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B-24’s from the 790th BS. This is from mission #04 on 13 Apr 44. The target was the airfield at Lechfeld, Ger. Taken from 42-52534 ‘Witchcraft’ (flown by George Wesley Reed and crew number 062-R2) we see four 790th BS flying in the Lead Squadron and 1st Section.
The first plane on the left (top) is a rare photo of 42-52497 ‘Osage Express’ (flown by Frank Paul Prokop and crew #056-R0). She is flying in the 3rd position of the Lead Squadron
The next plan on the left (bottom) is another rare photo. This one is 41-28730 (flown by Stanley John Neitzel and crew #070-R0). This plane had previously been the subject of the ‘Blond Bomber’ name (which so far there I no evidence that indicates she was called). She is flying I the 4th position of the Lead Squadron.
The plane in the middle is the Lead Ship 41-29270 ‘My Wild Irish Rose’ (flown by Robert David Sheehan and crew #061-R0). This is the only known (to date) positively identified photo of her. As mentioned, she is flying in the 1st position of the Lead Squadron. Note that there was a lot of “brass” on this crew)
And finally on the right, is 42-52571 ‘Snooper’ (flown by Howard Walter Johnson and crew #069-R0). She was in the Deputy Lead position (#2) of the Lead Squadron.
The crew on ‘534’ was -
George Wesley Reed - Pilot
John Gaylord Oder - Co Pilot
Charles Henry Mintzlaff - Navigator
John Charles Kraemer - Bombardier
Robert William Dekerf - Engineer
Melvin Leter Bland - Radio Operator
Alexander David McLean - Ball Turret Gunner
Vernon Walter Bunrock - Right Waist Gunner
Henry Walter Kubacek - Left Waist Gunner
Robert Beverley McEwen - Tail Turret Gunner
The crew on ‘497’ was -
Frank Paul Prokop - Pilot
Robert Jackson Pittman - Co Pilot
George William Milliron - Navigator
Edward Herbert Condon - Bombardier
Edward Joseph Dreksler - Engineer
James Russell Boucher - Radio Operator
Floyd Delbert Williams - Ball Turret Gunner
Richard Charles Peters - Right Waist Gunner
Leroy Melbourne Hill - Left Waist Gunner
John Henry Burgelin - Tail Turret Gunner
The crew on ‘730’ was -
Stanley John Neitzel - Pilot
Robert Thomas Sander - Co Pilot
Robert Charles Sprague - Navigator
William E Davis - Bombardier
Roy Leon Rainwater - Engineer
Joseph Victor Perreault - Radio Operator
Robert Brooks Finch - Ball Turret Gunner
George William Leeper - Right Waist Gunner
Carl Walter Kleinert - Left Waist Gunner
Benjamin Franklin Meredith - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘270 was -
Walter Ray Smith - Command Pilot
Robert David Sheehan - Pilot
Anthony Robert Smolar - Navigator
Joseph Gleason Mulheron - Pilotage Navigator
Jesse Eugene Brooks - Bombardier
Martin Leo Altenburg - Engineer
John Jim Formols - Radio Operator
Robert Edmond Baker - Ball Turret Gunner
Caper Andrews Holmes - Right Waist Gunner (He was the Group Navigator)
Clarence Edwin Love - Left Waist Gunner
John Raymond Healy - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘571’ was -
Howard Walter Johnson - Pilot
Robert Delos Moulton - Co Pilot
Donald Duane Kaynor - Navigator
Jack Merritt - Bombardier
David Anthony Baumhover - Engineer
Roger Elwood Rafford - Radio Operator
Glenn Lewis Permann - Ball Turret Gunner
Harold Joseph Peek - Right Waist Gunner
Gunter Heinz Staedicke - Left Waist Gunner
Woodrow Alexander Spacek - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: Carolyn Lyman - Daughter of Howard S Steffey (Vet) -
Mission #079 was to support the ground forces west of the village of Troarn, Fr. This was at the beginning of Operation Goodwood to secure the town of Caen which was still in German hands after D-Day.
Shown are B-24’s from the 790th BS of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron. In the fore ground is 42-95273 (flown by J K Newhouse and crew #057-R1) in the Lead Section, 2nd (Deputy Lead) position.
The three ship element in the background are the B-24’s of the 2nd (High Right) Section. The aircraft leading this Section is 42-52571 ‘Snooper’ (flown by J E Thompson and crew #068-R0).
Just behind her is 41-29397 ‘Slugger Jr’ (flown by George W Dickinson and crew #067-R0) in the #2 position.
The aircraft furthest to the right is 42-52534 ‘Witchcraft’ (flown by Leonard Paul Vogt and crew #063-R2) in the #3 position.
