The 489Th Squadron Tactical Diary
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TACTICAL DIARY * COLUMBIA * WALTERBORO * CAMP STONEMAN * THE WEST POINT FLIGHT ECHELON LOG * EL KABRIT * MEDININE * SFAX * HERGLA * COMISO * CATANIA * SAN PANCRAZIO * FOGGIA * POMPEI * PAESTUM * ALESAN * RIMINI * OPERATIONAL BASES * One Eighty COLUMBIA, S. C. On 3 September, 1942, during the darkest During this period, Lt. Fields and an engineering clerk, days of the war, a Major and four new 2d Lieutenants gathered neither of whom had previous experience with payrolls, labori- in a corner of Colonel (later Brigadier General) Robert D. ously prepared the first squadron payroll which a generous Knapp's office at Columbia Air Base, Columbia, South Carolina. Finance Officer accepted with some qualms. On payday, 30 Sep- The corner was separated from the rest of the office by waist- tember, the squadron felt that it was truly an organization. high partitions. In the partitioned corner were a desk, a field On 1 October, the first squadron orders were published. table, a typewriter and some paper. On the desk at which the Over the signature of 1st Lt. Hampton, the orders proclaimed Major sat, and around which the four Lieutenants gathered, was that 2d Lt. Deel was Operations Officer, 1st Lt. Bunch was Sup- a mimeographed sheet inscribed "Headquarters, Columbia Army ply Officer and 2d Lt. Fields was Squadron Adjutant. The or- Air Base, Columbia, South Carolina, General Orders No. 19, der also contained the first squadron promotions. Appointed August' 20, 1942." This order proclaimed that the "following Pfc. were Pvts. George R. Wells, John J. ·Crockett, Robert E. units are activated": Helie, Cecil F. Hines, Alan G. Hughes, William Huntsman, Headquarters, 340th Bomb Gp (m) Eugene McCrann, Adam A. Syno, and Gus R. Walker. The 486th Bomb Sq (m) order .also placed on flying duty the following persons: 487th Bomb Sq (m) S/Sgt. William G. Baumgartner 488th Bomb Sq (m) S/Sgt. Morris Beital 489th Bomb Sq (m) S/Sgt. William R. Culver The five officers present, one other 2d Lieutenant, then on S/Sgt. Arnold A. Lassen leave, the desk, table, typewriter and paper comprised the entire S/Sgt. Ray J. Salisbury 340th Bomb Group. The Major seated at the table studied the S/Sgt. Eugene L. Kretzer paper awhile, then pointing to the line reading "489th Bomb Cpl. Cleo A. Mcintosh Sq (m) ,'' turned to 2d Lieutenant Dewitt F. Fields and said, Cpl. Charles P. Starks "Lieutenant, that is your Squadron." Pvt. Thomas G. Bryan Thus, VOCO, the first person was assigned to the 489th Pvt. George H. Crook Bomb Squadron. Pvt. Peter J. Cusintine After the conference, Lt. Fields hurried to the station Quar- Pvt. Charles B. Hacker termaster and drew a field table, a typewriter, some typing paper, Pvt. Frank S. Janik carbon paper, and blank forms for requisitioning supplies. When Pvt. Horace J. Luchford the Quartermaster officer refused a request for a field desk, Lt. Pvt. Wayne D. McLaughlin Fields b'orrowed a hammer and saw, and proceeding to a scrap All were made Aerial Engineers. lumber pile built a box with shelves and pigeon holes.· That On 5 October, 1942, the "First Phase" OTU program for afternoon, the 489th Bomb Squadron was set up in a corner of the 489th Bomb Squadron officially began. OTU, more com- Colonel Knapp's office. monly called "Overseas Training Unit," meant "Operational On 5 September, five Privates reported to the 489th Bomb Training Unit." The program for a bomb group was ordinari- Squadron. They were De Lisa, De Mia, Della Pietro, Dodge ly divided into three phases, the first being equivalent to basic and Creeden. On 9 September, the Morning Report of· the training for air-crew and ground personnel alike. The month of 489th Bomb Squadron began· with the entry, "The 489th October saw most of the sections of the squadron take form Bomb Sq (m) was activated on 20 August 1942 by SO. No. and substance. 19, Hq. CAAF, Columbia, S. C. with no personnel assigned or With b'orrowed airplanes, at first, and largely with borrowed attached." The entry might well have added, "and with no equipment, the 489th aircrew training got under way. Tenta- equipment." tive Flight Leaders and First Pilots were named, and a few ten- The first hectic days were spent in bel ping form a cadre of tative crews set up. Navigation flights, instrument flights, prac- personnel from the 3 76th Bomb Squadron, 3 0 9th Bomb Group tice landings and take-offs, and practice bombing, among other (m), and requisitioning, begging and borrowing supplies and training, were initiated for aircrews. Gunners were give'n train- equipment. By the time the cadre was ready to move in, the ing and practice in gunnery. The Engineering Technical Sup- 489th Bomb Squadron possessed one whole row of pyramidal ply, Armament, Communications, and Ordnance sections were tents in "Tent City," complete with cots and mattresses. A brought into actual being. A squadron S-2, comprised of U make-shift orderly room had also been established. Lt. William R. Ziegler and Cpl. McNamara was established. About 12 September, the cadre moved into the squadron 2d Lt. Robert A. Doak reported as Ordnance Officer. Several area. S/Sgt. McAvoy vJas designated First Sergeant, Cpl. El- Private and Pfc. Ordnance men also reported, but since they dridge was made supply sergeant, T /Sgt. Johnson became line were only labeled "basic," no one knew for two weeks that chief, Sgt. Burkholder became communications chief. Others they were Ordnance personnel. Lt. Fields; trying a new scheme were designated to appropriate sections, most of which were not for securing K.P. details, doubtfully issued a call for volunteers in existence. for duty as "semi-permanent" K.P.'s. When eight of the Ord- nance men volunteered, both Lt. Fields and Sergeant Mc- For several days after the arrival of the cadre the chief duties Avoy were stunned.· Soon, however, Lt. Doak found that the were still "scrounging" for equipment, doing K.P., policing the K.P.'s belonged to him and the "dream" was over. squadron area, flooring tents, and basic training. 2d Lts. William Milloway and Edward Yacko reported as However, when a new unit is activated, the unit is not left Engineering and Technical Supply Officers, and the flight line entirely to its own devices in securing personnel and equipment. began to take shape. All the way up and down the chain of command, certain actions are initiated automatically to furnish necessary supplies and per- Physical training, including games, hikes, and obstacle sonnel whenever a new unit is activated. By the middle of Sep- courses was inaugurated. Close-order drill and the manual of tember personnel began reporting from. replacement centers and arms were taught by the Aircrew Officers. Squadron and Group other organizations, and a trickle of supplies started. The inspections became regular and frequent. The squadron finally squadron area expanded to two rows of tents, and building established its own mess and supply room. A practice bomb space was set aside on the flight line for the squadron. was painted with the squadron number and hung out proudly for all to see. When Lt. Hampton b'ecame a Captain, the Squad- Then the squadron got a Commanding Officer. 1st Lt. ron swelled with pride. Everyone seemed to work together and Fred M. Hampton reported and assumed command. He brought delinquencies were few and minor. with him 2d Lt. William 0. Dell as Squadron Operations Offi- cer. Enlisted combat crew members reported (and immediately About 1 November the squadron area was moved from found themselves on K.P. or police details. These details they "Tent City" to the old 3 76th Squadron Area. Training and performed cheerfully and cooperatively) . Then the officers be- administration almost settled into routine as the program as- gan to arrive-first bombardiers, then pilots, then navigators. sumed form and officers and men became familiar with their Soon 1st Lt. Howard P. Bunch, a non-flying officer, reported, duties. and Lt. Fields gleefully turned over to him the duties of Supply During this period, and immediately following the next Officer. move, several new non-flying officers reported. Those reporting One Eighty-one included Captain Kirk S. White, 2d Lts. Saul Cutler and Jack uary, 194 3, and headed for San Francisco. The flight echelon A. Casper, all S-2 Officers; 2d Lt. Mark W. Bowsher, Admin- remained behind to depart shortly for overseas bty air, via Michi- istrative Officer; 2d Lts. Merle F. Peterson and Robert F. Jor- gan, Florida and South America. There was some apprehension dan, Armament Officers; 2d Lt. Barlow, Training Officer; 2d regarding the probability of the ground echelon, air echelon and Lt. Walter Scott, Communications Officer; and 2d Lt. Charley equipment being brought together again. C. Nickerson, Statistical Officer. Among the flying officers now present were: 2d Lt. Leonard CAMP STONEMAN, CAL., just outside San Francisco, was a Kaufmann, 2d Lts. Kay, Decker, Wagner, Hamill, D. W. Scott, b'usy staging area. The 489th Squadron found itself to be only R. D. Scott, Hai!lilton, Kemp-all pilots; 2d Lts. Zerega and one of many units making final preparations for overseas duty. Mates-navigators; 2d Lts. Olson and O'Connell-bombar- The stay at Camp Stoneman was ten days of drill. hiking, ob- diers; and Captain John 0. Nestor, flight surgeon. stacle courses, lectures, physical examinations, "showdown" clothing inspections and of last-minute administrative work with WALTERBORO S.C. On 1 December, 1942, the 489th Bomb insurance, allotments, wills, etc. Practically all the enlisted per- Squadron made its first of many moves. The move carried the sonnel. however, were allowed passes into town, and the offi- squadron to Walterboro, S.