Bombardier on Leland Henderson Crew

War Diary

Of Frank DiGiovanni

Bombardier on Leland Henderson Crew

450th Bomb Group

723rd Squadron

(Frank added interesting notes that he still remembers and they are designated by a *)

My First Mission – Group’s #1

January 8, 1944

From our base Manduria, to a German airdrome in Yugoslavia called Mostar. *

A formation of 19 ships with approx. 24 P-38 fighter escorts. When approaching target, we were fired at by 88mm anti-aircraft which was quite accurate and rather heavy, but had no fighter opposition. We got two hits from flak, one in the pilots window and a piece nicked our prop in No2 engine (Billie). **

The bombs dropped from the ship okay and I only had a little trouble on my optics frosting a little. The Group bombing was to my opinion rather poor, and hits to the right of the target 7500 feet. This EE was partly caused by a cloud over the target. Everyone on the crew came back without a scratch and a new experience.

Flying time was 3 hours 30 minutes.

* Because of our extreme southern location in the heel of Italy our first hour was over the Adriatic Sea.

** I was the painter, so I named the engines after our wives and girl friends. Our pilot, Leland Henderson was the only one married, and had a daughter. Her name was “Judy Lee” so that was our planes name. She was so proud later (older).

January 13, 1944

Ship was used as lead ship so I didn’t go along. The ship was loaded with 100 lbs frag bombs. The ship got shot up with flak and was attacked by three ME109. One was a probableshot down.

My Second Mission – Groups # 7

January 16, 1944

Loaded with 10, 500lb bombs. From Manduria to the target in North Italy, Osoppo airdrome. The trip up was peaceful until nearing the target when the nose guns were froze. When we neared the target our squadron of sixships moved over to the left of the big formation and made a run over the target. I got a run on a installation and my bombs went without any trouble. When leaving the target dodging flak, we were attacked by ME109’s and FW190s. The two waists, ball and tail got a few shots in. Then one gun in the ball cut out and Monty got hit in the right leg.* Gallagher’s guns fired a few rounds and then his ammunition got tangled and both guns kicked out. Fighters came pouring right in for his guns were inoperative and he was wounded in the left foot and flak in the left arm. A 20mm slug hit the armored glass of the turret and knocked Jimmie clear out of his turret. Wenzel’s left waist gun went out on him after a few rounds for it froze on him causing him to break the charging handle. He was wounded by a 50 caliber slug that went through his left hip. ** Deinhardt was firing and his belt was shot stopping his feed and was wounded in the left hand.

Our six ship formation were fortunate to see a formation of 17’s and got in their formation for protection after Lt. Hollman’s ship was shot down.*** His crew bailing out about 10 or 20 miles out from the coast.****

Coming back we were well shot up. Dickerman and I gave Wenzel and Gallagher a little first aid and Monty and Deinhardt weren’t to the flight deck where Chief took care of them. We then had more trouble when we couldn’t retract the sperry ball and our rudder controls were shot away. Vaughn and Hahn finally managed to retract the ball and things looked bright.

Chief managed to bring the ship in without rudders after Vaughn shot off flares. We came in with Hahn holding on to a break in the hydraulic lines to enable us to land. We taxied to the end of the runway where the ambulance was waiting and the doctors took care of our wounded.

After being on the ground we later learnt that right below the nose turret was a live 20mm slug that never exploded.

Flying time 6 hours 45 minutes.

* His leg was amputated 50 years later.

** Wenzel and I got air sick easy. With a bullet going thru his hip, he got air sick!!

*** His bombardier was my best friend

**** We hoped he would be saved because we shot down a German fighter, both would be rescued.

[At that time we had no identifying markings, we all looked alike. Our 6 planes got into the 449th. They were briefed to turn one way and we, the 450th turned the opposite.]

My Third Mission – Groups # 12

January 21, 1944

Target Prato, N. Italy Mar. Yards Loaded with 10, 500lb bombs.

Two groups from our group net with the 449th and had an easy trip up. Three other groups of 17’s also were flying in the northern direction. We all were escorted with P-38’s and had no opposition to the target. The target was covered over by clouds and had to return to our base. It was a fairly calm trip all but the oxygen hose being cut on the lowering of the sperry ball. With a small supply of oxygen the ball was damaged a little in the procedure of raising and lowering of the turret. After breaking the pulley on the hoists we finally managed to pump the turret in position. On the way back the bombs had to be released in the Mediterranean killing only fish.

Flying time 7 hours 10 minutes.

My Fourth Mission – # 13 Group - Written Jan 1994

January 22, 1944

Target – Marshalling Yards

Arrazzo, Italy

Recalled on a mission north – on way up we saw many ships in the Ocean on the west coast of Italy, south of Rome. When we returned to Manduria we were informed the Allies invaded Anzio.

