Monday

Wayne made no entry in his journal for October 23, 1944; howver, he did fly a mission against Ambon Town on this day.

Notes & Commentary

The 100th Bombardment Squadron was tasked with leading a bombing mission, Mission 129, against Ambon Town. Also participating in the mission would be six B-25Js from the 390th Bombardment Squadron. The 100th Bombardment Squadron planes and crews scheduled for the mission were as follows:

Plane #012
Kenneth E. Frick, 1st Lt.
Erwin S. Winslow, 2nd Lt.
Edmund H., Flagg, 1st Lt.
Edson E. Lutes, 2nd Lt.
William B. Corney, T/Sgt
William D. Forbes, PFC

Plane #126
Kenneth E. Miller, 1st Lt.
Norman R. Darling, 2nd Lt.
Helmuth Mahnke, 2nd Lt.
James R. Higgins, S/Sgt
Louis H. Miller, S/Sgt.
Wynne A. Gray, S/Sgt.

Plane #979
Wilbur L. Coats, 2nd Lt.
Brian P. Lynch, 2nd Lt.
Harold L. Wagner, 2nd Lt.
Orville H. Stewart, T/Sgt.
Hubert J. Kowalski, S/Sgt.
Albert F. Atwood, S/Sgt.

Plane #105
Robert D. Smith, Capt.
William O. Nussear, 2nd Lt.
Horace R. Byrd, 2nd Lt.
Harland R. Tolhurst, 2nd Lt.
Joseph F. Fasano, T/Sgt.
Samuel L. Abella, S/Sgt.

Plane #131
Jack B. Blankenship, 1st Lt.
Morton F. Evans, 2nd Lt.
Sidney A. Couch, 2nd Lt.
Virgil G. Webster, Sgt.
Harold T. Crawford, S/Sgt.
John S. Gomes, Sgt.

Plane #983
Robert H. Niver, 2nd Lt.
Harold D. Fincham, 2nd Lt.
Ralph H. Stem, 1st Lt.
Elvis L. Baker, Sgt.
Howard D. Sanford, T/Sgt.
Truitt R. Rigdon, Sgt.

Operations Order 81, 23 October 1944. 100th Bombardment Squadron, Office of the Operations Officer, 23 October 1944, microfilm A0576, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air Force Historical Research Agency, 1972, frames 1161-1163.

The 100th Bombardment Squadron aircraft departed Mar Airfield between 1030 and 1035 and circled until the mission aircraft from the 390th Bombardment Squadron joined them. The 100th Bombardment Squadron attacked Ambon Town at 1300 from an altitude of 12,000 feet. Bombs were dropped through an undercast. Bomb hits were not observed but believe to be in the target area.

No antiaircraft artillery fire was reported. The mission recovered at Mar Airfield between 1545 and 1650.

Mission Report, Mission No. 129, 100th Bombardment Squadron, Office of the Intelligence Officer, 23 October 1944, microfilm A0576, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air Force Historical Research Agency, 1972, frames 1159-1160.