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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)
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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
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In this second photo (again taken from ‘Sack Time’) is the 1st (Lead) flight of this 1st (Lead) Squadron, with 42-95187 from the 2nd Flight in the foreground. Note how the 466th BG PFF ship is now moved to the #3 position and Col Shower (in ‘Silver Dollar’) has moved back to the 1st (Lead) position.
The first to ships on the right are the ‘Lead’ and ‘Deputy Lead’ ships from the 467th BG. The one above is 42-51154 ‘Silver Dollar’ (flown by Robert David Sheehan and crew #080-R2) now flying in the #1 (Lead) position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron
The ship just below her 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.
The next 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.
Just above her is the PFF ship from the 466th BG, 42-95109 ‘Shamrock’, now flying in the 3rd position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron
The Olive Drab (OD) ship in the middle is 42-94881 (flown by George William Condry and crew #034-R1) flying in the #6 position of the 1st (Lead) Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron.
The ship most prominent in the frame is 42-95187 (flown by Ray Nickens and crew #035-R2) flying in the #3 position of the 2nd Flight of the 1st (Lead) Squadron).
Lastly, and lagging just a bit, is 42-110168 ‘The Perfect Lady/Dirty Lil/Old Iron Pants’ (flown by John F Moffette with crew #038-R2) flying in the #5 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 ‘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
Crew on ‘881’ was -
George William Condry - Pilot
Frederick James Jansen - Co Pilot
Lester Norman Anenson - Navigator
Harvey Gunnar Erickson - Toggler
Howard C Bright - Engineer
Paul Joseph Hester - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Andrew William Csumy - Radio Operator
Joseph Nathaniel Londeree - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Earl H Johnson - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘187’ was -
Ray Nickens - Pilot
James A Martin - Co Pilot
Lloyd Francis Koth - Navigator
Robert William Harr - Toggler
Ralph Gaines Townsend - Engineer
John Clifford O’Connor - Assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Philip Joseph Hellsten - Radio Operator
Ralph Wilbert Davidson - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
Thomas Joseph Conners - Tail Turret Gunner
Crew on ‘Old Iron Pants’ was -
John H Moffette - Pilot
Aaron Oken - Co Pilot
Michael Steven Besich - Navigator
Paul Greenfeder - Engineer
Howard Joseph Blanchard - assistant Engineer (Waist Gunner)
Edward James Ferrara - Radio Operator
Virgil Duane Miller - Assistant Radio Operator (Waist Gunner)
James A Lang - Tail Turret Gunner
Victor Thomas Bakan - Gunner
Source: 467th BGA Archives