lester hale

NOSE - GUNNER DIARY

The Combat Mission Diary of a B-24 Nose Gunner in World War 11

My father, Lester Hale, served as a nose turret gunner on a B-24 heavy bomber duringthe Second World War. He was assigned to the 304 th Heavy Bombardment Wing's 459 th HeavyBombardment Group, 756th Bombardment Squadron. The nose turret gunner was stationed at thevery front of the heavy bomber and he fired his machine guns at attacking enemy fighters. Hisassigned station gave him an incredible view of the entire bombing flight.

During the entire period of this diary covering his 50 credited missions (actually 46 wereflown but the crew received double credit for several missions because of their great length to thetarget and resultant added danger), my father was only 19 years old. His story can be found underLester Hale at www.vourtruehero.org .

Lester Hale kept a diary of each of the bombing missions that his crew undertook in theirB-24 heavy bomber. I compared his diary entries with the excellent chronology provided in thewonderful book "AIR WAR EUROPA: America's War against Germany in Europe and NorthAfrica; CHORONLOGY 1942-1945" by Eric Hammel. Pacifica Press publishes this book andthey can be reached at:

Pacifica Press1149 Grand Teton DrivePacifica, CA 94044(800) 4533152

The strategic bombing campaign of the 15 th Air Force was based at Giulia Field nearCerignola, Italy. Giulia Field was less than ten miles from the Adriatic shore and 30 miles southof the Gargano Promontory, known as the "Spur" because of its resemblance to a spur on theback of the Italian "boot". The airfield was built on property known as the Pavoncelli Estate, acollection of vineyards and orchards along the low, level Plain of Apulia. The natural formationof the land made it an excellent site for the distances needed for the take-offs and landings of theB-24 Liberator and B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers.

This diary covers the period from March 3r d through July 2nd of 1944. The bombing runswere concentrating on Hitler's airfields, munitions and ball-bearing factories and oil productionfacilities.

The combat mission numbers and dates track Lester Hale's diary entries. Lester Hale wasan original member of the Fifteenth Air Force's renowned 459 th Bomber Group of the UnitedStates Army Air Corps. Eric Hammel's chronologies of the events of that date in the EuropeanAir War follow the diary entries.

You will notice recurring names of the crew flying under the pilot, Lt. John Dabbert. Theonly living members of that crew today are Crockford, Hale and Redfield. The publication of thisdiary is dedicated to the entire crew's extraordinary devotion to our nation and their brave serviceduring World War II.

Gary Haleww.vourtruehero.org,

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http://www.vourtruehero.org

1st Combat Mission: March 1944Take off: 08.45 Landed: 13:45Bomb Load: 120 Twenty-lb. Fragmentation bombsTarget: Viterbo Airport in Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry:."This airfield is reported to be the largest one in central Italy. Wemet some flak and a few enemy fighters. Two planes missing. Ourcrew didn't get any shots in."

CREWPilot:Copilot:Nay.Bombardier:Engineer:

Lt. KoefoodF/O NewhouseLt. CostikyanLt. BuckPvt. Bosik

Radio Operator: Pvt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Pvt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmored Gunner: Pvt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the landing ground at Canino, and the Fabrica

di Roma and Viterbo airdromes, but results are poor due to cloudy weather over thetargets...

2nd Combat Mission: March 15, 1944Take Off: 08:00 Landed: 11:15Bomb Load: 6 — 1000 lb. Bombs (demolition)Target: Cassino, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was the first mission pulled with our original crew. No flak and nofighters, no planes lost. An easy mission."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, W.W.Navigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GlickEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Pvt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Pvt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Pvt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...In the largest air operation in the theater to date, more than 1000 Allied

warplanes level Monte Cassino monastery and nearby German Army defensive positionswith 1200 tons of bombs. The Twelfth and Fifteenth air forces provide 275 heavybombers and nearly 200 medium bombers, which drop more than 2000 thousand poundbombs. Although the Benedictine monastery is utterly demolished, the ground attackfails.

Although no official start date is ever set, Allied warplanes in Italy effectivelycommence Operation STRANGLE, the aerial interdiction of the supply network in useby German forces in Italy. The wide ranging operation will continue into late May andwill eventually result in an 80 percent reduction in the German Army's ability to supplyits combat divisions in Italy...

3 rd Combat Mission: March 18 1944Take Off: 07:30 Landed: 13:15Bomb Load: 120-201b. Fragmentation bombsTarget: Maniago Airport, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "Light flak over the target, no enemy fighters. All planes returned safe."

