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HISTORICAL RECORD - January 1944
HEADQUARTERS, 450TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
APO 520
U.S. ARMY
February 20, 1944
SUBJECT
:
Historical Records
TO
:
Commanding General, Fifteenth Air Force
ATTENTION
:
Historian (through channels)
1.
Unit history of the 450th Bombardment Group (H) for the period January 1 to January 31, 1944.
A. The present designation of the unit is 450th Bombardment Group (H), 47th Wing, 15th Air Force, United States Army.
B.No changes in organization.
C.Strength, commissioned and enlisted.
(1)Month of January 1944.
(A)
At beginning: 2004
(B)
Net decrease:
-45
(C)
At end
1959
D.Manduria, Italy, #25, Army Air Base. Departed Alamogordo, New Mexico, Army Air Base, 20 November 1943; Arrived Manduria, Italy #25, 20 December 1943.
E.No movement of organization in January.
F.Campaigns
(1)Italian
(2)Duration:From 2 January 1944, still in progress.
G.Operations
(1)Twenty (20)
missions were flown for five hundred and eighty three (583) sorties.
(2)During the month of January 1944, group headquarters assumed responsibility for quartering the various squadron crews and ground personnel who arrived at no prescribed date.
Matters of organization, administration and building had to be undertaken simultaneously with operations almost immediately upon arrival of most of the crews.
The late arrival of the major portion of ground personnel complicated matters a great deal, but despite these handicaps, the group settled down to operational routine.
Several departments in the squadrons were merged as a group effort provisionally in order to make the most efficient use of available personnel. The group's baptism in combat occurred
early in the month, thereby arousing its consciousness as to the purpose of being in the theatre.
(H)Losses in action
(1)Raid over
Ossoppo, 15 January. 1st Lieutenant Richard C. Davis, Group Armament Officer, Missing in Action.
(I)Enclosed is the war diary of this unit from the period 20 December 1943 to 31 January 1944.
For the commanding officer
Arthur L. Campa,
1st Lt., Air Corps,
Group Historian.
1 Incl.
War Diary.
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January 1, 1944
Group headquarters begins with a clean slate, and how! An investigations reveals that someone had overturned a gas filled bucket near a stove and lost control of the fire.
The red cross representative arrived on the 1st, just in time to lend a few thousand dollars with which to replace some of the clothing. The rest of the officers threw into a pot enough money to
draw from, so funds were available to those who had lost their wallets in the fire.
Major Orris and his "Fire Brigade" rode into Bari where the officers PX supplied enough garments to
set up housekeeping. It rained all the way to Bari. The rest of the group personnel remained behind to carry on as usual. The fire was just another incident in the life of the 450th in Italy.
Again the group kitchen outdoes itself in putting out a real dinner. Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce and all the trimmings! What a treat!
In Bari, the "Fire Brigade" arrives in time for a second New Years dinner at the transient officer's mess. A Lt. Wearing a Sgt.'s shirt, stripes and all, is told by the enlisted men
collecting at the door that enlisted men are not allowed. He and others are saved by their AGO passes.
That evening at the Oriente Hotel, Lt. Glavin sits at the piano and obliges with renditions from Brahms to Boogie Woogie. The 15th AFHQ brass hats look on at the odd assortment
of getups and merely shake their heads. One colonel calls to his friend: "Hey Bill, if you think that last outfit looked wild, take a look at these fellows!"
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January 2, 1944
Half of group headquarters personnel spent the day in Bari getting clothes. A symphony concert by an Italian orchestra made the day seem more festive.
It continues to rain at home. Word comes in from wing that the group's first mission will be flown on the morning of the third.
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January 3, 1944
Intelligence operating as a group effort briefs the crews on their proposed mission to Makarska. Everyone is filled with anticipation. The mission is called off.
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January 4, 1944
No mission on this day _ _ Work continues as usual.
