Class photo.  Staff photo from class book.

In front of a plane.    Missions list.

Source: Rob Haas rhaas@mn.rr.com

Photo.

Source: 1943 Deming Yearbook.

Source: www.39th.org

- Bombardier school acceptance letter
- Commissioning letter as a bombardier
- Diploma
- Service commendation

Class photo.

Source: K. Marion: kelmbaker@msn.com

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=108286

Crew list:
P: 1LT Conrad J. Hilbinger O-438032 
CP: 2LT Robert M. Anderson O-414271  
N: 2LT John J. Kelliher  0728218
RO: S/S B. S. Joseph  15082620
TT: S/S Ward H. Brown 35258076
BT: S/S Hugh G. Erwin 35257587
RW: S/S Robert S. Dickson 18075284
LW: Sgt John C. Parise 15069953
TG: Sgt James A. Boyette 14058018

Photo.

Photo from Salinas, KS

410th BS bombardiers.

Source: RltBen@aol.com 

Photo from Salinas, KS

Source: RltBen@aol.com 

Source: Marty Halpern: marty.halpern@gmail.com

Some of his crew were Grover Martin, the navigator who died in George's arms on their 13th mission.  Martin was killed when flak went through the side of the ship, through the ammunition can, and through his vest.  George administered morphine to him, while getting oxygen to his crew who were all screaming for it.

Also on the crew were co-pilot Mike Murphy (Mick), Ted Arther, engineer, Pilot Bill Farguson, and ground crew Fleetwood, Patrick, Bussinger, Miller, Imholt, and Grose.

Source: Molly Stegner: mollystegner@comcast.net

Bombardier Instructor Course:  Midland,TX  Sept 1944

DR Navigation Course: Rosewell, NM    Nov. 1944

Pre-flight Training:  San Antonio Tx

Primary Pilot Training:   Chickasha, OK  May 1945, Did not complete
 

Source: Mark Hamm: mhamm@rosenet.net

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Crew list:
P: 2LT Edmund W. Gaines  KIA
CP: 2LT Arthur A. Bergeron KIA
N: 2LT Ralph A. Lewtas (Note 1)
B: 2LT Bernard A. Hanley (Note 2)
RO: S/S Lucien P. Lawson  KIA
TTE: S/S Glenn Fragasso  KIA
WG: Sgt Leonerdus T. Inkelaar, Jr. (Note 3)
WG: Sgt.James J. Heffran  KIA
BT: Sgt. Elmo O. Tinsdale  KIA
TG: Sgt. James F. Shrader KIA

KIA - Killed in Action on 15 October 1944 on 303rd mission #257 to Cologne, GER in B-17G #43-38604 (no name) 359th BS (BN-B).  Plane was hit by flak and blew up.  
Note 1: Lewtas was not on the 15 Oct 44 mission.  Was replaced by 2LT H.K. Beder - KIA
Note 2: Hanley was not on the 15 Oct 44.  Was replaced by S/S R. Tatraglia (Togglier) - POW
Note 3:  Sgt Inkelaar was deleted from the crew, before the crew's first mission, when the combat crew size was changed from 10 to 9 men with the elimination of one of the Waist Gunners.

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Carlsbad Yearbook

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=109534
 

Source: www.39th.org

Missions and crew lists.

MACR

Source: Howard Keller: howard.keller@us.army.mil

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Carlsbad Yearbook

Source: www.39th.org

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Carlsbad Yearbook

Photo and crew data.  Shot down and evaded.

Crew and ground crew on Hell's Angels

Article written by Walter on his WWII experiences.

Four Months with the French Resistance-Dancing at the Caterpillar Club!

Source: James Hargrove: jhargrov@fcs.uga.edu

Source: Tony Strotman: tonystro@cebridge.net

Photo from Dec 1943.    Chambermaid photo.

Chambermaid crash photo.    Photo.

Jim's model of Chambermaid.

Source: Jim Ridge: jwridge@mchsi.com

Crew list:
P: LT Richard A. Christenson
CP: 2LT Leo D. Crabtree
N: 2LT Arthur Steinmetz
TTE: T/S James T. Cimini
LW: S/S Norman R. Wagner - EVD
RW: S/S Joseph W. Cagle
BT: S/S Jordan W. Young
RO: S/S Michael G. Zelanak
TG: S/S Kenneth R. Moore

Missions.        MACR.       Sleepy Time Gal

Source: Howard Keller: howard.keller@us.army.mil

Source: Mitzi Hambridge: mitzi@roger008.fsnet.co.uk

Mission and crew data.

