S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Diary

Waist Gunner, 600th Squadron

S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne was the Waist Gunner on the Slavin Crew, Tochko Crew and the Weum Crew. During 1944 this crew was based in Nuthampstead, England. The Slavin Crew, knicknamed "Slavin's Slaves", was in the 600th Squadron, 398th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, as were the other two crews.

The diary lists key locations and dates beginning with Felix's first combat mission on June 18, 1944. Felix then relates events of his missions from June 18, 1944 up to his 28th mission on November 25, 1944. Sadly, S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne was killed along with Pilot 1st Lt. Weum, Co-Pilot 1st Lt Charles P. Bagley, Engineer S/Sgt. John L. Zaza, Radio Operator T/Sgt Herbert A. Helbig and Tail Gunner S/Sgt. Charles H. Stein, November 30, 1944 on a mission to Merseburg.

Contents:

  1. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Diary - Transcription
  2. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Diary (pdf) - This downloadable pdf file is a scan of the original S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Diary.
  3. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Diary History
  4. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Portrait - 1944
  5. Slavin's Crew - 600th Squadron - 20 July 1944
  6. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Air Medals (pdf) - Air Medals with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters. The 4th Oak Leaf Cluster was awarded after Byrne's 25th completed mission (Air Medal awarded after first 5 missions, one OLC awarded for every 5 missions completed after. He flew 28 before he was KIA on his 29th mission.
  7. S/Sgt. Felix E. Byrne's Purple Heart Medal (pdf) - Awarded posthumously after he was KIA on 30 November 1944.