34th
Bomb Group Training Flights in MAY 1944
Compiled
by Gary L. Ferrell
An
order dated 11 May 1944 laid out the schedule of flight training and ground
school. (by Squadrons)
Flying
(Morning and Afternoon) Ground
training (0900 – 1200, 1300 – 1700)
May
12 & 16 7, 18, 391 4
May
13 & 17 18, 391, 4 7
May
14 & 18 391, 4, 7 18
May
15 & 19 4, 7, 18 391
The
above only gives a probable schedule to be followed, circumstances permitting,
but direct reference (to the pages below) will bear out the actual accomplishment
of flight training and the types of flights flown by the above squadrons.
Reference will show too how this flight training developed our crews from
“back-in-the-states-fledglings” to “war-time-eagles.”
Training Missions as a B-24 Group in May
1944
May 12, 1944 Morning
Aircraft took off in order but made poor
assembly. Lead Navigator made too many turns causing formation to fail
miserably to gain proper formation. The descent spread out formation and on
landing the peel out and landing were poor. Flight time was 4 hours 15 minutes.
Planes used are not
recorded.
Blair – Trutanich (CA)
Lead Squadron
Baker
Cliff
Erwin
Smith, O. E.
Eastman
Foster
Meyer
Culver
Daniels
Adams
Stewart
Bush – Jackson (CA)
High Squadron
Alexander
Terry
Gardner, H.
Hardison
Hollowell
Avriett
Doell
Boshears
Smith, J. C.
Brown
McDermott
Ralls – Juris (CA) Low
Squadron
Tuttle
Lynstrom
Laskin
Gipson
Kiley
Brain
Parrish
Dees
Blackburn
Paulnock
Harre
Anderson
Group
formation. Assembly formation. Landing procedure. 24 aircraft took off and
assembled in better formation than during the morning flight. Positions were
maintained better during this low altitude flight. Flight time was 1 hours 30
minutes.
Avriett
– Scherr (CA) High Squadron
Culver
Daniels
Brophy
Harre
– Maddux (CA) Lead Squadron
McDermott
Brown
Swenson
Bower
Hollowell
Baker
Brain
Dean
Adams
Laskin
Meyer
Bush
Harris
Parrish
Blackburn
Tuttle
Kilby
Lindstrom
36
aircraft briefed on high altitude formation mission. Instrument take off
procedure used. The Squadron assembly fair but there was a misunderstanding on
correct buncher to use; some used one, others another. Group assembly was good
and all squadrons met zero hour on time. Leader of High Squadron had to abort
causing some confusion, but as a whole the formation was good. Two targets were
camera bombed. The assembly at the rally point for second target not very good.
Peel off above overcast was attempted with only fair results due to improper
descending courses being flown. Flight time was 7 hours.
Israelson
(P) Ackerman (N) Jones, S. T. (B) Garrett (CA) Lead Squadron, Camera bombed
Heath
Simpson
Timblin
Mackey
Ray
(P) Wentz (N) Kinney (B) Brophy (CA) Low Squadron
Marks
Daniels
Armstrong
Meyer
Notman
Bower
Thrun
Baker
Wright
Cook
Pavlicek
McAllister
(P) Baldea (N) Kinney (B) Kleinfall (?) Crabtree (CA) High Squadron. ABORTED.
Terry
Dean
Avriett
Brown
Doell
Erwin
Blair
Culver
Gardner
Hardison
Bush
Alexander
Hayes
Holmes
4
aircraft carrying lead crew bombardiers were dispatched at 1545 to practice
bomb the Otmoor Range. Each carried twenty practice bombs. The weather briefing
indicated five tenths coverage at medium altitude over the target. When the
aircraft reached the target there was a ceiling running from eight tenths to
overcast with base at 3800 feet. Aircraft returned to base and landed.
McDermott
Smith,
O. E.
Runyon
Tuttle
No
field order was received and all flying consisted of individual bombing, ferry
trips and test hops. 8 aircraft dispatched on Gynsbok Range. All bombed at
Medium altitude with good results. Few modification flights. Number of test
hops scheduled by squadrons were flown in local area.
Hardison
(P) Metz (N) Shore (B)
Bush
(P) Jackson (N) Cook (B)
McAllister
(P) Baldea (N) Kinney (B)
Ralls
(P) Juris (N) Parenteau (B)
Ray
(P) Wentz (N) Hohnstreiter (B)
Blair
(P) Trutanich (N) Underwood (B)
Heath
(P) Gellatti (N) Deering (B)
Israelson
(P) Reed (N) Campbell (B)
Also
one aircraft carried three skeleton crews to Honington. That aircraft remained
there for modification and the crews brought back three of our aircraft that
had been modified back to base. Three aircraft flew to Debach, picked up ten
aircraft there and led them to Wharton. Our aircraft then carried the ten
Debach crews back to base.
