Donald Macrae mission April 10, 1943

April 10 - Warm windy day and showery and I felt none too good.  Have a sort of headache and cold in the head. Were briefed at 11:00 am had lunch.  And the staff of the 9th bomber Command were at the briefing.  Colonel Ent, Lt. Colonel Wade, and a lot of staff officers.  Went to Naples.  Capt. Zucco, Engineering Officer went along as passenger.  Had a lot of trouble with the ship.  Just little things, #3 propeller, governor stuck at 23,000 ft over the target.  Tail turret gun went out over the target.  #1 engine lost a lot of oil and we couldn't feather it.  Finally lost it, it ran out of oil and "froze" up.  Was cloudy and rain showers until we rounded the coast and climbed above the cloud level 17,000 ft. Flew formation. Was rough flying over the mountains again flew over the water. Could see the Isle of Capri and Mt. Vesuvius.  Was a pretty sight.  Then started over the bomb run on Naples.  It was clear over the target. Approached it from the west.  Started at 26,OOOft and bombed at 23,000 ft.  The anti aircraft fire was pretty heavy and accurate and there were some fighters which attacked us on way to target, on it, and going away from it.  One fighter went out of control and the pilot bailed out.  Could see his "chute" spread out.  Flew back over Italy in formation.  Messina fired on us as we passed but we were too far away.  When it became dark we dropped down for comfort and for the engines.  Benghazi was lit by lights.  Started our bad engine to land with but the engine went out - had to 1and with three.  Had supper and were briefed.  Drank a bottle o£ beer and to bed at 2:20 am.

376 ARCHIVES

The website 376bg.org is NOT our site nor is it our endowment fund.

At the 2017 reunion, the board approved the donation of our archives to the Briscoe Center for American History, located on the University of Texas - Austin campus.

Also, the board approved a $5,000 donation to add to Ed Clendenin's $20,000 donation in the memory of his father. Together, these funds begin an endowment for the preservation of the 376 archives.

Donate directly to the 376 Endowment

To read about other endowment donation options, click here.


My Trip to San Pancrazio

October 2019


Reunion

NOTE change in month !!!

DATES: Oct 26-29, 2023

CITY:Tucson, AZ

HOTEL: Double Tree Suites Airport hotel

7051 South Tucson Blvd., Tucson, AZ 85756

520-225-0800


Click here to read about the reunion details.

previous reunions


For Sale

The Other Doolittle Raid


The Broken Wings of Zlatibor


The Liberandos


Three Crawford Brothers


Liberando: Reflections of a Reluctant Warrior


376th Bomb Group Mission History


The Last Liberator


Full Circle


Shadows of Wings


Ten Men, A "Flying Boxcar," and A War


I Survived Ploesti


A Measure of Life


Shot Down In Yugoslavia


Stories of My Life


Attack


Born in Battle


Bombardier's Diary


Lost Airmen


Langdon Liberando