Journal of
Combat Missions

Contents

PREPARATION FOR COMBAT

• Assignment to Bovingdon
• Final Pre-combat Training
• Recreation and Relaxation
• Transfer to Combat Base

TYPICAL RAID PROCEDURES

• Navigational Confusion
• Dressing for the Flight
• The Briefing
• Preparation of the Airplane
• Takeoff and Assembly
• To the Target and Back
  • Departure from Britain
  • Navigation Process
  • Route to Target
  • Enemy Fighter Opposition
  • Anti-aircraft Fire
  • Fighter Support
  • Return to the Base
  • Post-mission Debriefing and Interrogation
  • Return to Quarters and Relaxation

THE BOMBING MISSIONS

• Mission No. 1 -- La Pallice, France (Sept. 16, 1943)
• Mission No. 2 -- Kerlin-Bastard, France (Sept. 23, 1943)
• Ground School and Practice Missions
• The Effects Officer
• Recreation Between Missions
• Missions No. 3 and 4 -- Rheims and Emden (Sept. 26 - Oct. 2, 1943)
• "Vacations" in Sweden and Switzerland
• Mission No. 5 -- Saarbrucken-Saarguemines, Germany (Oct. 4, 1943)
• Visits With My Brother
• Fireworks Over the Base
• Mission No. 6 -- Bremen, Germany (Oct. 8, 1943)
• Mission No. 7 -- Munster, Germany (Oct. 10, 1943)
• Alternative Airfields
• Meeting the Returning Airplanes
• Aborted Missions
• Personality of the Airplanes
• Mission No. 8 -- Schweinfurt, Germany (Oct. 14, 1943)
• Mission No. 9 -- Wilhelmshafen, Germany (Nov. 3, 1943)
• Mission No. 10 -- Bremen, Germany (Nov. 13, 1943)
• Relaxation in London
• Mission No. 11 -- Rjuken, Norway (Nov. 17, 1943)
• Mission No. 12 -- Gelsenkirchen, Germany (Nov. 19, 1943)
• Mission No. 13 -- Bremen, Germany (Nov. 26, 1943)
• Before the Next Mission
• Mission No. 14 -- Bordeaux, France (Dec. 5, 1943)
• Weekend Pass After Bordeaux Mission
• Mission No. 15 -- Emden, Germany (Dec. 11, 1943)
• B-17 Tire Blowouts and Backing Up
• Night Flying Over England
• Two Near Court-martials
• Mission No. 16 -- Kiel, Germany (Dec. 13, 1943)
• Two Aborted Missions
• Mission No. 17 -- Bremen, Germany (Dec. 16, 1943)
• Mission No. 18 -- Bremen, Germany (Dec. 20, 1943)
• Mission No. 19 -- Munster, Germany (Dec. 22, 1943)
• Mission No. 20 -- Pas de Calais, France (Dec. 24, 1943)
• Christmas Celebration
• Aborted Missions to Berlin
• Lady Moe
• Mission No. 21 -- Ludwigshafen, Germany (Dec. 30, 1943)
• Mission No. 22 -- Paris, France (Dec. 31, 1943)
• As Lead Crew
• Mission No. 23 -- Bordeaux, France (Jan. 5, 1944)
• Rest Leave
• Changes in the Crew
• Mission No. 24 -- Frankfurt, Germany (Jan. 29, 1944)
• Mission No. 25 -- Braunschweige (Brunswick), Germany (Jan. 30, 1944)
• Exhilaration

AFTERTHOUGHTS -- POSTLUDE TO COMBAT

• The Crew
• Interpersonal Relationships
• Safety Record

SUMMARY OF BERIONT CREW COMBAT MISSIONS

WORLD WAR II POETRY

• RESPONSIBILITY, by 1/Lt. David F. Berry
• CORRESPONDENCE, Anonymous
• LIGHTNINGS IN THE SKY, by a radio gunner before a mission over Italy