We dropped our bombs through the clouds so we couldn't see if they hit anything. No enemy fighters or anti aircraft fire. We flew at 20000 feet. Carried eight 1000-lb bombs. Temperature was -19 C. We got back to the field at 1045. Dago got sick.
We got up at 0030. We had eggs for breakfast. We went to briefing and found out that we were supposed to bomb an airfield near Chatallault. We took off at 0430. It was a pretty clear morning for a change and we got a good look at London. We got a good look at the target and all the bombs hit right in the center. It must have been several hundred planes. We saw a little anti aircraft fire but it was not very close to us. No enemy planes. We carried fifty-two 100-lb bombs and flew at 23000 feet. Temperature was -30 C. We got back to the field at 1045. I just happened to remember this is my mother's birthday.
We got up at 0130, had hotcakes for breakfast. Pretty good today to what they were last Sunday morning. We went to briefing and found out that we were supposed to bomb an airfield near Louenburg, southeast of Hamburg, Germany. We took off at 0515 and had to come back because of a gas leak. They fixed it right away and we took off again. It was partly cloudy but we didn't drop our bombs although we made about three runs on different targets. I don't know what was wrong. We brought the bombs back. Saw lots of flack, some pretty close to the fighters. We flew at 24000 feet. Temperature was -34 C. We got back at 1245. We carried 240 20-lb fragment bombs. We started yesterday but was called back just before we took off. Wasted four hours getting ready and getting back to bed.
We got up at one, we had hotcakes for breakfast. We went to briefing and were told to go way into, Germany and bomb a synthetic oil refinery at Politz. We took off at 4:45 and in the North Sea fighters hit us and knocked four or five B24's down behind us. The water was all ablaze with them. I didn't fire any. One ship started to make a pass at us, but Wood in the tail chased him away. We had lots of flack most of the way and there was about seventy-seven big guns over the target and you could hear the flack break all around us awfully close. We left the target flaming and smoking. Fifty percent of German oil was supposed to come from there. We sure hit it. We flew 22000 feet. Temperature -20 C. Got back at 1:45. A long trip. I got a little frostbite on my right ear the last time. We carried forty 100-lb bombs. We now get the air medal, they say.
We started to Berlin yesterday, but number 1 quit about three hours out and we came back. This morning at 5:30 we had hotcakes for breakfast. We were told to go to Newcourt, about 20 miles north of Paris. Supposed to be a big supply depot. We hit it on the edge. We took off at 8:30, got back about 1:30. Saw some flack but no fighters. Was about 60 guns over the target. They told us there were about 400 over Berlin. Instead of the four or five on that mission to Politz, they lost about 25 right behind us. We flew at 23000 today. Temperature at -20 C and carried twelve 500-lb bombs.
*NOTE: Evidently he meant instead of losing the four or five planes on that mission to Politz.
We got at 6:00, had hotcakes for breakfast. We went to briefing and were told to go and bomb a power plant by Abbyville, France. We took off at 9:15 and landed at 2:08. It was a pretty clear day and about everything we could see in France was all bombed to pieces. We flew at 25000 feet. Carried fifty-two 100-lb bombs. Temp was -29 C. We couldn't see the target for sure, but the bombs all hit pretty close in one spot. I saw two airfields bombed today along the course we flew and they were both blown up.
We almost got it today. Artie got three fingers cut off his right hand by flack. The same piece also cut out all of the instrument wires, hydraulic lines and Artie's oxygen supply. We got hit at 23000. We got about 20 holes, all from flack. It sure was close. One piece went out through the left tire and cut the aileron wire. We crash landed with three engines, no brakes, and the left tire out. And aileron on the left out. Everybody said it was the best landing like that they ever saw. They took Artie right to the hospital We didn't take off till 3:15 in the afternoon and got back about 8:45. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. Temperature was -30 C. Target: railroad tunnel 15 miles northwest of Paris. Missed it.
