Part V

About this time the "long range babies" of the Eighth Air Force were quite effectively putting the finishing touches on Germany's vital sources of supply and vast industrial complex. And the Ninth Air Force--born in Egypt and nurtured to fighting strength in the Western Desert--had transferred to the United Kingdom where it was transformed into a completely Tactical Air Force. And it was now prepared for its greatest assignment--the support of the Allied Invasion of Europe from the West.

As events raced toward D-Day the Ninth's forces had turned their immediate attention towards targets vitally concerned with the coming invasion. Coastal defenses, inland strong points, marshalling yards and airfields were continuously covered and attacked, but bridges were the priority target. Bridges over the Seine and the Loire Rivers were relentlessly pounded and practically all knocked out within the triangle formed by these rivers pointing towards Paris. It was the constant reconnaissance coverage, both photographic and visual, that enabled this vital operation to be carried out successfully--and believe me, gentlemen, we, the "Thirty Fourth" were there.

The operation was the "cream" of the Ninth's Interdiction Invasion Program. In short: bomb out the railroad yards of the enemy; tie up key transportation points to keep supplies from reaching the invasion area; and keep the enemy segregated on one battle field by cutting all bridges and roads servicing the area. Obviously, once the bridges were knocked out, they could be repaired and they were--and constantly replaced, day and night, with both permanent and mobile floatable pontoon spans. It was for this reason that a constant vigil had to be kept of all the bridges on the Seine and Loire Rivers. The state of those bridges had to be known at all times.

In my opinion the "Thirty Fourth's" support of this operation was not only our most important contribution to the "Big War Effort" but was the most hazardous one as well. The Thirty Fourth was assigned the bridges from just outside Paris to Le Havre on the Seine; and more than often Nantes to Nevers on the Loire. Daily, regardless of weather; regardless of altitude these missions were "top banana", they had to go. When the weather was good we considered it a milk-run at 20,000 feet. Under those conditions things were rather routine--perhaps a bit of "flak" or an occasional "jump" or two from stray Fw 190s or Me 109s. But I assure you the routine was rare. Upwards of six missions daily were flown on occasion to fulfill this task--and only too often even this kind of effort failed. Most of the time was spent trying to find a break in the clouds; then a checkpoint to just generally orient yourself. After that all you had to do was find your targets, take your pix and get your "fanny" back into the havens for home. The weather reports and forecasts in the precise target area were scarce at best and usually nonexistant. And of course, "Uncle Goering" wasn't providing us with any radio assists to enhance our endeavors.

On bad weather days--the only answer: "time and distance" flights to the general target area followed by the execution of varying (and they did vary) let-down procedures to lower altitudes--all the time looking for that little break in the clouds, that little ray of sunshine (or "whatever else"--God forbid) that might just disclose a clue to your position. In this case I believe we considered 3000 feet in our target areas as a reasonably safe minimum altitude but "blind" letdowns below 1000 feet on several occasions almost to the deck in attempts to fulfill these important missions were quite common. It was "hairy" flying. Without exception and complaints all pilots participated, experiencing both failure and success, day after day, before and after the invasion, until it was assured that the Germans were really on the "run".

Frustrations on these flights were many--the pilots usually not knowing "where or how" but even in failure there were a few experiences on the lighter side. Believe me, there was more than one "German GI" on a stray bike, motorcycle or whatever that was "strafed" into a roadside ditch or puddle by a lost and frustrated unarmed P-38 photo jockey on the "hunt". It did happen.

Despite the obstacles, the hazards, frustration and pathos the job was accomplished once again. The pix were gotten; they were returned and processed post haste; and Frank Spearman and his plotting section had the "Seine/Loire Bridge Connection" at their finger tips continuously during this most critical pre/post invasion period; the constant vigil was meticulously maintained.

Sure, the 34th flew several individual exceptional missions including the pre-invasion "dicing missions" -- probably the two most spectacular, the missions that really had the "Hollywood touch". But, folks, for my money, it was our Seine/Loire bridge photography reconnaissance supporting the Ninth Air Force Interdiction Invasion Program that was the real "Bread and Butter" operation of the "Thirty Fourth".

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