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| K e n s m e n : 4 3 r d B o m b G r o u p (H), 5 t h A A F | ||
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| 2nd Lt. Lt. Colonel Dayton
"Dayt" Blanchard Squadron: 65th Position: 1st Pilot, B-24 all modelsOur job was to bomb Japanese installations in the Pacific. Served: Jan 1942 -Jan 1946 Originally from: Wisconsin Training: Basic: Sheppard Field, Texas College Training Detach: Oklahoma A & M University Lackland Tx.: Classification Center and Pre-Flight Gibbs Field, Ft. Stockton Tx, Primary, PT-19's Goodfellow Field, Tx, Basic Flying, BT 13'sAdvanced at Pampa AAF, Tx, AT-17's, UC 78"sB-24 1st Pilots school, Tarrant AAF, TXCombat Training: Mrch AFB,Calif. Citations/Medals: Asiatic Pacific with 7 battle staars...The Air Medal. Planes: Flew most of the Aircraft with significant nose art. Number of Missions: 25 Description of Missions: New Guinea, Phillipines at Clark AB. Flew missions to Formosa and eastern China, and the off-shore islands of Formosa (Mako)Missions to Formosa covered the entire island fromTaipai southward to Chiyia. Most significant mission was a 0ne-plane recon to China and Mako.Had the opportunity to bomb a Japanese Battleship at Mako...bombs hung up and flack became intense so we salvoed. Bombs inadvertantly hit a fuel dump with massive destruction! No more Jap gasfortheir aircraft or ships..Massive smoke emitted from the fuel farm. We never got credt or recognition for that important mission...at the debriefing, the Intelligence Officer was rather dissinterested. Every anti-aircraft battery on the island of Mako was zeroed in on our plane. Flew routine missions over the entire island of Formosa..Taipei to Kaoshung. Most significent mission was a recn to Wenchow China via the Pescadorie Islands west of Formosa...Enroute, the bombadier Don Marsaglia and Navigator spotted a Japanese battleship in drydock in Mako harbor.We mae a run on it amidst heavy flak but the bombs hung up and we salvoed after making a sharp break to avoid flak...Bombs struck a fuel dump and all hell broke loose....Massive damage and destruction, smoke to high levels...Never got much credit or recognition for that mission, as the Intelligence Officer was rather blase about the whole thing. The crew should have at least gotten an Air Medal. Most poignant, sad or touching memory of the war: Loss of my good fried Lt.Don Campbell over Kirun (Taipei)..He crash landed at the airdrome and was machine gunned by Japanese soldiers. Funniest or most fun memory of the war: Not a funny war. Any odd or strange memories from the war: Finding boxes and boxes of Japanese currency while visiting the back alleys of Manilla...millions of dollars to be used as invasion currency. Also padlocking my Jeep to a telephone pole in Manilla to prevent it from being stolen. Most heroic thing I saw or did: While in Honolulu, I saved my Navigator from drowning at Waikiki Beach....he couldn't swim. Where I was and how I celebrated when I learned the war was over: was on Ie Shima...we thanked God. How having gone to war has affected me, what comes to mind when I think of the war: The war was a great experience in fellowship and comradary. After being discharged was treated lie a king in Chippewa Falls, Wis.....free drinks at local pubs...golf was always no green fees. To future generations: Major conflicts need nt be resolved by violent actions ......diplomatic solutions are the only wayto peacefull solutions. However, a Roman General so aptly stated: "In order to prevent war, one must be prepared for it".....Now in the year 2000, our present administration has so depleted our military forces, we wouldn't be able to carry on a two-front conflict. |
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