|
From: POL;
g26pj12@voo.be
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2011
5:17 AM
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: searching Truair E. Halbert
Hello, Sir,
I am looking for information
about Staff Sergeant Truair E. HALBERT who
served in the 524 Bomb Sq / 379 Bomb Gp Heavy !
Next 22th september, shall I "sponsored" with
great honor and pride, his grave at the American
WWII Cementery in Neuville-en-Condroz / Belgium.
Could you please give me the largest information
about this hero ?
Thank you very much !
NB
: sorry for my poor english...
Pol JACOB
BELGIUM
Pol –
Very sorry for the long time to
respond. Association records for Truair E.
Halbert show he flew 4 missions as tail gunner
with the 524th Squadron from July 17 to July 30,
1943. Our records show missions 12, 13, 16, and
17. Sgt. Halbert may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we show in our
records.
On July 30, 1943, the 379th Bomb
Group targeted the aircraft components plant at
Kassel, Germany. Sgt Halbert was part of a crew
flying in a/c 42-29746 – this aircraft was seen
to explode, with all crewmembers either baling
out or being thrown out. Crew, and their fate,
was as follows:
Kain, George A,
Lieutenant, Pilot, Killed In Action
London,
Daniel A, Lieutenant, Co-Pilot, Killed In Action
Mailloux, Raymond A, Lieutenant, Navigator,
Prisoner Of War
Crawford, John A, Lieutenant,
Bombardier, Killed In Action
Cloud, William
S, Tech Sergeant, Radio Operator/Gunner,
Prisoner Of War
Ferguson, John C, Tech
Sergeant, Top Turret Gunner, Killed In Action
Walker, Robert C, Staff Sergeant, Ball Turret
Gunner, Killed In Action
Bennett, Vernon F,
Staff Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner, Prisoner Of
War
Russi, William A, Corporal, Left Waist
Gunner, Prisoner Of War
Halbert, Truair E,
Staff Sergeant, Tail Gunner, Killed In Action
This response will be posted in the "Looking
4" section of our website, in case any members
or readers have any additional information.
Sorry, we have no known photos of Sgt Halbert or
this crew. A copy of the Missing Air Crew Report
(MACR) covering this loss will be sent to you by
separate e-mail.
Thank you very much for
your interest and efforts to honor our fallen
service members.
Responding 4 8/31/2011
Kent
Search No. 1509 - William J. Roche
From: Bill Roche; billroche@pobox.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 8:33 AM
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Seeking Information about William J
Roche
Hi,
I just discovered the
web site of the 379th Bomb Group Association
website last night and was happy to find a
listing mentioning my father. I would be
grateful if you could provide any information
you have on him. He is William J Roche, who is
mentioned in the response to Gary L. Jackson,
PhD by Kent (response dated 8/17/2010). In that
response, William J. Roche is identified as
"Staff Sergeant - Ball Turret Gunner" and is
listed as a crew member while flying in a/c
42-107175.
He also appears in a
listing supplied in response to an inquiry by
Michael Garst (response dated 10/15/01). In this
response, he is identified as being on aircraft
#42-97302 Scotch N' Soda.
Thanks very much.
William J. Roche, Jr.
Bill –
Association records for William J.
Roche show he flew 30 missions as ball turret
gunner with the 525th Squadron from April 19 to
June 29, 1944. Our records show missions 98, 99,
100, 103, 104, 106, 108, 114, 115, 116, 117,
119, 120, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130,
132, 134, 143, 144, 146, 147, 149, 152, 153, and
157. Sgt. Roche may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we show in our
records. Sgt. Roche’s “regular” crew, likely the
one he trained with, was as follows:
Burke, Edward R, 2nd Lieutenant, Pilot
Hlesta, Nicholas (NMI), 2nd Lieutenant, Co-Pilot
Tew, Leonard T, 2nd Lieutenant, Navigator
Philhower, Preston G, 2nd Lieutenant,
Bombardier
Salter, Leon (NMI), Sergeant,
Radio Operator/Gunner
Lindahl, George G,
Sergeant, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Roche,
William J, Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner
Burraston, Floyd , Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner
Garst, Frank (NMI), Corporal, Left Waist
Gunner
Spitzgo, Carmen R, Corporal, Tail
Gunner
This response will be posted in
the "Looking 4" section of our website, in case
any members or readers have any additional
information. A photo of Edward Burke’s crew,
dated 11 April 1944, is attached. Correspondence
since those earlier postings have allowed an
identification of the crewmembers shown – we
have Sgt. Roche back row, third from left. If
you can confirm that ID, that will help validate
our records. If you have any photos that you
would be willing to share, we would be very
grateful.
