We were briefed at 1300. Our take off time was 1638. We climbed and assembled OK, except Wescott’s crew, it was supposed to be on our left wing but we never saw it the whole trip.

Our target was "Hamm", a Marshalling yard there. 1st, 2nd, 3rd Divisions are going to hit it all in one day! We’re last to go in on the target.

We were hit bad by Flak and our nose gunner Lyvers was hit in the back of the neck, but he was OK. A large piece hit the windshield and busted it, another piece just missed my shoulder by a fraction of an inch , as a matter of fact I thought I was hit, but I wasn’t. We lost an engine, and the formation again! We got flak all the way back and lost two airplanes. Boy, it was accurate today! Our ship had 37 holes in it.

Our take off time was delayed several times and we took off pretty late. This made us return at night and we are just Day Bombers, and don’t know anything about flying Formation at night!

Anyway, here we are again over enemy territory by our selves, no formation, and no fighter escort. Perkins (Tail Gunner) called in about 30 or 40 airplanes way behind us, but he couldn’t identify them. We were supposed to be “last out of Europe" so who the hell were these guys? We considered slowing down for the benefit of their protection, but didn’t. At the French coast the Germans shot everything they could at us! We were low enough to receive anything, even 37 m.m. fire, but fire works? I'll swear they fired fireworks into the sky, but they were way below us!?

When we got to the English coast the damn English fired on us! I couldn’t authenticate because my authentication tables ran out an hour earlier! So much for late takeoffs?

We finally got to our field and the mini pin point runway lights were turned on for us. Then just as we were committed to land, they went out! Mik turned on our landing lights and set down and taxied to the end of the runway! Wow! Could you believe it? We’re home!

Just about then we were informed by a stuttering, stammering ground officer to shut our lights as the field was under attack by German Bombers and fighters! Damn! Now it was clear who that was flying behind us! They stood back until it got dark enough to pass us, left us alone so we wouldn’t radio their presence, sneaked in with an American formation and proceeded to have a turkey shoot when our ships started to land!

We lost two Bombers and two crews, one ground man and one ground man injured!

But our crew lucked out again!

Damn -- what a day!