Garden report

I was embarrassed to show Mom my yard last weekend because everything was so withered and dry. We'd had three or four days of record-breaking heat and no time to water properly, but there've been a couple of good soaking rains since then and everything is lush and green again.

My daylilies and rose-of-Sharon are blooming already, along with kazillions of golden-yellow coreopsis. The pinks and clematis are just dropping their last petals and the sweet Williams are fading, but the lantanas and four o'clocks are just kicking in and the Shasta daisies are loaded with buds. Got hydrangeas going out front; the new pink ones are just about finished, but the Nikko blue just started.

This year I'm really enjoying ice plant, which I never tried before, and my spider flower, which has at least ten new flower heads on it; there were only three when I got it for Mother's Day.

Arrrrg--I hate going to the doctor

Finally went yesterday to see about the pain in my hipbone, pelvic bone, whatever you want to call it, and it was a complete waste of time. It always is.

Called my regular doctor first and found out he'd retired, so I had to find a new general practitioner, right? So I made an appointment with another doctor in the same building, who waited until I was on his examining table to say, "I'm not the one to tell you what's wrong with your hip." Didn't take an x-ray, poke around on it, or nothin'. Instead, he referred me to an orthopedist. I was like, "Well, crap, what did I come here for then?"

Besides, he got a little frosty when I mentioned my pharmaceutical phobia. I don't think I want this guy to be my new general practitioner.

So now I'm right back where I was. Less my $20 co-pay.

I have had it with those two

Jeez Louise! How much is a reasonable person supposed to take?

Went over to pick up the baby this morning and saw Bob's van, which should've been at work. Then I couldn't get anyone to answer the door. People in the apartments next door and across the way opened their doors, and I asked them, "How is it that you-all can hear me knocking and they can't?" Shrugs all around.

Bob finally opened the door and I asked what the hell was going on. He said he'd burned his eyes welding and I said, "Dammit, Bob! You know how not to do that!"

Ran upstairs and found Sarah in bed. Yelled at her that it was 9:00 and she was gonna be late. She stirred, so I went back downstairs and asked Bob what his plan was. He didn't know. Got tired of looking at him sitting there, so I told Kayla to go wake her momma up and I told Bob, "Well, I'll be at the house when you decide what you want to do."

And so I split.

Now it's almost noon and I haven't heard from either one, so I'm just going to enjoy my day off. Ain't no tellin' when I'll get another one.

Cheeky chick

Plumbing new depths

To recap the weekend, Bob and Sarah got into it Friday night, Sarah shoved Bob against the wall in front of the kids, Bob called 911 and Sarah called us. We rushed over, the cops didn't arrest anybody, and Sarah sent Bob and the girls home with us because she needed to think.

Bob went by the apartment after work on Saturday and said Sarah must've left right after we did, because nothing had been touched and she didn't spend the night there. He talked to her Saturday before the wedding, but they got into it again and she hung up on him. He said she never asked about the kids.

Bob and the girls went home with us Saturday night after the wedding and we all went straight to bed. Never heard from Sarah until about 3:00pm yesterday. She came over and they went home with the kids around 5:00.

While Sarah was here, she mentioned that she felt bad because her dad's birthday was Saturday and she hadn't even called him.

Mmm, okay...so if she wasn't with her parents, where did she spend Friday night? And what is it with Friday nights anyway? Because it was a week ago Friday night (Friday the 13th, in fact) that she went out for groceries and came home at 5:00 in the morning without any groceries. She told Bob it had been raining so hard that she couldn't see, so she'd pulled over and fell asleep in her car. What a load of crap.

Anyway, Bob called about two hours after they left our house last night and said they'd been talking and decided there was something he and Sarah needed to do. I listened eagerly, thinking they were finally ready for marriage couseling, but no.

No, what they decided they needed to do was to get me and Mikey and her parents together for a ceremony in which Bob and Sarah would renew their vows.

Because Sarah didn't get to have a big beautiful wedding like Sherri just had, because they eloped.

(Okay, he didn't say that last part, but I know damn well that's what the deal is.)

I was dumbfounded, so I gave Bob a minute or so of stunned silence before letting him know that any such ceremony was not a priority at this time and instead they both needed to get into some serious counseling, pronto. I asked where his wife spent Friday night, and he said he didn't know. I asked if he didn't have a right to know, and he got off the phone pretty quick.

I don't know that I have a right to know where Sarah's spending her nights away from home, but I just took care of her kids for two days right in the middle of helping my niece with her wedding, and she never called once to see how they were doing. Just dumped them on me and ran.

Congrats to

Phil, who earned a 4.0 and made the President's Honor Roll. Way to go, Bro!

And to Bridgie, who is now a loan officer! She passed her test on Tuesday and has the potential to make more money, but without the security of a salary. Just straight commission, so if anybody needs any home loans or refinancing, you know who to call.

Just spent a very nice evening

with people I love, and I'm feeling relaxed and peaceful, for the moment. Downright giddy, in fact. Mikey's eying me warily because I've been dancing little happy jigs at odd moments ever since we got home.

Got to meet Kyra finally, and she is a doll. Big blue eyes and curly white-blonde hair--she's Lesley all over again.

I asked Jearold and Linda if Brittany didn't look just like my dad, and they agreed that she certainly does.

So anyway, we rehearsed and had a great dinner and the chapel is very nice and it will be a beautiful wedding and we'll be gathered together shortly to get our oldest old maid married off and Sherri's gonna hit me when she reads that. Hee-hee-heee...

And now I must dance.

Lord help me

to be gracious and kind, always. Just not in a doormat kind of way, okay?

Yesterday was Sarah's half-day so she asked me to take Kayla for two hours. I knew the "two hours" part was bullshit, but I didn't know it would be seven and a half.

Then Kayla was sick so I tried to call Sarah at work but she wasn't there. Called Bob's cell phone (she spilled Coke on hers so it's out-of-order) on the off-chance she might have it with her, but no. She smelled like suntan lotion when she finally did show up. Took me all evening to quit twitching with rage.

If you say you're gonna do something, do it. If you're not gonna do it, just keep your mouth shut. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Anyway, I woke Sarah up this morning when I went to get the baby at 9:00. This is a daily thing, because she stays up all night and can't wake up in the morning and gets repeatedly reprimanded because she doesn't make it to work on time, which is even more embarrassing than it oughta be because she doesn't have to be there until 10:00.

So who do you think rang my doorbell at 10:00?

Uh-huh. Wanting to know if I could keep Kayla today, because she didn't have time to take her to day care, which is in a whole 'nother town that neither she nor Bob goes to except to drop off and pick up Kayla from day care. I've asked her repeatedly to enroll Kayla in a facility closer to home, but Sarah's mother pays half and that's where her mother wants her so that's where she is, and I say her mother can just damn well chauffeur Kayla to and fro then, but...oh, never mind.

So I had to explain to Sarah that no, I could not do it because Sherri's coming over to do some last-minute wedding stuff, plus we have to leave for the rehearsal and dinner at 4:00 and we'll have to take Brittany with us because nobody will be off work yet and if I kept Kayla I'd have to take her along, too, and keeping Kayla entertained doesn't just fit into my schedule today. Plus I'm tired of bending over backward.

You've seen that sign that says, "A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part"? Yep, that's how I feel about it.

She acted totally exasperated with me when she left, but you know what? I didn't create her problem. She did. And if she loses her job, it won't be because she was late today; it'll be because she's late nearly every day.

(**sigh**)

Sorry, y'all, but I just get so aggravated, you know?

Ever notice

how people who use the word "classy" usually aren't?

Head Cheese

Grandma used to make head cheese, so whenever we'd get a hog butchered Mom would save the head in a clear plastic bag in the big freezer until we could take it to her.

It was a bit startling to open our freezer door sometimes, if one hadn't been properly briefed beforehand.

I don't remember eating any head cheese, though. Do you?

(Link via Biomes Blog)

Bridal finery

Picked up Sherri's gown from the seamstress yesterday, and it looks just gorgeous on her. She's going to be a beautiful bride.

Found my matron-of-honor dress--it's lilac and lovely and not terribly matronly, so I'm pretty happy with it. Plus I only had to pay 1/3 of its original price, so Mikey's pretty happy with it, too.

Got shoes, jewels and undergarments, so we're almost all set. Still have to decide what to do with our hair, though--I vote beauty shop.

Happy birthday, Phil!

You're still my favorite brother.

Eight months old today

I asked Brittany today if she was the cutest thing in two counties and, right on cue, she said, "Uh-huh."

Bluejay tragedy

One day two years ago there were two fledgling bluejay chicks running around my backyard with their parents hovering nearby; I took a few pictures and left them to their flying lessons:



The next day there were no longer any bluejay chicks running around my yard; just a pile of little blue feathers, courtesy of the local stray cats.

(By the way, if you like to adopt stray cats: for Pete's sake, take them in! Don't just feed 'em and let 'em wander the 'hood like my neighbors do--it's damned inconsiderate. Either keep them inside or don't feed them at all.)

Anyway, there were three or four little bluejay chicks running around the backyard yesterday with their parents hovering nearby. Thinking of that pile of little blue feathers and the cats we regularly chase out of our yard, we debated on whether or not to do anything.

This one looked like it hurt its neck falling out of the tree:



It just sat there instead of darting around the yard like its siblings were doing, so Mikey put it back in the nest (and got dive-bombed by angry parents in the process), but the poor thing was soon back on the ground again. It was dead this morning.

There's still one chick running around back there; I sure hope it learns how to fly before the cats find it.

What a screwed-up day

I'm tellin' ya, I was not in the mood to be holidayed today.

Finally shook off my inertia this afternoon and went out and found a nice planterful of purple petunias and helichrysum for Sarah's front porch. It was too late to get anything for Mom, so I just called her.

Mikey did pretty good--he bought me a nice dinner and gave me one of these; it's about 3 feet tall and looks almost like a pot plant. Seriously, check out the leaves.

