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LOOKING4
The Looking4 section is designed to help you find more information about someone who served in the 379th. Please send your inquiries to:
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Search No. 1030 - Donald
William Merchant |
From: Jeanette
Merchant; Jmerchantmft@cs.com To:
looking4@379thbga.org Sent: Monday, November
12, 2001 3:11 AM Subject: Donald William
Merchant
I am searching for information
about my father, Donald William Merchant. He
passed away when I was 4 years old and there is
not much information about his military career.
He was a pilot of the B-17 "Bolevich". Numbers
on his letters were 379th bg, 525 sa, asn
727246. A newspaper clipping stated he was shot
down during a raid on a ball-bearing factory in
Schweinfurt, Germany where he was a POW for 20
months at Stalagluft 3. If you have information
about his military career or crew please contact
me. Thank you, Jeanette Merchant
Jeanette, Lt Donald W.
Merchant, pilot, was in the
379th Bomb Group 525th
Squadron and flew 10 missions
before being shot down. Lt
Merchant and crew were one of
the original crews at
Kimbolton (Station 117). Lt.
Donald W Merchant and crew
were shot down on their 11th
mission to Schweinfurt,
Germany (Ball Bearing Plant)
on 8/21/43. This was the
first of several missions the
379th Bomb Group flew to
Schweinfurt, Germany. The
following is the crew and
their positions on aircraft
42-30191 "The Belovich" on
8/21/43:
Merchant
Donald W. -Capt, P, 0-727546,
Jamestown, ND, POW
Sullivan James E. -2nd Lt,
CP, 0-728765, Minneapolis,
MN, POW Keith Ernest K.
-2nd Lt, N, 0-664895,
Houston, TX, POW Roman
Leonard J. -2nd Lt, B,
0-729503, Dunkirk, NY, POW
Hecht Gene R. -T/SGT, TT,
19005193, Plainview, NE, KIA
Johnson Johannes J.
-T/SGT, RO, 32218491, Bronx,
NY, POW Tonge Robert T.
-S/SGT, BT, 16097023, Joliet,
IL, POW Van Valkenburg
Edgar (NMI) -S/SGT, LW,
32287715, Syracuse, NY, POW
Ridgley Harold B. -S/SGT,
RW, 33079391, South Ardomore,
PA, POW Wierzbanowski
John J. -T/SGT, TG, 36350476,
Chicago, IL, POW Van
Valkenburg Edgar (NMI)
-killed by the SS Ridgley
Harold B. -killed by the SS
We do not show any
members of this crew in the
current roster of 379th BG
Association. However, there
may be some current
association members that
might have known your father.
Responding4 11/26/01
Mike
Search No. 1028 - Serial No
42-31050 Crash on Jan 29,
1944
From: Didier Petit; didier.petit@skynet.be
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Mon 11/5/2001
Subject:
Dear Sir,
I am looking for information on the B-17 serial
number 42-31050 who crashed in 29th January
1944. He belongs to 379th Bomb Group, 527th
Bombing Squadron. Any information whould be
welcome.
didier.petit@skynet.be
Didier, 525th Sq.
Frankfurt, Germany (engine
components) January 29, 1944
mission # 61 Aircraft
42-31050. The following are
the crew and their positions:
Rhyner Jack O. -1st
Lt, Pilot, Oshkosh, WI,
Returned Levens Leon E.
-2nd Lt, Co-P, Abilene, TX,
Returned Dennis James C.
-2nd Lt, N, Cranston, RI, POW
Walz Harry G. -2nd Lt, B,
New York, NY, POW Brown
Fred D. -S/SGT, R,
Pittsburgh, PA, Returned
Ventimiglia Joseph A Jr.S/SGT
TT Brooklyn, NYRTMC
Eckleberry Malcom F. -SGT,
BT, Vancouver,WA, Returned
Giles Larry D. -SGT, RW,
Fackler, AL, RTMC Ault
John E. -SGT, LW, Lackwood,
NY, POW Mabante Frank G.
