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Source: American Library via Peter Bond -
Photo taken from 42-95004 ‘The Honey Wagon’ flown by Henry Kenneth Close and crew #033-R1 in the 2nd Squadron / 1st Flight / 6th position.
Plane just below the wing is 42-51354 flown by Travis Sewell Whitsel and crew #094-R2 in the 2nd Squadron / 1st Flight / 2nd (Deputy Lead) position.
he aircraft foremost (and just below ‘354) is 42-50309 ‘Plow Jockey/Tenovus’ flown by George William Condry and crew #034-R1 in the in the 2nd Squadron / 1st Flight / 4th position.
Crew members on 42-95004 ‘The Honey Wagon’
Henry Kenneth Close - Pilot
Edward James Sanicki - Co Pilot
Billy Gordon Deck - Navigator
Paul E Smith - Toggler (Nose Gunner)
Gerald David Donovan - Radio Operator
Lynn Culley - Right Waist Gunner
Victor S Smith - Tail Turret Gunner
*Oakie Roy Triplett - Engineer
*Hubert L Boyd - Left Waist Gunner
*Not identified on loading list but presumed to be aboard
Crew members on 42-51354
Travis Sewell Whitsel - Pilot
Joseph Martin Gehring - Co Pilot
George Branin Hallowell - Navigator
David Arvin Keithly - Pilotage Navigator
James R Andrews - Bombardier
Daniel Garver Reiff - Engineer
Edward Francis Deane - Radio Operator
Raymond W Swenson - Ball Turret Gunner (not sure this position is accurate as the ball turret has appears to have been removed)
Peter Levi Buller - Right Waist Gunner
Frank Alfred Strickland - Left Waist Gunner
Norman Alfred Gauthier - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew members on 42-50309 ‘Plow Jockey/Tenovus’
George William Condry - Pilot
Frederick James Jansen - Co Pilot
Lester Norman Anenson - Navigator
Harvey Gunnar Erickson - Toggler (Nose Gunner)
Howard C Bright - Engineer
Andrew William Csurny - Radio Operator
Paul Joseph Hester - Right Waist Gunner
Joseph Nathaniel Londree - Left Waist Gunner
Earl H Johnson - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives -
Photo taken next to 42-95004 'The Honey Wagon' after crew had finished their combat missions.
Standing L-R:
Harry Franklin Brunner - Gunner
???*
Milton Royal Barnes - Radio Operator
Raymond John Blick - Navigator
???*
Beide Latham Marchbanks - Gunner
Michael Paul Stofik - Gunner
Kneeling L-R:
Unknown Ground Crew
Unknown Ground Crew
WIllis Edwin Cobb - Co Pilot
Charles Edward Huston - Pilot
Unknown Ground Crew
Unknown Ground Crew
*The '???' are Lyle Merton Schrader and Stephen Morekin. Unsure which is which.
Source: Vincent LaRussa - Vet -
789th ground crew posing next to 'The Honey Wagon'. Vincent LaRussa is the man on the left.
Photo believed to have been taken on hardstand #13 looking towards hardstand #16 with the Bomb Dump in the distant background. 41-28744 'Fate's Fortune/Go Getter' is thought to be the first B-24 in the distance.
Source: Vincent LaRussa - Vet -
Vince LaRussa on the left, with two other members of the 789th BS ground crew, standing next to 'The Honey Wagon'. Thought to be parked at hardstand #14.
Source: Vincent LaRussa - Vet -
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 in the photo is the Lead Squadron with 1st Section ships in the foreground and the two ships of the 2nd (High Right) Section above. The photo appears to have been taken from 44-10502 (flown by John Belingheri and crew #047-R2) in the #3 position of the Lead Section.
The ship with just a portion of the tail visible is 44-49340 (flown by Ralph Hubert Elliot and crew #095-R1) in the Lead position.
The ship immediately above ‘340’, and just leaving the frame, is 42-51832 (flown by Warren William Meyer and crew #077-R5) in the Deputy Lead position.
The Olive Drab (OD) ship in the foreground is 42-95004 ‘The Honey Wagon’ (flown by Evan Lamar Dastrup and crew #045-R2) in the #4 position of the 1st Section.
The ship farthest right is 44-50572 (flown by Charles Joseph Ercegovac and crew #043-R6) in the #5 position of the 1st section.
The two ships at the top are the ‘High Right’ section of this Lead Squadron. The left most ship is 42-50846 (flown by Frank Ross Kerr and crew #048-R2) in the 1st (Lead) position of the 2nd Section. The other ship is 42-95187 (flown by William Valentine Baxter and crew #028-R4) in the 2nd (Deputy Lead) position of the 2nd Section.
