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From: Francis SEIDEL,
francis.seidel@versateladsl.be
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Sunday, November
06, 2005 7:17 AM
Subject: LAYTON crew, B17G
70BO 43-37755 , 379BG 526 BS crash in Sovet
(Ciney) at September 13 1944
Dear looking
4
I contact you from Belgium, I'm
searching to identify an aviator dropping around
the village off Gesves (10km far from CINEY and
2O km far from the city of NAMUR in Belgium)
My father who was living in Gesves in 1944, was
a Belgian gendarmerie S/officier. He was in the
Secret Army and holp many aviators, and one of
them in September 44
I have only photos of
him, with my father, and another US soldier, but
no indication about the Name and Unit of this
aviator. In my search, a friend gives me
documentation about Robert LAYTON Crew and The
B17G: 70BO 43-37755 from 379BG 526 BS crashed at
Sovet (Ciney) at September 13 1944. (See in
attach )
I contact you to verify if this man
on the photos was or not a member of the R.
LAYTON crew
Thank you for every think
Francis SEIDEL
Francis -
Association records for a/c
43-37755, "Everybody's Baby"
show she participated in the
mission of 13 September 1944
to Merseburg, Germany, and
the synthetic oil plants.
Following the loss of all
engines, and injuries to the
Bombardier, Engineer, and
Tail Gunner by flak, the a/c
crash landed near the town of
Sovet, Belgium. Crew of
"Everybody's Baby" for this
mission was as follows:
Layton, Robert F, Cpt,
Pilot
Greiner, Harold D,
Lt, Co-Pilot
Ehlers, Wayne
F, Lt, Nav
Chong, Anthony
S, Lt, Nav
Carruth, Thomas
A, Lt, Bomb
Morgan, Jack
H, TSgt, Radio Op
Kozuszko, John (NMI), TSgt,
Top Turret
Shaeffer, Lloyd
E, SSgt, Ball Turret
McCarthy, Raymond J, SSgt,
Waist
Hagen, Robert G, Lt,
Tail/Formation Control
Robert Layton, Dean
Greiner, Wayne Ehlers, and
Tony Chong are on our current
Association roster. Your
photos (attached) were sent
to these crewmembers in the
hope that they could identify
the airmen. Unfortunately,
none of these Association
members were able to identify
either man in your photos as
from the 379th Bomb Group.
Dean Greiner provided the
following information:
"We crash landed, with
one engine still working, in
a field just outside Ciney,
Belgium. We were transported
to a field hospital near
there. The wounded were taken
care of and we spent the
night in a tent hospital. The
next day we caught the Red
Ball Express back to Paris.
I had never before met
any of the crew except Bob
Layton. I do not recognize
either of the gentlemen in
the pictures. I never saw any
police uniform at our wreck."
Wayne Ehlers wrote:
"I do not recognize any
of the people in the photos
you enclosed, and I am almost
certain that they are not
from the crew of "Everybody's
Baby".
The Belgian
people were wonderful and men
from the Belgian underground
and some Benedictine brothers
put us in touch with some
Americans at APO 154 Post
Office about 7 kilometers
away. We had supper with them
and then rode with some
medics to the 24th Evac.
Hospital just west of Dinant.
After getting all our wounded
cared for we spent the night
there. The next morning we
went into Dinant and
hitch-hiked a ride on an
empty weapons carrier on the
Red Ball Express route."
Sorry, but it does not
appear that the men in your
photos are from "Everybody's
Baby". This response will be
posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in
case any members have any
additional information.
Responding 4 2/2/2006
Kent
Search No. 1319 - Phillip Moore
From: Thornton, Steve, clinch953@yahoo.com
To: 'looking4@379thbga.org'
Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 2:31 PM
Subject: Looking for crewmates of T/Sgt Phillip
Moore Top Turret Gunner with 525th
I'm trying to locate
former crewmen who served with my father in law,
Phillip Moore. He is in failing health and we'd
like to locate crewmates, photos of the aircraft
he was assigned, and hopefully the number of the
planes. He recently told us that his last plane
was a B-17G, and then added that it was their
fifth plane. I understand he tried to make
contact several years back, and did receive a
phone call, but that's as far as he got. Thanks
in advance for your help.