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January 5, 1944
Non-Operational day. Nothing new in group headquarters. Group intelligence stands by in anticipation of mission.
Everybody scrambling to build stoves in group headquarters. Captain
Snaith and his section busy
setting up operations. S-4 wonders if cold weather will be over in a week. Captain Jackson debates advisability of putting up a stove in his office. Group intelligence enlisted men arrive,
much to the delight of headquarters. M/Sgt. Silverman gets his crew together and goes to work making benches, tables and other improvised pieces of furniture.
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January 6, 1944
Non-Operational day. Group headquarters continues regular routine. Mess line at group mess a mile long. It takes an hour to get a meal if you are thirty minutes late in getting in line.
Officers eating on truck running board. Jeep hoods at a premium as tables. Col. Mills eating out of his mess kit on an empty oil can trying to ward off the rain under dubious shelter of 130
year old olive tree. No materials or tents in view yet. T.O. calls for 152 tents. Group calls, shouts and hollers, but the "Bari Raid" has taken a heavy toll of supply ships in the harbor.
If you can't get anything, it was lost in the Bari raid made by the Germans the first week in December.
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January 7, 1944
A mission is in the air. Group headquarters buzzing with interest. Everybody eager to be on first mission.
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January 8, 1944
Twenty aircraft from the 450th took off at 1120 and returned by 1500. There was one early return. The remaining 19 encountered no fighter opposition, but picked up a few flak holes
from AA fire. The
Mostar A/D in Yugoslavia was hit by 55 tons of demolition bombs with only fair success.
Crews were surprised to find the
Red Cross girls on hand with hot coffee and doughnuts.
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January 9, 1944
First mission being completed, group headquarters makes ready for a raid on Zara. Seventeen out of nineteen sorties attempt to reach the target but are turned back by overcast.
371/2 tons of bombs salvoed in Adriatic.
General impression is that the German fighters will not come out and attack a formation escorted by
P-38's. A feeling of disappointment fills the crews
because the missions are uneventful.
Lt. Gandi's photo trailer unit arrives and
mission photos are in demand. Photos to be exhibited at group intelligence HQ.
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January 10, 1944
A third mission is as many days for the 450th. The M/Y at
Skopolje is the target for the 16 aircraft that finally got in there. 42.25 tons of demos are scattered all over the target
area with unsatisfactory results. Great discontent exhibited by crews anxious to plaster the target.
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January 11, 1944
Non-Operational day for the group. Rainy and uneventful.
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January 12, 1944
The group officers found that a very nice time could be had at Taranto. Something about a very good Italian singer. Group headquarters still trying to find enough materials
with which to set up housekeeping. The rain has complicated things considerably by creating "Lake Manduria" in the middle of the area. All tents and stone houses are being set up on higher ground.
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January 13, 1944
Major McKamy, group S-2 went to the hospital to recover from a bad cold and run-down condition, Captain Weber is acting group S-2 in Major McKamy's absence.
The entire group was determined that today's raid would be a record smasher. Weather prevented raid over
Perugia from being successful. Everybody disgusted with
"Sunnt Italy's" lack of sun. Red Cross girls gingerly pass out doughnuts and hot coffee with a perpetual smile in front of group headquarters.
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January 14, 1944
Today's raid brought conversation, conjecture, comment, and interest all over group headquarters. The crew's had seen flak, had been hit by it, had met German fighters,
had seen them go down in flames, and also had seen a B-24 explode. All this plus the fact that the town of
Mostar was well plastered with bombs made everybody effusive and talkative.
Morale went up several notches. Around 9 p.m. the S-2 room was crowded with craning necks who wanted to see how their bombs looked on the target.
A portable radio from Special Services was installed in group S-2. Lt. Campa keeps up his foreign languages by listening to news broadcasts in Italian, French and German.
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January 15, 1944
Missions are becoming a daily routine for the 450th. Today the boys went to Prato M/Y but bad weather prevented results from being satisfactory.
