Ancon Rimini Mosta Ciampino Pontecorv Anzio Anzio Orbetello Arezzo AAR Message : B-24D "Boxcar Willie"; William Shanks - commanding 900 th (Heavy) Bombardment Group 925 th (Heavy) Bombardment Squadron Based at: San Giovanni Airfield, Italy 10 February, 1944 Target: Turnu Severin, Romania - Railyards Boxcar Willie: 9; Latrine Queen: 1; Fubar: 1; uncredited missions: 1 Combat Box Formation; position 6 (high cell) Crew: (Missions Flown) Name [E/A Credited] (11) Pilot: 1Lt. William Shanks (10) Copilot: 2Lt. Hugh Bennick (10) Bombardier: 2Lt. Frank Sherwood [1⅚-109]; [⅓-190] (11) Navigator: 1Lt. Clemens Fesmire [2-109]; [1⅛ -190] (11) -ace- Engineer: MSgt. Tom Hughes [2 17 /18-109]; [3 5 /24-190]; [½ -210] (10) Radioman: TSgt. Ripley Andrews (11) -ace- Ball Gun: Cpl. Eugene Shortcake Hamill [1-109]; [2 7 /12-190]; [1½-110]; [1-Ju88C-6] (7) Left Waist: Sgt. Lewis Johnson [1 4 /9-109]; [⅜ -190]; [1-110] (7) Right Waist: Cpl. Roland Fec [½ -109]; [1⅚--190] (11) Tail Gunner: Sgt. Oscar Shoup [ 11 /24-190]; [2½-109]; [1-110]; [½ -210] total - 27 11 /36 e/a credited Substitute crew who have flown with Boxcar Willie crew (16) Copilot: Capt. Carter Heath - invalided stateside (1) Bombardier: 2Lt. Alan Hudson [1½-109] (2) Radioman: SSgt. Chris Ford [1-109] BOMBER AAR SUMMARY Did your Bomber abort before Bombing? -no Were your bombs dropped "On-Target"? -yes What was your "On-Target" bomb %? 30% Was your Bomber Destroyed? no Number of Crew Lost - KIA / MIA / SW/SH? zero Total Enemy Aircraft spotted? 20 Total Driven off by Fighter Cover? 17
Total EAC Attacks? 10 Total EAC Credited as Destroyed by B-24 Def. Fire? 1½ Zones Out of Formation @ 10K: 0 Damage to bomber-boxcar Willie: [Peckham Pts. = 10] mechanical failure - bomb release mechanism [10] Enemy Aircraft This Mission Enemy fighters destroyed this mission: (claimed); [approved] Bombardier: 2Lt. Sherwood (⅓ -109) [⅙ - 109] Navigator: 1Lt. Fesmire (⅓ -109) [⅓ -109] Engineer: MSgt. Hughes (⅓ -109) [⅙ - 109] (⅓ -109) [⅓ -109] Left Waist: Sgt. Johnson (⅓ -109) [⅓ -109] Tail Gunner: Sgt. Shoup (⅓ -109) [⅙ - 109] Ammunition expended: 8 rounds After Action Highlights Zone 1 base e/a encountered e/a escort engaged e/a claimed e/a credited TOTAL 20 17 2 1½ Fw-190 7 6 0 0 Me-109 9 7 2 1½ Me-110 4 4 0 0 Me-210 0 0 0 0 Ju88C6 0 0 0 0 4 - takeoff without incident good Zone 2 outbound hazy; no contrails GAF: light good escort 05 - mechanical failure - ball turret power - turret repaired 3-1 = 2 [0 waves] Zone 3 outbound hazy; no contrails GAF: none good escort 25 - no mechanical failures [0 waves] Zone 4 outbound 50% CC; no contrails GAF: none good escort 41 - no mechanical failures [0 waves]
Zone 5 outbound hazy; contrails GAF: heavy good escort 49 - no mechanical failures 2+2 = 4 [1 wave] 54 (heavy) - (4) Me109s (12Lv); (12Lo); (12H); (1030Lv) (2+3) - fighter cover 3(2) = engages Me109s (12Lo); (12H); (1030Lv) 12-veteran (Lv) nose (4+2)= 6 (miss) claimed ⅓ - credited ⅙ top-ace (5+4)+1+1= 11 (hit) (6+6) = destroyed nose/fuselage obliterated - pilot trapped claimed ⅓ - credited ⅙ tail-passing shot (2+1)-1+1 = 3 (miss) claimed ⅓ - credited ⅙ Zone 6 outbound clear; no contrails GAF: light good escort 98 - no mechanical failures 1-1 = 0 [0 waves] Zone 7 outbound hazy; contrails GAF: heavy good escort 86 - no mechanical failures 5+2 = 7 [1 wave] 62 (heavy) - (1) Me109 (3Lv); (1) Me110 (130Lv) (2+4) - fighter cover 2(1) = engages both enemy aircraft Zone 8 outbound hazy; no contrails GAF: moderate fair escort 80 - no mechanical failures 4+1 = 5 [1 wave] 32 (moderate) - (1) Fw190 (9H) (4+3) - fighter cover 2(2) = engages Fw190 Zone 9 target zone hazy no contrails GAF: moderate good escort 24 - no mechanical failures 6+1+1 = 8 [2 waves] 65 (moderate) - (1) Fw190 (6Lv) (5+2) - fighter cover 3(2) = engages Fw190 53 (moderate) - (2) Me109s (9Lv); (12H) (5+2) - fighter cover 3(2) = engages both 109s. target approach hazy no contrails slightly obscured light flak
target egress light flak lt. flak (3+3) - miss; (4+5) - miss; (2+4) - miss bombing (3+5)-2 = 6 on target (1+5) - 30% lt. flak (4+1) - miss; (3+1) - miss; (2+4) - miss Zone 9 target zone hazy; no contrails GAF: moderate good escort 93 - no mechanical failures 3+1+1= 5 [1 wave] 46 (moderate) - no attack Zone 8 return hazy; no contrails GAF: light good escort 63 - no mechanical failures 9-1= 8 [2 waves] 65 (light) - no attack 21 (light) - no attack Zone 7 return hazy; no contrails GAF: light good escort 02 - mechanical failures (90) bomb release mechanism - no effect - already bombed 8-1= 7 [1 wave] 66 (light) random event (24) - hot pilot - landing Zone 6 return clear; no contrails GAF: moderate good escort 73 - no mechanical failures 3+1= 4 [1 wave] 12 (moderate) (1) Fw190 (12H) (3+6) - fighter cover 3(2) = engages Fw190 at (12H) Zone 5 return hazy; no contrails GAF: light good escort 45 - no mechanical failures 9-1= 8 [2 waves] 66 (light) - no attack 13 (light) (1) Me110 (130Lv) (4=4) - fighter cover 2(1) = engages Me110 (130Lv)
Zone 4 return hazy; contrails GAF: moderate good escort 86 - no mechanical failures 8+1= 9 [2 waves] 31 (moderate) - no attack 35 (moderate) - (4) Fw190s (12Lo); (3Lv); (130H); (9H) (2+5) - fighter cover 3(2) = engages Fw190s (12Lo); (3Lv); (130H) Fw190-vet. (9H) top (ace) (5+1)+1+1+1=9 (hit) FBOA - lt. wing - superficial lt. waist (4+6)+1=11 (hit) FCA - lt. wing - superficial Fw190-vet. (9H) (2+3)-2-1=2 (miss) no collision Zone 3 return clear; no contrails GAF: light good escort 81 - no mechanical failures 10-1= 9 [2 waves] 34 (light) (2) Me110s (6Lo); (VC) (1+5) - fighter cover 2(1) = engages both Me110s 54 (light) (2) Me109s (1030H); (12H) (1+5) - fighter cover 2(1) = engages Me109 (12H) 109-veteran (1030H) top-ace (4+4)+1+1=10 (hit) (4+2) FBOA - lt. aileron destroyed claimed -⅓ credited - ⅓ lt. cheek (2+3)= 5 (miss) claimed -⅓ credited - ⅓ lt. waist (2+6)=8 (hit) (6+4) Destroyed - lt. wing tears off - pilot goes down with plane claimed -⅓ credited - ⅓ Zone 2 return hazy; no contrails GAF: none good escort 20 - no mechanical failures Zone 1 base 42 - no mechanical failures (5+6) = 11 safe landing. good Respectfully submitted: B-24D "Boxcar Willie"; 1Lt. William Shanks - commanding