418th Sqdn. 418th Sqdn. Transferred to 100th BG from 94th BG in Oct. 1943. See p. 38 SOC.

A/C flown: "Reilly's Racehorse" #42-30062 LD-O. The aircraft was name after Pilot Tom Reilly commented the plane "flew like a race horse" That prompted Crew Chief Wally Jack to dub the plane with its third name. Previous to that, the aircraft was called "Bastards Bungalow (was painted on aircraft) and Terry N' Ten (painted TNT).

T/Sgt. William R. Wilson
Top Turret Gunner and Flight Engineer
"Reilly’s Racehorse"
418^th Sqdn., 100^th Bomb Grp.
8^th A.A.F.

August 27 – The day has finally arrived that we are to proceed to combat. Leave Dyersburg, Tennessee and proceed to Scott Field, Illinois. Not a bad place but were disappointed because they didn’t allow us a pass to St. Louis.

August 28 – Very pleasant surprise this morning as I was promoted to Technical Sgt. Alos start having our equipment checked and physical exam. Our plane is supposed to be taken away from us. Makes us very unhappy especially after taking such good care of it.

August 29 – Day started off with a lot of lectures. Are told to start packing for "Port of Embarkation." Sent a number of things home including a few "special" tools.

August 30 – Were issued our bright new .45 pistols today. Everyone is doing a lot of griping, wanting to get the hell out of here. Camp is too strict to suit us.

August 31 – Received a partial payment of $50.00. Everybody wants to go to town but "no soap". Sent Norma Jean an expansion bracelet.

September 1 – Are told today that we will be leaving for P.O.E. tomorrow. Everyone writes last minute letters and are all packed.

September 2 – At the very last minute, our ship #534 is given back to us and the reshuffle takes place. We "take-off": for Bangor, Maine. Trips takes 6 hours but is very nice all the way. Bangor is a very desolate place and immediately gives you that "jumping-off-place" feeling.

September 3 – Out of bed early, those who went to bed; I worked until 12:00 on the #2 engine. Repairing the cockpit heater. Leave Bangor at 7:00 and arrive at Goose Bay, Labrador at 4:00, - 9 hours. The country was getting very rough and our navigator was off course 30 miles. Made it O.K. though by radio. Service plane and go to bed.

September 4 – We left G.B. about 8:30 for Greenland. Rather cold and country is really getting rugged. Got to see lots of icebergs floating around. Flew up a lonesome Fjord at about 50 feet but landed O.K. at Bluie W.I. at about 4:00 but it is almost dark already.

September 5 – The next entry will be skipped for some time. At Bluie W.I. The weather got bad and we layed around for a week. When it did clear enough to take off we knocked a wing tip off on a B-25, on Sept 8^th. That made another delay as no repairs were available. We didin’t mind so much though as the barracks were good, the eats, although dehydrated, were good. Wrote everyone letters and received another partial payment. Our new wing-tip still didn’t’ arrive so we go to work and repair the old one good enough to take off on. On Sept 13^th we taxi out and head for Iceland. Visibility was almost zero upon arriving but our Navigator brought us right in on the field. Took us about 8 hours to make the trip.

September 15 – Iceland is a lot worse than Greenland. It kept raining all the time and the place was plenty sloppy. The heat in the Nissen huts wasn’t too good, and the food was lousy. We all hope we don’t have to stay too long but the weather wouldn’t permit us to leave until –

September 16 – At 9:00 we take-off with Prestwick our destination. Trip was uneventful and we land at 5:00 and have our first look at England. We are restricted to camp so can’t tell yet.

September 17 – Leave Prestwick for a base called "little stone". Our plane is immediately taken when we land. We then catch a train for Bovingdon where we expect to have some more training.

September 18 – We arrived at Bovingdon and start to school. Rather a refresher on the things we had back in the states. All restricted to camp. This continues until Oct 2^nd and I was sent to a gunnery school at "The Wash" and the crew was "split" temporarily. After 8 days of continually firing on the target range, was sent to the 94^th Bombardment Group and assembled with the rest of the crew. After spending either 4 or 5 days there we were transferred again to the 100^th Bomb Gp which had just been wiped out over Munster, Germany. We trained continually until November the 3^rd when we started out on our 1^st raid.