Responding 4 7/19/2011
Kent
Search No. 1508 - John Robert Harrison
From: Mel and Ray
Harrison; melray@samford.net
Sent: Tuesday,
July 05, 2011 3:04 AM
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: John Robert
HARRISON
Hi,
I am looking for info on
my father John Robert HARRISON USAAF stationed
in England, POW Salzburg Austria, then
Repratriation Hospital San Diago then he joined
Mercantile Marine.
Thanks,
Ray Harrison
Ray –
Association
records for John R. Harrison show he flew 26
missions as engineer/gunner with the 525th
Squadron from November 26, 1943 to April 9,
1944. Our records show missions 43, 44, 45, 46,
48, 50, 51, 52, 55, 57, 60, 62, 63, 64, 66, 70,
71, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 89, 91, and 93. Sgt.
Harrison may have flown additional missions, but
these are the ones we show in our records. Sgt.
Harrison’s “regular” crew, possibly the one he
trained with, was as follows:
Hadley,
Maximilian J, 2nd Lieutenant, Pilot
Zieglar,
John C, 2nd Lieutenant, Co-Pilot
Holmstrup,
Roy E, 2nd Lieutenant, Navigator
Marquardt
Jr., William C, 2nd Lieutenant, Bombardier
Hardy, William C, Sergeant, Radio
Operator/Gunner
Harrison, John R, Staff
Sergeant, Top Turret Gunner
Ramsey, Carl P,
Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner
Hallowell,
Sherman W, Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner
Palmer, Dean D, Staff Sergeant, Left Waist
Gunner
Grinstead, J B, Staff Sergeant, Tail
Gunner
This response will be posted in
the "Looking 4" section of our website, in case
any members or readers have any additional
information. Sorry, we have no known photographs
of Sgt. Harrison or his crew, but a photo of the
aircraft he was on for his 1st combat mission,
a/c 42-31085, “Anita Marie” (shown with a later
crew), is being sent separately. If you have any
photos that you would be willing to share, we
would be very grateful. We do not currently have
records that show Sgt Harrison as a POW, which
may indicate our records are incomplete. Any
further information on that would be helpful.
Responding 4 7/18/2011
Kent
Search No. 1507 - Terho A. Jarvi |
From: Terri Jarvi; terrijarvi@comcast.net
Sent: Monday, July 04, 2011 1:40 PM
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Lt. Terho A.
JARVI
I am looking for information and
photos of my father, Lt. Terho August JARVI, his
crew or his plane "I'll Get By". He's been gone
for a long time, and I'd like to know more about
the 379th. I'm a former USAF pilot, and my son
flies F-15s. We have a tradition of service, and
I'd like to preserve what I can of my father's
part.
I'd really appreciate any
information or suggestions you may have.
Thanks,
Kenneth T. JARVI
Kenneth –
Association records for Terho A. Jarvi show he
flew 10 missions as co-pilot with the 527th
Squadron from February 3 to April 25, 1945. Our
records show missions 275, 277, 282, 292, 316,
319, 321, 322, 324, and 330. Lt. Jarvi may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we show in our records. Lt. Jarvi’s
“regular” crew, possibly the one he trained
with, was as follows:
Southall, Russell ,
Captain, Pilot
Jarvi, Terho A, 2nd
Lieutenant, Co-Pilot
Weinman, Bernard , 2nd
Lieutenant, Navigator
Serbes, Spuri K, 2nd
Lieutenant, Bombardier
Deslatte, Henry J,
Sergeant, Radio Operator/Gunner
Kircher,
Stanley C, Sergeant, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Hellberg, Hjalmar V, Sergeant, Ball Turret
Gunner
Hornbeck Jr., Duffy C, Sergeant,
Waist Gunner
McArthur, Douglas A, Sergeant,
Tail Gunner
This response will be posted
in the "Looking 4" section of our website, in
case any members or readers have any additional
information. Sorry, we have no known photographs
of Lt. Jarvi. If you have any photos of Lt.
Jarvi or his crew that you would be willing to
share, we would be very grateful. We also are
not aware of a 379th aircraft named “I’ll Get
By”. That could be an “unofficial” name that
never got painted on, an aircraft this crew flew
in stateside training, or a new named aircraft
we were not previously aware of. Any further
information on that would be helpful for our
records.
Responding 4 7/13/2011
Kent
Search No. 1506 - Sheridan L.
Heimerl
From: "Michelle
Heimerl" <michelle.heimerl@gmail.com>
Date:
Tue, June 28, 2011 12:21 am
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: SSgt Seridan
Heimerl, RW/ RTMC?