The photo was taken from the Lead Ship of the 3rd Section 42-95154 ‘100 Proof (flown by Joseph Gleason Mulheran and crew #060-R0)
Unfortunately, I just ran across this photo and missed it being 80 years ago to the day by a couple of days. My apologies ;-)
Crew on ‘Snooper’ was -
John Edward Thompson - Pilot
Daniel Donald Wright - Co Pilot
Kenneth Hurst - Engineer
Cruz Salas Flores - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Joseph P O’Conner - Radio Operator
Buel Edgar Rose - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
John William Barnum - Ball Turret Gunner (listed position is in question as the photo shows ball turret has probably already been removed)
William Robert Pollard - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘Slugger Jr’ was -
George W Dickinson - Pilot
Edgar Chapman Jordan - Co Pilot
Robert Charles Sprague - Navigator
Charles Guthrie Seidell - Bombardier
James Coleman Little - Engineer
Thomas Berry Kennelly - Assistant Engineer
August Michael Lobianco - Radio Operator
Carl William Gutman - Assistant Radio Operator
Harlyn Kenneth Nelson - Ball Turret Gunner (listed position is in question as the photo shows ball turret has probably already been removed)
Robert Howard Erlewein - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘Witchcraft’ was -
Leonard Paul Vogt - Pilot
Emmet Francisco Spencer - Co Pilot
Roland Herve Guay - Navigator
John R Kingston - Bombardier
Robert Leroy Belter - Engineer
Robert Gordon Luddy - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
William Thomas Nolan - Radio Operator
Berry Ervin - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Charles Alfred Gupton - Ball Turret Gunner
John D Collins - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘100 Proof’ was
Griffin Rhyne Beatty - Command Pilot
Joseph Gleason Mulheran - Pilot
Louis Jacob Schiavo - Navigator
Harold Wesley Cedergren - Pilotage Navigator
Robert Edward Dolan - Bombardier
Frank Terrace Desmond - Engineer
Donald Harvey Bisbing - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Kenneth Eugene Laizure - Radio Operator
Elwin William Reed - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Michael Stanley Slater - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 8th AF Museum - Savannah -
The target was “Transportation Choke Points” (bridges, railroad junctions and ferry crossings) on the west side of the Seine river. The 467th was formed into four Squadrons and flew third in the Division. Seen here is the 2nd Section of the 1st (Lead) Squadron. Unsure which ship this photo was taken from. It was either 41-29397 ‘Slugger Jr’ (flown by Boyd Lee Woodis and crew #072-R1) in the 3rd position of the 1st Section, or from 41-29375 (flown by Robert Edgar Feldtkeller and crew #086-R1) in the 6th position of the 1st Section.
The lead aircraft on the right in 42-52571 ‘Snooper’ (flown by Kenneth Grant Ford and crew #052-R1) in the 1st (Lead) position.
The Natural Metal Finish (NMF) aircraft just above is 42-51354 (flown by Glen D Young and crew #055-R1) in the 3rd position of this 2nd Section.
The other ‘NMF’ aircraft at the bottom is 42-95187 (flown by Ralph Marvin Krupp and crew #044-R0) in the 2nd (Deputy Lead) position.
Following are two Olive Drab (OD) aircraft. The one on the top is 42-52590 ‘E Pluribus Aluminum’ (flown by Delbert Martin Mann and crew # 042-R0) in the 6th position.
The OD aircraft just below her is 42-52556 (flown by S. T. Gray and crew #064-R1) in the 4th position. Off the top of my head, this is the first photo I’ve seen on ‘556’.
42-52507 ‘Miss Judy’ is just visible on the lower left below the cloud. She is flown by Donald Jerome Hudson and crew # 040-R2 in the 5th position.
The crew on ‘Snooper’ was -
Charles Horne Brandon - Command Pilot
Kenneth Grant Ford - Pilot
Louis Harold Greiner - Navigator
Richard Benjamin Hirsch - Navigator
Milton Charles Kinnaugh - Bombardier
Eugene Hartsel Long - Engineer
Tommy Gordon Gentry - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Dennis Fredrick Hock - Radio Operator
Isadore Kopcho - Ball Turret Gunner
James Wilfred O’Donnell
The crew on ‘354’ was -
Glen D Young - Pilot
Raymond Matthew McTyre - Co Pilot
Jonathan Ray Bickel - Navigator
Garder Harold Gilmore - Engineer
John Peter Bosko - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
William Augustus Cassidy - Radio Operator
Bernard Joseph Farrell - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Michael Francis Dollar - Ball Turret Gunner
Harold Daniel Meintz - Tail Turret Gunner
The crew on ‘187’ was -
Ralph Marvin Krupp - Pilot
John W Schulz - Co Pilot
Elmo Loren Carmichael - Navigator
Charles Floyd Forsyth - Bombardier
Clarence D Johnson - Engineer
Arthur Barnes Turner - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Paul Thomas Kirby - Radio Operator
Edgar Marion Rutter - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Ervin Walter Bruckner - Ball Turret Gunner
Howard Lester Pillow - Tail Turret Gunner
The crew on ‘E Pluribus Aluminum’ was -
Delbert Martin Mann - Pilot
William Reynolds Chapman - Co Pilot
Joseph Junior Ginzl - Navigator
Kenneth F Tritchler - Bombardier
Willard R Richards - Engineer
Randolph Nathan Franklin - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Darrell Lee Parks - Radio Operator
George Francis Shue - Ball Turret Gunner
John R Miller - Tail Turret Gunner
Robert Donald Hartman - Observer
The crew on ‘556’ was -
S. T. Gray - Pilot
Henry Ernest Meyer - Co Pilot
James Gladden Buck - Navigator
Charles Timmons Roundtree - Bombardier
Stephen H Arnold - Engineer
Warren Carmelio O’Neal - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Clarence Tognarini - Radio Operator
James Haven Eberline - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Allan Louis Francis - Tail Turret Gunner
The crew on ‘Miss Judy’ was -
Donald Jerome Hudson - Pilot
David Hallock Nash - Co Pilot
Beri Ami Bereskin - Navigator
Edward Henry Soltau - Bombardier
Frank Carl Buettner - Engineer
Gerald Louis Pucillo - Radio Operator
John Anthony Potsklan - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Dominick John Cerrito - Ball Turret Gunner
Lester Eugene Hix - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives