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457th Bombardment Squadron
This squadron, commanded by LTCOL Lindsay Vereen and spearheaded by 1st SGT William Reeb, veteran of North Africa, took the war pretty much in stride. With SSGT Paoletti and his men, CPL'S Silverman and Sanders, behind the supply counter, with SSGT Mitchell in the orderly room and that artiste with the C-Ration can, SSGT Ktona, as mess Seargant, feeding, housing, camp construction and housekeeping ran swiftly and smoothly despite rain, air raid alerts, and midnight take-offs. This Squadron lost the fewest men in combat, had the lowest abort rate, and the highest percentage over the target of any squadron in the 330th Bomb Group. |
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AIRCrews - Aircraft - GROUNDCrews - personneL Crew 711 K-1 (SN 42-93969) was shot down on 24 May 1945, by flak and crashed into Tokyo Bay. The Pilot on K-2 (Bill Kerchevel) witnessed K-1 being hit at least twice by flak. The approach altitude was 10,000 feet. Kercheval witnessed K-1 first being hit on its initial IP between Mt. Fujiyama and Yokohama on their final approach. He later saw the plane takes its final hit just over Tokyo Bay and spiral into the sea. All aboard were lost, including LTCOL Frederick Andrews, who was the 314th BW's Operations Officer, who was riding as an observer. MACR # 14492 Here are four of her eleven
crew: Front Row L to R: SGT Merrit Fogel (RG on K-4),
SSGT Samuel MiKill (RO), Back Row: CPL Jacob Fisher (LG), CPL James
Fisher (TG) and CPL James Finucane (RG).
Crew 702 of "City of Red Bank" aka "Happy Savage". This crew flew 22 missions, mainly on K-2 (42-93976). This crew received 4 Air Medals.Front Row, L to R: SSGT Thomas Sawyer (RG), SGT William Klinesmith (TG), SSGT John Ryan (LG), SSGT Warren Thompson (CFC), Back Row: SSGT Eliw Kurucz (RO), 1LT Herbert C. Counts (Rad Ob), 1LT William Parkinson (FE), 1LT Herman Greif (N), 1LT Jay Titus (B), 2LT William Kercheval (P), MAJ John Matthews (A/C). Of special note, there is an oral history recording of Mr. Titus available at the University of N. Texas.
Crew 707 of K-3 "City of Fort Worth" (SN-42-93982). This crew flew 23 missions. The A/C, MAJ Jackson Wallace(the first one on the left) was awarded the DFC on 14 Sep 1945. Here is the rest of the crew standing behind K-11. They are L to R: MAJ Jackson Wallace (A/C), 2LT Roger Vannelli (P), 2LT John Nolan (N), 1LT Chester Kalinowski, Jr. (B), 2LT Norman Graham (Rad Ob), MSGT John Stanko (FE), SSTG William Ryan (RO), TSGT Bryon Bottomly (CFC), SSGT Richard Davidson (RG), SGT John Degroot (LG), SGT Francis Bradley (TG). The entire crew received Air Medals with Oak Leaf Clusters.
Crew 706 of "City of Roanoke" aka "Ready Bettie", flew 21 mission in K-4 (SN-44-69817). MAJ Herman Smith (A/C), 1LT Charles Hammer (N) and FO Norman Rael (Rad Ob) all received the DFC on 22 June 1945. Here is a photo of the crew just prior to their departure for the Marianas. Back Row, L to R: MAJ Herman Smith (A/C), 2LT Lloyd Rissman (P), 1LT Paul Poterfield (B), 1LT Charles Hammer (N), FO Norman Rael (Rad Ob) Front Row: MSGT Vern Ruegsegger (FE), SSGT Lester Dembiczak (TG), SSGT Paul DePascale (LG), SSG Elvin Eudy (RO), TSGT Jerry Strong (CFC), SGT Merritt Fogel (RG) The entire crew received multiple Air Medals.
COL Reynolds himself with the crew of K-4. In the center kneeling is COL Lindsay Vereen, the 457th Squad Commander. MAJ Smith is to the right of him. Crew 705 of "The City of Duluth" aka "She Wolf". This was the crew of the first K-5 (SN-42-93957) and flew her for 6 missions until Willman's crew left for Lead Crew Training and she was passed along to Woolwine. When Willman returned from Lead Crew Training they were assigned K-1(2) (SN 42-93976) "The City of Red bank" aka 'The Happy Savage'and flew an additional 9 missions for a grand total of 15. Left to Right, kneeling, CPL George Bearup, Jr.(RG), SSGT William Grove (CFC), CPL George Murphy (RO), standing, CPL Ollie Eubanks (TG), SGT Johnnie M. Walker (FE), 2LT Francis Hofheins (Rad Ob), 2LT William Grossmiller (B), 2LT Charles Sweeney (N), 2LT Raymond FRozman (P), CAP Robert Willman (AC) .