Steve Thornton
Steve -
Association records for Phillip Moore
show that he flew 30 missions as gunner with the
525th Bomb Squadron from January 1 to April 7,
1945. Records indicate missions number 259, 261,
263, 264, 265, 267, 268, 271, 273, 276, 277,
281, 282, 284, 288, 290, 292, 293, 294, 295,
297, 301, 303, 304, 311, 313, 315, 317, 318, and
319. Sgt. Moore may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we have in our
records.
Sgt Moore flew missions on a
number of different aircraft, including
42-38183, "The Lost Angel", 43-38724, "The B-17
Flying Fortress", 43-38679, "Miss Liberty",
43-39061, "Round Twip Wabbit", 43-37777, "Four
of a Kind" and 44-8900, "Carico Joe". There were
also a number of missions on unnamed aircraft.
Sgt Moore's crew seems to have varied somewhat,
but what looks to be his "regular" crew on his
later missions was as follows:
Elledge,
George H, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Dull, Frank J, 2nd
Lt, Co-Pilot
Freedman, Robert L, F/O, Nav
Williams, William T, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Ebner,
Kenneth F, TSgt, Radio Op
Moore, Phillip,
TSgt, Top Turret
Youd, Ivan M, SSgt, Ball
Turret
Cipriano, James E, SSgt, Waist
Martin Jr., Francis W, Sgt, Tail
Sorry,
none of these crewmen are on our current
Association roster. This response will be posted
in the "Looking 4" section of our website, in
case any members have any additional
information. Photos of "Miss Liberty" and "Four
of a Kind" will be sent in separate e-mail.
Sorry, we do not have photos of the other
aircraft.
Responding 4 1/25/2006
Kent
Search No. 1318 - Eugene Hall
- Stupefier
From: Henry G.
Wulbeck, henry@ruetschle.com
To:
'looking4@379thbga.org'
Sent: Wednesday,
January 25, 2006
Subject: Eugene Hall
I've been researching the internet regarding my
late uncle, Gene Hall, a waist gunner in the 379
th bomb group. I think he was in the 525 th
b.s..
Gene was there from March of '43 to
approx Christmas '43 + under the command of Col.
Maurice Preston. They were in the worst of it,
including the Schweinfurt missions. His aircraft
was a B-17 F named the "Stupefier". He completed
all of his missions.
I recently
discovered thru Army Air Forces.com ( a friend
of the ship's bombardier ), that the 8th AF
Historical Society Museum in Georgia was
presented with a metal model of the "Stupefier",
by Peggy Convine of Huntingdon, U.K. The metal
model was made from salvaged metal from the
crash site of the Stupefier. After the original
crew completed their missions, a replacement
crew later crashed / landed in a farm in
Huntingdon, U.K. Gene had heard that it was
involved in a mid air collision. I'm curious to
know if any 379th members are familiar with the
"Stupefier" & the crash. Also would be
interested in mission reports during Gene's
combat tour & subsequent reports of the crash.
The Jan. 1944 News clipping of Gene in the waist
window also indicates some of the tail numbers :
29323 - or - 29823, or other variations. The
combat group photo indicates the original
Stupefier was an 'F' series. The metal model is
a replica of a later 'G' series & the tail
numbers are different. I'm also curious to know
if there was a Stupefier II
Thanks for
any help,
Henry G. Wulbeck
Henry -
Association
records for Eugene Hall show
that he flew 25 missions as
gunner with the 526th Bomb
Squadron from June 11 to
December 5, 1943. Records
indicate missions number 2,
6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17,
18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26,
27, 31, 37, 38, 39, 43, 44,
45, and 46. Sgt. Hall may
have flown additional
missions, but these are the
ones we have in our records.
