Mission #46. -- Terni, Italy - Saturday, August 28, 1943
Briefing at 0745, and then off on the “Italian express” to Terni, north of Rome. The weather was very poor over Italy, with a cold front lying in with high-cumulus clouds. We had our “Guardian Angels” (P-38’s) along as a fighter escort.
I flew with Major O’Connor and led the Squadron. We bombed a rail-marshalling yard in this important industrial city. I didn’t see any enemy fighters, and the flak was light and inaccurate. We had a three -Squadron Group formation, along with the 301st Group.
We had a major Garcia riding with us, as an Observer. He was a classmate of the Major at West Point. He had been in England, and is leaving for the Middle, and Far East soon.
Tonight, I packed. Supposed to go to Cairo tomorrow for some R&R (Rest and Recuperation). Apparently, our Flight Surgeon thinks that I am getting a little “Flak-Happy”.
MEMO:
We were briefed at 0700 yesterday morning. we started on a mission to bomb the rail yard at Sulmona, Italy. We had engine trouble and never got off the ground.
Note: I copied the following from the “Defenders of Liberty” - a great historical book on the 2nd Bomb Group.:
Generals Spaatz, Doolittle and Atkinson made a short inspection trip to the Group on August 27th. The Generals were particularly impressed by the war room, in the former cow barn, and with the various officers’ and enlisted mens’ clubs. So much so, that Gen. Spaatz ordered pictures taken, that he could send to Gen. Arnold. The favorable impression of the facilities, was as much a tribute to the ingenuity they represented, as to the function they served.
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