Mission 29: Piacenza, Italy

[limburger59]

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To unlock 1 Sep 24
Turn in AAR's no later than  14 Sep 24
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MISSION DATE: 10 May 44   
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Bombing Altitude: 22,500 feet

Map: 

FORMATION:

HIGH	79th SQDN		MID	80th SQDN		LOW	78th SQDN
LEAD:	Beach Bum		LEAD:	Duck Soup		LEAD:	Grim Reaper
TAIL:	The Filthy Hag		TAIL:	Northern Queen		TAIL:	Bob's Rascals

WEATHER:
Takeoff: Good
Target: Poor
Landing: Good

GAZETTEER
Expect Coastal Flak batteries.

In Zones 7 through 9, Italian fighters, flown by Italian pilots who stayed loyal to the ideals of Fascism may be encountered. 
Both TFT and QOTS players may use  - Table 5-3SB - found on Steve Dixon's website, to possibly run into them.

Note: Multiple turns in Zone 9 due to flight path.

Zone	Modifier (QotS)	Weather/Resistance (TfT)	Fighter Cover
2  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Good
3  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Good
4  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Good
5  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Good
6  Adriatic Sea	-2	100% Clouds / Light	Good
7  Adriatic Sea / Italy Coastal Flak: Light x1	X	100% Clouds / None	Good
8  Italy	X	100% Clouds / None	Good
9A  Italy	-2	100% Clouds / Light	Good
TARGET ZONE 9B Italy FLAK: Outbound: Medium x3 Inbound: Light x3	-2	100% Clouds / Light Target: Mostly Obscured TFT: Bombing Manually	Good
8  Italy	-1	100% Clouds / Moderate	Fair
7  Italy	X	100% Clouds / None	Fair
6  Adriatic Sea Coastal Flak: Light x1	X	100% Clouds / None	Fair
5  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Fair
4  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Fair
3  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Fair
2  Adriatic Sea	X	50% Clouds / None	Fair

Emergency Airfield: An airfield on the Island of Vis, in the Adriatic Sea (Zone 3) has been opened. It is a fighter base but will take our heavy bombers. (-2 landing modifier).
If a bomber has 150 or more Peckham Points it will be declared CAT-E. If it has 149 PP or less it will be repaired. In either case the crew, and repairable bombers, will return to Giulia three days after the emergency landing. 
        
Shot Down:  
Over Water (if you didn't drown):
    Zone 5 or greater: roll a d6: 1-3 = captured, 4 = rescued by fishermen and passed on to the Royal Navy 5-6 = rescued by fishermen, passed on to Partisans, eventually returned to base and reassigned to the U.S. (You know too much about the Partisans.)
    Zones 2 to 4: you are rescued by the Royal Navy

Over Italy: captured

Calendar since last Mission:
05-May-44  28 Ploesti, Romania - Unirea Spreantza Oil Refinery
06-May-44  Non-Operational Day
07-May-44  Non-Operational Day
08-May-44  Non-Operational Day
09-May-44  Mission Aborted enroute to Wiener Neustadt, Austria due to weather
10-May-44  29 Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard

[crushedhat]

“Your first encounter with the Luftwaffe shouldn’t happen until well into the mission, near Pula.” SSgt Dewbury indicates the Yugoslavian port city on the map as Maj Beech, the S2 mentions it. You can expect flak as you cross the Italian coast, and then more EA near Mantua. This may include some Italians still loyal to the fascist cause, though it should be light given enemy losses. The same can be said for resistance over the target. Flak will be of moderate intensity on target ingress. Slacking off, but still present on target egress.”

“Your heaviest opposition will be on the return trip. Coming off the target, expect to run into a mixed German-Italian force near Reggio Emilio.” Again SSgt Dewbury indicates the location on the big wall map. “After that, the only enemy you’ll be facing is the Gremlin Air Force.”

“Metro says the weather here at Giulia will be good, both for departure and return. The same can’t be said for the target, with low clouds and intermittent rain.”

“You’ll be escorted by our old friends from the 1st FG and their P-38s. So, it should be pretty clear who’s a good guy and who’s not.” Maj Beech’s comment is in reference to some aircrew complaining about the similarity between the Mustang and the Me 109.

“If you run into trouble, there’s a new fighter field on Vis. While it’s not designed for heavies, it’s a better option than ditching. If you can’t make it that far, the Royal Navy will be on Lifeguard duty as far north as Arcona.” The sound of SSgt Dewbury’s pointer tapping the map echoes through the room. “Otherwise, hope you meet up with some sympathetic fishermen.

The S2 concludes with, “By now, I hope I need not remind you of your obligations under the Fighting Man’s Code.”

Taking the S2’s place at the podium, S3 Maj Stockwell begins, “You’ll be leaving here on a heading of 90 Degrees. In the vicinity of Vis,” SSgt Dewbury indicate the checkpoint on the map, as he does for each one the S3 subsequently mentions. “You’ll come to a heading three-one-seven. Then, south of Verona you’ll turn to two-seven-six and head to the target.”

“The IP is a road junction east of Piancenza. You’ll be bombing from angels two-two-five.”

Coming off the target, turn to one-two-zero. Opposite Arcona come to one-four-four. That should take you back to Giulia.”

“Like the Two said, thee shouldn’t be a lot of Luftwaffe in the air. But even one determined fighter can be enough. So stay alert. Remember your training. And come back alive.”

[crushedhat]

For the 78th, for Mission 29
Lead: Grim Reaper (medic1) assuming they survive mission 28, otherwise Lovely Ladies (caodwolf)
Tail: Bob’s Rascals (rheiss)
Garfield, Paul, Maj, USAAF, XO, 78th (H) Bomb Squadron
(OOC - if assigned Lead or Tail, please submit your mission early in case someone else needs to take over those positions.)

[tomt1999]

For the 80th, mission #29

LEAD Duck Soup 

TAIL Northern Queen

MARZ

[wolverinetoddy]

For the 79th Squadron:

Lead: Beach Bum
Tail: The Filthy Hag

Now stay in formation, watch out for fighters, and hit the target!

[medic1]

B-24J THE GRIM REAPER (B24J-CF-42-100404)

Pilot: 1st Lt Jerry Burch
Squadron: 78th Bomber Squadron
Low Squadron: Lead
Mission Date: 10 May 1944
Mission Number: 029
Mission This Bomber: 07
Mission Target: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard

CREW/POSITION/RANK	CURRENT MISSION	PREVIOUS CLAIMS	THIS MISSION	STRESS POINTS	STATUS
Pilot 1st Lt Jerry Burch	18	0	0	1	RTD
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Hank McAlister	19	0	0	1	RTD
Bombardier 2nd Lt Cliff Lockwood	8	1	0	1	RTD
Navigator 2nd Lt Emmett Towns	8	1	0	3	RTD
Engineer S/Sgt Bart Dillon	17	7	0	4	RTD
R/O S/Sgt Dennis Webber	7	0	0	4	RTD
Ball Gunner Sgt Mark Harrison	17	8	0	2	RTD
PWG S/Sgt Scott Wakeford	1	0	0	0	RTD
SWG S/Sgt Jared Tarallo	4	0	0	0	RTD
Tail Gunner Sgt Donald Adkins	2	1	0	0	RTD

Bomb Run: On
On Target: 20%
B-24 Damage: 1 Hit
Tail x 1
- superficial (2)
Peckham Points: 2
Repair Time: Overnight
Crew Chief: S/Sgt Jay Decker (+2 mod)
Landing: Safe at Giulia

E/A TYPE	ENCOUNTERED	DESTROYED	PROBABLE	DAMAGED	INTERCEPTED
Bf-109	0	0	0	0	0
Bf-110	0	0	0	0	0
C-202	0	0	0	0	0
C-205	0	0	0	0	0
Fw-190	6	0	0	0	4
G-50	0	0	0	0	0
He-112	0	0	0	0	0
Ju-88	0	0	0	0	0
Me-410	0	0	0	0	0
Re-2001	0	0	0	0	0
TOTALS	6	0	1	0	0

Confirmed Claims: 0
Casualties: 0
Award/ Promotions Requests:
Air Medal (1st Award) S/Sgt Jared Tarallo
Promotion Reviews:
Stress Points this Mission: 0

After Action Report (using QOTS and various optional rules):
Zone 1: Beautiful weather as we took off and formed up, taking the lead position.
Zone 2-9A: Nothing to report.
Zone 9B: Once we had approached the IP we were approached by two 190. They in turn were approached by several P-38 who turned the Krauts from heroes of the Reich to cowards of the county and they quickly left the scene.

As the inaccurate flak popped off, control was turned over to Lockwood for the bomb. Despite some smoke from smoke pots and clouds, Lockwood managed to get enough of a glimpse of the marshaling yard to plant 20% of our payload onto it and we turned for the rally point.

INBOUND

The flak was still unable to find us, and once clear of it we had four 190 try to weave through our escorts with only two being successful.
One hit us in the tail and returned, but he fell to a Lightning strike. The remaining 190 failed to cause any damage and moved on as staying around was dangerous to his health thanks to our vigilant little friends.
Zone 8-2: Nothing to report.
Zone 1: We landed without incident and taxied to our hardstand.

The ground crew are pretty happy for the light work load thanks to a lack of battle damage, and the crew is just as pleased having all come home safe and in one piece.

1st Lt Jerry Burch, Pilot Commanding, 78th BS, 509 BG, 15th AF

[rhreiss]

B-24J Bob's Rascals
Commander 1LT Bob Muncrief
78th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
5 combat missions flown
status shot down by Me109 fuel fire
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44   
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Formation: low
Position: tail



78th Bombers squadron crews heard radio message from  B-24J Bob’s Rascals as the formation left the target area "being swarmed by fighter attacks, fuel fire cannot be putout, dropping out of formation, crew is bailing out". Multiple chutes were observed. Red Cross reports all crew members are now POWs.