Crew on ‘502’ was -
John Belingheri - Pilot
Vernon Oran Mason - Co Pilot
John Lawrence Stewart - Navigator
Philmore Sol Zilbert - Toggler
Theron Winfield - Engineer
Albert Kenneth Buchman - Radio Operator
Crew on ‘340’ was -
Robert Stuart Seiler - Command Pilot
Ralph Hubert Elliot - Pilot
Arnold Rolin Thompson - Navigator
Natale Frederick Parodi - Pilotage Navigator
Jay Hall McGrew - Bombardier
Frank Langford Waters - Mickey Operator
Paul Joseph Kuchiniski - Engineer
Marvin Lee Fritsch - Radio Operator
John Joseph Logan - Right Waist Gunner
William Thomas Ulman - Taił Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘832’ was -
Ross Elgin Voyles - Command Pilot
Warren William Meyer - Pilot
John Robert Harbison - Navigator
Richard Ahearn Donahue - Pilotage Navigator
Steve Bensko - Bombardier
John Edward Meyer - Mickey Operator
Edward Jessie Wilson - Engineer
John Adams - Radio Operator
Don Stanley Harp - Right Waist Gunner
John Henry Morris - Left Waist Gunner
Crew on ‘The Honey Wagon’ was -
Evan Lamar Dastrup - Pilot
Glenn Russell Shinn - Co Pilot
Ralph Robinson Haas - Navigator
Charles Joseph Balash - Toggler
Joseph Holland Monts - Engineer
Richard Irvin Jeppe - Radio Operator
Crew on ‘573’ was -
Charles Joseph Ercegovac - Pilot
Ralph Kenneth Ritter - Co Pilot
Gordon Andrew Buchmiller - Navigator
Jack Maurice Bristow - Toggler
Wallace Ray Skeen - Engineer
Walter Roland Colby - Radio Operator
Crew on ‘846’ was -
Frank Ross Kerr - Pilot
Robert Wesley Dudley - Co Pilot
Wilton Paul Bibko - Navigator
Ernest Ezell Bailey - Toggler
Wilfred Joseph Vernette - Engineer
Jack W Wolf - Radio Operator
Crew on ‘187’ was -
William Valentine Baxter - Pilot
Aaron Oken - Co Pilot
Michael Steven Besich - Navigator
Raymond Narcho - Toggler
Edward Kramek - Engineer
Melvin James Gillette - Radio Operator
Source: American Library via Peter Bond -
This photo was taken from 42-94931 ‘Sack Time’ (flown by Donald Eugene Reab and crew #026-R1) flying in the #2 position of the 2nd Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron.
Seen just below the wing of ‘187’ is 42-95004 ‘The Honey Wagon’ (flown by George W Mills and crew #042-R2) flying in the 1st (Lead) position of the 2nd Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron.
The plane in the distance just below ‘The Honey Wagon’ is 42-51671 (flown by Wellington Coles Leonard and crew #082-R1) flying in the #2 (Deputy Lead) position of the 1st (Lead) flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron.
Just beyond ‘671’ is ‘Lead’ PFF ship from the 466th BG, 42-95109 ‘Shamrock’, flying in the 1st (Lead) position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron
Of the last two aircraft, the one above is 42-51154 ‘Silver Dollar’ (flown by Robert David Sheehan and crew #080-R2) flying in the #3 position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron
The last ship is 44-10607 (flown by David Hallock Nash and crew #035-R2) flying in the #4 position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron
Crew on ‘Sack Time was -
Donald Eugene Reab - Pilot
Charles Arthur Pappas - Co Pilot
Albert August Henke - Navigator
Shirley WIlliam Frederickson - RCM Operator
Lyle Clayton Secor - Engineer
Jerome Degen - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Richard Roy King - Radio Operator
Anthony Ralph Marrone - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Irvin Louis Greenburg - Tail Turret Gunner
Melvin Eugene Knapp - Gunner
Crew on ‘The Honey Wagon’ was -
George W Mills - Pilot
Nathan Myron Hatkoff - Co Pilot
Theologos A Missiras - Navigator
Robert Hartford Wyckoff - Bombardier
Michael Grinkiavicius - Engineer
Hugh Ryan Cassels - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
James Alexander Dick - Radio Operator
James Edgar Ulerick - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
John Warner Rinesmith - Tail Turret Gunner
Glen Clay Peery - Gunner
Crew on ‘Silver Dollar’ was -
Albert Joseph Shower - Command Pilot
Robert David Sheehan - Pilot
Anthony Robert Smolar - Navigator
William Charles Evans - Pilotage Navigator
Robert Edward Dolan - Bombardier
John Hall Sawyer - Engineer
Clarence Edwin Love - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Martin Leo Altenburg - Radio Operator
John Raymond Healy - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Elbert T Sablotny - Tail Turret Gunner
Robert Edmond Baker - Gunner
Crew on ‘671’ was -
Edward Hooten - Command Pilot
Wellington Coles Leonard - Pilot
Robert Eugene Hicks - Navigator
Walter John Chappas - Pilotage Navigator
Joseph Aloisius Hodge - Bombardier
Leonard Remetta - Engineer
Charles James North - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Donald Royce Nelan - Radio Operator
James William Stergis - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Leslie William Malone - Tail Turret Gunner
Emil Walter Hampa - Gunner
Crew on ‘607’ was -
David Hallock Nash - Pilot
Abraham Charles Serwitz - Co Pilot
Charles Peirce - Navigator
William G Simpson - Toggler
Conrad Holton Olsen - Engineer
Joseph Paul Saban - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
George Hatalosky - Radio Operator
Robert A Hudson - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Martin Victor Bona - Tail Turret Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives