Flew 7:15 on this one, carried five 1000 lbs. bombs.

Flak was classified as intense, accurate & predicted. It was too damn accurate. First four bursts broke between our ship and the deputy lead. Those bursts probably put the two holes in our nose. I heard the bursts before I saw the black puffs. We were hit about two minutes after the I.P. & then Jerry let up for almost a minute before they started again. Immediately after “bombs away” we were hit with a hell of a big bunch of flak. It shot out our interphone system and the copilot’s and tailgunner’s oxygen. [Sgt. Ralph E.] Priest’s right hand was hit by flak. Our elevator control wires were almost severed completely. Luckily enough they held together. Because of the oxygen getting shot out we had to leave the formation and come back by ourselves over most of Germany and Holland.

I toggled on the lead ship and the bombs went out OK. Lead bombardier screwed up and our squadron’s bombs hit some water and docks and not the target. Our bombs hit in the bomb pattern so I didn’t screw up in dropping them. The third squadron hit the target 25% within 500 ft., 75% within 100 ft. and 95% in 2000 ft.

After landing, the official count on the number of holes in our ship was given at 117, the second most holes any ship from this group ever received. It was the most scared I’ve ever been.

Williams and Watkins [undoubtedly Sgt. R. L. Williams and Sgt. J. F. Watkins] were flying in 546 & it was hit in the bomb bays right after bombs away. When I last saw it the whole of the bomb bays were aflame. Six men were supposed to have bailed out, 3 out of the back hatch and three out of the forward bomb bay. The first man out of the bomb bay hit the wing of another ship in the formation.

Williams probably got out OK. At least I hope so. Watkins didn’t get out though . . . because no one was reported to have come out of the nose wheel hatch.

We flew in the lead squadron, number five position.