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From: Jan Hey,
memusaf@home.nl
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 9:46 AM
Subject: B-17G 42-102675 379th BG 525 BS
Eisenach Mission 11th September 1944.
Gentlemen:
This B-17 made an emergency
landing near Aalterbrug, a town west of Ghent in
Belgium. Unfortunately the Pilot put the plane
down in a field north of a canal which was still
occupied by (retreating) German troops. If he
had landed on the southern bank he would have
been within the British lines......
Belgian people have asked me to give - for
purposes of records for the town - the correct
names of the crew members of thie a/c. According
to Missing Air Crew Report 8900 this crew of
1/Lt Smithdeal had nine men, and six of them
became prisoners of war.
The Belgians
informed me that all were POWs. I cannot yet
confirm that because the quality of the MACR is
fairly bad and I am not sure about the correct
spelling of Bombardier 2/Lt Charles VEVIER
0-765758 and Tail Gunner George R. KOEHL
42003585.
I cannot locate both names in
the official U.S. POW records (website NARA,
Washington) so I must accept that either the two
men evaded or the spelling is wrong. I would be
most grateful if you could help me by providing
me with the correct names.
Best wishes
John A H e y
The Netherlands.
John -
Association records
for B-17G 42-102675 on the 11
September 1944 mission to
Eisenach, Germany show the
airplane was hit by flak and
abandoned in Belgium.
Information provided by the
Pilot, Lt Smithdeal,
indicates that all 9
crewmembers were immediately
taken prisoner. Sorry, we
have no additional details on
the crash site or
circumstances. Crew of this
aircraft for that mission was
as follows:
Smithdeal,
William F, 1st Lt, Pilot, POW
Bengis, Henry T, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot, POW
Huhta,
Donald S, 2nd Lt, Nav, POW
Vevier, Charles, 2nd Lt,
Bomb, POW
Schroeder,
Grayson L, TSgt, Radio Op,
POW
Sindelar, Orville W,
TSgt, Top Turret, POW
Shranko, Peter, Sgt, Ball
Turret, POW
Bissing,
Jacob, SSgt, Waist, POW
Koehl, George R, Sgt, Tail,
POW
William Smithdeal
and Henry Bengis 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.
Responding 4 5/22/2006
Kent
Search No. 1329 - The crew
of Miss Behavin
From: bruce_cook
[mailto:bruce_cook@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2006 9:37 PM
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: The crew of Miss Behavin
In the last issue of
Contrails there was a picture of crew of Miss
Behavin. This is Howard Barrons crew. Howard was
mentioned in the last couple of issues. The
members on the front row from left to right:
Howard Barron, pilot; Conrad Anderson, co pilot;
George Cannon, nav.; Walter Victor, B. Standing
left to right: Robert Brisinger, Eng. and TT;
Ralph Layland, WG; Robert Malone, TG; Fred Cole,
Radio. I do not know the name of the last person
at the top right. He was a fill in for Phillip
B. Cook, BT.
When our crew arrived
in England I got pneumonia and was in the
hospital while the crew flew four missions then
I flew with them until they finished their
thirty five missions. I finished my missions
with anyone that needed a ball turret or one
mission I went on I served as a waist gunner. I
was on Ol Gappy on the 110th mission. I only
know of three of the crew that is still living.
That is Howard Barron in Hawai, Conrad Anderson
in San Antiono and me in West Columbia S. C.
Bruce,
Thank you for your response. We will
forward a copy of your email to our Historian,
Henry Pearce JR. Henry will add the crewmembers
names to records and send you an 8X10 photo of
“Miss Behavin”.
Responding4 5/01/06
Mike
Search No. 1328 - Rudolph J
Dickhoff
From: "btheis"
<btheis@bwig.net>
To: <looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2006 9:09 AM
Subject: Photo ID
After my father's
recent death, I came across a news clipping
reporting that he was rewarded an air medal "For
meritorious achievement while serving as radio
operator-gunner of a B-17 Flying Fortress during
combat missions over Nazi Europe."
It
further states that my father, "a veteran of
many bombing assaults with the pioneer 379th
Bomb Group, took part in missions against
targets in Merseburg, Gelsenkirchen, Brux,
Cologne and several tactical objectives in
France and Holland."
My father, Rudolph
J. Dickhoff, passed away on March 20, 2006.
My brother and I believe that he may be
pictured in one of your crew photos. The photo
is identified as HO 44-8469 and is marked 70904
A.C. We believe he is the second from the left
in the front row.
