THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E0 12958 s - r - ; ; - - - / p _ ` r 1 f 1 _ I! \ l 3 l t h B b Gp d i e d e e N o t l i n e i or on th of eptember 1943 Prepar ed by 2 d Lt B onroe Jr _ ad n g e p t e mb e r dr y h e at b e g a t ur n i n i n t o we t c ol d t h e Fi f t ar y t e c l os e s uppor t of e ver y p l an e a v a i l a b l e f or t o d ays i n i t s bi t t er s t r u g gl e t o e c ur e t h e S a l e r n o br i d g eh e ad and t h e gr ou p d r opped a gr e a t er e i h t of bombs t h an i n any p r ev i ou e mon t h of i t s h i s t o y ou t l o s i n g a s i n l e ma mi s s i n g i n a c t i on or k i l l ed g owe v er t h e t a g e t s di s c ou r ag e d mo s t o f t h e c omba t men c 19 o th e 25 miss i on s th e ta et were tactfca l p inpoint missions; roads r a i l r oad s j un c t i on s ov er p a s s e s and br i d g e s S e v e r a l mi s s i on a of t en ere required to nock ou t one bridge Th e oth er miss i ons one against a barrac s area and ive over a i rdrome did offer juicy t ar e t Th e f i r s t t o a t t ac k s e r e c ar r i e d ou t by f or mat i on s of 3 6 wi t h 300 lb bombs aga i nst G azzan ise Ita l y l an ding grounds On Sep t gapri bridge w s bombed and th en hit aga i n on 3ept 8 th e day o the n n ou e en t of I t a l y s s u r r end e r Ne x t d ay t he F f t h ar my ma d e i t s l an ding and e bombed t e Sc nzano landing ground w ith 500 pou ers I n e f o l l ow ng f our d ay s on l y t wo mi s s i on s wer e f l o road j ctions bo t h aga i n at T en on t h e mor n i n g of t h e 14 t h a j or Ho l z app l e p e f a c e d t h e br i e f i g by r e d i n g a T e l f t h i r F c e n o t i c s t o t h e e f f e c t at t h e d e ep Al l i ed t r o op on t h e S al er n o br i d g e e ad - - a n ar r ow t h r e e- mi l e/ s t r i p - - ere in a bitter battle to k eep from being puahed in to the sea H e n oun c e d t h e h o l e a r f or c e wou l d b e u s e d i n c l os e su ppor t of t h e i n f an t r y an d t h at e x t r a e f f or t a s e xp e c t ed r om a l l Hi s au di enc ras unu s u al l y i l en t t s on l y ou t w r d r e ac t i on i nd i c a t i n g a anx i ou s e s s _ L to et goin g ; ; i 1 J THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E0 12958
THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E0 12958 ; - " M - _ ; - g h e e t 0 : O u t l i e H t ; omb Gp e d ed 1 - _ on o f Be t e b e r 1943 r e par ed by 2 d Lt m B Mon o e J r ; _ In th at da and th e n ext th ee missions a day tota lli ng 54 ships da il y w ere carried out Three times the Battipag li a- Eb o li roa d t ook a baptism f 100 lb bombs Oth er objectives were th e barracks area sou thwest of boli th e Eboli - Serra road n d th e u letta- P oll a road By t e e v en i n g of t h e 15 t h t h e Al l i e s h ad l and ed en ou gh n e w s t u f f s o that the i ssue w as n o longer dou btfu l A br i e f r e s ump t i on o f c oun t e r - s i r f or c e op e r at i on s h ad u s h i t t i p a t i c a di ar e a i r d r ome ou t s i de of Rome on t h e 1 7 t h and 18 t h kn o ck i g ou t p ar k e d a i r c r f t e ac h t i me c au s i n g e x pl o s i on e and l e a v i ng f i r e s burn ing T h e reat of th e missiona h ad as targets junctions and bridges esp ecia ll y the l atter Th e gr ou p s 10 0 t h r a s i on as f l own on Se pt 30 u a p i l y f a i l i n g t o s c or e h i t s on a br i dg e n or t h e a t of Capu a t e t o t a l s c or e f or t h e 10 l ook e d g o od ; 10 2 e n e y a i r c r af t h o t down wi h 44 pr ob a b l es n d n in e enemy vessels sunk p l us un estimated damage to enemy airfie ld s eh ipping a d ommunications Ne a t h e end of t h e on t h t h e e a t h e a l t e rn at el y or s en e d an d i mpr o v e d 1h en i t r a i n e d t h e mu d mi gh t h av e b e en on e mas s of ch o om um n bu t t h e s un br ou t c o ol an d br i t day s - - a b ou t as c l o s e as w ea th er can come to p l eas i ng everybody Th e occasiona l visitations of wi nd and r a i n r e su l t e d i n a g ood b i t of mov i n g ar ou nd a s s ome f ound tents collapaed and oth ers disca ered layers of mud nd puddl es in t h e i r t en t s i nd i c a t i v e of s i t e s at t h e b ot t om of na t u r l dr ai n a ge bo l s - 0-1 - 1 THIS PAGE DECLASSIFIED IAW E0 12958
_= =- - - - i - - _ - - - _ - Sh eet N o 1 ar ary ` p D edi eda ` Mon t h of S ep t e mb e r 194 3 pr epar ed by 2nd Lt n B Monr o e J r q ; Da EVE TS S ep t embe r 1 - Rou t i n e du t i e s 2 - Routine duti es 3 - Ei h t I t a l f an pr i s on er s e r e t u r ne d o ve r t o r oup by a r i t i s h u n i t On e a b ar b er and t wo c ar p en t er s t h ey app e indu stri ous ch eerfu l and happ to be with us Some are u ed a s p s d wa i t e r s i n t h e of f i c e r s me s s r e s u l t i n i n s o e s t r ang e g e s t i cu l a t i ons h en i t c om s t o s u c h or d e r s as Rp n c ak e s wi t h ou t t h e g oo " 4 - Rou t i n e du t i e$ 5 ission #77 36 B - 26 s dropped 300 lb bombs on Gr a z n i s e S at e l l i t e # 1 6 - i s s i on # 78 ; 3 6-2 6 s d r o pp ed 30 0 l b b ombs on t h e Grazz nise Lan din Ground? - ission #79 35 bombers hit Sapri bridge ith 500 pounders ; dust nd smoke ob cured th e target 8 - i s s i on 80 ; 34 ai r c r a f t a a i n h i t Sapr i br i dg e s c or i ng h i t s or n e ar mi s s e s on t h e n or t h nd pl u s a di r e c t h i t on t h e c en t e r of t h e r ai l r oad br i d e a l ong s i de Ita l y s surrender ra a n ounced The prisoners were h a p p i e r t h an y body e l s e f ew t h ou gh t t h e r r en d er mi h t t e r mi n a t e our o b f or awh i l e bu t os t b e l i e ve d that as lon g as er ns control Ita li an territory we d still be dropping on th e 9 - iasion 1 ; 32-26 s bombed Scanzano l n ding ground v i t h 50 0 p oun d e r s Th e r i f t h a r my l an de d a t a l erno Ita l y below Nap l es 10 - Rou t i n e du t i e s 11 - isaian #82 ; Iserni a roa d junction w as h it by 35 bombers w i h 500 lb bombs 12 - S / S Bt Howar d J ac k s on r e t u r n e d f r o t h e h os pi t a l a f t e r recovering from his ei th crash landing One engine