War Diary: CAPT. WAYNE ALLEN, 1943-45
Wayne B Allen
1st Lt AC 0-854874
445th Bomb Group APO 634
1st Lt AC 0-854874
445th Bomb Group APO 634
This starts the 2nd Diary of Major Wayne Allen (see first Diary)
{Notes on inside cover} Wayne B. Allen Capt AC
{Notes on 1st page} Purchased 16 April 1945
Brighton Sussex England
OER – 2111 classification
{with arrows drawing from the following numbers up to the 2111 numbers}
- Not recommend {sic} Reg. Army {arrow drawn to the #2 in 2111}
- Recommended Reserve {arrow drawn to the 2nd #1 in 2111}
- Wants Reg. Army {arrow drawn to the 3rd #1 in 2111}
- Wants Reserve {arrow drawn to the 4th #1 in 2111}
{Notes on back of 1st page}
Barrack 9W – Sept 44 to June 45
Capt. Benjamin W. Finly
4953 Virginia Ave.
Kansas City, MO
1st Lt. John Allen Reed
6401 Sagamore Road
Kansas City, MO
Capt. Arne M. Mars
4053 Doris Ave
Detroit, MI
1st Lt. Frederick A. Jacobi
5000 Independence Ave
New York 63, NY
1st Lt. Basil C. Ashcraft
Moccasin, Montana
1st Lt. Chester D. Ingraham
Mount Pleasant St.
North Dillerica, Massas
Capt. Steve NMI Loyzin
Coventry, Conn
January 1 We had a big party in the club the night before and a dance. We were all sleeping late. Planes took off on mission on instruments, as it was so foggy you couldn’t see 50 feet. Wings were all iced up with frost. One of our planes didn’t get off, crashed at end of runway. Plane burned, but all but navigator got out. Bombs (1000 lb) exploded, raining bomb casings on our hut, and practically knocking us out of bed.
February 10, Friday Went to Norwich in PM and got my cleaning from “Archile Serries” cleaners and bought a note book. Stayed all night at A.R.C. Took a bath, cleaned up and early to bed.
February 11, Saturday Caught an early fast train to London, arrived just before noon, ate dinner at Grovesnor House Hotel Officer’s Mess. Decided to stay in London overnight, and spent all P.M. finding a room. About 5PM a woman overheard me inquiring for a room in the “Cumberland Hotel” and fixed me up with a room in her boarding house. (37 Belgrave Road, Westminster, S.W.I) Mrs. E. A. Wheatley. This used to be Queen Marry’s {sic} home. It was very nice. Saw a show in the evening.
February 12, Sunday Breakfast in bed. Shaved and caught 10 AM train for Kirkham near Blackpool. Arrived at Kirkham at 4 PM. English children carried our luggage in push carts out to R.A.F. base (2 miles) for 25 6 d (50¢). We checked in at Kirkham RAF base, caught truck to Wharton depot 5 miles and got rooms and supper. Had wonderful supper. Caught 8 PM train to Blackpool, Sunday night and nothing but pubs open. Walked around, had a beer, noted that Blackpool was very beautiful, caught 11PM train back to Wharton.
February 13, Monday Up at 6 A.M. Very good breakfast, caught bus at 7:30 for Kirkham School. Electrical Theory 8 AM till 10AM. Tea at the R.A.F (not F F I {sic} 10 to 10:30. School 10:30 to 12:00. Caught bus to Wharton at 1200 for dinner. Back at 01:30. School 01:30 to 03:00, 15 minute break and school until 5 PM. Caught bus back to Wharton for supper. This was schedule every day, 5 days a week. Club at Wharton very nice. Parachute ceiling, ping pong table and bar, radio, lounge chairs and private mess all in the one building.
February 14, Tuesday Electrical Theory on Emerson and Martin again today.
{he goes through diary writing in the days of the week on the top left margin of the day}
February 27, Monday Caught 9 AM train to London (Lt. Bob Baker and I) . Arrived London about 2 P.M. Got room at 105 Glouchester, the 445th boarding house. Spent evening having a few beers in the Piccadilly Hotel, then went to “The New Nut House” 96 Regent St. W. I. a club for an hour or so. It was quite a place. Cartoons all over the wall.
February 28, Tuesday Caught morning train back to Tivets Hall.
March 17 9 planes this sq. completed mission. Carried 44 ea 100 lb GP and 2 – 500 lb incend.
March 18 10 A/craft {sic} took off. 9 completed mission. 319 aborted, engineering carried 52 ea 100 lb bombs
March 19 6 aircraft this Sq. completed mission Carried 10 ea M-17 (500 lb incend)
March 20 3 planes this Sq completed mission Carried 12 ea 500 lb G.P.
March 21 9 planes this Sq. completed mission. 12 ea 500 G.P. bombs on each plane
{he draws a line under 12 ea 500 G.P. bombs on each plane for separation}
P.M. mission dispatched and 2 aircraft this Sq. completed this mission. 16 ea 500 lb G.P. bombs. {he draws another line under 16 ea 500 lb G.P. bombs}
March 22 Bad day. 8 aircraft this Sq. dispatched. 5 completed mission. 319 and 743 aborted for engineering. 375 accidently salvoed through bombay doors over Channel, when navigator tried to open bombay doors with “lock salvo handle”. 2 of the 5 aircraft completing mission had rack trouble. They did hit Germany. 52 ea 100 lb bombs carried each A/C. I had meeting after supper of all bombardiers and navigators to straighten out troubles and stop malfunctions. 2 hrs.
March 23 7 aircraft this Sq. completed mission 4 ea 500# G.P. ea A/C. No particular troubles today. In P.M. we started loading bundle of cargo (ammo, gasoline, K-rations, wire, grenades etc) onto the A/C. It came in by truck this A.M. from Watton. The Group is sending up 27 planes, leading the 2nd B.D. and thus the whole mission flying cargo to be released and dropped by parachute X Cross the Rhine in airborn D-Day invasion. 19 bundles per airplane. 12 on racks, 4 out ball turret wells and 3 out hatch escape.
March 24 9 A/C this Sq. completed mission dropping their cargo of supplies from 100 ft above ground, X Cross the Rhine to support airborn invasion. Lt. Col. Fleming was shot down over Germany by small arms fire. He was at one time my C.O. and a really good fellow. Gp. Executive Officer. Col. Martin took his place / plane. 24 ea B-24’s were lost on this raid. 227 and 466 made an afternoon mission. Carried 52 ea 100# GP and propaganda bombs.
March 25 7 A/C completed mission Carried 24 ea 250 lb G.P.
March 26 No mission
March 27 No mission
March 28 No mission
March 29 No mission
March 30 10 ea Aircraft this Sq. completed mission Carried 24 ea 250 G.P. per A/C
March 31 10 ea Aircraft this Sq. completed mission Carried 12 ea 500 G.P. per A/C
April 1 No mission
April 2 6 aircraft this Sq. completed mission. Carried 240 frags per airplane. 6 ea in a cluster, 2 ea clusters per rack.
{notes for April 3 written in on April 2nd page}
April 3 No mission
{he realized he wrote notes for April 3 on April 2nd date, so crosses off April 3 and writes in April 4}
April 4 12 ea aircraft this Sq. dispatched. 2 aborts. 10 completed mission. Carried 10 ea M-17 500 lb incendiary bombs. They burst at a certain altitude and spread 110 ea 4 lb incendiarys {sic} over a wide area.
April 5 {crossed out date April 4 and written in April 5} 13 aircraft completed mission (this Sq.). Bombs were not dropped as they could not find target.
April 6 {crossed out date April 5 and written in April 6} 8 aircraft this Sq. completed mission. Carried 10 ea M-17 incendiary bombs.
April 7 {crossed out date April 6 and written in April 7} 8 aircraft this Sq. completed mission. Carried 12 ea 500 # G.P. Fighters hit us today. Group lost some ships. 592 had linkage shot out. Lt. Johnson brought plane back. We were having practice formation for salute the ground Monday when planes came home through overcast. Straggled in shooting flares.