1LT Bob Muncrief POW
2LT Bob ‘Happy’ Harris POW
2LT Sig Gryska POW
2LT Eddie Silber POW
S/SGT Mel Mazzera POW
S/SGT Joe Grace POW
SGT Joe ‘ Irish’ Gallagher POW
SGT Hub Walker POW
SGT Hal Spindel POW
SGT Bill Cox POW

[sparky]

79th Bomber Squadron    Beach Bum   Mission #29   Target Piacenza, Italy   Marshalling Yard
May 10,1944   Formation High Cell  Lead    Bomb Run 40%  Plane mission #5

Mission # ( )  Previous Kills [ ]   Kills this mission { }

Pilot...1st Lt Ken Day (5)  
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Rick Miesner (5)
Bombardier 2nd Lt Marvin Johnson (5)  [ ]     { }
Navigator 2nd Lt James Redmond (5)   [1/3]  { }
Engineer S/SGT John Ridings (5)         [2/3]   { }
Radio S/SGT Lester Smith (5)              [1/3]  { }
Ball Turret SGT Jerry Cassano (5)        [1]      { }
Port Waist SGT Nathan Isbell (5)         [ ]       { }
Starboard Waist SGT Bill Pilgrim (5)    [1/3]   { }
Tail Gunner SGT Timothy Conover (5) [1 1/3] { }

After Action Report

Beach Bum took off with no problems and assumed her
position as lead of the high cell. Everyone on board
felt a higher level of responsibility as this was our
first time flying lead with the 79th. We wanted to prove
ourselves to both ourselves and the entire 509th.
Zones 2-5 were routine with 50% cloud cover making
for a beautiful sight.
Zone 6 saw a few enemy aircraft attempt to attack the 
formation but none approached Beach Bum.
Zone 7 the enemy aircraft left everyone alone and we
soon found out why when light flak appeared as we
crossed the coastline. No flak erupted near our aircraft
and no damage was incurred.
Zone 9a as we neared the target we again observed
numerous enemy fighters attacking the bomber stream
but again none attacked Beach Bum. We were all 
feeling a sense of relief from not being singled out
by enemy fighters. But that was short lived as the 
enemy aircraft cleared the area and the flak over
the target began. Midway through the flak barrage 
we took what felt like a solid hit but radioman Smith
did a quick inspection and reported that we got lucky
and sustained only superficial damage. Bombardier 
Johnson put his improving skills to good use and 
put 40% of our payload on the target and we turned 
for home.
Zone 9b saw more light flak and enemy aircraft but 
the flak caused no damage to us and no enemy fighters
singled out Beach Bum. I got on the intercom and asked
everyone who brought the lucky rabbits foot. Ball turret 
gunner Cassano replied that he had received a new 
picture of his girlfriend at mail call yesterday and had it
in his pocket. We all told him that she was riding with
us from now on as she is our lucky charm.
Zone 8 the formation was again attacked by enemy
fighters and this time Beach Bum was a target. 3
enemy fighters singled us out. 2 Germans, a 109
and a 190, and one Italian 109. Our escorts drove off 
the German 190 but the German 109 and Italian 109
attacked from the 12 oclock and 1:30 positions
simultaneously, splitting our defensive fire between them.
Top Turret gunner Ridings scored a solid hit on the German
and he veered off without making an attack. 2nd Lt Redmond 
got hits on the Italian but he continued his attack run, missed
his shots, and left the fight. A second wave of 3 EA swooped
in on us and again our little friends drove one off.
A German ME-109 made a single head on pass, missed
and flew away. It was a different story for the Italian 
ME-109 though. He made a slashing high speed pass
and connected with 2 hits.
One was superficial and the 
other damaged our port aileron. But not enough
damage to affect my control of the aircraft. He came
around for a second pass. This time engineer Ridings
in the top turret and bombardier Johnson on the cheek
gun were able to concentrate their fire on his single plane
and one of them was able to put rounds on target causing
visible damage to his fighter. He was a brave and determined
pilot though and ignored the hits he sustained and bore in
on us. We saw his guns and cannon twinkle as he fired
on us and scored 2 hits and flew away. Both were superficial
and we were able to maintain our position in the formation.
Zone 6 saw us crossing the coast line and again encountered
light flak which caused no damage.
The rest of the ride home was uneventful and we landed
safely in good weather. Once we were all out of the aircraft
SGT Conover asked Cassano if he could kiss the picture of 
Cassano's girlfriend. Cassano laughed, gave Conover her
picture and after Conover kissed her we passed her around
with everyone giving our lucky lady a kiss of thanks.

29 Peckham points of damage.
6 EA encountered, 3 EA hit, 0 EA destroyed.
40% of bombs on target.

Respectfully submitted by 1st Lt K. Day

[Grondeaux]

B-24J-40-CF 42-50498 Suzy Q 
78th Bombardment Squadron
Bomber Position: Low squadron, middle, then TEC from Zone 9A outbound back to base.
Mission Date: 10 May 1944
Mission #: 29
Aircraft Mission #: 8
Target: Marshalling yard, Placenza, Italy

Crew at Mission Start

Position	Rank	Name	Missions	Credits	Stress	Awards	Notes
Pilot	2LT	Ira Gleason	4		1
Copilot	2LT	Gordon Wiggins	4		0
Bombardier	2LT	Floyd Cobb	4		0
Navigator	2LT	Harold McBride	4		1
Nose Turret Gunner	SGT	Matthew Hartley	3	1	1
Flight Engineer	SSGT	Clarence Maddox	4		0
Ball Turret Gunner	SGT	Alton Pope	4	1	0
Left Waist Gunner	SGT	Carl Heller	4	1	1
Right Waist Gunner	SGT	Lyle Riley	4		0
Tail Turret Gunner	SGT	Archibald Brockner	4	1	0		Replacement

Crew Chief: SGT Clyde Clemens (25 skill points; roll every zone)

Bomb Run: On target, 40%

Casualties: none

Attackers: 7

Type	Spotted	Destroyed	Damaged	Driven Off by Escort
ME-109	2	0	0	2
FW-190	3	0	1	1
ME-110	1	0	0	1
ME-109	1	0	0	1

Claims: none

Credits: none

Award/Promotion Requests:
    Air Medal for completing five missions: 2LT Ira Gleason, 2LT Gordon Wiggins, 2LT Floyd Cobb, 2LT Harold McBride, SSGT Clarence Maddox, SGT Alton Pope, SGT Carl Heller, SGT Lyle Riley, SGT Archibald Brockner.
    2LT Ira Gleason promoted to First Lieutenant

In Hospital/Recovery: none

Aircraft Damage: 2 Peckham points (1 x superficial)

AFTER ACTION REPORT – Using TFT (Variants used: TFT Axis Fighter Aircraft Add-on Module, Jasta 6’s Table 5-3 Placement Variant, Variant Tables for Take-Off and Mechanical Failure, Bruce Peckham’s German Fighter Pilots variant, Fuel Tank Fires, Seriously Wounded Bail Out, On the Subject of Bombs, my variation to Nolan Bryant’s Crew Chiefs, Combat Fatigue, Chris Riches’ Enhanced Fighter Attacks (Simple Version)
-----------------------------------------------------
After the savaging the Flying Boxcars experienced on the 5th, that “there shouldn’t be a lot of Luftwaffe in the air” comment by the S-3, MAJ Stockwell, is of little comfort. Morale is at a low point as few of us can see a way we can ever get to that magic 25th mission.

Take-off and squadron assembly is uneventful. We find Heavenly Body without incdent and slot into the middle of the 78th.

Outbound
Zones 2-6: Nothing but the drone of the Pratt & Whitneys.

Zone 7: The coastal flak is desultory, and well away from us.

Zone 8: Nothing to report.

Zone 9A: The enemy puts in an appearance, right on schedule. Our P-38 escorts are attentive, and the only attack faced by Suzy Q is a lone FW-190 in a vertical dive. Everyone misses.
Bob’s Rascals, in the Tail End Charlie position, isn’t so lucky. It drops out of formation ablaze after fighters hit it and parachutes start to appear. It looks like everyone got out. We drop back and slot into the vacant TEC position.

Target Zone (9B)
We’re left alone on our approach to the IP.
We’re nicked by the flak and Cobb gets a good bomb drop. According to Pope and Brockner, anyway.
Turning onto the 120 heading, the flak is well away from us. What few enemy fighters come after us are all chased off by the Lightnings.

Inbound
Zone 8: [Rolled a Lady Luck Smiles event]
A couple of 109s… one from the Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana.. and a 190 approach us. The P-38s take on the 109s. The FW attacks from 12:00 low, takes some damage, and flies off without hitting us.

Zone 7: Nothing to report

Zone 6: The coastal flak is nowhere near us.

Zone 5: Pope calls in that his turret has lost power. Damn…yet another mechanical failure. I make a mental note to give SGT Clemens a good ass-chewing when we get back to base. Maybe I’ll take Wiggins with me to contribute… give Clemens both barrels, as it were. Fortunately, Pope gets the power restored in short order.

Zones 4-2: Nothing to report.

Landing: Uneventful.

