398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


S/Sgt. James Lafayette Holloway's Diary
Tail Gunner 601st Squadron

Holloway Mission No. 12

18 March 1945
Target Berlin, Germany

March 18, 1945 – Mission # 12, target Berlin, 9 hours, 5/10 cloud coverage, 26,500 feet, intense and accurate flack, fires and heavy smoke in the target area. We used both demolition and incendiary bombs. This was a 1,500 plane raid on Germany. Every thing flew that could get in the air. By the time we got to the target, so many other planes had crossed it below us, each leaving a heavy condensation trail, that we were unable to see the ground and bombed by radar.

Notes:
  • S/Sgt. James Lafayette Holloway was the tail gunner on James Womeldurf's 601st Squadron crew.
  • The above transcription was provided by James Lafayette Holloway.
  • This transcription is a careful reproduction of the original except for occasional spelling and punctuation changes. In some circumstances, based on relevancy, some material may not have been transcribed.
  • Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

The above diary entry has been placed on the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web site to share our history with a wider audience. You may view, download, print, copy and link to our content as you wish as long as the uses are personal or educational. 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association web page content cannot be used for commercial purposes nor placed on other web sites whether commercial, personal or educational, unless authorized in writing by the 398th Bomb Group Memorial Association Official Board and/or the author.