Kogashima (sic) June 18 1945

CCrew P-17 was one of twenty-six planes that joined in the destruction of the Port of Kogashima (sic). Flak was heavy, small arms very intense and accurate. We had a running battle with fighters for over 100 miles before they broke off.  Target burning fiercely.  Minor damage. Mission 15 Combat Time 14:40. Results good.

Shizouoka June 20 1945

P-17 departed Guam at 8:00 pm on June 19, arrived over target at 2:45 am.  No flak, no fighters, light small arms. no battle damage.  Arrived Guam about 10:00 am. Results good. Mission 16. Combat Hours 14:35.

Tamashima June 22 1945

Crew P-17 departed Guam with rest of squadron about 2:15 am on June 22.   The formation went over the target about 10:11 am. The target was the Mitsubishi Aircraft Company. Scattered flak was accurate. However we only had one small patch to paint. Arrived Guam about 5:30 pm. Results good. Mission No. 17. Combat Hours 15:20.

Nagoya June 26 1945

Crew P-17 started out with the rest of the 39th but 2:15 into mission the No. 1 engine swallowed a piston and had to be shut down. We aborted and returned to Guam. Credited with 4:30 hours.

Dumbo June 28 1945

P-17 was selected as a dumbo plane for the Nobeoka raid. Departed Guam at 7:20 pm, arrived over sub twenty miles off shore at 2:15 am.  Circled until 4:30 am. There were no B-29 casualties. we returned to base at 11:45 am. Raid results were good. Credit for Mission 12 and 16:30 Combat Hours.

Shimonoseki July 2, 1945
Tokushima July 3, 1945
Omuta July 26, 1945

Crew P-17 was on the above missions which were almost routine runs because there was no enemy opposition on any raid. The Japs were being beaten, their towns destroyed and rumors had it that it would soon be over. These missions were No’s 19-20-21 and Combat Hours 15:20-14:00-15:30

Ogaki July 29, 1945

This raid was unique in that there was a correspondent on board broadcasting the bomb run back to state side. We arrived over the target at 3:15 am. There was no flak, no fighters, nothing that any crew member barely stayed awake for.  However from the radio announcer you would have thought we were over Tokyo in all the flak in the war, with a million fighters on the attack. Oh well! Anything for the home front! We got Mission 22 and 14:35 Combat Hours.

Mito August 1945

Departed Guam about 6:45. Arrived over target at 2:08. target area 10/10, no flak, no fighters, No damage and no assessment. Returned to base about 9:30. Mission 23 - 14:30 Combat Hours.

Isesaki August 15, 1945

Crew P-17 departed Guam 7:00 pm August 14. Arrived over target 2:56 am. Flak meager, no fighters, no damage. at 9:07 am still one and a half hours from Guam heard on radio that the “war is over”.  Landed at 9:40 with Mission 24 - 14:40 Combat Hours.