|
From: René
Romainville, rene.romainville@skynet.be
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Tuesday, August
01, 2006 9:52 AM
Subject: Request for
information
Dear Sir,
Retired NCO
from the belgian Air force I have undertaken to
look after RAF bomber aircraft who were shot
down in the area where I live in Belgium. During
those research I came across some photos where
B17 aircraft are pictured. On some of them the
"K" letter coul be observed. The first B17 had a
double triangle , inside the first one the
letter code K, in the second triangle on the top
N°3 at the bottom of the second triangle the N°
337755 and underneath the letter "Z". It seems
that the B17 made an emergency landing on the 10
September 1944.
Do you have any
information about the crew and the operation
that they were flying , Any photo of the crew ?
The second B17 I can only see the letter
code K, but it must happened after liberation 7
september 1944 because people can be seen
around. I do also have a photo representing 2
airman one being a lieutenant and a belgian
gendarme , I suspect that they are maybe member
of the crew of the second B17.
Is ther
an existing listing of B17 lost by you Group in
Belgium between september - november 1944, does
it say the area of "landing"
Thank you in
advance for your help, if needed I can send the
photos by internet.
Best regards from
Belgium
Rene Romainville
Rene -
Association records
for a/c 43-37755 show this
aircraft was dispatched on
Mission 204 to the synthetic
oil plant at Merseburg,
Germany on 13 September 1944.
The crew survived the crash
landing, and made their way
back to US Military control,
with the help of local
Belgian authorities, over the
following days Crew of this
aircraft for that 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
Sorry, we do
not have photos of this crew.
We would be interested in
photos of the aircraft after
the crash landing, for our
archives, if possible. This
response will be posted in
the "Looking 4" section of
our website, in case any
members have any additional
information. Please see also
previous Belgian inqury about
this aircraft in Looking 4
inquiry Number 1320, which
can be viwed by following the
Looking 4 tab on our website.
Regarding the second
aircraft, a/c 42-102675 crash
landed in Belgium on 11
September 1944. Seven crew
members were taken POW, two
returned to US control. Crew
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, Returned
Koehl, George R, Sgt, Tail,
Returned
Note that
there was also a previous
Belgian Looking 4 inquiry on
this aircraft, see Looking 4
Number 1262. Again, any
photos that we could add to
our archives for future
inquiries would be very much
appreciated.
Responding 4 8/3/2006
Kent
Search No. 1339 - Cyrus M
Wallace
From: Mecham, Del W., Del.Mecham@wilsonelser.com
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Thursday, July 06, 2006 1:58 PM
Subject: S/Sgt. Cyrus M. Wallace - B-17F s/n
42-5820
Hello,
I'm helping a friend locate any information
about his great-uncle, Staff Sergeant Cyrus M.
Wallace, the ball-turret gunner on B-17F, s/n
42-5820, in the 526th Bomb. Squadron. His plane
went down on 8-12-43. Any info would be greatly
appreciated. Thank you.
Del Mecham
Del -
Association records for Cyrus M Wallace
show that he flew 4 missions as gunner with the
526th Bomb Squadron from July 24 to August 12,
1943. Records indicate missions number 13, 14,
16, and 18. Sgt. Wallace may have flown
additional missions, but these are the ones we
have in our records.
On August 12, 1943,
on Mission 18 to the synthetic oil plant at
Gelsenkirchen, Germany, a/c 42-5820 went Missing
in Action. Crew of this aircraft for that
mission was as follows:
Freund, Kurt W,
2nd Lt, Pilot, POW
Emens, Dale T, 2nd Lt,
Co-Pilot, POW
Macrae, Donald P, 2nd Lt, Nav,
POW
Bozarth, Glen H, 2nd Lt, Bomb, POW
Schaedler, Francis J, TSgt, Radio Op, KIA
Ragland, James L, TSgt, Top Turret, POW
Wallace, Cyrus M, SSgt, Ball Turret, KIA
Jamison, Allan G, SSgt, Right Waist, POW
Angarano, Daniel J, SSgt, Left Waist, POW
Roberts, Charles E, SSgt, Tail, POW
Dale
Emens 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.
