Missions - History on the Hoof



Below is a transcription of the logbook of Richard N. Roth, Technical Sergeant, Radio Operator and Gunner with the 13th AF, 307th Bomb Group, 370th Bomb Squad (Heavy).

Tour of Combat Duty Feb 1945 – July 1945. Their base was on the Island of Morotai (Netherlands East Indies). The 307th was known as the “Long Rangers” for flying long-distance missions. Richard Roth flew 36 missions, most of them in 10-man B-24 “Liberators.”

Their most significant activity, according to Dad, was the invasion of Balikpapan.

This logbook was transcribed by Richard Roth’s daughter, Stacy Roth Niemiec, on January 31, 2009 at the apartment of Richard and his wife of 56 years, Barbara. During the transcription, Richard was able to clarify any questions about the text to his daughter, as well as comment on remarks in the log that were meant to be humorous, rather than literal.

Editing notes:

Items in curvy brackets indicate editorial comment

Items in square brackets indicate that original text was bracketed.

Lines of text are broken up as they appear in the diary.

Original punctuation is retained. Dashes and underscores represent original dashes and underscore marks in the text.

{Log begins}

Thursday, January 4, 1945 {dates are pre-printed in the journal}

Left Hickam Fld. {Field}{Hawaii}

Arrived John Rogers Fld.

Saturday, January 6, 1945

Left John Rogers Fld.

Hawaii -- -- C – 46 {indicates that crew flew a C-46}

Arrived Xmas Isle {Christmas Island}

Sunday, January 7, 1945

Left Xmas. {Christmas Island} Arrived Canton {Island}

What a spot. {humorous comment}

Monday, January 8, 1945

Left Canton {Island}

Tuesday, January 9, 1945

Arrived Tarawa

Wednesday, January 10, 1945

Left Tarawa arrived

‘Canal. {Guadalcanal}

Thursday, January 11, 1945

Left ‘Canal __ arrived

Nadzab New Guinea

{Missions}

Monday, February 5, 1945

Mission #1

Target – Wewak New Guinea

Time - 5:15 {five hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 1100 miles

Remarks: no fighters or flak

Wednesday, February 7, 1945

Left Nadzab arrived

Biak {Island}

Thursday, February 8, 1945

Left Biak arrived

Morotai NEI {Netherlands East Indies}

Monday, February 12, 1945

Mission #2

Target - Corregidor P.I. {Philippine Islands}

Time - 12:26 {twelve hours, twenty-six minutes}

Distance – 2400 mi. {“1800” crossed out…Dad says he had incorrect information when he first wrote the mileage on a few occasions and wrote in the correct distance when informed of it.}

Remarks - no flak,

1 fighter Saw Navy pounding

shore installations.

Manila was

really blazing.

Tuesday, February 20, 1945

Mission #3

Target - Jessilton A/D {Airdrome}

N.W. Borneo

Time - 11:15 {eleven hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance 2000 mi. {“1600” crossed out}

Remarks - no flak or

fighters

Saturday, February 24, 1945

Mission #4

Target: Mangar, A/D {Airdrome} E. Borneo

Time - 10: {ten hours}

Distance - 2000 mi. {“1400” crossed out}

Remarks - no flak or fighters

B-24 exploded on

takeoff.

Sunday, March 4, 1945

Mission #5

Target – Zettelfield A/D, Airdrome Sang Sang

Time – 8:30 {8 hours 30 min.}

Distance - 1600 miles.

Remarks: Started for Zamboanga,

Mindanao. Targ. {target}

closed. Had to hit

secondary.

{secondary target was Zettlefield}

Thursday, March 8, 1945

Mission #6

Target - Rogue A/D, Zamboanga,

Mindanao, P.I.

Time – 7:25 {seven hours, twenty-five minutes}

Distance: 1400 mi.

Remarks: no flak or fighters

Navy began shell-

ing prior to in-

vasion of Island.

Tuesday March 13, 1945

Mission #7

Target - Clinan Town,

Mindanao, P.I.

Time – 4:55 {four hours, fifty-five minutes}

Distance - 1000 mi.

Remarks - no flak or fighters

Saturday, March 17, 1945

Mission #8

Target - Tarakan Town, E Borneo

Time – 9:30 {nine hours, thirty minutes}

Distance - 1800 mi.

Remarks - no flak no fighters.

Navigator got slightly

lost. Navigator dropped bombs in sea.

