George L Wells flew a record-breaking 102 bombing missions.
George with mission log
First mission, Tues. Oct. 26, 1943 to bomb the town of Terracina, West Coast of Italy.
Oct. 27 Bad weather — mission cancelled
Oct. 28 Bad weather — mission cancelled
Oct. 29 Bad weather — mission cancelled
Oct. 3 0 Bad weather — mission cancelled
Oct. 31 24 B-25s & Kitty Hawk (P-40s) Fighters. Was #2 in 3rd box of airplanes. After flying to initial point, was called off due to weather. Target had been harbor at Ancona, East Coast of Italy.
MISSION #2: NOV 1, 1943
Bombed Ancona Harbor. Hit and sunk transport in harbor. Started fires on docks in the city. 4 hours & 15 minutes over & back. Over 150 miles in enemy territory. Flew up Adriatic Sea. Flew ship Oh-Daddy, which had a pretty girl painted on it. No. 2 in 2nd box. 36 B-25s and 12 P-40s. Had some ack-ack fired at us. This was the 1st target of this type for the 340th. Each plane carried 4,000 pounds of bombs. Later it was reported 488 sank the last German held Italian cruiser and other merchant ships, besides starting large fires in the dock area.
MISSION #3: Nov. 7, 1943
In Oh-Daddy, shipping in harbor of Ancona, high clouds over target. Finally found hole after flying over target for 18 minutes. Dropped bombs 4,000 lbs per' ship — 36 ships (planes). #3 position in 2nd box and didflying even though copilot lost 3 planes this week. Lt Beebe killed. Lt. Jordon missing in action and Sgt. Milan seriously wounded. All 3 were in my shipments areas.
MISSION #4: NOV. 12, 1943
To a Tatoi Airport, Athens, Greece — 48 airplanes from 340th & 48 from 321st & 36from 310th 82ndfighter Wing for support — P-38s, P-39s, P-40s & Spitfires. Never saw so many planes in the air at one time. Weather stopped us from going to original target. Started a run on alternate target on Airport at Berot, Albania. The Jerries (Germans) put up flak so thick you could have played baseball on it. All of the old flyers said it was the most ack-ack they had ever seen. Enemy Fighters were diving down on gun crews, the other squadrons dropped their bombs but we couldn't get near the target. As yet I don't know whether we got creditfor the Mission or not. Had 12 frog (smaller) bombs per plane. Finally got credit for mission.
MISSION #5: NOV. 14, 1943
Sofia, Bulgaria. This was the first time Bulgaria was bombed by the Allies—48 B-25s from 321st, 48 from 340th, 48 P-38s for escort. It was a five-hour mission at 18,000feet. Had loads of ack-ack and ME (Messerschmitt) 109s fighting our planes during the run over the target. I saw three 109s go down. 270,000 lbs. of bombs dropped on railroad yards and warehouses. Saw trains running out of yards as we came in on them. It was a thrilling ride! Seven Jerries shot down and one of our own.
MISSION #6: NOV. 15, 1943
Airfield at Athens, Greece. 48 340th, 48 P-38s Frog bombs dropped and total airfield covered by fire. Enemy planes took off but never caught us. P-38s kept them away. Mission very long at 13,000feet & above. No oxygen, which made us very tired. Had to sweat out gas the whole trip. Had 50 mph headwind coming back. 6 planes didn't make it and had to land at different places. No one hurt. We landed with only 10 gallons in our right tank, not enough to make another circle of thefield. All planes had fuel shortages and damage, so everyone wanted to be first! O’Leary, Sweeney, MacDonegally went down over the target at Athens, six men aboard; 4 chutes seen to open as plane went down.
NOV. 25 — THANKSGIVING DAY
Moved to Foggia, Italy. Had wonderful dinner.
MISSION #7: NOV. 26, 1943
Enemy positions at Fossacesia, Italy. 12 1325s. We escorted close support mission (strafing enemy lines). Flew #2 position 1 hour 3 0 minutes. Turned off target at well over 300 mph — low to ground.
MISSION #8: NOV. 27, 1943
Lt. Saylor let me fly from pilot's seat though I was scheduled as copilot. Bombed shipping at Sibenik, Yugoslavia. 24 B-25s unescorted.
MISSION #9: NOV. 29, 1943
Flew copilot for E.J. Smith. Supposed to bomb Tronto but weather kept us from seeing the target. Then weflew to east coast, we bombed Giulianova, Italy. Bombed bridges and marshallingyards. Ran into a lot of flak as we came off the target. Must have been 105mm because they didn't fire straight up. 33 B-25s unescorted.
MISSION #10: DEC. 1, 1943
With R.M. Johnston. Enemy positions near Casino, Italy. Took off in morning but called back on account of weather: Take off again in afternoon. Johnston couldn't stay in formation and went over target by ourselves! 5,000 lbs. of bombs. Did not get credit for mission because bombs were not dropped. Johnston had to go around on coming in for landing Later got credit. Dec. 3rd.
MISSIONS #11, #12: DEC. 2, 1943
Same target. 2 missions this day on enemy position at Casino Abbey with Whitehead & E. J. Smith. Had something hit the pilot's windshield but did not come through.
MISSION #13:
To Sibenik, Yugoslavia. Full bomb load. 24 planes, target shipping, docks and marshalling yards.
MISSION #14: DEC. 5, 1943
Was very sick but flew anyway. Copilot for Dean on raid to Aguilla. Bad weather made us bring our bombs back but ran into a lot of ack-ack on coast. Couldn't get left engine out of high blower.
MISSION #15: DEC. 7, 1943 (1ST AIR MEDAL)
Copilot for Dean. Town of Pescara. 5,000 lbs. per plane, more ack-ack on this mission than any of the others. My plane hit in 2 places, bomb door and in radio compartment. (Air Medal)
MISSION #16: DEC. 16, 1943
Zara Port, Yugoslavia. Marshallingyards, docks, ships. Copilot for Dean, 27 B-25s, 5,000 lbs. per plane. Small ack-ack.
MISSION #17: DEC. 17, 1943
Terni, Italy. Had to turn back because of bad weather. Made 3 60 degree turn over enemy territory. Flew with Dean, tried to find alternate target. Enemy opened up on us but didn't do much damage. Had spitfires for escort.
DEC. 19, 1943
Made first pilot! Given plane named Skunk Hunter 8P (# of plane) with Brooks, La Pointe, Sgt. Wood as enlisted crew.
MISSION #18: DEC. 30, 1943
Flew #3 position as 1st pilot. Bombed marshalingyards at Falconara, Italy, 5,000 lbs. per ship. 27from 340th, 27from 321st — ack-ack.
JAN. 3, 1944
Moved to Pompeii Field near Naples and Mt. Vesuvius.
MISSION #19: JAN. 13, 1944
Leader of 2nd element. Major Cassada was copilot. Airfield at Guidonia, Italy. Plane was hit in wing. All planes in flight were hit. This was first time to wear flak suits. Red had ack-ack go right through his map while he was reading it. Had more ack-ack on this raid than an, previous.
Flew as leader of 2nd element on Pontercorve Bridge, Italy. My plane had 15 holes in it, seven of which were in the right engine nacelle (cover). The left engine was hit and leaking oil. The right main gear tire had been hit and blown out, leaving me with no tire or brakes for the right wheel. Other hits in wing and bombarding compartment. I made a good approach to landing but after I touched the ground, I had my hands full. When I finally got the plane stopped, we were facing the opposite direction! The group lost 2 ships on raid.
I've been sick with yellow jaundice for the past week. Just found out that my plane had 33 holes in the raid on the 14th. The hydraulic system was shot out in the right nacelle.
MISSION #21: JAN. 16, 1944
On Terni, Italy. Flew lead of 2nd element. Easy mission. Ack-ack didn't get anywhere near us.