V/r,
2LT Ira Gleason, First Pilot
B-24J Suzy Q
78th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF

[mpgutis]

Mission date: 10 May 44
Target: Piacenza, Italy - Marshaling Yard
Mission/Bomber: 29/15
B-17G The A Train
80th Bombardment Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group (H), 15th Air Force
Formation: Middle Squadron
Position: Middle

Position: Name (Mission) (Kills) Awards
Pilot: 1LT Dirk Ellington (15) (-) PH, AM x3
Co-Pilot: 2LT Edward Reese (15) (-) AM x3
Bombardier: 2LT Reed Williams (15) (3) DFC, AM x3
Navigator: 2LT Mark Ventura (15) (1.83) PH x2, AM x3
Engineer: SSG Stanley Ruzinski (15) (5) DFC, PH, AM x3
Radio Operator: SGT Fred Conway (15) (0.5) AM x3
Ball Gunner: SGT Malcolm Kovacs (15) (2.66) AM x3
Port Waist Gun: SGT Randy Peterman (15) (1.0) PH x2, AM x3
Starboard Waist Gun: SGT Vincent Meoli (15) (3) PHx4, AM x3
Tail Gun: SGT Sheldon Thomas (15) (4.74) PH, AM x3

Bombing: On target, 40%

Damage: 25 PP
Superficial x1: Fuselage, 5
Rudder x1: 10
Suit heater system: 10
Repair overnight

Casualties:
None

Enemy Aircraft: Encountered / Destroyed / Credited
Me-109: 2 / 0 / 0

Awards:
Crew: AM

Flown with TFT

After the last mission it was comforting to be in the middle of the Middle Squadron. We didn't expect anything like what Ploesti was, is, but any mission can kill you just as dead.

Takeoff was without problems and assembly went as well as possible.

Zones 2 - 5: Nothing to report.

Zone 6: A pair of Me-109s attacked at 12:00 High and 10:30 High but the escorts saw them off.

Zones 7 - 9A: Nothing to report.

Zone 9B {Target): After the IP, no enemy aircraft got near us. The flak, however, hit the rudder and a superficial hit to the fuselage. The bomb run was without incident and we estimated 40% inside the box.

Zones 9B (Inbound) - 3: Nothing to report.

Zone 2: Shortly before we began our approach the suit heaters failed but at the lower altitude it made no difference.

Landing was also without incident. Only ten missions left. Hopefully the was gods will be as kind as they've been so far.

Dirk Ellington, 1LT
Aircraft Commander, The A Train
80th Bombardment Squadron

[patchall]

B17G 42-31599 "The Filthy Hag"

79th BS Position Top/Tail
DATE: 10 MAY 1944 MISSION: 3 TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard

BOMB RUN ON TARGET 20%

CREW CASUALTIES - N/A



DAMAGE - 24 - negligible

AIRCRAFT STATUS - - Ready

CREW CHIEF Horace Tyler (ROOKIE -1 DM to Repairs and Maintenance) - 3 missions served

AAR
First time bombing Italy today. Some railyard outside of Milan. Wonder what trains into and out of Italy are looking like today. Is Adolf sending in more men and machines to hold our boys back? Are the Nazis getting out of Dodge? I wish they’d just throw in the sponge. They have to see the end coming now. I figure the boys and I will need to help convince them a little. Every tie, rail, and switch we damage costs the Jerries time. The bullets you were expecting are a few days late? Can’t get that critical widget for your artillery piece? The train that was going to carry you back to your frau on leave isn’t running? Tough beans Nazi. A thousand inconveniences stacked up become serious business. Drip drip assholes.

Our mechanic, Horace, was beaming when we we came up to the fort this morning. He said the Hag was better than new and everything was fit as a fiddle. I hope he didn’t jinx us. But damned if everything didn’t turn right over. No knocks or splutters. The Hag took off smooth as butter and we joined the formation.

Had a minor scare when we went feet dry. Some desultory flak came up. Didn’t look like they were even really aiming at us. Then we got a kick and “CLANG” from underneath. Our radioman, Sal, started screaming and cussing in Italian. The boys checked on him and found a little piece of smoking shrapnel in his seat. A few more grains of powder in that shell and Sal would have had the worst kind of day a man can have. He was white as a ghost and muttering prayers I hear tell.

I can’t say enough about our escorts. Those P-38s really worked the bad guys over. We were tail end Charlie of the top formation and I’ll admit I was a bit nervous. But the fork-tails swarmed anyone who looked at us funny. Lucky thing too, our cheek and tail guns got jammed by cold. Need to oil those up better.

We were on target today but Riley, our bombardier, looked angry and dyspeptic. I’ll have to talk to him later. Our percentages are not what I’d like them to be. But I’m glad we’ll be able to report “on target” today.

Nothing much of a much on the way back. An FW got tucked in behind us and plinked our tail a bit but he veered off sharpish.

A fine day’s work.

Attachments:

[caodwolf]

B-24J:  Lovely Ladies


Pilot: 1Lt. D Brenner
Assignment:  15th Air Force,  509th Bomber Group, 78th Squadron
Mission Date: 10-May-1944
Mission No.: 29
Mission this Bomber: 4
Target for Today:  Placenza, Italy -  Marshalling Yards
Squadron Position:  Low
Result:   50%
 

After the last mission to Ploesti we got a well deserved milk run.   Enemy resistance was very light,   there was no Flak and bombs were dropped with good effect.

The Germans fired missiles a couple time but they all missed.  

Returned to base without further incidents. 

Over and out....

Crew Manifest

Position	Rank	Name	Missions Flown	Kills this Mission	Total Kills	Awards	Status
Pilot	1Lt	D. Brenner	1	---	---	---	OK
Co-Pilot	2Lt	S. McDonald	9	---	---	AM	OK
Bombardier	2Lt	D. 'Gator' Grahek	5	---	---	AM	OK
Navigator	2Lt	C. Stesney	6	---	---	AM	OK
Top Turret/Engineer	S/Sgt	D. 'Shake & Bake' Baker	9	---	1	AM,PH	OK
Radio Op	Sgt	D. Hilferty	6	---	---	AM	OK
Chin Turret	S/Sgt	D. 'Prutz' Prutzman	9	---	3	AM	OK
Stbd Waist	Sgt	M.  Abrabat	4	---	---	---	OK
Ball Turret	Sgt	J. 'Hog' Lauer	9	---	4	AM	OK
Tail Turret	S/Sgt	T. 'Stretch'  Herbon	9	---	1	AM,PH	OK

 

Convalescing

2Lt  S Zell. Navigator,                RTD: 20-May-1944
Sgt. Al Weiss. Waist Gunner:      RTD  10-May-1944
Sgt  B Peterson, Radio:              RTD  20-July-1944
S/Sgt B Burgess.  Bombardier:   RTD  28-May-1944
1Lt. M  Kucek,  Pilot:                 RTD 19-May-1944

Medals / Promotions

Air Medal

2Lt.  D Grahek

Fighters Encountered

 

FTR	Spotted	Driven-Off	Damaged	Not-Damaged	Claimed - Credited
FW-190	3	2	1	---	---
ME-109	3	1	1	1	---
---	---	---	---	---	---
---	---	---	---	---	---
---	---	---	---	---	---
TOTALS	6	3	2	1	---

B-24J Damage:

*  0  *

No Damage

[ChefEd]

B-24J Classy Chassy
B-24J-5-CF-42-64220
Squadron: 78th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
Squadron Position: Low
Aircraft Position: Middle
Mission Date: 10 MAY 1944
Mission Number: 29
This Aircraft: 1
Target: Piacenza, Italy, Marshalling Yard

Crew

Position	Rank / Name	Mission	Kills	Awards	Status	Stress
Pilot	1st Lt Conor Grinsly	1	0	0	RTD	0
Co-Pilot	2nd Lt Lincoln Nichols	1	0	0	RTD	1
Navigator / NT	2nd Lt Emmanuel Moulder	1	0.5	0	RTD	0
Bombardier	2nd Lt Kirk Vaillancourt	1	0	0	RTD	0
Engineer	T/3rd Julien O'Rourke	1	0	0	RTD	0
Radio Op / Rt Waist	T/4th Rene Harper	1	0	0	RTD	0
NT / Rt Waist	T/4th Zachariah Davila	1	0	PH	KIA	0
Ball Turret	Sgt Jaxton Ingrid	1	0.5	0	RTD	0
Left Waist / NT	Sgt Ismael Deadmon	1	0	PH	LW	1
Tail Gunner	S/Sgt Johnnie Nava	1	0	0	RTD	0
Crew Chief	S/Sgt Dan Hitchcock	3			Skill +0

Bomb Run: On Target, 40 %

Casualties:
T/4 Zachariah Davila, KIA
Sgt Ismael Deadmon, LW, RTD 13 MAY 1944


Peckham Points: 36 Peckham Points, One ( 1 ) Day(s) to Repair

Damage:

Bomb Controls	10
Superficial X7	14
KIA	10
Light Wound	2

Landing: Safe

Enemy Aircraft

Type	Encountered	Driven Off	Damaged	Claimed	Awarded	Probable
Fw-190	10	5	2	1	0	1
Me-109	7	5	0	1	0.5	0
C.205	2	2	0	0	0	0
Me-410	2	1	0	1	0.5	0
G.55	1	1	0	0	0	0
Ju-88	1	1	0	0	0	0

Claims

Position	Claimed	Awarded	Probable
Ball	2	0.5	0
Navigator	1	0.5	0
Left Waist	1	0	1

Awards:
Air Medal
None

Purple Heart
T/4 Zachariah Davila, Posthumous
Sgt Ismael Deadmon

Promotions:
None

AFTER ACTION REPORT
The crew of the Classy Chassy and I arrived in theater 4 days ago: the day after the Ploesti raid. It was very disconcerting to see so many empty pads, and so many damaged aircraft. It was even more disconcerting to see so many empty seats in the mess.

As soon as he could, our bombardier, Lt Kirk Vaillancourt, went looking for his brother, Alexis. Kirk returned to the BOQ an hour after heading to S-1 with a distant look in his eyes. His brother’s plane was seen going down near the Yugoslav coast, heading inbound to Giulia. Ten chutes were reported, but no word from the Red Cross, USN, or partisans if they had been found or recovered.

