Date: 2 May 1944

MISSION #21

BASE: Castelluccio dei Sauri

TARGET: Orbetello, Italy--Seaplane Base and Radar Station

SHIP: Jesse James …808

ESCORT: P-47's joined us at the turn point.

BOMBS: 10 x 500 lb. General Purpose from 18,000 feet.

ENEMY AIRCRAFT: none

FLAK: Intense Volume, Accurate Aim, Heavy Caliber

RESULTS: Missed target. Our bombs fell in the harbor beside the town.

SORTIES: 1 Total: 28

MISSION TIME: 7:00 Total: 138:15

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NARRATIVE: Month of May. Summer is just around the corner. Invasion soon, I’ll bet. The primary target was Parma, Italy Marshalling Yard. Alternate targets were any active Marshalling Yard in North Italy except Florence and Rimini. We ran into overcast at 21,000 feet and dropped to 18,000 feet to get under it. The Colonel leading the wing lost us as he maneuvered under the clouds so we bombed a target of opportunity, a Seaplane Base and Radar Station at Orbetello, Italy.

We were assigned a new ship and named it JESSE JAMES after our pilot Robert James and the original outlaw from Missouri. Thinking of all the people we have killed makes me feel like an outlaw.