Joseph J. Bitzer, Mission March 15, 1945

Mission March 16, 1945

Mission March 26, 1945

Mission April 1, 1945

We made three trips to Wiener Neustadt marshalling yards near Vienna. Evidently lots of materiel came through that location so we hit them on March 15, 16, and 26. This area was well defended, so the missions got a bit scary. We bombed St. Polten Marshalling yards on April 1. Supplies came through there from Germany to the Vienna. A couple thoughts come to mind - first, it must be very frustrating operating a train, or for that matter any other job connected with supplying the war machine of the enemy, when at any time these big birds would come over by the hundreds dropping their lethal loads. Secondly, we in the B24s are plowing along at something less than 200 mph, and fighters are zipping around us much faster, maybe 350. But then, look what has been accomplished since then, like the SR71 Blackbird at a top speed of Mach 3.3, or nearly 2,200 mph - wow! On the way, home, though, there's the relaxer, the voice on the intercom, just a bit flat – “SZYMANOWICS spells symanowicz, proud, of all the Irish blood that’s in me, Divil a man can say a word (?) me. SZYMANOVlICZ you see, it's a name that a shame never has been connected with, Szymanowicz, that’s me".