Waited all day to hear from Bridgie. Finally called her about 9:30 and she said, "Oh, I was just about to call you." Uh-huh.

Sarah called earlier and said they would be over after they went to her mom's. She finally came alone around 10:00 bringing cards and a vase of flowers, so I didn't get to lay eyes on any of my offspring today.

Love my flowers and all but, really, I wish this had been just any other Sunday: no guilt, no expectations, no stress. I'm so glad it's over.

Mother's Day

I've let Grandma's birthday, Daddy's birthday, and Mom and Daddy's wedding anniversary pass without comment here on my family blog. Now it's Mother's Day and I've managed to do exactly nothing for Mom or for Sarah.

(**sigh**)

Add a layer of guilt to my current bout of depression.

No cellin'

The Defective Yeti says:

Just for the record, I, Matthew Baldwin, as of 7:30 AM, May 04, 2005, still do not own a cell phone.

I want to document this fact in case, at some future point, there's a dispute about who exactly was the last person on Earth to acquire one.

He's got some formidable competition, then. I don't have a cell phone because I hate talking on the phone, period. No way will I carry a portable one that's liable to ring at me anytime, anywhere.

(**shudder**)

The very thought of it gives me the willies.

I know my blog's been

pretty boring lately. Sorry about that, but I've been too agitated and distracted to do much about it.

Bob got his job back, starting Tuesday, so that should help; he's had me tied in knots.

I finally have some time to myself today, which will help more than anything, prob'ly.

(Oh, dang. The phone just rang and my heart dropped. Thought I spoke too soon, but it was a wrong number. Oh, thank you, Lord.)

Just went outside for a smoke break and was serenaded by a mockingbird, which was a delight. One of the rose bushes Bridgie gave me has produced a single perfect red bloom, beautifully scented.

So, you know, life's not all bleak or nothin'. I just need everybody around me to get their angst worked out so I can be peaceful again.

UPDATE: I did speak too soon. The doorbell rang at 11:30 and I spat and cussed all the way to the door. It was Bob with baby in tow, and it took an hour (and several not-so-subtle hints) to get him on his way again, baby in tow.

Jeez Louise! Now I'm feeling all jangled up again. Thanks a lot, son.

Uh, Sher...?

It's only two weeks until the wedding and I still have no matron-of-honor dress.

Whatever shall we do about that?

Sorry I haven't

been blogging more; I just haven't felt very talkative lately. You know how I get.

Anyway, in my few moments of computer time this week, I listened to bird songs and figured out it was a great-tailed grackle that serenaded Mikey and me the other night; looked at other people's garden blogs; read up on the Girl Scout murders because somebody (was it Phil?) asked if I ever figured out what really happened there; and played with the Big Red Button, which was mildly amusing.

That's all for now; I am seriously bummed out and finally have a chance for some quiet time, so I'll holler at you guys later.

Stacking the Kitty

Found this last night and yelled at Mikey to come and see.

We used to play this game with our Kitty, but we called it "Stacking the Kitty." In our version, we'd see how high we could balance stuff on him, carefully stacking assorted lightweight items until the whole pile fell over.

Didn't take pictures, though--didn't want any evidence that could be used against us.

(Link via Czeltic Girl, where I also found the Silly Sleeping Pose Olympics)

Still pouring

Bob lost his job this morning. I'm too drained to feel much about it yet. I'm sure he'll be by shortly and I'll remind him that a guy as broke as he is doesn't have the luxury of a smart mouth but, honestly, I wish he would just stay home today. I need a day off, badly.

Had both girls yesterday, and all three of us were sobbing by noon. Then their mom was three hours late picking them up.

Been worried about Cathy and not feeling very chatty. I hear her diagnosis was changed to an actual aneurysm; Sherri's posting updates on her blog, so go there for more info.

When it rains, it pours

Jenny's baby's in the hospital, too. The same one as Cathy, so that's one small mercy.

It's Piper's asthma; she couldn't get any air yesterday, so she's in the pediatric ICU.

Cathy's still camped out in the critical care section of the ER, because there are still no beds available in ICU.

Cathy's in the hospital

They think she might have a pulmonary embolism, which is serious, so everybody needs to pray.

Sherri took off work and went back up there; you can call her or Mom on their cell phones for updates.

UPDATE - 8:30pm: Not an embolism after all; it's a tear in the lining of her aorta. Still in the emergency room, waiting for a bed in ICU--can you believe it? She's been at the hospital since about 5:00 this morning.

Read about her condition here, if you want. I kind of wish I hadn't. It is very serious.

Just pray as hard as you can.

Margie's blog

is not margie.blogspot.com, unless there are aspects of her personality that have never before been revealed to us.

So, Marge, your user name is not "Margie." That's why your password never did turn up in your mailbox. It isn't "Marge" or "Margie" with your numbers after it, either, or "Margieblog" or "Margiesblog." Couldn't think of anything else to try.

Sorry I couldn't be more help. Let us know when you get it figured out.

Chris & Sherri have been showered

And a fine time was had by all.

They did forget to add this item to their registry, though, so if you know anyone who hasn't picked out a gift yet...

Subversive diapers

Brittany's nappies have a colorful band of zoo animals printed across the front; the rest is decorated with little green lines of verse. And what do you think those verses might be? Nursery rhymes? Children's songs? Nope. Try John Lennon:

Imagine all the people
living life in peace...

Isn't that cool? I love it.

I'm being humped

by Bridgie's dog.

Off! Quit that!

Gyaaah--and it's a girl dog, too.

Why don't you go find something else to do? Please?

Oh, finally. She laid down.

This dog will not eat the food Bridge left for her. She chowed on leftover spaghetti sauce yesterday and ate some bacon and the filling out of a chicken cannelloni today.

Oh, for Pete's sake--she's whimpering.

What? What is it?

She's being very needy right now. Anyway, she's got these funny little fringes on her toes that remind me of the Grinch...

Would you quit humping me, please? Oh, that is it.

She's cooling off in the backyard for a bit. Anyway, these fringes, they're cute and her nose is real pointy, too, so she kinda looks like a little Grinch dog:



She's cute when she does her business, too; she doesn't quite manage a hike or a squat. It's sort of a half-hike with a twist.

Things that made me laugh

during my last spin through the blogroll:

Finslippy's pot roast recipe

Dooce's plumbing problem

Go read.

Bridgie's in Cancun

so I'm watching her little doggie this week. Missy's a fuzzy gray terrier mix, and a cuddler. She's having a timeout in the backyard right now because she had a barking fit right after I put Brittany down for a nap, but mostly she's been pretty good.

Strollin'

Pausing for a cute break in front of the spirea hedge:



The stroller's been stored in our garage for a couple of months; I just brought it outside two days ago because the weather's been so nice. Brittany sits in it and smiles and claps at everything while I bird-watch, and we take walks around the yard--it rolls great on the grass.

So, of course, Bob asked if he could take the stroller home yesterday. I said, "Sure, it's yours. Take it." Inwardly, though, I was like, "No! No! Don't take it away from us! We were having so much fun!"

I gotta go shopping--need a stroller of my own and more challenging toys for Brittany. She's already bored with the ones she has.

Finally figured out why

the flash doesn't work when I take still photos with my video camera.

It's because I don't have the optional flash attachment.

Duh!

Birdie love

Oh, my--I feel like such a voyeur. Watched my sparrows doing the wild thing this morning. It just seems naughtier somehow through binoculars.

I'm pretty sure they're house sparrows. Almost certain. I could be wrong.

Birding: Fledgling efforts

Finally got some binoculars for my birthday, but the pair Mikey picked out are so powerful that I can't focus on anything in my yard. I can see what's going on in the neighbors' trees just fine, though. Sherri loaned me a little bitty pair that's perfect for viewing within the yard, so I've been getting to know my birds and enjoying myself immensely.

There's a pair of (I think) sparrows that live in the top right hole of my purple martin house (it's a 12-holer), and a black or blue-black bird that lives in the top left--too small to be a crow. There's a huge granddaddy bluejay living here that looks as big as a crow. Saw a robin today, and watched a squirrel cavort about and then drape itself across a branch in such a cute way that I ran to get the camera. Got one shot before it took off, but the picture came out too dark.

I think I need a more comprehensive bird identification book (sorry, Bridgie). And a 35mm camera with a telephoto lens--I just can't get the pictures I want with digital.

15th mission: Royan

Exchanged e-mails with B-17 navigator Marshall Stelzriede a few years ago, and he told me:

It is really amazing that your dad could have flown 15 missions in 30 days. That was a mission every other day. It took me five months to do 25, and that was really exhausting...

