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Daily Reports from the 323rd Bomb Squadron

From our viewpoint today, the Second World War was a black-and-white pageant of men and machines battling across or above a grainy, forgotten landscape. War is a narrative voiced by calm, analytical announcers who examine the past from an academic distance. Often forgotten is the work of tens of thousands of non-combatant clerks and recordkeepers whose jobs were to capture on paper the administrative minutia of the process of war. Their efforts, while doubtless tedious at the time, provide an outstanding backdrop against which the war plays out in practical terms. It is the "how" behind the "when" and "where".

The Daily Reports from the 323rd Bomb Squadron is part of that vast store of administrative detail. They are the actual day-to-day records of the squadrons missions and movements from the inception of the group through the end of the war.

This record is a valuable resource in many ways. For veterans, they can augment memories with hard facts. For researchers they provide solid dates around which to base further investigation. Children and grandchildren of the 323rd veterans will be able to pinpoint where their family members were at any given time.

Many thanks to Nancy Perri, who transcribed this information for the web.

323rd DAILY REPORTS 1942 Prepared

by Capt. Alexander H. Bright

15 April 1942 - 91st Bomb Gp. (H), AAF, activated, per General Order #31, 3rd AF, under authority contained in General Order #34, Hqs. AFCC, April 15, 1942, at Harding Field, Baton Rouge Louisiana.

16 May 1942 - 323rd Bomb Squadron (H), AAF, activated at MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida.

18 June 1942 - Squadron transferred to Army Air Base, Walla Walla, Washington. Left MacDill Field, June 22, 1942, and arrived destination June 26, 1942, per Special Order #169, paragraph 24, Hqs. AAB MacDill Field, dated June 18, 1942. This was a permanent change of station and squadron was
released from assignment with 3rd Air Force and reassigned to 2nd Air Force.

16 August 1942 - Squadron moved to Pendleton Air Base, Pendleton, Oregon, per Administrative Order #4, Hqs. 91st Bomb Gp (H), Army Air Base, Walla Walla, Washington.

18 August 1942 - Squadron returned to Army Air Base, Walla Walla, Washington, per Voco, Hqs. 91st Bomb Gp (H), Army Air Base, Walla Walla, Washington.

24 August 1942 - Squadron divided into Air and Ground Echelons:
Air Echelon 38 Officers 47 Enlisted Men
Ground Echelon 17 Officers 257 Enlisted Men
Ground echelon transferred to Fort Dix, New Jersey, per Special Order #46, dated August 19, 1942. Departed from Army Air Base, Walla Walla, Washington at 1430 hours, August 24, 1942 and arrived Fort Dix, New Jersey, at 0330 hours, August 28, 1942. The Air Echelon left the Army Air Base, Walla Walla Washington, at 1100 hours, August 24, 1942, for Boise, Idaho. This was a permanent change of station for both the Air and Ground Echelons.

4 Sept. 1942 - Ground Echelon departed Fort Dix, New Jersey for embarkation, N.Y.E.P. at 2100 hours, arriving at embarkation point at 0330 hours, per letter File No. 370.5, Hqs, Fort Dix, New Jersey.

5 Sept. 1942 - Ship left Embarkation Point at 1445 hours.

11 Sept. 1942 - Ship arrived at Debarkation point.

12 Sept. 1942 - Disembarked at 1100 hours and proceeded via rail to Thrapston, England and then via motor convoy to Kimbolton Air Base, Kimbolton, England, arriving at 0330 hours, 13 September 1942.

14 Oct. 1942 - The ground Echelon arrived at new Station, Bassingbourn, England.

15 Oct. 1942 - The Air Echelon arrived at Prestwick Scotland, per Special Order #263. Hqs. AAB, Dow Field, Bangor, Maine, dated September 23, 1942. From here they proceeded to Bassingbourn, England, to join the Ground Echelon.

16 Oct. 1942 - About three (3) practice operational training missions were conducted, as weather permitted, between the time of our arrival in England and our first active mission over enemy territory on November 7, 1943.
323rd DAILY REPORTS Cont'd.

16 Oct. 1942 cont'd.
Makeup of our nine (9) Combat Crews as follows:

DELTA REBEL No. 2 (#007)

Birdsong (P)
Reynolds (CP)
Miller (N)
Abb (B)
Remmell (E)
Perri (AE)
Kulchesky (R)
Byrd (AR)
Carter (TG)
Petersen (UG)

EAGLES WRATH (#524)

Giauque (P)
Lethers (CP)
Ott (N)
Butler (B)
Jones (E)
Sumergrad (AE)
Corl (R)
Mahan (AR)
Taylor (TG)
Wawrzynek (UG)

VERTIGO (#547)

McCarty (P)
Rand (CP)
Duggan (N)
Briglia (B)
McCormack (E)
Coury (AE)
Dunnavant (R)
Engle (AR)
Trent (TG)
Lehew (UG)

PENNSYLVANIA POLKA (#544)

Bobrow (P)
Sanders (CP)
Roten (N)
Andrews (B)
Bass (E)
Sullivan (AE)
Curb (R)
Fredricks (AR)
Card (TG)
Wirt (UG)

CAREFUL VIRGIN (#639)

Clancy (P)
Gladstone (CP)
Ackerman (N)
Fisher (B)
Lyons (E)
Wheeler (AE)
Taliercio (R)
Olexa (AR)
Streets (TG)
Conley (UG)

