 |
B-24M-5-FO #44-50484 "LADY
JAKE" 785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE. 2U-G
This a/c came to the 466th late in the war. Survived the war and was flown
back to the U.S.
Lt. Gottschalk on left (Co-Pilot) - Lt. William Proppe on right (Pilot)
CREWS KNOWN T0 HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C - #588 - William Proppe Crew
466th BGA photo
|
 |
B-24H-lO-DT #41-28691 "MIST'ER
CHANCE"785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE 2U-I
This was an original aircraft of the 466th BG.
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C: #505 - Mike Hoover
Crew, #545 - John Gerrity Crew
466th BGA photo
|
 |
B-24J-40-CF #42-50465 “DAMIFINO”
784TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE. T9-K
785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE: 2U-O
This aircraft flew it’s first mission on October 25, 1944 and survived the
war. She was known to have been at Willow Run, MI in the Summer of 1945,
and probably was scrapped soon thereafter
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C: #554 - Earl Wassom Crew, #667 - R.
Wightman Crew
Earl Wassom
Collection photo
|
 |
B-24H-10-DT #41-28746 “JAMAICA?”
785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE 2U-O
This was an original a/c of the 466th BG. Lt. Booth and crew flew her over
via the South Atlantic route She was lost on Sept 23. 1944 on a fuel
“Truckin” mission.
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS NC #503 - J. Booth Crew, #528 - R Bates
Crew, #554 - Earl Wassom Crew, #550 J. Damiani Crew (lost with plane on
9/25/44)
466th BGA photo
|
 |
Booth Crew,Taken
in Brazil on the way to Attlebridge, England, we think.
photo courtesy of
Anita
Heath, Proud daughter of S/Sgt Doolitte,
|
 |
Booth Crew,Taken
in Brazil on the way to Attlebridge, England, we think.
photo courtesy of
Anita
Heath, Proud daughter of S/Sgt Doolitte,
|
_small.jpg) |
training
picture of the Booth Crew, probably taken at the end of training just
before going overseas. Waddie W. Doolitte, S/Sgt., is on the top right.
photo courtesy of
Anita
Heath, Proud daughter of S/Sgt Doolitte,
|
 |
B-24H-5-DT #41-28664 “MERCHANT
OF VENICE” 785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE. 2U-P
This aircraft was lost on May 11, 1944 Last seen smoking and heading for
Switzerland. It never made it. Crew #519 was lost.
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C: #505 - Mike Hoover Crew, #519 - J.C.
MacDonald Crew
466th BGA photo
|
 |
B-24J- 143-CO #44-40072 ‘B.T.O.”
785TH BOMB SQUADRON - CODE 2U-B (nearest the camera)
B-24H-25-DT #42-51141 “PEGASUS” 785TH BOMB SQUADRON -
CODE: 2U-U (2nd from front)
These planes are lined up for Operation Home Run. The return to the U.S
after the war. They were the 26th and 27th planes to leave for the U S
from the 466th after the war
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN ‘B.T.O.”: ?
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN “PEGASUS’ #509 - Bill Tikey Crew, #545 - John
Gerrity Crew
466th BGA photo
|
 |
B-24J-60-CF #44-10545 no
official name 785th BOMB SQUADRON - 2U-B
Photo was probably taken by someone standing on left wing. This a/c has
been sometimes mistakenly identified as “Clonsolidated Mess”, however in
reality she never had a name or noseart painted on. Earl Wassom and crew
flew this a/c on 12 of their 35 missions They had noseart drawn up, and
planned to name this a/c “Bottle Butt’s Buggy”, however they were never
able to get it painted on before their missions were finished.
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C. #554 - Earl Wassom Crew, #556 - L A.
Linse Crew, #572 W.C. Lindhe Crew and #573 E. Nelson Crew.
Earl Wassom
Collection photo
|
 |
Crew #552 - Harry W.
Taylor Crew - 785th Bomb Squadron
Standing Left to Right: V.D. Dupas - Ball Turret
N.P. Eastman - Radio Op.
W.W. Flack - Waist Gunner
Al Wilson - Top Turret
J.R. Krewinski - Tail Gunner
B.C. Wertz - Engineer
E. Siders - Waist Gunner
Kneeling Left to
Right: A.D. Mills -
Co-Pilot
D.C. Cuneo - Navigator
Harry Taylor - Pilot
L.G. Sanborn - Bombardier
Taylor and crew were
forced to crash land "The Falcon" on Jan. 8, 1945 when it ran out of gas
on approach. Taylor and Mills were injured in the crash landing. "The
Falcon" was written off.
Earl Wassom
Collection photo
|
 |
Crew #467 (previously
#543) - John Garrison Crew - 784th Bomb Squadron (previously 785th BS)
Standing Left to Right: Unknown Person
Herbert Cheskin - Navigator
Bob Wagner - Bombardier
Unknown Person
Farris Groben - Co-Pilot
John Garrison - Pilot
Kneeling Left to
Right: Frank J.