Daddy's last combat mission, just a few weeks before his 19th birthday:

It was yesterday's target but today's weaponry was new--for the first time the Air Force used napalm. The armorers obviously had trouble with these "new fangled" bombs for pilot Peder Larsen recorded: "New petroleum bombs were put into the planes and were leaking! Flew ship #777 out to the Channel and was instructed to drop them from 300 feet"... -- Snetterton Falcons

[T]he bomb load consisted of some P-51 wing tanks filled with napalm with an igniting device. Emitting fumes that even penetrated the crew's oxygen masks, the bomb bay doors were opened slightly to allow the fluid napalm to go out into the slip stream. One can conjecture that the personnel responsible for filling these tank did not take into consideration that by filling the tanks to the brim at ground level, the fluid would expand at altitude and over flow... -- GG Greenwood, 351st Bomb Squadron

1,278 Eighth Air Force heavy bombers attack fortifications, strong points, gun emplacements, and flak positions at Bordeaux, Royan, and other German defensive positions remaining along the French Atlantic coast. One B-24 is lost. The Royan mission is of interest in that it involves the first and only operational use of napalm bombs by Eighth Air Force heavy-bomber units. The results are negligible, and plans to drop more napalm from heavy bombers are canceled. -- 354th Fighter Group

A total of (54) 75-Gallon and (154) 85-Gallon canisters of Napalm was dropped along with (156) 100 pounders to act as a diffuser for the Napalm. Results of the mission were most satisfactory though the new weapons were noted to have very unpredictable falling tangent ballistics... -- 392nd Bomb Group

<***WARNING: POLITICAL CONTENT!!!***> This next bit is by Howard Zinn, historian and anti-war activist, who was a bombardier on a B-17 crew; follow the links at your own risk:

The raid on Royan was an even more difficult experience for me as I thought about it later. It was a situation where the war was just about over, a few months before the end of the war. We thought we weren't going to fly any more missions, because we had already overrun France, taken most of Germany, there was virtually nothing left to bomb, and everybody knew the war was going to be over in a few weeks. We were awakened at one in the morning, the usual waking up time if you're going to fly at six. It's not like in the movies where you leap out of bed into the cockpit, rev up the engines and you're off. Five boring hours of listening to briefings, getting your equipment, putting on your electrically heated suit, going to the bombardiers' briefing, the officers' briefing, going to eat and deciding whether you eat square eggs or round eggs. They briefed us and told us we were going to bomb this little town on the Atlantic coast near Bordeaux, a town called Royan. They showed it to us on the map. Nobody asked why. You don't ask questions at briefings....It wasn't until later, when I did research into it after the war, that I realized that it was twelve hundred heavy bombers going over against two or three thousand German soldiers. But they told us in the briefing, You're going to carry a different time of bomb in the bomb bay. Not the usual demolition bomb. You're going to carry canisters, long cylinders of jellied gasoline. It didn't mean anything to us, except we knew jellied gasoline would ignite...

After the war, Daddy was stationed in Occupied Germany through 1945 and 1946, but I haven't done much research on that part of his service yet.

14th mission: Royan

Daddy's next-to-last mission--they hit Royan two days in a row:

It was an early wakeup at 0030 for an 0200 briefing which led to take-off at 0425 for the long over-the-water haul down the French Atlantic coast to end these last desperate pockets of resistance near the massive gun emplacements in the Bordeaux area. All three air divisions woke British civilians with the drone and roar of over 1,000 four-engined bombers. Assembly, unlike the old days, was made over France. Royan was a town situated on the mouth of the River Gironde in which a stubborn German garrison was still holding out thus preventing the Allies from use of the port of Bordeaux. All A/C carried fragmentation bombs and strike photos were only fair to good. No losses. -- Snetterton Falcons

The target assigned on this mission was one of the most unusual types ever given to the 14th Combat Wing. Enemy ‘pockets of resistance’ were still prevalent in various parts of France and on this date a gun emplacement on the Giraud Estuary, just north of Bordeaux, was slated for attack. The bombing formations were unusual, as well, with six ship squadrons flying in waves across the target. Also, since enemy fighter reaction was not anticipated this late in the war for a mission to be flown almost entirely over friendly territory, .50 caliber machine guns and ammunition were not loaded and most Waist Gunners did not fly with their crews...A tragic accident occurred on take-off to one of the 578th aircrews - the last 392nd crew to be killed-in-action in combat during World War II. The aircraft, # 446 (R-Bar), piloted by Lieutenant Charles Warner crashed just after breaking ground in the pre-dawn take-off. He, and (6) others of his crew were killed in the crash but (1) Gunner survived, having been thrown clear of the burning bomber after impact on the northeast end of Runway 05. The cause of the crash was attributed to the loss of two engines on the left side just as the ship was breaking ground on take-off. Tower observers saw the pilots vainly struggling to keep the crippled Liberator in the air and gain some altitude, but the left wing would not come up and the bomber crashed in an open field, bursting into flames immediately. This grim tragedy was a somber spectacle for the remaining (26) crews which took off over the crashed bomber’s site to continue the mission... -- 392nd Bomb Group

April 14, 1945 was the number 5. We bombed gun batteries at St. Palais. That is down in southern France. The Germans had about 100,000 men down there and they had the entrance to the Harbor at Bordeaux. We had a bomb load of small frags. Boy oh boy, we really plastered that place. When we got over the target, it looked like it was raining bombs. We didn't see any fighters or get any flak. We flew over Paris on the way down so we didn't see the city. We passed over LaHarve and it was really tore up. It has so many bomb craters that it looked like it had the smallpox. That was a pretty nice mission, but as far as I'm concerned none of them are milk runs...You have to fly level and straight no matter how thick the flak is. Brother, it gives you a creepy feeling to see a wall of flak in front of you and you know you have to fly through it. You just sit there and hope to hell you don't get knocked off... -- Sgt Madison Parker, 486th Bomb Group

Mourning doves

Sherri said she could hear doves when we sat on my back porch last night. I saw these in the yard today:

Birthday flowers

Made our annual trek to Grandpa's Greenthumb yesterday. Got a couple of hydrangeas to replace the ones Mikey pre-emergented to death, and a miniature rosebush to replace one I accidentally yanked up while weeding. Geraniums and asparagus fern for my big patio pot, and some lantana.

Didn't find much I wanted, really. Still need forsythia and a flat of something or other and a couple of packets of seeds to fill in some empty spots, and then I should be all set for the year.

Oh, yeah--snuck out last week and bought some different colors of irises--blue, pink and yellow--and some echinacea. And a packet of zinnia seeds.

Got everything planted already and Mikey mowed and edged this weekend, so the yard's lookin' pretty darn good.

Just me & Sis

Kayla started back at her old day care last week, so I'm only watching the baby now. Haven't mentioned it before because it kinda hurt my feelings--her mom just announced it one morning without any discussion.

Hope it wasn't a comment on the care Kayla was getting here. Surely not. I won't deny she's a handful but--surely not.

It's not all bad--my days are calmer and pass more quickly now. Gave Brittany-Boo her breakfast this morning and then a bath, then we played, and now she's down for her nap. And, for the next hour or two, a little quiet time just for me--which simply doesn't happen when her sister's here, because I can never get them both to sleep at the same time.

13th mission: Donauworth

This was Daddy's last flight over Germany, though he still had two more missions to go:

Another milk run for participating crews and a bombing under ideal conditions for bombardiers. The 108 Fortresses of the 45CBW dropped 321 tons and thus left another massive space in Hitler's diminishing logistical network. -- Snetterton Falcons

We bombed airfields at Ingolstadt, Germany. We had a 6000-pound load of G.P. bombs. There was very little flak and none of it was close. Boy we sure bombed the hell out of that place. From the best I could see, we really did a neat job. Bombs scattered up and down the runways and several of the hangers got direct hits. We flew over several large cities. One of them was Brussels . It is sure a pretty place. We saw a lot of towns that were completely destroyed and miles of country that was a solid bomb crater and shell holes. It was a pretty long drag. We were up 7 hours and 15 minutes. -- Sgt Madison Parker, 486th Bomb Group

On April, 11 1945, the 357th FG was on an escort mission to Donauworth. After they were released from escort duty, they went looking for trouble and a few found it. They looked in on the Prague/Ruzyne Aerodrome, home of over 100 ME 262 jets. In spite of very intense light flak, they destroyed two ME262s, two JU88s and a big FW200. Three 364th pilots were shot down by flak during the strafing. Lts Monahan, Muller and Snedecker. I believe Lt. Irving Snedecker was the only survivor...On his first pass across the airfield, there was a loud bang, a jolt to his Mustang and he saw his prop going off across the field. A 20MM shell had hit the prop hub taking the prop with it. He managed to land the crippled plane inside the Aerodrome perimeter fence. The plane broke in two behind the cockpit in the process. Quickly getting out of the wreck, he sat on the ground a safe distance from it and lit a cigarette, thinking it might be his last one for a while. Told me it was a lonesome feeling watching the group leave for home... -- 364th Fighter Group

12th mission: Burg-bei-Magdeburg

The Burg Bei airfield, long suspected of harboring jets, was successfully bombed. Three A/C had major flak damage and a dozen others returned more severely riddled. -- Snetterton Falcons

After the unit had been operating for almost a month, the Allies learned that their nighttime nemeses in Komando Welter were based at an airfield outside Magdeburg, and a special strike was laid on the airfield for Easter Sunday, April 10, 1945. As Czypionka remembers, "I had flown operations the night before and had slept in. I awoke when I heard the alarm but was told that the bombers were going somewhere else-- not near us. I went back to sleep; then came the second alarm. The bombers were closer, so I got up." He packed all his gear in boxes that he placed near the barracks wall and then reported to the unit on the airfield. "Everyone had gone, and all the airplanes but one had been taken into the woods, so I went up in a 262 to see what was happening. I got chased by some Mustangs; then I saw a huge formation off in the distance, which I later discovered was a balloon on the loose. I landed and went to report it. The ground crew tried to pull the airplane into the woods, but they pulled too fast and tore off the nosewheel, so the plane was sitting there when the Americans arrived." The raid consisted of three waves of bombers. "It seemed to go on forever: it was the most terrifying experience of my life." -- Flight Journal

Just after our bombers hit targets about 10 to 15 jets started to come through. Our boys were ready for them and in the mad scramble that followed five twin jets were destroyed and two damaged. Some of the blow jobs were caught at altitude and chased to the deck, another was caught trying to land, another was shot down and crashed in the heart of Berlin... -- 20th Fighter Group

We were hit badly on the I.P. The hydraulic line below the Co-Pilots feet was cut in two, spewing hydraulic fluid and fire all over Willems who wasn't wearing his goggles. The instant that I saw the fire and Willems leaving his seat I heard Robbie give the order to bail out. I reached down and picked up my parachute just as Willems went by me knocking my parachute out of my hands. I picked it up again and followed Willems to the nose escape hatch. When I got there Willems had opened the escape hatch door and was squatting over it .I yelled at him to get out so the rest of us could and he moved over. I noticed that the fire was no longer on him and when he moved over I also noticed that the fire was no longer in the cabin. I returned to the flight deck and Robbie was still at the controls. I shouted, "Do you still want us to bail out?" He shook his head no and I got on the interphone. Mottola had, while waiting for the other gunners to leave the ship, hooked up on the interphone and heard me yell, Robbie says NOT to bail out. Fortunately, Mottola was able to stop them and no one left the plane. We went over the target on two engines far below our group and dropped our bombs with the other bombs as they fell around us. It was a miracle that we weren't hit. After getting rid of the bombs we were still losing altitude and Robbie told us to throw out anything that we could find to lighten the plane... -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832nd Bomb Squadron

The flak was plenty heavy. It started coming up when we started the bomb run. They had our range and boy they were not shooting for fun. Flak was busting all over us. A ship in front of us got an engine knocked out and he left the formation with it on fire. We moved up and took his position. A big burst of flak busted under us, just below my right window. All I could see was a big sheet of red flame and it tossed our ship around like a matchstick. I thought for a minute that my turret was blown lose from the ship. We got 3 holes in the nose and a few in the wings. I don't see how we got by. I think we lost 3 ships. In spite of the flak, they said we did a good job. When flak starts bursting close to your ship, it sounds like hail on a tin roof. We were up 7 hours and 30 minutes. She was pretty rough. It was the kind that makes air crewmembers get religion. Boy, I was trying to crawl up into my little flak helmet, just anything for a little protection. -- Sgt Madison Parker, 486th Bomb Group

B-17G 44-6820 E/C Missing in Action Brandenburg, flak. Crashed Brandenburg, Germany. Aircraft received a direct flak hit following bombs away. Aircraft started smoking and headed for the ground in a manner that developed into a spiral. It exploded on impact. Nine chutes were seen but it was also observed that ground defences were firing at the parachuting men. With 18BS. Pilot: Roscher. Missing Air Crew Report # 14198. 2 Evaded, 7 Prisoner of War. -- 34th Bomb Group

11th mission: Grafenwohr

If you've been reading daily mission details from the USAAF chronology, the April page is here--scroll down to find the date you want.

The rapid deterioration of German defenses was illustrated today when intervalometer troubles aboard the lead A/C resulted in three runs over the target with impunity. Not too long ago such lingering over a target would have earned German flak operators medals galore. But this target, an Ordnance Depot, was destroyed without consequences. The group's 38 A/C put a telling dent in Germany's remaining ammunition supply. -- Snetterton Falcons

One thousand one hundred thirteen Eighth Air Force B-17s and B-24s attack munitions plants, munitions dumps, marshalling yards, a jet factory, and several airdromes. Nine B-17s and one of 763 VIII Fighter Command escorts and scouts are lost. Approximately 620 9th Air Division bombers attack an oil depot, an oil refinery, a communications center, a marshalling yard, and city areas at eight locations... -- 354th FG

Thirty seven aircraft led by Major Krieger took off and bombed a locomotive works at Stendahl, near Hanover, Germany. Bombing was by instruments, PFF, with fair results. Flak was meager but accurate. Lt Adelmeyer’s aircraft caught fire and exploded near Kassel, while on withdrawal. His ship was seen to crash into a large building which was set on fire. Three chutes were seen to open but were fired on from a wood by automatic fire. Two crew members were later reported safe and uninjured and they subsequently returned to base... -- 381st BG Medical Detachment

No fighter interception but flak was HEAVY and ACCURATE. We received 12 holes in plane. Upholstery in pilot's cockpit and engineers station was torn all to pieces when an oxygen bottle was hit and exploded. Robbie, Willems and I were COVERED with asbestos insulation and strips of the upholstery. We all looked comical and we all had a good laugh when we had time to look at each other. We had cotton in our eyes, mouth and face. We thought for a moment that we were going down. We lost three ships from our group and one from another that was flying with us. Five chutes came out of one plane, one was afire. Flight time was 8 hours and 55 minutes. We were flying Aircraft 931. I guess they will have to make some repairs before she can fly again. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

10th mission: Kaltenkirchen

Sixty years ago today, Daddy was somewhere in the middle of this:

Today the Leftwaffe seemed to utter its last gasp and give up the ghost. In a final desperate operation, the Germans dispatched 130 prop-jobs and more than 50 jets. And today's operation would register the last claim of the 96th gunners for E/A. Of most interest was the first and last appearance of the German kamikazes. Sonderkommando Elbe was dedicated to ramming bombers... -- Snetterton Falcons

Over 1,300 bombers and almost 850 fighters were launched by the USAAF for this mission, and their presence was reported quickly, via the remaining communication links, to the headquarters of Fliegerkorps (AirCorps) at Treuenbrietzen. The assembly of the force would not have been the first sign of an imminent attack. Throughout the morning the Luftwaffe would have been intercepting both the signals of the Eighth Air Force units in England and also the reports from the weather and route scouts already airborne in advance of the main force. Although the targets could not yet be forecast with any accuracy, these initial warnings were common indicators of large formations, indicators which the Luftwaffe had a great deal of experience in interpreting. This activity was enough to persuade Oberst Hajo Herrmann to issue an order which placed the Schulungslehrgang 'Elbe' force on standby... -- Adrian Weir, Last Flight of the Luftwaffe

I looked to my right just as a diving Me 109 swooshed by so close that we bounced from the shock wave. Inexplicably, the pilot had not fired at us nor was he at his gun-sight aiming at some one below - he was looking at me. We stared at each other for a fleeting moment then he was gone. He crashed into Lieutenant Arthur Calder’s Candy’s Dandy in the squadron below; they exploded and everyone died. Up and down the line, Elbe pilots were crashing into other bombers...Caarraash! The nose yawed left, we skidded right and the plane waggled like a dog shaking water off itself. Instinctively Carl and I kicked hard right rudder -- both pedals disappeared under the instrument panel then returned to dangle uselessly; the control columns were violently jerking back and forth, the number one engine was streaming white smoke, and all the radios including the intercom were dead. We had no way to ascertain the crew’s condition or to get their damage assessments. However, like the stubborn old war-horse unwilling to give up the fight, E-Z Goin’ seemed to still want to fly, so we stabilized the rocking and rolling with the ailerons and hung on... -- Hank Cervantes, Air Force Museum

Little sugar baby

Seven months old this week:

First rosebuds of the year

On Chicago Peace and Golden Showers. Thought I killed Honor last year, but now it's growing back from the roots. Have to wait until it blooms to see if it survived the ordeal all right.

My redbud tree is in full bloom, the spiraea hedge is getting whiter by the day, and the irises have been both bountiful and gorgeous. Got little purple violets blooming and big purple buds on one of my clematis vines (the other sent up new shoots instead), and my little azalea is fixin' to turn hot pink.

Got a lot of weeding done yesterday and moved some things from here to there, making empty spaces to be filled after my annual birthday spree at my favorite greenhouse.

9th mission: Kiel

Daddy didn't know it at the time, but he was more than halfway through with his bombing missions. The air war over Europe would end in less than two weeks:

German submarine construction had just about been forgotten. But lately it became obvious that the German fleet was a menace once more. Newer technology made U-boats larger, faster and radar-proof. Moreover, they were able to fire on Allied convoys without visual sightings. Revolutionary snorkel equipment kept them under water longer and they were now raising hell in the Channel once again. Today's planners took advantage of Double Summertime. The strike was scheduled for 1715 but, even so, the bombers could return just before dusk. Thirty-five of the 38 dispatched were effective. Although the inbound journey was impeded by 8/10s undercast and thick contrails, the skies cleared over the target area. Smokepots were of little help because strike photos showed that an airfield was hit 3 miles north of the MPI and that a trail of well-placed bombs led through the eastern part of the city into the torpedo boat section and the harbor. The harbor was crowded with shipping. But flak was accurate and tracking and a new German technique, firing from floating flak barges--in this case, 12 of them--took a toll. Each barge had been mounted with two .88mm guns. Lt Charles McFarland's 339th Ractup, 43-38871, was hit and tried for Sweden. The plane, the last official 96th MIA, eventually landed safely at Bultofa. The crew were soon repatriated and even the plane was returned to the USAAF. Flak caused major damage to four other planes and minor damage to nine. -- Snetterton Falcons

Target: U-boat sub pens, 100 guns at this target. Inaccurate flak, bombed by instruments. Jets attacked some of the formations. Load: 6 1,000 pound bombs. -- Harvey K Wingard, 350th BS, 100th BG

Target, Unusual as it is the "Admiral Sheer" heavy cruiser at the dock area at Kiel, Germany. Bomb load was six 1,000 Ib, bombs dropped from 25000 ft, Flak was moderate. We flew aircraft no. 931. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

The motor minesweeper YMS-71 is sunk by a mine off Borneo. The destroyer USS Sproston (DD-577) is damaged by a dive bomber; the escort carrier USS Wake Island (CVE-65) and high-speed minesweeper USS Hambleton (DMS-20) by suicide plane; and LST 554 by storm, all in the Okinawa area. The German submarines U-1221, U-2542 and U-3505 are sunk by Army aircraft at Kiel, Germany. -- America at War

A treasure trove

Out of the blue, just got a package in the mail full of newspaper clippings:

I don't know if you will enjoy reading about all of this, but I thought you might. Some history, some up-to-date stuff, and a lot of funny, sad and morbid.

My mom's the coolest.

First, some bad news: Uncle Rich had surgery for prostate cancer. No word yet if he has to have chemo. What a lousy year for him--being shipped out to Iraq, then the hurricane, and now this. We'll be praying that he gets through it just fine.

Been flipping through this packet and I'm just delighted. Let's see--some history, some politics, some WWII heroes, some spiritual pieces, the Amanda Bateman murder (no, Ma--I never pick up hitchhikers), ooh--more politics...

So Margie's a Red Hat? She needs to see Mikey--he's got lots of Red Hat stuff.

An autographed photo of Paul James, the Gardener Guy, playing a grass guitar.

An obituary for the doctor who delivered me almost 43 years ago, God bless him. He was 81 and had delivered over 7,000 babies.

Anyway, lots of stuff in here I can use for my blog. Thanks, Mom!

Earthbound

Remember when Daddy used to load us into the station wagon and park us next to the airport to watch the planes take off and land? I remember getting all excited when we spotted certain ones, so we could yell out "BI Bluie!" or "BI Reddie!" or "BI Brownie!"

I never put two and two together back then, but I guess Daddy was probably thinking about his own flying days when he'd take us out there. I must have caught the flying bug from him, because I've always been fascinated by it. I used to think about taking flying lessons someday, but now I'm content to just be a passenger, being taken away to anywhere that isn't here. I love the mobility that flying allows: being able to step on a plane in one place and step off somewhere else a few hours later -- far, far away.

Mikey, however, hates flying. I haven't been able to get him to set foot on a plane since 9/11, and he recently admitted that he doesn't think he ever will again. So, I guess I'm grounded. My wings have been clipped.

(**sigh**)

Oh, well -- he makes my life happy enough in other ways that I ought to be able to live without air travel. He did say that if I can find one of these giving rides somewhere nearby, I can go--even though it costs about $500 for a 30-minute flight--because he knows what it means to me.

Problem is, only a few of them are still airworthy, so I'm not sure when that will ever happen.

Dang, I sure miss flying. I feel like I've been stuck in one place for an awful long time.

Sherri's shower

The last Sunday in April at Debbie's, if that suits everyone. Invitations will go out shortly.

Be there or be talked about.

8th mission: Hamburg

Today marked the 96th's final raid against the submarine yards at this famous port. And the group hit it very well. Heligoland flak seriously wounded waist gunner S/S Malcolm Perry on the way to the target. His pilot, Lt Gardner Norcross, returned to England landing at Deopham Green where the wounded gunner was rushed to a hospital. Over the next few days the sergeant's ground crew participated in multiple blood transfusions--but to no avail. He died. There were no other incidents on this raid. -- Snetterton Falcons

Target today was oil storage at Hamburg Germany. Bomb load was forty-two 100 Ib. incendiaries. Bombing altitude was 25,000 ft. and flying time was 7 hours and 30 minutes. Flax was medium. We were intercepted by a Me-262 on bomb run but it didn't fire on anyone. It was flying in the opposite direction at about our altitude and seemed to jump over our formation and kept going. LT Veal's crew (our Buddy Crew) who trained with us at Alexandria and assigned to the832nd. Sqd. At the same time we were hit directly behind No. 4 engine and peeled off and went into a dive before exploding about 5,000 ft below us. We saw no parachutes. We flew aircraft No. 931. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

Lt. Bennett (504) 1 ME262 shot down, 1 ME262 damaged in air; Capt. Sargent (504) 1 ME262 shot down; Col. Henry (HQ) 1 ME262 probably shot down; Capt. Rich (505) 1 ME262 damaged in air; Lt. Ananian (505) 1 ME262 damaged in air. Lt. Wager was the 3rd 339th pilot shot down by ME262's... he bailed out, but his parachute failed to open properly. -- 339th FG

Led by Lt Col Hall, 37 aircraft took off this date with the target designated as a sub pen and sub building yards at Bremen. There was a layer of clouds which caused difficulty in assembling. Bombing, from 26,000 ft, was visual with excellent results. Temperature was minus 37 degrees at bombing altitude. Lt Bennett, 535th, lost two engines over the target and fighters were called to escort him out but he is Missing In Action. Several German jets made attacks from below but no damage was reported. Flak was moderate and accurate. And only moderate battle damage was reported, with minor scratches being the only injuries sustained. Several ships returned on two engines and landed successfully. One had elevators and hydraulics shot out and ground looped while traveling quite fast. -- 381st BG

The squadron lost Lt Robert A. Bennett and crew to heavy flak on the bomb run of a 6/10th covered Bremen today. He was last seen lagging after bombs-away, with two engines out, and there was no report by midnight...The formation approached the target down a cloud free "alley", had perfect visibility for the bomb run and did an excellent job, with tight patterns on the Deschimag submarine and shipbuilding yards. There were no enemy aircraft attacking our formation but the boys reported an ME 262, twin-jet fighter, destroyed by Mustangs after attacking a straggler in a group behind ours. Lt Joe D. Newell, Lt Brashear's ball turret gunner, suffered a slight leg wound from flak over the target. He was not hospitalized and is on status for tomorrow... -- 535th BS

7th mission: Hanover

Daddy's second trip to Hanover, which endured a total 88 Allied bombing raids during the war:

A very good strike was made on this tank factory complex. Bombs covered the main factory from 300 yards short to 300 yards over. At least five direct hits were made on the MPI. All planes returned safely. Only two had minor flak damage. -- Snetterton Falcons

We bombed Hanover Germany, which was our secondary target. We flew aircraft No, 931 again today. The mission was 7 hours fifteen minutes long. We dropped twelve 500 lb general-purpose bombs from 25,000 feet. No fighter interception and flak was moderate. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

Our next mission in our "new" B-17G, A/C 936, was on March 28, to an aero engine factory at Spandau. The crew chief said he had replaced every part of the prop pitch system and, therefore we should have no problem. Once again, #4 propeller ran away at maximum power used during take off but we had little difficulty lifting the aircraft into the air well prior to the end of the runway. We were fit to be tied. It seemed as if no one cared that we were flying a disaster waiting to happen. We were flying as right wingman to the Squadron lead ship and on the way into the target the group leader got slightly off course and inadvertently flew us over a known flack area. Our squadron was flying high squadron in the group formation and we received accurate and tracking flack as we unnecessarily flew over this known flack area on our way to the target. The squadron leader and the aircraft flying of his right wing received heavy flack damage. Captain Gaines, the squadron leader had two engines shot out while Lt. Smith on his right wing, lost one engine. We were the only plane in the element to receive only light battle damage. This was fortunate as we already had one engine acting up... -- Mike Banta, 91st BG

Baby's pictures

Been having the darndest time trying to figure out how to get hard-copy pictures made from my digital photos.

We gave Bridgie a digital camera and photo printer for Christmas last year, but she says the paper and ink for it are so expensive that it's cheaper to use the machines at Walgreen's. Well, I tried that, and it turns out that the good machine only takes memory cards--my camera uses standard diskettes. There was another machine that took diskettes, but it only printed on 8x10 paper so I printed (and paid $8 for) a sheet of 3x5s and a sheet of wallets before fleeing in frustration.

Saw a Wal-Mart commercial the other day that said I can upload digital photos online and go pick up my finished prints at the store for less than twenty cents each. So, I'm trying that. Spent the past two days uploading 59 images off a dozen different diskettes, and now I'm waiting to see how they turn out.

Sixth mission: Plauen

Daddy's longest mission, at 9 hours 10 minutes. His pilot's name was Brandt, and they were members of the 338th Bomb Squadron, so I think his plane had to land in France on this trip. Probably ran out of gas, or could be battle damage. Smitty would know, but I'm too embarrassed to call him again after I bawled and squawled through our last conversation.

For the second time this month the group visited Plauen. But the bombing was just as badly executed as it had been on the first visit. Bombs fell far short of the tank factory. As the group reformed for the return to Snetterton, it was engulfed by rapidly deteriorating weather. While approaching Amiens, France, the squadrons were scattered by torrential rain, hail and dense cloud. C Squadron took the worst of it. Five A/C ran short of fuel and had to land in France. From the 339th, Lts Charles McGehees, Billy Lynch and Bill Schram landed at Amiens and Poix in France and at St Trond in Belgium. From the 338th, Lts Brandt and Greer made it to Merville, France. The others landed safely at Snetterton. -- Snetterton Falcons

38 planes dispatched. 37 planes dropped 107.5 on the primary target and 1 plane failed to bomb. 38 Credit Sorties. During assembly a 34BG plane collided with a 452BG plane, both crashing killing both crews. B-17G 43-38402 L/P Mid-air collision with a 452BG B-17 during assembly. Planes crashed at Framsden and Crettingham, UK. With 391BS. Pilot: unknown. No Missing Air Crew Report. All Killed. Plane salvaged 26-3-45. -- 34th BG

Leading 37 aircraft from this command was Major Sandman, the formation taking off at 09.00 hrs under very poor conditions before assembling over France. The primary target was Zeitz, Germany. On the bomb run the high and lead squadrons were unable to pick up the target and did no drop their bombs, while the low squadron bombed with poor results. Another run was made on the target but due to cloud coverage it was again obscured, after which, the secondary target, Plauen, was hit. Considerable accurate flak was encountered throughout the target area and battle damage to aircraft was extensive. Several aircraft landed in France due to a shortage of gas and battle damage. Lt Hawley landed at B-50, and his plane burned immediately after landing with two crew members slightly injured. Lt Smith, of Baden’s crew, received a perforating flak wound in the right hand. Several aircraft landed in southern England, short of gas and battle damage. All other crews are accounted for except Lt Price, who left the formation over France. -- 381st BG

Sherri's wedding

She's started her own blog to keep us updated on all the details.

Still have to shop for my dress. Also have to put together a bridal shower pretty quick--sometime in April is all I know.

Just heard about Lesley's husband being so sick--sure hope he pulls through all right. We'll be praying for them.

Fifth mission: Plantlunne

Daddy's third mission in three days. I 'magine he was mentally and physically wiped out after this one, but was given only one day off before Mission No. 6.

Operation Varsity, the airborne support for the 9th US and 2th British Armies' crossing of the Rhein. On the morning of 24 March 1945, an enormous air armada crossed the River Rhein near Wesel in Western Germany. The column, two-and-a-half hours long, consisted of more than 1,500 IX Troop Carrier Command airplanes and gliders. To their left were about 1,200 RAF airplanes and gliders, the entire was supported by 880 US and RAF fighters. Operations of XVIII US Corps (Airborne) in support of the crossing of the River Rhine, 24 and 25 March 1945; On the 24th March 1945, in perfect weather, nearly 4000 aircraft from the 6th Airborne Division and the 17th US Airborne Division deposited fighting men behind enemy lines, East of the River Rhine. Their mission was to capture key points and so assist the advance of the ground troops. Having learned the lessons from the Arnhem battle, the gliders and paratroops landed close to their targets and achieved total success. -- The World at War: History of WWII 1939-1945

Allied forces were rushing across the Rhine every day and this mission was designed by he 8th to help our land forces in two ways. The first way, which was the dropping of supplies from low altitude, was assigned to some 200 bombers from the 2AD. Some of these B-24s were lost to small arms fire because they flew so low! But for the rest of the 8th it was German airfields. Keep the Luftwaffe grounded while the Allies crossed the river. The patterns of the 96th bombing completely covered this Luftwaffe airfield. But today's tragedy struck early as the group was departing England. Passing over Great Yarmouth at 0700 hours, Lt Ron Birch, 413th, suddenly requested permission to jettison his bombs. Obviously there was trouble aboard his 43-37645, for at 0720 Birch called out again to report that he had an engine on fire and was preparing to ditch. A B-17 from the 1AD relayed Birch's situation to Air-Sea Rescue with the proper coordinates. The search was unsuccessful. And lost with the rest of the crew was this history's latest diarist, Lt Glen Wallace, who had been flying as Lt Birch's ball turret gunner. Less than two weeks ago, Sgt Wallace had turned 20. The rest of the mission was a milk run. -- Snetterton Falcons

Throughout the day-in support of Operation VARSITY, the Anglo-American airborne assault across the Rhine River-1st Air Division B-17s mount 706 effective bombing sorties and 3d Air Division B-17s mount 625 effective bombing sorties against numerous GAF airfields and bases throughout northern and northwestern Germany. Also, VIII Fighter Command fighters mount 1,297 effective sorties throughout the day. Five B-17s and nine fighters are lost. Beginning at 1000 hours-following intensive clearing attacks by USAAF fighters, including attacks on flak concentrations and airfields-paratroopers and gliderborne forces of the British 6th and U.S. l7th Airborne divisions taking part in Operation VARSITY are dropped into landing zones around Wesel by 2,029 IX Troop Carrier Command C-47s and gliders and 839 RAF aircraft and gliders. The landings are supported by low-level supply drops conducted by 240 2d Air Division B-24s and by an attack on nearby Nordhom Airdrome by 58 466th Heavy Bombardment Group B-24s. Fourteen B-24s are lost, mostly to small arms fire, while dropping supplies. Thirty-nine C-47s are downed by flak, one C-47 is lost in an accident, and six C-47s are lost to unknown causes. 9th Air Division bombers mount 688 effective sorties against flak concentrations, rail bridges, communications centers, and many tactical targets in and around the Operation VARSITY battle area. Throughout the day, Ninth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers mount 2,039 effective sorties in direct support Allied ground forces and mount attacks to block access to the battle area by German reinforcements. Eighth, Ninth, and First Tactical air force fighter pilots down a Ju-87 and 64 GAF fighters over Germany between 0244 and 1855 hours. Maj. Robert A. Elder, the commanding officer of the 354th Fighter Group's 353rd Fighter Squadron, in P-51s, becomes an "ace in a day" when he downs four FW-190s and a Bf-109 near Kassel between 1530 and 1600 hours. Two hundred seventy-one Fifteenth Air Force B-24s destroy whatever remains of the Neuberg jet-aircraft factory as well as an estimated 20 jet aircraft parked on the adjacent airdrome. More than 150 Fifteenth Air Force B-17s attack the Daimler-Benz tank-engine factory in Berlin. This is the Fifteenth's first mission to the German capital, a round trip exceeding 1,500 miles. On this mission, four B-17s are downed by flak near Brux, Czechoslovakia; a fifth is downed during the approach to the target when the bomber formation is attacked by 15 Me-262s; and a sixth is downed over the target by flak. -- 354th FG

This was a "Big Day" in which this group flew two missions in support of Allied troops making their drive across the Rhine. At 06.20 hrs Capt Tyson led 37 ships took off with their target designated as an airfield at Vechtal, Germany. The target was bombed with excellent results. The waist gunner on Lt Bennett’s crew, S/Sgt Robert B. Bolin, was killed by a penetrating wound of the abdomen, caused by flak, while the navigator and bombardier of Lt Brashear’s crew were slightly injured by fragments of plexi-glass. Lt Jankoviak’s aircraft was hit at the target and blew up and crashed, with no chutes seen to open. No enemy fighters were encountered. -- 381st BG Medical Detachment

General briefings for all (26) crews were held at 0600 hours after lead crews had been given thorough pre-briefs on the afternoon and evening prior. At 0930 hours, all bombers began take-offs on a mission which called for release altitudes of 300-400 feet absolute over the drop zones. All drops were made precisely on target but the bombers going in to drop on the British DZ received considerable small arms fire and aircraft damage. In all, (2) bombers were lost and one crew listed as MIA for several days. This crew in ship # 709 from the 576th, Lieutenant Hummell’s, had an interesting and harrowing story to relate about their crash landing in enemy lines on this mission. Lieutenants Frazier and Procter, also of the 576th, were to land their badly damaged bombers on the Continent after the drop. The account of Lieutenant Hummel’s crew experiences were as follows: The bomber took 20MM and 37MM hits in # 2 and # 3 engine about three miles past the drop zone over enemy troops. As # 3 engine caught fire, the pilot gave the abandon ship order at about 500 foot altitude. However, only (2) crew members jumped, Lieutenant Knudsen the Navigator and Sergeant Morse, the Nose Gunner. The remaining members apparently did not hear the bailout signal. The pilots proceeded to successfully crash land the crippled bomber about two miles east of the DZ in the midst of German troops. Enemy riflemen opened fire immediately, killing the right Waist Gunner. The Radio Operator was killed prior as he was last seen to fall out of the bomb bay just after the supply bundles were released. He was not wearing a parachute and his body was not found during subsequent search of the crashed bomber. The survivors of the crash landing were taken prisoners by the Wehrmacht troops and taken to a nearby chateau, searched and interrogated by a German Corporal who spoke fluent English. The wounded were then treated for their injuries and kept under guard for approximately (4) hours. At this time, U.S. ground forces of the 513th Paratroop Division surrounded the chateau, forcing the German surrender and also release of the crew. It was learned that the Navigator had landed safely from bailout but was taken prisoner. The other member bailing out, Sergeant Morse, evaded capture by crawling through a wooded area in the direction of Allied lines where he saw U.S. gliders in an open field. He soon was picked up by American troops and later rejoined his crew back at Wendling. -- 392nd BG

Fourth mission: Hengstey

Sixty years ago today, Daddy made his fourth trip to Germany:

Although this mission was a milestone (#300) in the chronicles of the 96th, it passed as a run-of-the-mill mission. It destroyed supply centers and marshalling yards near Hagen. And it was a fine effort when one realizes that excessive prop-wash caused many problems for the lead bombardier of the C Squadron. The excessive prop-wash interfered with his synchronization of the bombsight as his gyros were constantly fluctuating. The death of another bombardier marred this otherwise successful strike. S/Sgt Leonard Clements was killed when flak destroyed the nose of Lt McCoy's 338th 43-39017. McCoy maintained control and emergency-landed at newly-liberated Woensdrecht. And Capt Wynn, 338th, who was leading the Group in A Squadron, also received flak damage and landed at St Trond. Lt Hal Sullivan's last two bombs hung up on him. But eventually he got them, unshackled and dropped them--two 500-pound M17s--on Betzdorf. -- Snetterton Falcons

Briefing today was nothing out of the ordinary, but it now appears that the top brass is concentrating on railroad marshalling yards. Our fighter protection was perfectly coordinated, we often hear of these skirmishes with enemy fighters but few are in evidence these days. With the aid of field glasses, I had a front row seat in watching two fighters shooting up a train. The train was racing madly for a tunnel with bullet flashes all over the engine, and the 51's were making continual passes. The train made it into the tunnel, then the fighters made low approaches along the tracks and let their wing tanks go directly into the tunnel. With this there was fire and smoke at each end of the tunnel. With no opposition at the target, a successful run was made, and it will be many days before they can move a hand car through the Coesfeld marshalling yards. -- Charles Hudson, 91st BG

After the bomb run on March 23, 1945, Ol' Scrapiron dropped from the 4th Bomb Wing formation and joined the 34th Bomb Group formation returning to England from its mission to Geisecke. Near Koblenz, one of the 34th aircraft (43-38971) was struck by flak, losing its wing. The damaged aircraft first rolled into a plane from the 487th, which remained flying, before colliding with Ol' Scrapiron. The plane from the 447th with the Bruckman crew onboard was broken apart at the waist. Tailgunner Byron Schlag was the only member of the crew able to bail out, after riding the tail section down to 8,000 feet -- at times losing consciousness from lack of oxygen. Amazingly, Ed Shibble survived the fall (though sustaining serious injuries), trapped in the ball turret until it broke free of the aircraft as it crashed through some trees. The two gunners were captured. The rest of the crew perished along with the entire crew from the 34th. -- 447 BG

Third mission: Frankfurt

(I'm not putting the daily summaries from the USAAF chronology on these posts. Only put it on the first one to give you an idea of what Daddy was in the midst of. If you want to read them, go here and scroll down to find the date you want.)

Today Sgt Glen Wallace tried out for the base softball team. According to the current issue of WAR WEARY, "Softball coach Lt John J Wojewodski is ready to build up a team of champs from the boys showing up for daily practice." And the base newspaper reported that T/Sgt Dave Colgan, who had been trying for home leave for a long time, was pleasantly surprised. He was going to the States for sure. His appointment to West Point came through. But for the flyboys it was Frankfurt's military establishments and airfields rather than its marshalling yards which constituted today's target. Bombardiers did well. Peder Larsen considered the raid well-planned as evidenced by orders to make a sharp turn to the right after "bombs away." As far as Lt Larsen was concerned, that pre-planned turn to the right thwarted every flak battery in the target area. -- Snetterton Falcons

Hut installations at Feldhausen made up our target on March 22 for the Group's 275th mission. Our 37 aircraft, under command of Capt. Gotthardt, found good weather to the target, but ground haze and smoke screen and the smoke of previous bombings made the objective difficult to pick up. There was moderate and accurate flak defending the place. The formation made a Gee-H approach and shifted to a visual run when the target came in sight. Results were reported as excellent. We lost the lead ship which was hit immediately after bombs away and started going down in flames. Neighboring aircraft reported there was a hole right through the cockpit. Two to three 'chutes were observed clearing the ship. Capt. Gotthardt, who had only recently been promoted (last Sunday) was highly regarded in the Group, as were other members of the crew. Capt. Ackerman took over the lead for the return to base. -- 381st BG Medical Detachment

This was another long haul down into southern Germany. We led the 3rd squadron again today. Our bombing was not very good. We saw Lake Constance, Switzerland- also Zurich and the Alps. It was really beautiful country down there. The best thing is the mission was flak free but we did see several ME 262s in the distance. P51s chased them though. On the way home we saw large smoke screens above Coblenz laid down by our armies. Heavy bombers of the 8th Air Force and the RAF again lent their crushing weight to the great tactical blitz on Nazi military and communications zones in the Ruhr. More than 1,300 Fortresses and Liberators of the 8th, with a cover of some 700 Mustangs, lashed out in excellent weather at nine Wehrmacht administration and supply centers ringing Essen in the Ruhr and continued to blast enemy airfields, striking four more near Frankfurt-on-Main and Stuttgart and one at Ahlhorn, near Bremen, which had been pummeled in Wednesday’s big blow. The specific targets for 8th heavies around Essen were at Bottrop, Gladbeck, Barminghotten, Dorsten, Westerhold, Mulheim, Hinsbeck, Hattingen and Geresheim. Ack-ack over these objectives was particularly heavy but over the four airfields in the Frankfurt and Stuttgart areas- Kitzengen, Giebelstadt, Rhein-Main and Schwabisch-Hall - there was only light opposition. -- Bombardier John Shirk, 467th BG

This mission would see one of the most regrettable and tragic mishaps which occurred in the closing days of the Group’s combat operations. A Squadron Commander and a Lead crew would be lost as the bombers returned to base, both of whom had long experience in the 392nd. The strike for this day was the jet airfield located on the high plateau just east of the city. At 0530 hours, (30) crews were briefed and all began launch at 0800 hours on schedule. Enroute and target weather were excellent making visual bombing successful. Of the (1366) 100 # bombs impacted in the target, (93) percent hit within 2000 feet of the MPI. There were no enemy fighters confronting the formation and flak was negligible. However, as the bombers coasted in and were letting down toward Wendling, an unfortunate accident occurred in the lead ship from the 579th. Captain Grettum’s crew flying lead with Major Barnes, Commander of the 576th, acting as Command Pilot and on his 44th mission of a second tour, had their ship set afire by flares which exploded on the flight deck of the bomber. About (12) miles east of base, a loaded flare gun jostled loose from the ceiling mounting, discharged, and apparently set off a box of pyrotechnic flares located just behind the pilot’s seat. Smoke and fire erupted immediately blinding the pilots and causing the bomber to go into a steep dive from about 2000 foot altitude. Four crewmembers managed to bail out safely, one of whom was Captain Good, the veteran bombardier of the famous Gotha raid. His old crew Navigator from that mission, Captain Swangren, was killed in the crash. Lieutenants Beder and Peters also managed to escape as well as Sergeant Munder. Captain Grettum’s body was found in the crash along with that of Major Barnes. It was believed that Captain Grettum had managed to egress out the side pilot’s window, but was struck by the bomber’s props. On this tragic note, the remaining force landed at base around 1600 hours. -- 392nd BG

"Grammasandie, don't you drink coffee?"

(Kayla calls me Grammasandie--all one word, just like that--to distinguish me from her other grandma.)

No, sweetie, I don't.

But you're OLD! Old people drink coffee!

Thanks, sweetie. Thanks a lot.

Love this time of year

Something new happening in my garden every day. If I sit still long enough, I can actually see things growing.

Watched my first iris blossom slowly unfurl yesterday. Well, okay, I didn't sit there and stare at it all day but, since we can't smoke in the house anymore, I had plenty of opportunities to check its progress.

Other stuff fixin' to bloom here: redbud, azalea, bridal wreath, clematis, tulips and pinks. Expecting quite a show from the irises--they're loaded. Wish I had more colors, though. Mine are all purple.

Alone at last

Oh, mercy, it's been a long week. Finally got some time to myself, and I plan to thoroughly enjoy it. Ain't no tellin' when it'll happen again.

Need to take a shower and do chores, but mostly I plan to catch up on some reading. And if anyone dares to disturb me over the next few hours, I will probably come unglued.

Mourning Kitty

Thanks for the kind words, y'all. Here's how it happened:

I was putting away laundry in the linen closet when I heard Kitty in our room -- but he sounded odd. So I peeked around the corner and saw him on the floor at the foot of the bed. And I knew instantly that this was it -- my Kitty was dying.

He was all twisted -- hind legs were pointing one way and the rest of him turned toward the door -- and he looked so scared. I picked him up and put him on the bed, and realized that his back legs were paralyzed. I pretty much lost it at that point.

I was alone with the girls and there wasn't much I could do, so I put in a call to Mikey and sat with my Kitty, petting him and talking to him while he labored for air. Scratched all his favorite places. Petted his poor little legs that were never going to run and jump again. Held his paw and listened to some of the most piteous cries I've ever heard.

Then Mikey came home and rushed in with the kitty carrier.

Oh, honey, you're not gonna need that.

He said that's when he knew how bad it was. So he bundled Kitty up in his arms and rushed off to the vet. Came back with Kitty wrapped up in his little kitty coffin. I'm not sure what-all happened in between -- you'll have to ask him.

Kitty's little heart seized up, the doctor said, and threw off clots that blocked the arteries to his legs. He would've been 11 years old at the end of this month.

We buried him last night, under a nice grove of trees on Grandma Sarah's back lot. Would've done it this weekend in the daylight but, with the weather getting warmer, we just weren't sure we could wait that long.

The funeral went like this: Mikey loaded the car while I waited in the house, then he came and got me and we climbed in the car and he started it up. Then he turned it off.

Oh, no.

What is it?

I put everything in the other car.

Oh, for Pete's sake...

Got out, got in the other car. He started it up. Then he turned it off.

Forgot to grab Kitty's dishes.

They're in the dishwasher.

I'll be right back.

I was glad he thought about the dishes. I'd tried to think of something special to bury with Kitty, but his favorite toys were Mikey and me.

Sat and waited long enough to wonder what Mikey was doing, then heard him coming out the door. Then I heard a crash.

Oh, my God.

What happened?

I dropped the dishes.

Both of them?

Shattered. Both of them.

Ah, well. Gathered the pieces up in a plastic bag, along with a square piece of cardboard that he'd cut from Kitty's most recent scratching post -- a box of merchandise that's been sitting in the dining room for months. I suspect Mikey wrote something on the piece he cut out, but he's taking Kitty's death pretty hard too so I didn't pry.

Got to Grandma's and dug the hole -- in the dark, since we didn't have the presence of mind to round up a flashlight beforehand. Only had headlights shining across the field to see by.

Mikey asked if I wanted to see Kitty one last time.

No! I can't!

I peeked, and he looks real normal. Like he's just curled up asleep.

Then he put Kitty's little coffin next to the hole. And opened it.

Aaaack!!! What are you doing?

So I saw Kitty one more time. He did look normal. Peaceful. And that was a relief, because the last time I saw him -- he wasn't.

Tucked Kitty into his grave (along with his dish fragments) and said a prayer, thanking God for the coolest kitty He ever made. Mikey shoveled the dirt back in, replaced the sod he'd carefully cut away, and then paced off the distance to the nearest tree. I'd noticed some branches blooming overhead, so I walked over to get a closer look. Then we met back at the grave, or tried to. Couldn't find it in the dark.

Felt a lot better on the drive home, due to the closure thing, I guess. Felt better today than I did yesterday. I'm just really sad because I miss him so much. He was my little buddy for such a long time.

My Kitty's gone

He died this afternoon. He went hard. It was awful.

I can't talk about it right now.

Second mission: Berlin

Daddy's second mission was to the capital city of Berlin, a heavily-defended target that gave bomber crews the shudders. Berlin finally fell a month later, following a year of steady Allied bombardment.

