History of the 448th Bomb Squadron
from Lt. Alden A. "Bud" West
Atlantic Crossing, from: Men of the 57th, Winter 2007
The following information is from daily notes regarding the voyage from Newport News, VA to Naples, Italy between October 13-28, 1944. We sailed on the 15,000 ton troop transport ship, SS Athos II, a French Line cruise vessel built by Germany in 1923 as a reparation payment to France following WWI. The passengers consisted of our six replacement crews for the 57th Bomb Wing, a contingent of French WACs, US State Department personnel, 21 nurses from the American Red Cross, journalist Margeret Bourke-White, and USO entertainers. Needless to say, our aircrews were blocked from any contact with these other groups.
The crew officers were bunked six per stateroom and the enlisted men bunked in the hold of the ship. This was one of the few times that 'rank had it's privileges (RHIP) prevailed. The officers were served two meals a day at the captain's table by the ships staff and the evening meal included wine which prompted us to wonder if this was the biblical "last supper" for our combat tour ahead.
The crew pilots were assigned a four-hour watch on the forward deck which turned out to be a once in a life time experience for myself as our convoy entered the Straits of Gibraltar.
Tuesday, October 24, 1944:
Still in the Atlantic- will go through the Straits early AM Wed. Saw B-24s, blimps (from ZP-14), and Sunderlands- also sub-chasers that took over nest to our ship. Tanker going to Casablanca about 18:00. Talked to Jim Turner and Hoyt- played records and wrote some more.
Wednesday, October 25, 1944:
Sighted lighted town on the African coast at 06:00- a silhouette of the Spanish and Spanish Moroccan Coast now visible. Passed Tangiers about 09:00 and got buzzed by Catalina flying boats (from VPB-63) as we passed through the international straits about 12 miles wide. Our escort carrier pulled into Gibraltar about 11:00 when we passed it. Moorish Coast all along with tops of sheer rock cliffs of Africa. We are following 20 miles off African Coast at sunset at 19:00. Wrote Liz tonight.
Thursday, October 26, 1944:
Sticking close to coast- passed Oran at 04:30 AM- always lights visible all along coast and a brilliantly lit up airport seen on shore. Weather bad today with heavy swells rocking boat steeply as night comes on. Saw waterspout pass through our convoy about 17:00; passed Algiers at 18:00- saw that thru porthole on our D deck cabin at 20:00- wrote lots of V-mails.
Firday, October 27, 1944:
Clear weather today but heavy sea swells. Coast of Tunisia visible and small freighter passed us about 16:00- had good supper tonight. Left coast of Africa around Bizerte for Sicily- looks like a rock formation as most coasts do. Finishing letter to Liz and other V-mails also. We are due in Naples tomorrow.
Saturday, October 28, 1944:
Water very calm- only six ships of our original convoy now. Sighted Isle of Capri (beautiful) at 11:00- also Italian mainland. Arrived in harbor of Naples at 15:00- docked at 17:00. Destruction of unbelievable intensity witnessed by wreckage in harbor- 4 ships bottoms up along docks where we will be debarking. City seems pretty well intact- large number of Naval vessels tied up in port. Tonight we pack and will debark early in AM. Eureka, we have arrived to perform our assigned mission.
Sunday, October 29, 1944:
Spent night at Replacement Depot at Marcinise Airport. To be picked up on the 30th by a B-25D for 1 hour and 20 minute flight to Solenzara, home of the 321st Bomb Group on Corsica. Note: It has been a month long odyssey since leaving Hunter Field, Georgia by train on September 30, 1944.