CREW: Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. BurnsBombardier: Lt. FordEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. ClawsonAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorere Gunner: Pfc. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:.... Responding to reports that as many as 235 GAF fighters have returned to the

Udine Airdrome complex in northeastern Italy, Fifteenth Air Force planners conceive abrilliant plan to eradicate them. First, 95 P-38s strafe lines of supply and communicationsin northeastern Italy and conduct a sweep over the Udine-Villaorba area, an operationthat hold most GAF fighters in the area on the ground. Next, 113 B-17s make a feinttoward southern Germany by way of the Yugoslav coast, a move that draws up GAFfighters based at Klagenfurt and Graz airdromes, in southern Austria. These b-17s nextturn sharply west, which in turn draws the GAF interceptor force toward northeasternItaly. The b-17s drop 20 lb. Fragmentation bombs on Udine and Villaorba airdromes at1013 hours, and the USAAF fighters in the area attack the GAF fighters out of Graz andKlangenfurt. As the B-17s and all the USAAF fighters leave the area, the GAF fightersmust land at the Udine area's three undamaged airfields to rearm and refuel. As the GAFfighters are being serviced at the Gorizia, Lavariano, and Mantiago satellite fields, thosebases are bombed between 1059 and 1111 hours by, respectively, 72, 67 and 121 B-24s,which sow 32370 20-pound fragmentation bombs that destroy or damage 56 GAF aircrafton the ground. Also, in the air between 0925 and 1005, Fifteenth Air Force P-38 and P-47pilots down 17 GAF aircraft. The cost to the Fifteenth Air Force, in the course of 406heavy-bomber and 168 fighter sorties, is seven bombers and four fighters lost...

4 th Combat Mission: March 19, 1944Take Off: 09:30 Landed: 15:55Bomb Load: 10- 500-pound demolition bombsTarget: Klagenfurt, Austria

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Lester Hale's diary entry: " We encountered heavy, accurate flak. About 20 ME 109s were seenattacking another group. Our escort (P-38s) chased them off from us. Wedidn't lose any planes."

CREWPilot: Major ChristyCopilot: Lt. DabbertNavigator: Lt. CookBombardier: Lt. DavisEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. HollisAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Pfc. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Although unable to reach their briefed target at Steyr because of bad weather a

total of 234 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack Klagenfurt Airdrome with 183tons of bombs. Twelve B-24s are lost at Klagenfurt, including two lost in a collision...

5"1 Combat Mission? March 24 1944Take Off: 07:35 Landed: 14::40Bomb Load: - 10 - 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Rimini, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "We dropped our bombs on the railroad yards. No fighters and the flakwasn't up to our range. Very successful - all planes returned."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GlickEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. RichAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Pfc. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:.... Under relentless attack as part of Operation Strangle, the rail lines to Rome

from northern Italy are completely severed following week-long attacks by the Twelfthand Fifteenth Air Forces. Hereafter, until the city is liberated in June, no rail car is able toget through Rome in any direction.

Although more than 200 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s abort in the face ofbad weather, approximately 100 B-24s attack a marshaling yard at Rimini, and 32 B-24sattack Ancona, Senigallia, and several rail and road bridges spanning the VomanoRiver...

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6 th Combat Mission: March 26, 1944Take Off: 08:05 Landed: 14:00Bomb Load: 10 - 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Steyr, Austria

Lester Hale's diary entry: "Today was really a bad day for flying. None of us thought we would

ever take off It was really bad up. We were tossed around like eggshells on theocean. We cheated death today, but only by the Grace of god and the best pilotin the 15th Air Force.We were about a 1/2 hour from the target when we ran into a snowstorm overYugoslavia. The plane on our left wing suddenly started sliding right into us. Thecopilot was flying at the time and he cut the throttles immediately. This made usstall out. Well, the pilot grabbed the controls and both pilots were fighting toget the plane under control. We almost went into a spin. We dropped 6000 feet inno time at all. We went right through the whole formation of 40 planes thatwere flying below and in back of us.

I was in the nose turret and when I saw what was happening I gothalfway out. We missed one 24 by inches. It is as if I could reach out of the turretand touch it. I never want to go through anything like that again. The wholegroup returned home without going on to the target."


Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Pfc. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric -Hammel:...Forced to turn back by bad weather while bound for Steyr, Austria, fifteenth

Air force B-24s attack the Udine Airdrome complex and marshaling yards at Rimini, andFifteenth Air Force B-17s attack port facilities and shipping at Fiume. However,approximately 150 B-17s and B-24s return to their bases with their bombs aboard...

7 th Mission: March 29. 1944Take Off: 08:00 Landed: 15:00Bomb Load: 10 — 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Milan, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: " We picked up 30 P-38s at 11:00. They were our escort in and out of the

target. It was a very beautiful sight to see them fooling around above us. Wewere told that we would meet about 60 fighters and heavy flak, but we didn't seeany fighters or flak. It was a very good mission."

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CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GlickEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Pfc. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... In the Fifteenth Air Force's largess mission so far in the war, nearly 300

Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack-marshaling yards at Bolzano and Milan...