Source: Howard Keller

Killed in a B29A crash 14 June, 1947 on a training mission out of Davis-Monthan. It hit in the Hawks Mountains near Perkinsville Vermont.  Aircraft 44-62228 was assigned to the 43BG in the 64th BS. All were killed.

Photo. 

Crew of Blue Grass Bettye
Front row: Charles Amato, radio gunner; Dick Egan, engineer; S/Sgt.Hartwell, Bombardier.
Back row: Lt. William A. Pappano, Lt. Cecil E.
Riddle; Pvt. Tibbett, (also spelled ‘Tibbot’) tail gunner; Lt. Walker, copilot

Appears to have served in both the PTO and the ETO. He was with Blue Grass Bettye until somewhere in 43.
The crew reported on the Blue Grass Betty were:

P: William A Pappano- reported killed later than 42?
CP: Walker
N: Cecil E RiddlePvt Tibbet-tail gunner
RO: S/S: Charles Amato
S/S Dick Egan-function unknown
They (the crew) had the nick name of "The Butcher Boys" reasons unknown.

He rotated back to the US and was re assigned to the 391BG 573BS.
He won either a silver or bronze star for the following:

Photo 1.   Photo 2.   Photo 3.   Photo 4.

This write up is provide by Trevor Allen at the B26.com web sight:
2 Dec 1944 the 391st Bomb Group was tasked to attack Saarlautern, Germany.  On approach to the target the formation was subject to intense flak and during the period 43-34165 T6-H was hit.

It was struck by a 88mm shell which burst inside the fuselage making a hole large enough to drive a jeep through, instantly killing the turret gunner S/Sgt Jesse M Elerbee and wounding the radio gunner T/Sgt James B Sims.  The tail gunner John J Wagner calmly administered first aid to James Sims.  The pilot 1.Lt Edmond B Dunn was simultaneously wounded by another burst of flak, and while the copilot 2.Lt Edwin H Armstrong flew the aircraft, the Bombardier S/Sgt Oliver W Hartwell administered first aid to the pilot.  Dunn then resumed the controls.

The intercom system was out, and because of the gaping void communication between crew members fore and aft was impossible.  To add to this precarious situation the bomb bay was loaded with 250lb fragmentation bombs.  There was no rudder control since the flak burst had ripped out the control cables. The hydraulic system had been washed out and there was no navigator on board.  The planes radio had been silenced and a thick under cast of cloud extended to within two hundred feet of the ground preventing navigation by pilotage. The flight leader Captain Joseph J Boylan seeing the difficulty left the formation to drop back to lead the stricken B26 home, but this plan was thwarted when they became separated in the cloud.

For more than an hour the pilot flew the Marauder at minimum altitude until a navigational check point was sighted and a course was steered towards base. With wheels up and no flaps Lt Dunn set the B26 down on its belly in the center of the runway, a landing so smooth that the tail section remained fastened to the fuselage and the bomb load remained undisturbed.  Tail gunner Wagner had placed the inert Sims in such a position that the wounded radio man suffered no further injury.  Ground crew found the wounded man tied securely to the remnant of the fuselage.

Source: Charlie Ford: charlie803@comcast.net

Possible crew names are: Norman Ball, Earl Fitch,
Robert Ball, Frank Bozek, J. Brown, John J. Brazil, Howard Furbish, Cary
Giles, Jim Kiernan (pilot)

Source: Helen Hastings
 

Photo from Salinas, KS

Source: RltBen@aol.com 

Source: jwhite198@tampabay.rr.com

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Crew list:
P: 2LT Melvin J. Rudd, Jr.
CP: 1LT James P. McCarty
N: 2LT Richard C. Brooks
B: 2LT Leonard R. Hasken
RO: S/S Robert Goldberg
ENG: S/S Chester M. Mahugh
GNR: Sgt Kenneth J. Henry    KIA
GNR: Sgt James W. Househlder
GNR: Sgt William G. Sessions    KIA
GNR: Sgt Eldon W. Siler

Source: Mark LaScotte: lascotte@comcast.net

He is the author of the 91st BG reference  "The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourn."

