WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Share #1 Posted January 4, 2015 Late last year I acquired a Jolly Roger diary and other items from a local estate sale. This diary was written by Lt. George F. Pracher, a navigator with the 320th Bomb Squadron (Moby Dick)/90th Bomb Group. Lt. Pracher flew on The Champ, Double Trouble and the Mitsu Butcher II. In researching the crew members mentioned in the diary I was able to locate Herbert Goodrich, the co-pilot that served with Pracher. I recently met with Mr. Goodrich and we had a lengthy conversation regarding his experiences in WWII. It was a Great Experience!!! This diary details Pracher's departure from the U.S. mainland in March 1943, his fifty combat missions in the New Guinea and some flight log entries when he was a crew member on a B-17 in post war Europe. The following are some of the highlights in the diary: The loss of the Goff crew on May 24, 1943, B-24D The Wewak mission on August 16/17, 1943. The Wewak mission destroyed a significant number of enemy aircraft based in Wewak, New Guinea The briefing to members of the 320th Bomb Squadron by Colonel Rogers on July 20, 1943 The loss of the Willcoxon crew on July 20, 1943, B-24D "Virgin III" First daylight mission on August 20, 1943 at Wewak The loss of the Stiles crew on August 20, 1943, B-24D "Miss Carriage" It was during the Wewak mission on August 20th that Lt Pracher writes, "After this, hope we revert to our motto, "One Pass, High and Fast" The lost of the Smith crew on December 1, 1943, B-24D "Lobo" Some of the "Lobo crew members that bailed from the aircraft were strafed by enemy aircraft. I was able to cross reference events written in this diary in the PacificWrecks.com website, other websites linked to the Jolly Rogers and with Mr. Goodrich. The information regarding the fifty missions includes date of mission, time of departure and return, total number of flight hours, target area, type of ordnance used, and route flown. Other items I was able to acquire were his flying instruments, government issued compass, photos and newspaper articles. Lt. Pracher's missions totaled 303:41 flight hours. Lt. Pracher was born on February 19, 1915 and resided in Berwyn, Illinois prior to WWII. He died on August 22, 1994 and is buried at Ft Bliss National Cemetery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted January 4, 2015 Additional Photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted January 4, 2015 Additional photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted January 4, 2015 Additional photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #5 Posted January 4, 2015 Additional photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted January 4, 2015 Share #7 Posted January 4, 2015 Great stuff WAHOOMAN !! espicially as im interested in navigator items etc LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #9 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #12 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted January 4, 2015 Diary Entry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted January 4, 2015 Share #15 Posted January 4, 2015 That diary is somthing else !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted January 4, 2015 The Double Trouble crew. Pracher is located on the top row center. Goodrich is located on the top row, second from the left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #17 Posted January 4, 2015 Additional photo. Pracher is located on the far right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted January 4, 2015 Photo of B-17 at Gibraltar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #19 Posted January 4, 2015 Pracher on board the USAT General M.M. Patrick, North China Sea, January 1948 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #20 Posted January 4, 2015 Newspaper article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted January 4, 2015 Share #21 Posted January 4, 2015 fantastic group !! thank you for sharing this with us ! i for one, am very pleased to have read it LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted January 4, 2015 I am having trouble pasting the link to Kfox News El Paso , so please Google Kfox News El Paso. Using their search bar type Cervantes and you will be able to view the story that was aired on Veterans day and this past Friday regarding this diary. Friday's story featured my visit with Mr. Goodrich. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #23 Posted January 4, 2015 RIP Major George Pracher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAHOOMAN Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share #24 Posted January 4, 2015 Thanks Littlebuddy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waltz41 Posted January 5, 2015 Share #25 Posted January 5, 2015 Very nice grouping. Sometimes those diary's can be just as good if not better than flight logs. Thanks for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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