453rd Bombing Group

Personal Mission Log of Bernard L. Prueher

10th Mission

March 27, 1944

PAU - Pont Long Airfield

“Pau, France - damn near to Spain - 10 miles. Nice trip but we had a hell of a time getting formed. Joined K Group - very poor formation so we joined J Group. Nose gunner sick so Bill had to go in turret. I salvoed the bombs as toggle switch didn't work.

The J group carried 500 pounders and we carried 52 x 100 pounder incendiaries, which of course hit right after the demolition bombs. Hit the target, which was a large group of buildings, and what a splash. Never saw so many fires in all my life - could see gas or ammunition dumps exploding after we left. That airfield won't be used for a long time.

When we got to the Oleron Island flak guns opened up on us and knocked lead ship down - 7 chutes got out = all because we were too close to the land instead of off-shore a few more miles.

When we got back to England, the whole island was fogged in. We went to Excter in West England, but that was socked in too - saw a small break in clouds and down we went. Landed at a Navy base - good chow. Sure would like to be one of those little Navy heroes. Fly at 2,000', never see any flak or fighters - just fly out over the sea for awhile and then back - do that 50 times and then go back to U. S. Came back to Hethel next day.”.

Ken Nellis - 453rd BG.
On that mission Major Cofield, the Group Operations Officer was lost when the Lien Crew was shot down with its aircraft. The void left by Major Cofield was filled by Major James M. Stewart, who before the war was a well known movie actor.
All the best.

One incident of the mission to Biarritz was the loss of the lead B-24 of the 453rd with Lt. Alvin Lien as pilot and Major Curtis Cofield, the Groups Operation Officer as a passenger. They crashed at Isle d'Oleron, France andall were killed. As a result, Major James Stewart, of movie fame became the 453rd's Operations Officer. He had a distinguished career as a combat pilot.

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