Date: 6 May 1944

MISSION #23

BASE: Castelluccio dei Sauri

TARGET: Pitesti, Romania--Marshalling Yard

SHIP: Jesse James …808

ESCORT: P-51’s and P-38’s

BOMBS: 10 x 500 lb. General Purpose from 20,000 feet

ENEMY AIRCRAFT: Six ME-109’s

FLAK: None at target. Some en route.

RESULT: Good. Marshalling yard completely covered and line leading northwest out of yard is out. Roundhouse hit. Oil cars in marshalling yard probably hit.

SORTIES: 2 Total: 32

MISSION TIME: 7:30 Total: 153:45

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NARRATIVE: After yesterday’s mission I didn’t want to get back in JESSE JAMES and go again. But I did--so I wouldn’t let the rest of the crew down. This mission was to support the Red Army. Our job was to cripple transport for reinforcement at the front. We dropped our bombs while flying along the tracks instead of at an angle and for a long distance instead of in a concentrated pattern. We walked them straight down the rows of track, a distance of 5500 feet.

Compared to the day before, this one was a milk run--not much flak, only a few fighters and a good escort. However, one crew lost two engines and made it home only after throwing out everything possible.