Price of fish went up. {a joke} Dropped propaganda

leaflets to the fishes

also.

Thursday, March 22, 1945

Mission #9

Target - Liloan Town, Cebu, P.I.

[Primary] {target}

Time – 3: {three hours}

Distance - 600 mi.

Remarks - no flak no fighters.

Had to hit “Snafu” target as #3 engine

cut out. Beo Town,

Tilaud I. __ __ bombs

in the drink again.

Friday, March 23, 1945

Mission #10

Target - Cebu City, Cebu, P.I.

Time – 8:25 {eight hours, twenty-five minutes}

Distance - 1600 mi.

Remarks - no flak no fighters

Well, I’m ¼ done. {comment that he was one fourth of the way through his requisite number of missions, which at the time was 40}

Monday, March 26, 1945

Mission #11

Target - Cebu City, Cebu, P.I.

Time: 9:15 {nine hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 1800 mi.

Remarks: no flak no fighters

Saw invasion of Cebu begin.

Man, the Navy can really throw

those shells out.

Saturday, March 31, 1945

Mission #12

Target – Oelin A/D, S.W. Borneo

Time - 13:20 {thirteen hours, twenty minutes}

Distance - 2600 mi.

Remarks - no flak no fighters.

We did expect a

couple of Nips that

never showed up.

Rough!!! We had to

sweat out our

gas supply. We left target with

800 gallons which

isn’t near enough.

Landed with 400 gallons__ __ __ You figure

it out.

Saturday, April 7, 1945

Mission #13

Target – Bima A/D, Sumbawa I.

E. of Bali in the

Java Sea

Time – 12:40 {twelve hours, forty minutes}

Distance – 2400 {1850 crossed out} mi.

Remarks - We originally went

after a destroyer. It was

in the harbor under

a cloud. They were fir-

ing 23 AA guns plus

the one from the

ship in the harbor. Wow!!

Wednesday, April 11, 1945

Mission #14

Target - Davao City [Outskirts]

Mindinao, P.I.

Time 5:20 {five hours, twenty minutes}

Distance 1000 mi.

Remarks - no flak no fighters

Intelligence re-

ceived reports from

guerillas that we

killed 250 Japs.

Probably caught

them in the

mess hall. {a joke}

Wednesday, April 18, 1945

Mission #15

Target: Beo Town, Talaud I.

[Secondary]

Time – 6:15 {six hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 1200 mi.

Remarks - no flak or fighters

Had to hit secondary

targ. There was

a landing al-

ready on Catabato and Navy

told us to lay off.

Monday, April 23, 1945

Mission #16

Target – Sepinggan A/D,

E Borneo [dispersal area]

Time – 10:30 {ten hours, thirty minutes}

Distance 2000 mi.

Remarks - This target is

right next door

to Balikpapan. (The

Ploesti of the East.)

This was really

a tough one. All

the guns from Signal Hill – Balik-

papan were par-

allel to our bomb

run. One ship {US aircraft}

really shot up. We

carried 2000 lbs bombs.

Pass the toilet tissue!

Friday, April 27, 1945

Mission #17

Target - Sadate’ A/D, E. Celebes

Time – 4:15 {four hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 800 mi.

Remarks - no flak or fighters

Tuesday, May 1, 1945

Mission #18

Target - none – convoy patrol, Telaud I.

area

Time – 9:40 {nine hours, forty minutes}

Distance - 1700 mi.

Remarks - This convoy was

carrying troops

in support of

Mindinao in-

vasion.

Saturday, May 5, 1945

Mission #19

Target - Shipping in Macassar

Straits. We hit boats

In Macassar harbor.

Time – 11: {11 hours}

Distance - 2200 mi.

Remarks - Had to go into harbor

to get this shipping,

and did they toss up

the A/A. As bad as

Sepinggan. We flew

Accross {sic} the Celebes

And then up the strait.

Wednesday, May 9, 1945

Mission #20

Target - none - convoy

patrol North W.

of Celebes I. {“Talaud” crossed out}

Time – 12:20 {twelve hours, twenty minutes}

Distance 2300 mi.

Remarks - nothing of

Interest, but those

are the good missions.

Saturday, May 12, 1945

Mission #21

Target - Macassar Town, S.W.

Celebes

Time – 9:20 {nine hours, twenty minutes}

Distance - 1800 mi.