Crew list all POW:
P: LT Joseph S. Bochna  Sharpsville, PA
CP: 2LT Robert E. Edwards  Pearl, IL
N: 2LT Raymond H. Frenk   Barbertn?, OH
B: 2LT Donald H. Haverman   Harlington, NE
TT: T/S John G. Chappelle   Roanoke, VA
RO: T/S Edward A. Zieman   Southhampton, NY
BT: S/S Floyd M. Paulk   Richarmond?, CA
LW: S/S Andy V. Langford   Wellington, TX
RW: T/S Zancel Y. Campbell   Leakesville, MS
TG: S/S Harold J. Carson   Waynesboro, PA

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=111315

Source: Arthur Plouff - A.plouff@worldnet.att.net

Source: Tony Strotman: tonystro@cebridge.net

Source: Tony Strotman: tonystro@cebridge.net

Source: Randall Hebert: rjhaengi@bellsouth.net

Photo.

Source: 1943 Deming Yearbook

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=109164

Photo 3.         Photo 4.

Source: Troy A. Belmont: Sircrankinstein@aol.com

Source: Ken Held: kwheld@adelphia.net

Hemm was POW in Stalag 7A.

Crew list:
P: LT LLoyd N. Christman O-794528 POW Stalag 7A
CP: LT James D. Laird O-742875 POW Stalag Luft 3
N: Eldred E. Hancy O-683237 KIA
TT: T/S Commodore L. Sharp 34362951 POW Dulag Luft
RO: T/S David D. Pressel  15104503  KIA
BT: S/S John R. Butterbach KIA
RW: S/S William D. Klink 36910023 POW Stalag Luft 3
LW: S/S James D. White 34169774 POW Stalag 17B
TG: S/S Edmond J. Blais 32478396  KIA

P: 1LT Joseph A. Hurley, KIA
CP: Mills  KIA
N: 2LT Robert K.Belk, O-736681  POW Stalag Luft 1
ENG: Cielecki
RO: T/S Lawrence C. Schwandt  35364687 Stalag Luft 4
BT: S/S William Bothwell  33467285  KIA
WG: Sgt Frederick S. Bumpers  38319836  Stalag Luft 4
TG: Suber KIA


Source: Daniel Studener: dstudener@gmx.net

Missions list and crew.

Source: Howard Keller: howard.keller@us.army.mil

Crew list:
AC: MAJ Charles F. Adams
P: 2LT John L. Ponder
FE: 2LT Thomas P. Savage
N: 2LT Richard T. Mork
RO: Cpl Edwin P. Baker
LW: T/S William W. Stacy
RW: Cpl William D. Flaherty
RG: Cpl Stewart S. Ferguson
RDR: Sgt Jack Eisenthal
TG: Sgt Edmond L. Riley
 

Source: Eleanor Henry: eleanor.henry@verizon.net

Crew list:
P: 2LT Samuel F. Irwin,  O-756242, POW @ Stalag Luft 1
CP: 2LT Brian L. DeVan, O-819976, POW @ Stalag Luft 1
N: FO Eugene T. Pulliam, KIA
TT: S/S Zolton P. Torok,  KIA
RO: S/S Ira W. Hughes, 38223169,  POW Stalag 357
BT: S/S Charles R. Miller, 33623784, KIA
WG: S/S David R. Strawn, KIA
TG: S/S Richard L. Franklin, 14061861, POW Stalag Luft 4

==================
EXTRACT: Page 45,"The 351st Bomb Group in WWII", by Peter Harris and Ken Harbour

JULY 12th 1944 MISSION NO. 169

Two eighteen-ship boxes took off for Munich again. There were no enemy fighters, but there was intense accurate flak at the target.

On the bomb run Lt. Irwin's plane, 42-38028 received a direct hit. The next few minutes are best described by Lt. Irwin. "I called for a damage and injury report, and all reported no crew injuries. The nose compartment, Lt. Sam Herman (B) and F/O Eugene Pulliam (N), reported damage and fire in and behind the bulkhead at the rear of the nose compartment. The plane was loggy, and hard to hold in formation, but still flying and all engines running smoothly.

