CARL WOODARD’S DIARYCrew Chief for Ashley Crew 835thService Record: "I left my home and family to fight for my country. It is a hard thing to do but I am proud to be able to help make this good old U.S.A. of ours a better place to live in. I just hope and pray this dreadful thing will be over soon." Cpl. Carl E. Woodard February 21, 1944 Inducted: Oct. 16, 1942 - Indianapolis IN. Draft Number: 35563435 Branch of Service: Air Corps. When: November 3, 1942 Date of arrival: November 4, 1942 Nature of Service: Mechanic Rank: Private Serial Number: 35563435 Transfers: Special Studies: Airplane Mechanics Special Ratings Earned: Was made crew chief on a B-24 airplane 12/30/43 serial No. 42-73611. Assigned to my new ship Jan. 10, 1944. 42-524483. Lt. Ashley Pilot. Visitors from outside: My wife and family came to Texas Feb 3, 1943 and also to Dyersburg, TN Sept 2, 1943. Illness or accident at Training camp or Base: Sprained my right ankle Jan 1, 1943. Been on sick call twice. Date of Leaving Training Area-Where Sent-How-Outfit-Duties: Left Davis-Monthan Field March 4, 1944. Was forced to land at Salinas, Kansas on account of weather & gasoline. Arrived at Herrington, Kansas Sun. March 5, 1944. Our plane has had all T. O. Compliances. We are now waiting weather to take off for Morrison Field, Florida. Left Herrington, Kansas March 14, Stayed over night at Morrison Field. Left Morrison Field at 2 o’clock March 15. Landed at Trinidad at 2:30 AM. Top gunner was sick. Stayed there three days. Left Trinidad March 21 at 5:30 in the morning. Landed at Belin at 2:30 PM. We hit a terrible storm. Lasted for two hours. Crossed the equator at 12:30. Saw the Amazon River the longest in the world. We had to stay at Belin on account of the weather. Left Belin March 22. Took 4:45 to fly to Fort Lazea in Brazil. That was the jumping off place We had to stay there 2 days on account of the weather. Left Fort Lazea at 9:20 March 25. Landed at Dakar North Africa after 12:30 flying. I was dead tired. Left Dakar 8:20 Sunday morning of the 27th. Landed at Maricatea, North Africa at 4:00 that evening. Co-pilot got sick. We are here nine days waiting for the weather. This next hop is to be about 10 or 11 hours. Took off from Maricatea at 10:30 PM. April 9. Landed at Valley. Wales at 8:30 AM. Got lost over Ireland. Had terrible weather: ice, rain and fog. I sure was glad to land here. This airplane has been through all kinds of weather and has proven herself in every way. Here’s hoping it keeps it up. One more flight and we should be where we are going. Landed at Valley Wales April 9, stayed all night. Left for Warton Field at 2:45 April 10. Landed at 1:45. They let us come on to our home base. Landed here at 4:50. The trip from Maricatea to England sure was rough. Ran into rain, ice, and snow. We got lost over Ireland. England is a pretty nice place only colder than the dickens. It is now May 3, my wedding anniversary. I was promoted to the rank of Sgt. today, six months from when I was broken. My airplane made its first mission May 9, 1944. It has made two so far. No flak holes as yet. June 6, 1944: Invasion Day. First troops landed 6:59 AM. My airplane flew its 13th mission that day. To date I have 14 flak holes. Haven’t had much trouble with it so far. Airplane aborted June 20; the 20th mission. Went to the hospital June 17th. Stayed six days, had the flu and sore throat. To date 26 flak holes. One gas tank change. Still have the original engines. Changed #2 engine July 1st. 23 missions to date. Made S/Sgt. today July 3. Lost my old ship July 18th. Assigned to my new ship AB-17G42-97877 July 19th. No missions yet. Ship transferred. New one 43-37949. Ten missions so far. Aug 18, 1944. Ship cracked up in mid-air Sept. 5, 1944 target Breast France. Ship 875 & 949 run together on the bombing run. New crew Lt. Stean was pilot. No one got out. Waiting now on a new ship. Old crew: Lt. Zien, Lt. Smith, Lt. Lewis, T/Sgt. Whitfield, T/Sgt. Dawson, S/Sgt. Miller, S/Sgt. Shilling, S/Sgt Wieman, S/Sgt. Stieghet have completed their missions. The enlisted men have started home Sept 5, 1944. Lt. Ashley lacks three missions yet. Got my new ship today: 43-38029 b-17. It isn’t a new one but is in pretty good shape. I have been overseas six months Sept. 15, 1944. Made T/Sgt. Today Oct 1, 1944. Lost my ship 029, October 14, 1944. All the crew got out. Lt. Olson was flying it. It aborted on its 34th mission. We are losing several planes now. New pilots and old ships. 5 this week. October 15, 1944 a year ago today I left my family at Dyersburg, Tennessee. Haven’t seen them since. Don’t look like I’ll make it home by Christmas this year. Nov 6th: 486 Bomb Group flew its 100th mission today. 100 missions in six months. Got a ship today, Oct. 28th: 43-37938. It had 35 missions on it. Changed one engine Nov 7, election day. 3 missions on my plane. Still having oil pressure trouble. These Wright engines aren’t doing so good. This mail situation is getting rough. My morale is getting low. Nov. 30, 1944 lost my ship 968 today. Mershburg raid. It was on its 42 mission. No word about the crew. The crew set the plane down in France. They are back at the base now. Got my new ship 44-8615 Dec. 24 1944. Brand new one. It has four missions on it as of today. Jan 3, 1945, was made Master Sgt. Today. The Russians are only 70 miles from Berlin. Berlin fell at 15:00 May 3, 1945. Transferred 44-8685 to 833. Got 44-8663, a Pathfinder. As to date I have 98 missions. I think we will be leaving here before long to the states I hope. I have been overseas 14 months now. May 3 my wedding anniversary. Sent Grace a cablegram May 4. Sweating out the end of Germany. We haven’t flown any missions for over a week. Looks like we have gone un-operational. V.E.. Day May 8, 3 o’clock 1945. Was in London when announced. Seven airplanes 98 missions all told. Nature of Transportation-Troops Involved-Type-Important Events: Ground men came by boat. Left March 15, 1944. Took 14 days in crossing. All crew chiefs came by air. Left Sudbury, England July 2, 1945. Valley Wales July 7. Stayed overnight and landed in Iceland, stayed overnight. July 8, 1945 Goose Bay Labrador. Hit the states July 9, 1945. Home on leave July 15 to Aug 15, 1945. Camp Atterbury to Tampa, Florida to Fort McClellan, Ala. Atterbury, Indiana September 7, 1945, discharged September 9, 1945. Combat Area-Where Stationed or Based-Contacting the Enemy-First Time Under Fire-Outcome of Actions, Dates: Sudbury, England, Suffolk County, 3rd Div, 4 Wing, 8th A.A.F. "Hut #31 in the E.T.O." Gordon W. Rogers Bob Resnick Walter Hall Alvin D. Mindenehen Howard D. Gibbons O. B. Forletti John L. Phifer Beryl L. Moore Harvey G. Dierking Hubert E. Reynolds Johnny H. Marr Wayne J. Poole |
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