November 20, 1943 - Training flights are being flown by the new pilots under the directions of Lts. Rice, Barber and Wright.
January 7, 1944 - Capt. Richards led 8 planes on bomber escort to Weiner Neustadt. Due to weather, area bombed could not be discerned. Lt. Wright destroyed 1 Me-110 and Capt. Richards fired a long burst at long range into an Me-110 but effect of fire could not be seen as e/a dove down through clouds.
January 9, 1944 - Today�s primary target was abandoned in favor of Pola, Italy, the secondary target Lt. Wright led 10 planes, escorting bombers with no enemy interference encountered. Bombs covered entire waterfront and dock area. Here at camp, beautiful weather has been experienced with frost covering the ground every morning and yet days are balmy, even with a touch of spring in them though it�s a long way off.
January 16, 1944 - Lt. Wright was squadron leader today and took off with an eleven plane formation to Klagenfurt, Austria. In the Ljubljana area they were jumped by 15 Me-109's and a short dogfight ensued. There were no claims. Lt. Williams left engine was seen to catch on fire though no enemy had been observed within firing range. He bailed out and was last seen entering a cloud layer at 10,000 ft. with his chute still unopened. It is thought that he purposely delayed it so there is reason to believe he may still be alive.
January 18, 1944 - Today nine P-38's, all that in commission at present, led by Lt. Wright escorted B-17's to bomb Pistoia, Italy. Also Bondetera was well hit. No e/a were encountered all our planes completed the mission.
January 22, 1944 - Ten P-38's led by Lt. Wright went on a strafing mission in support of the invasion south of Rome. The mission destroyed a total of seventeen trucks and silenced three machine gun positions. After covering their territory south of Rome they flew back to base crossing the coast at Anzio Pt. where they saw many landing craft along the beaches as the invasion got underway.
January 24, 1944 - Our planes flew on bomber escort to Sofia, Bulgaria where the A/D was attacked. Lt Wright led a fight of 8 ships which met 6 Me109's near Leskovad, Yugoslavia, entered into short engagement but there were no claims or losses.
January 30, 1944 - Lt. Wright led a 10 plane flight to Manigo L/G, Italy. The squadron patrolled south of the target and did not observe the bomb results on the L/G. Fires apparently made by previous raids observed in the Udine area.. Four FW-190's were seen in the Udine area and Lt. Wright saw one of them in position which indicated he was about to attack a P-47. Diving down on the Focke Wulf he fired a long burst into it and it was later seen to explode in the air by F/O Bowerman.
February 23,1944 - The target for today was to Georgen, Austria, and Lt. Wright led 15 of our planes there making contact with bombers and also 15 e/a. The enemy fighters were finally driven away from the bomber formation. Lt. Wright got credit for an Me-210, One Me-210 probably destroyed, two Me-109's were probably destroyed. An Me-109 was seen to explode in the air. Two submarines were observed in the harbor at Split. The bombers were escorted back towards base as far as Vis Island. There were three early returns. All planes returned safely.
March 2, 1944 - Lt. Wright led 14 planes on a bomber escort mission over the Anzio Beachhead. Planes patrolled the area for an hour and ten minutes while bombers made runs. No encounters.
March 17, 1944 - Lt. Wright was the flight leader of 15 planes which escorted bombers to Fishamund A/C factory, Austria.
March 29, 1944 - Capt. Wright led 12 planes to Bolzano M/Y, Italy, escorting B-24's. About 40 miles NW of Venice, the squadron was attacked by a formation of Me-109's and FW-190's. Capt. Wright�s left engine was shot out but he got the Me-109 that did it.
March 30, 1944 - Capt. Wright led 10 planes on a bomber escort to Sofia, Bulgaria today. The bombers scored excellent hits in the city. Eight Me-109's were encountered. Capt. Wright attacked one and saw it explode.
April 3, 1944 - Colonel Taylor led 10 planes on a bomber escort to Budapest, Hungary. Between 20 and 25 enemy aircraft are encountered. Capt. Wright destroyed an Me-210 for his 5th victory, making him an ace. All our planes returned safely.
April 8, 1944 - Capt. Max J Wright was presented with the Distinguished Flying Cross Medal and the Air Medal.
April 10, 1944 Captain Max J Wright left for the states and returned to Chappell and spent a twenty two day furlough with his wife, son and parents.
After the termination of his furlough, Max served as an instructor on Fighter Air Craft at Maseo Lake Field, Washington. After a few months of this work he began to feel he was not doing enough, again requested foreign service, and was sent to the South Pacific. At the time of his death he was serving for the second time overseas, and stationed with our Air Forces in New Guinea.
Captain Max J Wright was killed in a plane crash Oct 24, 1944.