Sgt Hall flew missions on
a number of different
aircraft, although most were
flown on a/c 42-29890,
"Stupefier". This aircraft
was a B-17F, and is listed in
Association records as having
crash landed in a field
adjacent to Station 117
(Kimbolton) on the return
from Mission 36 to Anklam,
with another crew on board .
What looks to be Sgt Hall's
"regular" crew was as
follows:
Hooper,
Martin L, Lt, Pilot
Haughy, Robert F, Lt,
Co-Pilot
Condon, William
F, Lt, Nav
Bolling, James
A, Lt, Bomb
Colborn Jr.,
Harry R, TSgt, Radio Op
Hoge, Everett J, TSgt, Top
Turret
Furness, Warren E,
SSgt, Ball Turret
Richmond, Harold A, SSgt,
Right Waist
Hall, Eugene
G, SSgt, Left Waist
Sedivy
Jr., John H, SSgt, Tail
This response will be
posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in
case any members have any
additional information.
Sorry, we do not know of any
photo of "Stupefier", nor do
we have additional
information on the crash.
There was a "Stupefier II",
assigned to the 379th on
October 19, 1943. This was a
G model, s/n 42-39789. This
aircraft returned to the US
in December 1944.
Responding 4 1/25/2006
Kent
Search No. 1317 - William Sibo
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From: James,
aratajg@aol.com
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2006 10:07 AM
Subject: William Sibo
Sirs,
I am
looking for any information I can get about the
type of aircraft (B-17F or B-17G), and what
Squadron Sgt. William Sibo (36580505)flew for. I
have know the family all my life and I am
interested in building a model and painting it
to represent the plane. If I remember correctly,
his plane was camouflaged instead of just
aluminum. what I don't know is the squadron so I
can paint the correct letters on the side of the
aircraft. When I emailed a few years ago, Mike
was kind enough to give me serial number of the
aircraft, which is 44-6614, but I seemed to
misplace the other information such as, when he
flew, he did crash in mission 303 returning from
Bohlem, and I think he may have been assigned to
another aircraft as well. Thank you in advance
for any help that you can give.
James -
Association records for William Sibo show that
he flew 19 missions as gunner with the 525th
Bomb Squadron from March 2 to April 17, 1945.
Records indicate missions number 292, 293, 294,
298, 299, 301, 303, 305, 306, 307, 311, 312,
313, 314, 318, 323, 324, 325, and 327. Sgt. Sibo
may have flown additional missions, but these
are the ones we have in our records.
Sgt
Sibo flew missions on a number of different
aircraft, including, as you indicate from
previous correspondence, 44-6614, Squadron Code
FR-F. This aircraft was a B-17G, and this late
in the war would likely have been bare aluminum.
This aircraft crash landed on Mission 303. Crew
on that airplane for Mission 303 was as follows:
Martin Jr., James A, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Carver, Clarence E, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot
Dell,
Melvin M, 2nd Lt, Nav
Pomeroy, Robert F, Sgt,
Togglier
Poovey, James H, Sgt, Radio Op
Sibo, William J, Sgt, Top Turret
Fellows,
William A, Sgt, Ball Turret
Monella, Samuel
H, Sgt, Tail
Martin, James A, SSgt, Spot
Jammer
This response will be posted in
the "Looking 4" section of our website, in case
any members have any additional information.
Sorry, we do not know of any photo of the
referenced aircraft.
Responding 4
1/24/2006
Kent
Search No. 1316 - Bomb Load Mission
191
From: Antoon Meijers
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Sat 1/21/2006
Subject: Bomb Load Mission 191
Dear sir,
I am Antoon Meijers, living in the
Netherlands and using this e-mail address
because I can not find another way to ask for
information about a mission of the 379th Bomb
Group. I have found the following information at
different sources.
