Bombing is part of a daily routine

13th April 1944: The diary of an 8th Air Force radio operator paints a picture of their daily life

B-17s of the 8th Air Force navigate through a flak filled sky over Germany,

When called upon, the US Eighth Air Force could now put up a force of over a thousand heavy bombers. Tens of thousands of young men in the aircrews were now living a surprisingly regular existence on their bases in England. For a bunch of young men there were few opportunities for entertainment on the base. For a night out in London they might be lucky to get rabbit for dinner. It was an existence punctuated by Missions.

A raid on Germany meant they would be airborne soon after 7 in the morning and back around 5 in the afternoon. In that intervening period, death was never far away; there would be few missions when they did not see some of their comrades lost. There would be many reminders of their potential fate, returning with flak damage to their aircraft all too often.

The diary of Harley Tuck¹, a radio operator/gunner on a B-17 tells a story that would be familiar to many at the time:

April 13

The C.Q. came in at 5:45 AM for a mission. Briefing at 7, T.O. at 7:55 for Augsburg Germany. English coast out 12:12 at 20000 ft. A few flak bursts by Brussels Belgium, no more until target. The target was a Mess. [Messerschmitt] factory and airport. We were carrying 42 inc, 20 dropped at IP because Wiggie pulled a boner.