MISSION #22: JAN. 18, 1944
On Aquaduct at Terni, Italy. Led 2nd element of leadflight. Lead ship dropped out in return and I took over the group and brought them back to field. Had spitfire escort. Ran into ack-ack on way back.
MISSION #23: JAN. 19, 1944
On Rieti Airfield, Italy. Flew as copilot with Dean as lead ship of the box. Have good chance of becomingflight commander, but by the time I get it, I'll have too many missions, which won't leave me enough time to serve out the 3-month period required to get a captaincy.
On Viaduct near Avezzano, Italy. Lead ship in 3rd box. Flight leader of 2nd Flight. Plane hit b, ack-ack on return.
MISSION #25: JAN. 21, 1944
Mission on marshalling yards at Avezzano, Italy. Leader of 2nd element of 1st box of 1st flight. Four enemy fighters tried to come in but Spits shot one down and kept the others away. Ack-ack was very light.
MISSION #26: JAN. 22, 1944
Invasion force landed near Rome. I led 4th flight and blew a cylinder- head on take off. Engine kept cutting out but cleared up enough for me to go on to target. Target was road and railroad junction at Colloferro, Italy near Rome. Had ack-ack going in and coming off target.
MISSION #27: JAN. 29, 1944
Flight leader for squadron on marshalling yards and docks at San Benedetto, Italy. Couldn't get to original target because of overcast.
MISSION #28: JAN. 30, 1944
Target: road junction at Frascati, Italy. Flew pilot in #5 position. One of our pilots made a good job of landing with one engine and only one wheel. Only one person was hurt in the landing although the plane was a total wreck.
MISSION #29: FEB. 2, 1944
Road junction at Marino, Italy. Lead 2nd element of 1st Squadron box. Some ack-ack.
MISSION #30: FEB. 5, 1944
Marshalling yards at Orte. Bad weather forced us to bring our bombs back. Flew in #5 position. Found out that we were just sent up to get enemy fighters in the air so our own fighters could jump them.
MISSION #31: FEB. 6, 1944
On marshalling yards at Frascati, south of Rome. The whole town was practically blown up on this raid. Weflew nearly over Rome when coming off the target. Plane was hit but no damage done. Flew in #3 position. We lost a ship and crew today.
MISSION #32: FEB. 7, 1944
On Cisterno, north of Rome. Lead 2nd element. Fighters jumped us but Spits took care of them. Boy it was cold. 20 below zero. (Heaters were turned off in the planes due to fear of starting fires during combat).
Cisterno, Italy. Flew lead of 2nd element. We bombed the whole town because the Jerries had troops and tanks dug in around the buildings.
MISSION #34: FEB. 10, 1944
Mission on Lanuvia, Italy. Target to flatten the town on the invasion bomb line. Bad weather over target. Flew 2nd element leader in 2nd box.
MISSION #35: FEB. 13, 1944
Mission on enemy positions (trucks, munitions, etc.) on invasion bomb line south of Rome. Flew element leader of 2nd element of 1st box. Last 2 ships on raid. Bombardier, Lt. Shanken, was hit in leg and plane was hit a number of times. Right propeller had a big hole in it. My two wing planes were both hit badly and had to drop out of formation. Lead ship of my box went down. Everyone got home but one whose chute didn't open. A number of other men were hit by ack-ack. All but one ship was hit. (Distinguished Flying Cross Award.)
For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a B-25 type aircraft. On 13 February 1944, Capt. Wells, in support of the Anzio Beachhead, Italy, led a formation against a heavy enemy troop, gun and supply concentration near Campoleone, Italy. While on the bomb run, the formation was met by a withering barrage of heavy, intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire. His plane was holed in many places including a burst in the left rudder which severed the cable and controls. Displaying superb flying ability, he managed to keep the formation intact, thereby enabling the bombardiers to drop their bombs in the target area with devastating effects. Unable to maintain the crippled aircraft in formation, he returned unescorted and landed safely at his own base. His aggressiveness, courage, and devotion to duty on this and many other combat missions have reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
MISSION #36: FEB. 15, 1944 (4TH AIR MEDAL)
Over Abbey of Cassino. There wasn't a thing left standing after we went over the target. Flew lead of 2nd box. This abbey was a German stronghold holding back the 5th Army, US 1 hr. 40 min.
MISSION #37: FEB. 16, 1944
Mission: Campoleone, beachhead. Flight leader- 2ndflight. Worst mission I've ever been on. Had direct hit right through tail and cut my rudder cables. Was undecided whether to bail out or not. We salvoed our hatch and was all read, to jump, but I finally decided to bring it in. We made it all right and I was never so thankful to hit the ground. The enlisted men wanted to jump but I talked them out of it. We lost one of our planes, “Red” Reichard and Dean went down with it. Also Lt. Dunaway who came over with us. Seven men in the ship and only 3 chutes were seen to open. The plane was hit in the right engine and blew it all apart. All the fellows think I'm lucky because today was the third time I've brought back a shot-up plane.
MISSION #38: FEB. 17, 1944
Mission on Supply Dump Southwest of Rome on Tiber River. Led 4th box—B-17s were getting all the ack-ack on this trip. Saw one crash into water. Flew over outskirts of Rome.
MISSION #39: FEB. 19, 1944
On enemy position on beachhead. Led Sqd. flight. Jumped by 12 fighters but gunners kept them out. Jerries threw up a wall of ack-ack, but was able to turn box inside of it and not one plane was hit. The 321st went in on target ahead of us and lost 8 ships to ack-ack and fighters.
MISSION #40: FEB. 20, 1944
Mission on Anzio beachhead. Led 340th and 321st Bomb Groups to target of enemy positions. The Jerries put up a wall of ack-ack and our flight got a couple of holes.
MISSION #41: FEB. 21, 1944
Mission on enemy positions on Anzio Beachhead. Led light. Bombs not dropped. Target weathered in. 2 ships missing today.
Flight leader. Target marshallingyards at Foligno, Italy. 486th Sq. ran into flak and one man was killed. I turned our flight short of flak. We hit the center of yards and started big explosion and fires.
MISSION #43: FEB. 24, 1944
Mission on airfield at Fabrigo, Italy. Led Sqd. flight. Had a Col. Taylor for copilot from Tactical Air Force. We blew up a number' of enemy fighters on the ground.
MISSION #44: FEB. 28, 1944
On landing strip at Comino, Italy. Ledflightfrom 340th & 321st. Bad weather all the way. Clouds over target, unable to drop bombs. One manfrom 487th hit withflak.
MISSION #45: FEB. 29, 1944
Enemy positions on Anzio Beachhead. Led Sqd. flight. Lots offlak and a few enemy fighters.
MISSION #46: MARCH 2, 1944
Enemy positions on Anzio Beachhead. Led Sqd. flight. Lots offlak and a few enemy fighters. Saw a B-24 going down near target and 6 chutes open. Maj. Cassadaflew as my copilot.
MISSION #47: MARCH 9, 1944
Shipping and docks at Porto San Stefano, Italy. Led Sqd. flight. Lot of ack-ack but 321st got all of it.
MISSION #48: MARCH 13, 1944
Flight leader. Target: marshalling yards at Perugia, Italy. Ack-ack was moderate. Fighters took off after us but we had a head start and they didn't catch us.
MISSION #49: MARCH 15, 1944
Led Sqd. flight of 12 planes on the town of Cassino. Our own troops were withdrawn from the city and the others are sending formations over there every 15 min. for the rest of the day. Our group was the first to bomb the town. The Group Co. flew as my copilot (Col. Bailey). The Group flew two missions over the target.
MISSION #50: MARCH 20, 1944
Led Sqd. flight on target at Perugia, but bad weather made us turn and bomb alt. at Terni. Vesuvius is really acting up and lava is running down the sides of the mountain.
MISSION #51: MARCH 28, 1944
Ledflight to Perugia, Italy. Target: railroad bridge over river using 321st airplanes. Lots of ack-ack. Had seven holes in my ship and every ship in the formation was hit. We lost two ships from ack-ack. The 321st also went over the target after us and lost two ships. Promoted to Captain.1
MISSION #52: APRIL 1, 1944
Led group on my 52nd mission. Target: railroad bridge at Orvieto. Had the group CO Chapman as m, copilot.
