Date: Mar 3, 44
Dispatched: 45 Aborts:7
Mission: Penetration Support to 1st ATF, 300 B-17s (1st Div)
Field Order: 259 Target: Berlin (aborted)
Time Up/Down: 09:40 hrs 12:45 hrs Leader: Lt Col. Rimerman
Claims Air: 00-00-00 Claims Ground: 00-00-00 Lost/Damaged: 00-00
Group saw bombers to north when passing West Frisian Islands. R/V north of Helgoland 10:50 hrs. Bomber formation good at 26,000ft. Left bombers 11:15 hrs, vicinity NW of Elmshorn when lead formations [of] bombers made a 180 degree turn, and Goldsmith 1-2 had informed Group leader they were returning. L/F out over West Frisian Islands 11:55 hrs, 20,000ft. Moderate to meagre inaccurate flak all along northern route. No e/a seen. Large white explosion 24,000ft approx. Vicinity Borkum Islands when Group coming out. Seven freighters seen mouth of Elbe River. 8 freighters slightly out to sea at mouth of Ems River. Small but well developed A/D on Helgoland. Radio reception excellent to Norderney Islands. Lt Col. Rimerman, Capt. Charles L. Stafford and Capt John B. Rose of Group HQ participated.
350th: Major Pidduck. T/U 09:40 hrs. T/D 12:50 hrs. Total flight time 03:10 hrs. L/F in on course 10:20 hrs, 22,000ft. R/V with bombers 1st Div over course 10:50 hrs, 29,000ft. Formation good, many stragglers. P-47s. No combat. Left bombers 11:11 hrs, 29,000ft. Left coast Terschelling 12:00 hrs, 24,000ft. R/T normal. Overcast heavy cumulus, 4/10 increasing to solid overcast at R/V.
| Major | Stanley R. | Pidduck | (Sqdn Ldr) |
| Capt | John B. | Rose | |
| 1st Lt | William F. | Tanner | |
| 1st Lt | Chauncey | Rowan | |
| Capt | Robert E. | Fortier | (Flt Ldr) |
| 1st Lt | Charles O. | Durant | |
| 1st Lt | John | Sullivan | |
| 1st Lt | Carl W. | Mueller | |
| 1st Lt | John L. | Devane | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Arthur C. | Bergeron | |
| 1st Lt | Francis T. | Walsh | |
| 1st Lt | Robert S. | Hart | |
| 1st Lt | William J. | Price | (Flt Ldr) |
| 2nd Lt | Richard L. | Bedford | |
| 1st Lt | Melvin P. | Dawson | |
| 1st Lt | Roland N. | McKean | |
| 1st Lt | John H. | Winder |
351st: Major Christian. T/U 09:39 hrs. T/D 12:48 hrs. Total flight time 03:09 hrs. Route: In north of Terschelling Island, over Itzehoe, out north of Terschelling Island. Penetration support [L/F in] North of Terschelling Island at 10:30 hrs at 27,000ft. Unit unknown south of Helgoland at 10:50 hrs at 27,000ft. [Bombers] fairly good formation. One group of P-47s [seen]. [Left bombers] North of Itzehoe at 11:15 hrs at 27,000ft. [L/F out] North of Terschelling Island at 12:24 hrs at 14,000ft. Seven freighters seen at mouth of Elbe River, also 8 more freighters seen at mouth of Ems River, slightly out at sea.
| Major | Shannon | Christian | (Sqdn Ldr) | YJ-H | |
| 2nd Lt | Irving | Toppel | YJ-I | ||
| 1st Lt | Francis N. | King | YJ-P | ||
| 2nd Lt | Frank J. | Mincik | YJ-M | ||
| 2nd Lt | Richard D. | Stanley | (Flt Ldr) | YJ-R | 42-75507 |
| 2nd Lt | John G. | Treitz | YJ-J | ||
| 2nd Lt | Harry D. | Milligan | YJ-Y | ||
| Capt | Vic L. | Byers | (Flt Ldr) | YJ-L | |
| 2nd Lt | William J. | Weaver | YJ-N | ||
| 2nd Lt | George F. | Perpente | YJ-G | ||
| 2nd Lt | Jack | Terzian | YJ-W | ||
| F/O | Cletus | Peterson | (Flt Ldr) | YJ-P | |
| 2nd Lt | Herbert K. | Field | YJ-F | ||
| 2nd Lt | Francis L. | Edwards | YJ-T | ||
| Capt | Charles L. | Stafford | YJ-A | 42-75850 | |
| 2nd Lt | Robert C. | Strobell | (Relay) | YJ-U | |
| 1st Lt | William R. | Burkett | (Not dis) | YJ-B | 42-75457 |
| 1st Lt | Frank N. | Emory | (Not dis) | YJ-E | 42-75815 |
352nd: Lt Col Rimerman. T/U 09:33 hrs. T/D 12:50 hrs. Total flight time 03:17 hrs. Penetration support to 1st ATF, 1st Div. R/V with 1st Div of bombers at about 10:50 hrs in vicinity of Helgoland at 26,000ft. Bomber formation was good with few abortions. 1st 2 CWs aborted so we turned and came with them. Observed other P-47s. Left bombers at about 11:15 hrs somewhere along the Frisian Islands about Ameland. Moderate, heavy flak from Cuxhaven inaccurate. Meager flak from all along Frisian Islands. 80-100 bursts of heavy flak from Helgoland, accurate for altitude but behind. It was directed toward a Fort flying at about 22,000ft. [Weather] Clear at base, increasing to 9 to 10/10 covered at R/V point. Top of Hi-cirrus around 27,000ft. 1 B-17 believed to be E[nemy] flown seen flying opposite course of B-17s then turned and headed on course with them. This B-17 had standard American markings with a white square with a “C”. Its waist doors were seen open. Small but well-developed A/D seen on Helgoland.
| Lt Col | Ben | Rimerman | (Grp & Sqdn Ldr) | SX-U | |
| 2nd Lt | Maurice | Morrison | SX-A | ||
| 1st Lt | Gordon S. | Burlingame | SX-M | ||
| 2nd Lt | Glenn G. | Callans | SX-V | ||
| Capt | Wilbert H. | Juntilla | (Flt Ldr) | SX-H | |
| 2nd Lt | Donald J. | Corrigan | SX-Q | ||
| 1st Lt | Leslie P. | Cles | SX-G | ||
| 2nd Lt | Hildreth R. | Owens | SX-F | ||
| Capt | Raynor E. | Robertson | (Flt Ldr) | SX-S | |
| 2nd Lt | Harry H. | Dustin | SX-W | ||
| 1st Lt | William F. | Streit | SX-Y | 42-22465 | |
| 2nd Lt | Joseph A. | Schillinger | SX-O | ||
| Major | William B. | Bailey | SX-B | ||
| 1st Lt | Gordon L. | Willits | SX-R |
Group Aborts/ERTNs:
| 42-8390 | DNTO wing tanks | SX-I | |
| 42-74647 | ABT BT wouldn’t draw | LH-U | |
| 42-8373 | ABT radio out | LH-Y | |
| 42-76321 | ABT oil leak | LH-S | |
| 42-74618 | ERTN escort | LH-? | |
| 42-75507 | ABT oil leak | YJ-R | Lt. Stanley flying. |
| 42-75850 | ABT left wing tank | YJ-A | Capt. Stafford flying. |
| 42-22465 | ABT oil leak | SX-Y | Lt. Streit flying. |
| 42-75457 | ERTN rough engine | YJ-B | Lt. Burkett flying |
| 42-75815 | ERTN broken glass elbow | YJ-E | Lt. Emory flying. |
353rdFighterGroup 