*NOTE: Grandpa told me that there was much discussion on the plane on whether or not they should shoot out the right tire as well prior to landing but it was decided not to. Also, they later were told that Hitler was at the target site and that was why the flack was so heavy.
**NOTE: Although Hitler had been in France a few days earlier, despite what may have been believed at the time, he was more likely at the Berghof by the time this raid was conducted.
It's been a week since we flew. Artie is not hurt to bad but some of the airplane is in his right leg. We got up at 1:00 and had fried eggs for breakfast. They told us to go into Northern France and bomb an airfield. It has been raining for a week and I didn't think we would fly this morning. We were ready at about 3:00 to take off at ~ and they set take off up till 6. We went out at 24000 feet. Almost had to come back on account of a supercharger on number 4. It was cloudy and we didn't see anything except a little flack. We carried fifty-two 100-lb bombs Temperature was -32 C.
Just a month since our first mission We got up about 1:30, had boiled eggs for breakfast. We went to briefing were told to go to Kiel, Germany. It is a great ship building center in Northern Germany on the coast of the Baltic Sea. We took off at 6:00 and got back at 12:45. We flew at 24000. Temperature was -28 C. We carried six 500-lb bombs and six 250 incendiary bombs. They put up a smoke screen over the target and it was a little cloudy so we couldn't see where we hit. Flack was awful heavy over the target. I didn't think we would get through. We just got a few holes and there were no enemy fighters.
We got up at 1:00, terrible breakfast. I was awfully tired. We were told to go to Burnbery, Germany and hit an aircraft engine factory. We hit it and got hit by all kinds of fighters. Lost lots of planes. Its a good thing we had a good fighter escort or I might not be writing this now. You could look most any direction around the target and see parachutes, about a dozen at a time. We didn't get hit at all. I saw almost 6 or 8 other planes bomb close together. We hit it, all looked like good hits. I could see good so it was a clear day. We took off at 5:00, got back at 2:30. We carried fifty-two 100-lb incendiary bombs and flew at 22000, Temperature -25 C. They had a smoke screen over the target, hot and thick. This might be mission 13 as I hear we got credit once for a mission when we turned around.
We got up at 5:30. Terrible breakfast. We were told to go to Munich, Germany. The whole 8th Air Force went yesterday and again today. It should be damaged some. It was cloudy all the way and we saw no fighters. Quite a bit of flack, we didn't get hit. We took off at 9 o'clock and didn't get back until about 6. Awful long trip. We flew at 23,000 feet, carried six 500 lb. bombs and four 500 lb. incendiary. Temperature was -27 C. Any place you looked today you could see lots of 17s and 24s and fighter escort was supposed to be around 192 big guns in the target area. We led today and the flack wasn't very close at first. But it came close to the ones behind us. We were out of gas when we landed.
*NOTE: This is the one where he said they were so exhausted they just didn't really care. The pilots in particular. He said when they landed they put a stick in the gas tanks and they couldn't even wet the stick.
We got up at 1:30, breakfast was no good. We were told to go to Saarbuken, Germany to bomb the railroad yards. We took off at 5:00 and got back at 12:30. We flew at 22,800 feet, temperature was -23 C. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. It was cloudy all the way so we couldn't see what we hit. No enemy fighters and not very much flack. Only heard two or three break. We hit prop wash on take off and almost cracked up.
We got up a 1:00, had a pretty fair breakfast. We were told to go just east of Caen, France and bomb enemy troops and supplies. We carried 240 20-lb fragment bombs. We took off at 4:45 am and got back at 10:40. We flew at 16000 feet and the temp was -6 C. We sure tore up the ground for quite a ways. It was all clear and we could see guns firing on the ground. We saw no enemy fighters and not much flack. What flack we had was very close. I could reach out my window and almost touch it. We bombed just 3000 yards ahead of our troops on the ground.
hr />We got up at 12:00 and had fried eggs for breakfast. We were told to go close to Frankfort, Germany and bomb a place where they make the pilotless planes Buzz bombs. They were all mixed up in what they were doing and we didn't take off until 5:30. We got back about 11:30 but didn't bomb what we started for as it was all covered with clouds. We hit railroad yards at Koblenz, Germany. It was clear and we did a good job. We flew at 22,500. Temperature was -24 C. We carried twelve, 500-lb bombs. No enemy fighters. Quite a bit of flack, but we didn't get any holes.