The first hour, or so, of the flight was uneventful. Travelling up the Adriatic nestled in the middle of the squadron, and P-51s continuously visible.

Recrossing the Italian coast at Chioggia we were welcomed by flak, which did no damage to us. South of Mantua we encountered our first enemy fighters, a Junkers 88 and a Fiat G.55, both summarily driven off by our ever present escort.

After the enemy fighters passed through, the squadron was showing a bit too much sky between each bomber.

With the IP close ahead we encountered an FW-190 and a Macchi C.205. The Italian was driven off, and the FW missed, as did we.

Flak was accurate, hitting the nose several times, knocking out the bomb controls, and perforating the skin. I ordered radio op Harper to the bomb bay to release the bombs upon Kirk’s command. As soon as Kirk gave the command, he uttered, “That’s for you Alex.” Harper got to the station just in time for Lt. Vaillancourt’s command. Good teamwork. Later intelligence reported 40% on target.

As we turned from the target to the RP S/Sgt Nava, in the tail, reported the TEC Bob’s Rascals was going down. He and Sgt Ingrid, in the ball, reported ten chutes.

I was about to slip into the TEC when Suzy Q announced they would be filling in TEC. More daylight between the bombers.

Once past the RP the enemy attacks were nonstop all the way to Ferrara.

Our omnipresent little friends did a bang up job keeping many of the enemy at bay.

We were hit by a wave of a solo 190 and three 109s, with three enemy driven off. A wave of two 190s, an ME-410 and a 109 followed with two driven off. During this attack T/3 O’Rourke’s guns in the top turret jammed.

Shortly thereafter another wave of another pair of 190s, a 410 and 1 109 attacked. Our little friends drove off three fighters, while 2Lt Moulder shot down the 410.

No rest for the wicked. Another wave with a 190, another C.205, and a 109 attacked. Two of the enemy were driven off, leaving the 190. The 190 shattered the waist, wounding Sgt Taylor, and killing T/4 Davila. The 190 swung around, making the mistake of coming under the guns of the wounded Sgt Taylor. He and Sgt Ingrid, in the ball, ripped both wings off the enemy fighters, unfortunately to no credit.

Close on the heels of these three fighters, three more 190s and a 109 attacked. Our escorts drove off two of the enemy fighters. Lt Moulder damaged the 190 and Sgt Ingrid shot up the nose of the 109, forcing its pilot to bail.

We hit flak on the coast again, but it was wide and ineffective.

Approaching Giulia, we shot off flares indicating dead and wounded.

An ambulance took T/4 Davila away, and Sgt Taylor headed to hospital after debriefing. Taylor has been cleared to return to flying status immediately. T/4 Davila will be interred in a day or two.

Submitted by,
1Lt Conor Grinsly, Pilot
B-24J Classy Chassy
78th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF, USAAF

[limburger59]

B-17F ANXIOUS ANGEL
        Spare assigned to the 79th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
High Squadron – Middle
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Placenza, Italy

CREW from the Spare Pool
Position – Rank                                        (Current Mission)
Pilot: 1LT Nathaniel "Nate" Sutherland                    (15) AM+ PH            
Co-Pilot: 2LT Joseph "Joey" Goodman                      (7) 
Navigator: 2LT Forrest "Candy Man" Sweet              (8) PH AM
Bombardier: 2LT Leon “Gold” Oro                            (4) 
Engineer/TT: S/SGT Emile "Plug" Putman                (18) [6.5] AM+ DFC “Ace”
Radio Op: S/SGT Christopher "Varnish" Varney         (9) AM
Ball Turret: SGT Patricio "Italy" Vechitto                   (6) [1] AM PH
Right Waist: SGT Sidney "Sid" Beck                        (14)[.5] AM+
Left Waist: SGT Glen "Mac" McPherson                     (6) AM
Tail Gunner: SGT Albert "Tiny" Plimson                     (7) [1] AM                              

Bomb Run: Off Target 0%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage:
Mechanical Failure: Ball Turret Power (10)

Peckham Points: 10

Disposition: Lands safely at Giulia.

Attackers: 0
        
Total Enemy Aircraft: Kills = 0 Confirmed, Probables (FBOA) = 0, Damaged (FCA) = 0, Driven Off by Escort = 0

Award/Promotion Requests: 
        Air Medal - second oak leaf cluster for 15 Completed Missions: 1LT Nathaniel "Nate" Sutherland

AFTER ACTION REPORT (QOTS-Beery):

        A Spare Crew flying a Hanger Queen

Milk run, until the Ball Turret power failed on the return trip. The crew were able to free SGT Vechitto from the ball before landing.

[rhreiss]

B-17F All In
Commander 2LT Don Heffner
79th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
29 combat missions flown
status RFD
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Formation: high
Position: middle

Crew
Position            Rank Name    Combat Missions Flown Awards          confirmed Kills Status
Pilot                 1LT Don Heffner                      18          AM+++,PH                       RFD
Co-Pilot            2LT Lewis 'Lew' Riggs                4                                                  RFD
Bombardier      2LT Billy Sullivan                      15          AM+                                RFD
Navigator         2LT Jake Wade                           8          AM, PH                             RFD
Engineer          S/SGT Roy Hughes                    13         AM+, PH          2.33           RFD
Radio Operator T/SGT Vern Kennedy                 24         AM+++,PH       1               RFD
Ball Gunner      SGT Albert 'Al' Hollingsworth       4                                                 RFD
Left Waist        SGT Ernesto 'Big Ernie' Lombardi 4                                0.5            RFD
Right Waist      SGT Emil "Hill Billy" Bildilli           8          AM                                   RFD
Tail Gunner       SGT Ewald "Ernie" Pyle             16         AM++, PH        2.75           RFD

experence skill modifier level 
Crew Chief T/SGT Fred Johnson 29 1 Meticulous Reroll any result of a Mechanical Failure, but all repairs take an extra day.


Enemy Aircraft: Encountered: 0
Crew Chief Pre Mission Report: No Mechanical Failures. plus a Lady Luck Smile that can be used to try and mitigate one mechanical oriented damage result this mission.
Bomb Results: on-target 40%
Bomber Damage: none
Peckham Points: o
Landing: Safe landing at Giulia Airfield
Bomber Disposition: Overnight maintenance
Casualties & status:

Claims:
Awards:
2LT Sullivan Air Medal
Promotions:


AAR
After the attack on Ploesti as the squadron TEC this was a milk run for us. Took off, put bombs on-target for 40% coverage, flew back to base and landed. Vern our Radio operator needs one more mission and then he gets a ticket back to the States.


OUTBOUND
We were able to take off without any problems and took our position in the middle of the squadron. Uneventful flight to the target area.


TARGET AREA
Once we were in the target area none of the enemy fighter attempted to engage us and the flak was ineffective. Billy wss on target and assessed at 40% coverage. Flak after bomb release was ineffective and no fighters attacked us as we were reformed at the RP and started home.

INBOUND
The flight back to the base was uneventful with a safe landing at Giulia Airfield.
T/SGT Johnson reports that All In will be ready after routine overnight maintenance.


1LT Don Heffner, Pilot Commanding
B-17F All In
79th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF

[tomt1999]

MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Bombing Altitude: 22,500 feet

DUCK SOUP B-17G-45BO-42-97236
Group 509

Squadron 80

CREW

1LT Roland "Rollie" Howell - Pilot - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress: 2
2LT Ludomir "Woz" Wozniak - Co-Pilot - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress:
2LT Glen "Woody" Woodard - Bombardier - Missions: 4 | Claims: 1 | Awards: | Stress: 1
2LT Bernard "Barney" Trasdale - Navigator - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress: 1
S/SGT Edward Justice - Engineer - Missions: 12 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress:
SGT Walter "Sparky" Moody - Radio Op - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress: 1
SGT Francisco "Frank" de la Cruz - Ball Gunner - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress: 1
SGT Lyle "P.O." White - Port Waist - Missions: 4 | Claims: | Awards: | Stress:
SGT Samuel "Coop" Cooper - Starb Waist - Missions: 4 | Claims: 0.5 | Awards: | Stress: 1
SGT Janus "Yawn" Swoboda - Tail Gunner - Missions: 4 | Claims: 1 | Awards: | Stress: 2

BOMBING ON 75%

ENEMY A/C
1x FW 190 IT over target
3x Bf109 inbound. 1 D/O

CLAIMS
none

CASUALTIES
none

DAMAGE
none

AAR

Take-off was effected without difficulty as was assembly.

Saw no enemy activity until over the target when an Italian job attacked unsuccessfully. 

We got a piece of it and drove it away.

Flak was ineffective.

The clouds parted for a few moments and 2LT Woody Woodard dropped his eggs 75% 

on target.

On the way home, just after we turned home, three Bf109s attacked. One was driven 

off and the other two were ineffective as was our gunfire.

Landed safely at Giulia.