Responding 4
7/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1338 - T/SGT Weldon C
Everett
From: WELDON LEE
EVERETT, lillady3@sbcglobal.net
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Thursday, July
06, 2006 9:53 AM
Subject: T/SGT WELDON C
EVERETT GROUNDCREW FUEL TRK 2 ??????
i
dont know much about my dads service i have 1
picture of his showing a fuel truck/AND B 17 G
CHIN GUNS HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL REMEMBER SGT
EVERETT ON THE REAR BUMPER OF THE TRUCK ARE THE
#s 8/ 379 2 ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRICATED
THANK YOU
WELDON LEE EVERETT
Weldon -
Sorry, the
Association has no records for T/SGT Weldon C
Everett. Typically, our records for ground
personnel are extremely limited.
This
response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members have
any additional information. As part of our
continuing effort to better account for all men
assigned to the 379th, we would be interested in
obtaining a copy of the photograph you have of
your Dad during his time with the 379th.
Responding 4 7/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1337 - Lt. Harold
Bailey--379th BG Navigator
|
|
From: Warren B. Carah
[mailto:wcarah@livingonline.com]
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Thursday, July
06, 2006 8:50 PM
Subject: Lt. Harold
Bailey--379th BG Navigator
Lt. Harold
Bailey was a navigator in the crew of 1st Lt.
Sam P. Satariano who flew "Piccadilly Willie"
and "Lakanukie" in the summer of 1943. On the
August 16 mission to LeBourget Field, near
Paris, "Lakanukie" was severely damaged by flak
over the target. The plane was severely tossed
by the anti-aircraft fire and Lt. Bailey
evidently thought the plane was going down. He
bailed out before the order was given and was
last seen sailing by the tail gunner's position
to a landing in Paris. Lt. Satariano managed to
get the battered plane under control and
eventually they flew back to England, albeit
minus Lt. Bailey.
What happened to Lt.
Bailey next is probably not well known, but in
the course of researching an evasion of members
of my father's crew (Lt. John M. Carah, 381st
BG, 42-29928, Shot down 4 July 1943), I learned
his fate.
After reaching the ground, Lt.
Bailey had the good fortune of being found by
the Resistance instead of the Gestapo and he
lived in relative plenty in Paris, the guest of
a bistro owner with a soft heart for Americans.
After about 20 days, Lt. Bailey was joined by
another downed airman, Lt. Keith Murray, a
bombardier with the 95th Bomb Group who had been
shot down on the Stuttgart raid of 6 Sep 1943.
Murray was seriously injured when bailing out
near Paris and by sheer luck had managed to be
picked up by the French Underground before he
could be captured. The plentiful food and good
accommodations the bistro owner provided helped
his recovery and by late October, 1943 Bailey
and Murray were ready to move on to the Pyrenees
Mountains and escape to Spain.
On 21
October 1943 a group of seven American airmen
and six French naval and army officers assembled
at a train station in Paris to begin their
odyssey to Spain and freedom. The Americans,
besides Lts. Baily and Murray, included: Major
William Boren, a B-26 driver with the 387th BG;
1st Lt. Olof Ballinger, pilot with the 381st BG;
2nd Lt. Charles Hoover, another pilot with the
381st BG; T/Sgt. William Plasket, a radio
operator with the 306th BG; and S/Sgt. Francis
Owens, a gunner with the 381st BG.
By the
24th of October the group was staged at Suc,
Ariege to make a 30 hour marathon assault on the
Pyrenees with a route which crossed from France
into Andorra before reaching Spain. From the
beginning everything went wrong. Ballinger
developed severe muscle cramps and had to be
left behind. German sentries seemed to be
everywhere and the pace was agonizingly slow. A
fierce storm arose near the summit and
temperatures went below zero. French paper shoes
disintegrated in the three feet of snow and the
summer clothing the men wore offered little
protection. But the worst adversary was the lack
of good nutrition and exercise most of the men
had to endure in the months before the escape
attempt. After 24 hours of almost continuous
climbing, bodies began to fail and Lt. Bailey
collapsed.
Lt. Bailey was carried and
dragged for some eight hours by Sgts. Plasket
and Owens before they too could endure no more.