We got up at 4:00 and had hotcakes for breakfast. We were told to go to Erfurt, Germany where they make ME 109s and a new plane, something like the mosquito We took off at 7:30 and get back at 2:10. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. Temperature was -24 C. It was fairly clear, but quite a haze close to the ground so we couldn't see how good we hit it. We flew at 21,500. No enemy fighters and the flack was not very bad. The sky was full of B17s and B24s. Three missions in three days.
We got up at 2:30 and went to briefing and were told to go over by Saint Lo in France and bomb enemy troops etc. We just got out to the plane and they told us to go back to bed for a while. We finally got up again and took off at 9:30. We flew at 17000 feet. Temperature was -6 C. It was as cloudy all the way so we didn't drop our bombs because we were supposed to drop them just 1500 yards in front of our troops. We got back at 2:15. We carried fifty-two 100-1b bombs.
We got up at 3:00 and went to briefing and found out we were supposed to go back to the same place we went yesterday. The clouds were all above us today and we went in at 13000 feet and under the clouds. We took the same bombs that we had yesterday. Took off at 6:30 and got back at 12:00. Today we dropped them and we sure tore up the ground something terrible.
We got up about 2:30. We were briefed to go to Brenen, Germany and to hit a large oil refinery and storage depot. We took off about 6:00 and got back about 1:30. We carried twelve 250-1b bombs and four 500-lb incendiaries. We flew at almost 25000 feet. Temperature was about -20 C. It was cloudy over the target and we couldn't see where the bombs hit. No enemy fighters but lots of flack. The most I've ever seen. Supposed to be around 200 guns there. We had a K20 camera and I took quite as few pictures. We had been briefed four times in the last three days and every one scrubbed.
We get up at 5:00 and were briefed to go to Ludwigshofer, Germany where they have synthetic oil and rubber factors and make parts for airplane engines, We took off at 9:10 and got back at 3:30. We carried twelve 500-lb. bombs. We flew at 23700 feet. Temperature was -23 C. It was cloudy all over so we couldn't tell what we hit. Flack was plenty thick. I saw one 24 go down in flames behind us and nine chutes came out. We had heard enemy fighters but soon were behind us. Last night about an hour before we got up, a buzzbomb went over and landed pretty close. Shook our hut pretty bad and scared us. (That was one that Billy had heard.)
We got up at 6:00 and were told to go to Rowan, France and bomb a big railroad bridge just a few miles from there. They had been waiting four hours to call us, waiting for the weather to clear up over the target. We were to take off at 16:00 but they held us up two hours longer. We finally took off at 12:15. We got back about 5:45 but didn't hit the target. It was all cloudy. We tried to hit a railroad junction in the country but missed it. We carried eight 1000-1b bombs. One didn't get out and it fell out over England and took a bombay door with it. We saw no enemy fighters and not very much flack. Temperature was -22 C.
*NOTE: Grandpa told me this story many times about the day he accidentally bombed England. They were working on jettisoning the bomb over the channel and did not notice they were back over Her Majesty's soil when it finally let loose. It was not armed and landed without explosion on farm ground.
We were called to briefing at noon and they seemed eager for us to take off. We took off thirty minutes after briefing. It usually is about two hours. We were supposed to go to a supply depot 15 miles north of Paris. We got about forty-five minutes from the target and at 24000 feet ran into clouds so thick we could see nothing. They were as high as 30,000 feet. We turned around and came back. Landed about 6:15. Temperature was -24 C. We carried eight 1000-lb. bombs and brought them back. We saw just a little flack and no enemy fighters. But some of the boys saw some. We are not sure this will count as a mission.
