Memorial Day: 1945
Memorial Day, May 30, 1945. The War in Europe is over, but the bloody struggle in the Pacific continues on, with no end in sight.
P-47 "Jugs" of the 318th Fighter Group were raiding targets on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. This mission was a so-called “Heckler” mission. These raids had no specific target; the intent was to harass and attack whatever target they might come across.
The weather was bad; it was listed as “completely closed in” at the base of the 318th on the...