398th Bomb Group
Memorial
Association


Lt. Robert E. Weidig's Diary
Co-Pilot 603rd Squadron

Weidig's Mission No. 4

2 November 1944
Target: Merseburg, Germany

Thursday, November 2, 1944:

Fourth mission, Merseburg, 7 hours and 25 minutes. Newman - Reed shot down over target by fighters. Flak and fighters all over the place. Number 3 vibrating from target back to base. Could not get out of flak over target no matter where we went.

Went into target with 12 ships, came out with 3 German fighters on our tail. Rough mission, REALLY LUCKY!

Picked up two flak holes. One in the tail, one in number 2. Flew as Co-Pilot for Lt. Spitzer. Spangler and the boys did not go **. Wish I hadn’t either. First time in over 100 missions that our group had been hit with fighters. “Everything happens to me.”

Notes:
  • Lt. Robert E. Weidig was the Co-Pilot for the Harold F. Spangler 603rd crew.
  • ** Weidig states in his diary; "Spangler and the boys did not go." Actually T/Sgt. Howard F. Ayers, Radio Operator with the Spangler Crew, flew with Stockman's Crew on Nov. 02, 1944. Being an officer, Weidig was probably not aware that one of Spangler's enlisted men had also been assigned to a different crew that day. Officers and enlisted men were kept separated (for the most part) when not flying missions.
  • The above transcription was provided by Ann Collins, daughter of Phillip Collins, Ball Turret Gunner on the 601st Saul Marias Crew.
  • This transcription is a reproduction of the original. Spelling and punctuation changes have been made to improve readability. In some circumstances, material may not have been transcribed or was rewritten.
  • Clarification of acronyms or special words or guesses of certain words are shown in brackets [ ].

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