-SGT, TG, Nogales, AZ, POW
Responding4 11/5/01
Mike
Search No. 1027 - Lt. Merlyn
Pershing Wilson
From: "Bob-Wilson"
<Bob-Wilson1@email.msn.com>
To: <looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 23,
2001 1:21 PM Subject: Lt.
Merlyn Pershing Wilson
My name is Merlyn Robert
Wilson, son of second
lieutenant Merlyn Pershing
Wilson. He was stationed at
Kimbolton in spring of 1944.
Do you know of any of the
crewmwmbers that may still be
alive? I know that there was
a bombadier by the name of
McGreavy but I don't know if
he is still alive. My father
died in 1967 and never talked
about the war or POW camp at
all.
I am writing a short
paper on my dad for my
children and their children
and I would like to get any
information that I could. He
kept a record of the songs,
poems and tributes that he
and the other POW's had made
for the planes that they flew
or flew in and the longings
for home and a good meal.
I talked to Mrs. Fred High
the navigator on the B-17 but
she had stated that her
husband never talked much if
at all about the war with
her. Any information that you
have would be greatly
appreaciated. I am planning
to go to Rattlesnake Bomber
Base at Pyote Texas this next
February and plan to video
and take pictures of what is
left of the training base,
let me know if I can help
your association out in any
way. I am a member, and thank
you for all that you do and
have done. Sincerely,
Merlyn Robert Wilson
Bob,
We don't show any crewmembers
from Lt. Merlyn Pershing
Wilson's crew on the current
379th BG Association roster.
The 303rd BG has a good list
of POW links that may be
useful in your research.
http://www.303rdbga.com/pow-links.html
responding4 11/4/01
Mike
Search No. 1026 - William (Bill)
J. Kari
From: Kari, Wm. Doug
<DKARI@Orrick.com> To:
<looking4@379thbga.org> Sent: Sat 10/13/2001
Subject: Re: William J. Kari (1015)
Mike,
I was hoping you might have an answer to a
research question. My father's old uniform has
the ribbon for an Air Medal. Because he got to
Kimbolton near the end of the war, I believe the
only missions he flew were in April 1945. The
379th Bombardment Group Anthology states in Vol.
II, page 393, that 90 Air Medals were awarded at
station 117 in April 1945. However, the Medals
and Awards summary for April 1945 (pages 385-388
of Vol. II) only lists approximately 33
recipients. Where can I find a list of the other
50+ Air Medal recipients for April 1945? Thanks
for your help. Doug Kari
Doug, The 379th Bomb Group
WWII Histories conclude in
April of 1945; most personnel
were transferred to other
units including the clerk
that maintained the squadron
histories. Also not all
clerks reported monthly
histories in the same manner.
The only groups to report
medals monthly were the 525th
SQ. and the 526th SQ. and
they usually reported medals
on the following month after
they were awarded (medals
awarded in June would be
shown in July). All personnel
records are kept in St.
Louis, Mo. If you have your
father's serial number you
may be able to have access to
his file, which should show
his medals awarded etc.
Responding4 10/13/01
Mike
Search No. 1025 - Frank Garst
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From: mike garst
<mikegarst@hotmail.com> To:
<looking4@379thbga.org> Sent: Wednesday,
October 10, 2001 5:41 PM Subject: information
on Frank Garst
To anyone who can help, I
am the grandson of Frank Garst whom I have been
told served with the 379th BG. I am looking for
some information on which part of the BG he was
assigned to, because i am slowly putting
together a display case that will hold his
medals, patches and so forth. If anyone can help
me with more information than what i already
have (which is only that he was in the 379th,
was a nose gunner, and was a crewmen on the
SCOTCH SODA on or around the dates of 20 March
1944 to ???) i would be truly greatful for the
help and any information.
It is also my
sad duty to say that T/SGT Frank Garst passed
away 2 October 2001, and i have been left in
charge of his military items and history. If
anyone knows my grandfather or may have a story
or 2 about him please feel free to contact me.