Crew ??? of K-5 (SN-42-93957) "City of Lynchburg" aka "Don't Worry Bouta' Thing". This was the second crew to have the K-5 aircraft designation. Front Row, L to R: TSGT Marion Potter Jr. (CFC), MSGT Joseph Ivey, Jr. (FE), SSGT Kenneth Owings (RO), SSGT Chester Shields (LG), SGT Charles Isaacs (RG), SSGT William Uschock (TG). Back Row: 1LT Eugene Copeland (P), CAP James Fiumara (B), MAJ Charles Woolwine (A/C), 2LT Walter Penny (N), FO John H. Schell (Rad Ob). This crew flew 15 missions and received 2 Air Medals. On 6 Aug 1945 they were sent to Muroc for Lead Crew Training and the War was over before they made it back.
Crew 713 of K-6 (SN 42-93971)"City of Council Bluffs" aka "THE GERM". This crew flew an amazing 28 missions. Crew received the DFC and received mulitiple Air Medals as well. They are; Front row, L to R: MSGT Stanley Richards (FE), TSGT Charles McDaniel (CFC), SSGT Harold Ossman (RO), SSGT Francis Fallon (RG), SSGT John Farr Jr. (LG), SSGT Ara Eresian (TG) Back Row: CAP Ralph Erwin (A/C), 2LT Robert Grainger (P), FO Melvin Peterson (N), 1LT John Hogan (B), 2LT William Fletcher, Jr. (Rad Ob)
Thanks to Mr. Harold Ossman (RO) for the photos and information
Here are some Ground Crew picks of K-6. That is Thomas Jones on the far left, CPL Edward H. Wilson, SSGT Glenn D. Garaffa and SSGT Virgil Rutledge on the far right. (thanks to Mr. Rutledge for info on this photo)
Here is another one of the Ground Crew of K-6. That is from kneeling, L to R: CPL Edward Wilson, CPL William Baker, Rutledge (blond) in the middle. Standing, L to R: SSGT Glenn Garaffa, SSGT Virgle Rutledge and SSGT Thomas Jones, Jr.
Here is a great site created by Harold Ossman's daughter. Great photos from Guam! Crew 715 flew only K-7 (SN: 42-93978) "City of Jacksonville" aka "Miss Take". They are bottom row L/R: SGT Leo Rabaut Jr. (RG), CPL Edward Preston (TG), SSGT Robert Richmond (RO), SSGT Jack Henderson (CFC) Top Row L/R: SGT James Burroughs (LG), 1LT William Keck (FE), 1LT James Adams (B), 2LT Arthur Harmuth (Rad Ob), 2LT John Loose (N), FO Clifford Readout (P), CAP James Bradford (A/C). This crew completed 23 missions and received multiple Air Medals and a DFC. They brought this aircraft over in April, 1945 and flew her safely home to the States in November, 1945.
Much thanks to Mr. William. Keck (FE)for the photos and info!
Here is the very proud Ground Crew of K-7. They are L to R: SGT Ferrel Palmer, Crew Chief Guy Hall, SGT Eldridge Sinclair, SGT John Branick and SGT Frank Middaugh. These men did their best to assure that the air crew that piloted this aircraft came back everytime. Crew
717 of
"City
of St. Petersburg"
K-8
(SN-42-93980) aka
"My Gal"
& K-14
(SN-42-94032)"My
Gal II". This was the
crew of the first K-8.
A/C was Thompson Hiles, Jr. After 10 missions,
the aircraft was grounded for repair and they flew
K-14.
Since their was no crew assigned to the newer K-14,
Hiles asked for her and from May on, they flew K-14
and renamed her
to My Gal
II. Here are the My Gal Guys!: front
Row L to R, SGT Jules VanHouten (RG), SSGT Charles Wells (LG), TSST
Robert Neu (CFC), 2LT Rudy Weber (Rad Ob) Back Row: SGT Andy Kosty (TG)
(really a CFC man), SSGT Jack Hardison (RO) 1LT Earl Deter (B) 2LT Robert
Crain (N), FO Everett Odom (FE) 2LT Roeder Stinson (P) and CAP Thompson
Hiles (A/C). Overall the crew flew 24 Missions total.
That is SSGT Lloyd "Jack" Hardison, Sr. 2nd from the left. Jack was | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