Remarks - Those Nips were really

sharp with that flak.

We were holed, besides

three others in our squadron of 6. Felt

just like a “clay pigeon.”

Carried “napalm” fire

bombs.

Wednesday, May 16, 1945

Mission #22

Target: Mangar A/D, Borneo

[tertiary] {target}

Time – 11: {11 hours}

Distance - 2200 mi.

Remarks - After making a

few starting runs on

Balikpapan in Sep-

inggan we finally

hit Mangar. Two

ships {aircraft of the 370th Bomb Squad} went into

the harbor at 11,000

and really got

shot up. 35 heavy

guns at Balik. {Balikpapan} and

about half that

many at Sep. {Sepinggan}

Sunday, May 20, 1945

Mission #23

Target - Shipping in Balik-

papan harbor.

Time – 11:15 {eleven hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 2200 mi.

Remarks - Didn’t get as much A/A

as expected. Although

we did get holed.

Sunk Fox Tare Able {Japanese Ship}.

Friday, May 25, 1945

Mission #24

Target - Jap installations

and troops on Tarakan I. Borneo

Time – 10:15 {ten hours, fifteen minutes}

Distance - 2000 mi.

Remarks - this mission was

in support of

Aussies who had

Japs surrounded.

Aussies tossed smoke

bombs into Jap

area to guide our

bombs.

Monday, May 28, 1945

Mission #25

Target - Balikpapan Harbor

Time – 10:45 {ten hours, forty-five minutes}

Distance - 2100 mi.

Remarks: We really had

a big show to-

day. We went

after A/A positions

coord. with B-25’s

and P-38’s. Oil

dumps and ware-

houses blowing

up all over the

place. When we

left, smoke

was rising to

10,000 ft.

Saturday, June 2, 1945

Mission #26

Target - Shipping search

So. Celebes, Makassar {sic} Str. {Strait}

Time – 14:45 {fourteen hours, forty-five minutes}

Distance - 2800 mi.

Remarks - We had quite a

bit of fun. strafing sch-

ooners. {sic} We left 3 Sugar Dogs

burning. Had a running

gun battle with a Jap

gunboat. They had too

many guns for us to go

down on the deck after.

We got hit with some

flak in the left

wing. A nice sized hole.

Wednesday June 6, 1945

Mission #27

Target - Labuan Brunei Bay,

N.W. Borneo

Distance - 2300 mi.

Time – 11:45 {eleven hours, forty-five minutes}

Remarks - no flak or fighters

Dropped bombs on

Jap supply area.

Sunday, June 10, 1945

Mission #28

Target – Labuan, Brunei, Borneo

Distance - 2400 mi.

Time – 12:45 {twelve hours, forty-five minutes}

Remarks - Witnessed the in-

vasion of Borneo

in our first bomb

run. Two of our {continues on next page}

frag bombs hit and

exploded beneath the

ship and holed two ships

behind us. On the second

run two clusters of bombs

hung in the bomb bay -- --

armed -- -- All they had to

do was hit something,

and that would be all brother.

Thursday, June 14, 1945

Mission #29

Target - none

Distance - 2000 mi.

Time – 10:30 {ten hours, thirty minutes}

Remarks - Started for

Balikpapan also Sep-

inggan and Sidate’ all

socked in. Salvoed

bombs in the water.

Tuesday, June 19, 1945

Mission #30

Target - Balikpapan

AA positions

Distance - 2000 mi.

Time - 10:40 {ten hours, forty minutes}

Remarks - What was once

a feared and tough

target, has been

put under control.

The Navy has a

few cruisers and

destroyers laying

right off Balik. {Balikpapan} just

waiting for the Japs

to open up so they

(Navy) can plot their

positions and

knock them out.

Saturday, June 23, 1945

Mission # 31

Target Balikpapan

AA positions

Distance - 2000 mi.

Time – 10:30 {ten hours, thirty minutes}

Remarks - Well, “the Pan”

as the above was

affectionately known,

is now a milk

run.

Wednesday, June 27, 1945

Mission #32

Target - Balikpapan shore

defenses

Distance - 2300 mi.

Time – 12:30 {twelve hours, thirty minutes}

Remarks – Balik. {Balikpapan} is really

softened for the

imminent invasion,

which is supposed

to come off the 1st

of July.

Did a little strafing

of two masted {two-masted}

schooners in the

Gulf of Tominy.

