After Action Report. Key: 1. * = 1 Enemy A/C KIA # = 5 Enemy A/C KIA. / 2 = Half of an Enemy A/C KIA 1. / 3 = Third of an Enemy A/C KIA

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1 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF WAR HEADQUARTERS 900th BOMB GROUP (H) BOMBER COMMAND FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE STATION 300 SAN GIOVANNI AIRFIELD, ITALY APO 766 After Action Report Pilot: 1st Lt. Robert Ward Aircraft: Sour Puss (B-24D-CO ) Squadron: 926th Bomber Squadron, 900th Bomber Group (Heavy) Mission: 019 (Bomber 1) Date: Thursday, February 25, 1944 (2 days from last mission) Primary Target: Regensburg, Germany Aircraft Factories Position: Middle Squadron, Cell slot #17 Crew Status: KIA=0 / SW=0 / LW=0 / Frostbite=0 (missions) Pilot: 1 ST LT. Robert Ward (2) Copilot: 2 ND LT. Allan Hansen (2) Bombardier: 2 ND LT. Timothy Lacarbo (2) Navigator: 2 ND LT. Kevin Waltherson (2) Engineer: TSGT. Dwayne Workman (2) Radio Op.: SSGT. Neil Walter (2) Ball Turret: SGT. Eric Baker (2) Waist Gunner LH: SGT. Tony McFarland (2) Waist Gunner RH: SGT. Anthony Ellis (2) Tail Gunner: SGT. Jose Ortiz (2) Key: 1 / 2 = Half of an Enemy A/C KIA 1 / 3 = Third of an Enemy A/C KIA * = 1 Enemy A/C KIA # = 5 Enemy A/C KIA Bomb Run: Bomb Drop; On Accuracy; 60%

2 Enemy Fighters: Type Claims Confirmed Bf Full Credit Bf FW JU 88 0 Me Full Credit Me C Encounters: 21 (Bf109-7 / Bf110-0 / FW190 9 / Me210 2) Damaged: 6 (KIA 2 / Prob 2/ Damg 2) Driven Off by P-38 Escort: 3 (Bf109-6 / Bf110-0 / FW190 6 / Me210 1) Individual Claims/Confirmed: LT. T. Lacarbo ½ x Me210 (1/2 Credit) TSGT. D. Workman ½ x Me210 (1/2 Credit) and ½ x Bf 109 (1/2 Credit) SGT. J. Ortiz ½ x Bf 109 (1/2 Credit) Medals and Promotions: None. B-24D s disposition: Port wing flap damaged, Auto pilot damaged & 1/3 rd damage to the rudder. Aircraft will be repaired before the next mission. Peckham Points: 4 pts Replacement Aircraft/Crew Status: Only a few superficial holes in the nose section and the port wing. Aircraft will be ready for next mission. MSgt. Damian Jackson

3 Mission Debriefing By 1st Lt. Robert Ward, 900th BG (H) MISSION 2 (Groups 019) Saturday February 25, 1944 Styer, Austria A/#/F Plane: B-779 "Sour Puss" Position: No. #17, Low Squadron Altitude: 21,500 feet Mission Report C1M Mission two was similar to the last as the Luftwaffe was either not playing or running from the escort fighters. Early on we did see a lot of activity, but it concentrated on other groups. The 463rd took it hard over the Adriatic. Two lone Bf109s on separate attacks attempted to make a run on our ship, but the P47s drove them off. About fifty miles further on over the Adriatic there was another enemy attack that our formation fire was able to convince it was a bad idea to carry through with. For the next 150 miles everything was quiet. As the group approached Udine Italy it was attacked by a large group of Me210 - Me410s. A few Me210s swung at us from 12 o clock making a level attack. A P38 shot down the trailing enemy. Lt. Lacarbo and TSgt. Workman combined their shots to shred the lead Messerschmitt. Two chutes were observed coming from the enemy aircraft. That was the last enemy activity till we made the IP. On approach to the target the enemy activity increased for the other groups but was minimal for our group. Though some kraut lobbed a few rockets at our squadron that detonated harmlessly below our planes. Flak going in was very light and had no effect on Sour Puss. LT. Lacarbo again put our eggs on target. At least two thirds hit square on the southeast factory. Generating a large plume of smoke and fire that was observed bellowing into the afternoon sky. Coming off the target the flak heavier than going in. a few burst were close enough to cause minor damage to our plane. After forming up to return home the group was hit by three waves of fighters. Though very few targeted our plane. The first wave only saw one FW190 turn on

4 us, but he was quickly driven off by our P38s. on their second wave two Bf109s swung in with one going down in flames to a P38 and the other to our guns. No chutes were observed from the German planes. The third was the same as the first with one FW190 turning to make a run on Sour Puss. Again, the P38s were on him like fly s on a dirty old hound dog. Our last encounter came once again over Udine Italy as three waves attacked the squadron. The first wave centered on our high cell that we could not provide supporting fire. The next two waves saw a pair of FW190s each. The first of these resulted in one being driven off by our P38s. the remaining butcherbird was severely damaged by our guns causing him to miss his shot and heading home. The last wave had a similar result with a pair of P38s chasing off one FW and our guns damaging the other. The Hun missed his shot and continued through the group till finally diving from combat. About 100 to 150 miles later the group was targeted though friendly fire kept them at bay. Not much more happened from this point on. Weather over the base was good making landing a breeze. Respectfully, 1st Lt. Robert Ward (Serial No ) Commanding Officer, Sour Puss 926th BS, 900TH BG(H), 15th USAAF

5 Did your Bomber abort before Bombing? Were your bombs dropped "On-Target"? What was your "On-Target" bomb %? 60% What is an Attack? [Yes/No] [Yes/No} [%] [Yes/Lost/No] [SW/SH = Serious Wounded Sent Home] [Sum of all EAC on all Waves] [Total of all EAC driver off by fighter cover - All Waves] [Total of all EAC attacks (Count each Successive Attack as 1] [Total EAC Destroyed] EAC remaining after Fighter Cover has driven some off or Random Events may have the just disappearing. All successive attacks count as a separate attack. Step by step 1. Count every fighter in every wave + extras due to Squadron Position (MC/SL/TEC). 2. Subtract any EAC driver off by fighter cover. 3. Subtract any EAC who just breakoff (Random Event) BOMBER AAR SUMMARY no Yes Was your Bomber Destroyed / Lost? no Number of Crew Lost - KIA / MIA / SW/SH? 0 Total Enemy Aircraft spotted? 18 Total Driven off by Fighter Cover? 12 Total EAC Attacks? 6 Total EAC Destroyed by B-24 Def. Fire? 2 You are now left with attacking fighters. These remaining EAC will be considered attacking, even if they never fire a shot at you and are driven off or destroyed by defensive fire.