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WAR DIARY

757TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (HV)
Office of the Squadron Historian
A.P.O. # 520

1944
April 1 – April Fools day and some of the practical jokers had their fun.

April 2 – Today was a cheerful one for ?2 pilots who … received promotions. Eight (8) ships took off on its fifth mission to bomb the aircraft factor at Steyr, Austria in an effort to minimize the production of parts and equipment for enemy aircraft.

April 3 – Eight (8) aircraft took off on the sixteenth (16) mission to bomb railroad yards at Budapest, Hungary in an effort to sever the enemies supply lines.

April 4 – Six (6) aircraft participated in the seventeenth mission to destroy railroad facilities at Bucharest, Roumania. Four (4) aircraft completed the mission and returned safely. The other two returned early. Lt Kennedy crashed landed his ship at Bari when it became impossible to make the complete return leg to the base. Lt. Gordon brought his ship in a spectacular landing with but one wheel and no injuries sustained to the crew.

April 5 – Two of our Bombardiers ??? Robert W. Copper and Seymour ?????lson were transferred to the fifth Bomb Wing. Due to bad weather mission for this day was canceled.

April 6 – Continued bad weather prevented the planes from taking off on any mission.

April 7 – Sven aircraft took off to destroy railroad center at Bologna, Italy all returned safely.

April 8 – 9 No missions due to bad weather.

April 10 – Captain Frank B. Knopper Jr., was promoted to the rank of Major, a well earned and deserved promotion. ?i?ty two (?2) Air Medals were awarded to crew members after successfully completing the necessary number off missions, some were also awarded Oak Leave Clusters in addition to the Air Medal. Because of weather there was no mission.

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(757th Bomb Sq (HV) War Diary dtd 30 April 1944, cont’d)

1944

April 11 – 2nd Lts. ?????, ????, two of our pilots and Barry ?. Chalmers one of our bombardiers were transferred to the 75?th Bomb Sq (HV).

April 12 – Ten Aircraft took off on their nineteenth mission to bomb the aircraft factory at Bad Voslau, Austria. Two planes returned early because of engine trouble, the others successfully bombed the target.
April 13 – Nine aircraft participated in the twentieth mission to bomb the Airfield and aircraft parked on the ground at Budapest, Hungary. Six planes completed the mission with three planes returning early because of engine trouble.

April 14 – Today was a red letter day for Technical Sergeant ????? V. ??ley who was chosen as the one gunner from this group to return to the good ole U.S.A. for a period of training at the AAF Instructors school at Fort Meyers, Florida.

April 15 – Nine aircraft participated in their twenty first mission to destroy the railroad center at Bucharest, Roumania. All returned safely.

April 16 – Cpl. Schlilling is the first man of the ground crew to be placed on flying status. Eight of the aircraft took off on their twenty second mission to bomb railroad yards at Turna Severin, Roumania. All returned safely.

April 17 – Eight aircraft took off on their twenty third mission to bomb the railroad and manufacturing center at Sofia, Bulgaria.

April 18 – 19 – 20 – No missions because of bad weather. Another red letter because the mail orderly came back with 20 bags of packages and three bags of letters. Plenty of candy, gum and goodies for ??? Days now. Ten aircraft participated in their twenty fourth mission to destroy the railroad yards at Trieste – Opicina, Italy.

April 21 – 2nd Lts Milton Lang, George A. Anderson, ????? ?. ?ery?? And ???? ?. ?uzzerd and six enlisted men of the crew were assigned to the Squadron from the 306th(?) Bomb Wing. Nine aircraft took off on their twenty fifth mission to destroy railroad yards at Belgrade, Yugoslavia, with all aircraft returning safely.

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(757th Bomb Sq (HV) War Diary dtd 30 April 1944, cont’d)

1944

April 22 – No mission due to bad weather

April 23 – Eight aircraft took part in its twenty-sixth mission by bombing the airfield and planes ??? ???? at Bad Voslau, Austria. Two returned early due to engine trouble and six completed the mission successfully returning back to base.

April 24 – Nine aircraft participated in bombing the railroad yards at Bucharest, Roumania in an effort to destroy enemy supply lines. All planes returned safely.

April 25 – Eight aircraft took part in bombing the aircraft factory at Turin, Italy. One plane returned early, the others had a successful mission.

April 26-27 No mission due to bad weather. 2nd Lts. Lange, Anderson, ?e??ss and ??zzard with their crew of six Enlisted men were transferred to the 759th Bomb. Squadron.

April 28 Nine aircraft participated in bombing shipping and dock installations at Porto Sand Stefano, Italy to destroy the enemy’s shipping of supplies to its troops. This was the twenty-ninth mission.

April 29 – Seven aircraft took part in its 30th mission in bombing the munitions plant at Toulon, France. All planes returned safely. 1st Lt. Eugene ?. McManus, 2nd Lt. Glenn Strong and two Enlisted men were assigned to the Squadron from Morrison Field, Florida.

April 30 – Seven aircraft took part in the thirty-first mission to bomb railroad yards in the Milan-Lambrate area. All planes returned safely.

Source: Kosloski, Michael J., 1st Lt. Air Corps, Squadron Historian. “War Diary of 757th Bomb Squadron (H).” Historical Records, 30 April 1944. Reel B0607, Microfilm 1246-1248.

See also:
Kosloski, Michael J., 1st Lt. Air Corps, Squadron Historian. “Unit History of the 757th Bombardment Squadron (HV) for the period, 1 April to 30 April 1944.” Historical Records, 459th Bombardment Group (HV), 30 April 1944. Reel B0607, Microfilm 1243-1245.