Beth Theis
Beth -
Our
condolences on your Father's passing. We will
add his name to our Taps roster.
Association records for Rudolph J Dickhoff show
that he flew 31 missions as radio
operator/gunner with the 524th Bomb Squadron
from October 5, 1944 to March 9, 1945. Records
indicate missions number 215, 216, 217, 219,
221, 222, 223, 226, 229, 230, 231, 232, 235,
236, 239, 240, 241, 242, 246, 248, 249, 255,
256, 263, 266, 271, 274, 281, 285, 291, and 297.
Sgt. Dickhoff may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we have in our
records.
Sgt. Dickhoff flew missions on a
number of aircraft, including the aircraft you
mention in your inquiry, 44-8469, "HO", and
currently shown in our Crew Photos section of
the website. Association records indicate that
this was the aircraft he flew his last combat
mission aboard, Mission 297 to Kassel, Germany.
Crew of this aircraft for that mission was as
follows:
White Jr., William A, 1st Lt,
Pilot
Robertson, Isaac E, 1st Lt, Co-Pilot
Chapman, Frederick S, F/O, Nav
Carr, Duane S,
2nd Lt, Nav-GEE
Christiansen, William J, 2nd
Lt, Nav-PFF
Montgomery, Gordon C, 1st Lt,
Bomb
Dickhoff, Rudolph J, TSgt, Radio Op
Fraddo, Stephen J, TSgt, Top Turret
Evans
Jr., David B, SSgt, Waist
Hornbeck Jr., Duffy
C, Cpl, Tail
Duffy Hornbeck 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. Since our records do indicate Sgt
Dickhoff flew aboard 44-8469, and you are able
to identify him in the photo, it is certainly
probable that you have helped identify another
crew in our photo collection, and we are
grateful for that assistance.
Responding
4 4/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1327 - Raymond Halley
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From: Byron Perez,
pinch1371@yahoo.com
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 9:22 PM
Subject:
looking for info
hello i have recently
come across a few photos of my wifes
grandfather. i have 2 pics of him one of them he
is in his dress uniform. i see his patch and
know he is in the 8th air corp. the other he is
with the crew of his plane. he is staff sgt
raymond halley. the plane in the background has
the k in the triangle with another k under that,
the number in on the tail is 337570. any help
would be greatly appreciated
Byron -
Association records for Raymond A. Halley show
that he flew 27 missions as gunner with the
524th Bomb Squadron from June 29 to November 16,
1944. Records indicate missions number 157, 158,
160, 161, 163, 164, 168, 169, 170, 171, 174,
191, 195, 196, 199, 200, 203, 204, 210, 213,
216, 221, 225, 227, 229, 232, and 238. Sgt.
Halley may have flown additional missions, but
these are the ones we have in our records.
Sgt. Halley flew missions on a number of
aircraft. The aircraft you mention in your
inquiry, 43-37570, "Miss Liberty", was the first
"named" aircraft he flew aboard. This was
Mission 168 to Zinnowitz, Germany on 18 July
1944. Crew of this aircraft for that mission was
as follows:
McClain Jr., Harold E, 2nd
Lt, Pilot
Rainwater, James A, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot
Chapman, Edward R, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Tates, Paul A, TSgt, Togglier
Annunziato,
Alphonse A, SSgt, Radio Op
Buck, Dean N,
SSgt, Top Turret
Posielenzny, Raymond J, Sgt,
Ball Turret
Halley, Raymond A, Sgt, Waist
Hasselfield, Marvin P, Sgt, Tail
Alphonse
Annunziato 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 a/c
43-37570, "Miss Liberty", will be sent in
separate e-mail. We would be very grateful for a
copy of the photos you have, particularly if any
of the crew pictured are identified.
Responding 4 3/21/2006
Kent
Search No. 1326 - Eugene L. Mowry
From: Windy McCay,
mccaywindy@yahoo.com
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Friday, March 17,
2006 4:50 PM
Subject: Need help ID'ing
I was wondering if you could look at the
attached and tell me if this photo is of members
of the 379th. I'm not sure what the GPR-245-379
means. The photo is of my grandfather and the
crew but I don't know what plane or unit he
belonged to. These were not subjects he
discussed with his daughter's or granddaughters.
The back of the photo lists the following:
Standing left to right
Busk - Waist
Lee - Tail
Murray - R-O
Mowry - Eng. (My
grandfather Eugene L Mowry)
Olson - Ball
Kneeling left to right
Colangelo - Tog.
Miser - Pilot
Scharfenberger - Nav
Jolley
- Co-Pilot
Taken in England April 1945.
If you or anyone has any information my
family would appreciate hearing from you. We
know nothing about his unit.
Thank you,
Windy
Windy -
Association records for Eugene L.
Mowry show that he flew 1 mission as gunner with
the 527th Bomb Squadron on April 25, 1945.
Records indicate mission number 330, which was
the last combat mission flown by the 379th. Sgt.
Mowry may have flown additional missions, but
this is the one we have in our records.
From the names on the back of your photograph,
it appears that Lt. Miser flew this 1st combat
mission for the crew as co-pilot. Typically a
new crew got a combat experienced pilot for
their first mission, before the "regular" pilot
assumed aircraft commander duties on subsequent
missions. Also, it appears that at this late
stage of the war the waist gunner position may
have been deleted, since fighter opposition was
minimal. Crew on this mission was as follows:
Rozear, Frederick C, 1st Lt, Pilot
Miser,
John, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot
Scharfenberger, Irvin
T, 2nd Lt, Nav
Colangelo, Michael L, Sgt,
Togglier
Murray, Robert F, Sgt, Radio Op
Mowry, Eugene L, Sgt, Top Turret
Olsen,
Gaylen F, Sgt, Ball Turret
Lee, Richard, 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 photographs of the airplane (a/c
43-38722, no name) used for this mission. And, a
note of thanks to you and your grandfather for
his notes on the photo - we have a copy of the
photo you've sent in our archives, but with no
name identifications. We now have IDs for this
previously unidentified crew.
Responding
4 3/20/2006
Kent
Search No. 1325 - Hubert Goodwin
McIntyre
From: Peggy
Roe, drewboyd2@gmail.com
To: 379th Bomb Group
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2006 8:30 PM
Subject:
T/S Hubert Goodwin McIntyre (Mac)
Congrats on a wonderful site. We came across it
researching information on my wife's father, Mac
McIntyre, who flew with the 379th. He was killed
on her first birthday when his aircraft went
down on take-off with a full load at Kimbolton
on January 5, 1944.
We would appreciate
any additional information you might have on Mac
in your files, especially the names of any
survivors of his squadron (527) who might be on
your roster.
Regards
Andy Boyd
Andy -
Association
records for Hubert Goodwin McIntyre show that he
flew 5 missions as gunner with the 527th Bomb
Squadron from December 13, 1943 to January 5,
1944. Records indicate missions number 48, 49,
52, 55, and 56. Sgt. McIntyre may have flown
additional missions, but these are the ones we
have in our records.
Association records
show Sgt. McIntyre assigned to a/c 42-29747,
"Rikki-Tikki-Tavi II" on the June 5, 1944
mission to Kiel, Germany. This aircraft,
according to our records, collided with a B-17
from the 303rd Bomb Group departing from
Molesworth shortly after takeoff. Both aircraft
crashed near Catworth, England. Crew for this
aircraft on the June 5, 1944 mission, and what
was Sgt McIntyre's regular crew, was as follows:
Killion, Dale C, 2nd Lt, Pilot, KIA
Chamberlain, Paul R, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, KIA
Degroff, Robert L, 2nd Lt, Nav, KIA
Bourque,
Remy, 2nd Lt, Bomb, KIA
McIntyre, Hubert G,
TSgt, Radio Op, KIA
Crumpton, Earl, TSgt, Top
Turret, KIA
Hancock, Harry E, SSgt, Ball
Turret, KIA
Matlack, Kenneth R, SSgt, Right
Waist, KIA
Morphonios, Victor R, Sgt, Left
Waist, KIA
Weiss, Morris (NMI), SSgt, Tail,
KIA
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 photo of "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi II". A
photo of a/c 42-37805, "Carol Dawn", which our
records show was the aircraft Sgt. McIntyre flew
in on his first mission, on December 13, 1943,
will be sent in separate e-mail.
Responding 4 3/20/2006
Kent
Search No. 1324 - Walter Nachtway
From:
Richard & Phyllis Tallmadge, dptall@dotnet.com
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Tuesday,
March 14, 2006 5:15 AM
Subject: Lt. Walter
Nachtway
Lt. Walter Nachtway was a pilot
of a B-17 which was shot down on his 3rd
mission. He safely parachuted from his plane and
was subsequently captured by the Germans and he
was interred at Stalag Luft III until the war
ended. The year was 1943 and his squadron, the
525th, was based at Kimbolton in England. I
would like to know the NAME of his aircraft and
a crew photo available somewhere. Lt. Nachtway
has been deceased for about 3 yrs. He was a
neighbor of mine for many years and he shared
many of his combat and prisonar of war stories
with me. Your prompt acknowledgement of this
request will be appreciated. Thank you.