LIL AUDREY (#523)

Yuravich (P)
Shaw (CP)
Bennett (N)
Bell (B)
King (E)
Kusowski (AE)
Hatch (R)

Farrar (AR)

Shumard (TG)

Platt (UG)

STUPNTAKIT (#549)

Dwyer (P)
Evins (CP)
Maas (N)
Bohlen (B)
Cowherd (E)
Hunter (AE)
Thompson (R)
Miller (AR)
Alvey (TG)
Fournier (UG)

TEXAS BRONCO (#589)

Ellis (P)
Futch (CP)
Dunham (N)
Beiseker (B)
Demars (E)
Gaeta (AE)
Corrigan (R)
Floyd (AR)
Howard (TG)
Gillian (UG)

PANHANDLE DOGIE (#570)

Anderson (P)
Lee (CP)
Clinard (N)
Karnarth (B)
Marrer (E)
Senn (AE)
Barker (R)
McCauley (AR)
Odegard (TG)
Flint (UG)

7 Nov. 1942
On this date the first operational mission against the enemy was carried out by the 91st Bombardment Group (H). The total effort was fifty-six (56) Fortresses of which our Group supplied fourteen (14) ships from the 322nd and 324th Bombardment Squadrons. Lt. John H. Roten, Navigator, participated as navigator for one ship, and S/Sgt. Steven J. Perri, participated as ball turret gunner and assistant aerial engineer on another ship. No ships or complete crews of this Squadron participated in this mission. Objective was the enemy Submarine Base at Brest, in occupied France. Lt. Col. Stanley T. Wray, Group Commander was leader of this Mission. Results: Because of scattered clouds, which partly obscured visibility of target, the results were not observed. However, photographs of the targets reveal that considerable damage was done.

8 Nov. 1942:
Four (4) ships and complete crews of this Squadron participated in Bombing mission against and enemy Airdrome and Dispersal Area at Abbeville, in Occupied France. Strong enemy pursuit was encountered and Flak from enemy A.A. was heavy. However, our bombers were escorted by a Squadron of Spitfires, which aided materially in protecting them from the enemy pursuit planes. This was what is known as a Diversion raid, the main attack being against the enemy Locomotive and Steel Works at Lille, in occupied France. Lt. Everett L. Clinard Jr. was quite seriously wounded, and was hospitalized immediately after landing. Lt. Lyle G. Karnath, Bombardier, was seriously wounded, being hospitalized immediately after landing, due to wounds received on account of Flak. Lt. Clinard was a Navigator and Lt. William M. Anderson was his pilot. Their ship was severely damaged, and Lt. Eugene B. Ellis, Pilot of another ship, seeing Lt. Anderson lose formation, dropped back to aid him and escorted the injured ship and crew safely to the home base. The enemy, doing his best to bring this ship down, failed on account of the skill and teamwork of our crews. Clouds made observation of results of this mission difficult. S/Sgt. Howard, flying in ship #589, was officially credited with destroying one (1) enemy plane, FW-190.

9 Nov. 1942:
As part of an effort of forty-four (44) ships, thirteen (13) from the 91st Bombardment Group (H), two (2) ships and complete crews of this squadron, pilots Lt. Charles R. Giauque and Lt. Martin W. McCarty Jr., participated in a Bombing mission against Enemy Submarine Docks and Pens at St. Nazaire, in occupied France. Due to our skill in making approach to vicinity of target, the enemy was taken by surprise and failed to get his Pursuit Planes in action against us. However, Flak from the ground defenses was quite heavy. A shell exploded in bombardiers compartment of Lt. McCarty's ship, fatally wounding Lt. Louis B. Briglia, Bombardier, who expired during the night, after ships had returned to their Base. Sgt. William W. Dunnavant was severely wounded in action and his ship severely damaged. Ships landed in Exeter, Southwest England, for purpose of refueling. Mission was quite successful.

10 to 14 Nov. 1942:

Ground school and training activities were conducted for the combat crews and maintenance personnel. During this time special emphasis was given to organizing the ground defenses for this field.

14 Nov. 1942:
Primary target for the bombing mission was the Enemy Submarine Base in La Pallice in occupied France. Visibility being difficult there, ships went to St. Nazaire, an alternate target, to bomb warehouses and submarine facilities of the enemy. Result of the raid: Bombs were seen bursting on objective, and it is believed mission was quite successful. Only three (3) enemy fighters were encountered. Six (6) ships of our Squadron took part with the following named officers as pilots: First Lieutenants Clancy, Dwyer, Yuravich, Birdsong, Ellis and Bobrow.

15 to 17 Nov. 1942:
Ground school and training activities were conducted and four (4) enlisted men joined the Squadron ground personnel from a replacement center on November 17th.

17 Nov. 1942:
In a bombing mission against Submarine facilities of enemy at St. Nazaire, in occupied France, six (6) ships in this Squadron participated. Considerable enemy action was encountered. Direct hits were seen on the target and many fires were started. Our bombing was from an altitude of 19750 feet. T/Sgt. King, in ship #523, was officially credited with destroying one enemy aircraft, FW-190.

18 Nov. 1942:
Bombing mission was carried out against Submarine Pens and Docks at La Pallice, in occupied France. Very little enemy action was encountered. Due to bad weather conditions over the target area, some bombs were dropped on alternative and last resort targets at St. Nazaire and Lorient, in occupi