8 th and 9 th Combat m issi ns: A HI 2 1944 (Double Credit Mission)Take Off: 08:35 Landed: 15:00Bomb Load: 10 — 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Steyr, Austria

Lester Hale's diary entry: " We finally got to the target we have been trying for three weeks. It was

the roughest mission so far. The flak was so thick we could have lowered ourlanding gear and taxied on it. The Lutwaffe sent about all of their planes up tomeet us. F.W. 190s, ME109s, Me 210s, and Macche 202s. We had P-38s as escort. Isaw two B-17s go down. One went into a spin and both wings ripped off No oneescaped. On the other 17, all of them got out. I also saw 5 enemy planes go down.3 ME109s, 1 FIN 190, and 1 ME 210.

I got some shots in but we were in the middle of the formation and it washard for me to shoot. This is the first time we went so far in enemy territory toget the double credit."


Radio Operator: Cpl. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Cpl. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Cpl. Hale

(NOTE: Lester Hale was promoted from Private First Class to Corporal prior to thismission.)

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Following four aborts due to weather during the preceding two weeks,

fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers are finally able to get through heavy clouds to Steyr.A phased escort - the first of its kind in the theater — is provided by the Fifteenth AirForce's three P-38 groups and one P-47 group. Between 1213 and 1231 hours, 125Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and 30 B-24s attack the ball - bearing plant; 168 Fifteenth AirForce B-24s attack the Steyr Airdrome; and 125 B-24s bomb the Daimler-Puch aircraft

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components factory. Of 280 heavy bombers taking part in this mission, 20 are lost toenemy fire....

10 th a c d 11 th Combat Mission: April 4 1944Take Off: 09.40 Landed: 17:20Bomb Load: 10 — 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Bucharest, Romania

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This mission was the closest one we ever had. It seemed as if it was only

a miracle that brought us back. We were about 20 minutes from the target whenwe were attacked by about 30 ME 109s. Their first attack gave us trouble. He hitwith one explosive 20 millimeter in the wing between No. 1 and No. 2 engines. Itcut our fuel lines on No. 1 engine and caused all the gas to leak into the wing andinto the bomb bay. "Red" finally stopped it. He does a very good job.

The pilot feathered No. 1 engine and we came in that way. The fourth andlast attack by the 109s was fatal to one of them. He came in on our nose, so I gotmy turret on him. I heard a loud snap and saw that he had hit my turret. I gotmy sight on him and then held the trigger switch down. I got him. The Copilot,waist gunner and tail gunner saw smoke pouring out of him. It was a very roughmission and again we can thank Lt. Dabbert for bringing us in."



From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:el:... In the first of many strategic missions made under commitment by the

Fifteenth Air Force to aid the advance of the Red Army across the Balkans by disruptingBalkans transportation centers in use to supply the German Army in the East, 350 B-17sand B-24s, escorted by 119 P-38s, are dispatched to attack rail facilities in Bucharest.GAF fighter opposition is fierce, especially against the 449 th Bombardment Group, a 47 th

Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24 unit that becomes separated from the rest of the wing inbad weather. Seven of the group's 28 B-24s are downed by the Axis fighters, but thesurvivors attack the target and make it home. Altogether, 93 B-17s and 220 B-24s drop863 tons of bombs, mostly on marshaling yards at Bucharest. Also, 30 B-24s from twogroups attack the Bucharest/Otepni Airdrome. Bomber gunners are awarded credit for 50GAF fighters...

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112 th Combat Mission: April 7 1944Take Off: 09:45 Landed: 15:45Bomb Load: 40 — 100 pound demolition bombsTarget: Bologna, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "It was a very easy mission. We didn't meet any enemy fighters and what

flak we did see didn't amount to anything. We really did a good job on themarshaling yards. We estimated that there were about 700 cars in the yards.They aren't there any more."

CREW Pilot: Lt. Oliver, T.K.Copilot: F/O CurtisNavigator: Lt. ThibodeauBombardier: Lt. GraczEngineer: S/Sgt. Oliver, J.T.

Radio Operator: S/Sgt. SullivanAsst. Engineer: S/Sgt. KeepersAsst. Radio Operator: S/Sgt. BartelsTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. SmithArmorer Gunner: Cpl. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:

Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshaling yard at Treviso, and Fifteenth AirForce B-24s attack marshaling yards at Bolgna and Mestre...

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and 14 th Combat Missions: April 12,1944Take Off: 08:10 Landed: 13:30Bomb Load: 40 — 100 pound general-purpose bombsTarget: Bad Voslau, Austria

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was a pretty rough mission. We didn't meet any enemy fighters

until we were about 5 minutes from the target. Then everything broke loose. Wesaw ME 109s, ME 110s, ME 210s and JEI SSs. They shot out plenty of rockets andfor about 20 minutes it was really hell. Our ball gunner got one ME 210. I sawtwo B-24s get shot down. Nine fellows got out of one and about seven got out ofthe other one.