Howell

[jpfatfingers]

B-17 G Damned Yankees
Pilot: 1st Lt Joey Dimaggio
Squadron: 79th BS
Mission Date: 10 May 1944
Mission Number: 029
Mission This Bomber: 03

Mission Target: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard

Bomber Position: High Squadron / Middle

POSITION	RANK	NAME	MISSIONS COMPLETED	KILLS THIS MISSION	TOTAL KILLS	AWARDS	STATUS / FIT FOR DUTY
Pilot	1st Lt.	Joey Dimaggio	3			Purple Heart	FFD
Copilot	2nd Lt.	Arnie Hayes*	1				FFD
Bombardier	2nd Lt.	"Babe" Ruth	3		2		FFD
Navigator	2nd Lt.	Louie Gehrig	3		1		FFD
Engineer	T/Sgt	"Yogi" Berra	3				FFD
Radio Op	T/Sgt	"Sparky" Lyle	3		0.5		FFD
Ball Gunner	Sgt	Ronny Guidry	3				FFD
Pt Waist Gunner	Sgt	"Lefty" Gomer	3				FFD
Stbd Waist Gunner	Sgt	"Goose" Gossage	3				FFD
Tail Gunner	Sgt	"Catfish" Hunter	3		0.5		FFD

*Replacing 2nd Lt. M. Mantle - recovering from Sr. Wound, ETA 5/12

BOMB RESULTS: Babe scores a big EGG on target due to flak hits rocking us and significant cloud cover.
BOMBER DAMAGE: 2 total hits from flak – 1 Superficial Damage to port wing aileron, 1 KO’s stbrd engine #2
PECKHAM POINTS: 55
LANDING: Safe landing at main base
BOMBER DISPOSITION: Repairing damage to port wing aileron and stbrd engine #3. Had crew chief also check port wing engine #1 and found nothing that would have caused it to quit in flight. Chalk it up to gremlins & ready for next mission.
CASUALTIES & STATUS: All crew A-OK
CLAIMS: None
AWARDS: None
PROMOTIONS: None

AAR

Joining our crew on this mission at Copilot is 2nd Lt. Arnie Hayes, filling in for Lt. Mickey Mantle who is recovering from a punctured left thigh courtesy of a ME 109 slug on our last mission. Doc says if all goes well Mickey should be FFD by the 12th and we hope that’s the case. For today’s mission we are flying along the eastern Italian coastline on our way to bomb the marshalling yards in Piacenza. Weather is decent with broken clouds to fly in & out of with nary a sign of bogeys making for an easy early flight. However upon entering Zone 4 our #1 engine decided to just up and quit (RE DR 10), but thankfully we were able to get it running again quickly (dr 1) so able to stay on mission and in formation. Made note to have crew chief check that out. Jerry throws up a little light flak as we turn NW onto the Italian mainland (Z 7) but nothing comes even close to our high level group and we continue on to the target zone (9) without incident. But there is where a host of bogeys are waiting for us, with a bunch swarming our section of the bomb group, and no less than 5 ME 109’s jumping on us. Despite good cover from our little friends, 4 of the 5 get through to fire on us. Babe, Lou, Yogi, Sparky, Lefty and Catfish all get in on the action, damaging 3 of the 4 sufficiently that the bogey's bursts do no damage to us and they all opt to forgo a 2nd pass. The last 109 breaks through unscathed using a vertical dive, but he too misses as I do a little fancy flying amongst the chaos around us. With bogeys gone, we line up for our bomb run but take hits in both wings from the moderate flak being thrown up. Port wing aileron is dinged but still operational, while Engine 3 on the starboard wing takes a hard hit and is KO’d. Arnie reacts quickly to get the prop feathered so we are able to continue with our bomb run – a good man is our temp copilot. Unfortunately the flak hits combined with thicker cloud cover obscuring the target results in Babe getting a big fat EGG for our effort. Jerry flak bursts harmlessly around us as we turn outbound before we are treated to parting pass from a FW 190 who breaks through our little friends to approach us from 10:30 H. Lou, Yogi and Goose great him with a wall of 50 cal that’s enough to cause his fire to miss and he flies off. The remainder of flight is quiet and without issues from our 3 good engines, so we land safely under high overcast skies.

Respectfully submitted by 1st Lt. J. Dimaggio

[wolverinetoddy]

B-17 Name: Big Red Machine (1)
Crew Commander: 1st Lt. J Bench
Squadron: 79th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
Formation: Middle
Position: Middle

Mission Date: 10 May 44
Mission #: 29
Target: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard

Position: Name (mission #) {Claims After} Status
Pilot: 1st Lt. J Bench (1) {0}
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. D Concepcion (1) {0}
Bombardier 2nd Lt. J Morgan (1) {0}
Navigator: 2nd Lt. T Perez (1) {0}
Engineer: MSgt. K Griffy (1) {3}
Ball Gunner: Sgt. C Geronimo (1) {0}
Radio Oper.: Sgt. G Foster (1) {0}
Pt Waist G: Sgt. P Borbon (1) {0}
Stbd Waist G: Sgt. D Gullett (1) {0} PH
Tail Gunner: Sgt. P Rose (1) {1}

Bomb Percentage: 30%

Bomber Disposition: Rubber Rafts, Superficial Damage (15 Peckham Points)

Casualties:
D Gullett: LW – 1 day in hospital

Claims (BY TYPE):
Attacked: (4:109, 3:190, 0:110)
Damaged: (1:109, 2:190, 0:110)
Destroyed: (2:109, 1:190, 0:110)
Griffy: 190, 109, 109
Rose: 109

Special Note:

Mission Description: Filed by 1st Lt. J Bench, pilot commanding

We arrived at in Italy the same day that the group flew their last mission to Ploesti. Losses were such that we were immediately assigned to the 79th Squadron. Major Robinson seems like a good guy as long as you are getting the job done. So that’s what the Big Red Machine and her crew aims to do. Our first flight with the group was a frustrating aborted mission to Austria. This morning, we were up early ready to prove what we could do.

We took off without incident and settled into the middle of the formation. The outbound flight was quiet until Zone 6. We were attacked by a single 190. Sgt. Rose got a big enough piece of him to send him scurrying away.

As we approached the target, we were attacked by a pair of 190s. MSGT Griffy shot down one of them for the plane’s first aerial victory. Moderate flak completely missed us and Lt. Morgan was on target.

We were chased away from the target by four Me 109s. On their first pass Sgt. Rose and MSGT Griffy shot two of them down. We took a little damage from them including Sgt. Gullet suffering a minor wound. On their second pass Griffy got another one.

The rest of the flight home was quiet and we arrived safely back at base. Gullet wound was barely a scratch and he’ll be back with us in a day or so. The crew chief was pleased that the damage was minimal. Now we are off to the club to celebrate our successful first mission.

[GaryK]

After Action report: (using TfT)
(Optional rules: Crew-chief effects; Crew Stress; Jasta 6 German Pilot Quality; Peckham’s Random Event Variant Table; Axis Aircraft 1942-45).

A shorter mission than last time, but as Rome proved, these can be just as deadly. Oscar ‘Wilde’ Howe returned to us with Walcott grounded. Sgt. Middleton was cursing his luck as he is not cleared to fly until tomorrow, so this will be Woody’s last trip with us.

It looks like a quieter trip; let’s see if it is!


Mission: Take off and the form-up was ok, but as soon as we headed out over the water, Crawford reported that his ball turret was not working. Thankfully, a reset of the electrical system sorted that out.

Things stayed quiet until just before the target. Two 109s homed in on us, but the Lightnings got the one coming in ahead of us, while Woody celebrated his last flight with us by nailing the one off our left front.

As we pushed on, three FW190s joined the fight, with the escorts dealing with the one off our starboard side, as well as the one ahead and above us. That left one dead ahead which was clipped by both Wilde and Magic. That threw the pilot’s aim off so much, nothing he shot hit us. Feeling a need for self-preservation, he headed off home with Haley’s curses after him through missing another opportunity shot as the Jerry departed.

Unfortunately, the flak was more accurate, and a serious rudder hit knocked off the autopilot on the bomb run. Roger and I wrestled with the plane, but by the time it was under control again, we were past the target.

“Not hitting much with these,” Wilde commented ruefully as he let the bombs fall, but not really his fault – just bad luck.

The flak as we turned for home missed us, but smoke trails off our port side signalled rockets; luckily they had no effect other than to disrupt our formation a bit.

Four 109s arrived quickly after that, none of which were intercepted. Two were dead ahead of us, one level with us, one lower; a third was coming in from our right front, and the last was diving down from a higher altitude.

Our defensive fire wasn’t too effective, but neither was the fighters’ return fire. Wilde and Crawford chipped some bits off the two ahead of us, but not enough to get rid of them. Magic and Southey missed the other two.

Only the one dead ahead managed any effective fire at us. We took several hits, but without casualties or systems damage that we could detect. The other three all missed totally, and slunk off home, with the one ahead and below us getting so close to hitting us that I could see his face clearly.

Haley missed his chance to down the remaining bandit, who pulled a tight turn and came in again from below our starboard wing. Crawford and Sanford were accurate, and while not destroying the Me109, certainly gave the pilot too much to think about, as he missed, rolled over, and headed home.

The rest of the flight was quiet, with a nice smooth landing back at base to finish the mission. Shame about the bomb run, but at least there were no casualties.


A quiet evening, as Woody got no credit at all for his kill. We all thanked him for his efforts while with us, and wished him the best for the future. It’ll be good to have Middleton back, but Woody has flown a lot of missions with us, and I’ll be keeping him in mind if we need a replacement again. However, we still celebrated, as Mack hit his tenth mission, and I despatched the paperwork to get him his Oak Leaf Cluster.



