Marshall B. Haugen

Marshall B. Haugen
World War II
Army Air Corps

Marshall B. Haugen enlisted in the Army Air Corps August 29, 1941, Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Home at entry: Duluth, Minnesota.

He served as a technical Sergeant, radio operator, mechanic, and aerial gunner on B-17-17 Flying Fortress bombers with the 322nd Squadron of the 91st Bombardment Group and Eighth Air Force in the Air Offensive Europe, Rhineland, Ardennes, and Central Europe.

He was twice wounded in action on November 30, 1944, in Mersburg, Germany, and December 31, 1944, in Hamburg, Germany.

Selected edited excerpts from his war diary:

“November 14, 1942….on that day the weather was bad but we took off with the intention of landing in SW England. The raid again was to St. Nazaire (France) to bomb the docks and warehouses….The flak was intense but all our planes got through OK…We bombed from 20,000 feet….We landed at a new field and consequently a mud hole. We spent the night there and were anxious to start back the next morning. However, the weather was bad and we were held over for another day. The following morning, we took off for our home base, and it was almost the last ride for yours truly. While en route at 1500 feet, our right life raft broke loose and lodged on the horizontal stabilizer. The plane went into a dive and it was only because of a couple good pilots that the plane was put under control. We all prepared to abandon ship but we were too low to jump by the time we were ready to go so we would have crashed with the plane….the waist gunner shot the raft loose, and the pilot climbed to 7,000 feet. When we got near the base we ran into a heavy mist and were unable to see the field….I got a series of QDMs and brought us into the field where we made an emergency landing. Shortly after, I went to the Operations Office and read an order making me a T/Sgt. Effective November 13, I almost didn’t live to find it out.”

“December 20….a day that I will never forget. Again plans were made to bomb the airplane depot at Romilly-sur-Seine. Seventeen planes took off and none of them had to turn back. Again we had a lousy position in the formation and we really took a beating. We beat off frequent attacks all the way to the target and all the way back. Two planes from the 401st Squadron went down on the way in. They were flying in the element directly behind us.

“We made it to the target and dropped our bombs OK….on our way back we really ran into trouble. The lead plane in our element was hit and started to lag behind so we stayed with it while the others went on ahead. That is when all the FWs (German Focke-Wolfe fighters) in France started to pick on us. The main attack started 12 minutes from the Channel and they swarmed around us like bees. Soon our plane was riddled with holes and our No. 3 engine was out. Then our No. 4 was hit and practically the whole tail assembly was shot away. We were unable to stay with the other two planes in our element and went into a dive…we ducked into a cloud and thus shook off the pursuing fighters….a final blast hit our navigator in the leg …our gunners shot down at least six fighters, but I didn’t get a shot. All the attacks came from the nose and I was unable to get my guns in that direction. My gun shoots only to the rear….The plane was so badly damaged that we were all set to make a belly landing in the water. However, our pilot, Lt. Barton, and co-pilot Lt. Reynolds got the plane under control and decided to try to make England….Most of the radio equipment was shot away so we were unable to contact any airdromes…and we didn’t know how long we could keep going on two engines….Unable to find an airdrome, our pilot decided to belly land in….a plowed field and the plane didn’t even break in half. It hardly jarred us…

“As soon as we landed we jumped out and started to seek medical attention for the wounded navigator, Lt. Burnett. We landed directly under a high tension wire and killed two sheep and one rabbit when we landed….When we looked over the plane there were holes everywhere. The tail was practically gone. One 20 m.m. made a hole eight feet by three feet in the vertical stabilizer, besides numerous 30 caliber holes, yet the tail gunner had just a small piece of shrapnel in his chin. The radio room was full of holes and I wasn’t even scratched. It was the last flight for “Chief Sly,” but she went to a noble death….as soon as we get another plane we’ll be all set to go again….there will be a new face as our navigator will still be in the hospital….the loss from our group was two Fortresses down over France with crews lost and our crew safe but the plane lost. Altogether, our group was credited with 25 planes shot down and 15 were downed by four planes in our squadron, with our plane leading the list with six.p.s.: Our target was blown to bits!”

“December 25. It sure was a quiet Christmas day. I didn’t even bother to leave the field over the three-day holiday….”

“December 31. The last day of the most adventurous year in my life….”

“January 24, 1943. My pilot was promoted to captain and we also received a new plane from ferry command. The plane will be called “ChiefSly II’ and we hope it will prove as good as its predecessor. Today, all my papers for OCS were completed and I am now waiting to go before the board….”

