418TH SQDN.. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 4 JUL 1944  AS CREW 76. 

CREW FLEW 5 DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT ON 10 COMBAT MISSIONS, JULY/44 ASSIGNED "OUR BABE' ON 3/AUG/44.,PILOT ADDED "HUTCHIE" AFTER "OUR BABE" IN HONOR OF HIS WIFE. “OUR BABE HUTCHIE" WAS DESTROYED IN COMBAT,11 SEPT.44.ON ITS 61ST MISSION. CREW WAS ASSIGNED A NEW B-17G, FRESH FROM THE STATES WHICH THEY NAMED "MISS CONDUCT" #37636. IT WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED ON A MISSION 2 OCT 44.

AIRCRAFT CREWS WERE REDUCED FROM 10-9 MEN ON SEPTEMBER 3, 1944.  THE REASON, SOMEONE THOUGHT THE GERMAN FIGHTER CRAFT WERE NO LONGER AT FULL STRENGTH.  WITH ONE LESS WAIST GUNNER ON BOARD, THE B-17'S PAID A HIGH PENALTY DURING SUBSEQUENT FIGHTER ATTACKS.

BY SEPTEMBER 3RD,  SGT JOE WALTERS HAD RECOVERED FROM HIS COMBAT WOUNDS SUSTAINED ON THE CREWS SECOND MISSION TO SCHWEINFURT.

THE PILOT ELECTED TO HAVE JOE REJOIN THE CREW AND RELEASED ALEX SOOD TO BE ASSIGNED TO LT HARRY HEMPY CREW.  AFTER THE PILOT COMPLETED HIS 33 MISSIONS ON OCTOBER 30TH, THE REMAINDER OF THE CREW FACED A SEVERE MENTAL STRAIN.  THE WEATHER HAD TURNED BAD. LOTS OF FRONTAL ACTIVITY.  THEY WERE BRIEFED 4 TIMES FOR MISSIONS, WENT OUT TO THE AIRCRAFT ONLY TO HAVE THE MISSION SCRUBBED BEFORE TAKE-OFF.  FINALLY, ON NOVEMBER 16TH, THEY COMPLETED THEIR LAST MISSION.  (FROM SGT JOHNIE FORTNER LOG courtesy of Annette Fortner Harris) 

Crew 76 Mission Log
The information contained therein originated from the Crew 76 binder distributed to all crew members and families in 1992, as taken from the pilots diary.  (Fred Schaffhausen, 9/2/2001)

1. JULY18, 1944 HEMMINGSTADT, GERMANY: OIL REFINERY AND STORAGE DEPOT, SEVEN HOURS. FIGHTER SUPPORT P-38's, P-47's AND P-51's TAKE OFF:4:50, ENEMY COAST 8:00, TARGET 8:16, ENGLISH COAST 10:50, LANDED 11:30

2. JULY 19, 1944 SCHWEINFURT, GERMANY: BALL BEARING WORKS, 7 HOURS. TAKE OFF 5:40, ENEMY COAST 8:16, TARGET 9:43, ENEMY COAST 11:31 ENGLISH COAST 12:05, BASE 12:30. FLAK HEAVY, FIGHTER SUPPORT P-38, 47, 51. BOMB LOAD 5-1000LB, GAS MAXIMUM LOAD, LEFT WAIST GUNNER WOUNDED. 27 FLAK HOLES IN A/C

3. JULY 20, 1944 MERSEBURG, GERMANY: OIL REFINERY & STORAGE TANKS. BOMB LOAD 20-250LB, TAKE OFF: 6:35, LEAVE ENGLISH COAST: 8:59, TARGET-11:21, ENGLISH COAST-13:48, BASE-14:30. ALTITUDE 25, 000FT. FLAK MEDIUM AND ACCURATE. LOST LEAD SHIP IN BELGIUM. WENT AROUND OUTSKIRTS OF RUHR VALLEY, FLAK HEAVY

4. JULY 21, 1944 REGENSBURG, GERMANY ME 109 ASSEMBLY PLANT. TAKE OFF-6:00, ENGLISH COAST-8:12, TARGET-11:07, LEAVE ENEMY COAST-13:35 ENGLISH COAST-14:10, BASE 14:30. FLAK HEAVY, FIGHTER SUPPORT-P-38, 47, 51. BOMB LOAD 5, 000 LBS M. 17s 100 INC CLUSTERS. GAS: MAXIMUM LOAD

5. JULY 24, 1944 ST LO, FRANCE BATTLE LINES IN FRANCE. TAKE OFF-9:40, ENGLISH COAST-11:47, FRENCH COAST-12:13, TARGET-12:20, ENGLISH COAST-13:23, BASE-14:10. FLAK MEDIUM, BOMB LOAD 38 100LB GP. GAS 2200. FIGHTER SUPPORT: 8TH & 9TH AIR FORCE.