November 3 – This is our first raid. At briefing the target is to be Wilhelmshaven, Germany. This is considered a pretty short trip. 5 ½ hours but it is cold as hell. 47 below zero. The flak was fairly light (I later found out) and there were hardly any interceptors. The entire crew reacted O.K., especially Reilly (pilot) who seems to be a natural born "Flak-Dodger".

November 5 – Our second mission was to Gilsenkirchen, Germany in "Flak Valley" (Ruhr) which is truly named, since the ground barrage is very intense. One of our engines was shot out and the fighters almost got us. Another engine ran out of gas before getting back and we landed on two engines with 63 holes in our plane. Our tail gunner, Sgt. Good of Miss. Was saved by his "Flak" suit. (6 ½ hrs.)

November 7 – 3^rd mission to Duren, Germany. This was a very easy mission. "Milk-Run", no flak and very few fighters. (6 ½ hrs.)

November 13 – 4^th raid on Bremen, Germany. This wasn’t bad on our group but the B-24s caught hell. Saw 3 or 4 planes go down. Flak was light and about 30 fighters against us. (7 hrs.)

November 16 – Raid on Rjukan, Norway. Very rough country. Made Greenland look like a garden. This was a very easy mission except for being so long. The route was all the way across the North Sea. (10 ½ hrs)

November 19 – Our sixth raid was on Gelsenkirchen again. Did our bombing with the pathfinder. Clouds were over the target. Don’t know whether we hit the target or not. Flak and fighters were light. (7hrs)

November 26 – Our 7^th mission was to Paris, France. We didn’t drop our bombs as the target was cloudy. Bombs are not dropped on occupied countries unless the target is clearly visible. Got my first shot at a FW-190 but think I missed. Flak was pretty heavy. (5hrs).

November 29 – Eighth mission to Bremen, Germany. Missed another FW-190 due to frozen turret. One of the Flying Circus boys too. There were quite a few fighters but not much flak. P-47 excort took care of all opposition nicely. We dropped our bomgs on the pathfinder but believe we missed the target. (7 hrs.)

December 5 – Tenth mission to Bordeaux, France. Saw the Pyrenees mountains in Spain. Received an Oak Leaf Cluster for my Air Medal. Trip was easy although long. (9 hrs)

December 11 – Our eleventh mission the 11^th day. Went to the sub pens at Emden, Germany. Weather was clear & cold, 47 below. Fighters attacked head-on in groups of 6 to 15. The attack wasn’t directly on us but the lead group was slashed up pretty badly. We however expended plenty of ammunition and whipped the pants off of them. Got 138 fighters. Saw plenty of rocket ships. (6 hrs).

December 13 – Awakened at 3:30 for our 12^th mission to the sub pens at Kiel, Germany. This was one of the toughest raids yets. Never saw so much flak before. Quite a few holes in our ship. Have a little piece of it for a souvenir. Though once we were going down. Got a few shots at an ME-210 but don’t think I got him. At least didin’t claim him. Our losses were light for that kind a target. (7 1.2 hrs)

December 14 – Got up at 2:30 and was briefed for Berlin. It was called off at 5:30 though and rescheduled for Kiel. Later, that was cancelled also. Suited me O.K. because I could sleep all day and did.

December 16 – Our 13^th raid to Bremen. Flak was the worst I believe there ever was. Supposed to have been 525 guns shooting at us and I believe it. Saw one crippled Fortress knock down 4 FW-190s and still come home. Fighters were in small force. Approximately 1175 USAAF planes took part in the assault. (7 hrs)

December 20 – Back to Bremen. Flak still terrific. The sky was very clear and we hit the target center. The fighter support was very good and we should just about have all military installations wiped. Our losses were approximately 25. Was awarded the Air Medal tonight by Colonel Harding. (7 hrs)

December 22 – Munster, Germany here we come. Ate breakfast at 5:00 briefed at 6:00. This is the place that the 100^th group was virtually wiped out before I came in. We only lost one ship by flak, which was intense but nothing like Bremen. Not many fighters (6 hrs)

December 24 – Christmas Eve. We take off at 11:30 to bomb the rocket guns in France. A "milk-run". No flak and few fighters. Hope we get more of these kind. (4 ½ hrs)

January 1, 1944 – Went to London on a 3 day pass the 30^th and came back today. Got to sweat out my first air raid by the Germans. Very exciting but not good.