Thank You for the help Michael Garst
SGT USA
Mike, We are very sorry to hear that your
Grandfather passed away. We show that T/Sgt
Frank Garst, left waist gunner, was in the 379th
Bomb Group and flew 24 missions with the 525th
Squadron from 4/19/44 to 9/30/44. Your
Grandfathers 1st mission was the 379th Bomb
Groups 98th mission to Kassel, Germany on
4/19/44. The following are the crew and their
positions on aircraft #42-97302 Scotch N' Soda:
Burke, Edward A 2nd Lt. Pilot Hlesta,
Nicholas (NMI) 2nd Lt. Co-Pilot Tew, Leonard
T 2nd Lt. Navigator Philhower, Preston G 2nd
Lt. Bombardier Lindahl, George G Sgt. Radio
Operator/Gunner Salter, Leon (NMI) Sgt
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Roche, William J
Sgt. Ball Turret Gunner Burraston, Floyd Sgt.
Right Waist Gunner Garst, Frank (NMI)
Cpl.Left Waist Gunner Spitzgo, Carmen R Cpl.
Tail Gunner
We have listed the missions
that we show your grandfather flew, I imagine he
probably flew a total of 30 but our records only
indicate 24. After March 44 the required
number of missions were increased from 25 to 30.
Existing crews, who had not completed their tour
of 25 missions had their missions pro-rated (26,
27, 28, 29) depending on how many missions they
had previously completed. The following list
indicates the 379th Bomb Groups mission number
followed by the date and target.
#98
4/19/44 Aircraft Assembly Plant Kassel, Germany
#99 4/20/44 Fly-bomb Site Sottevast / Mesnil au
Val, France #100 4/21/44 Marshalling Yards /
Docks and Harbor Hamm / Bonn, Germany #103
4/27/44 Fly-bomb Site Mesnil au Val, France
#104 4/27/44 Airdrome Toul / Croixe de Metz,
France #106 4/29/44 Marshalling Yards
Berlin,Germany #108 5/1/44 Airdrome
Montdidier, France #149 6/21/44 Aircraft
Component Plant Berlin, Germany #157 6/29/44
Aircraft Factory Leipzig, Germany #163
7/11/44 Marshalling Yards Munich. Germany
#165 7/13/44 Aircraft Factory Munich, Germany
#168 7/18/44 Experimental Station Zinnowitz,
Germany #169 7/19/44 Hydrogen Plant
Hollriegelskreuth, Germany #170 7/20/44
Aircraft Factory Leipzig, Germany #171
7/21/44 Marshalling Yards BadKreuznach, Germany
#172 7/23/44 Airdrome Creil, France #173
7/34/44 Bridge and Railroad Montreul, France
#174 7/25/44 Bridge and Railroad Montreul,
France #199 9/8/44 Synthetic Oil Plant
Ludwigshafen, Germany #200 9/9/44 Rail
Transport Mannheim, Germany #202 9/11/44
Aircraft Component Factory Eisenach, Germany
#206 9/19/44 Marshalling Yards Hamm, Germany
#208 9/25/44 MarshallingYards Frankfurt, Germany
#212 9/30/44 MarshallingYards Munster, Germany
Responding4 10/15/01 Mike
Search No. 1024 - Leslie F. Nelson
From: J. Craig
Nelson; heynelson@earthlink.net To:
looking4@379thbga.org Sent: Monday, October
08, 2001 8:59 AM Subject: Crewmates of Leslie
F. Nelson
My father, Leslie F. Nelson,
was a Navigator in the 524th Squadron. I have
been able to locate all but 2 members of his
original crew (only 2 of these are still
living...Garner E. "Ed" Brown and Neil J.
Macneil). The two I have not been able to locate
are: Eugene G. Dickinson - Engineer/Top
Turret Gunner Robert S. Hull - Tail Gunner
Any help you can give in locating these two
gentlemen would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Craig
Craig, Sorry, we do not show Eugene G.
Dickinson or Robert S. Hull on the current 379th
Bomb Group WWII Associations membership roster.
Responding4 10/13/01 Mike
Search No. 1023 - John E. Price,
USAF (Ret.)