All three men were totally beaten and could not
be coaxed to get up and move on down the
mountains to Andorra even though they were only
yards away from the pass that would take them to
freedom.
The remainder of the group had
no choice but to leave the stricken men in the
snow and continue down the mountain. On or about
the 25th of October, 1943 death came to Lt.
Bailey, T/Sgt. Plasket and S/Sgt. Owens at Port
de Rat on the French-Andorra border.
The
following Spring of 1944, Andorran civil police
patrols found the remains of the three men and
they were buried as unknowns in the Arinsal,
Andorra village cemetery. There they remained
until September 1950 when a U.S. Army
Quartermaster unit exhumed the graves and sent
the remains to the Army Mortuary Identification
Unit in Belgium. In June, 1951, the remains were
positively identified. S/Sgt. Owens was buried
at the Ardennes American Military Cemetery at
the request of his family. I do not know the
final disposition of Lt. Bailey or T/Sgt.
Plasket.
It is difficult to comprehend
dealing with such adversity, but over six
decades ago many thousands of young men and
women freely and resolutely faced a future that
often included such dismal prospects and death
in a cold and lonely place. In researching this
event I was almost at the point of cheering them
up the mountain and hoping they all would
succeed. That was not to be, but they all did
the best they could and gave everything they had
for their country. You can ask no more of any
man.
I would particularly like to know
where Lt. Bailey was from and where he was
trained.
Regards,
Warren B. Carah
Warren,
We would
appreciate having the complete record of the
event to add to our Associations history. Are
you related to Lt. Bailey?
526th Sq.
Lebourget, France (Aircraft Components) August
16, 1943 Mission # 20 Aircraft 42-5827 (LF-Y)
"Lakanuki", Sam Satariano's Crew. Navigator
Bailed Out Of Ship Before Target.
NAME
RANK POS SERIAL # STATE STATUS LOCATION/COUNTY
Bailey Harold B 2nd Lt N O-79327 Lancaster,
SC KIA Lancaster
Lt. Harold Bailey is
shown on the state honor roll records in
Lancaster County, South Carolina.
Lt.
Bailey, navigator was not part of the original
crews that formed up at Wendover, UT, so we
don’t know where his training took place. Lt.
Bailey replaced Lt. William J. Koves’ place on
Sam Satariano’s crew. Lt. Koves flew on the 1st
mission to St. Nazaire France May 29, 1943 with
Capt Hall’s crew. Lt Koves became a POW after
his plane was shot down.
Responding4
07/07/06
Mike
Mike:
Thanks for the address--I will put the
materials in the mail shortly. I am no relation
to Bailey. My interest stems from research I am
doing on behalf of four families that had
members participating in the evasion attempt in
which Lt. Bailey died. There are still some
unanswered questions concerning the events which
led to the death of Lt. Bailey and two others,
one of whom was a member of my father's B-17
crew. My focus has been on the others plus the
French guides, but since I had also learned of
Lt. Bailey's fate, I thought the 379th BG
Association would like to see what I have
uncovered.
Regards,
Warren
Warren
I would like to use the story of Lt
Harold Bailey in our newsletter "Contrails”. It
is amazing after 60 plus years we are still
finding out about crewmembers.
Thanks
again, we really appreciate you sharing a piece
of the big puzzle still left for us to put
together.
Mike
Search No. 1336 - Arthur R.
McKinley
From:
"michelle" <mkl3069@excite.com>
To:
<looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Monday, June
19, 2006 8:52 PM
Subject: Looking For......
Hi,
I am trying to find information about
the plane my uncle was on. Perhaps the name of
the plane, it's serial number, crew members, and
the fate of my uncle. I know that he was killed
not in battle but I can find nothing more. His
name is Arthur R. McKinley, his serial number
was 15104156, I believe he was a turret gunner,
he was with the 526th bomber squadron, 379th
bomber group, heavy, he was stationed in
Kimbolton I believe. Any information that you
can dig up on him and what happened to him would
be absolutely wonderful. Thank you in advance.
Michelle
Michelle -
Association records for Arthur R.
McKinley show him a crewman aboard a/c 42-3132
assigned to the 526th Bomb Squadron. This
aircraft disappeared over the Atlantic enroute
from Gander Bay, Newfoundland to Prestwick,
Scotland on April 24, 1943, during the 379th's
deployment overseas following stateside
training. Crew was as follows:
Elstead,
Lawrence M., Capt, Pilot
Plyley, Frederick
K., 1st Lt, CP
Ciccarello, Arthur F., 2nd Lt,
N
Courtright, James W., 2nd Lt, B
O'Moore,
Thomas J., S/SGT, TG
McKinley, Arthur R.,
SGT, BT
Lindblom, Lowell A., SGT, RO
Mahoney, Arthur E., SGT, WG
Garretson, Alfred
F., SGT, WG
Brown, George I., PVT, TT
This response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members have
any additional information. Records show these
crewmen are memorialized at the American Battle
Monuments East Coast Memorial in Battery Park,
New York City.
Responding 4 6/20/2006
Kent
Search No. 1335 - 28 + 29 Jan 1945 - 379th
BG losses
From: leendert
holleman, l.holleman@telenet.be
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Monday, June 05,
2006 5:12 AM
Subject: 28 + 29 Jan 1945/379th
BG losses
B-17 "44-6172" of 379th BG is
reported to have been salvaged in March 1945 due
to damages or crash sustained "on the Continent"
on 28 January 1945. Is there any record where on
the Continent this might have been?
The
Mighty Eighth War Diary also says that on 29
January 1945 a 379th BG B-17 made a crash
landing on the Continent due to battle damages.
Again: where would this crash landing have
taken place?
Underlying question is a
still unsolved crash (total wreckage) of a USAAF
bomber at Brielen near Ypres, Belgium on 28 or
29 January 1945. No MACR because all crew were
safe and A/C had landed in Allied territory.
Thanks for any info. Much appreciated to
help solve this local mystery.
Leendert
Holleman
Bruges/Belgium
Leendert –
Regarding your question of 379th Bomb Group
losses on 28 and 29 January 1945, we can provide
the following information from our Association
historians:
On the 29th January 1945 the
only Eighth Air Force B-17 to put down on the
Continent this date was an aircraft from
Kimbolton but it landed with its crew at Liege,
Belgium. This aircraft was 44-6172 (LF-C)
"Ensign Mary II" flown by Lt. Edgar F. Aarstad
and it landed at Liege at 1410 hours after
suffering flak damage during the mission.
However, for obvious reasons, "Ensign Mary II"
is not the B-17 in the photo - even though
44-6172 was subsequently salvaged in Belgium.
I believe the date 28th January 1945 on some
of the photos refers to the crash date . On this
day the Eighth had five B-17s landing or
crashing in friendly territory on the Continent
which were subsequently scrapped by the 5th
Strategic Air Depot (Air Force Service Command).
These planes were:
42-31536 92BG(JW-O)
"Irene" Lane crew, no details available
42-97141 92BG(NV-A) "Mary Jane II" - Culver
crew-no location details, crew flying again 6
Feb
43-37784 92BG(PY-O) "Big Chief" - Devers
crew-no location details crew, flying again 6
Feb
43-39055 95BG(OE-R) Mercer crew, crash
landed Pournoi, France 1KIA 8RMC after
parachuting
44-6589 96BG(BX-P) Dasso crew,
crashed nr front lines Belgium 8KIA 1RMC
I speculate the subject aircraft in the photo
belonged to the 92BG , based on the information
given by Mr Holleman that all crew parachuted
OK. Interestingly all the photos show dark
coloured wreckage which of course could be due
to fire but also it could be Olive Drab paint.
If it is the latter, then the only B-17 with an
OD paint job was 42-31536, the rest were silver
(Natural Metal Finish).
This response
will be posted in the "Looking 4" section of our
website, in case any members have any additional
information. In case you are interested in
contacting them further this research, the 92nd
Bomb Group Association can be reached at
www.92ndma.org.
Responding 4 6/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1334 - George E. Sandner
From:
"David Edkins" <d_edkins@yahoo.com>
To:
<looking4@379thbga.org>
Sent: Saturday, June
03, 2006 10:49 AM
Subject: T/Sgt George e.
Sandner
I am in search of information
about T/Sgt George E. Sandner, member of the
525th BS, who was KIA on 10/14/1943. Most likely
on the Schwienfurt mission of that date. There
may be a family connection to my wife who has
the same family name.
David -
Association records for George E. Sandner show
that he flew 7 missions as gunner with the 525th
Bomb Squadron from September 9 to October 14,
1943. Records indicate missions number 29, 30,
31, 32, 34, 36, and 38. Sgt. Sandner may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we have in our records.
On October
14, 1943, Sgt Sandner was aboard aircraft
42-29653 on the mission to the ball bearing
works at Schweinfurt, Germany. Crew of this
aircraft for that mission was as follows:
Jones, Richard W. 2nd Lt. Pilot, POW
Lair, Thomas H, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot, POW
Anderson, Robert P, 2nd Lt, Nav, POW
Fischer,
Perry A, 2nd Lt, Bomb, POW
Sandner, George E,
SSgt, Radio Op, KIA
Jacobson, Clarence A,
TSgt, Top Turret, KIA
Wills, Robert E, TSgt,
Ball Turret, POW
Hoffman, Walter H, SSgt,
Right Waist, KIA
Roberts, Albert A, Sgt, Left
Waist, POW
Hansen, Gerald T, TSgt, Tail, KIA
Sorry, none of the listed crew 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 any personal
information on George Sandner.
Responding
4 6/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1333 - Egbert H.
Pidgeon
From: Henry Benoit,
henry.benoit@sympatico.ca
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Monday, May 29,
2006 4:53 PM
Subject: Egbert H. Pidgeon
My Uncle Egbert H. Pidgeon died on February
28, 2004. Could you add his name to your 'Taps'
roster? He served as waist gunner with the 379th
Bomb Group until injured on Mission #40 after
which he spent 22 months in hospitals. He was
quiet about his Army Air Force service and we
have very little history on his service
experiences.
I wonder if you could supply
information beyond that in Mission Report #40.
How many missions did he report for? We think
his aircraft was named "Quit Your Bitchin" -
could that be the actual name? What were the
locations of his English air stations? Do you
have photos of a mission plane he flew with? Do
you have photos of him with a crew? Are any of
his Mission #40 crew mates on the Association
roster?
We will appreciate any
information you are able to share with us.
Henry Benoit.
Henry -
Our condolences on your Uncle's
passing. We have added his name to our Taps
roster. Association records for Egbert H.
Pidgeon show that he flew 3 missions as gunner
with the 527th Bomb Squadron from October 20 to
November 5, 1943. Records indicate missions
number 39, 40, and 41. Sgt. Pidgeon may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we have in our records.
All of Sgt
Pidgeon's 379th missions were flown out of
Station 117, Kimbolton, England. We have no
record of Sgt. Pidgeon flying any of his
missions on an aircraft named "Quit Your
Bitchin". - in any event, there is no record of
an aircraft by that name serving with the 379th
Bomb Group. Association records indicate that
Sgt Pidgeon flew his first mission in aircraft
42-3524, "Vonnie Gal" (photo will be sent in
separate e-mail). Crew of this aircraft for that
mission was as follows:
Brown, Robert D,
Capt, Pilot
Baer, David E, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot
Litz, Harry T, 2nd Lt, Nav
Flexer, Winebert
D, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Hennessey, Joseph T, TSgt,
Radio Op
Colburn, Finis W, TSgt, Top Turret
Brady, Glen (NMI), SSgt, Ball Turret
Pidgeon,
Egbert H, SSgt, Right Waist
Mantor, Ralph A,
SSgt, Left Waist
Campbell, Charles B, SSgt,
Tail
Sorry, none of the listed crew are
on our current Association roster. We do not
know of any photo of your Uncle's crew. This
response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members have
any additional information.
Responding 4
6/18/2006
Kent
Search No. 1332 - Thomas P
Guilfoyle
From: Dale T. Guilfoyle,
DTGuilfoyle@premiermss.com
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Saturday, May 13,
2006 8:32 AM
Subject: Information on Thomas
P. Guilfoyle
Dear Sir,
I am
looking for any information on my father Thomas
P. Guilfoyle who was in the 379th during WWII. I
would like to confirm which Squadron he was in,
any missions he flew and the names of any planes
he flew in during this period. He was a Sergeant
and I think he was in the 525th, but I am not
sure.
Any help you can provide will be
most appreciated.
Col Dale T. Guilfoyle
U.S. Army (Ret.)
Dale -
Association records for Thomas P
Guilfoyle show that he flew 30 missions as
gunner with the 524th Bomb Squadron from April
13, 1944 to September 1, 1944. Records indicate
missions number 96, 97, 100, 101, 102, 104, 106,
108, 112, 114, 120, 143, 144, 147, 148, 167,
170, 171, 173, 174, 176, 178, 179, 184, 185,
186, 188, 189, 194, and 195. Sgt. Guilfoyle may
have flown additional missions, but these are
the ones we have in our records.
Sgt.
Guilfoyle flew missions on a number of aircraft,
including 42-32093, "Big Barn Smell" (42-31720,
"Blue Blazing Blizzard", 42-107213, "Rubble
Rouser", 43-37570, "Miss Liberty", 42-97967,
"Hun Runner", 42-31663, "Tag-A-Long", and
42-38057, "Flak Rabbit". Sgt Guilfoyle's first
mission, to Schweinfurt on April 13, 1944, was
flown in 42-32093, "Big Barn Smell". Crew of
this aircraft for that mission was as follows:
Ross, Ralph R, 2nd Lt, Pilot
Drake,
Francis W, 2nd Lt, Co-Pilot
Black, Ernest W,
2nd Lt, Nav
Procario, Rinaldo N, 2nd Lt, Bomb
Anthony, Wayne B, SSgt, Radio Op
Worbois,
Robert J, SSgt, Top Turret
Clinton, John W,
SSgt, Ball Turret
Guilfoyle, Thomas P, Sgt,
Right Waist
Duffy, Thomas J, Sgt, Left Waist
Prehn, Eugene D, Sgt, Tail
Robert Worbois
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. Photos of Big Barn
Smell, Rubble Rouser, and Miss Liberty will be
sent in separate e-mail. Sorry, we are not aware
of photos of the other aircraft. Also, we have
partial identification of the crewmen pictured
with Big Barn Smell, and they are the crew your
Father flew his early missions with. If he is in
this photo, we would be grateful if you could
identify him for us.
Responding 4
5/26/2006
Kent
Search No. 1331 - William (Billy)
Donovan
From: John McGorray, johnmcgorray@cox.net
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Sent: Wednesday, April
26, 2006 7:44 PM
Subject: William (Billy)
Donovan
Looking for information on my
Uncle Crew and aircraft.
My uncle was a
radio oper/gunner Front row 3rd from the left.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
John McGorray
John -
Association records for William
Donovan show that he flew 23 missions as radio
operator/gunner with the 526th Bomb Squadron
from November 16, 1943 to March 2, 1944. Records
indicate missions number 42, 43, 45, 46, 48, 50,
52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 59, 60, 62, 64, 66, 69, 70,
71, 72, 73, 74, and 75. Sgt. Donovan may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we have in our records.
Our records
indicate Sgt. Donovan flew most of his missions
on the aircraft you mention in your inquiry,
42-39800, "Patches". Your Uncle's "regular" crew
flew their first combat mission on 42-3524,
"Vonnie Gal" (photo will be sent in separate
e-mail) and the second mission (and most of the
rest) on "Patches". Crew was as follows:
Roderick, Donald A, Lt, Pilot
Clarke,
Clarence A, Lt, Co-Pilot
Schultz Jr., Harvey
A, Lt, Nav
Davies, William F, Lt, Bomb
Donovan, William R, SSgt, Radio Op
Hoffman,
Delbert N, SSgt, Top Turret
Pierce, John C,
Sgt, Ball Turret
Rothrock, Albert R, SSgt,
Right Waist
Allan, Lloyd E, Sgt, Left Waist
Dunn, Victor L, 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 are not aware of a photo
of "Patches".
Responding 4 5/26/2006
Kent
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