Sgt. Torok took all fire extinguishers available on the flight deck and headed for the nose section, to help fight the fire. Lt. Herman advised that he and F/O Pulliam had exhausted the nose fire extinguishers, but could not extinguish the flames, which he advised appeared to be burning hydraulic fluid, and were blowing back through the lower deck compartment toward the bomb bay bulkhead. He recommended jettisoning the bomb load as a safety measure. I concurred, and told him to wait until I dropped the plane below and to the left of the formation flight path, then jettison all bombs and leave the bomb bay doors open for possible escape exit, if needed. We completed the maneuver leveling off approximately 2000ft. below and parallel to the formation, with Lt. DeVan (CP) checking engine instruments and functions for abnormal indications. I advised the crew what was happening, and alerted them to prepare for possible bail out.

A very short time later the nose compartment reported that all the fire extinguishers were exhausted, and they were unable to control the flames which were spreading aft, and were now starting to come through the flight deck floor together with smoke and fumes, around the pilot and co-pilot positions. Our oxygen system was failing and we were getting fumes through our oxygen masks.

I immediately gave the crew bail out orders and repeated them, advising that the bomb-bay doors were open for exit. I advised the co-pilot and I were leaving immediately as the flames had reached our positions, and were out of control.

I flipped on the auto-pilot control switch and checked on DeVan, who was removing his headphones, mask, etc. preparing to leave. I slapped his knee to gain his attention, and pointed to the bomb bay door, urgently motioning him to get going, which he did immediately. Grabbing my chest chute pack, I went down through the flight deck to the forward belly escape hatch. Flames and smoke were heavy in that area. I found the hatch and pulled the emergency release, but the hatch was stuck. After two attempts to kick it open, I jumped on it with both feet, shoving my shoulders against the flight deck and shot out the hatch feet first with my chute pack in my hands.

After clearing the plane and feeling that I was falling normally, I attempted to snap the chute-pack to the harness I was wearing and found that this started me tumbling, and I could not snap the chute-pack to the harness. I was forced to trail the pack at arms length above my head to stop the spinning and fall feet-first again. After three unsuccessful attempts, I broke through the cloud level (approximately 4000ft above ground) and could see trees and ground coming up fast,. I made a fourth attempt by jerking my pack down very fast and slapping it to my chest hard. One D-Ring connected and held. I was then able to connect the second snap, pull the chute release and float down to where the parachute hung in the top of the trees.

A few minutes later, after I managed to swing myself to a tree trunk, and was climbing down the tree, I was spotted by a three-man search team headed by a German soldier and captured. After being searched for weapons, etc. I was marched several miles to a small local military camp and was held there over-night, I realized shortly after reaching the ground, and during the march, that my face, nose and ears were badly burned, and that I had some gashes and cuts in the calf of one leg, apparently slight flak wounds, but was otherwise in a fair condition."

Sgt. Franklin, the tail gunner, S/Sgt. Hughes the radio-man and the waist gunner, Sgt. Strawn left by the rear door. Sgt. Miller and S/Sgt. Torok, the engineer and the ball-turret gunner, although uninjured in the original blast, were unable to escape and were killed when the ship crashed on the banks of the river Isar, north east of Munich. Sgt. Franklin was captured almost immediately. S/Sgt. Hughes managed to evade capture for three days and was picked up by the Germans close to the Swiss border. Sgt. Strawn unfortunately landed in the river and was drowned. What happened to Lt. Herman and P/O Pulliam is unknown, but it is possible that they were killed by civilians.

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Source: Paul Hershner: ph303358@juno.com

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=107071 &  RltBen@aol.com 
 

Source: Harvey Hewit: LHHew@aol.com

Crew list:
P: 2LT R. B. Housser
CP: 2LT F. T. Lewis
N: 2LT M. C. Johnson
B: 2LT H. E. Hewitt
RO: T/S J. W. Richardson
TTE: T/S D. G. Sosoman
BT: S/S A. E. Spirou
WG: S/S J. M. Rosas
TG: S/S R. L. Brownell

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=109534

Source: John Rohrer: spartacpa@sbcglobal.net

Reported MIA 6 Sept 1943, but subsequently RTD.  Plane was B-17 42-5763 Bomb-Boogie.   MACR #514

Crew list:
P:  Elwood D. Arp  O-731788 RTD
CP: 2LT Howard Sherman O-742098  RTD
N: 2LT Nathan Weltman O-683359   POW
RO: T/S John B. Wenninghoff  37114396  POW
TT: T/S Raymond R. Thompson  35353912 POW  **
BT: S/S Russell D. Hatton   13072834 RTD        **
WG: S/S Norbert F. B. Swierz   10600543 POW  **
WG: S/S Dean W. Millward   39831596 POW
TG: S/S Donald L. Hayes   11007592 POW