Dear Sir;
"Sheridan Heimerl was returned to military
control (RTMC)" I am writing because I research
Sheridan Heimerl on a regular basis and only
recently became aware of his name on your site.
He was my grandfather. I'm curious if you might
have additional information for me.
RTMC
to my understanding is "return to military
control". I'm not sure if that is correct. My
Grandfather was a POW at Stalag Luft 4 until he
was sent out on the Black March. He died in
1962, 13 years before I was born, but was
plagued with illness due to the Black March. He
was one of four brothers that served in WW2 and
left a legacy of children that also served,
including two gulf veterans (my father
included.) Because he passed away so young, his
story has been mostly lost and I appreciate any
assistance you can provide me with researching.
I'm heading to the Heros event at the Boeing
Musuem of Flight in two week to see a B-17 for
myself, the first time as an adult. I would love
to learn as much as I can before that day.
thank you in advance,
Michelle Heimerl
Michelle –
Association records for Sheridan
L. Heimerl show he flew 5 missions as gunner
with the 524th Squadron from December 16, 1943
to January 30, 1944. Our records show missions
49, 52, 53, 58, and 62. Sgt. Heimerl may have
flown additional missions, but these are the
ones we show in our records.
On January
30, 1944, the 379th’s target was an aircraft
parts plant at Brunswick, Germany. Records
indicate a/c 42-31692 left the formation just
short of the IP (Initial Point on the bomb run)
and was shot down by fighters in a head-on
attack. Crew, and their fate, was as follows:
Upson, Frank E, Lieutenant, Pilot, Prisoner
Of War
Hake, Edwin C, Lieutenant, Co-Pilot,
Killed In Action
Helyar, Marshall C,
Lieutenant, Navigator, Killed In Action
Grant, Roy L, Lieutenant, Bombardier, Killed In
Action
Dreizin, Aaron (NMI), Staff Sergeant,
Radio Operator/Gunner, Killed In Action
Salamone, Anthony W, Tech Sergeant, Top Turret
Gunner, Killed In Action
Callison Jr., John
C, Staff Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner, Killed In
Action
Heimerl, Sheridan L, Staff Sergeant,
Right Waist Gunner, Prisoner Of War
Crook,
Hubert L, Staff Sergeant, Left Waist Gunner,
Killed In Action
Vansickle, George W, Staff
Sergeant, Tail Gunner, Killed In Action
This response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members or
readers have any additional information. If you
have any photos of Sgt. Heimerl or his crew that
you would be willing to share, we would be very
grateful.
Responding 4 7/13/2011
Kent
Search No. 1505 - Robert S. Bigelow
From: Janet Amundsen;
JAmundsen56@aol.com
Sent: Sunday, July 03,
2011 2:27 PM
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Robert S. Bigelow
Hi,
My
father Robert Bigelow was in this group and I
was wondering if anyone who remembers him could
respond. He was so excited to see this site. We
didn't have enough time to look through the
whole site and will on future visits but I just
thought he would be happy to see that someone
remembers him.
Thank you,
Janet
(Bigelow) Amundsen
Janet –
Association records for Robert S. Bigelow show
he flew 4 missions as ball turret gunner with
the 525th Squadron from April 16 to April 25,
1945. Our records show missions 326, 327, 328,
and 330. Sgt. Bigelow may have flown additional
missions, but these are the ones we show in our
records. What looks to be his “regular” crew,
likely the one he trained with, was as follows:
Rowan, Phillip D, Flight Officer, Pilot
Ulmer, Alfred J, Flight Officer, Co-Pilot
Southworth, Gordon C, 2nd Lieutenant, Navigator
Lamotte, John E, 2nd Lieutenant, Bombardier
Morges, Arthur J, Sergeant, Radio
Operator/Gunner
Brock, James V, Sergeant,
Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Bigelow, Robert S,
Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner
Berg, Lyle L,
Sergeant, Tail Gunner
Atlee, John W, Staff
Sergeant, Spot Jammer
This response will
be posted in the "Looking 4" section of our
website, in case any members or readers have any
additional information. Sorry, none of the
crewmembers listed are on our Association
roster. If you have any photos of Sgt. Bigelow
or his crew that you would be willing to share,
we would be very grateful.
Responding 4
7/12/2011
Kent
Search No. 1504 - Scarlett O’Hara
From:
Peter Kraut; peter@familiekraut.de
Sent:
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 4:49 AM
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Scarlett O
Hara
Good morning,
I'm Peter Kraut
from the community Weilerswist in Germany. With
us, "Scarlett O Hara" has died (August 12, 1943
at Schwarzmaar). Are you in contact with the
families Jones, Hand, Wickham. These are the
only survivors of the crew.