On 18 August 1944 the
379th Bomb Group had to attack the railroad
bridge at Maastricht with 24 x B-17. (379 Bomb
Group Mission # 191), (8 Airforce Mission #
652).
13 Aircraft could not find the
target and bombed a railroad at Tongeren. So I
think that the other 11 aircraft had bombed the
bridge at Maastricht.
I know that
normally RR bridges where bombed with 1000 lb.
GP bombs.
I know that the B-17 named
Julie II (07462) in position #3, #4 Element,
High Sqdn, 41st B Gp was loaded wit 6 x 1000 lb.
GP and dropped his load from 26,000 feet.
So I think that the other airplanes where
loaded also with 1000 lb. GP bombs.
Can
you tell if it is correct that 11 B-17's bombed
the Maastricht RR bridge with a total of 66
general Purpose Bombs of 1000 lb.
Many
thanks in advance.
Antoon Meijers
Antoon,
Mission # 191 was flown by 40
aircraft with 1 abort from the 379th BG. The low
group (13) mistakenly bombed the marshalling
yards at Tongers, due to poor visibility. The
lead group (13) bombed the bridge at Maastricht
at 25,000 feet. The High Group with aircraft
42-97462 (FO-O) JudyII, (13) bombed Maastricht
at 26,000 feet.
Each aircraft was loaded
with 6 ea 1000 GP bombs 78 per group, 3 groups
for a total of 234 bombs . One aircraft was
forced to return early and jettison its bomb
load. Twenty-six aircraft attacked the primary
target at Maastricht. Thirteen aircraft attacked
the secondary target at Tongers.
Lead
-Bombed the primary, photo’s showed a direct hit
on the bridge.
Low -Bomber last resort –
Tongers, photo’s show several hits on double
track railway running out of town north.
High
-Bombed the primary, photo’s show good results
with a direct hit on the bridge.
Responding4 01/21/06
Mike
Search No. 1315 - Robert Kingston
From: "Debra
Kujawa" <sales@mightyeighth.org>
To:
<Looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Tuesday,
January 17, 2006 1:55 PM
Subject: Robert
Kingston
Dear Sirs/Madam:
I am
with the Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum in
Savannah, Georgia. We are trying to locate any
kind of history and/or background information on
someone we believe served with the 379th. The
name we have is Robert Kingston. The request is
being made by Congressman Jack Kingston,
Robert's grandson. Any information you can
provide would be very much appreciated.
Thank you very much for your assistance!!
Cordially,
Debra
Debra -
Association records for Robert Kingston show
that he flew 32 missions as Navigator with the
525th Bomb Squadron from June 6, 1944 to August
11, 1944. Records indicate missions number
137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 143, 145, 146, 148,
155, 158, 159, 160, 162, 164, 165, 166, 167,
168, 169, 170, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177, 179,
180, 182, 183, 185, and 187. Lt. Kingston may
have flown additional missions, but these are
the ones we have in our records.
Our
records indicate Lt. Kingston's first combat
mission was flown aboard a/c 42-102628, "The
Birmingham Jewel". Crew on that airplane for
Mission 137 was as follows:
Matter,
Willis H, Lt, Pilot
Peterson, Edward I, Lt,
Co-Pilot
Kingston, Robert J, Lt, Nav
Nelson, Cleveland K, Lt, Bomb
Selkirk,
George, SSgt, Radio Op
Greenwell, Harold A,
Sgt, Top Turret
Myers, Lyle G. Sgt, Ball
Turret
Brethour, Clifford A, Sgt, Waist
Luneach Jr., Earl (NMI), Sgt, Tail
Cleveland Nelson is on our current Association
roster. This response will be posted in the
"Looking 4" section of our website, in case any
members have any additional information. A photo
of "The Birmingham Jewel" will be sent in
separate e-mail.
