So this is Dad's first journal, first mission. I know we spell it "Klobenz" now, but it was "Coblenz" up till 1926, and clearly the earlier spelling persisted awhile, and with that and most spellings and abbreviations, I have let Dad's stand, especially since I don't know what the heck some of these abbreviations stand for, don't even know if I am reading them right, counting on some old-timers to correct them, like the "mb" he uses at "Mission."
Correction: the tail gunner mentioned at the end is NOT Dad. According to another 100BG tailgunner, the wonderful Joe Urice, Dad was ball turret gunner on the crew until their third mission.
12-11-44
No. 1
Ship: Glory Bound No.
523
Target – Coblenz – Marshalling Yard
Visibility – P.F.F. Results
– Unobserved
Flak – Light & Inaccurate
Takeoff – 0815 Land
1545
Position – Right Wing – Lead Ship – Lead S r.d. [?]
Bombs Away – 1248
Altitude – 26,500 Temp.
- 38 degrees
Load – 12 -500 lb. G.P.'s
Oxygen – 4 hrs.
Mission – TY2 [mb]
This was the big number one and yet it didn't seem any
different from a practice mission. We were awakened at 04:45, had breakfast and
were briefed. We went to the ship and everyone got just a little nervous.
Checked my guns and turret and everything was in perfect order. Everything went
off well and we made a good takeoff at 0815. The primary visual target was
Geisen and the primary P.F.F. Target was Coblenz. We came over Geisen, opened
the bomb bay doors, and were all ready, but clouds covered the target. There
were a few bursts of flak here and there and some smoke rockets. We turned
around and headed for Coblenz. This target was also covered, but we left them
go on P.F.F. The bombs got away as planned and we took off for home, with still
little flak. We landed at 7545 and everyone was glad and happy that everything
went over on the first mission without a hitch. At interrogation the tail
gunner got plastered on six double shots of Scotch. We were informed that we
were Sgts. and ended a perfect day.
Sgt.
Russell Kendig
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