In February 1943 the Eighth Air Force sponsored a group of eight civilian and military journalists to undergo training to fly missions aboard bombers for promotional purposes. A week long training session took place at Bovingdon, where the journalists were taught to adjust to high altitude, identify enemy planes, and parachute. They were trained to shoot weapons, though were forbidden to do so whilst in combat. The group of journalists named themselves The Writing 69th in reference to the Fighting 69th.

On 26 February 1943 the Writing 69th flew its first and last mission over Wilhelmshaven. Six of the eight journalists boarded B-24 Liberators and B-17 Flying Fortresses to bomb the submarine pens. The mission saw heavy losses for the participating groups, the aircraft of Andy Rooney of the Stars and Stripes was damaged by flak and the Robert Post of the New York Times was killed in action when his B-24 exploded. Whilst the other aircraft returned safely, Post's death brought an end to the Writing 69th flying missions with the Eighth Air Force. The journalists disbanded but continued their work as war correspondents. Post's death highlighted to the public the dangers that the airmen of the Eighth Air Force faced during missions.

The Eight Journalists were:
Paul Manning, CBS Radio
Robert Post, New York Times
Walter Cronkite, United Press
Andy Rooney, Stars and Stripes
James Denton Scott, Yank magazine
Homer Bigart, New York Herald Tribune
William Wade, International News Service
Gladwin Hill, Associated Press

Structure

Part of

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  303rd Bomb Group

  Group
  The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...

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  305th Bomb Group Can Do

  Group
  The 305th Bombardment Group (Heavy), nicknamed "Can Do" was activated 1-March-1942 at Salt Lake City Air Base, Utah which was their primary training base until 11-Jun-1942 when they relocated to Geiger Field, Washington until 29-Jun-1942, then on to...

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  306th Bomb Group The Reich Wreckers

  Group
  Constituted as 306th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 1 Mar 1942. Trained for combat with B-17's. Moved to England, Aug-Sep 1942, and assigned to Eighth AF Eighth Air Force in September 1942 Station 111 Thurleigh. During combat,...

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  44th Bomb Group The Flying Eightballs

  Group
  The 44th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated 15-January-1942 at McDill Field, Florida and equipped with B-24Cs. The Group moved to Barksdale Field, Louisiana and acted as a training unit for the 90th 93rd and 98th Bomb Groups and flew anti...

Encompassing

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Previously was

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Became

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Stations

Station	Location	Date
Established	Bovingdon	February 1943

Connections

People

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  Homer Bigart

  Civilian | War Correspondent | 303rd Bomb Group
  Journalist for the New York Herald Tribune, who in 1942 was invited to become a war correspondent, one of eight journalists known as The Writing 69th, sent to the UK to fly with the US Army Air Force on bombing missions over Europe. Bigart was...

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  Walter Cronkite

  Civilian | War Correspondent United Press | 303rd Bomb Group
  War Correspondent with United Press, Cronkite was the most famous of the eight reporters sent to the European Theatre to fly with the Eighth Air Force who made up The Writing 69th. On 26 February 1943 he flew with the 303rd Bomb Group from Molesworth...

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  Jack Denton Scott

  Civilian
  War Correspondent for Yank Magazine, one of eight journalists invited to join the 8th Air Force on bombing missions over Germany as part of the Writing 69th. In February 1943 Denton Scott underwent a week long training program, he was one of two...

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  Gladwin Hill

  Civilian
  War Correspondent for Associated Press, In 1942 he was one of eight journalists known as the Writing 69th trained to take part in bombing missions with the Eighth Air Force. ...

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  Paul Manning

  Civilian
  Manning was a war correspondent for CBS radio, he worked closely with Edward Murrow throughout the Second World War. Manning was one of 8 journalists of the Writing 69th who trained and flew missions with the 8th Air Force. He underwent a week-long...

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  Robert Post

  Civilian
  Post was a Journalist and War Correspondent for the New York Times, he had joined the London Bureau of the New York Times in 1938 and had covered the Battle of Britain and Rudolph Hess' flight to Scotland, establishing himself as a veteran reporter by...

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  Andrew Rooney

  Military | Sergeant | Staff Reporter, Stars and Stripes
  Andy Rooney was a war correspondent and journalist for the Stars and Stripes, in February 1943 he was selected as one of eight journalists to accompany the 8th Air Force flying bombing missions over Germany. After a week's extensive training, Rooney...

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  William Wade

  Civilian
  War correspondent for the International News Service. Wade was one of 8 journalists chosen to fly missions with the 8th Air Force. In February 1943 he joined the Writing 69th and underwent a week long extensive training course to prepare for a bomber...

Citations

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