Responding 4 1/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1314 - Oliver G Burgess Jr
From:
MICHAEL BURGESS, bbullets@nwinternet.com
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Friday, January
13, 2006 8:00 PM
My father piloted a
B-17G during WWII. I am looking for any and all
information on his time and missions while he
was in England. Lt. Oliver G. Burgess Jr. served
during WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. He retired as
a Major, and passed away on November 1, 2000.
Mike Burgess
Mike,
Sorry, we
have searched our association records and are
unable to find any record of Oliver G Burgess Jr
in the 379th BG.
It is possible that he
flew with another BG. Since you mentioned that
your Father was stationed in England, a good
place to go to research what Group he flew with
would be The Mighty Eighth Heritage Museum. They
offer research tools and archives, and are
accessible on the web at
http://www.mightyeighth.org/exhibits_collections/library_archives.htm.
Good luck in your research.
responding4 1/16/06
Kent
Search No. 1313 - Richard
Billings
From: Richard
Andrews, RIAndrews@aol.com
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Wednesday,
January 11, 2006 8:22 AM
Subject: Looking 4
I'm looking for Richard Billings, he served
on Lt Lloyd Burns crew until the cut back to 9
crew members. We lost track of him and have been
unable to fine any information on him.
Thanks for any help, Richard Andrews
Dick -
Association records for Richard
Billings show that he flew 17 missions as gunner
and Togglier with the 525th Bomb Squadron from
April 22, 1944 to August 30, 1944. Records
indicate missions number 100, 101, 102, 103,
108, 161, 162, 164, 165, 169, 186, 187, 188,
191, 193, 195, and 196. Sgt. Billings may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we have in our records.
From the
information we have in our records, following
the cutback to the 9-man crew, it appears Sgt
Billings flew an additional 12 missions as Nose
Gunner/Togglier. These missions were flown with
several different crews, however most were flown
with the crew as follows:
Clare, John
H, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Jones, Andrew N, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot
Burke, Edward A, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Billings, Richard L, SSgt, Togglier
Marlier,
Raymond M, Sgt, Radio Op
Mays, Virgil L, Sgt,
Top Turret
Gibbs, Vencie, Sgt, Ball Turret
Bitter, Emile V, Sgt, Waist
Hopkins, John E,
Sgt, Tail
This response will be posted in
the "Looking 4" section of our website, in case
any members have any additional information.
Sorry, we have no information for Sgt Billings
after August 1944, and none of the listed
crewmembers are on our current Association
roster.
Responding 4 1/16/2006
Kent
Search No. 1312 - Big Barn Smell
From: "Brian Ross" <brianross32@gmail.com>
To: <looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Tuesday,
January 10, 2006 12:30 PM
Subject: Big Barn
Smell
This happened to be my first day
visiting your website. I had just gotten my
grandfathers military records from another
family member and was doing a search. As I am
going through the site and hit the Crew Photo
section I noticed my Grandfathers plane listed.
He is on the bottom row 3rd from the left with a
hat on. Ralph R. Ross.
I have a list of
the crew but none of the pictures I have seem to
have names associated with them. I can send you
a copy of the crew list which also lists name,
rank,serial# and home address of the men at that
time.
Also is there some way for me to
get a copy of this picture. The one I have does
not have the entire crew and ground crew as this
one seems to.
Thanks
Brian Ross
Brian -
Association records for Ralph R Ross
show that he flew 32 missions as pilot with the
524th Bomb Squadron from April 13, 1944 to June
20, 1944. Records indicate missions number 96,
97, 100, 101, 104, 106, 108, 112, 114, 115, 116,
117, 118, 119, 120, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130,
132, 134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142,
143, 144, and 148. Lt. Ross may have flown
additional missions, but these are the ones we
have in our records.
Crew on Mission 119
to Berlin, on May 19, 1944 was as follows:
Ross, Ralph R, 1st Lt, Pilot
Drake,
Francis W, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot
Black, Ernest W,
2nd Lt, Nav
Procario, Rinaldo N, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Anthony, Wayne B, TSgt, Radio Op
Worbois,
Robert J, TSgt, Top Turret
Pressler, Robert
D, SSgt, Ball Turret
Duffy, Thomas J, SSgt,
Waist
Prehn, Eugene D, SSgt, Tail
In
an earlier response to the photo on the website,
Top Turret gunner Robert Worbois (who is on our
current Association roster) provided the
following identifications:
Back row, L to
R: Frank Janish, Mechanic; Robert Pressler, BT;
Wayne Anthony, RO; Unknown; Robert Worbois, TT;
Thomas Duffy, Waist G; Bruce Drynab , Mechanic
Crouching, L to R: Francis Drake, Co-Pilot;
Carl Szell, Armorer; Ralph Ross, Pilot; Rinaldo
Procario, Bombardier; Ernest Black, Navigator;
Kenneth Harrison, Crew Chief
Sitting:
John Wilson., Armorer
Tail Gunner Eugene
Prehn was not available for the photo.
This response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members have
any additional information. A copy of the photo
from the website is attached.
Responding
4 1/11/2006
Kent
Search No. 1311 - Carl J. Holtz
From: McKeller, Karen, ATxWldFlwr@aol.com
To:
'looking4@379thbga.org'
Sent: Thursday,
December 29, 2005 5:38 AM
Subject: The Coral
Princess
I believe my Daddy is in the
second row (standing), second from left. His
name is Carl Jay Holtz. A friend had sent him
his mission reports and I can't find where he
was ever on the Coral Princess.........but there
are several where there is no aircraft listed. I
sent the picture to my cousin and aunts and one
aunt wrote back saying she picked him out
immediately. I don't have any idea of who the
other crew members might be, is there a way to
find out if this is definately my Daddy? I'd
also like to know if there are any other photo's
that might have him in them, you see he passed
away on November 26th and I'm getting pictures
together to make a DVD for the family. Any help
would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Jean Marie Smith, proud daughter of Carl Jay
Holtz 525th Squadron of the 379th. (he was the
navigator)
Thanks again!
Jean -
We're sorry to hear of your Father's
passing. We'll add his name to our Taps roster.
Association records for Carl J. Holtz show
that he flew 29 missions as Navigator with the
525th Bomb Squadron from November 1, 1944 to
March 22, 1945. Records indicate missions number
229, 230, 232, 234, 235, 238, 239, 241, 242,
243, 246, 249, 250, 252, 255, 259, 266, 271,
276, 282, 284, 288, 289, 293, 299, 302, 304, 305
and 307. Lt. Holtz may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we have in our
records.
Lt. Holtz's first combat
mission, to Gelsenkirchen, Germany on November
1, 1944, was flown in a/c 43-38716, "Miss
Anoxia". Crew on this aircraft, and what looks
like Lt. Holtz's regular crew, was as follows:
Sawyer, Robert C, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Einem,
Harold E, F/O, Co-Pilot
Holtz, Carl J, F/O,
Nav
Sanders, Haynes V, Sgt, Togglier
Vasey, Ralph C, Sgt, Radio Op
Phipps, Richard
F, Sgt, Top Turret
Mcdonald, Lawrence J, Sgt,
Ball Turret
Willey, Donald L, Sgt, Waist
Roundtree, Clarence P, Sgt, Tail
Haynes
Sanders, Richard Phipps, and Clarence Roundtree
are on our current Association roster. This
response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members have
any additional information. Sorry, we have no
photos of the aircraft our records indicate Lt.
Holtz flew missions aboard. Also, our records
show "The Coral Princess" lost on July 12, 1944.
With Lt. Holtz's first mission on November 1,
1944, it is unlikely he's in the photo of this
aircraft, however if you have his dates of
service at Kimbolton, it may be possible to
further clarify whether he could be the one
you've noted in the photo.
Responding 4
1/10/2006
Kent
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