About Information
on the crew and their family I would be very
happy.
Many greetings from Germany
Peter
Peter –
Thank you for your interest. Association records
for a/c 42-29898, “Scarlett O’ Hara” indicate
this aircraft, assigned to the 524th Bomb
Squadron, and on a mission to the synthetic oil
plant at Gelsenkirchen, was attacked by fighters
near Bonn, starting a fire in the cockpit area
after the bomb run. The aircraft crashed near
Metternich. Crew was as follows:
Osborne,
Ralph H, 2nd Lieutenant, Pilot, Killed In Action
Jones, Leslie E, 2nd Lieutenant, Co-Pilot,
Prisoner Of War
Hand, William D, 2nd
Lieutenant, Navigator, Prisoner Of War
Wickham, Thomas C, 2nd Lieutenant, Bombardier,
Prisoner Of War
Fambrough, Mildred O, Tech
Sergeant, Radio Operator/Gunner, Killed In
Action
Keenan, Patrick J, Tech Sergeant, Top
Turret Gunner, Killed In Action
Truman,
Lawrence E, Staff Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner,
Killed In Action
Irwin, Charles B, Staff
Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner, Killed In Action
Dayton, Warren T, Staff Sergeant, Left Waist
Gunner, Killed In Action
Scruggs, Howard R,
Staff Sergeant, Tail Gunner, Killed In Action
This response will be posted in the "Looking
4" section of our website, in case any members
or readers have any additional information. A
photo of Scarlett O’ Hara is attached. William
Hand is on our current Association roster.
Sorry, we have no information on Lt. Jones or
Lt. Wickham.
Responding 4 7/8/2011
Kent
Search No. 1503 - James A. Bennett
From: Jeff
Bennett; firemoe@buckeye-express.com
Sent:
Tuesday, June 28, 2011 7:10 AM
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: James Bennett
Hello,
Wondering if you have any
information about my grandfather, James Bennett.
I believe he was a radioman for this division.
If not, could you help me find where he was?
Jeff Bennett
Jeff –
Association records for James A.
Bennett show he flew 37 missions as radio
operator/gunner with the 524th Squadron from
August 11, 1944 to January 13, 1945. Our records
show missions 187, 189, 193, 194, 195, 198, 199,
201, 202, 204, 210, 211, 213, 214, 215, 218,
220, 223, 224, 226, 227, 234, 236, 237, 239,
242, 244, 248, 249, 251, 253, 256, 258, 261,
262, 264, and 265. Sgt. Bennett may have flown
additional missions, but these are the ones we
show in our records.
What looks to be his
“regular” crew, likely the one he trained with,
was as follows:
Lombardi, Fred A,
Lieutenant, Pilot
Bires, George R,
Lieutenant, Co-Pilot
Mattera, Joseph A,
Lieutenant, Navigator
Glenn, Bryan (NMI),
Lieutenant, Bombardier
Bennett, James A,
Staff Sergeant, Radio Operator/Gunner
Kiplinger, Edwin A, Staff Sergeant, Engineer/Top
Turret Gunner
Whitehead, Kay M, Sergeant,
Ball Turret Gunner
Thayer, Paul E, Sergeant,
Waist Gunner
Rosenthal, Kenneth W, Sergeant,
Tail Gunner
This response will be posted
in the "Looking 4" section of our website, in
case any members or readers have any additional
information. Sorry, we have no known photo of
Sgt Bennett or this crew. If you have any photos
of Sgt. Bennett’s crew that you would be willing
to share, we would be very grateful.
Responding 4 7/7/2011
Kent
Search No. 1502 - Flying Jenny
From: Astrid van Erp; avanerp69@hotmail.com
Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 11:54 AM
To:
looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Flying Jenny
Dear Bomb Group Association,
I was
driving through Belgium and found a little
memorial in a place called Baelen. It showed the
names and a picture of the crew who crashed
there. It was the Flying Jenny from the 379th
Bomb Group. I like to place this picture on a
website that honors all US soldiers who are
still buried in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Co-Pilot William E Johnston is the only crew
member who is buried on Henri-Chapelle and we
added him to our website. Unfortunately we don´t
know who he is on the picture and why they
crashed.
Maybe you can provide me this
information? Any help will be appreciated.
Kind regards
Astrid van Erp
Astrid –
Thank you for remembering and
honoring our veterans. We very much appreciate
your efforts to preserve the memory of the
fallen.
Information that is available is
that a/c 42-5829, “Flying Jenny”, assigned to
the 525th Squadron, took off enroute to the
aircraft components plant at Kassel, Germany.