One plane exploded and one crashed into the ground. They weren't fromour Group. One crew failed to return from our Squadron. They feathered twoengines and fell behind us and two ME 109s jumped them. It is reported thatboth enemy planes were shot down by the crew."

(Later entry: "That crew returned 72 hours later and were sent back to theStates immediately. The Yugoslav partisans helped them.")

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From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...In an all-out effort against aircraft-industry targets in the Vienna area, 172

Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the aircraft components factory at Fischamend Markt;140 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the Messerchmitt assembly plant at Bad Voslau;and 134 Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the Bf-109 components and assembly factory atWiener-Neistadt. One B-17 and six B-24s are lost...

15 th Combat Mission: Aril 16 9 1944Take Off: 07:10 Landed: 13:05Bomb Load: 10 — 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Turnu Severin, Yugoslavia

Lester Hale's diary entry: " It was a very easy mission. No flak, no fighters. I don't know how the

results were but they didn't look good at all."



From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack marshaling yards at Brasov, and B-

24s attack a marshaling yards at Turnu Severin....

16 th Mission and 17 th Combat Missions: A ril 21 1944(Double credit mission)Take Off: 08:30 Landed: 17:30Bomb Load: 10- 500-pound general-purpose bombsTarget: Bucharest, Romania

Lester Hale's diary entry: "We started on the bomb run on Bucharest and we had about two minutes

to go when the Leader signaled to abandon the target. We then went to thesecondary target and we started on the run there and we abandoned that also.

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There was a heavy undercast. We started for home and the lead navigator gotlost and we didn't know where we were.

We flew over Belgrade without knowing it and they really caught us. Wewere only at 13000 feet and they really sent up a lot of flak. None of our groupgot knocked but I did see a plane from another group get it. We were molested bysome enemy fighters, but they didn't seem eager at all. They didn't attack us, butstayed just out of range. All in all, it wasn't a bad mission."



From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... More than 100 304 th Heavy Bombardment Wing B-24s attack Turnu Severin

and marshaling yards at Bucharest, and 14 th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down ten Axisfighters between 1435 and 1445 hours...

18th and 19 th Combat Missions: April 23 1944Take Off: 09:40 Landed 16:45Bomb Load: 10-500 pound R.D.X. bombsTarget: Bad Voslau, Austria

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was the about the best bombing mission we have ever been on. We

really smashed our target today. It was an assembly plant for ME 109s and Idon't think they will ever assemble planes there again. We ran into pretty heavyflak. This was the first time I ever heard flak burst. It was really close.

We had very good fighter escort al the way around. About ten ME 109sattacked us but the P-38s took care of them. It was a very good mission."



From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:...In the theater's largest heavy-bombing mission to date 171 Fifteenth Air Force

B-17s attack the Bf-109 assembly plant at Wiener-Neustadt; 33 B-24s attack the Wiener-Neustadt/Nord airdrome; 107 B-24s attack the bf-109 assembly plant and GAF base atBad Voslau; and 143 B-24s attack aircraft industry factories at Schwechat. Two B-17s

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and 11 B-24s are lost, and many others are damaged by flak and unremitting GAF fighterattacks...

2(1 D Combat Mission: A Hi 25 fi 944Take Oft: 08:20 Landed: 16:40Bomb Load: 10 - 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Turin, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This wasn't a bad mission except for the flak over the target and over a city

we ran into by mistake. We didn't lose any ships due to enemy action, but we didlose four ships that day. One crashed on take-off, all killed. One crashed just beforelanding, 5 killed. While in flight toward the target one ship chewed the tail half offof another ship! The one with the tail gone seemed to be under control. It didn'tcome back to the field. The other one went into a spin and crashed. 1 saw a P47knock a ME 109 down over the target. All in all the whole flight was "SNAFU"."

(Later note: The plane with the severed tail landed safely at Corsica.)



From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Although more than 300 Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers abort in the face of

bad weather, nearly 150 B-24s attack Varese and an aircraft factory at Turin...

21 st Combat Missi n: April 30 1944Take Off: 08:10 Landed: 15:30Bomb Load: 10 — 500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Milan, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "Again today we hit the same target as we did on March 29th. It was the

same thing, no flak over the target and we didn't see any fighters at all. We didrun into flak over different cities. It wasn't anything though. On about the last3-4 missions we have just been fooling around Italy going all over differentcities and airdromes trying to draw up enemy fighters but so far we haven't hadany luck. A very easy mission."

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C EWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GlickEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Cpl. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. PowellAsst. Radio Operator: Cpl. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Cpl. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:

...Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshaling yards at Alessandria and Milan;and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the airdrome at Reggio Emilia and aircraft industrytargets at Milan and Varese...

22 nd Combat Mission: A nil 28 1944

Take Off: 11:35 Landed: 16:50Bomb Load: 10- 500-pound demolition bombsTarget: San Stefano, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was a very easy mission. We just cruised around north Italy

looking for enemy fighters but we didn't see any. The flak at the target wasn'tvery bad and the bombing results looked good."


Radio Operator: Pfc. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. DoyleAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Cpl. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:... One hundred sixty-eight Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the port area at San

Stefano al Mare...

23 rd and 24 th Combat Mission: May 5, 1944Take Off: 10:00 Landed: 18:00Bomb Load: 10- 500-pound demolition bombsTarget: Ploesti, Romania

Lester Hale's diary entry: " This wasn't a very rough mission for our group, but it was very hard on

the group ahead of us. I saw three of their ships go down over the target and onewent down on the back. On this last plane that went down, we were almost toYugoslavia and we were watching this ship which kept getting lower and lower.All at once it exploded. Six men got out and the hard part was that three of the

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chutes burned on the way down. We didn't get any flak hits on our plane but itwas very thick over the target.

We had four promotions for E.M. today and our pilot made 1st Lt."


Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. O'FlahertyAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

(Note: Lester Hale was promoted from Corporal to Sergeant on this day)

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Four hundred eighty-five Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers attack marshaling

yards and a pumping station at Ploesti; and 39 B-17s attack a marshaling yard at TurnuSeverin, Nineteen bombers are lost over Ploesti to Axis fighters...

25 th Combat Mission: May 12, 1944Take Off: 04:55 Landed: 12:35Bomb load: 10-500 pound demolition bombsTarget: La Spezia, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "Today we were supposed to make two combat missions into northern

Italy. We made the first one all right but weather kept us down on the second.It wasn't a bad mission, we saw some flak over the targets but we didn't

see any enemy fighters.Col. Munn led our group and the entire 15th Air Force went up and we flew

over the front lines to give the boys a show of our strength."


Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. O'FlahertyAsst. Radio Operator: Pfc. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... During the course of the day, the Fifteenth Air Force mounts 1143 heavy-

bomber sorties loaded with 1912 tons of bombs against numerous targets in Italy as partof Operation DIADEM, the general Allied air offensive aimed at breaking the will ofGerman Army forces facing Allied ground troops. Among many targets attacked are theGerman Army headquarters at Massa d'Albe and Monte Soratte. Harbors and rail targets

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are also attacked. Escort is provided by more than 250 Fifteenth Air Force fighter sorties,and 25 Fifteenth Air Force P-38s strafe Pacenza Airdrome...

26 th Combat Mission: May 13, 1944Take Off: 10:10 Landed: 17:10Bomb Load: 6 —1000 pound demolition bombsTarget: Bologna, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was a very easy mission. We didn't hit the target very good

although we had a very good bomb run."

CREWPilot: Lt. Dabbert Radio Operator: Sgt. GardnerCopilot: F/O Olen Asst. Engineer:Navigator: Lt. Olszanowski Asst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordBombardier: Lt. Fisher Turret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierEngineer: Armorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...The Fifteenth Air Force dispatches more than 670 heavy bombers on missions

in support of the Allied ground offensive: B-24s attack marshaling yards at Bologna,Piacenza, and Vicenza; and B-17s attack a rail bridge and marshaling yards at Bolzano,and marshaling yards at Bronzola and Trento.

27 th Combat Mission: May 14, 1944Take Off: 08:50 Landed: 16:00Bomb Load: 240- 20 pound fragmentation bombsTarget: Reggio Emilia, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was a very easy mission. We didn't see much flak and no fighters.

We really hit the target good. Five clusters hung up in the bomb bay and had ahelluva time getting the bombs out."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. BuchmeierEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. O'FlahertyAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the Piacenza and Reggio Emilia airdromes and

a marshaling yard at Vicenza...

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28 th Combat Mission: M. y 19 1944Take Off: 06:40 Landed: 14:30Bomb Load: 10-500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Genoa, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: " We had engine trouble before we got to the target. No. 4 shot al the oil

out and ruined the engine. We had to feather it and then after we got off thetarget No. 2 started throwing oil. So we landed at Corsica.

That is quite a place. While we were there a B-25 caught on fire, burnedfor awhile and then exploded. "Red" and I were right close to it and then when itexploded, it almost knocked us out of the jeep we were in. It killed 7 men and puta couple in the hospital.

Also, we had to sweat out the "Jerries" bombing us. They had bombed afield just above us and killed about 20 and put about 300 in the hospital."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. SannsEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. HellerAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack port facilities at Leghorn and La Spezia...

29 th Combat Mission: May 25, 1944Take Off: 09:25 Landed: 15:45Bomb Load: 240 — 20-pound fragmentation bombsTarget: Piacenza, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "A very easy mission. We really plastered the target. We saw some 109s

and 190s but they didn't bother us. I only saw two puffs of flak over the target."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. SannsEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. HellerAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Following the Allied breakthrough near Cassino and the long-awaited

continuation of the drive on Rome, the German Army attempts to establish a new

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defensive between Frascati and Tivoli...Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack the port area atMonfalcone, Piacenza Airdrome and oil industry targets at Marghera. During the attackon Piacenza Airdrome. 2d Lt. Warren L. Jones, a P-38 pilot with the 14 th Fighter Group's• t49

h

Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 at 1300 hours. In all,14 th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down eight Bf-109s in this action...

30 th Combat Mission: May 26, 1944Take Off: 05:45 Landed: 14:30Bomb Load: 10 — 500-pound demolition bombsTarget: Chambery, France

Lester Hale's diary entry: " This was the longest mission I have been on so far. I'm really tired

tonight and I have to fly again in the morning. We didn't see any flak or fighters.It was really a milk run. I was greatly surprised, because we went quite a wayinto France."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GundersonEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. CachidiAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...FRANCE... In the south, Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a marshaling yard

at St. Etienne, and B-24s attack a bridge spanning the Vat River and marshaling yards atChambery, Grenoble, Lyon and Nice...

31" Combat Mission: Ma7,1244Take Off: 05:30 Landed: 14:15Bomb Load: 40 — 100-pound general-purpose bombsTarget: Montpellier, France

Lester Hale's diary entry: " We hit the hangers and other buildings on the field. We really did a good

job. Going over the coast of France, the group in front of us ran into heavy flakand lost a plane. Eight men bailed out and they landed in the water 5 or 6 milesfrom shore. One of our planes was hit by flak on the way back it had to crashland on the Anzio beachhead. We haven't heard from the crew yet."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. Sanns

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. BellohausenAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. Verdier

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Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield Armorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...In southern France, nearly 700 Fifteenth Air force B- l 7s and B-24s attack

Montpellier and Salon-de-Provence airdromes and marshaling yards at Avignon,Marseille, Montpellier, and Nimes...

32" Combat Missi n: May 29, 11944Take Off: 06:30 Landed: 11:30Bomb Load: 40 - 100-pound demolition bombsTarget: Peijedor, Yugoslavia

Lester Hale's diary entry: "We helped Marshal Tito out today by bombing German troop

concentrations. The hits on then target were very good."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. OlszanowskiBombardier: Lt. GrosenbachEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. StricklandAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:... Fifteenth Air force B-24s and their P-38 escorts attack numerous German

Army troop concentrations and supply dumps...

33 rd Combat Mission: May 29 9 1944Take Off: 13:30 Landed: 16:15Bomb Load: 40 - 100-pound demolition bombsTarget: Livina, Yugoslavia

Lester Hale's diary entry: "It was the same as the morning mission. No flak, no fighters. I let the

Nay. Ride in the nose turret and all I did was sit up on the flight deck. We led"E" flight both times - "BTOs".

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. CrawfordBombardier: Lt. GrosenbachEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. StricklandAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

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From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:... Fifteenth Air force B-24s and their P-38 escorts attack numerous German

Army troop concentrations and supply dumps...

Combat Missions 34 z 35: M 31 1944.. double credit missislTake Off: 05:30 Landed: 13:30Bomb Load: 10-500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Ploesti, Romania (oil fields)

Lester Hale's diary entry: "We went to the oil fields again. We had a pretty rough mission. The flak

was really heavy. One piece hit square in my nose turret and it didn't miss myleg by more than 1".

We flew a ship that was made out of two ships. From the ball turretforward it was one ship that had its tail cut off by another one. The tail wasfrom a ship that had crash-landed. We took it on its first real missiory Our nay.didn't show up so the bomb. Did both jobs."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: (bomb.)Bombardier: Lt. NorfleetEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. Strickland

Asst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack oil facilities at Ploesti. Fifteen

heavy bombers are lost.P-38 and P-51 escort pilots down 21 GAF and Romanian Air Force fighters

between 1000 and 1050 hours. 1 st Lt. John A. Maloney, a P-38 pilot with the 1 st fighterGroup's 27 th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs a Bf-109 over Ploestiat 1045 hours.

Combat Mission 36: June IQ, 1944Take Off: 07:40 Landed: 12:50Bomb Load: 240- 20 pound fragmentation bombsTarget: Ferraro, Italy (Airfield)

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This wasn't a very bad mission. Slight flak and no enemy fighters. We

lost one plane through carelessness. He got caught in the slipstream of anotherplane and it threw back and over. He was too low to pull out of the dive andthey crashed. All of the boys were killed."

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CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. CohenBombardier: (nay.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. WatsonAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s aircraft attack Ancona, the Ferrara

airdrome, a marshaling yard and oil-industry targets, a marshaling yard and oil industrytargets at Mestre, a marshaling yard at Porto Marghera, and oil-industry targets inTrieste...

37th and 38 th Combat Missions: June 13, 1944 (double credit mission)Take Off: 05:45 Landed: 13:15Bomb Load: 6-1000-pound demolition bombsTarget: Munich, Germany

Lester Hale's diary entry:"This was a pretty tough mission. The flak over the target area was

heavy, intense and accurate. We saw enemy fighters, but they didn't bother usvery much. Two tried to come in from 7 o'clock low, but "Mole" and "Junior"chased them away.

Our squadron lost one ship due to carelessness. Two ships collided on theway home, five boys got out. Our group lost 4 planes and one ditched, but thecrew is all safe."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. GlickBombardier: (nay.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. CodyAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... A large force of Fifteenth Air Force B-24s and B-17s is dispatched against

marshaling yards, an airdrome, and industrial areas in Munich. However, after fightingtheir way to Munich against determined GAF fighter opposition, the bomber formationsare prevented from dropping their bombs because of solid man-made smoke coverthroughout the area. Nearly all the bombers then fly through continuous and determinedfighter opposition to bomb their alternate targets, the marshaling yards at Innsbruck,Austria.

P-51 escort pilots of the 31 st, 52d, and 325 th Fighter groups down 20 GAF fightersover northern Italy, Austria, and southern Germany between 0933 and 1145 hours...

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39th

Combat Missi June 22 1944Take Off: 06:45 Landed: 14:00Bomb Load: 10-500-pound demolition bombsTarget: Turin, Italy

Lester Hale's diary entry: "Again to Turin. This as really a very good mission as far as bombing is

concerned. The factory was completely demolished. Flak was moderate, heavyand accurate. Our plane got a few holes in it.

Our navigator and bombardier, Lts. Olszanowski and Glick went on amission to Vienna, Austria yesterday and they were shot down. Every one gotout of the plane, so the worst is that they are POWs. Hozzay was on his lastmission and Glick had about 5 more to go. Another navigator was on the sameship, Lt. Bloom, and this was his last mission too. "

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. GreenmoreBombardier: Lt. SannsEngineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: Sgt. EvtelAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From MR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... More than 600 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack nine marshaling

yards in northern Italy, a motor transport factory in Turin, a motor transport depot, anairdrome, three rail and road bridges, and oil tanks...

40 th Combat Missio m Julie 24 1944Take Off: 06:00 Landed: 12:45Bomb Load: 10 — 500-pound demolition bombsTarget: Craiova, Romania

Lester Hale's diary entry: "No flak and no fighters. A milk run and in Romania too. I still can't

believe it. The bomb hits weren't too good. The weather was pretty bad but itwas fairly clear over the target."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. BuchmeirBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: S/Sgt. FletcherAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

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From AIR WAR EUROPA by Erie Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Ploesti and the rail depot

at Craova, and Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack a rail bridge.Pilots of the 31 st, 82d, and 325 th Fighter groups down 14 Axis fighters over

Bulgaria and Romania between 0850 and 1030 hours...

41 st and 42 nd Combat Missions: June 24. 1944Take Off: 05:15 Landed: 13:00Bomb Load: 40 — 100 pound demolition bombsTarget: Moosbierbaun, Austria

Lester Hale's diary entry: " A very rough mission. The flak was heavy, accurate and intense. It

really scared me. We were attacked by 11.188s and ME 210s. They only made onepass. I couldn't shoot for fear of hitting the other ships. A 757th ship caught onfire after we left the target and blew up. 4 got out. Two of our bombs hung up, sowe brought them back. When we landed they both smashed through the doorsonto the runway. The pilot called the tower and they shot up flares so the otherships wouldn't land until the runway was cleared. One nose gunner was killedin our squadron. A piece of flak hit him. That is the first man in our squadron tobe killed like that."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. NewhouseNavigator: Lt. CrawfordBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseAsst. Engineer: S/Sgt. FletcherAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Six hundred seventy-seven Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s, escorted by

260 fighters attack five of the seven oil refineries and an oil depot in the Vienna area.Thirty USAAF heavy bombers are downed by more than 150 Axis fighters during thentarget penetration phase.

82d Fighter Group P-38 pilots down 13 of the GAF fighters, mostly twin-engineMesserchmitts, over Bratislavia, Czechoslovakia. 2d Lt. James D. Holloway, of the 82fighter Group's95th Fighter Squadron, achieves ace status when he downs two ME-410sand a Bf —110.In all, along the bomber routes between 0855 and 1015 hours, pilots of the1 51, 31 st, 52d and 82d Fighter groups down 44 GAF aircraft, including a number of rocket-firing JU-88s...

43 rd Combat Mission: June 28, 1944Take Off: 05:50 Landed: 13:00Bomb Load: 18-250-pound demolition bombsTarget: Karlovo, Romania

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Lester Hale's diary entry: "This mission could be classified as a milk run. It was quite a way in but

just a few miles from being a double.I saw altogether about 14-16 bursts of flak. We didn't see any enemy

fighters. We had P-47s & P-38s as escort.The bomb hits were very good. Our group has been on the ball lately."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. KlingerhofferNavigator: Lt. SwanayBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseEngineer: S/Sgt. FletcherAsst. Radio Operator: Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. VerdierArmorer Gunner: Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack Karlova Airdrome and oil-industry targets

around Bucharest, and 40-escort fighters conduct a sweep over Bucharest.Pilots of the 31 st, 52d and 325 th Fighter groups down 20 Axis fighters over and

around Bucharest between 0958 and 1025 hours...

44 th Combat Mission: June 30, 1944Take Off: 06:40 Landed: 12:50Bomb Load: 10-500 pound demolition bombsTarget: Odertal oil refinery, Germany

Lester Hale's diary entry: We didn't get to our target, but we got credit for one mission. We saw one

plane away out at 2 o'clock explode. We don't know what caused it. We had apretty bad gas leak, but we stayed with the group.

The "Mudcat" broke the world's record for 24's. The record was 38consecutive missions."

CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. GloverBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield


From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force heavy bombers dispatched against targets at Blechhammer,

Germany, are diverted by bad weather against a variety of targets of opportunity inHungary and Yugoslavia...

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45 th and 46 th Comb t Missi J I 2 1944 du hie credit mission)Take Off: 06:25 Landed: 13:00Bomb Load: 16-250-pound bombsTarget: udapest oil storage, Hungary

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was really a heartbreakerr. It was a real rough mission. We lost the

"Mudcat" today. That's the ship that beat the world's record. We knew that 3got out and the rest had very good chances of getting out. We also lost "FearlessFosdick" today. We don't know what happened to them.

The bomb hits were very good. We could see smoke for 40 minutes afterwe left the target."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. GloverBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: S/Sgt. Redfield


(Note: Lester Hale was promoted to Staff Sergeant after this mission.)

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-24s attack marshaling yards, the airdrome, and oil-

refining facilities at Budapest through intense antiaircraft fire and repeated fighterattacks...

A total of 35 Bf-109s and FW-190s are downed by escort fighters of the 1', 31",52d, 82d 325 1h and 332d Fighter groups- and eight additional Bf-109s are downed nearBudapest by visiting P-51 pilots of the Eighth Air Force's 4 1h Fighter Group which istransiting through Italy with Eighth Air Force heavy bombers returning to England froma FRANTIC shuttle mission to the Soviet Union...

47 th 48th COM bat missio Aso Jul 1944 "double credit missionTake Off: 07:50 Landed: 15:55Bomb Load: 1100 - 4 pound incendiary bombsTarget: Bucharest, Romania (locomotive works)

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was a very easy mission although a long one. We didn't have much

flak and no fighters.We really did a good job today. I don't think they will build anymore

locomotives there. We saw one P-51. We were supposed to have a couple ofgroups as escort.

The "Mole" (S/Sgt. Verdier) finished today."

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CREW Pilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. Williams, WWNavigator: Lt. GloverBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: T/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseEngineer: S/Sgt. FletcherAsst. Radio Operator: S/Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. Verdier (finished)Armorer Gunner: S/Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:...Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack oil-industry targets at Giurgiu and

Bucharest, repair shops at Arad, a rail bridge, and a marshaling yard.31s t and 325

th

Fighter group P-51s escort pilots down eight Axis fighters overRomania between 1140 and 1205 hours...

49 th and 50 th Combat Missions: July 7, 1944Take Off: 06:15 Landed: 14:50Bomb Load: 40 - 100 pound incendiariesTarget: Odertal, Germany - (oil refineries)

Lester Hale's diary entry: "This was my last mission and just about my roughest one.The flak at the target was really intense and accurate. I still don't know

how we got through it. We saw about eight 24s and one 17 go down after thetarget.

This finished me as far as combat flying goes. 3 others who were also onour plane finished also. "Junior", Joe Nenning and Powell."

CREWPilot: Lt. DabbertCopilot: Lt. BecraftNavigator: Lt. SannsBombardier: (bomb.)Engineer: T/Sgt. Redfield

Radio Operator: Sgt. MorgeseEngineer: S/Sgt. PowellAsst. Radio Operator: S/Sgt. CrockfordTurret Gunner: S/Sgt. NenningArmorer Gunner: S/Sgt. Hale

From AIR WAR EUROPA by Eric Hammel:... Fifteenth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack two synthetic-fuel plants at

Blechhammer, and B-24s also attack a synthetic-fuel plant and a coke plant at Odertal.Escort pilots from the 52d, 82d and 325 th Fighter groups down 13 Axis fighters along thebomber routes between 0950 and 1240 hours. Overall, 18 Fifteenth Air force aircraft arelost on the day's various missions...

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