MISSION #53: APRIL 2, 1944
Led group, target railroad bridge NW of Orvieto. Had the Group operations officer as m, copilot, Major Ruebel.
MISSION #54: APRIL 7, 1944 (6TH AIR MEDAL)
Led group on railroad bridge at Ficulle, Italy. Had Col. Chapman as my copilot, lots of ack-ack and Col. made us turn on the wrong target, so we had to do a 360 and come in again.1
MISSION #55: APRIL 18, 1944
Led group on mission. Target railroad bridge at Ficulle. Bad weather kept us from getting to the target area. Bombs weren't dropped.
MISSION #56: MAY 12, 1944
We were told last night about the big push that started this morning in Italy. I led the group with 60 planes in the formation. The target was the town of Itri on the Adolph Hitler line. Gardner and crew went down over the target. At 9:30 P.M. the Jerries were over and bombed the field just north of us.
Led my Sqd. flight on Port of Piombino. Lots of flak but we dove around it and only got two holes.
MISSION #58: MAY 21, 1944
Low level mission. 6 B-25s and 24 Spitfires. Bombed bridge at Sinalunga and machine-gunned railroad yards and German riflemen. Machine-gunned high tension lines and left them hanging on ground. Also startedfires in the town.
For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights as pilot of a B-25 type aircraft. On 21 May 1944, Capt. Wells voluntarily led a six-plane formation in a low level skip-bombing attack upon road bridges near Sinalunga, Italy. Displaying great courage and superior flying ability as he skillfully maneuvered at minimum altitude to the target area, Capt. Wells’ precision-directed run enabled his bombers to skip their bombs into the embankments underneath several bridges, thereby blocking vital links in enemy communication lines. On more than fifty-eight combat missions his outstanding proficiency and steadfast devotion to duty have reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.
MISSION #59: MAY 24, 1944
Led Group as 1st Pilot with 48 Ships in formation. Target railroad bridge at Poggi-bonsi. (See page 43, Heller's first mission.)
MISSION #60: MAY 27, 1944
Flew as copilot in lead ship as formation commander: A captain or above now has to ride as copilot in the lead ship. Target was railroad and highway bridge at Piettasanto.
MISSION #61: MAY 29th, 1944
Target Viaduct and Bucine Bridge. Got permission to fly on the wing andflew #2 in second box.
MISSION #62: JUNE 1, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th. Sqd. target viaduct at Fossato. Not one bomb was dropped out of the target area.
MISSION #63: JUNE 4, 1944
Flew as formation leader with the 489th. Led 36-ship formation. 26 Jerry fighters jumped us but Spits ran them off. 2 Spits were shot down out of the 12 we had with us. Target Gricigliano railroad bridge.
Target road bridge at Cecina. 1:45 hours. Flew as formation commander- with 487th Sqd. German paratroops landed south of our field. Seven are still at large.
MISSION #65: JUNE 10, 1944
Flew with 489th Sqd. as formation commander on viaduct at Bucine, Italy. Saw one plane blow up and another crash.
MISSION #66: JUNE 13, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 486th Sqd. Target: Perugia Road bridge. Lots of ack-ack but no damage.
MISSION #67: JUNE 22, 1944
Formation commander with 489th Sqd. Target: Viaduct at Gricigliana. Lots of ack-ack and fighters. 487th lost one plane and had another- come in on single engine. Also a number of men were wounded. The 310th lost 3 ships over the target and had five crash landings.
MISSION #68: JUNE 29, 1944
Flew formation commander with 488th Sqd. Target: railroad bridge at Cervo, Italy. I got my first look at French soil today because the target was very close to France. It looks as though we'll soon be working on Southern France.
MISSION #69: JULY 1, 1944
Flew as formation commander with the 489th Sqd. Target: tunnel north of Prato, Italy. Ran into flak to andfrom the target.
MISSION #70: JULY 11, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th Sqd. Target: railroad bridge at Ceva, Italy. I now get command pilot time when I fly as formation commander.
MISSION #71: JULY 12, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 489th Sqd. Bombed alternate target: railroad bridge at Chiavari, Italy. The primary target at Fenoch, Italy in the Po Valley was closed in by weather. Had one ship ditch. Five stayed with the plane and were picked up the next morning. Two bailed out and were never picked up.
MISSION #72: JULY 19, 1944
Flew with 487th as formation commander. Target: railroad bridge at Sassuola, Italy. Jumped by fighters but no damage.
MISSION #73: AUG. 1, 1944
Flew with 488th Sqd. as formation commander. Target: railroad bridge at Canneto, Italy. No escort and was jumped by 12 fighters. They didn't come in close because our 18 ships were in real close.
MISSION #74: AUG. 2, 1944
Flew with 489th Sqd. as command pilot. Target: railroad bridge just north of Nice, France. Plenty of ack-ack. This was the 1st mission for the group in France.
MISSION #75: AUG. 4, 1944
Flew as 1st pilot on a single ship weather reconnaissance over Italy and Southern France. Had no escort and we were lucky because we didn't run into a fighter'. Shot up the docks at Nice. 1:50 hours.
Mission with 488th Sqd. as command pilot. Target: railroad bridge at Nice, France. Lots of ack-ack but made it home OK.
MISSION #77: AUG. 9, 1944
Flew as formation commander with the 487th. Weather- was extremely bad and kept us from going to the primary west of Borjac, France. We did get in on the alternate, which was the railroad bridge at Venti Migglia, Italy.
MISSION #78: AUG. 14, 1944
Flew with 489th as formation commander- on coastal at Cap Camerat, France. Things really look as though the big invasion will come tomorrow.
MISSION #79: AUG. 15, 1944
Today was D-Day for Southern France. I led the 1st box from our Group (487th), who were the first bombers over the invasion coast. Altogether there were 2,000 over the beachhead between 6:50 and 7:20 A.M., not counting the fighters and the troop carriers. There was plenty of action downstairs. Seven aircraft carriers, four battleships, etc. The Air Force had a corridor to fly and the Navy had a corridor for ships. The target for my box was gun positions at Cap Drammont, France. The Army was going ashore at 8:00 H. hour.
MISSION #80: AUG. 16, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th on road bridge at Livron, France. Saw lots of action when we crossed over the new beachhead.
MISSION #81: AUG. 19, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th on rail bridge at Orange, France. Lots of heavy flak.
MISSION #82: AUG. 21, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th on Rail Bridge at Parma, Italy.2
MISSION #83: AUG. 23, 1944
Flew as formation commander with 487th on railroad bridge at Avignon, France. This is considered the roughest targetfor anyone in the theater. We had an element of chaff and frags and 4 elements of frags that we dropped on the gun positions. It must have had the Jerries in their slit trenches, because we didn't get a shot.
MISSION #84: SEPT. 13, 1944
Flew with the 488th as formation commander- on railroad bridge at Peschiera Del Gorda, Italy.
Formation commander with 488th on troops at Rimini, Italy.
MISSION #86: SEPT. 24, 1944
Formation commander with 488th on target at Piazola railroad bridge. Went all the way to the target area but there was a complete overcast.
MISSION #87: OCT. 1, 1944
Was command pilot with 488th on Piacenza railroad bridge. Lots of ack-ack and had our left aileron shot out.
MISSION #88: OCT. 12, 1944
Flew with 489th. Target: ammo storage at Bologna, Italy. It was a coordinated attack with all of the Mediterranean aircraft on the same area.
MISSION #89: NOV. 4, 1944
Flew with 486th Sqd. as formation commander on bridge at Villafranca, Italy. The 489th lost one ship and the488th had one ditch, in which the pilot and tail gunner were lost.