This aircraft blew up at 0815 hours and crashed.
Information in the Missing Air Crew Report
(MACR) suggests that the flight crew may have
been killed by fighter action prior to the
explosion. Crew, and their fates, was as
follows:
Hoveland, Lawrence B,
Lieutenant, Pilot, Killed In Action
Kusy,
Stanley A, Lieutenant, Co-Pilot, Killed In
Action
Johnston, William E, Lieutenant,
Navigator, Killed In Action
Williams, David
S, Lieutenant, Bombardier, Prisoner Of War
Williams, Stanley , Tech Sergeant, Radio
Operator/Gunner, Prisoner Of War
Denny, Carl
L, Tech Sergeant, Top Turret Gunner, Killed In
Action
Manista, Stanley F, Staff Sergeant,
Ball Turret Gunner, Prisoner Of War
Blanton,
Joseph W, Staff Sergeant, Right Waist Gunner,
Prisoner Of War
Oman, Andrew J, Staff
Sergeant, Left Waist Gunner, Prisoner Of War
Wamsley, Thiel , Staff Sergeant, Tail Gunner,
Prisoner Of War
This response will be
posted in the "Looking 4" section of our
website, in case any members or readers have any
additional information. A copy of the photo that
is on the memorial you reference is attached.
Unfortunately, while this is known to be Lt.
Hoveland’s crew, we do not know the identities
of individual crewmembers in the photo.
Responding 4 6/14/2011
Kent
Search No. 1501 - Clarence P. Roundtree
From: "Colin & Val Riley"
<life-of-riley@talktalk.net>
Date: Sat, June
11, 2011 7:13 am
To: looking4@379thbga.org
Subject: Clarence Rowntree - 524 Squadron
Hello,
I went to lay a wreath on Memorial
Day at the Military Cemetery at Madingly on 30th
May. I inadvertently laid a wreath to comemorate
the dead and missing aircrew of the 379 Bomb
Group who flew from Kimbolton. The ribbon on the
wreath said it was being presented by Clarence
Rowntree. My wreath had already been hijacked by
somebody else and this wreath seemed to be only
one left that had not been claimed: so I
presented the wreath instead.
Imagine my
surprise when a little later somebody said would
I like to meet Mr Rowntree who turned out to be
a wizened, soft spoken American and an
octogenarian. Mr.Rowntree explained that he was
a crew member with the 524th squadron, was
living in Nottingham and married an English girl
. He excepted my profuse apologise. He was a
mild mannered, charming man with a real sense of
humour. When we asked him for information about
the 379th Bomb Group, he said if it was not for
him we would still be fighting the war against
Hitler. Unfortunately he is now very old, deaf
and difficult to communicate with.
I was
wondering if amongst your records you might have
some information about Mr Clarence Rowntree: his
position as a crew member and the missions he
would have flown on.
Thank you for your
help in my pursuit for more information.
Colin Riley
Colin –
Association records for Clarence P.
Roundtree show he flew 37 missions as
gunner/togglier with the 525th Squadron from
June 27, 1944 to April 6, 1945. Our records show
missions 155, 157, 164, 165, 199, 205, 206, 208,
209, 212, 215, 217, 218, 223, 229, 230, 234,
236, 237, 238, 239, 241, 246, 247, 253, 254,
257, 258, 259, 262, 267, 272, 276, 281, 289,
297, and 318. Sgt. Roundtree may have flown
additional missions, but these are the ones we
show in our records.
Sgt Roundtree flew,
like many 8th Air Force crew members, with a
number of different crews, as crewman shortages,
illness and injuries dictated. The crew he
trained with, and flew his first few missions
with, was as follows:
Bengis, Henry T,
2nd Lieutenant, Pilot
Beattie, Joseph T, 2nd
Lieutenant, Co-Pilot
Chronopolis, Theodore ,
2nd Lieutenant, Bombardier
Roundtree,
Clarence P, Sergeant, Nose Gunner/Togglier
Butler, Ralph A, Staff Sergeant, Radio
Operator/Gunner
Witte, Ralph T, Staff
Sergeant, Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Troup,
Oren W, Sergeant, Ball Turret Gunner
White
Jr., William A, Sergeant, Waist Gunner
Loveless, Cecil O, Sergeant, Tail Gunner
This response will be posted in the "Looking 4"
section of our website, in case any members or
readers have any additional information. Sorry,
we currently have no known photo of Sgt
Roundtree or his crew – if one becomes
available, it will be forwarded to you. From
information we have, he flew as togglier, waist
gunner, tail gunner, and some missions in the
ball turret.
Responding 4 7/7/2011
Kent |
