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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