Lawrence R Pote

Mission to Emden, Germany--358th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group--by Lawrence R. Pote, 2d Lieutenant.
Lt. Pote describes the routine for embarking on a combat mission from the base in East Anglia, including the combat breakfast and the briefing for the mission. He also describes the lack of compete cover by P-47 fighters all the way to the target. As a result of enemy fighters, Pote's plane lost its No. 2 engine, and their plane used extra power on the other engines which resulted in a shortage of fuel. Their plane reached the U.K., but landed prior to reaching their home field.

Mission to Berlin--358th Squadron, 390th Bomb Group (H), 8th Air Force--by Lawrence R. Pote, 2d Lieutenant.
Lt. Pote describes in detail his role as a co-pilot on a B-17 as his group participated in the first attack on Berlin by U.S. Army Air Force planes in March 1944. He describes his plane being hit by fighters and the struggle to put out the fires. He also describes the flak over the target, the dropping of the bombs and the loss of one engine and the landing flaps. Lt. Pote completed 28 missions and was rotated to the U.S. prior to June 6, 1944.