January 5 – Our 17^th raid to Elberfeld, Germany (Neuse) in the Ruhr Valley. Very heavy flak as usual but our escort took care of the fighters. This was the target referred to in the newspapers as an accidental hit on a bolt and nut factory, but the weather was perfect for bombing and we know what we were doing. (5 hrs)

January 11 – We embark to the coast of England (Bournemouth) for a 7 day rest. This place wasn’t so good. We discovered it was a good place to rest though. We missed several raids including the tough one of Jan 11^th. Witnessed another air raid while coming back through London but not very heavy. Received another Oak Leaf Cluster January 21^st.

January 24 – Our 18^th mission to Frankfurt, Germany. Was recalled 20 minutes from the target. Killed some more sharks in the channel. Fighter support was perfect. Not much flak but it was very accurate. Saw on 17 get its tail shot off. (Picture in back). (6 hrs)

January 25 – From this date through the next five days we got up for a mission every morning at 3:30 but by 6:00 the weather was so bad we couldn’t take off.

February 3 – Back to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. They need another little dose of what we gave them just 3 months ago today. Flak was pretty heavy but no fighters. A rather easy mission although nerve shattering. Bombing was done by pathfinders. (7 hrs)

February 6 – We didn’t fly today but another crew took our ship and were shot down. Another crew’s ship, who stay in our barracks, was shot down also. Rosie’s Riveters. This was the only crew that survived the Munster raid.

[NOTE: Wilson’s ship was "Reilly’s Racehorse" (42-30062) was flown by the Arthur Scoggins Crew on 10 Feb 1944 and was shot down. "Rosie’s Riveters" (42-30758) was renamed "Satcha Lass" by the Ross McPhee crew and was shot down with this crew aboard on 4 Feb 1944.]

February 13 – 20^th mission to Rocket Gun coast of France. Another pretty easy mission. Flew low altitude 12,000 ft. Ipswich underwent a pretty heavy bombing tonight. We had a good ringside seat as it is 15 miles from here. (4 hrs.)

February 21 – Our 21^st sortie to Brunswick. Took off at 8:30. The weather turned bad and we were recalled just 15 minutes from the target. Bombed a couple of airfields and came back. Lots of flak and lots of fighters but our group wasn’t bothered. Had good fighter support also. (7 ½ hrs.)

February 24 – Our 22^nd raid to a town in Poland but target wasn’t clear so we bombed Rostock, Germany. The longest trip yet and fighters attacked continually for 4 hours. Losses were light despite heavy flak and fighters. Expended 300 rounds of ammo but didn’t claim any fighters. Saw Sweden and the Baltic Sea for the first time. (11 hrs.)

February 25 – 23^rd sortie to Regensburg. Another long haul. Had quite a few fighters but escort was pretty good. Flak was heavy but some of the ships that were hit went to Switzerland which was in sight. Very clear weather and the 15^th AAF from Africa hit the target just before we did. The target was blasted off the map. It was located in a bend of the Danube River and we could see it clearly. (10 hrs.)

February 28 – Another milk-run to Pas-De-Calais on the coast of France. Rocket installations. Not much flak and no fighters. Easy. (5 hrs.)

February 29 – 25^th mission to Brunswick, Germany. We thought this would be a very tough mission as this is where the big battle of Jan 11^th came off but the fighters have moved back toward Berlin, if there are any left. Very happy to get back. Brunswick is only 52 milies from Berlin. (6 ½ hrs.)

March 6 – Started to work as Turret Instructor for Major Cohen. They promise to let us go home in from 3 to 6 weeks. Hope so anyway.

March 23 – Left 100^th Bomb Group at 5:00pm for 12^th R.C.D. to get ready to go home. Had two day pass which we used looking around London. The rest of the boys have been at 12 R.C.D. for 10 days.

March 25 – Arrived at 12^th R.C.D. Saturday night about 7:30. camp seemed to be fairly nice. Will begin getting ready for return journey. Am fully ready right now.

T/Sgt. William R. Wilson
Top Turret Gunner and Flight Engineer
"Reilly’s Racehorse"
418^th Sqdn., 100^th Bomb Grp.
8^th A.A.F.