My Fourth - 5thMission - # 14 Group

January 23, 1944 Sunday

Target - Rieti, Italy (Rome)

Two groups from our group went on a mission of our own without any other planes and no escort. We took off okay but were a few miles out and had a gas leak. We cracked our doors and returned to the field. After landing the crew chief said he transferred fuel and it ran over so we took off again to catch the group. The gasoline continued leaking and we had to keep our doors half open all the way to the target. We didn’t run into any enemy fighters but had a little flak. We got a few flak holes cutting a few wires and oxygen lines. We made a run on the target and got some good hits on the field. We came back okay and got a little more flak but luckily we did not have any fighter opposition: for if we would have had some bullets hit some of the leaking gasoline we may have had a little trouble.

Flying time 5 hours 15 minutes

My Fifth - 6thMission - #18 Group

January 29, 1944

Target Siena, N. Italy - Mar. Yards

Loaded with 10 - 500lb bombs

Two groups in our group went out on their own missions. It was a quiet trip up and was a fairly nice day until we hit the target area and then it was covered over with a thick overcast. We had no secondary target and were briefed to drop on ETA which we did and no results were made. The trip back was also quiet without fighters or flak.

Flying time 6 hours 00 minutes.

My Sixth – 7thMission - # 20 Group

January 31, 1944

Target – Aviano Air Drome. N. Italy

Loaded with 12 – 500lbs.

Two groups in our group and two from 449th with 82nd fighter escort. It was a quiet mission over water mostly up to northern Italy. When we hit the coast it was quiet until a few miles from the target and we started to get flak. Heavy and accurate flak. I saw the bombs from the 449th hit and they did a good job. We went over the target but I did not see our bombs hit. We continued getting flak until after passing the target and I saw white flak and knew fighters were coming in. They did but didn’t make much of a pass for they were taken care of by the P-38’s. The rest of the trip was quiet. We only had one hole up in the nose glass to the right of the bombsight. (Me)

Flying time 6 hours 00 minutes.

My Seventh – 8thMission - # 22 Group

February 4, 1944

Target Toulon, France Submarine pens and harbor.

Two groups in our group plus the wing including 449th, 98th & 376th. When briefed the weather was said to be fairly good but on our way up we hit a heavy undercast and started to head towards Italy and looking for a target encountered a little flak. After seeing it was impossible to find an opening in the clouds to bomb, we came back home.

Flying time 5 hours 25 minutes.

My Eighth – 9thMission - # 25 Group

February 14, 1944

Target – Verona Marshalling Yards

Two groups of 18 ships from our group with couple other groups 376, etc. We took off here a very cold morning and was fairly quiet all the way up but it was verycold. After leaving the ground for a few minutes our nose wheel door flew open and stayed that way causing terrific draft. When we climbed to altitude where it was -450C and then the tail gunner (Uphoff) had trouble with his oxygen. His hands started to get frost bitten and couldn’t use his hands. His oxygen froze and cut off his supply. His hands were frost bitten to were he couldn’t use his hands at all and had to let himself fall out of the turret to get out.

With his oxygen line cut out he kept passing out and Hahn advised us to turn back. When we started back I dropped my bombs on or near an industrial center near Lacieza. Then the no. 2 engine cut out and we could only pull 15” on no. 3. That wasn’t all, our heated system went out on us for it worked off of 2 and 3 engines. Our oxygen froze open on us and leaked out. If we would have continued over the target we would have lost two engines and oxygen over the target really making it rough but we managed to get home safely.

Flying time 7 hours 20 minutes

My 10thMission - # 27 Group

February 17, 1944 “ANZIO”

Target Marina Italy

The target was mostly cross roads and a railroad junction to help out the ground forces at the beachhead below Rome. We had a quiet trip up all but some low clouds. We managed to make the target and it was perfectly clear. After hitting the coast we got a lot of flak which lasted a little while. We made a good run on the target and dropped some fairly good bombs. We started back and got the same flak twice. The waist gunners got a little scare for a piece of flak came in one window and off the window out the other side. The tail gunner got a piece of flak in the turret door but no one injured. The way back was rather quiet except for a few clouds about fifty mile from home where the group split up and came in individually.

After we came out of the flak our no. 2 engine was throwing oil & gas so the pilot feathered it but made a good landing on 3 engines.

Flying time 5 hours 20 minutes

My 11thMission - # 33 Group

March 11, 1944

Target Sub-Pens at Toulon, France

All four groups of the wing were up and rendezvous with P-38’s at Capri. The trip up was quiet and was so until after crossing the coast of France. We turned over to the target short of the I.P. to miss a little flak and got just a little before the target. Over the target enemy fighters appeared but were not too aggressive. One ship was hit by flak and started to burn and fighters finished him off. It started down, a few bailed out and then exploded. The tail gunner and the left waist fired a few bursts to keep fighters out and they didn’t make a pass at us. The trip back was quiet and all we had was a broken aerial and a flak hole in no. 4 engine.

