1        Paris, France         June 29, 1943 

                      Scroll down for actual typed pages of the raids.  

Above, B-17  42-3325  "Paddy Gremlin" from the 379th Bomb Group of Lt Wooldridge

Below, the one page account of Lt KDW's first mission.  He sets a format that he will use on all 25 missions:  date and time of take off, target and bomb load, the mission itself.  The Diary has been donated to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. where is is preserved at cold temperatures in the bowels of the Library.    It can be seen by appointment. 

Photo below, August 17, 1942 -    B-17s of the 97th Bomb Group return from Mission #1 of the 8th Air Force.

The 8th Air Force would fly 986 heavy bomber missions  (B-17 and B-24) against the Luftwaffe between August 17, 1942 and May 8, 1945  before the war in Europe would be over.