Sunday, July 1, 1945

Mission #33

Target - Balikpapan shore

defenses.

Distance - 2400 mi.

Time – 12:50 {twelve hours, fifty minutes}

Remarks - Well, today was D-

Day on Balik. {Balikpapan} so

far I’ve been {continues next page}

on every invasion

from Corregidor to

“Pan” with the

exception of Tarakan.

Friday, July 6, 1945

Mission #34

Target - Balikpapan

ground support

Distance - 2000 mi.

Time – 10:40 {ten hours, forty minutes}

Remarks - Blew up ammo

dump.

Thursday, July 12, 1945

Mission #35

Target - Donggala, N.W.

Celebes

Distance - 2000 mi.

Time – 11:20 {11 hours 20 min.}

Remarks - Started for Bal-

ikpapan but it

was socked in {with cloud cover}.

Hit secondary -- -- what was left of

it. {Secondary target was probably Donggala}

July 14, 1945

Mission #36

Target - Limboeang A/D.

S.W. Celebes.

Time – 11:30 {eleven hours, thirty minutes}

Distance - 2000 mi.

Remarks - none

{A typical number of planes in a formation was 6}

{Below is a four-page diary – included in his log book - of all comings and goings of Dad from the time he was inducted until he was discharged.}

INDUCTED – APR 17, 1943

REPORTED FOR DUTY – APR. 24, 1943

FT. DIX, N.J. TENT 220

ARRIVED AT ATLANTIC CITY, NJ --

HOTEL DENNIS…ROOMS

288, 201A, 273

ARRIVED AT NORTHFIELD, VT – JULY 14,

1943

NORWICH U.

JACKMAN HALL…RM. 15

ARRIVED AT NASHVILLE, TENN. OCT. 10, ‘43

SQD. I-1 BAR {BARRACKS} 1307

N.A.A.C.

ARRIVED AT SCOTT FIELD, ILL. NOV. 10 “43

BAR 1331 4TH AREA 11TH T.S.S.

370TH T.S.S. 3RD AREA

BAR 121, 124

BAR 1386 4TH AREA

LEFT JUNE 6, “44

ARRIVED YUMA, ARIZ. JUNE 9, 1944

TENT H-12 SQ. 4

BAR 7 SQ.4

TENT E-8 SQ.4

LEFT AUG. 2, 1944

ARRIVED 34 LESLIE ST. NEWARK, NJ {home}

AUG. 6, 1944

ARRIVED WESTOVER FIELD, MASS.

AUG. 17, 1944

SEC. H BAR 296

SEC. E BAR T-20

CREW 412

LEFT NOV. 5, 1944

ARRIVED AT 34 LESLIE ST. NEWARK {home}

NOV. 5, 1944

{NEW PAGE}

ARRIVED MITCHELL FIELD, L.I., N.Y.

NOV. 23, 1944

BAR. T-64 SEC. U

LEFT MITCHEL {SIC} DEC. 6, 1944

ARRIVED HAMILTON FIELD, CAL.

DEC. 9, 1944

BAR 710…A.T.C.

LEFT HAMILTON DEC. 14

ARRIVED AT HICKAM FIELD, HAWAII

[C-54 A.T.C.] DEC. 15, 1944

BAR. 21

LEFT HICKAM JAN. 4, 1945

MOVED OVER TO JOHN ROGERS FLD.,

HONOLULU, HAWAII

BAR 23-1 {or I?}

LEFT ROGERS JAN. 6, 1945

ARRIVED CASADY FIELD, XMAS ISLE.

JAN 6, 1945 [C – 46]

HUT #1

LEFT XMAS JAN. 7

- CONT. –

{continues on new page}

ARRIVED CANTON I. JAN. 7

LEFT CANTON JAN 8

ARRIVED AT HAWKINS FIELD, TARAWA

TENT #2…JAN 9, ‘45

LEFT JAN. 10, [C-46]

ARRIVED AT CARNEY FIELD, GUAD-

ALCANAL [C-46] JAN 10,

HUT #4

LEFT ‘CANAL JAN 11.

ARRIVED AT NADZAB, NEW GUINEA

JAN. 11, 1945 [C-46]

TENT 40…F.E.A.F. {Far East Air Force} C.R.T.C.