Captain Lou Wright, group communications officer, gave up all hope of ever having a building for his headquarters so he set up two tents and installed the usual gasoline stove.
Heating seems to be no problem as long as you can find copper pipe, valves, a can and rubber hose. All you have to do is go through channels to get a welding job by the service squadron,
and presto! In two weeks you can have a stove.
Major Thorpe, group surgeon, claims to know a way to give everybody a hot shower. We can't believe it _ _ somewhere in the area he discovered some Italian baths.
In today's raid over Osoppo, we sustained our first Loss. 1st Lt. Dick Davis, group armament officer, was lost over the North end of the Adriatic. He may have parachuted into the water.
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January 16, 1944
Group officers are now installed in a wooden barracks on the shores of "Lake Manduria." The chaplain chose a room with "Atmosphere." A former Italian occupant of artistic
tendencies covered all four walls of his room with luscious and ultra-curvacious Italian belles. The chaplain can choose whether to face the "Reclining Nude" or the wind blown ensemble in l
ace panties.
Chaplain Stevens claims his choice of room was governed by other motives _ _ we wonder.
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January 17, 1944
Lt.'s Kaecker, Schmidt, Goldvarg and Captain Vogel have set about to make themselves comfortable in a room at the newly acquired domicile of the group officsers.
The fact that all four are around 5' 5" may have something to do with their banding together. They are thinking seriously of adding Lt. Gandi to their family but he is much too tall.
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January 18, 1944
Major A.V. Williams, S-2 for the newly activated 304th wing, dropped in for a short visit at headquarters. Things were pretty quiet at group headquarters until the evening.
Around 7 p.m. when Lt. Gandi was busy trying to get out his most important photos of the missions to date, a fire broke out in the engine room of his trailer lab. The Italian fire
department put out the fire and nearly drowned the camp. Sgt. Wedding suffered some burns.
The prints of today's mission had to be run off at San Pancrazio. A great deal of interest brewing around group headquarters over large friendly convoy sighted over the
Mediterranean below Naples. Rumors getting around about a second front or a beach head in the offing. Crews back from
Pisa mission filled with interest.
The whole undertaking seems to be a hush hush affair. Tomorrow or the day after should bring some good news.
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January 19, 1944
Going on a mission seems to be a daily operational procedure for the 450th. Group intelligence clears the decks daily for briefings.
The doughnut line in front of headquarters is as natural as the colonel's cigarette hanging from his lip. Morale is high, but with no officer's mess and no club, the personnel is getting tired.
A few mascots of unknown pedigree are roaming over the camp. They seem to be the only ones enjoying the cold moist weather.
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January 20, 1944
Just another day at group. Lt. Vogel is now a Captain, and Captain Snaith has traded his railroad tracks for a leaf. It is Major Snaith now _ _ "Balls of Fire."
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January 21, 1944
There had been talk about reconnaisance by the Germans, seen over the airport a few days ago. It may be a prelude to a raid.
Around noon, a blast was heard over the area, followed by falling debris and rock. Another detonation followed and a few of the more curious went out to take a look. Someone shouted "Air Raid!"
Our security officer made a quick investigation. Major Thorpe, it was disclosed, had set off a few charges of dynamite to blast a new latrine. False alarm.
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January 22, 1944
The convoys recently seen by our craft in recent missions materialized in the Anzio beachhead _ _ first accounts report no opposition. Today's mission was in support of the beachhead.
Group headquarters war room is a source of constant interest as the beachhead progresses. The S-2 war room begins to take form with more maps and displays on the wall.
Lt. Chronister's bomb plotting photos draw a large crowd after every mission. Lt. Gandi's photo lab, now set up in a former latrine, turns out the photos in record time.
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January 23, 1944
Pets or pests are all over camp. Young puppies brought from Florida, Africa and other points are growing fast and losing some of their former appeal as their mongrel ancestry begins to show evidences.
A Brazilian Marmosette brought by Lt. Giraudo, cringes and climbs all over his back when approached by curious onlookers.
The group mess line stretches Ad Infinitum as officers of all ranks line up for chow. The rainy cold weather makes waiting for a meal quite a problem.
Today's steaks helped morale no end. The repast brought pleasant reminiscences of one inch steaks long forgotten.
The mustaches, beards and other hirsute embellishments to masculine beauty are gradually being replaced by clean shaves. Too difficult to keep in trim is the reason given.
The muchly awaited
mail is beginning to come in. The happy recipients of missives leave the group post office with beaming countenances. The rest of us simply hope philisophically
that tomorrow's mail may include one for us. It did not rain today.
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January 24, 1944
Lt. Col. Price's command car lost its leather seat covers to Italian vandalism. The shortage of leather makes leather covered seats an excellent target for Italian civilians when vehicles are left unguarded.
Prices are going up all over the villages. Oranges, almonds and figs have doubled in price.
The dynamite blasts in the area are SOP insofar as group headquarters is concerned. No more false alarms. There is more talk of building an officers club in a barracks known as
the "Sunken Gardens." Before anything can be done, the Italian soldiers on the base will have to be moved. They promise to be out by the first, according to word received from Lt. Santomauro.
Lt. Col. Price says that he'll see to it that they get out.
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January 25, 1944
After 12 days of consecutive missions, the group got a breather. No mission today. A whoop went up as the Colonel made the announcement.
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January 26, 1944
1st Lt. Maker, Special Service Officer has placed his radio outside his office where music is blared out to everyone's enjoyment.
Sometimes the program changes and an Italian speaker goes on for a long time before someone shuts him off.
Oranges and walnuts may be bought at Special Services. Lt. Baker and Sgt. Price spend most of their time shuttling back and forth to Manduria trying to keep up
with the demand for fruit and nuts.
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January 27, 1944
Back in the harness after a two day rest. This was the Big Leaguer up to
Istres Le Tube aerodrome near Toulon. The colored string in the war room map
stretched a considerable distance, and the crews whistled when they heard the news. The mission was one of the greatest successes of the 450th.
General Twining wrote in a commendation for the excellent performance of our boys. There were some losses by flak but the target was well covered.
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January 28, 1944
Weather getting a little warmer. There are definite signs of spring, but the natives say it is only the beginning of the rainy season.
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January 29, 1944
Colonel Mills decided to use the "Sunken Gardens" barracks for officers' clubs and mess. One wing id to be the mess and the other will be the club. Lt. Col. Price and
1st Lt. A.L. Campa will secure Italian girls to wait on tables. A contractor from Manduria will do the interior decoration and the construction. The club and mess will be run as a group venture.
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January 30, 1944
Miguele Di Mitri, the Manduria contractor has submitted the exhorbitant figure of $600 for decorating the barracks and putting in two fireplaces. The figure was disapproved
by the officers' club committee. The town interpreter has promised us a group of girls to work at the club. The assortment of women who express a great desire to work for the "Americanos"
is indeed interesting. Some are housewives still nursing a baby in arma; others are cagey souls who wish to accompany their young daughters to the campfor fear that too much attention may be
directed their way; others are older young ladies who are in search of adventure. Col. Price looks at the melange and muses.
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January 31, 1944
The end of the month is just another cold day in "Warm" south. The club is being talked about and the Italian soldiers begin to move out. Officers and enlisted men try to enviegle
the Italians in to leaving their spring beds. The chaplain, no less tradable, manages to accrue a set of springs, tables and several chairs. He does not speak Italiano, and the Italians do not speak
English, but when the parson points at a bed and shows several packs of American cigarettes, he receives a shrill flow of "Si, si, si, si's" from the most inarticulate Italian.
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A very special thanks to Jim Ciborski, son of John C. Ciborski, 720th Squadron, for supplying the narratives and pictures
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