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The picture of Merle Brinkman on the left and Wendell Pirtle was taken after they were the first to completed 30 missions along with another crew in the squadron
Source: Ann (Wescott) Method and Bill Wescott -
B-24's of the 1st Squadron on the way to bomb the Marshaling Yards at Munich, Ger.
Pictured in the formation photo are -
The visible wing in the foreground (where the Photo was taken) is from 41-29393 ‘Shoo Shoo Baby’ (later named Pete the POM Inspector II) flown by David Addison Waite and crew #089-R2. They were flying in the 1st (Lead) Squadron/ 1st (Lead) Section/ 5th position.
Pictured just below the wing is 41-29375 ‘Lil Peach’ flown by Thomas Henry Murphy and crew #081-R1. They were flying in the 1st (Lead) Squadron/ 1st (Lead) Section/ 4th position.
Pictured just above the wing 41-29420 ‘Belle of the East’ flown by Willard Henry Sell and crew #086-R0. They were flying in the 1st (Lead) Squadron/ 1st (Lead) Section/ 3rd position.
The Natural Metal Finish (NMF) aircraft, below and to the left, is 42-95115 ‘Topper II’ Flown by James Arthur Mikkelsen and crew # 084-R0. They were flying in the 1st (Lead) Squadron/ 3rd Section (Low Left) / 1st position.
The Olive Drab (OD) aircraft, bottom left, is 42-52530 ‘Bugs Bunny’ flown by Charles Joesph Leyes and crew #094-R0. They were flying in the 1st (Lead) Squadron/ 3rd Section (Low Left) / 2nd position.
Not one of the aircraft pictured survived the war and returned to the Zone of Interior (ZI)
Crew Members on 41-29393 ‘Shoo Shoo Baby’
David Addison Waite - Pilot
Max C Fisher - Co Pilot
Bruce Wilmot Owen - Navigator
Raymond JD Beaulieu - Engineer
S F Carr - Assistance Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Jack I Rothschild - Radio Operator
John G Vantine - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Eugene L Crandall - Ball Turret Gunner
Lynn Keith Meyers - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew Members on 41-29375 ‘Lil Peach’
Thomas Henry Murphy - Pilot
James Vincent McGinn - Co Pilot
Ralph Francis Brueggemann - Navigator
Woodrow Earl Downing - Bombardier
Charles Joseph Schmitz - Engineer
George Walters Hellmers - Radio Operator
Edwin Wendell Branaman - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Kenneth Ernest May - Ball Turret Gunner
Carlton William Smith - Tail Turret Gunner
Jean Irvin Lowe - Observer (Most likely Waist Gunner)
Crew Members on 41-29420 ‘Belle of the East’
Willard Henry Sell - Pilot
Arthur Kenneth Ireland - Co Pilot
John George Simanowith - Navigator
Charles Carl Cochey - Toggler (Nose Gunner)
Charles Schultz - Engineer
Francis Michael Lavery - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Fred Joesph Enck - Radio Operator
Francis Aloyisis McCusker - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Robert Harvey Farnsworth - Ball Turret Gunner
Morton Ralph Schecter - Tall Turret Gunner
*Fred Enck notes in his diary -
"No casualties. No damage. No fighters, moderate, inaccurate tracking flak barrage. Two ships lost. “
Crew Members on 42-95115 ‘Topper II’
James Arthur Mikkelsen - Pilot
John Richard Noble - Co Pilot
Malcolm Whitney Jenkins - Navigator
Melville Francis Mulligan - Bombardier
Donald Phillip Cote - Engineer
Joseph Leon Lyvers - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Anthony Vincent Bell - Radio Operator
William Richard Bragg - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Winsel Marion Lovelace - Ball Turret Gunner
Fay Everett Perkins - Tail Turret Gunner
*Anthony Bell notes in his diary -
“Plenty of flak was encountered by us over the target as was expected. We landed at 18:15. We were alerted for tomorrow’s mission. Today’s mission is no. 29 for me.”
Crew Members on 42-52530 ‘Bugs Bunny’
Charles Joseph Leyes - Pilot
Myles Edward Coolidge - Co Pilot
Howard Warren Post - Navigator
Rufus Randall Burns - Bombardier
Henry Joseph Worby - Engineer
William Fredrick Wilkins - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Robert Edward Montgomery - Radio Operator
Leo Joseph Manley - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Albert Emanuel Sakrison - Ball Turret Gunner
Millard Clayton Steinbrenner - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew Members on 41-29421 ‘Wallowing Wilbert’
Baxter Winfred Hensley - Pilot
Devere Richter Pedersen - Co Pilot
George Edward Kern - Navigator
Sam Eagan - Bombardier
Henry William Ellison - Engineer
John Hilton Biggs - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Raymond Tiron - Radio Operator
James Merle Fair - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Laurence Francis McMahon - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th Archives - Myles Coolidge Memorial Collection -
Source: Andy Wilkinson