Charles R Herbst
Military
Joseph L. Booth Crew
466th BG - 785th BS
Standing Left to Right: Charles Herbst (FE), Joseph Campbell (WG), George Corrar (BTG), Pate E. Given (R/O), Clarence W. Duvall (TG), Waddie W. Doolittle (WG)
Kneeling Left to Right: Joseph L. Booth (P), Ross Burke (CP), Peter B. Bishop (N), Cleo Beggs (B)
This crew flew 18 missions with the 466th BG before being transferred to the 389th BG for six missions, the 489th BG for three missions and then finishing up with the 492nd BG for the final three missions. 466th Bomb Group collection
466th BG Historian
Object Number - UPL 13615 - Crew #503 Joseph L. Booth Crew 466th BG - 785th BS Standing Left to Right: Charles Herbst (FE), Joseph Campbell (WG), George Corrar (BTG), Pate...
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 389th Bomb Group 466th Bomb Group 489th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Jamaica?
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 785th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Enlisted |
16 October 1942 | ||
|
Other 1st combat mission |
Berlin, Germany | 22 March 1944 | "We flew our own ship which was christened "Jamaica?", on it's first mission. Everyone was a little scared but curious as to what this first trip was going to be like. Once we got in the air there was a lot to do and not enough time to be scared. The trip up to the I.P was fairly nice even though the temperature was down to -45C. When we turned on the I.P. contrails developed and broke up the formation, making it plenty dangerous because planes were going in all directions and dropping bombs at the same time. We dropped our incendiaries on what we thought was our lead ship and turned for home. We saw plenty of flak right over the target but the contrails and the excitement took all our worries over that away. The Luftwaffe must have had a big party the night before as none of them showed up, even at that time of day, which was Noon. I saw our first losses go down when two ships from our group collided on the bomb run. We tacked onto a formation which really had a good leader, because he navigated us around all the flak areas on the way out. I asw only a corner of the town through the clouds and that was enough. There was no damage to the ship and nothing mechanically wrong with it." - From Charles Herbst's diary |
|
Other 2nd Combat Mission |
52100 Saint-Dizier, France | 24 March 1944 | "I guess this was my birthday present from the Army as it really was a "milk run." The ship really is OK as again she flew a mission with no trouble at all. It was a beautiful day over France and I got my first look at Paris. The target was an airfield on which we did a good job. We were lost for awhile when the leader couldn't find the target. Nobody was mad at us this day for neither the Luftwaffe or flak gunners challenged us. If they could all be like this, it would be a good sight-seeing trip." |
|
Other 7th Combat Mission |
Lechfeld, 86836 Graben, Germany | 13 April 1944 | "Back with the old girl (Jamaica?) to another airfield in southern Germany. Seems like they have been the main objective of our missions lately. They say it is the war against the Luftwaffe to knock it out of the skies before our invasion of the continent. They are making parts at this place for some of the German fighter planes. We flew good formation, the complete trip which is something for our outfit. We made a pretty good bomb run and from the photos it would appear they will need plenty of repairs before using that plant again. The Jerries didn't put up a fight at all, not that we will complain, but it was a dull trip." |
|
Other 9th Combat Mission |
Osnabrück, Germany | 7 May 1944 | "We were supposed to go back to Brunswick but because of the weather we turned back a little short and hit this industrial city instead. IF was a large railroad center and made parts for the Panzer divisions. When the navigator told us where we were headed we expected a lot of flak. The target turned out to be fairly easy. Maybe we caught them with their pants down by changing the target at the last minute. Seems it is getting to be a habit to come into this area of Germany." |
|
Other 10th Combat Mission |
Brunswick, Germany | 8 May 1944 | "Going back to that city again, but not for the airfield this time, but some heavy industry on the other side of town. We never got to the target because of trouble with the #1 engine. The prop ran away, so we had to feather it. We tried to keep up in formation but the old girl just couldn't take it with a full load of bombs. We finally had to turn back by ourselves. All of us had to be twice as alert for this is what the Jerries look for as lone aircraft are usually easy meat. When we landed back at the base we found something had cut the prop governor line." |
|
Other 11th Combat Mission |
Tutow, Germany | 13 May 1944 | The old girl is alright again after four days rest and an overhaul of that prop and engine. We are going way up on the Baltic Sea for one of the longest trips we have made so far. They are making parts up there for fighter planes, so up we go to disturb production. It was a long trip, mostly over water. We went across the North Sea, crossed the Danish peninsula and then to our target across the Baltic. We could see Sweden and all the Baltic islands. The bomb run went off alright and we had no trouble at all from the Nazis. Our escort gave us a scare when they came rushing up like the Jerries usually do. There certainly was a lot of sweating until they got in range and we could identify them! |
|
Other 12th Combat Mission |
Brunswick, Germany | 19 May 1944 | "Well this is the third or fourth time this month we have been briefed for this town. They really must want to wipe it out! The day was clear as a bell over the continent and Jerry greeted us right at the coast with 40-50 bursts of ack ack. This made us a little jumpy, but it did no damage. On the bomb run we met the same accurate flak, but not as much of it as on previous visits. The leader of our fighter escort reported bandits in the area. After bombs away on our way home the lead squadron started making contrails which cut our overhead visibility down to about 500 feet. The pilot spotted four Jerries as they dived through the contrail to attack, but before he could war us they had completed their pass and were past us. They continued diving down and out of range. Most of us didn't even fire a shot. We were hit by three 20mm explosive shells and one 37mm shell. This was the first time the old girl had been hit really hard. The 37mm hit the left rudder and leading edge exploding as it exited the side. The rudder was all bulged out and shed rivets all the way home. The 20mm shells came through the top of the fuselage and hit three oxygen bottles where they exploded. This gave the boys in the waist a hot time for a while. The other 20mm passed through the arc of the #4 propeller which cut its fuse out and saved us. It did slice through the side of the auxillary fuel tank and came to rest inside. The tank didn't leak a drop. We got back okay but sweated out the rudder as we were sure it would hold together." |
| Hudson County, NJ, USA |
Revisions
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
389th BG Roster / Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia