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Source: Fred Holdrege (Vet)
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Photographed prior to 490th BG going overseas - Mountain Home AAF.
"Lt. Monague And Crew Of The 490Th Bomb Group Pose Beside Their Consolidated B-24 'The Cherub'."
Source: Fold3.com - NARA-Record 342, Series FH
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In the lower left is "The Cherub" shown while assigned to the 490th BG. Shown here flying with the 486th BG.
Source: 486th BG Website - https://486th.org/Photos/AC6/4129598.htm
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42-94943 "The Cherub" shown here on AAF mission #206. Crew for this mission was 060-R3 flown by Joseph C Wilson.
*Note that the nose art appears to be gone.
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Unidentified mechanics from the 790th BS standing by the nose of 42-94943 'The Cherub'
Notes:
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The target was the coastal gun batteries at Royan, Fr. The 467th BG dropped napalm bombs for the first (and only) time this day. The ships of the 467th flew with smaller crews because of the possible danger of the new type of explosive. Most of the gunners (except on the Lead ships) were left behind as this mission was over friendly territory and there was no danger of enemy fighters.
Shown here are ships from the 2nd Squadron. Just at “Bombs Away”, the napalm bombs can be leaving ‘600’. The photo was taken from 42-94943 “The Cherub” (flown by Joseph Charles Wilson and crew #060-R3) flying in the #7 position of the 1st Section of the 2nd Squadron.
The tail of 44-10601 “Rosalyn” (flown by Edwin Vernon Bowman and crew #019-R3) flying in the #2 (Deputy Lead) position of the 1st Section can be seen leaving the frame to the left.
The aircraft in the foreground is 44-10600 “Piccadilly Commando” (flown by Carl Oscar Brasier and crew #021-R5) in the #5 position of the 1st (Lead) Section.
Finally, just above ‘600’, is 42-50816 (flown by Harold Edward Weeks and crew #012-R2) flying in the #1 (Lead) position of the 2nd Section
Crew on “The Cherub” was -
Joseph Charles Wilson - Pilot
Lawrence Donavan Swart - Co Pilot
John William Hillen - Navigator
Henry Lewis Fason - Toggler
Donald George Estes - Engineer
Robert Alfred Germain - Radio Operator
Earl Howard Fetzer - Waist Gunner
Crew on “Rosalyn” was -
Edwin Vernon Bowman - Pilot
Herbert Ezra Schram - Co Pilot
Kenneth Krakauer - Navigator
George Washington Stokes - Bombardier (he was probably the Pilotage Navigator)
Joseph Ernest Heiderman - Toggler
Richard John Butler - Engineer
Robert William Delozier - Radio Operator
Crew on ‘Piccadilly Commando” was -
Carl Oscar Brasier - Pilot
Harold Kahn - Co Pilot
Ralph Gluck - Navigator
Ray C Anderson - Toggler
James Crowe Skilton - Engineer.
*Alexander George Robertson - Radio Operator
* Not listed, however, assumed to be on board
Crew on ‘816’ was -
Harold Edward Weeks - Pilot
Dean Franklin Morrow - Co Pilot
Joseph Santo Imburgia - Navigator
Robert Lloyd Hammen - Toggler
Charles R Tucker - Engineer
Raymond Felix Gricus - Radio Operator
Source: 467th BGA Archives
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Close up of 'Southern Clipper', flown by William Edward Shinn and crew #044-R2, going down over Berlin. Photo taken from 42-94943 'The Cherub', flown by Joseph Charles Wilson and crew #060-R3.
Crew on 'Southern Clipper' was -
William Edward Shinn - Pilot
Kenneth Charles Micko - Co Pilot
Alfred Henry Janss - Navigator
Jesse Francis Watkins - Toggler
Carl Stanley Appel - RCM Operator
Robert L Williams - Engineer
William Bernard Wilson - Radio Operator
Edward Carter Galbreath - Right Waist Gunner
Stanley Pinder Simpson - Left Waist Gunner
Richard Lee Cisco - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on 'The Cherub" was -
Joseph Charles Wilson - Pilot
Lawrence Donovan Swart - Co Pilot
John William Hillen - Navigator
Henry Lewis Fason - Toggler
Donald George Estes - Engineer
Robert Alfred Gremain - Radio Operator
Earl Howard Fetzer - Right Waist Gunner
Vernon Maurice Bilkstad - Left Waist Gunner
Chester Erwin Stone - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives
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In the lower left, 'Southern Clipper' (flown by William Edward Shinn and crew #044-R2) seen going down over Berlin . Photo taken from 42-94943 'The Cherub', flown by Joseph Charles Wilson and crew #060-R3.
Crew on 'Southern Clipper' was -
William Edward Shinn - Pilot
Kenneth Charles Micko - Co Pilot
Alfred Henry Janss - Navigator
Jesse Francis Watkins - Toggler
Carl Stanley Appel - RCM Operator
Robert L Williams - Engineer
William Bernard Wilson - Radio Operator
Edward Carter Galbreath - Right Waist Gunner
Stanley Pinder Simpson - Left Waist Gunner
Richard Lee Cisco - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on 'The Cherub" was -
Joseph Charles Wilson - Pilot
Lawrence Donovan Swart - Co Pilot
John William Hillen - Navigator
Henry Lewis Fason - Toggler
Donald George Estes - Engineer
Robert Alfred Gremain - Radio Operator
Earl Howard Fetzer - Right Waist Gunner
Vernon Maurice Bilkstad - Left Waist Gunner
Chester Erwin Stone - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives
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Aircraft of the 788th BS seen parked at their hardstands during the winter of '44-45. From left to right are -
42-94943 ’The Chrub' - Hardstand #06
42-95234 'Everything’s Jake' - Hardstand #06
42-94910 - Hardstand #07
42-50674 - Hardstand #08
44-40211 ‘Miss Irene' - Hardstand #09
Thought to be 42-50737 ‘Hot Rocks' (hardstand #07) with her tail to the camera based on time photo was taken.
Source: Walter Joseph Laughlin (Vet)