1Lt Louis M. Marlowe, Pilot Commanding
B-17G-55DL-44-6507 "Lucky Patch"
79th (H) BS, 509th (H) BG

For a full mission history of "In Like Flynn", "Blitz Buggy", plus my three aircraft in the previous war, please see my (GarySK) post in the Tarmac forum

Attachments:

Cam4 - 029.xlsx (34.46 KB)

[superbee]

B17G (3) Hi Line     79th Bomber Sqdn     509th Bombardment Group

Mission #29 (3)      10 May 44         Placenza, Italy (marshalling yard)

Post mission status: bombed (but missed) the target, landed safely at Gulia, one casualty, moderate battle damage

Pilot: 1Lt Ken Meade     High Sqdn   

Bomb run: 0%

		Missions Flown	enemy aircraft destroyed	awards	status after mission
pilot	1Lt Ken Meade	3	0		Fit For Duty
copilot	2Lt Jim Boyd	3	0		FFD
navigator	2Lt Robert Schilling	3	0		FFD
bombardier	2Lt Mike Kraft	3	0		FFD
flight engineer	S/Sgt Al Seaver	3	1 1/2		FFD
radio operator	S/Sgt Taylor Ross	1	0		FFD
ball turret gunner	Sgt Sid Natvig	3	0		FFD
port waist gunner	Sgt Zach Cameron	3	1	PH	LW
starboard waist gunner	Sgt Sal Verducci	3	1/2		FFD
tail gunner	Sgt Jeff Cantrill	3	0		FFD

Casualties: 1

• Sgt Zach Cameron (LW – hospitalized overnight)

Aircraft damage: 206 Peckham pts. (flak and fire from enemy aircraft)

Aircraft disposition: 4 days needed to repair damage. Available for combat flight 15 May 44.

Axis fighters encountered: 11

	encountered	intercepted by escorts	destroyed by B17 gunners	FCA	FBOA
FW190's	5	0	1	0	2
Me109's	6	1	0	0	4
totals	11	1	1	0	6

Claims: 1 (FW190 – S//Sgt Al Seaver)

Awards / Promotions:

• Purple Heart: Sgt Zach Cameron
  

Mission narrative

It was smooth sailing all the way to the target. A single EA was spotted loitering above our formation, but was quickly chased off by the P38’s. We were lightly peppered by flak during the unsuccessful bomb run over the partially obscured marshalling yard. The plane was not significantly damaged by the flak, but it did disrupt the bombardier’s aim.

Turning for home we ran into some serious fighter opposition in the form of a flight of 5 FW’s followed by another flight of five 109’s. One of the Focke Wulf’s really raked us good, but thankfully no critical damage occurred and only one crewman was injured.

Our gunners’ performance was subpar, as was the marksmanship of the German fighters, with the exception of the previously noted FW pilot. The top turret gunner did receive credit for downing an FW190. And apparently the new radio operator drove off an Me109 with a hail of 50 caliber bullets.

No EA chased us out to sea. With about 100 miles left to fly, #3 engine sputtered and died. It had been struck by a small caliber aircraft cannon shell south of Placenza, and the co-pilot had kept a wary eye on the engine, and its gauges, until it failed over the Adriatic.

We successfully feathered the prop on the damaged engine, and experienced no further challenges the rest of the way to the airfield at Gilulia. Sgt Cameron’s flesh wound was not serious, but it will take a few days to get the B17 flight worthy.

1Lt Ken Meade
Pilot, B17G Hi Line

[rhreiss]

B-17F Over Loaded(B-17F-120BO-42-30752) spare Bomber (Mission #29) assigned to
509th BG, 15AF Mission 29 - Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Bombing Altitude: 22,500 feet

B-17F Over Loaded (spare bomber)
Commander 2LT Charlie English
79th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
1 combat missions flown
status RFD
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Piacenza, Italy - Marshalling Yard
Formation: high
Position: middle

Crew
Position            Rank Name                            Combat Missions Flown Awards confirmed Kills Status
Pilot                 2LT Charlie English                      3                               PH                              RFD
Co-Pilot            CPT George Gill                         27                      AM++++, PH                       RFD
Bombardier      2LT Willis “Raleigh” Downing         2                                                               RFD spare crew
Navigator         2LT Leslie “Kentucky” McCoy         2                                                              RFD spare crew
Engineer          T/SGT Paul Gehrman                    5                                                                   RFD
Radio Operator T/SGT George ‘Whitey’ Moore       5                                                                  RFD
Ball Gunner      S/SGT Jake ‘JK’ Mooty                 5                                                                   RFD
Left Waist        SGT Dilbert “Tarheel” Swensen       5                             AM                0.5             RFD spare crew
Right Waist      SGT Darnell “Darn It” Wilson 2 RFD spare crew
Tail Gunner       SGT Billy ‘Kid’ Myers 3 PH RFD


Enemy Aircraft: Encountered: 0
Crew Chief Pre Mission Report: Standard mission and chances for Mechanical Failures.
Bomb Results: on-target 50%
Bomber Damage: none
Peckham Points: 0
Landing: Safe landing at Giulia Airfield
Bomber Disposition: hanger queen two days for routine maintenance ready on 5/12
Casualties & status:
Claims:
Awards:  Air Medal to
T/SGT Paul Gehrman 
T/SGT George ‘Whitey’ Moore 
S/SGT Jake ‘JK’ Mooty  
SGT Dilbert “Tarheel” Swensen  
Promotions:

AAR
The squadron XO was flying with the squadron this mission using a spare bomber and a pick up crew from spare crew members and healthy formed crew from Chute the Works. He told me I was flying as the command pilot this mission and to consider it a training flight to get me ready for a bomber of my own. No pressure at all.

OUTBOUND
We were able to take off without any problems and took our position in the middle of the squadron. Uneventful flight to the target area.

TARGET AREA
Once we were in the target area none of the enemy fighters attempted to engage us and the flak was ineffective. “Raleigh” our bombardier for the spare crew pool was on target and assessed at 50% coverage. Flak after bomb release was ineffective and no fighters attacked us as we were reformed at the RP and started home.

INBOUND
The flight back to the base was uneventful with a safe landing at Giulia Airfield. The XO commended the crew’s and my performance to my relief.
We were able to return the OverLoaded to the spare bomber pool needing only routine maintenance.

[tomt1999]

Mission #29
Squadron: 80
Private Dix - hangar queen

CREW (spares)
1Lt Devin Gould PILOT
2Lt Aaron Ronald COPILOT
2Lt Jasper Kersey NAVIGATOR
2LT Willis Downing BOMBARDIER
SSGT Lenny Gardner ENGINEER
SSGT Danny Marshall RADIO
SGT Thomas Lewis BALL GUNNER
SGT Bubba Giroux WAIST GUNNER
SGT Alex Simpson WAIST GUNNER
SGT Donny Adkins TAIL GUNNER

BOMBING ON 20%

ENEMY A/C
4x Bf109 - over target, no effect

CLAIMS CASUALTIES
none

DAMAGE

10 pp - wing root

4 - superficials

14 Total pp

AAR
Hangar Queen with spare crew - first mission for most of us.

Quiet outbound run. Radio went out over target. Spent three turns trying to fix - never did.

Bombed on target for 20%. Four 109s attacked us through several successive positions

but did nothing other than superficial hits.

Inbound run: coastal flak nicked the tail, but did not affect performance.

Note: we appreciate Captain Marz choosing us to fly this mission.

Gould - pilot

[Keltos]

After-Action Report

B-24J-1-CF-42-64141 – “Angry Pigeon”
78th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force

Commander: 1st Lt. E. Stenson

Mission Date: 10 May 1944

Mission Number: 29

Mission of this bomber: 1

Formation: Low
Position: Middle

Target: Piacenza, Italy
Target Type:  Marshalling Yard

Bomb Run: On target - 30%


CREW

Position	Rank - Name	Missions	Mission Kills	Total Kills	Awards	Status	Stress Point
Pilot	1st Lt. Erik Stenson	1	n/a	n/a		RTD	0
Co-Pilot	2nd Lt. Mark Davis	1	n/a	n/a		RTD	0
Bombardier	2nd Lt. Daniel Hardy	1	0	0		RTD	0
Navigator	2nd Lt. William Morales	1	0	0		RTD	0
Engineer	T/Sgt David Ary	1	0	0		RTD	0
Nose Gunner	Sgt Larry Valera	1	0	0		RTD	0
Ball Gunner	S/Sgt Erik Perkins	1	0	0		RTD	0
Port WG/Radio Op.	T/Sgt Jordan "Uncle Jo" Falgout	1	0	0		RTD	0
Starboard WG	Sgt David Knipp	1	0	0		RTD	0
Tail Gunner	Sgt Dennis Reyes	1	0	0		RTD	0

Crew Chief: T/Sgt James Harman (Average Joe) - 1 missions


E/A Encountered

Type	No.	Intercepted	Destroyed	Damaged
Fw-190	5	4	0	0
Me-109	0	0	0	0
G-55	2	2	0	0
C-205	1	1	0	0
---	0	0	0	0
Total	8	7	0	0

Claims:--

Damage: --

Peckham Points: 0 points - ordinary maintenance

Casualties:--

Awards:--

Promotions:--

AAR (flown with TFT)

Giulia Airbase: Easy take-off and assembly.

Zone 2-6 Outbound: Nothing to report.

Zone 7 Outbound: Light flak on the Italian coasts, inaccurate, no damage reported.

Zone 8 Outbound: Nothing to report.

Zone 9A Outbound: A Fw-190 and an italian C-205 attacked us. German fighter passed with no damage while italian a/c was driven off by escort.

Zone 9B Outbound/Inbound (Target Zone): We were attacked by 2 Fw-190s and a G-55 of the Italian ANR: all three fighters were intercepted by our escort and driven away.
Medium flak over the target but no damage to our ship. Bomb run and bombs drop were ok.
Light flak after bombing but still we did not report damage.
We were again attacked by a pair of Fw-190s and a G-55, probably the same as before, but also this time the P38s opposed and moved them away from us.

Zone 8-7 Inbound: Nothing to report.

Zone 6 Inbound: A few more Flak shots while flying over the Italian coast, but the explosions were at a much lower altitude than us and we did not receive any damage.

Zone 5-2 Inbound: Nothing to report.

Giulia Airbase: Smooth landing.

