Not a particularly difficult mission.  Departed 100 on time.  Formed up with element, squadron, group, wing and division as per briefing.  First encountered enemy interceptors over French coast- - mostly -109’s and -190’s.  The -190’s appeared to be the Abbeville Boys, but if they were, they sure were off their feed, as they displayed no aggressiveness.  Some white-nosed -109’s came in to play, and one got sent straight to Hell by MSgt Bandowski (confirmed kill).

 Flak was moderate to intense, but inaccurate.  I suspect the Kraut radar was down for repairs, as their gunners couldn’t seem to get the range.  Their shells were bursting a good two- to three-thousand feet below formation altitude.  Our bombing was good, but unexpected crosswinds at altitude reduced accuracy. 1LT Ragland managed to place ninety percent of his bombs on target, but due to crosswinds, approximately ten percent fell wide of the target area.

 Enemy fighters pursued us back to England, but broke off before we reached the coast.  The duration of the trip back to 100 was uneventful.

Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Milk run.  With all the green crews and green individual airmen assigned to this Group, we needed a kid glove trip.  This was certainly one of those.

  Kraut fighter activity was limited, but spirited.  Had two Me-109’s try and take us on while we provided cover fire for that worthless YB-40.  That aircraft’s gunners couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn at point blank range!  When we dropped our ordnance, we had to retard throttles in order to keep up with that worthless hulk.  GROUND THAT THING!  It’s a hazard to normal Forts!

  My bombardier, 1LT Ragland, placed one-hundred percent of his ordnance on target.  A truly masterful performance on his part.

  Return trip to 100 was uneventful.

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Mission Description: Not a good way to begin a third tour.  We departed 100 on time, and as briefed.  Formed with element, squadron, group, wing and division.  Had a YB-40 on my right wing, and God help me, I NEVER want to fly alongside one of those bastard things again!  More on that later in this report.

We had fighter cover of Thunderbolts, but they were next to useless, as the Jerries had serious interception capability (-190’s, -109’s and JU-88’s).  Flak was intense and accurate. 

 We first encountered enemy fighters as we crossed the Channel.  The Thunderbolts went after them, and we didn’t see the P-47’s again until the return trip.  Personal message to Col. Zemke of the 56th: Stay off Station 100.  If you can’t keep your damn fighters tucked in and take some of the heat off my gunners, you have no business showing your face at a bomber station.  Tell that Lt. Johnson to GET HIS DAMN BIRD OFF MY LINE AND NOW, or I’ll have my NCOIC of Maintenance SCRAP IT!

Flak as we neared the target was intense and accurate.  One blast peppered the nose of my aircraft, killing Majors Hamilton and Mesereau.  MSgt Bandowski had to manually salvo the bombs when we reached Nantes.  Target was missed by my aircraft.

 Jerry maintained his fighter attacks, and here’s the problem with the YB-40:  The rest of the formation had to slow down to provide escort FOR OUR ESCORT!  The extra ammo, guns and armor on that thing make it unable to keep up with a normal Fort that’s expended its ordnance.  F/O Tyler and Sgt Diehl were both wounded in an attack by a JU-88 that wouldn’t have been able to intercept us if we’d been able to increase our airspeed to normal outbound rate.  WE HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO COVER THE YB-40! Except for the chin turret, that thing is a waste of a good Fort.  I respectfully recommend that it be withdrawn ASAP.

 As we crossed the Channel, my No.4 engine gave out, but I managed to get “Tantalizin’ Takeoff” back to 100 more or less intact.  She’ll be ready for the next mission.

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Took off from Station 100 at briefed hour.  Formed up with element, squadron, group, wing and division.  Weather was lousy, proceeded IFR.  Broke out of cloud cover at approximately 22,000 feet.  Limited fighter opposition, but what there was was intense. MSgt Bandowski shot down one white-nosed FW-190.  The rest of the Krauts kept their distance.

 Cloud cover was broken over target St. Nazaire, and rather than order an abort, or attack on the secondary, we bombed the primary...AND WE PLASTERED IT! Major Hamilton placed eighty-five percent of his bombs on the target, and the rest of the formation appeared to also have good accuracy.  Although St. Nazaire is called “Flak City,” flak today was light and ineffective. My aircraft did suffer some damage to the rudder from flak, but nothing serious.

This was my fiftieth mission.  I have completed two tours of combat duty with VIII Bomber Command.  I have been honored to have flown with the best airmen I have ever known.  It is my hope that my service has been of value to the Air Forces, and of course to my Country, and I am ready to follow whatever orders the War Department deems fit to send my way.

   Respectfully submitted,

  Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

Departed Station 100 on schedule.  Formed up with element, squadron, group, wing and division as briefed.

Encountered Ju-88 opposition over North Sea, believe enemy fighters vectored in by FW-200 recon aircraft.  First attack killed Sgt McKay.  Same enemy AC turned for second pass at us and was destroyed by TSgt Bandowski.  That attack rendered right landing gear inoperable.