From:
John E. Price; JohneP4596@aol.com To:
looking4@379thbga.org Sent: Friday, October
05, 2001 11:42 AM Subject: Inquiry
Just found our website today, and not knowing
how long it has been in existence, have no idea
what I have missed. I'm hoping someone will be
able to answer one question for me so I can make
my family history, which I am still editing, a
bit more complete and accurate.
We were
in the 526th Squadron and I was the navigator on
Lt. Charles E. "Red" Walker's crew. After our
bombardier was transferred to a deputy lead
crew, a Sgt. Brown filled in as nose gunner on
at least one mission. Sometime in August, or by
mid September, 1944, (we ourselves went down on
September 17th) we were flying off the wing of a
plane in which Sgt. Brown was filling in as the
tailgunner. His plane received a direct hit in
the bomb bay and I thought there could be no
survivors, but after the war I learned that Sgt.
Brown floated down in the tail section which had
been broken off, and was the only survivor. This
was written up in True, a magazine published in
the 1950s.
My question: What was Sgt.
Browns full name, and is he still surving? He is
mentioned in the family history I have been
editing for my immediate family and I would like
to give him the honor of at least using his full
name.
John E. Price, USAF (Ret.)
John, I am glad you found our web site. The
379th Bomb Group Associations web site started
two years ago, but has really develpoed over the
last six months. I found a Kyle E. Brown S/Sgt
Tail Gunner in the 524th Squardon, who was shot
down on September 28 on mission #211 and was a
POW. The casualty report shows the crew 2 KIA
and 7 POW. I do not show him on the current
379th BGA membership roster.
I show your
crew and their positions on the following
mission: 527th SQ. Hamm, Germany, September 19,
1944 the 379th Bomb Groups mission # 206
aircraft 42-31915 (FO-Y) "MARYJO".
Walker Charles E. -2nd Lt, Pilot, 0-439891,
Gainesville, FL, POW Riggio Ralph J. -2nd
Lt, Co-Pilot, 0-821080, Montain, WI, POW
Price John E. Jr. -2nd Lt, Naviagtor, 0-710309,
Abilene, TX, RTMC Gagnon Robert J. -S/SGT,
Nose Gunner, 31302965, Fall River, MA, POW
Eckenrode John M. -T/SGT, Radio Operator,
35052856, Warren, OH, RTMC Stanley Roy E.
-T/SGT, Engineer/TopTurret Gunner, 34706186,
Corpus Christi, TX, RTMC Combs William D.
-S/SGT. Ball Turret Gunner 35558929 Leipsic, OH
POW Harden Will M. -S/SGT, Waist Gunner,
20467677, Birmingham, AL, POW Lalich George
(NMI) -S/SGT, Tail Gunner, 35292285, Weirton,
NY, RTMC
We show Charles E. Walker and
Robert J Gagnon list on the current 379th Bomb
Group Association roster.
Responding4
10/13/01 Mike
Search No. 1021 - Walter R. Hayfield
From: Priscilla
Hayfield George; Phgeorge@aol.com To:
looking4@379thbga.org Sent: Monday, October
01, 2001 11:55 PM Subject: any information on
walter R. Hayfield
My father, Walter R.
Hayfield was a pilot of B-17 379th Bomber group.
Do any of your colleagues have any stories about
my Dad during WWII. Priscilla Hayfield
George
Priscllia, Lt. Walter R. Hayfield Pilot, was
in the 379th Bomb Group 527th Squadron and flew
28 missions from 9/1/44 to 12/4/44.
Hayfield Jr., Walter R, 2nd Lt, Pilot Haney,
Robert E, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot Rubin, David, 2nd
Lt, Bombardier Carr, Robert J, S/Sgt, Nose
Gunner/Togglier Shieldes, William E, T/Sgt,
Radio Operator/Gunner Cannon, Fred M, T/Sgt,
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner Hackleman, Paul E,
S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner Guidice, Joseph J,
S/Sgt, Waist Gunner Wood, James R, S/Sgt,Tail
Gunner
Robert E Haney and William
E.Shieldes are shown on the current 379th Bomb
Group Associations roster.
Responding4
10/12/01 Mike
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