** These men were involved in ditching incident on return from Huls 22 June 1943 on B-17 42-29797,  Old Ironsides.

During the ditching bombardier Hicks suffered wounds from 20mm; his eardrum was pierced and his face badly lacerated, but he stuck to his guns.  The tail gunner S/Sgt Evert Lindberg #39314351 drowned [drifted away] but the rest of the crew was rescued.  That crew, in addition to Hicks, Thompson, Hatton and Swierz:

P:  LT Buster Peek
CP: Francis A. Porada
N:  G.B. Williams
RO: James F. Osborne
WG: W.G. Zeigler

Crew list:
P: Charles Mylius
CP: 2LT Warren McCoy
N: 1LT Charles J. Galligan
EM: Sgt Vincent J. Wood
EM: S/S James R. Russell
EM: Sgt Carleton E. Brown
EM: Sgt Charles E. McSpadden
EM: Sgt Edmond J. Sullivan
EM: S/S Herbert D. Fern

Source: Dan Galligan, galligan@bnl.gov

Crew list:
P: 2LT Noble E. Wright  O-811486
CP: 2LT David Scales  O-817539
N: 2LT Milton Gordon  O-703627
ENG: S/S Delmont Jones  39908714
RO: S/S Rawley T. Hudson, Jr.  34687004
GNR: Sgt William M. Starks  17072467
GNR: Sgt Thomas F. Devine  32351747
GNR: Sgt George W. Baldwin  34641933

Crew list: 
P: 2LT Alva C. Powell  O-754442   KIA
CP: 2LT Luther T. Whitten, Jr. O-815612  KIA
N: J. F. Bean
TT: S/S Clarence F. Parizek  37047724  KIA
RO: S/S Frederick A. Keating, Jr.  32784686  KIA
BT: S/S Richard H. Gaulke  36810352  KIA
LW: R. P. Picardi
RW: D. J. McNeil   
TG: S/S Clyde W. Trimbath   13075151  KIA

Possible crew list:
P: 2LT Ben N. Kendall, O-747815, KIA
CP: 2LT Richard C Pelkey,
N: 2LT Harry B. McGuire, O-690466, KIA
TT: Sgt Gerald W. Herrington, 36408384, KIA
RO: S/S Given C. Grooms, 35639298  KIA
BT: S/S Harold T. Thompson, 39455478  KIA
WG: S/S Nick Gavalas, 34702107  KIA
WG: Sgt Charles A. Lamarca, 35530480  POW Stalag Luft 4 (POW records show 14 Jan 1944, so he was probably not on this mission)
TG: S/S Harvey E. Gann, 38249535  POW  Stalag Luft 4

From 449th website:
B-24 "41-29217"; Delivered to Bruning circa Oct./Nov. '43, assigned to Kendall's crew. Demise: Downed 1/30/44 by flak and fighters over Udine, Italy, with Kendall's crew aboard. 9 KIA, 1 POW. Tail #18; serial #42-29217. {Circumstances of Loss. On 30 Jan. 1944, thirty 449th aircraft bombed the German airfield at Udine, Italy. At 1228 hours, "immediately after bombs were away," enemy fighters, "variously estimated for 20 to 50" in number, furiously attacked the 449th formation. The enemy fighters, "mostly ME-109s with a sprinkling of FW-190s, attacked from all positions of the clock, and most of the time from below. Some attacked in 2's and 3's abreast. Attacks were pressed to within 200 and 300 yards." The attacks were "concentrated on the lower flight of the first section" which was "apparently ... left uncovered from above when the second section in making the turn for the IP swung wide over the first section while there was straggling in this flight itself." Within minutes after the beginning of the attack, three ships in the low flight of the first section were mortally damaged by the enemy fighters. Ship #18 was "reported ... to go down just south of the target." The copilot was 2nd Lt. Fletcher Porter, the original pilot of Big Noise From Kentucky.

Source: www.39th.org

Source: Arthur Plouff: A.Plouff@worldnet.att.net

Crew list:
P: 1LT Donald Racrae  O-750808
CP: 1LT Raymond A. Stevenson  O-807887
N: 1LT Donald G. Bellamy  O-691692
ENG: 1LT William B. Miller O-864551
RDR: Sgt Ralph H. Jadd 35814516
RO: S/S Thomas J. Beverly, Jr.  16136345
CFC: S/S Glenn W. Nelson 16089119 drowned after bailout
WG: S/S Edward R. Nedodemus  33588419
WG: S/S Jacob B. Arnold  35564067
TG: S/S James E. Kraft  35599157
 

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=101391
 

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=109729
 

Crash photo.

Crew list:
P: 1Lt. Homer Biggs Jr.  O-728815 from CO KIA
CP: 2LT Theodore O. Hayes  O-729852  from CA  KIA
N: 1LT William H. Blakeney  O-791554  from AL  Nav class: TR 42-11   POW
B - 2Lt. Douglas Hoehn  POW
TT/E - T/Sgt. John Williams  KIA
RO - T/Sgt. Paul O'Brien  KIA
BT - S/Sgt. Anthony Denefrio  KIA
LW - S/Sgt. Enio Valerio  KIA
RW - S/Sgt. James Cronk  POW
TG - Sgt. James Roden  KIA

Source: http://www.armyairforces.com/forum

Became POW on 17 May 1943 Mission Target Ijmuiden.  Plane: 41-18052: DR-N

Crew list:
P: LT Vincent S Garrambone 0-727712 POW
CP: 2LT Leonard S Lang 0-664023 POW
N/B: 2LT James R Hoel 0-729753 POW
ENG: Sgt John L Stefanowicz 13026189 KIA
RO: Sgt. John Logan 32387065 POW
TG: Sgt Melvin O Cage 13050278 KIA

A mile or two to the south the following flight also encountered heavy flak on landfall in. LT Garrambone, leading the second element, could not maintain control after being hit and crashed into the Maas river at 11:52, he and three of his crew survived.

Source: http://www.b26.com
 

Crew list:
AC: 1LT Sam P. Wagner O-24801
P: 2LT Ernest B. Lopes O-758466
N: 2LT David J. Schnaars O-697921
ENG: 2LT Odne N. Dahl O- 867992
RO: S/S Ralph C. Banovicts 16045323
RDR: Sgt William Wendler  38113539
CFC: Sgt Cecil E. Frederick  19195160
GNR: S/S Hubert D. Wheeler  38536964
GNR: PFC Rex E. Merritt  35093539
TG: S/S Elmer C. Lindenstruth  33551226

Missions list - 1  Missions list - 2   Military timeline

Source: James Hoffman

Photo.

Service #: 11098367 T43
Hometown: Great Barrington, Massachusetts

Crew list:
P: Harvey P. Pettit, 0-815221
CP?: Donald M. Gannett,   0-819995
N: John J. Brunderman, 0-706505
TTE: Walter C. Schonhoff,  31313755
GNR: Spencer C. Miller,  31313755
GNR: James H. Dewhirst,  32068701
GNR: Wayne H. Matthes,  31301922
GNR: Lawrence W. Wolve,  39567847
GNR: James R. Lovelace,  31333314

Source: Tom Schonhoff: tomschonhoff@comcast.net

Mustaleski crew with Holland.

Front row, L to R.
Tom Mustaleski, Everett Dyson, Jim Grewe.

Back Row, L to R.
William Grove, John Kirkwood, Armando Cioccke, Clarence Walker, Paul Farley, Tom Holland.
 

Source: Rob Kirkwood: jrkirk447@earthlink.net

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Crew list:
P: Charles E. Robertson  POW    Visalia CA
CP: 2LT Robert P. Robbins   POW   Corpus Christ TX
N: 2LT Milton J. Kaplan    POW    Mattartan MA
B: FO Earl E. Holmes   POW   Honolulu HI
TT: T/S Henry L. James    POW    Dendron VA
RO: T/S William R. Delaney     POW    Rochester NY
BT: Sgt Lloyd M. Gabriel   POW   Grosesbeck TX
RW: S/S Emil F. Ambrose  KIA    Omaha NE
LW: S/S Norris R. Stewart   POW   Moorestown NJ
TG: S/S Earl W. Winbum   POW    Marshall OK
 

Source: Arthur Plouff: A.Plouff@worldnet.att.net

He was asked to stay at Victorville as an instructor and then detached to both the Marine and Naval Air programs to help set up a high altitude bomb training program.  Believed to have flown 22 missions  over Japan.  His last mission, they got shot up pretty badly.  Lost 5 1/2 feet of the left wing and 170 holes in the a/c.  The pilot crash landed the plane at home plate but the rest of the crew including Holt had to bail out. 