Thanks to the escort of P38 fighters of the 1stFG and the little opposition from the enemy, our baptism of fire was a "milk run".


Erik Stenson, 1st Lt, USAAF, Commanding
Commanding B-24J: Angry Pigeon B-24J-1-CF-42-64141
78th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[Keltos]

After-Action Report

B-17G-20BO-42-31444 – “Lady Liza”
79th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force

Commander: 1st Lt. M. Adkins

Mission Date: 10 May 1944

Mission Number: 29

Mission of this bomber: 2

Formation: High
Position: Middle

Target: Piacenza, Italy
Target Type: Marshalling Yard

Bomb Run: On Target - 40%

Lady Luck Smile #: 0;

CREW

Position	Rank - Name	Missions	Mission Kills	Total Kills	Awards	Status	Stress Point
Pilot	1st Lt. Mark Adkins	2	n/a	n/a		RTD	0
Co-Pilot	2nd Lt. Roy Edwards	2	n/a	n/a		RTD	0
Bombardier	2nd Lt. Roman "Blimpy" Dirigo	14	0	0	AM(2) / DFC	RTD	0
Navigator	2nd Lt. William Hoagland	2	0	0	PH	RTD	0
Engineer	T/Sgt Daniel Yelton	2	0	.5		RTD	0
Radio Op.	T/Sgt Jerry Castillo	2	0	0		RTD	0
Ball Gunner	S/Sgt Steve McGowan	2	0	0		RTD	0
Port WG	Sgt Paul Morgan	2	0	.5		RTD	0
Starboard WG	Sgt Jessie Henson	2	0	0		RTD	0
Tail Gunner	Sgt Norman Fisher	2	0	1		RTD	0

Crew Chief: s/Sgt Jasper Styers (Average Joe) - 2 missions;


E/A Encountered

Type	No.	Intercepted	Destroyed	Damaged
Fw-190	0	0	0	0
Me-109	0	0	0	0
Me-110	0	0	0	0
Me-210	0	0	0	0
--	0	0	0	0
Total	0	0	0	0

Claims:--

Damage:
- Radio out: 10

Peckham Points: 10pts - overnight repairing

Casualties:--

Awards:--

Promotions:--


AAR (flown with TFT)


Giulia Airbase: Take off and assembly went ok.

Zone 2-6 Outbound: Nothing to report.

Zone 7 Outbound: Light coastal flak no damage reported

Zone 8-9A Outbound: Nothing to report.

Zone 9B Outbound/Inbound (Target Zone): No GAF when entering the target zone; The flak was of medium intensity and some shrapnel caused a short circuit in the radio room, putting the radio equipment completely out of action. Good bomb run and drop.
Light flak leaving the area: no damage reported. No GAF on us.

Zone 8-2 Inbound: Nothing to report.

Giulia Airbase: Landed Safely.

-------------------------------------------------

Mark Adkins, 1st Lt., USAAF, 
Commanding B-17G: Lady Liza (B-17G-20BO-42-31444)
79th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group

[limburger59]

B-17F WABBIT TRACKS
        Spare assigned to the 80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
MiddleSquadron – Middle
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Placenza, Italy

CREW from the Spare Pool
Position – Rank                                        (Current Mission)
Pilot: 1LT Charles "Charlie" Hawkins                     (3)
Co-Pilot: 2LT Cody "M&Ms" Marsh                        (11) AM+ PH+
Navigator: 2LT Lawrence "Larry" Greene               (7) AM
Bombardier: 2LT Benjamin "Shermy" Sherman     (12) AM+
Engineer/TT: S/SGT Matthew "Pyro" Lowne          (17) [5.33] AM++ DFC “Ace”   1x 190 destroyed
Radio Op: S/SGT Herbert "Herbie" Kelvin              (3) PH
Ball Turret: SGT Lorne "Kirk" Kirkendall                (5)[1]
Right Waist: SGT Jessup "Pecan Pie" Spears          (8) AM PH
Left Waist: SGT Thomas "Portland" Baker             (5)
Tail Gunner: SGT Theodore "Teddy" Swanson        (3)

Bomb Run: On Target 40%

Casualties: None

B-17 Damage: None

Peckham Points: 0

Disposition: Lands safely at Giulia.

Attackers: 4
        4x FW-190: 1 destroyed (confirmed), 3 Driven Off
        
Total Enemy Aircraft: Kills = 1 Confirmed, Probables (FBOA) = 0, Damaged (FCA) = 0, Driven Off by Escort = 3

Award/Promotion Requests: 
        Air Medal for 5 Completed Missions:  SGT Lorne Kirkendall, SGT Thomas Baker

AFTER ACTION REPORT (QOTS-Beery):

        A Spare Crew flying a Hanger Queen

Milk Run

[Grondeaux]

B-24J-25-CF 42-99881 Palpatatin’ Pam
78th Bombardment Squadron
Bomber Position: Low squadron, middle
Mission Date: 5 May 1944
Mission #: 29
Aircraft Mission #: 1
Target: Marshaling yard, Placenza, Italy

Crew at Mission Start

Position	Rank	Name	Missions	Credits	Stress	Awards	Notes
Pilot	1LT	Arnold Stone	0		0
Copilot	2LT	Lloyd Newell	0		0
Bombardier	2LT	Glen McGrath	0		0
Navigator	2LT	Ernest Yoder	0		0
Nose Turret Gunner	SGT	Victor Crawford	0		0
Flight Engineer	TSGT	Theodore Childers	0		0
Ball Turret Gunner	SGT	Clifton Horton	0		0
Left Waist Gunner	SGT	Delbert Hewitt	0		0
Right Waist Gunner	SSGT	Morris Mullins	0		0
Tail Turret Gunner	SGT	David Gonzalez	0		0

Crew Chief: SSGT Ray Elliott (39 skill points; roll every even-numbered zone)

Bomb Run: On target, 20%

Casualties: none

Attackers: 13

Type	Spotted	Destroyed	Damaged	Driven Off by Escort
ME-109	4	0	1	2
FW-190	5	0	1	4
ME-110	1	0	0	1
ME-210	1	0	0	1
ME-109	1	0	0	1
RE.2005	1	0	0	1

Claims: none

Credits: none

Award/Promotion Requests: none.

In Hospital/Recovery: none

Aircraft Damage: 17 Peckham points (cockpit window, right aileron (n/e), 1 x superficial)

AFTER ACTION REPORT – Using TFT (Variants used: TFT Axis Fighter Aircraft Add-on Module, Jasta 6’s Table 5-3 Placement Variant, Variant Tables for Take-Off and Mechanical Failure, Bruce Peckham’s German Fighter Pilots variant, Fuel Tank Fires, Seriously Wounded Bail Out, On the Subject of Bombs, my variation to Nolan Bryant’s Crew Chiefs, Combat Fatigue, Chris Riches’ Enhanced Fighter Attacks (Simple Version)
-----------------------------------------------------
After our aborted foray to Wiener Neustadt yesterday, we’re off to Placenza this morning. While there was a lot of grousing from the veteran crews about the abort, I was actually thankful. It gave me and the boys just a taste of the Big Leagues without getting shot at. Training is one thing, the real deal is quite another.

Routine take-off and assembly. It’s kind of hard to miss the assembly ship, which is, I’m sure, the whole point in that ridiculous paint job.

Outbound
Zones 2-6: Nothing to report.

Zone 7: We have our first experience with flak. It misses.

Zone 8: Nothing to report.

Zone 9A: We see our first enemy fighters. The P-38s chase them all away from us. We also see Tail End Charlie drop of formation on fire with the crew abandoning ship. A radio message comes in that 2LT Gleason is taking over TEC.

Target Zone 9B
The 1st FG boys once again keep us free of enemy attacks.
We enter the flak zone and I damn-near have a heart attack when a there’s the sound of an impact and spider webs appear on the cockpit windows. Don’t even think about what if….
We drop our bombs and make the turn for home, with the flak lessened in intensity and missing us.
The Lightnings continue to keep the Jerries away.

Inbound
Zone 8: A German finally breaks through the P-38s in the form of a FW-190 attacking from 12:00 high. For the first time, I see his cannons winking as he attacks. And misses. I think we may have gotten a piece of him as he doesn’t come back for another pass.
A 109 then comes in from our six. Gonzalez’s fire drives him off.
One of the other bombers… don’t know which one… does some serious jinking and we almost collide with it. We’re forced to make a shallow dive to avoid hitting it and we drop out of formation.

Zone 7: We catch back up to the 78th and rejoin the formation.

Zones 6-2: Nothing to report. The coastal flak is well clear of us.

Landing: Smooth as silk. [Rolled a “12.”] We are now combat veterans. Only 24 more missions to go.

V/r,
1LT Arnold Stone, First Pilot
B-24J Palpatatin' Pam
78th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF

[ChefEd]

B-17G Barbara Jean
B-17G-20BO-42-31496
Squadron: 80th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
Squadron Position: Middle
Aircraft Position: Middle
Mission Date: 10 MAY 1944
Mission Number: 29
This Aircraft: 2
Target: Piacenza, Italy, Marshalling Yard

Crew

Position	Rank / Name	Mission	Kills	Awards	Status	Stress
Pilot	1st Lt Christopher Sweeney	2	0	0	0	0
Co-Pilot	2nd Lt Levi Paris	2	0	0	0	1
Navigator / NT	2nd Lt Willis Salazar	2	0	0	0	0
Bombardier	2nd Lt Kash Rangel	2	0	0	0	0
Engineer	T/Sgt Rowan Petersen	2	0.5	0	0	0
Radio Op / Rt Waist	T/3rd Ulises Cardenas	2	0	0	0	0
NT / Rt Waist	T/3rd Flynn Pryor	2	0.5	0	0	0
Ball Turret	T/3rd Omar Mace	2	0	0	0	0
Left Waist / NT	S/Sgt Henry "Honri" Lyons	12	1	AM+, PH	0	0
Tail Gunner	T/3rd Darwin Valdovinos	2	0	0	0	2
Crew Chief	S/Sgt Josia Stanton	25			Skill +0

Bomb Run: On Target, 30 %

Casualties: None

Damage: None

Peckham Points: 0 Peckham Points, One ( 1 ) day(s) to refit

Landing: Safe

Enemy Aircraft:

Type	Encountered	Driven Off	Damaged	Claimed	Awarded	Probable
Fw-190	5	2	0	1	0.5	0
C.205	1	1	0	0	0	0

Claims:

Position	Claimed	Awarded	Probable
Top	1	0.5	0

Awards: None

Promotions: None

AFTER ACTION REPORT
Quiet flight. No technical issues with the aircraft.