of hi s s h i p p il oted by t H ill had failed on h is ay out on a r a i d and i l l br ou gh t i t i n ov er Bi z e r t e h a b or a t n a l t i t ud e of 20 f e e t d od pi n g m s t t ops n d b a l l oon c ab l e s an d f i r i ng d i s t r e s s f l ar e s r i t d l e f t He h e ad ed f or a n e ar by be a ch but f ou nd i t c o v er e d wi t h s wi mme r s and ha d t o s e t t d o n i n t h e s e a J ack s on wok e u p ha l f a n h ou r l a t e r i n a h os p i t a l Th e o t h e r s t ol d h i m t h e p l e h ad brok en into three p i eces he had been hurtled throu he t op l n di ng 50 y ar d s aw n t h e wa t e r nd h i s a e e s t ^ l
_ s - - gh e e t No Rar y 3 1 9 t h om Gp D e i e d a 1 on th of S ep t ember 1943 Prepared by 2nd Lt B onroe Jr Hq _ D u _ r V Y T S a ep t 12 - h a d s a v ed h i m a l t h ou gh un c on s c i ou s I t wa s t h e mos t s e r i ou s of Jack son s eigh t mi s haps six of wh ich had occurred during training in the States th e seventh overseas none leaving h im with injuries y worse th an assorte d cu ts a d b ruises 13 - iss i on #83 35 g - 26 s dropped 100 lb bo bs on roa d j unction s ou t h e as t of Tor r e inun z i a t a g t S Gr e g or y l e f t on a t h r e e - d ay p s f or a t o n n e ar ess i n a gicily to see his mother whom he hadn t seen in 21 y e ar s e h a r i d e i n a B - 26 14 - a j or ol z ap pl e pr e f a c ed br i e f i ng i n t h e mor n i n g b y r e adi n g a Twe l t h Ai r For c e n o t i c e t o t h e e f f e c t t h a t t h e A11 i e d t r oops on t h e Sa l e r n o br i d g eh e d we r e i n a d e s p er at e t ou c h - a d - go battle to hold onto th eir strip of beach Crew membera present l i s t e e d i n g r i m s i l en c e as h e a n oun c e d v e wou l d b e e mpl oy ed a ga i n s t Ge r man r o ad s i n c l os e s u p nor t of ou r i nf a t r y a nd t h a t ex t r a ef f or t c as n e ed e d f r om e v e r y body ission 4 ; 18 B - 26 s dropped 100 lb bo bs on th e east s e c t i of t h e h i gh way b e t we en Ba t t i pa g l i a and Ebo l i ission 85 ; 18 B - 26 s hit the w est section of th e Battip glia- Eboli roa d iss i on #86 ; l8 b ombers dropped 100 lb bombs on th e b arracks rea southwest of Ebo13 15 - ission #8 7 : 18 pl es bombed the Ba tti pag li a- E boli road iss i on 88 ; 24 pl nes hit the west portion of th e Eboli - S e r r e r o d i s i on # 89 ; 1 s h i ps h d f or a t ar g e t t h e Au l e t t a- P o l l a road but darkness prevented identification of the target and som e bombs w ere dropped n a ne rby roa d j unction In t h e pas t t wo d ay s br i e f i n s e r e hu r r i ed gr ound c r ews orked h rd and som e airp l anes nd some men w ent on two mi s s i on s a d ay s t n d s mok e r om pr e vi ou s b omb i n ga of t en m d e obs er v at i on d i f f i cu l t an y hu g a f or ma t i on s of o t h e r t yp e aircraft were se n i n the same target region going about th e s ame s o r t of ror k Of t en c r ews r e t u r n e d ex c i t e d ov e r t h e i r o bs er v a t i on s o f t h e ba t t l e b e l ow i n c l