April 7 Back page
April 8, Sunday 11 aircraft completed mission. 12 ea 500# G.P. bombs
April 9, Monday 9 aircraft completed mission. Carried 25 ea 250 GP bombs
April 12, Thursday Roosevelt died at his residence in Warm Springs, Georgia. A severe shock to everyone
April 13, Friday “Annie McFanny” had the top turret out. Boys had been working on it for 2 days, so I went out all P.M. and finally found trouble at 9 P.M., so didn’t go on pass as planned. Boys worked late installing 2000 lb racks.
April 14, Saturday 10 ships from Sq. carried 2000 lb bombs. Target – Sub pens near Bordeaux. I caught 8:30 train for London. Got room at 105 Glouchest {sic}Place, shopped in P.M. at Officer’s Sale’s O.M. on Oxford Street. Got a pair of greens. Got a haircut and shampoo near Piccadilly Circus. Supper and bed early.
April 15, Sunday {margin notes (fire bombs on mission – Bordeaux)} Slept late at 105 Glouchester Place. Breakfast in bed. Bathed and shaved. Good chicken dinner at Grovesnor House Officer’s Mess. Got low quarter shoes at O.M. Officer’s Sales on Oxford Street. Went through St. Paul’s Cathedral. 5th Largest in world. Dome 385 ft high on inside. Beautiful. Took some pictures out front. Took 3:48 train to Brighton England. Summer is on at Brighton on the South Sea. Trees leaved out, flowers in bloom, warm to hot. Beach is open and I got some pictures. Supper at “Jimmies” (sausage and chips, beer). Dance at “Regent.” 4 girls to each man – but not me.
April 16, Monday Fresh fried eggs, toast, butter, jam, tea for breakfast at my hotel (Emery). 8 s. Spend morning on the beach watching limey soldiers remove mines from the beach. More pictures. Enjoyed a strawberry sunday {sic} at a soda fountain, just like home. (purchased diary). Went in the ice rink and watched some girls taking skating lessons. They could really skate. Show in P.M. Lunch in restaurant. Girl threw me a box of matches, upset her water glass and I upset my chair backwards trying to catch them. 10 mo. old girl sat on my lap and helped eat my supper. Train home.
April 17, Tuesday 4 ships on mission near Nurmberg, Ger. No {something}. Shot skeet in the evening. Hurst, Drummond, Harrison, Coley and Capt. Tarbell. Got up at 5 AM at A.R.C. in Norwich to make last leg of journey home. {he has written ‘yesterday’ in the middle of the page with a squiggly line underneath it with the following notes – (spent 2 hrs in St. James park, next Buckingham Palace while waiting for my train. Very beautiful.)} Also visited a pub “Dirty Dicks” while waiting train. Just like name – really dirty – dead cats etc.
April 18, Wednesday Gas mask day. 8 ships on mission – carrying news that 453rd Gp at Old Buckingham is packing to go home. Here come our ships buzzing the field, first time in months. I set off 3 flares in poud by Armament shop this P.M. Had to shoot them with carbine to get them set off. Smoke flare, incendiary and silver. A ship firing red flares. Trouble today. False alarm – milk run. We received the presidential citation.
April 19, Thursday No missions – no targets left. 13:00 class on 1st and 2nd echelon maintenance of vehicles. 14:00 to 18:00 gave 8 gunners oral quiz. 3 letters from Helen today. Nice ones. They all are good however. Volley ball after supper. Calm, still, clear warm summer like evening. Marvelous country this time of year.
April 20, Friday Fish day today and we always do at least one meal. A mission today 9 planes from this Sq. {he drew a squiggly line} Smilly and Blanchette built me a very nice chair for my office last night. Wood frame. Upholstered. {another squiggly line} We were briefed on another cargo mission today. 12 packages in bombay, 5 in ball turret well, 3 near camera hatch. All to be dropped by parachute again, from low level. Mission scheduled for Monday 23rd push to come. Our part scrubbed this P.M.
April 21, Saturday Terrific thunder storm in night. Lightening {sic} knocked out base transformer, thus no lights. No mission today. Capt Paul Hayes was liberty run officer and I went along as assistant. We went pubing {sic} in Norwich. Hit about 10 pubs. Ended up in the “Wolfpack”. Evening notable for Paul’s sudden necessity for urination right on a main st. We hit an alley (really just the rear of apartments) and Paul cut loose. Two girls came around corner in moonlight and Paul guided inside pants.