Only enemy fighters encountered were shortly before the IP, and they were brushed aside quite easily.

The bomb run was smooth, and on target.

No enemy fighters on the return leg.

Submitted by,
1Lt Christopher Sweeney, Pilot
B-17G Barbara Jean
80th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF, USAAF

[limburger59]

B-24 HO HUM - ran out of fuel over occupied Italy
        Spare assigned to the 80th Bomber Squadron, 509th Bombardment Group
Low Squadron – Middle
MISSION DATE: 10 May 44
MISSION # 29
TARGET: Placenza, Italy

CREW from the Spare Pool
Position – Rank                                        (Current Mission)
Pilot: 1LT Tobias Tanner                                       (8)                         POW
Co-Pilot: 2LT Ralph Gray                                     (3)                          POW
Navigator: 2LT Oliver Curtis                                 (8)[.33]                  POW
Bombardier: 2LT Daniel “Hatchee” Coloosa           (9)[.5] AM DFC+      POW
Engineer/TT: S/SGT Willie “Slim” Sims                  (3) [4.5]                 POW
Radio Op: S/SGT John Gallows                            (11) AM+                POW
Ball Turret: SGT Jason Ash                                   (9)[1] AM                Evaded - returns to base 48 days later - returned to U.S.
Right Waist: SGT Kaiden Williams                        (12) AM PH              POW
Left Waist: SGT Jason Sachs                                 (1)                         POW
Tail Gunner: SGT Carl Kline                                 (6)[1] AM PH            POW

Bomb Run: On Target 40%

Casualties: 2LT Ralph Gray suffered head injuries due to a bad landing after bailout

B-24 Damage:
Superficial x6 (12)
S. Rudder  (10)
Tail Oxygen (10)
P. Fuel Tank - LEAK (10)

Peckham Points: Total

Disposition: Ran out of fuel over Zone 6 - Occupied Italy.

Attackers: 7
        3x FW-190: 1 Driven Off
        4x Bf-110: 1 Probable, 2 Driven Off
        
Total Enemy Aircraft: Kills = 0 Confirmed, Probables (FBOA) = 1, Damaged (FCA) = 0, Driven Off by Escort = 3

AFTER ACTION REPORT (QOTS-B24 Variant):

        A Spare Crew flying a Hanger Queen

28 June 44: The debriefing of SGT Jason Ash when he returned to base 48 days later...

Outbound: Nothing to Report

Target Zone: All the action happened here. Approaching Placenza we faced two waves of a pair of 110s. We damaged one and our escort dealt with two of them leaving the Ace to work us over, inflicting 7 hits over multiple passes.

But it was the Flak that did us in; perforating our inboard port fuel tank. It didn't deter out Bombardier from hitting the target but calculations soon showed that we would not make it home. If the weather had been good we could have made Switzerland, but the storm clouds seemed to increase as we looked north so we stuck to the formation.

Three 190s tried to molest us as we rallied but failed to hurt us.

Inbound: As we approached the Adriatic Sea it was obvious we would not make another zone, and it would be safer to take our chances on land than in the sea. I was found by a friendly Italian family who had a great-nephew in New York City. They helped get me passed down the boot to await a push forward by the Brits. We heard rumors that the rest of the crew of Ho Hum had been rounded up by the Germans.

Addendum: The International Red Cross reported that 2LT Gray (Co-pilot) suffered traumatic head injuries upon landing, and is recovering in an Italian hospital in Venice. The other eight members of Ho Hum are heading to POW camps in Germany.

[ChefEd]

B-24J Yankee Diddler (Spare)
B-24D-20-CO-41-24175
Squadron: 78th Bomber Squadron, 509th (H) Bombardment Group
Squadron Position: Low
Aircraft Position: Middle
Mission Date: 10 MAY 1944
Mission Number: 29
This Aircraft: 4
Target: Piacenza, Italy, Marshalling Yard

Crew

Position	Rank / Name	Mission	Kills	Awards	Status	Stress
Pilot	1Lt Kirby Pullman	1	0	0	RTD	0
Co-Pilot	2Lt Sampson Waters	1	0	0	RTD	0
Navigator / NT	2Lt Casey Stand	9	0	AM	RTD	0
Bombardier	2Lt Franklin Hendrix	2	0	0	RTD	0
Engineer	S/Sgt Jason Glasser	9	2.67	AM	RTD	1
Radio Op	S/Sgt Theo Morris	7	0	AM	RTD	0
Right Waist	Sgt Gerald Rodgers	6	1	AM, PH	RTD	0
Ball Turret	Sgt Hudsor Rush	6	3	PH	RTD	0
Left Waist	Sgt Lowell Price	11	1	AM+, PH+	RTD 23 JUN 44	0
Tail Gunner	Sgt Morris Fields	7	4.83	AM	RTD	0
Crew Chief	S/Sgt Zander Gabe	1			Skill +0

Bomb Run: On Target, 30 %

Casualties: None

Peckham Points: 20 Peckham Points, Two ( 2 ) Day to Repair

Damage:

Flap Controls	10
Suit Heat System	10

Landing: Safe

Enemy Aircraft:

Type	Encountered	Driven Off	Damaged	Claimed	Awarded	Probable
Fw-190	2	1	1	0	0	0
Me-410	1	0	0	0	0	0

Claims: None

Awards:
Air Medal: None

Purple Heart: None

Promotions: None

AFTER ACTION REPORT
Almost a milk run, if it weren’t for the Gremlins and the flak. Back out over the Adriatic, headed home, suit heat went out. Worked out, as we didn’t see another enemy fighter the rest of the way back. Sometime during the flight flap controls fritzed. Didn’t know it until the final descent into Giulia.

Flak around the target was as predicted. Not until after the bomb run did it get the range. Sgt Price, manning the left waist, got his second purple heart. He took a hit to the left upper arm, breaking it.

Our piece of the sky was empty until after the target. Halfway between Piacenza and Venice three bandits attacked. Escorts drove off one, we tagged a second, and the third plain missed us. No damage was taken on our side.

We fired off a flare indicating wounded, and took our place in line, as instructed.

Sgt Price is expected to be out 6 weeks, recovering.

Submitted by,
1Lt Kirby Pullman, Pilot
B-24J Yankee Diddler
78th BS, 509th BG (H), 15th AF, USAAF

[kozzackkelt]

B-17G: CAVILIER (B-17G-5302UC-44- 32891)
Pilot: 2LT. Byron Roberts
Missions for this bomber: 1
Squadron: 80th
Formation/Position: Middle
Mission Date: 1o May 1944
Mission Number: 29
Target: Piacenza, ITALY / Marshalling Yard

CREW (missions) {StressPts} E/A Wounds
Pilot: 2LT. Byron Roberts (1) {}
Co-Pilot: 2Lt. Charles Winston (1) {}
Bombardier: 2Lt. John Brownwood (1) {} [B%: 40 ]
Navigator: 2Lt. Olaf Thomason (1) {}
Engineer: Sgt. Sean McHale (1) {} []
Radio Operator: George Pyle (1) {1}
Ball Turret: Sgt. David Jensen (1) {1} []
PWG: Sgt. Pete Carranza (1) {}
SWG: Sgt. Steve Tramelle (1) {}
Tail Gunner: Sgt. Alexandrus Krukowski (1) {} []

BOMB RUN: ON Target: 40%

Enemy Aircraft Encountered: 11 0xFw190, 11xMe109, 0xMc205, 0xMe110, 0xMe210, 0xMe410, 0xIAR80


E/A Damaged: 2
E/A Probable: 0
E/A: Destroyed: 0
E/A Driven off by Fighter Escort: 6

Condition of B-17G ~ CAVILIER: Damages - Engine 3 out (due to oil leak and fire), bombardier heat out, 5x SF.NE hits. Crew Chief Vernon Leakey reports that CAVILIER should be repaired, routine maintenance performed within two or three days, depending on needs of engine 3.

AAR: CAVILIER took off and joined formation in assigned middle flight. Shortly after reaching the sea, an oil leak appeared in engine 3, then it burst into flame. Extinguishers put out the fire and the prop was feathered. I made the decision to continue on with the squadron and mission. On this mission, we encountered 11 Me109 fighters. Many of the attacking E/A were driven off by our fighter escort; several that made a firing pass at us hit us, but no serious damages or casualties were inflicted. We were not hit by flak. Photographic evidence credits Lt. Brownwood with putting 40% of our bomb load on target. After turning for home, we were attacked again by E/A. The heat for bombardier position was knocked out. We radioed our squadron lead that we were dropping out of formation and descending to 8000' altitude. There were no further encounters with E/A. We landed safely at base.

Respectfully Submitted,

Byron Roberts, 2LT. USAAF
Pilot: B-17G CAVILIER
80th/509th
Giulia, ITALY