“January 27,. The first raid by Americans on Germany. We had a nice position in the formation….However when we were within 50 miles of Germany, our No. 2 engine was running rough and we were unable to gain altitude and thus had to turn back….?

“February 4. Our second mission into Germany and this time…we led the second element. The overcast was heavy and we were unable to bomb the primary target. Just what we finally bombed I don’t know….the fighters picked us up shortly before reaching the target and followed us 78 miles back over the North Sea. Our group lost two planes, both from the 323td squadron. One of the radio operators lost was a fellow Minnesotan and a close friend….It looks like Germany will be our main target from now on….”

“February 13. Yours truly took part in a short wave broadcast over CBS….Bob Trout, a famous announcer, was in charge. He lived on base for two days and interviewed us before deciding to put us on the air….”

“February 16. Another raid to St. Nazaire….shortly after leaving the target we were attacked by fighters and the attacks continued all the way back to the channel. All planes from our group returned but a radio operator in the 324th was killed by a 20 m.m. hitting him in the head….”

“February 26. Our primary target was the FW factory at Bremen but we had to settle for Wilhelmshaven as our primary was hidden under overcast….The first attack from fighters cam 1-1/2 hours before we reached the target, and continued until we were halfway home over the North Sea….We didn’t have a single hole in our plane….It was a six-hour mission and four hours of it was under oxygen. The bombing altitude was 26,500 feet, the highest thus far. Two planes….failed to return. They must have gotten out of formation.”

“February 27. I had to fly with Lt. Felton’s crew on a raid to Brest. However, we didn’t reach the target as the ball turret gunner had oxygen trouble and we had to lose altitude to save his life. We were at 28,000 feet and within five minutes we were at 9,000. The gunner was revived but it was tough to turn around on such an easy mission. All the planes returned OK….”

“March 4. It seems I was hoping my next raid would be an easy one. It was just about as tough as it could possibly be….We led the group of 18 planes….we got separated from the other groups going through a overcast. We were unable to locate the others, so we continued on to Hamm, Germany, by ourselves …. weather perfect and made a swell bombing run over the primary target. We fought off fighters on the way in….and 30 minutes from the target….the sky was full of fighters and only 17 Fortresses to fight them off….one went down over the target. In the battle during the next 45 minutes, three more Fortresses went down including our left wing ship….our plane returned without a single hole.”

“We had a colonel ride with us just because he wanted to see what combat is really like. He sure picked a dilly, Just after we landed he made ready to go back to the States….Just imagine 18 planes over the heart of Germany in broad daylight….I feel very fortunate to be back.”

“March 6. We were tail-end Charleys on this raid…target was Lorient. We took the long way down and the long way back…flak was light and only six fighters were there to meet us. I saw the bombs hit…We had only enough gas to get back to Southern England so we landed at Davidstan Moore. We stayed overnight and almost froze to death… It looks like another raid for me in the morning.”

“March 8. We took off at 10 a.m….the lead plane was forced to drop out….We were leading B Flight so we took over the lead….the second time in the last three raids. The raid was a success and …the Spitfire escort was really good….The raid was to Rennes.”

“March 13. Officially my 14th mission. The raid was to Amiens, France. We had heavy Spitfire cover….however the target was overcast and the bombing poor….I would like to have about 1- more easy ones and then go home.”

“March 22. Another raid to Wilhelmshaven, Germany. The flak was quite heavy over the target, but fighter opposition wasn’t too bad. Just after we released our bombs and had our bomb bay doors halfway closed, a burst of flak burst in the bomb bay. It sprung the doors and we were unable to close them. The motor that works the doors burned up and gave us a little excitement. On one attack by a fighter from underneath, the ball turret gunner further damaged the doors by shooting many holes in them. Outside of the flak, the raid was rather easy.”

“The tail gunner and waist gunner froze their hands, and I had the opportunity to play nursemaid. As we neared the coast of England on our return, enemy fighters again intercepted us. Altogether, our group lost one plane. We were the only plane from our squadron to reach the target….”

“April 4. Paris: It was the second time I had seen Paris from the air, but the first time we actually dropped bombs on the city. The target was the Renault works in the suburbs. The raid was quite easy for our group and we didn’t lose a single plane…It was a perfect day and ….a sight-seeing trip. The bombing was perfect. On the way back we had a few encounters with fighters and our tail gunner and ball turret man were credited with each shooting one down….”