MISSION #90: NOV. 9, 1944
Flight leader for the Group with 488th Sqd. Had Major Cassada as my copilot, Chief Myers as my bombardier, and Maj. Nash as my tail gunner. Target: rail bridge at Tomba, Italy near Austrian border.
MISSION #91: NOV. 17, 1944
Flew as command pilot with the 486th. Target was road bridge at Faenza, Italy. It was a close support mission. Our left engine kept cutting out above 8,000 feet.
MISSION #92: DEC. 2, 1944
Flew as 1st pilot on a mission to drop equipment behind enemy lines for the partisans. Had 4 P-47s for escort and dropped equipment at town of Bardi, Italy. Flew over the town on the deck and the people were there at the appointed time to pick up the stuff. 11 hours 40 minutes.
DEC. 7, 1944: PROMOTED TO MAJOR
MISSION #93: DEC. 9, 1944
Flew as 1st pilot. Target was to drop equipment behind enemy lines about 15 miles north of La Spezia. Something must have gone wrong because we circled the area for one hour but did not get a signal to drop. Had 4 P-47s for escort.
MISSION #94: DEC. 13, 1944
Flew as 1st pilot. This was a supply mission behind the lines near Borgo Val Di Toro. Found the place OK and men ran out to mark the spot on the first pass-over. We dropped six bombs full of equipment and they hit right on the spot.
MISSION #95: DEC. 22, 1944
Formation commander with 489th on target at Lavis on the Brenner Pass line. Ran into lots of ack-ack and picked up quite a few holes. Really was a cold ride for four and a half hours.
[In between these missions George was working in Group Headquarters planning the missions, although not flying all the time.]
MISSION #96: DEC. 30, 1944
Flew as flight leader- with 488th Sqd. on target at Calliano. Railroad bridge #1. Lots of ack-ack and when I broke off the target I looked back and had to laugh at Jinks, who was heading the 2nd box.3 Capt. Myers (Chief) was my bombardier and he hit the 120-foot bridge dead center from 12,400 feet.
MISSION #97: JAN. 17, 1945
Flight leader with 488th Sqd. on target at Calliano railroad bridge #1 on Brenner Pass line. Chief Myers again hit the bridge, which had been repaired since we last hit it. Was officially assigned to Headquarters as of Jan. 10th.
MISSION #98: JAN. 28, 1945
Flight leader with 488th on railroad bridge at Rovereto, Italy. Lots of flak and this was the hardest mission I've had to date due to cold and no oxygen.
Command pilot with 488th on the railroad bridge at Bressanone on the very top of the Brenner Lines. Jinks was flying as fight leader in the same ship. We had bad weather- and finally had to turn around after a hard time through the weather. Got shot atfrom Vicenza.
MISSION #100: FEB. 28TH, 1945
With 488th plane as lead pilot of a 42-ship formation. Target was Salorna embankment on the Brenner rail line. Major Dyer was my copilot flying his 100th mission. He was acting as Formation Commander.41 had a gunner, Sgt. Helferich, who was also flying his 100th mission. Capt. Myers (Chief) was my bombardier. Maj. Nash was my tail gunner. Had lots of pictures taken when we landed.
MISSION #101: MARCH 13, 1945
Formation Commander with 488th on Aldeno R/R. Fill in the Brenner Line. Had lots of flak and had an oil line hit in the right engine and had to go on single engine over the target. We had to drop out of formation but we managed to get back OK. This was the 1st medium bomber that has ever returned from the Brenner Line on single engine. We were on single engine for 2 hours. We were able to hold it at around 6,500ft. We were shot at again crossing the Po Valley by 40 and 20 mm. We then had a hard time getting over the mountains between Po Valley and the coast.
MISSION #102: MARCH 19, 1945
Command Pilot with 489th. This was the Group's 800th mission. The target was a R/R Bridge at Muhldorf, Austria. This should be the last mission I'llfly before going home for a thirty-day leave.
Col. Willis F. Chapman presented this souvenir booklet, made from the silver aluminum skin of the B-25, to Lieutenant General ira Eaker at war's end.