u d i n t h e s i h t of ou r ships offshore fi ri ng a t Germ positions On the last miss i on m y p il ots made th e i r fi rs t n i h t l ndings in B - 268 After on e mission again t a roa d G era l eb ter observed th at a p h ot og r aph s h ovre d t h at a s t r i ng o f bombs ap e ar e d t o f ol l ow a r o ad ar ou nd a cu r v e Bu t a or G i l b er t mo de s t l y a d mi t t e d t ha t t h e f o ma t i on h adn t ac t u a l l y ban e d ar ou nd t h e c u r v e h e b mbar d i e r s h e e x p l a i n ed h ad s i p l y u s e d a l i t t l e En g l i sh 16 - Th e h r d e n e d g o u p mo v i e f ans wer e n o t su r pr i s e d t on i h t wh e n t h e l as t r e e l of n e t s Ge t Tou h wa s s h own f i r s t Hap py i n kn owi n g i t a l l t u r n e d ou t f i n e n t h e n d t h e y t h en s a t t h r ou t h e f i r s t r e e l h i s as f o l l o e d by an nn ou nc emen t t h at t h e mi dd l e r e e l was mi s s i n g 1
- - _ f _ gh e e t I o 3 a a y 3 19 `B mb G D e d i ed a # 1 " onth of Se tember 1943 prepare d by 2nd Lt m B _ onroe Jr Hq Day EVE vts Sep t 17 - iss3on #90 : 24 shios sti11 u ing 100 lb oombs hit Pratica d i a r e a r d r orn e ou t s i d e of ome ; t h e c oor d i n a t ed a t t a ck wi t h o t h e r gr ou p s l e f t n an y a i r c r a f t o f t h e 10 0 or mor e on t h e fi e ld burn i ng S/ S g t Gr e g o r y r e t u r n e d h a p t o h a v e f ou n d h i s o t h e r Sh e h a d b e en s t r d e d i n S i c i l y i n 1 9 2 2 h en t h e f a m i l y v i s i t ed t h e l c e r e r e h i s f a t e r a n d mo t e r we e b o r n A qu i r k i n i mmi g r a t i o n 1 a s vrou l d n o t p e r i t h e r r e t u r n Sh e r e c o n i z e d h e r s on n o w 3 1 rh om s h e h a d n t s e e r _ s i n c e n e s 1G S g t Gr e g o r y h o p e s t o a r r an e h e r r e t u r n t o t h e S t a t e s a f t e r t h e wa r H e r e p or t e d t h t : i s p r o a g an d i s t s h d t o l d t h e e o p l e in h is m oth er s is olated l ittl e to n th t th e Un it ed S ta tes h d b e e n b orn b e d t h a t a l l p e r s on s o f I t a l i a d e s c en t h d b e n i n t e r n e d d t h a t omen f l e e r i c :n b omb e r s t h e n o t i c e d t h a t m y h a d f ou n d an d s a v e d l l i e d p r o p g n d a l e f l e t drop ed fr om th e air 18 - r i s s i on 9 1 ; 2 5 p l n e s h i t p r a t i c o d i 1 a r e a g a i n s c or i n g ore direct hit on a i rcraft causing explosions in the target a r e a d l e a vi n g f i r e bu r n i B 11 i l l i a ṛn s on h i s 13 t h mi s s i on h a d on e en g i n e kn o cl: d ou t by f l a an d f l r 1 1 e a h o e on t h e s i n g l e b o od on e 19-20 - Da y s c on t nu e d b t s we t y a nd du s t y cn d n i h t s c oo l 1 - a j or Hol z a p l e s DFC c a : e t h r ou s h f or h i s J 2 2 s e a s we e p du r i n wh ch t O f r ei ; h t e r s v er e s u n n d f i v e en e my f i gh t e r s s h o t d o n a j or Ci l b er t a l s o r e c e i v ed n o t i c e h i s ra s o f f i c i a l a l s o a s a r e s u l t of t h e J a 2 9 s we p vh i c l e f t t o f r e i gh t er s an