“April 17. Bremen, Germany,….Our group really took a beating. We were the first over the target flying at 26,000 feet…The flak and fighters concentrated on us and, as a result, six planes from our group and 10 from the 306th were shot down. We returned with a few flak holes, but were fortunate to escape further damage….However, a dear friend of mine was killed….the upper turret operator on Lt. Genheimer’s plane. Although their plane had only one bullet hole, the bullet was a 30 caliber that hit Hale in the chest and punctured his heart…The raid was successful from the standpoint of bombing as we really blasted the FW factory that was putting out planes in mass production. I do hope we never have to go back to that place again….”

“April 20. Most of the fellows went to Hale’s funeral but I want no part of a funeral so passed it up. Maybe that was the wrong way to feel about it, but nevertheless that is the way I felt…”

“April 30. As I was lying around the barracks taking life easy, word came that our crew was on seven-day furlough. After a long stretch in the Army, my hopes of getting a furlough were realized….”

“May 14. Kiel, Germany….We were the highest plane in the whole formation and neither the flak nor fighters bothered us.

“:One of our crews was shot up badly and were forced to hit the water about 30 miles from England. The radio operator sent out SOSs and they had them well-plotted, but were unable to find any trace of them. They either made a poor landing or were picked up by a convoy and are not aboard a ship….”

“May 18. Lorient….The raid was successful and all the planes from our group returned OK but the last group over the target lost four planes. It made my 24th mission and that means only one more to go…We will probably get that in tomorrow….””

“May 19. Kiel, Germany. There’s nothing like finishing my tour on a tough mission to Germany….There is naturally a certain amount of tenseness that goes with the last mission, and I don’t mind telling you it was good to leave the target area and start out over the North Sea knowing that you had now completed your active duty and had seen flak and fighters for the last time….We had a few flak holes in the plane. When I got back, there was a 60 hour pass waiting for Mitchell and me, so it was off to town….”

“May 24. I’m hoping to be sent home or become an instructor on this side of the pond. Also, I am sweating out a commission. I would gladly pass up the commission to get a chance to go home. Today, I received word that I should be all packed and ready to go on detached service….Just what our duties will be I don’t know.”

“May 25 to June 4. Johnny and I were sent to Alconbury to fly with a tow-target detachment. Our pilot and copilot were from our squadron so I didn’t mind too much flying. However, the idea of pulling a tow target for a bunch of shoe clerks etc. to practice on wasn’t exactly what I called a rest….It really turned out to be a snap as we spent most of our time in town. We kept sweating out the boys that were still on operations.”

“June 7. Afternoon….John and I had just received word that we were to go to WinG and have a session with a general….the session with the general was the presentation of DFC’s (Distinguished Flying Crosses)….it was really quite a ceremony. There was a guard of honor on one side of us a a group of big shots on the other, and the general stood in front of us. Altogether, I think there were about 15 men receiving awards and as each man walked up…cameras were clicking from all sides. It was a sight I’ll never forget…I finally received the award I most wanted. Now, all they have to do is send me home.”

“My last month in England. I spent three weeks at Chorley awaiting transportation to the States….I made a trip to Eighth Bomber Command headquarters where I turned down a commission as a gunnery officer. I was too anxious to get back to the States and thus passed up something that a flock of fellows would have given their right arm for. I left England on the Queen Mary and had nice trip across…after five and a half days, we pulled into (New) York…I saw the ‘Old Lady’ in the harbor and it was sure a welcome sight….we docked alongside of the Normandy which was lying on its side in the harbor….on July 19, I started for home….”

“….I finally reported to Redmond (Oregon) where there were several combat men already with the squadron but I was the first from the Eighth with a tour under my belt. Also, there was a shortage of radio instructors so I was welcomed with open arms….we remained at Redmond until the first part of November….then moved diagonally across….to the swamps of Avon Park, Florida.”

“I stayed there doing various jobs until September 1, 1944….at which time I decided to stretch my luck a little further and go back to combat….with a handpicked crew made up entirely of instructors….mainly ex-combat men….”

“October 15. Mission one (26) Cologne….turned out to be an easy mission….”

“October 17. Mission two (27) Cologne…We were flying high squadron and escaped most of the flak…”

“October 26. Mission three (28) Hanover…extremely easy as no fighters were seen and no flak was bursting in our vicinity. We were carrying a new radio set called ‘carpet’ which was supposed to throw off their radar and consequently their flak. It worked wonders today and hope it continues that way….”