Sources: www.39th.org
http://www.armyairforces.com/forum/fb.asp?m=112916

Holub survived a mid-air collision that occurred on a training mission on 21 Jan 1944 at Langley AFB.  The collision took the lives of all of the other planes crew.  Holub's pilot managed to land the plane in a swamp where a couple of large trees took the wings off.  All his crew survived.

Became a POW on 22 June 1944 when his plane,  42-97202 was shot down. MACR #6535.  He was from Wichita, KS.

Crew list:
P: LT Robert T. Watkins, O-796922 POW - Stalag 7A Pittsburgh PA
CP: 2LT Frank D. Williams, O-695227 POW - Stalag Luft 3 - West Montorey PA
N: 2LT Douglas J. Sier, O-703658 POW - Stalag 7A Long Island City NY
TT: T/S Earl H. Louiso, 35473722 POW Williamsburg OH
RO: T/S Isadore (nmi) Traschen EVD Newark NJ
WG: S/S Leonard E. Kleinjan  KIA Bruce SD
BT: S/S Thomas F. Lagrua EVD Brooklyn NY
TG: S/S Futhey Ralph L. EVD Los Angeles CA

Crew list:
P: Joseph J. Austin 
CP: Anthony Sikora 
N: Jack McDaniel r
TTE: Arthur C. Reichardt 
RO: Michael Torsiello 
TG: Leslie Adams 
LW: Ludwig Sikole 
NG: Dick Pirkey r
RW: Clyde Wilson

Source: www.39th.org

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

03/31/42:Enlisted at Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio
08/13/42 – 12/11/42: Basic Bombardier Training, SAAAB, Santa Ana, CA
12/12/42 – 03/06/43: Bombardier Training, Victorville, CA  Class of 43-4
03/06/43 – 06/30/43: Bombardier Instructor, Victorville
06/11/43 – 08/18/43: Bombardier Instructor Course, Carlsbad, NM
07/01/43 – 11/18/43: Aerial Instructor, Bombardment, Victorville, CA
11/18/43 - 12/24/43: D.R. Navigation Course, Victorville, CA
12/24/43 – 06/30/44: Aerial Instructor, Bombardment, Victorville, CA
06/30/44 – 03/07/45: Unknown, but probably in training with 498th BG.    
03/10/45 – 03/14/45: Ferried B-29 to Saipan
04/04/45 – 04/09/45: Flew several training missions
04/07/45 - 05/12/45: Flew five missions and then returned to States to train on a lead crew.                          
05/12/45 – 07/11/45: Lead Crew Training
07/12/45 – 02/11/46: Returned to Saipan, flew an unknown number of missions and returned to the States.     
05/05/46: Honorable Discharge

Source: greghouser@aol.com

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

N: K. Underwood

Source: Richard Hughes" thughes6@cfl.rr.com

Source: Joe Michalak: JJJMSJZ@aol.com

F

Crosshairs article from Sept 1987.

Became an author and poet after the war.  For more information, try amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com.

Photos from his autobiography: The Real West Marginal Way

Photo     Officers club      Crew photo

Post mission photo     Crash of What's Up Doc
 

Crew photo and data.

Source: Alan Hull: alan.hull@bondint.co.uk

Source: Ben McDonald: bmcd584@numail.org

Died 22 April 1996.

Bombardier instructor at Childress, TX in 1943.

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook

He was on B-24D serial #41-11903, Hell's Angels 
stationed at Port Moresby, New Guinea.  The plane 
and the crew were lost on 15 Aug 1943.  MACR 14827.

Crew list:
P: 1LT Lewis G Jones    0-728089
CP: 2LT Samuel A Robinson   0-737474 
N: 2LT Julien H Hicks   0-734560 
TT: T/S Irving S Berman   16028397  
RO: T/S John J Hennessey  31087574   
WG: S/S Chester L Bull    7061329 
GNR: S/S Samuel P Culp     36353602
GNR: S/S Billie 0 Feather  19102970   
Camera: S/S Emerson C Fie     6911308 
TG: S/S Robert W Whitehead 17020664    

The last message received from this aircraft was 
sent at 1316 hours, "Seven ship convoy sighted 
05.00 south 163.20 east, am attacking."

Source: Phyllis Bunker pbunker1931@msn.com 

Class photo.

Source: 1943 Childress Yearbook