Flying time 8 hours 25 minutes

My 12th & 13thMission - # 34 Group

March 17, 1944

Target Schwaechat, Austria near Vienna

The trip up was quiet crossing the Adriatic and then over Yugoslavia we got a little flak that didn’t amount to anything. We came near the target area and it was overcast for miles. We flew around that area and finally dropped our bombs thru the overcast on no particular target. We started back after I let my bombs go thru the left bomb bay doors. The trip back was quiet until we got another little bit of flak at the same place going over. Just a few bursts. The rest of the way was quiet and got home safely.

Flying time 7 hours 35 minutes

[Interest – The plane has safety devices that bombs would not release if everything was ok]

My 14thMission - # 38 Group

March 28, 1944

Target – Mestre, Italy Marsh Yards near Vienna

We had a close one when waiting to taxi out, a ship blew a tire and headed straight for us but hit a dirt pile and stopped.

The trip up to the target was quiet with a little flak to one side and approached the target and did a good job. We had a couple fighters make a pass at us but not in range of our fifties. Leaving the target was quiet and just got a little flak but not near us. The remainder of the trip was quiet & got back safely. Other Groups were hit by flak and P-38’s took care of enemy fighters. Had little trouble with the tail guns but didn’t have to use any guns.

Flying time 7 hours 00 minutes

My 15thMission - # 39 Group

March 29, 1944

Target – Bolzano, N. Italy Marsh Yards

The trip up was quiet with the wing flying and two Groups of P-38 escorts. Some of the Group were getting flak and one went down while we were in the bomb run. Enemy fighters were up but P-38’s fought them off and our Group wasn’t attacked by any fighters. We hit the target to the left and came back with no trouble to us but other attack units were getting flak. We came back OK and it was rather smooth except the Ball Gunner had trouble getting in the ball turret.

Flying time 7 hours 35 minutes

Total so far 83 hours 20 minutes

My 16thMission - # 40 Group

March 30, 1944

Target – Sofia, Bulgaria Marsh Yards

The trip up was quiet but got a burst of flak at a couple different places. We got to the target and it was smoking at the time. We dropped our bombs on the target. I watched the bombs go and saw one hit that must have hit an ammunition dump for smoke went up 10,000 ft. We rallied right and was sitting over to the left of the target and saw other groups plastering the town & yards. On our way back we got a couple bursts from enemy held territory and got back safely.

Flying time hours minutes

My 17th & 18th Missions - # 42 Group

April 3, 1944

Target Budapest, Hungary Marsh Yards

We had a fairly quiet trip up but got a few bursts in enemy held country. We had trouble for awhile for the pass finder got all out of wak and we flubbed dubbed around and finally got over the target 55 minutes late. There were two fires at the time and we got our bombs out over the target. I saw a bomb hit an oil refinery for flames blew up around 10,000 feet and then a mass of black smoke. They threw up plenty of flak. Then fighters started coming in. John D. gun was out before but started firing when we were being attacked. They came in at all angles and had one come in at 11 o’clock and Portugese gave him a couple hundred rounds. They quit coming in and then our tail guns cut out. After leaving the target our generators burned out and we had no electrical power. We thought we had to ditch for our fuel was low and couldn’t transfer out of the Tokio tanks. We got down to about10,000’ and could start the Putt Putt and got our fuel transferred. Coming in for our landing the ship in front of us blew a tire and we almost crashed into it. We got back okay. Never a dull moment.

Flying time 7 hours 00 minutes

[I consider this my worst mission. Why? Easter Sunday at 9:00A.M. We probably killed many people]

My 19th & 20th Missions - # 43 Group

April 4, 1944

Target – Bucharest, Rumania Marsh Yards

We had a quiet trip up getting a little flak at a couple small places in Yugoslavia but didn’t amount to much. We got to the target okay but never did see our escorts. We got a few fighters over the target and the top turret gunner, Bratton, got a FW190. He shot it’s tail off. We didn’t get much opposition after leaving the target but got a little more flak over Yugoslavia again. The tin-foil proved itself over the target. We got back okay and everyone was satisfied.

Flying time 7 hrs 15 minutes

My 21st & 22nd Missions - # 44 Group

April 5, 1944

Target – Ploesti, Rumania Oil Fields

We just about repeated the mission as yesterday on the way up getting a little flak at Yugoslavia. We were supposed to have fighter escort but didn’t see any. We got close to the IP and were jumped by ME109’s, FW190’s and JU88’s. We had quite a fight. We got shell casings throu the nose turret tearing it all apart, the top turret and one casing went throu the Co-Pilot’s window and hit Taylor in the lip. We fought fighters for 40 minutes and Bratton got a ME109. Liberio hit a ME109 and Bratton & Wall claimed he got it but Liberio wouldn’t put in the claim for he didn’t see it go down. On our way back we met P-38’s and they passed us by & went to the target. We saw them come back and they went on. The trip was fairly quiet on the way back. Portugese got cold & the guns went out. He quit and I got the right gun working and rode the nose turret back.