d d e s t r o e r s u r 22 - i s s i on # 92 ; 24-2 s ri t i 50 0 l b b ombs h i t t h e r o e d and r a i l r o d br i d e s s ou t h of or os i 23 - I iss i on 93 ; 18 sh ips drop ed 500 ounders on road and r a i l r oe d b r i d g e s t h r e e i l e s n or t h e a s t o f Ca pu a Th e b o bs caused ex o l osioas but none h t the br id ge e d Cr o s s r _ ow ( S t u b y Ka y u i i e Cu mmi n g s P e g g l ex n d e r d Ol g a Kl e m ) p r o v e d t o b e s u r p r i s i l r g o a d e n t er t a i n me n t Th e s a t i f i e d c u s t o r e r s d e c l a r e d a l o s t t o a man t t t h e t r o u p e h s d ou t d o n e Bo b H op e 24 - i s s i on # 9 4 ; 1 8 s h i p s wo t h 50 0 l b bomb s mi s s e d t n e ;v e l l i n o r o d j u n c t i on i s s i on 9 5 ; 18 p l ṇ e s wi t h 500 l b b or bs mi s e d t h e Pon t e r oa d br i d g e A nu r b e r of r omo t i on s c a ne t h r ou h i n c l u d i? g t h a t of a j or Hol z a pp l e t o Li e u t en a n t Col on e l i l l i s a s i n t er v i e red o v e r t h Un i t ed I a t i on s r a d i o l g i er s on h i s on e - en i r e f l i t of h e 18 t h 25 - I i s s i on 9 0 ; 18 s h i s m d e d i r e c t h i t s on t h e P on t e b r i d g e rr 11
_ - - - w ^ r gh e e t No 4 a i ar y 3 19 t h - Dj ed i e d a # 1 - - Mon t h of S ep t embe r 19 a 3 pr ep a r ed by 2n d L t Mon r o e r Hq Da Y E 1TS ep t 25 - rv i t h 5G0 p oun d e r s i s s i on 97 ; 18 sh i ns b l nk e t ed t h e IIad d a l on i r oa d j u n c t i on i t h 50 0 l b b om s 26 - L t wa l d r e l a t ed t h e exp e r i e n c e s o f t h e c r e t h a t c r s h - l d e d a t S a l er n o a f t er t h e r a i d of t : e 2 n d Ac c u r a t e f l ak knock ed out n engine and as lines Lt asper picked out a strip i n riendl territory and set it down only to r n out o f r un way t i l l g oi n 1D0 mi l e s h ou r A f i v e - f o o t d i t c h sheared off th e l an di ng gear an d the sh i p jol ed and jerked to a s t op I t i mmed i a t e l y c a u h t f i r e bu t a l l ot ou t r i t h n ot h i n g mor e t h s l i gh t bu r n s Th ey h a d c a e en e d t hr ou t wo g a s ol i n e du mp s n d s t op e d 50 f e e t sh or t o f a t e n t f u l l o f d yn a i t e 27-26 - Rou t i n e du t i e a 29 - Mission 98 ; 18 sh ips dropped 500 lb bomb s missing th e Cancello ra il roa d b rid ge M issi on 99 ; 18 sh i ps score d po sible hits or n ear misse on t h e n or t h e n d of t h e C n c e l l o br i d g e Ra n a br u p t l y n g ed t h e we a t h e r f r om h ot a ṇ d dus t y t o c o l d a r _ d mu d dy Al l a r e c on vi n c e d t h a t i f i t a i n t on e t h i n g i t s a o t h er 30 Miasion 100 ; 18 sh ips ith 500 lb bombs missed th e ra il road bridge northeast of C apua I n i t s 10 0 mi s s i on s t h e gr ou p h a d s h o t d own 10 2 en e y f i g h t e r s i t h 44 pr o b a b l e s nd s un k n i n e en e my ve s s e l s Mission #101 ; 15 ships ith 500 lb bombs missed e railroad br i d g e a b ov e Cap u a A t h i r d mi s s i on was c a l l ed b a c k a f t e r t i ng of f b e c au s e of we a t h er I