*NOTE: While this was being read out loud at the Norwich, England, hotel, an ex-bombardier from another crew was listening in and he was quite surprised when he heard that this crew returned with their bombs intact. He said his crew always dumped them when they didn't use them.
We got up at 5:15. They told us at briefing to go to Kiel, Germany and bomb a sub factory. Take off was delayed until 10:00 on account of the weather. It finally got partly clear and we took off a little after ten. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. Flew about 23000. Temperature was -22 C. It was clear most all the way and we could see pretty plain where the bombs hit Looked like a good job. Flack was pretty heavy. Some was red when it burst. We got our right rudder stabilizer pretty well shot up. Last time we went through it was the left rudder that got it. We got back about 5:00. No enemy fighters.
We got up at 2:00 and were told at briefing to bomb an airfield east of Paris. We took off at 5:15 and got back at 12:20. Temperature -20 C. We flew at 21,500 feet and carried fifty-two 100-lb bombs. It was as clear as I ever saw it. And we did a perfect job of bombing the landing strip. There must have been several thousand holes in it. No flack over the target, but we got some fairly close on the way back. No enemy fighters.
We got up at 5:30 and were told at briefing to go to France and bomb road junctions, etc. so as to mess up the German army's retreat We dropped on three places, about one-third of the lead each time. Just before bombs away the first time, Milleken's crew, who was with us since January in Tucson went down in flames. Nine chutes went out. They had 10 men. It was his 32nd and the crew's 30th mission. Flack was awful close. It knocked Sharpy down once, but didn't hurt him. Knocked out his oxygen. We also got several other holes. One big one and number 3 prop went out and we went in below LeHarve. We carried fifty-two 100-lb. bombs. Temperature was -16 C. We flew at 18000 feet. Took off at 9:00 and got back at 2:25.
*NOTE: The tenth man got out and waited until the very last moment to pop the chute to avoid being fired upon. I believe Milliken was captured but grandpa saw him many years later at an 8th AF reunion and was surprised to see him alive.
We got up at 4:15 and were told at briefing to go to Wetlonshefen, and bomb an airfield where they train with jet propelled planes. Take off time was delayed one hour after we got to the ship. We took off at 8:40, got back at 1:45. We flew at 22900 feet. Temperature was -20 C. We carried fifty-two 100-lb incendiary bombs. It was pretty clear, but a cloud floated over the target as we dropped and we couldn't see our results. But we hit no enemy fighters and flack was not very heavy. We made two runs on the target as a bunch of planes past in front of us just before we were going to drop.
We got up at 2:30. They told us at briefing to go to Gothen, Germany and bomb automobile parts factories. We took off at 6:40 and got back at 1:40. It was pretty clear except for some clouds at places around 30000 feet. We had a good view of the target but missed the biggest part of it. I think the fellows behind us did a better job. We flew at 22000 feet. Temperature was -24 C. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. Flack was awful heavy at the target. We got several holes. The left aileron shot to pieces. Fighters did not hit us but did the boys behind us.
We got up at 3:30. They told us at briefing to go to Schwerin, Germany and bomb a factory that makes FW 190's. We took off at 7:00 and got back at 2:45. The weather over the target was clear, and we hit it. Flames and smoke were way up in the sky after we had past over. We dropped from 20000 feet. Temperature was 17 C. We carried twelve 500-lb bombs. No flack at the target. I can't figure it out. We had some on the way in and out. Not very close. No enemy fighters.
We got up at 5:30. The last mission and it was Berlin. They put take off back to 11:00. We all waited while we were on the ground. We finally took off and started out. We got up by Kiel and the clouds were about 30000 feet high and we got called back. All the way back. We wondered if we would get credit for it. We saw flack in a few places, but not very close. We carried twelve 500-lb. incendiary bombs. We went up at about 23000 feet and temperature was 23 C. We got back at 4:30. We didn't see any enemy fighters. We have turned back three times.
This is the end of the diary. They were credited with this mission, but they didn't know for awhile. All of a sudden they were called and told, "Okay boys, we're through with you, go on home."