WWII NAMED MEDALS DIARY PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS PHOTOS WWII

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Important Named Medal Grouping of an Airman Shot Down over Europe with photos and DiaryThis Grouping consist of Radio Operator Sgt. George Maisch's personal account of all of his missions over Nazi Germany. The diary contains all of the 35 missions Sgt. Maisch was a part of and he took part on three missions on D-Day. Sgt. Maisch was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on June 28 1944 as well as an Air Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters. Both medals are named but the Bronze Star medal he was awarded is missing. Inside the box was 3 sets of Navigators wings seen before you all marked Sterling. He is pictured wearing the Navigator wings as an enlisted radio operator for some reason. The group also contains several pieces of propaganda leaflets dropped on enemy forces by t Air Group. The grouping also contains several fantastic photos of Sgt. Maisch and his crew as well as group photos of planes in his unit as well as his Goldfish Membership Card. is some excerpts of this fabulous Diary: #3 Schweinfurt 4/13/44: This one was rough especially so on our crew. The target was a ball bearing plant. It had been hit several times before so Jerry was waiting for us. Besides we started to go the day before but came back and I think the target got out. Besides the Newsboys dropped their paper asking w the Luftwaffe was on the Soran Raid. So as I said Jerry was laying for us. We went in at 20,000 FT and encountered intense flak. A flock of 60 - 100 enemy A/C 109's + 190's attacked us. They saw that our formation was tight to get through. So what was left of them attacked the high group and hit them hard. Five B-17's burst into flames and went down then another. We then we had to keep a good tight formation or else. We saw 3 B-17's get hit by flak and go spinning Earthward. It was awful. # 23 Arromanches x 3 6/6/44: I got in bed at 11:30 was awakened at 12:15 and told to get to chow at 12:30 and to briefing. We know something was in the wind cause we hadn't flown such early missions before then we got the news and screamed our heads off what did I say yesterday. A low layer of clouds covered the target we went in at 13,000 ft we were all excited expecting a million fighter any minute none showed up. The fighters got t before us and the Navy shelled them also so the flak guns were out. We carried 12x500Lbs. in the bomb-bay and 2x1000Lbs. under the wings. We could see at least 2000 planes in the air all with the same load. Add it up what a bang Jerry got. The channel was full of ships of all sizes and shapes. T were hundreds of medium bombers below us so things were really pop-in down stairs. No one was hurt all planes returned safely to the base with just enough gas to land. One engine acted up on us on the way back but we featd it okay and everything went well. We knew if we missed the target that we could at least did some fox holes for the boys. Two more of the same yet today as soon as we can load + gas up.#28 Hamburg 6/20/44 This Was Almost It. Our group went two days before but we were on pass. They said it was rough but it got rougher still. The target was an oil refinery we went in at 25,000 Temp. -25 Just before the I.P. we had to feather No.1 eng. over the target the flak was heavy-intense, dense and accurate. No. two eng. caught fire The pilot said get ready to jump. We did then No. 3 engine started to windmill. We could hear the flak tearing through the ship and one burst broke inside the tail wheel vent. We fell out of formation and fell behind shooting flares for fighter cover. We got plenty.I took off mt gloves and started sending my S.O.S. Got my station gave them our bearing and heading + told them our troubles. Told them we might have to ditch and to stand by, they did. All the boys started to get stuff out of the plane which would lighten it. We came all the way from Hamburg to within 90 miles of the English coast on one engine. So don't ask me why I love the B-17 Sky Lark. We were at 15,000 and losing altitude at 700ft. per min. The pil... read more

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