Robert S. Jackman

Robert S. Jackman was a gunner on William P. Smith crew, 514th Squadron.

The following is a transcription of his log book, made by Dan Jackman.

After Training finished, Left for Hamilton Field California, & then to P.O.E. at camp Patrick Henry, Virginia. Left on Liberty ship Francis L. Lee on Sept. 11 1944, for 28 days at sea, Pulled into Bari 22nd Replacement Center on Oct. 7 1944. Sent from there to 376th bomb group – 514th
Bomb squadron for combat.

10/20/44 – Practice Mission, B 24 (H) #66, 3 hours  turned back due to Weather

 October 23, 1944 mission

10/24/44 –Practice Mission, B24 (H) #62 ( Constant Menace ) 2 hours 15 minutes

10/28/44 -  Practice Mission, B24 (J) #73 ( Miss O’Lanius ) # 3 hours

 October 29, 1944 mission

11/1/44 – Didn’t fly but #73 blew up at end of runway, Nose wheel collapsed, Entire Crew (Cornay) killed Bomb load exploded

 November 5, 1944 mission

 November 7, 1944 mission

11/10/44 Didn’t fly but #72 cracked up at end of runway when Control gave order for downwind landing, Brakes gave out. No one hurt.

11/12/44 – Ferried B24 (H) #60 ( Night Hawk ) to Gioia and returned by truck

 November 16, 1944 mission

11/17/44 – Local, B24 (J) ( Mickey ship ) 3 hours 10 minutes, Fuel Consumption 26,000 feet
( I’m unsure what this means).

 November 19, 1944 mission

11/21/44 – Adriatic, B24 (J) #69 ( Gin ) 3 hours 5 minutes, Turned back by Bad Weather

 November 22, 1944 mission

11/25/44 – Practice, B24 (J) #74 2 hours 40 minutes, Practice Bombing

11/26/44 – Practice, B24 (J) #74 3 hours 25 minutes, Practice Formation and touch & go

11/29/44 – Practice, B24 (J) #74 2 hours 50 minutes, Practice Bombing

11/30/44 – Practice, B24 (J) #63 2 hours 15 minutes, Practice Formation

 December 2, 1944 mission

12/4/44 – Practice, B24 (J) #74 3 hours 30 minutes, Practice Gunnery and Formation

 December 6, 1944 mission

12/9/44 – Adriatic, B24 (J) #71 ( Blue streak II ) 4 hours, Turned back by Weather

 December 15, 1944 mission

 December 17, 1944 mission

Note : # 60 lost, From October 15 to December 18 514th has lost 8 ships

 December 21, 1944 mission

12/24/44 – Practice, B24 (H) # 62 ( Lucky Patches ) 3 hours 30 minutes,  Practice Formation And Bombing

 December 25, 1944_mission 

 December 27, 1944 mission

 December 28, 1944 mission

Note : Squad went back mission and sortie basis for all those who have started their Combat Tour before November 1st . This gives me 24 Missions – 15 Sorties

 January 8, 1945 mission

Note : From October 15 to January 1st  10 ships lost, All ships in Squad at the time we entered have been lost except for #67 ( Boomerang ) and # 65. New Replacement ships take same numbers

1/12/45 – Practice, B24 (J) #584 2 hours 25 minutes, Practice Formation

1/15/45 – Practice, B24 (J) #77 ( What Next ) 2 hours 25 minutes, Practice Instruments

Note : From January 19 to February 13 spent time at 26th General Hospital for Hepatitis.
5 more ships lost during this time.

 February 15, 1945 mission

Note : From February 17 thru 25, Was Isle of Capri for rest camp with Lt. Sheeley’s Crew,
During this time Roy ( Smith ) was hit in face and received Purple Heart.

 March 1, 1945 mission

 March 2, 1945 mission

 March 4, 1945 mission

 March 13, 1945 mission

 March 16, 1945 mission

3/18/45 - Practice, B24 (J) #69 2 hour 30 minutes, Lt. Robinson buzzed field

 March 19, 1945 mission

 March 21, 1945 mission

 March 23, 1945 mission

 March 31, 1945 mission

 April 2, 1945 mission

4/6/45 – Practice, B24 (L) #986 ( Mickey ) 1 hour 30 minutes, Calibration

Note : January 1st till April 9th 7 ships lost

 April 11, 1945 mission

 April 15, 1945 mission

Group to go back to states except for 15 crews including ours. We have to many missions to go back. So new crews go back to the States with a few missions to their credit. We are to go north and finish up.

4/17/45 – 454th Bomb group, B24 (E) 1 hour, Transferred to the 454th Bomb Group

4/21/45 – Northern Italy, B24 (J) #244 ( Miss Ginnie ) 4 hours 45 minutes, Turned back due to Weather

4/23/45 – Padua Italy R.R. Bridge, B24 (H) # 808 ( Club 400 ) 6 hours 20 minutes, Flew at
22,000 feet Temp.-30 degrees, Flack scant and inaccurate, Visual, Saw 8th Army shelling Jerries at the front lines.

4/24/45 – Bassono Italy, B23 (H) #808 ( Club 400 ) 7 hours 5 minutes, Flew at 23,500 feet
Temp. -32 degrees, Flack scant and inaccurate, 8/10 undercast.

4/26/45 – Gunnery Range, B24 (J) #575 2 hours 15 minutes, Gunnery Range, Adriatic.

Note : MAY 8TH 1945 WAR OVER

5/11/45 – Gunnery Range, B24 (L) #730  4 hoursGunnery Range, Toranto

5/24/45 – Milan, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) Practice 6 hours 25 minutes, Fuel Consumption and Navigation.

5/30/45 – Local, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 2 hours, Test Flight Local

6/12/45 – Gioia, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 1 hour, Start of flight back to U.S.A.

6/15/45 – Algiers Africa, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 6 hours 45 minutes, Forced down by weather

6/16/45 – Marrakech, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 5 hours,

6/17/45 – Azores, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 7 hours 20 minutes, Landed at Langen Field

6/22/45 – Newfoundland, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 9 hours 25 minutes, Landed at Gandor Field.

6/23/45 – Bradley Field, B24 (J) # 398 ( Lady Katherine ) 7 hours 25 minutes, Landed at Bradley Field Conneticut.

Note : Back in the States !! Landed at Bradley Field then went to Camp Miles Standish Ma.
From there onto Fort Sheridan, Illinois.
Furlough in Santa Ana California.

Robert S. Jackman Flew a total of 323 hours and 40 minutes of combat Hours in 31 Sorties , 49 Missions, All missions were with the 376th Bomb Group 514th Squadron, Except for the last 2 which were flown  with the 454th Bomb Group

44-49986, no 986