All
pilots listed scheduled to take off and climb to 21,000 feet for a rendezvous
at Splasher No. 6. Each ship was to simulate a group approach from different
directions and form three ship elements, simulated Wing, at Splacher 6, three
minutes apart. After formation of
Wings, course was to Gynsbok Bombing Range. Due to extremely low visibility and
practically instrument conditions up to 23,000 feet only nine pilots made
the rendezvous as scheduled. No pilot
was off more than 60 seconds at control point. Semi hazy overcast solid from
1500 – 23,000 feet.
Only
those planes listing a bombardier were able bomb through holes in the
undercast. Flight time was 7 hours.
*
Mackey (P) Gallacher (N)
Hardison
(P) Metz (N)
*
Bush (P) Jackson (N)
Lindstrom
(P) Robert (N)
Terry
(P) Pacholski (N) Ritchie (B)
Laskin
(P) Orr (N)
*
Notman (P) Walcott (N) Nelson (B)
*
Baker (P) Heland (N)
*
Bower (P) Lemen (N)
Ralls
(P) Juris (N)
*
McAllister (P) Baldea (N) Kinney (B)
*
Israelson (P) Kleinfall (N)
*
Heath (P) Gellatti (N)
*
Ray (P) Wentz (N)
Blair
(P) Trutanich (N) Underwood (B)
*
Only these pilots made the rendezvous as scheduled.
36
ships took off and formed into Squadron Formation over field at 1000 feet. Take
off was delayed thirty minutes by local shower. Assembly at 1000 feet because
of low scattered. Command Pilot decided ceiling too low to form Squadron into
Group. Squadrons flew locally one hour then landed because of weather.
Formation was excellent from assembly to landing. Flight time was 1 hour, 30 minutes.
Ralls
(P) Juris (N) Boyd (CA) Lead Squadron
Laskin
Pedigo
Copeland
Dees
Blackburn
Kiley
Gardner,
M.
Brain
Harris
Paulnock
Heath
(P) Gelatti (N) High Squadron
Israelson
Armstrong
Notman
Marks
Timblin
Cook
Runyan
Pavlicek
Mackey
Dreher
Johanson
Blair
(P) Trutanich (N) Low Squadron
Baker
Meyer
Erwin
Becker
Smith,
O. E.
Ray
Daniels
Adams
Bower
Culver
Foster
Wright
Simpson
B-24H
41-29562 “Tommy Thumper” salvaged with non-battle damage.
This plane had suffered a hard landing after a training flight. Pilot: Pedigo.
RTD
Pedigo, William E.
(P)
2Lt
4 O-686592
RTD
Danielian, Leo
(CP)
2Lt
4 O-760261
RTD
McColl, Roderich H.
(N)
2Lt
4 O-704033
RTD
Saxen, Robert
(E)
Sgt
4 17071052
RTD
Overholt, Charles N.
(R)
S/Sgt
4
32731413
RTD
Poirier, Sidney L.
(G)
Sgt
4 33551701
RTD
Storer, Lester F.
(G)
Sgt
4 35474257
RTD
Wade, Francis A.
(G)
Sgt
4 12077782
RTD
Jones, William T. Jr.
(G)
Sgt
4 33616766
Flight
cancelled due to weather.
Due
to weather, 36 ships were flown beneath the overcast in 12 ship Squadron
formations rather than being assembled into Group. Assemblies were good. Each
Squadron being formed by two turns over the field. Formation of the Low (C) and
Lead (B) was good throughout the period.
Formation
of the High (C) Squadron was only fair, and the top element too far back, other
elements too loose. Meyer, 42-94815 took off out of scheduled order due to
twenty minutes delay while changing APU. McDermott, 41-28865 took off 1:15 late
after taxing off hardstand into mud. Boshears, 42-94818, flew last thirty
minutes of formation with No. 1 engine feathered, magneto shielding bared to
rain made engine run rough. Peel offs too slow, landing pattern too large. No
abortions.
Blair
(P) Trutanich (N) Crabtree (CA) Lead Squadron
Meyer
Ray
Erwin
Brown
Foster
Daniels
Adams
Becker
Cliff
Baker
Culver
Terry
(P) Adams (N) Brophy (CA) High Squadron
Tuttle
Priddy
Alexander
Smith,
J. C.
Holmes
McDermott
Gardner
Boshears
Hayes
Mackey
(P) Gallagher (N) Garrett (CA) Low Squadron
Wright
Heath
Cook
Swenson
Marks
Dreher
Thrun
Pavlicek
Dean
Simpson
Timblin
Doell
Avriett
No
field order from Com Wing. A 36 ship group formation was briefed to fly a high
altitude mission making a bombing attack on the Gynsbok Range. The 36 aircraft
took off from 1045 to 1138 hours. In addition 2 aircraft took off five minutes
later to act as spares and accompany the formation to 15,000 feet. Upon
reaching 15,000 feet the two spares, if not used were to return to base. Take
off was spiral assembly over buncher 19 at 10,000 feet. An overcast condition
arose prior to take off and made type assembly unsuitable. It was suggested by
Col. Gerheart at critique that the three types of assembly be called A, B, C so
that last minute changes could be made in type to be used. Control point times
were very close to estimated times of flight plan. On first bomb run Group Lead
ship aborted after IP because of erratic A-5. No. 2 place took lead and three
more passes made with Squadron in train. Turn from IP to target was only 19
degrees and not sufficient to cover properly. It should be 45 to 90. Decided at
critique that 155 MPH too slow to fly back from target. 160 will be flown.
Formation was brought through break in overcast to let down. Accomplished in
good order. Landing was good except that pattern was a bit large and planes
landed hot at close intervals. Following strike reports were received during
mission. Ship 42-94799 attacked primary target, visual bombing, with fair
results, bombs away at 1306. Ship No. 41-29548 attacked primary, visual
bombing, with good results, bombs away at 1340. Flight time was 5 hours 30
minutes.
Ralls
(P) Juris (N) Parenteau (B) Boyd (CA Lead Squadron
Lindstrom
(P) Robert (N) Morris (B)
Harris
Parrish
Gardner
Kiley
Gipson
Blackburn
Harre
Hanson
Salveson
Dees
Laskin
Israelson
(P) Kleinfall (N) Campbell (B) High Squadron
Mackey
Simpson
Timblin
Marks
Thrun
Notman
Dreher
Runyon
Heath
Hollowell
Wright
Cook
McAllister
(P) Bladea (N) Kinney (B) Tavasti (CA) Low Squadron
Hardison
Doell
Smith,
J. C.
Boshears
Swenson
Alexander
Gardner
Hayes
Tuttle
Brown
Avriett
Instrument take off made with 45 seconds
between ships. Lead squadron took off 9 minutes and as Lead of High Squadron
started take off the No. 4 engine cut out causing plane to run off runway to
right. Since there was sufficient clearance for succeeding planes, No 2 took
the lead. Three minutes were lost with the crew of the disabled ship going to
spare aircraft and continuing the flight. Group assembly made at 10,000 feet at
Buncher 19 and climb started to bombing altitude reaching control point No. 1
late, but with good formation. Control points reached approximately scheduled
time. IP reached but due to high overcast scheduled altitude could not be
attained. Low broken clouds partially obscured the target but camera bombing
was accomplished by two squadrons. The High Squadron became separated from the
group after passing through layer of clouds and returned to base at 1100. The
remaining squadrons reached base at 1230 in fair formation, landing procedure
was good. Flight time was 6 hours.
Terry (P) Adams (N) LeBaily (CA)Lead
Squadron
Bush
Swenson
Smith, J. C.
Hollowell
Dean
Gardner, M.
Alexander
Holmes
Hayes
Avriett
Doell
Gipson (P) Pariseau (N) Eaton (CA) High
Squadron
Hanson
Brain
Coupland
Salveson
Parrish
Paulnock
Pedigo
Harris
Kiley
Gardner, H.
Bower (P) Morrison (N) Fandel (CA) Low
Squadron
Baker
Adams
Smith, O. E.
Culver
Blair
Daniels
Becker
Meyer
Stuart
Eastman
Blackburn
Foster
McDermott
Cliff
Laskin
39
aircraft dispatched between 1314 and 1342 to fly practice bombing mission as
Lead Group of 93rd CBW in conjunction with 92nd CBW. Take
off and assembly excellent. Mission proceeded according to schedule. No bombs
dropped because of weather. One aircraft lost upon assembly and flew mission
with 92nd (CBW). Formation good throughout mission. As result of
mission, interval for squadron uncovering changed from 15 to 20 seconds.
Squadron formations were good but group formation was loose on return flight.
Landing good. Flight time was 5 hours.
Baker
(P) Helland (N) Conly, LeBaily & Crabtree (CAs) Lead Squadron
Smith,
O. E.
Dreher
Holmes
Foster
Culver
Cook
Brown
Blair
Cliff
Simpson
Gardner
Ray
Israelson
(P) Kleinfall (N) Garrett (CA) High Squadron
Thrun
Boshears
Bower
Wright
Marks
Hayes
Stewart
Heath
Hardison
(P) Mete (N) Tavasti (CA) Low Squadron
McDermott
Becker
Johanson
Doell
Dean
Eastman
Notman
McAllister
Meyer
Daniels
Timblin
Alexander
Runyon
Armstrong
Smith,
J. C.
Tuttle