6. JULY 25, 1944 ST LO, FRANCE BATTLE LINES IN FRANCE. TAKE OFF-7:10, TARGET-10:21, BASE-12:55 1500BOMBERS, 8TH&9TH AF SUPPORT FLAK MEDIUM, BOMB LOAD 38-100LB GP. GAS 2200 GAL.

7. JULY 29, 1944 MERSEBURG, GERMANY OIL REFINERY. TAKE OFF-5:05, ENGLISH COAST-12:10, BASE: 13:05. FLAK HEAVY, 1000 BOMBERS, GAS MAXIMUM, BOMB LOAD 20-250LB GP. GROUP LOST 8 PLANES.

8. JULY 31, 1944 MUNICH, GERMANY AIRCRAFT ENGINES. TAKE OFF-9:05, ENGLISH COAST-11:05, FRENCH COAST 11:05, TARGET-13:23, FRENCH COAST-16:05, BASE-17:00. BOMB LOAD: 11-500 GP BOMBS. GAS-MAXIMUM, FLAK HEAVY. FLEW A/C LADY GERALDINE.

9. AUGUST 3, 1944 TROY, FRANCE RAIL ROAD MARSHALLING YARDS. TAKE OFF-12:04, ENGLISH COAST-14:19, FRENCH COAST-14:54 TARGET-16:37, BELGIUM COAST-18:24, BASE-19:20. BOMB LOAD: 20 250LB GP. FLAK MEDIUM

10. AUGUST 4, 1944 HAMBURG, GERMANY OIL REFINERY. TAKE OFF-9:00, ENGLISH COAST-11:17, GERMAN COAST-12:23, TARGET-13:40, ENGLISH COAST 15:25, BASE-16:00. BOMB LOAD 20-250 GP DELAYED ACTION.

11. AUGUST 5, 1944 MAGDEBURG, GERM. MARSHALLING YARDS. GERMANS MOVE FREIGHT THROUGH AT A RATE OF 2400 CARS EVERY 12 HRS BOMB RESULTS EXCELLENT. TAKE OFF-8:00, ENGLISH COAST-9:56, GERMAN COAST-11:35, TARGET 12:55 GERMAN COAST-14:10, BASE-14:20. BOMB LOAD 10-500LB GP. FLAK HEAVY

12. AUGUST 6, 1944 BERLIN, GERMANY FW 190 PLANT, SOUTHEASTERN SECTION OF BERLIN. TAKE OFF-7:30, ENGLISH COAST-9:15, GERMAN COAST-11:11, TARGET-12:38, GERMAN COAST-13:45, BASE 15:50. BOMB LOAD: 10-500LB GP FLAK HEAVY, 5 B-17 WERE SHOT DOWN BY FLAK FROM GROUP JUST IN FRONT OF US. 760 FLAK GUNS

13. AUGUST 8, 1944 ST SYLVIAN, FRANCE SUPPORT BRITISH GROUND TROOPS. TAKE OFF 8:40, ENGLISH COAST-11:30, FRENCH COAST-11:58 TARGET-12:38, ENGLISH COAST-13:11, BASE-14:09. BOMB LOAD 12-500LB & 2-1000LB GP. FLAK VERY HEAVY AND ACCURATE.

14. AUGUST 14, 1944 LUDWIGSHAVEN, GER SYNTHETIC OIL. LAST HIGH PRIORITY OIL TARGET IN GERMANY. TAKE OFF-7:56, ENGLISH COAST-9:57 BELGIUM COAST-10:21, TARGET-12:40, BELGIUM COAST-14:20, BASE-15:30. FLAK MEDIUM. BOMB LOAD-10-500 GP

15. AUGUST 18, 1944 PACY sur ARMANCON OIL DUMPS NORTHEAST OF AUXUENE FRANCE. TAKE OFF-10:20, ENGLISH COAST-12:13, CHERBOURG 12:48 TARGET 14:40, GERMAN COAST-17:40, BASE-18:20. FLAK MEDIUM

16. AUGUST 24, 1944 RUHLAND, GERMANY SYNTHETIC OIL REFINERY, TAKE OFF-8:00, ENGLISH COAST-9:30, GERMAN COAST-11:11, TARGET-12:50 DUTCH COAST-14:52, BASE-16:00. FLAK HEAVY

17. AUGUST 25, 1944 POLITZ/STITTON, GER SYNTHETIC OIL REFINERY. TAKE OFF-8:15, ENGLISH COAST-9:00, DUTCH COAST-11:45, TARGET-12:15 GERMAN COAST-12:45, BASE-14:00. BOMB LOAD10-500LB GP. FLAK HEAVY

18. AUGUST 30, 1944 BREMEN, GERMANY FW 190 PLANT. TAKE OFF-12:33, ENGLISH COAST-13:15, GERMAN COAST-15:27, TARGET 15:59, GERMAN COAST-16:37, BASE-19:15. BOMB LOAD 38-100LB M-47. FLAK HEAVY

19. SEPT. 3, 1944 BREST, FRANCE GROUND DEFENSES. TAKE OFF-6:05, ENGLISH COAST-8:10, CHERBOURG-9:10, TARGET-10:43 ENGLISH COAST-12:13, BASE-13:15. BOMB LOAD 12-500LB, 3 AP. NO FLAK

20. SEPT. 18, 1944 WARSAW, POLAND SUPPLY DROP OF FOOD, AMMUNITION, MEDICAL SUPPLIES. ENEMY COAST 9:22, RUSSIA-16:20 FLAK HEAVY. START OF SECOND RUSSIAN SHUTTLE MISSION

21. SEPT. 19, 1944 SZOLNOK, HUNGARY TAKE OFF FROM RUSSIA-10:50, TARGET 14:49, FOGGIA, ITALY-16:54. BOMB LOAD: 10-500LB RUSSIAN GP FLAK MEDIUM.

22. SEPT. 25, 1944 LUDWIGSHAVEN, GER. MARSHALLING YARDS. TAKE OFF-7:15, ENGLISH COAST-9:12, GERMAN COAST-10:00, TARGET-10:53 BASE-14:09. FLAK MEDIUM

23. SEPT. 26, 1944 BREMEN, GERMANY FOCKE WOLFE 190 ASSEMBLY PLANT. TAKE OFF-12:10, ENGLISH COAST-14:03, GERMAN COAST-15:04 TARGET-15:30, GERMAN COAST-15:54, BASE-18:44. BOMB LOAD: 6-1000LB GP, FLAK HEAVY

24. OCT. 2, 1944 KASSEL, GERMANY TAKE OFF-7:55, ENGLISH COAST-9:22, BELGIUM COAST-9:46, TARGET 11:40, BELGIUM COAST-13:58 BASE-15:00. BOMB LOAD 12-500LB M-17s. FLAK INTENSE

25. OCT. 5, 1944 HANDORF, GERMANY AIR FIELD. TAKE OFF-8:05, ENGLISH COAST-10:17, GERMAN COAST-11:04, RECALL, BASE-13:05 BOMB LOAD 6-1000LB GP, FLAK MEDIUM

26. OCT. 6, 1944 BIG B. BERLIN, GERMANY SPANDAU AIRCRAFT PARTS. TAKE OFF-7:31, ENGLISH COAST-9:03, GERMAN COAST-10:55, TARGET-12:00 GERMAN COAST-13:00, BASE-14:45. FLAK HEAVY AND ACCURATE BOMB LOAD 6-1000LB GP

27. OCT. 7, 1944 BOHLEN, GERMANY TAKEOFF-7:25, ENGLISH COAST-9:40, DUTCH COAST-10:27, TARGET-12:23, DUTCH COAST-14:00, BASE-15:20 FLAK VERY HEAVY AND ACCURATE

28. OCT. 9, 1944 MAINZ, GERMANY MARSHALLING YARDS. TAKEOFF-11:25, ENGLISH COAST-13:05, ENEMY LINES-14:05, TARGET-15:12 ENEMY LINES-15:42, BASE-17:50. FLAK VERY LITTLE

29. OCT. 12, 1944 BREMEN, GERMANY FW 190 ENGINE PLANT. BOMB LOAD 5-1000 GP. TAKE OFF-8:00, ENGLISH COAST-9:57, ENEMY COAST-10:40 TARGET-11:45, ENEMY COAST-12:05, BASE-14:45. FLAK VERY HEAVY.

30. OCT. 22, 1944 MUNSTER, GERMANY MARSHALLING YARDS. BOMB LOAD: 14-250LB GP & 4 M-17. TAKE OFF-10:00, DUTCH COAST-13:36, TARGET-15:25 DUTCH COAST-14:36, BASE-17:00. FLAK VERY HEAVY

31. OCT. 26, 1944 HANOVER, GERMANY TANK WORKS, BOMB LOAD: 30-260LB GP. TAKE OFF-10:24, ENEMY COAST-13:16, TARGET-14:30 ENEMY COAST-15:32, BASE-17:10. FLAK HEAVY

32. OCT. 30, 1944 MERSEBURG, GER. OIL DEPOT. BOMB LOAD 20-250 GP

33. NOVEMBER 16, 1944 AACHEN, GER. FRONT LINES EAST OF AACHEN, GERMANY. BOMB LOAD 30-260 FRAGS