Although it had flown 10 missions in the past 14 days, the 96th set out on this long haul to these marshalling yards near Berlin. And although it was a visual attack, the fact that they dropped delayed-action bombs prevented the crew from witnessing the effects of their success down below. The Group dropped 402 DAs which certainly gave German bomb disposal units a frightful workout. Today the 96th was but one unit represented in the 467 plane armada launched by the Third Division. Oranienburg received almost 1327 tons of bombs. More V-2 rockets were witnessed launching from Zwolle by returning crews. One of the 96th attacking A/C received major damage; another received minor. There were no casualties, although bad weather made landing very dangerous for the returnees. -- Snetterton Falcons

We bombed Oranienburg, Germany (just outside of Berlin) we carried two 2000 pounders and two 1000 pound bombs. All of us had a very close call. Mottola, our lower ball gunner was slightly wounded in the arm but his turret had several holes in it and a piece of flak tore through his flying boot just missing his ankle. The optic head on the upper turret gun sight was torn completely off just inches from my face. I don't know how I escaped injury unless the flak came through just as I was thrown to the floor of my turret as the plane lurched upward as a result of a direct hit in our left wing by an 88 mil, shell. We were on the bomb run and were hit just after we dropped our bombs. The bomb bay doors hadn't had time to close and were frozen open. Flak struck where Pike stood but didn't penetrate the flak curtain he was standing on. We had over 400 holes in the airplane. Flak hit window in front of Willems penetrating it and passing about two inches from Robbie and missed me by about a foot. We had a huge hole in our left wing where the supercharger had been. The shell hit just behind No. 2 engine. The supercharger was hanging by the exhaust connection. Flak had penetrated the gasoline tanks on both sides of the supercharger location. Robbie went back and used the lower turret to check the damage. We were still flying and he couldn't see just how bad we were damaged. We had lost power in the No. 2 engine, because of losing the supercharger but we regained power when we reached lower altitude so the decision was to fly home. When we landed we had no brakes but we also had a Bat tire that helped slow us and Robbie was able to ground loop the plane. Except for Mottola no one was injured and we brought our plane home. They told us later that we had the record of bringing back the most shot up plane that had ever been brought back. They also told us that we should have hailed out and let the plane crash. It was truly a miracle that we made it back. The plane, No. 998 was put in the scrap yard for parts that might be used. It would never fly again. Our flying time was 6 hours and 50 minutes. The regular crew had named this plane "Miss Irish." Following our fourth mission we received a 48-hour pass and most everyone is taking the time to rest. Believe me, we are tired. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

Thirty seven aircraft led by Capt Carpenter took off at 10.00 hrs and bombed marshalling yards at Oranienburg, Germany. These yards handle all traffic from the port of Stettin and were a high priority target. Bombing was done visually from 23,500 ft and photos showed excellent results. Flak over the target was meager and inaccurate. However, upon withdrawal, near Wittenburg, Germany, considerable flak was encountered. Lt Carpenter’s ship received a direct hit in the waist and considerable damage to the ship. Following this he was unable to keep up with the formation and fell back. He was able to land at an RAF Emergency Landing Ground, at Woodbridge, Suffolk. On landing the gear collapsed causing unrepairable damage to the aircraft. The waist gunner, S/Sgt Walter J. Ahl was killed over the target with severe flak wound in the chest, and two others were wounded. Lt Muffley, bombardier on Price’s crew, received a severe flak wound involving nose, left eye and hard palate, a large piece of flak embedded in the pharynx. All other ships returned to base but several had battle damage... -- 381st BG Medical Detachment

Daddy's third mission was one week later, on March 22.

First mission: Hanover

Sixty years ago today, Daddy flew off on his first bombing raid. I can only imagine what he thought about on his way to the target, and on his way back, but it must have been quite an experience for an 18-year-old farm boy.

This first part is from the official US Army Air Force Chronology, describing all the activities of the Eighth Air Force for the day. The scale of these operations--in terms of manpower, machinery and money--really boggles me:

STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): 3 missions are flown.
Mission 886: 1,262 bombers and 804 fighters are dispatched to hit oil, rail and industrial targets in Germany; they claim 17-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air; 3 B-17s and 2 fighters are lost:
1. 526 B-17s are sent to hit oil refineries at Nienhagen (58) and Misburg (56), the Gebruder munitions plant (75) and Maschnbau (61) and Eisenwerke (74) factories at HANNOVER and the Seelze marshalling yard (80); secondary targets hit are Osnabruck (29) and the marshalling yard at Hannover; attacks were made visually and with H2X radar; 2 B-17s are lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 188 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 19 MIA. 192 of 204 P-51s escort; 2 are damaged.
2. 449 B-17s are dispatched to hit the bridges at Vlotho (72) and Bad Ostenhausen (114), the marshalling yard and road junction at Lohne (144) and industrial plants at Hildesheim (60); 39 hit Osnabruck, a secondary target; targets of opportunity are the marshalling yards at Hameln (12) and Wetzlar (1) and Diemonde (1); all but one target is bombed visually; 1 B-17 is lost and 56 damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 9 MIA. Escorting are 182 of 194 P-51s; they claim 1-0-1 aircraft.
3. 272 B-24s are sent to hit the marshalling yards at Holzwickede (31) and Gutersloh (126); 110 others hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Giessen; attacks are made visually and with H2X radar; 4 B-24s are damaged; 1 airman is KIA and 5 WIA. The escort is 185 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 3-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA).
4. 6 B-17s fly a screening mission without loss.
5. 29 of 33 P-41s escort Ninth AF bombers.
6. 50 P-51s fly a sweep of the Stein-Huder-Kassel area claiming 11-0-0 aircraft without loss.
7. 82 P-51s fly a sweep over the Remagen bridgehead; 1 P-51 is lost (pilot MIA) and 1 damaged beyond repair.
8. 20 P-51s escort 33 F-5s and 3 Spitfires on photo reconnaissance missions over Germany and Czechoslovakia.
9. 26 of 27 P-51s fly a scouting mission claiming 1-0-0 aircraft.
Mission 887: 9 B-17s use DISNEY rockets weapons on the Ijmuiden submarine pens without loss.
Mission 888: 7 B-24s bomb the marshalling yard at Wiesbaden by PFF during the night without loss.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): In Germany, 350+ A-20s, A-26s and B-26s hit 3 airfields, 4 rail bridges, a junction, 5 towns, and 3 targets of opportunity as the interdiction operations continue; fighters escort the bombers, attack railroads and other special targets, fly patrols, sweeps, and armed reconnaissance, cover the Remagen area, and support the US XII Corps as it begins a drive from the Mosel River to the Rhine River, and the XX Corps operations W of Trier and Saarburg. HQ 367th Fighter Group moves from St Dizier to Conflans, France. The 410th Fighter Squadron, 373d Fighter Group, moves from Le Culot, Belgium to Venlo, the Netherlands with P-47s.

And Daddy was somewhere in the middle of all that. Found a few memories recorded by others who flew that day:

We had a Group stand down on Monday and Tuesday but on Wednesday, March 14, 1945 we flew our third mission. Our primary target was an oil refinery at Mienhagen, Germany. Our secondary was a railway junction at Hannover. No. one engine went out near the primary. We couldn't keep up with the formation and couldn't drop our bombs. Losing altitude we went over the target alone and turned for home. Two P-51 fighters, one on each wing escorted us to England. We had to drop our bombs in the channel. We were carrying fourteen 500-pound bombs. We had a lot of flak today but no fighter interception. Good weather little friends, God, a good pilot, a good navigator and teamwork brought us home. We flew ship No. 820 and our flying time was 7 hours and 10 minutes. -- Lyman R Huffman, Jr, 832 BS, 486th BG

Target: marshalling yards. Intense flak. Two men (waist gunner and tail gunner) were killed in squadron. A number were wounded. Lost one plane from group and one crash-landed in Belgium. Bombing was visual. -- Harvey K Wingard, 350th BS, 100th BG

His whole back side was shot off - his flesh was hanging on the control cables in the fuselage where I worked. Del Siadek and myself had attempted to give Kuzma morphine, but the little syrettes we had were just frozen hard. And I can picture this today - - the two of us with these syrettes in our mouth, where we thawed out the morphine, injected poor Kuzma, and helped to save his life. -- Maynard Stewart, 95th BG

This last bit is from a book Mom loaned me about the history of the Snetterton Falcons. Snetterton Heath was where Daddy was based. It's in Norfolk, England, very near Little Walsingham, where his Grandpa Alfred was born in 1848. How circular is that?

Take-off was even later today at 1030 for the Hannomag tank factory. H2X was used but the bombing was only fair. Many new crews were flying with the 96th now. Peder Larsen's diary hints at the frustrations of the more seasoned fliers: "Had new boys on each wing and they tried to fly too darn close. Don't know how Brandt missed me once when he overshot." No casualties, no damage.

Brandt was the pilot of Daddy's crew. If he hadn't missed that day, none of us would be here.

There's a fingernail moon tonight

Remember when we used to call it that?

The problem with having a blog

that my family knows about is that there's so much I really can't say.

Starting to think maybe I need a separate blog that they don't know about.

Got my girls back

They were home sick last week, but both are fine now. Their mom's back on the job hunt so we're back to the regular routine.

Sure was happy to see 'em today. The baby's sitting up now--not for more than a few minutes at a time, but she's getting there. It was nice out so we went to the park and had fun on the swings--haven't done that in ages. Need to find a different park, though--there's no merry-go-round.

Overall, it was a pretty good day.

Sweet little baby girl

The image quality is crappy, but my old digital camera never has taken really good pictures. Mikey says our new video camera is also a digital camera--guess I'd better get the instructions out again because I didn't notice that part.

Intro to Daddy's B-17 tour

Like I said earlier, the 60th anniversary of Daddy's missions is coming up, beginning March 14, and I'll be posting lots of interesting stuff about them. He never talked about any of it, but others did and some even wrote it all down and put it online for me to find.

Like Marshall Stelzriede, a B-17 navigator who was stationed at Snetterton Heath, the same place as Daddy but about 18 months earlier. His website gave me the best overall picture of it might have been like--I printed out a big chunk of the journal for Mom a couple of years ago, so you might have seen that part already. But the site is very thorough and detailed, with lots of pictures, which should give you some idea of what our dad went through.

Until I started studying on this, I had absolutely no idea what he did over there. Now I do, and I'm pretty impressed.

Oh Kitty My Kitty

Our little buddy was diagnosed in January with restrictive cardiomyopathy. Don't know how much longer he'll be with us, but we faithfully dose him twice a day with heart medicine and Lasix and keep him loved up as much as we can. He seems to be doing all right--mostly. Has to go to the vet every two weeks to have fluid drained off his lungs, or else he'll suffocate.