“November 5. Mission four (29) Saarbrucken. Another milk run…”

“November 16. Mission five (30)..supporting ground forces…Aachen….Our area was a heavy gun emplacement just east of Aachen….The quicker the boys can get into the ruhr and Berlin the better it will be….”

“November 26. Mission six…Hamm, Germany…We picked up some flak all along the route and did manage to pick up a few holes in the plane….at the present rate, it will take a long time to get our quota of missions. However, none of us is anxious to finish, particularly if they continue this easy.”

“November 30. Mission seven…Merseburg….NO MILK RUN>>>It is the most dreaded target of the Eighth (Air Force)…When we reached the target area, the sky was black and planes were going down all around us. About two minutes before bombs away, they had our range and, while I was looking out the window at our wing ship, a barrage knocked the wing ship out of the sky. A piece came through the window and hit me in the face….our group was really taking a beating. The leader…and his left wing ship were hit and ran together in the air and went down in flames… The lead of the high was hit and started to lose altitude with only two engines working. We continued on and released our bombs and sneaked out of the flak area to lick our wounds… With the other two lead ships gone, the boys all joined on us. That is, what was left. We counted 21 planes out of the 38 that took off on the mission. When we finally got over the field, there was only 17 as five landed at the emergency field at Woodbridge…The day’s loss was nine planes for certain from the group.”

“After getting hit I started to get sick to my stomach so I laid down on the radio room floor. After about an hour I felt pretty good so I did a little radio work….The reason for getting sick was the blood that was running down inside the oxygen mask into my mouth and stomach. Besides the flak wounds, my eyes and face were splattered with Plexiglass. The left eye was sore as the cornea had been cut. When I got back to the base, I was met at the end of the runway by an ambulance and taken to the station hospital for treatment. I was released shortly thereafter and went to the General Hospital for an examination of the eyes next day.”

“Of the three lead radio men that day, I was the only one that came though. The operator on the lead went down in flames. The high took a piece of flak in the neck and died before he got back to the base. We thought the whole crew went down, but they limped back on two engines. I was really a rough mission and I don’t care to go back there again. Our plane was riddled with holes, with the hydraulic system shot out and leaving us with only enough fluid to brake once or twice. That is the reason we landed last. Also, a hit in a gas tank that kept leaking from the target all the way back to the base. It wouldn’t have taken much to ignite it and blow us out of the sky. All in all, we are lucky to be able to be around to tell about it.”

“December 10. Mission eight….Coblenz….senseless and wasted time sums up this mission.”

“December 12, Mission nine….Darmstadt…a real milk run on the marshaling, yards….”

“December 24. Mission ten….Zelkhausen airfield….The Belgium Bulge….Christmas Eve the weather cleared and 2000 bombers took off from the Eighth to help out the boys….we flew right down the middle of that 40 mile stretch. The target was an airfield that was the base for the planes that were giving our boys hell. We ran into plenty of flak flying down the Bulge and got banged up somewhat….when we were practically at the IP (initial point) the No. 2 engine started to run rough and it just wouldn’t feather. We had to reduce air speed….and the rest of the boys couldn’t stay with us. Also, No. 3 was throwing oil all the way back to the horizontal stabilizer. So we started for home….and had to cover all that distance without protection….we made it back without interference….it looked for awhile like we might have to spend Christmas Eve wandering around Germany.”

“December 29. Mission 11 Frankfurt…the lead really plastered the target (marshaling yards). There was plenty of flak but, with groups crossing from all directions, the Germans weren’t able to concentrate on any one group. Consequently no group was hit hard….”

“December 31. Mission 12….Hamburg, Germany….’Cluster day’. This was really another cluster day as it meant another one for my Air Medal (5) and another one for the Purple Heart. The latter I didn’t particularly want and I hope it doesn’t happen again. The Eighth was hitting oil targets in the Hamburg area. Our target was….practically in the heart of the city….the flak was find the mark. I don’t think the Jerrys wasted a single shell. About all we had left was four engines as the rest of the plane was riddled. One close burst made several holes in the radio room. One entered (my) elbow and another the forearm…Conroy played doctor by cutting away the clothing and putting sulfa powder in the wounds. It was really a painful injury, but it didn’t keep me from carrying on the regular radio work….Again I was met at the end of the runway by the ambulance….I was sent immediately to a general hospital and was operated on the night….I remained in the hospital until January 15 and, after returning to the base, got another flak leave of seven days….”

“January 28, 1945. Mission 13…Kassel, Germany….our group was leading the division. It really was an easy one as we flew over a solid overcast all the way….and luckily there was an opening over the target….”

“February 1. Mission 14….Wesel on the Rhine….We were leading the high group….really a short and sweet mission….”

“February 15. Mission 15….Cottbus, Germany….supporting the Reds…the first one in direct support of the Allies in the East…We wee leading the high squadron….an easy mission but it was plenty long….9 ½ hours in the air is really a day’s work….we flew over seven different countries: England, France, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, Germany and Czechoslovakia. Our target was within 40 miles of the advancing Reds.”

“February 17. Mission 16….Frankfurt….an easy mission for us, it wasn’t for Stene. He flew his first mission as a command pilot and….over the North Sea his plane caught fire. Three men bailed out and then the plane went into a spin. There is practically no hope for Stene….He had personality plus.?

“February 22. Mission 17….Schweinigen….The Eighth Air Force abandoned high altitude bombing for one day and made all heavies go in a medium altitude. We broke into small groups and went after the marshaling yards in small towns…we completely smothered the yards with bombs….It was really an easy mission but….plenty long.”

“February 24. Mission 18….Wesel, Germany….a frontline target. Two groups were going after the only important bridge still standing over the Rhine….target was well defended and we picked up some flak about 30 seconds before bombs away. It was really accurate, bursting all around our plane. One piece came in over the bombardier’s head and hit the navigator. Lt. Welsh, in the right arm. The tail gunner had a narrow escape as a bit piece of flak missed his head by less than six inches. That piece knocked out the oxygen system on the right side from the radio room….One 1,000 pound (bomb) failed to release over the target so we took it back to the base. When we landed, it jarred loose from the bomb bay and went through the doors. It went down the runway behind us and it was only a miracle that it didn’t go off. I believe we have learned our lesson and from now on we will drop all extra bombs in the North Sea.”

“March 11. Mission 19….Dortmund, Germany….a day of instrument bombing and from all reports we did a good job….There was ample flak but we kept turning away from it all the time….another milk run.”

“March 12. Mission 20….Siegen, Germany….First Group lead…an easy one….a milk run to say the least.”

March 18. Mission 21….Big B….Berlin. It had been my desire to go the the big city and it finally came true….we had only a couple passes by jet jobs and they didn’t hit anything but air….We were in flak for about 12 minutes and they really had our range. We sustained some battle damage….One bomb hung up and we had to drop it manually after we came off the target. The group lost three planes and eight had to return with feathered props….”

March 22. Mission 22….Ahlhorn. It looks like the boys are just about ready to start across the Rhine as the last two days the Eighth has been giving them direct support. Yesterday it was airfields and marshaling yards and again today the same thing only troop concentrations besides….There wasn’t a single burst of flak along the entire route….It was the last mission for Liana, bombardier, and he sure finished in a blaze of glory. He completely smothered the assigned runway with bombs….a good mission in every respect.”

“April 4. Mission 23…Kiel, Germany….We led the Group….a Mickey run on the target and the last 15 seconds the target came into view through breaks in the overcast. That was long enough for John to get his hairs on the target and we plastered it. No bombers missing and no battle damage….”

“April 11. Mission 24(49)….Landshut, Germany. Another long but easy target. Again we led the Group to the marshaling yards….located about 40 miles north of Munich….an important target as the main line from Berlin to Munich ran through it….A milk run….”

“April 20. Mission 25(50) …Orienburg, Germany….target was marshaling yards….it was like a sight-seeing trip as there wasn’t any enemy action along the entire route. We came back at low altitude….to view the ruins of Germany. Practically all the towns seem to be flattened….It was the last mission for McMurtrey….I’ll have three more with the crew and probably have to finish the last couple on the wing. Maybe the war will be over by that time.”

May 7 and 8. End of the war in Europe. It took place on the seventh and became official on May 8.”

“May 19. A flight to Austria to haul out 30 repatriated French prisoners-landed near Paris to let them out-sight –seeing trip also.”

Awarded:

Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster
Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster
Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters
Presidential Unit Citation
Air Crew Badge
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with four bronze battle stars
World War II Victory Medal
Three overseas service bars.

Honorably discharged October 12, 1945, Santa Ana, California.

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