Messman - Waist Gunner
Wayne E. Ahern - Tail Gunner
William E. Hughes - Radio Operator
Tom Kelly - Waist Gunner
Jack Rawlerson - Gunner
Paul Kelch - Engineer
This crew completed
their 35 missions flying with the 785th BS, and later with the 784th BS as
a lead crew.
Col. William E.
Hughes via Chris Brassfield photo.
|
 |
B-24H-25-FO #42-95248
"The Falcon" 785th Bomb Squadron - Code: 2U-S
This a/c had one of
the best paint jobs in the 466th BG. It was crash landed on Jan. 8, 1945
with Crew#552 aboard. It was written off as Cat. E the next day.
CREWS KNOWN TO HAVE FLOWN THIS A/C: #501-R. Walling Crew, #632 - Roy Hurst
Crew, #546 - R. Harken Crew, #552 - Harry Taylor Crew.
Brassfield photo
|
 |
B-24H-25-FO #42-95248 “THE
FALCON" CODE: 2U-S 785th Bomb Squadron The men in the photograph from
left to right are: Sam “Red” Estes - Tail Gunner, Bill Kummerer - Waist
Gunner, and Dan Cahalane - Radio Op. All three men were part of R. Harken
Crew - # 546. Red Estes lost his life in Dec. 1944 when he lost oxygen to
the tail turret on a mission.
Herman Estes Photo
|
 |
Melvin Westbrook Crew - Crew #553 -
785th Bomb Squadron
Standing from Left to Right
Melvin Westbrook - Pilot
Porky Seigel - Bombardier
Bill Pond Co-Pilot
Dick Cramer - Navigator
Kneeling from Left to Right:
Bill Rogers - Gunner
Dick Chapdelaine - Gunner
John Roche - Gunner
Woodrow Werner - Radio Operator
John Mimnaugh - Gunner
Roy Finley - Engineer
This crew flew 35 missions from 26
August 1944 through 20 March 1945. They reported to th.e 466th BG just in
time to spend most of September flying “Truckin” gas haul missions, which
extended the tour of every crew that was present at Attlebridge at the
time. Especially those newly reported crews
466th BGA photo
|
 |
Stuart Scales Crew Crew #558 -
785th Bomb Squadron
B-24J-1-FO #42-95617 “Jennie” Code: T9-I 784th Bomb Squadron
Standing from Left to Right:
Ira Young Tail Gunner
Jack Shifflet Waist Gunner
James Rocco Waist Gunner
Thomas Sparks - - Radio Operator
Ed Centola - Nose Gunner/Armorer
John Grodeon - Engineer
Kneeling from Left to Right:
Dorsey Odle Navigator
Melvin Engle - Co-Pilot
Stuart Scales - Pilot
Another crew that reported just in
time for the "Truckin” missions. Scales and co. flew Their first mission
on 8 September 1944 and their last on 8 March 1945.
Melvin Engle/Ed
Centalo Photo
|
 |
Edward S. Wygoink Crew - Crew #580
- 785th Bomb Squadron B-24L-10-FO #4449626 “White Elephant”
Code:T9-J 784th BS
From Left to Right:
Harry Renshaw - Engineer
Gene Saltarelli - Co-Pilot
Del Pederson - Radio Operator
John Morrell - Waist Gunner
Dick Oatman - Navigator
Ed Wygonik - Pilot
John Cummings - Nose Gunner
Bill Nothstein - Tail Gunner
Stanley Mohr - Waist Gunner
466th BGA photo
|
 |
B-24J-165-CO #44-40463 "CONSOLIDATED MESS"
785th BOMB SQUADRON - CODE: 2U-H
Crews known to have flown this a/c: #554 - Earl Wassom Crew,
#588 - W.D. Proppe Crew
466th BGA photo
|
 |
Paul
W. Perry Crew - Crew #549 - 785th Bomb Squadron
Standing left to
Right:
William Bento - Radio Op.
Paul W. Perry - Pilot
Joseph R. Kelly - Co-Pilot
Lloyd K. Randolph - Navigator
Gerald D. Camp - Engineer
Kneeling Left to Right:
Jack F. Towner - Gunner
John F. Durtsche - Ball Turret
Oliver J. Rauch, Jr. - Bombardier
Robert L. Traeger - Engineer
Arel E. Bye - Gunner
Benjamin Glass and Theodore Krushynski are not shown, but also served with
this crew as replacements during it's tour with the 466th BG. This
crew was later transferred to the 784th BS to become a lead crew.
Photo via Reed Hammans
|
 |
Donald G. Griffin Crew - Crew #506 - 785th Bomb Squadron
Standing Left to Right:
Dennis J. McCoy - Ball Turret
F.R. Robson - (replaced before crew was shot down)
George M. McCord - Right Waist Gunner
R.G. Latham - (replaced before crew was shot down)
H. Gorky - (replaced before crew was shot down)
Kneeling Left to Right:
Donald G. Griffin- Pilot
H.R. Hobson - Co-Pilot (not on crew when they were shot down)
Fred P. Hazen - Navigator
Phillip M. Rose - Bombardier
Joseph R. Burke - Engineer
This crew was flying B-24H #41-29466 when it collided with another B-24 on
the 466th BG's second mission, March 23, 1944. The seven men
indicated above as being part of the crew that day, as well as Robert Gum
(CP), Bogan Radick (R/O), and Aleck Amich (TG) were KIA on that mission.
Photo via Donald G. Griffin, Jr.
|
 |
Crew #546 Robert Harken Crew -
Photo taken at Muroc AAF, California prior to assignment to 466th BG
Standing Left to Right: Robert Harken - Pilot
Robert Hosek - Co-Pilot
Gordon Currie - Navieator
William Graves - Bombardier
Kneeling Left to Right: Herbert Malkin - Engineer
Dan Calahane - Radio Operator
Samuel Estes - Tail Gunner
Bill Kummerer - Right Waist Gunner
Lucian McMullin - Left Waist Guimer
Joe Edwards - Ball Turret
This crew all survived it’s combat missions, except for Sam "Red" Estes,
who was KIA on Dec. 4, l944 due to a loss of oxygen to the tail turret He
was 21 years old.
Herman Estes
photo
|
 |
Crew #545 John Gerrity Crew -
Photo taken at Muroc AAF. California. Notice it is in front of the same
a/c as the Harken Crew photo. Gerrity and Harken were in the same pilot
class (43-K) and were assigned to the 466th HG at the same time.
Standing Left to Right John Gerritv - Pilot
Frank McGonagill - Co-Pilot
Ligon N Moore - Navigator
Henry Heidtbrink - Bombardier
Kneeling Left to Right: Leo J. Voelker - Engineer
Winfred H Hart - Radio Operator
Robert E Finnerty - Waist Gunner
Lynn H. Etchison - Tail Gunner
Carlo Galvagno - Ball Turret
this crew flew 35 combat missions from August 7, 1944 through March 4,
1945. In that time they were actually briefed for 57
different missions! The additional 22 being missions that were scrubbed,
recalled or aborted
John Gerrity
photo
|
 |
Crew #554 Earl Wassom Crew -
Wassom was also in Pilot Class 43-K.
Standing Left to Right: Louis Venegas - Engineer
Francis Miller - Tail Gunner
Benny Olson - Top Turret Gunner
Manley Seavey - Waist Gunner
Harry Hamilton - Waist Gunner
Billy Wolfe - Radio Operator
Kneeling Left to Right: John I. Bohan - Bombardier
Earl Wassom - Pilot
Lawrence Ross - Co-Pilot
Julius Edelman - Navigator
This crew flew 35 missions from September 1, 1944 through March 18, 1945.
Wassom received flak wounds on two different missions
Earl Wassom
Collection photo
|
 |
B-24H-20-FO
#42-51099 "BELLE" CODE: 2U-G
785TH BOMB SQUADRON
This is the aircraft that is depicted in the color sideview on this site.
It also carried the code "2U-N" for a time as well. Photo evidence
of both codes exist.
Crews Known To Have Flown this a/c: M. Hoover - Crew #505, C. Saxon
- Crew #564, R. Jonas - Crew #561, E. Wassom - Crew #554
466th BGA photo
|
 |
Left to Right:
James Lorenz - Co-Pilot Crew #574, Earl Wassom - Pilot Crew #554, Unknown
Lorenz and Wassom were friends in England in 1944, and they are still
friends and active members of the 466th BGA today.
Earl Wassom Photo
|
 |
Robert
Yelton Crew - Crew #574 - 785th Bomb Squadron
B-24H-1-FO #42-7682 "Connie" Code: 2U-L
Standing left to right:
S/Sgt. Davies
T/Sgt. Forrest L. Crute - Engineer
Sgt. Laurie Van Winkle - Nose Gunner
Sgt. Jerry Fielden - Tail Gunner
T/Sgt. Robert Moushon - Radio Operator
Sgt. Bob Beckett - Waist Gunner
Kneeling Left to Right:
Lt. Robert Yelton - Pilot
Lt. James Lorenz - Co-Pilot
Lt. M. Fred Coon - Navigator
Sgt. Carl Crawford - Gunner
James Lorenz Photo
|
|
|
Edward S. Wygoink Crew - Crew #580
- 785th Bomb Squadron B-24L-10-FO #4449626 “White Elephant”
Code:T9-J 784th BS
From Left to Right:
Harry Renshaw - Engineer
Gene Saltarelli - Co-Pilot
Del Pederson - Radio Operator
John Morrell - Waist Gunner
Dick Oatman - Navigator
Ed Wygonik - Pilot
John Cummings - Nose Gunner
Bill Nothstein - Tail Gunner
Stanley Mohr - Waist Gunner
466th BGA photo
|
.jpg)
