• B-24J-B-CF  'Massilon Tiger' 44-10488
  • Mission #196 - Hanover, Germany
    Photo taken by Kirby Chase Stafford, Co Pilot with William Van Washburn and crew #034-R2. Appears that he left his Co Pilot position and snapped this photo from behind the pilot's seat while they were flying 44-10448 'Massilon Tiger' in the #2 position of the 2nd Flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron.

    The aircraft in center of frame is 42-110168 'The Perfect Lady/Dirty Lil/Old Iron Pants' (flown by Henry Kenneth Close and crew #033-R1) flying in the #3 position of the 2nd Flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron.


    The aircraft just above 'Old Iron Pants' is 42-52621 'Silver Dollar' (flown by Robert Miller Winger and crew #031-R3) flying in the #6 position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron

    Finally, the aircraft just below is 42-52590 'E Pluribus Aluminum' (flown by Robert Linville. Hutchens and crew #043-R4) flying in the tail position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron


    Crew on 'Massilon Tiger' was -

    William Van Washburn - Pilot
    Kirby Chase Stafford - Co Pilot
    William Lester Groves - Navigator
    Leslie Harold Edgerton - Toggler
    Calvin Collidge Turk - Engineer
    Eugene Harvey Jordan - Radio Operator
    William Gustave Pallo - Right Waist Gunner
    Rodric Louis Villemaire - Left Waist Gunner
    Mack Howell Harvey - Tail Turret Gunner


    Crew on 'Old Iron Pants' was -

    Henry Kenneth Close - Pilot
    Edward James Sanicki - Co Pilot
    Cornelius Gerald Costigan - Navigator
    Paul E Smith - Toggler
    Irving David Zimbler - RCM Operator
    Edward Kramek - Engineer
    George Orren Zeiber - Radio Operator
    Lynn Culley - Right Waist Gunner
    Hubert L Boyd - Left Waist Gunner
    Victor Sheldon Smith - Tail Turret Gunner


    Crew on 'Silver Dollar' was -

    Robert Miller Winger - Pilot
    Joseph Lawrence Casey - Co Pilot
    Walter Leroy Parker - Navigator
    Ralph Eugene Priest - Toggler
    Donald Phillip Cote - Engineer
    Wilbur Abraham Lewis - Radio Operator
    Joseph Leo Flynn - Top Turret Gunner (most likely Tail Turret)
    Emile Joseph Boutin - Right Waist Gunner
    Robert John Perkins - Left Waist Gunner


    Crew on 'E Pluribus Aluminum' was -

    Robert Linville Hutchens - Pilot
    Ralph Kenneth Ritter - Co Pilot
    Gordon Andrew Buchmiller - Navigator
    Jack Maurice Bristow - Toggler
    Wallace Ray Skeen - Engineer
    Walter Roland Colby - Radio Operator
    George Charles Farris - Right Waist Gunner
    James Alexander Rollo - Left Waist Gunner
    Donald Rudolph Raats - Tail Turret Gunner
    James Elmer Wiener - Observer


    Source: Kirby Stafford (Vet)
  • Mission #214 - Lechfeld, Germany
    Seen in this photo are aircraft from the 789th BS at "Bombs Away" over the airfield at Lechfeld, Ger. Photo is most likely taken from 42-95032 'Silver Chief', flown by Arnold Benhart Heikkinen and crew #027-R2, flying in the #6 position of the 1st (Lead) flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron,

    Pictured are 44-10488 'Massilon Tiger', flown by Robert Owen Hipps and crew #032-R2, flying in the #5 position of the 1st (Lead) flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron,

    The very top plane is 44-10598, flown by William C May and crew #040-R3, flying in the #1 (Lead) position of the 2nd (High Right) flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron,

    Lastly is 44-40131 'Gremlin Manor", flown by John Belingheri and crew #047-R2, flying in the #2 (Deputy Lead) position of the 2nd (High Right) flight of the 3rd (Low Left) Squadron,


    Crew on "Massilon TIger' was -

    Robert Owen Hipps - Pilot
    William Powell Ray - Co Pilot
    Michael Caputo - Pilotage Navigator
    Ralph Ward - Toggler
    Louis Cruz - Engineer
    Kenneth Clayton Deagmen - Radio Operator
    Robert Perry Rogers - Right Waist Gunner
    Shiri William Richmond - Left Waist Gunner
    Raymond Mathew Fagen - Tail Turret Gunner



    Crew on '598' was -

    William C May - Pilot
    Raymond John Liddle - Co Pilot
    Ralph Gluck - Navigator
    John Wesley Perkins - Toggler
    James Joseph Connell - Engineer
    Richard Clair Sarver - Radio Operator
    Vincent Giglio - Right Waist Gunner
    Harold Leon Smock - Left Waist Gunner
    Herbert J Wheble - Tail Turret Gunner



    Crew on 'Gremlin Manor' was -

    John Belingheri - Pilot
    Vernon Oran Mason - Co Pilot
    John Lawrence Stewart - Navigator
    Philmore Sol Zibert - Bombardier
    James Howard Spence - RCM Operator
    Theron Winfield - Engineer
    Albert Kenneth Buchman - Radio Operator
    Roy Carroll Page - Right Waist Gunner
    Roy Eugene Chastain - Left Waist Gunner
    Herbert Harastine Leighty - Tail Turret Gunner


    Crew on 'Silver Chief' was -

    Arnold Benhart Heikkinen - Pilot
    Aaron Oken - Co Pilot
    James Walker Wilson - Navigator
    Anthony William Cangialosi - Toggler
    Anthony Bamond - Engineer
    Abraham Morris Shaskin - Radio Operator
    Ben Harry Bruner - Right Waist Gunner
    Charles Edward Thornton - Left Waist Gunner
    *Thomas Joseph Conners - Tail Turret Gunner
    *presummed


    Source: 467th BGA Archives
  • On the way Home
    Photographed by Roy B Flay during a layover in Iceland on the Return to the Zone of Interior (RZI) next to 44-10488 'Massilon Tiger'..

    Standing L-R:

    ???
    Thomas Fredrick Elsen - Co Pilot
    William Edward Hughes - Engineer
    Losse Townson Piland - Crew Chief
    Joseph Bruno Welenta - Mechanic
    Edward Walter King - Pilot
    ???
    Kenneth Allen Ross - Gunner
    Laval Raymond Benoit - Radio Operator
    Edward Francis Gore - Navigator


    Kneeling L-R:

    ???
    Raymond Charles Rothrock - Mechanic
    ???
    Sam Joseph Viola - Mechanic
    Leo Elwood Smith - Mechanic
    ???
    ???
    ???

    The unidentified men are -

    Melvin James Gillette - Gunner
    William Thomas Milbourne - Gunner
    Joseph Palen - Gunner
    J C Smith - Mechanic
    Ernest Irwin Anderson - Armorer
    Omar Simon Cadotte - Armorer
    Anthony Monce - Truck Driver
    Glendon Travis Franklin - Truck Driver


    Source: Edward King - Vet