Sincerely,
R.M. Tallmadge
Sir -
Association
records for Walter J. Nachtwey show that he flew
3 missions as co-pilot with the 525th Bomb
Squadron from June 11 to June 22, 1943. Records
indicate missions number 2, 3, and 4. Lt.
Nachtwey may have flown additional missions, but
these are the ones we have in our records.
Lt. Nachtwey flew missions on two aircraft,
neither of which were "named" aircraft. Lt.
Nachtwey flew Mission 4 to the synthetic rubber
plants at Huls, Germany, on June 22, 1943. His
aircraft was listed as Missing in Action
following that mission. Crew was as follows:
Dollarhide, Erskine S, Cpt, Pilot, KIA
Nachtwey, Walter J, Lt, Co-Pilot, POW
Egnor
Jr., Nathan, Lt, Nav, KIA
Wacha Jr., Frank W,
Lt, Bomb, KIA
Berger, Leon, SSgt, Radio Op,
KIA
Boies, Earl J, TSgt, Top Turret, KIA
Hoehn, Harry L, SSgt, Ball Turret, POW
Donelson, Lloyd G, Sgt, Right Waist, POW
Erdahl, Gerald C, SSgt, Left Waist, POW
Mclaughlin, James F, Sgt, Tail, KIA
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
photographs of the airplanes or Lt. Nachtwey's
crew, however, there is a photo of the
Dollarhide crew in "Shades of Kimbolton",
available through our PX. There are no name
identifications, but Lt Nachtwey may be one of
the crewmen shown. A scan of that photo is
attached. If you can ID Lt. Nachtwey, we would
appreciate input back for future reference.
Responding 4 3/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1323 - Manley K.
Haskins
From: John Haskins,
blinddoctor@yahoo.com
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Tuesday, March
07, 2006 8:48 PM
Subject: info on my father
I am looking for all the info I can on my
Dad. He was a Pilot of a B-17, 379thbg. I would
like to find out his plane # & name (if it had
one). What missions he flew and where and When.
I have a photo of him with his crew. He lost his
tail gunner on one of thier missions. That was
his only loss. He was 2nd Lt. Manley King
Haskins jr.
I thank you for your help in
advance. It will mean alot to my brothers. Also,
are any of his crew still alive?? Ican email
again with the names of his crew. My brother has
the photo right now.
Thank you John L.
Haskins
John -
Association records for Manley K.
Haskins show that he flew 13 missions as Pilot
with the 527th Bomb Squadron from March 23 to
April 25, 1945. Records indicate missions number
308, 309, 312, 313, 314, 316, 317, 318, 320,
321, 322, 323, 327, 329, and 330. Lt. Haskins
may have flown additional missions, but these
are the ones we have in our records.
Lt.
Haskins flew missions on a number of different
aircraft, including 42-102627, "Queenie"
(missions 308, 313, 316, 318, 320, 321, 323,
329, 330), 42-97270, "Red Dragon" (mission 309),
44-6507, "Lucky Patch" (mission 312), and
42-97128, "Screwball Express" (mission 314).
There were also a number of missions on unnamed
aircraft. Lt. Haskins crew on Mission 313 to
Bremen, Germany, and what looks to be his
"regular" crew was as follows:
Haskins,
Manley K, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Matthess, Billie, 2nd
Lt, Co-Pilot
Schafer, Robert G, 2nd Lt, Nav
Pollock, William H, Sgt, Togglier
Masella
Jr., Pasquale J, Sgt, Radio Op
Drake Jr.,
James H, Sgt, Top Turret
Hellberg, Hjalmar V,
SSgt, Ball Turret
Dalrymple, Elmer L, Sgt,
Tail
Billie Matthess, James Drake, and
Hjalmar Hellberg 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 "Queenie", "Red Dragon", "Lucky Patch", and
Screwball Express" will be sent in separate
e-mail. The Association would be interested in
copies of any photographs you have, especially
if the crewmen shown are identified.
Responding 4 3/8/2006
Kent
Search No. 1322 - Mid Air
Collision, 10 January 1945
From: "Michael Güdelhöfer"
<michael.gudelhofer@t-online.de>
To:
<looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Saturday,
February 11, 2006 6:47 AM
Subject: Mid Air
Collission 1/10/1945 AC 43-38955 and 43-38237
Dear Sirs/Madam,
I do research on a
Mid Air Collisson on two B-17G of 379BG, 527BS.
Target was AF Bonn-Hangelar. Any photo of
crewmember would be great or informations on the
fate of the survivors. On Major Davis plane
there were 7 KIA and on 2nd Lt. Jordans plane 2
KIA, I own a part of Major Davis plane. Its a
part of the fuselage in size 1 by 1 foot with
english writing on it. Eye widnesses told me,
that 6 of 7 KIAs of Davis plane were found
beside the wreckage with their parachute on. Any
further information would be appreciated.
Michael
Michael -
Association records for the crash
you reference indicate that a/c 43-38237,
"Dallas Doll", and 43-38955 (no name), were
involved in a mid-air collision during the
mission to Bonn/Hangelar on 10 January 1945.
Crews of the aircraft involved were as follows:
43-38237
Davis, Raymond, Major,
Pilot, KIA
Barley, Frederick W, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot, KIA
Ramsey, Thomas W, F/O, Nav, KIA
Reese, Whitney J, Sgt, Togglier, KIA
Estlinbaum, Fred E, Sgt, Radio Op, KIA
Ellis
Jr., William F, TSgt, Top Turret, KIA
Ancelet, Saul L, Sgt, Ball Turret, Return
Cox, John W, Sgt, Waist, KIA
Watkins, William
J, Sgt, Tail, Return
43-38955
Jordan, Leo L, 2nd Lt, Pilot, POW
Byers, John
F, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, KIA
Baldwin, Robert G,
2nd Lt, Nav, POW
Damiani, Joseph L, SSgt,
Togglier, KIA
Smallidge, Kerrane A, TSgt,
Radio Op, POW
Goberman, Charles A, TSgt, Top
Turret, POW
Corbin, David E, Sgt, Ball
Turret, POW
Chapman, Stanton W, Sgt, Waist,
POW
Tolan, Francis H, Sgt, Tail, POW
Sorry, none of the survivors of this crash 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 do not have photographs
of either of the aircraft involved in this
crash.
Responding 4 2/26/2006
Kent
Search No. 1321 - Canvey Island
B-17
From: steve scott <torrenscott@tesco.net>
To:
<looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Friday,
February 10, 2006 6:57 AM
Subject: canvey
island b-17
Dear Sir/madam,I am
researching the collision of two 525th BS B-17s
over canvey island on 19th june 1944.One of the
aircraft 42-97942 coded FR-K was piloted by Lt
Lloyd Burns and the other aircraft 44-6133 coded
FR-Y was piloted by Lt Armand Ramacitti.Can you
please tell me if you have in archive any photos
of the crews involved or maybe a photo of the
aircraft.Can you also tell me if the aircraft
involved were given any names by the crew?.
thankyou for any help you can offer. steve scott
Steve -
Association records for the crash you
reference indicate that a/c 44-6133 (no name)
and 42-97942, "Heavenly Body II", were involved
in a mid-air collision over Gravesend on their
return from the 19 June 1944 mission to
Zudausques, France (rocket site). Crews of the
aircraft involved were as follows:
44-6133
Ramacitti, Armand J, 2nd Lt,
Pilot, KIA
Hager, William J, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot, KIA
Watson, Donald F, 2nd Lt, Nav,
KIA
Chronopolis, Theodore, 2nd Lt, Bomb, WIA
Ritter, Richard (NMI), SSgt, Radio Op, KIA
Tognazzini, Cecil A, SSgt, Top Turret, KIA
Burke, John P, SSgt, Ball Turret, KIA
Haynes,
Paul K, Sgt, Waist, KIA
Oaks, Warren G, Sgt,
Tail, KIA
42-97942
Burns, Lloyd L,
1st Lt, Pilot
Kauffman, Fred S, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot, KIA
Sadler, Edward N, F/O, Nav, KIA
Gray, Jack L, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Monk, Leroy J,
TSgt, Radio Op
Gibbs, Leonard F, TSgt, Top
Turret
Farmer, William H, SSgt, Ball Turret
Andrews, Richard W, SSgt, Waist
Schulte,
Louis W, SSgt, Tail, KIA
Lloyd Burns,
Leonard Gibbs, Bill Farmer, and Richard Andrews
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 do not
have photographs of either of the aircraft
involved in this crash.
Responding 4
2/26/2006
Kent
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