LEFT NADZAB, FEB. 7, 1945

ARRIVED AT BIAK FEB. 7, 1945

TENT E-10 [C-46]

LEFT BIAK FEB. 8 [C-47]

ARRIVED AT PITOE AIRSTRIP,

MOROTAI, N.E.I. TENT 17, 27.

FEB. 8, 1945…

307TH BOMB GRP.

370TH BOMB SQD. [H]

LEFT PITOE ARRIVED IN

MEROUKE, N.G. – REFUEL

TOOK OFF, ARRIVED

ROCKHAMPTON, AUS.

JULY 25—SCARRIF

HOTEL – RM. 23

SWAN HOTEL RM6

LEFT ROCKY {Rockhampton} JULY 30

ARRIVED PITOE

{New Page}

LEFT MOROTAI AUG. 3 ARRIVED

MANILA AUG. 3 22ND

REPL. BN. TENT A-9

LEFT MANILA AUG. 9 GOT ON

SHIP CAPE DOUGLAS – THE BRIG –

HOLD 2 ARRIVED FRISCO AUG. 31

{Note – Dad said that he and a buddy picked the brig to sleep in because it was cool, i.e. pleasant, for sleeping…they weren’t thrown in the brig}

WENT TO CAMP STONEMAN

LEFT SEPT. 1 – BY BUS

TO MCLELLAN FLD, SACRAMENTO

TOOK OFF ON C-47 STOPPED

AT TUCSON, DALLAS, NASHVILLE

AND NEWARK – TO FT. DIX

BY TRAIN. – ARRIVED SEPT 2

LEFT SEPT 4 – 34 LESIE {sic, 34 Leslie St., Newark (home)}

LEFT NEWARK OCT. 20 ARRIVED

GREENSBORO, N.C. – AAF SEPARATION

CENTER – BARRACKS 746 – REC’D

DISCHARGE – LEFT G’BORO OCT. 29.

ARRIVED NWK OCT. 30 1945

THE END

{a summary of flight hours}

HRS. PLACE

FLYING TIME

PIPER CUB 10 C.T.D. {College? Training Division}

B-17 26 Y.A.A.F. {Gunnery school?}

B-24 134 WESTOVER {in MA, where crew did training}

C-54 13

C-46 22

C-47 5

FEB 45 B-24 39 MOROTAI

MAR 45 65

APR 45 49

MAY 45 85 ½

JUNE 45 83

JULY 45 45

{Below are the other crew members as listed in Dad’s log book. Obviously, he did not list himself, Richard N. Roth – Radio Operator and Gunner – Tech Sgt., 34 Leslie St., Newark, NJ}

Garald F. Kling {That is the spelling} - Engineer

Voorheesville, New York

Robert D. Larkin – Tailgunner

Hillsboro, Ohio

Robert L. Miller

405 Griswold St.

Peoria, Ill.

Robert E. McCarthy - Bombadier

16 Lambert St.

Medford, Mass

(went to Seton Hall)

Richard L. Luker

506 West Ave.

Blakely Island

Mobile, Alabama

Dean P. Humphrey

Deep River, Iowa

Sinclair Weeks Jr. – Navigator

282 Beacon St.

Boston, Mass

Amos J. DeRouen Jr. {“Frenchie”} – Co-Pilot

PO Box 290

Lake Charles, Louisiana

{He was the only crew member who did not survive the war…he died under mysterious circumstances on the base after the 35th mission. DeRouen did not fly on the 35th mission. Another co-pilot took his place. When the crew returned from the mission, they were informed that DeRouen was dead. Dad suspects that DeRouen either committed suicide, or that something more sinister occurred that was covered up. Dad mentioned that none of the crew had much confidence in their co-pilot, and always hoped that the pilot would survive each mission because they were afraid that the co-pilot could not successfully handle the aircraft. Dad also commented that the co-pilot had some “odd” (to him) habits such as shaving all of his body hair, and he thought that the co-pilot might have been a homosexual. By the time the crew was informed of his death, his burial was in progress. The death of the co-pilot may have something to do with the early discharge of the rest of the crew, four missions short of the requisite 40. The remaining nine crew members were sent to Australia for R&R, and when they returned, they were informed they would be sent home for discharge.}

Glenn Donaldson – Pilot

Texas

{In crew photo, the guys are lined up thus:

Standing, l to r: Luker / Miller / Humphreys / Roth / Kling / Larkin

Kneeling, l to r: DeRouen / McCarty / Weeks / Donaldson}

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