    As we approached target Hamburg, we came under attack from a mixed force of Ju-88’s, Me-109’s and Stukas.  The Krauts are throwing any aircraft which can mount a gun up against us. A Ju-88 bore in for an attack from our left side, but T3 Feuerstein shot it down... a very beautiful shot, I am told.  According to SSgt Loyce, Feuerstein blew the German pilot’s head off in the process.  The fire from that attacking enemy AC knocked out cockpit heat.  No matter, things were hot from enemy opposition, anyway.

  Flak over the target was heavy and accurate.  Shrapnel was pelting my Fort, and Maj. Wallace, Maj. Mesereau, Maj. Hamilton, T3 Feuerstein, SSgt Loyce and SSgt Milton were wounded.  As previously mentioned, Sgt McKay was killed by fighter activity.  Even wounded (slight wound in the left leg), Maj. Hamilton placed 100 percent of his bombs on target.  For outstanding performance of assigned aerial duties while wounded, I recommend Major William Hamilton for the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The Krauts stuck with us for much of the trip back, but it seemed as though their attacks were listless.  My assumption is that due to the effectiveness of this attack, the Krauts were demoralized.  Of course, it could also be that they were just tired from also having to deal with that mission flown by the Libs against the Kiel Canal.

Landing was NOT easy.  With most of my control cables severed, I had to use engine settings to control the aircraft.  I positioned “Tantalizin’ Takeoff” at the rear of the formation so that I wouldn’t block the runway if she cracked up upon landing.  I was only able to lower her left main gear, and I brought her down on that.  I increased engine power on the opposite side to keep the right wing up until I could get her off the flightline and onto a parking area, then eased off power and dropped the wing as gently as I could.  I have been told by Group Engineering that the wing is only slightly damaged, and all other damage to the aircraft is repairable.  My airplane and crew will be ready for the next mission.

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

   Kraut flak and fighters seemed to be caught off guard, but ME-109’s came up to challenge us.  These were yellow-nosed ME-109’s, and were quite aggressive.  They seemed to have more aggressiveness than skill, though, as my gunners shot down two of the bastards.

Flak was of medium intensity, and not accurate. The shrapnel from an 88mm shell did knock out my no.3 engine, and a near miss started a fire in my radio compartment.  The level of flak we faced was not what it could have been, and again, I suspect that we caught the Krauts off guard because of the bad weather over the briefed target.

   Those yellow-nosed SOB’s stayed with us until we hit the coast, but seemed to be keeping their distance.  We heard the 56th Fighter Group’s radio transmissions, and I suspect the Krauts did too, and were afraid of an ambush.  Seeing as both the briefed primary and secondary targets were within P-47 range, that would be a fair assumption on the part of the enemy.  However, I wish that those glamour boys over at Horsham-St. Faiths would get off their asses and start flying escort for us ugly old bomber boys.  A suggestion to VIII FC: Give us a hand?  I’m sorry you won’t be getting your pictures in “Life” magazine as often as you are by escorting us, but you’ll actually be earning your combat pay.  Otherwise, get someone over here who wants to win this damn war!

   We made it back to Station 100 with all crew well and safe.  Bombs were placed on target (75 percent), and “Tantalizin’ Takeoff” will be ready to fly again. 

   (47 down...three to go)

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

   As we got closer to target Huels, another swarm of Me-109’s hit us, and knocked out my tail armament.  Sgt Milton was slightly wounded, but divided his efforts between watching the tail and calling out fighters, and providing first aid or fire extinguisher use as needed.  Milton is a good man, and I am honored to have him on my crew (official statement, and to be placed in Sgt Milton’s record).

  Flak was of medium intensity, and not accurate.  The Krauts attempted to screen the target area, but Capt. Hamilton succeeded in placing sixty percent of his bombs on target.

  As we came off the target, we were hit by green-nosed FW-190’s.  The second pass by one of these bastards shot out my Number One engine, and also wounded Sgt Feuerstein (not a serious wound, he remained at his gun and fought back against the Krauts).

The last pass by these FW-190’s damaged my rudder control cables, but Maj. Wallace and I were able to hold “Tantalizin’ Takeoff” in formation and bring the old bucket of bolts back to Station 100. 

   The weather over the base was lousy upon our return, but we landed her, and will be ready for the next run.

 (46 down...four to go)

   Respectfully submitted,

Shannon G. Lucky

    Shannon G. Lucky,

    Colonel, Air Forces

    Deputy Commanding Officer,

    918^th Bomb Group (Heavy)

Departed Station 100 at 0630 on schedule.  Formed up with element, squadron, group, wing and division.  Ran into IMMEDIATE enemy fighter opposition over North Sea (we really need to do our own intelligence and STOP relying on the RAF’s outdated reports).  Fighter attacks were not effective on way into target.  Reached target Bremen and placed 70 percent of ordnance on target, as target was partially clouded over.

Return trip saw more effective and persistent enemy fighter attacks.  On first attack