1st Lt. Robert Warda, Navigator
Colorized by Carl Carrozza
Posted by James Warda on Facebook:
I wanted to share photos from my Dad’s time as a navigator in B-26s, as part of the 9th Air Force, 344th Medium Bomber Group, 495th Squadron.
His name appears on Frank Carrozza’s roster.
His primary plane was “Nick’s Chick,” piloted by. Captain Nichols. Lt. Colonel Norgaard was their Commanding Officer.
They were based first in England at Stansted Air Field, then moved to Pointoise, France in the summer of 1944. Before joining the 344th, he was in a C-47 Airborne Unit, pulling gliders on D-Day, after graduating from San Marcos Navigation School.
Excerpt: The Final Chapter of the Battle for Arnhem Bridge
by Malcolm G. Edwards, 1st Lt., Bombardier
A commendation from the Commander of the 344th Bomb Group, Lt. Col. Robert W. Witty, states:
“On 7 October 1944, Capt. David C. Nichols was flight leader of the second flight in an attack on the heavily defended railroad bridge at Arnhem, Holland. Despite the intense accurate heavy flak that the enemy opposed this attack with, Capt. Nichols flew a perfect bomb run and kept his formation intact. 1st Lt. Robert Warda, navigator, contributed highly to the success of the attack by his expert navigation. Taking advantage of the perfect bomb run flown by Capt. Nichols, 1st Lt. Malcolm G. Edwards calmly performed his sighting operations and was not in the least disconcerted by the flak bursting all about the aircraft. He dropped his bombs with the greatest precision directly on the center of the bridge and demolished it.”
Links:
Sgt. Edward W. Dollahan- http://shopwornangel.imaginarynumber.net/engineergunner-sgt-edward-warner-dollahan-344th-495th/
