16 January 1945

Mission #229

Target: Lauta (Dresden)

Five Liberators would be lost on this complex mission but only two men were killed in action. The field order instructions arrived late with two plans outlined for target options. Plan "A" listed a primary strike against the synthetic oil complex at Ruhland near Dresden with a secondary target of the Dresden marshalling yards. The synthetic oil plant produced 350,000 tons of oil per year. The plant was the largest of its type in the country and was responsible for 5.6% of all the synthetic oil production in Germany. Plan "B" called for a primary and secondary target of the Herman Goering Gas Works in the suburbs of Berlin, both plans geared to forecast weather for the respective target areas.

This mission map illustrates the complicated route.
Click on image to enlarge then click again on image to enlarge more.

General briefings for 30 aircrews were held between 0415 and 0530 hours. At 0600 hours, Plan "A" was decided on with a long circular route in over northern Germany and out over France. This circuitous flight route was to take the Group coast-in north of Amsterdam over the Zuider Zee, then northeast to a turning point just southeast of Emden near Wilhelmshaven to another turning point just north of Hannover, then eastward on a path between Magdeburg and Berlin, continuing on southeast to an IP approximately 25 miles northeast of Dresden for a run on the target on the outskirts of Dresden. The route out followed a course over Chemnitz (now, Karl Marx Stadt) to 17 miles south of Karlsruhe with a series of turning points in France to 35 miles north of Paris and thence to Wendling. Planned duration of the mission was approximately 8:45 hours back over base, but many aircraft did not complete the route because of low fuel and enemy reaction.

At 0740 hours the lead aircraft commenced take-off with the last of 30 bombers going airborne at 0848 hours. Three crews were forced to turn back early due to mechanical difficulties, all having to land at other U.S. bomber bases in England. These were 2/Lt Popek from the 577th in ship #898, 1/Lt Byrne from the 578th in #838 and 1/Lt Daley from the 579th in aircraft #459 having to make landings at Snaith, Framlingham and Bungay, respectively, due to fog which set in over Wendling after the Group launched on the mission.

At 1155 hours the Group formation of 27 bombers reached the IP just northeast of Dresden to find the primary target area at Ruhland obscured by smoke and low clouds. The lead squadron (9 planes) elected to attack the aluminum works at nearby Lauta with excellent results. The high squadron (8 ships), flying slightly behind the low formation, made a visual run on the marshalling yards at Marback with poor results. The low squadron with 8 bombers selected the industrial facilities at Werminghoff which was hit with good bombing results achieved. 2/Lt J.J. Bilz's crew bombed with the 467th Bomb Group and another 392nd ship bombed railroad tracks.

A total of (304) 500# RDX/GP bombs were released with an overall bombing success of good aiming point coverage. There were no direct fighter encounters but some enemy aircraft were sighted. Friendly fighter support coverage throughout the mission, and particularly in the target area, was rated as excellent. AA fire around the Dresden area and on the bomb run from IP to target was moderate to heavy and accurate, but light and inaccurate elsewhere on the route.

A total of 26 B-24s were forced to land short on the Continent at Ninth Air Force strips and/or had crash-landings:

Lead Squadron
Caldwell, #150: A-61

Twining, #103: B-53 at Merville, France

Schuster, #901: A-61

Cohn, #118: A-61

Clower, #813: The #4 engine failed 40 minutes before the target; bombs were salvoed at 1130 hours. The plane stayed with the formation for a while but was last seen over France with the #4 engine feathered. It crashed near Luneville, France (Y-2). The crew was safe but the aircraft had to be salvaged by the 312th Service Group.

The September 2009 issue of the 392nd BGMA News has this article by navigator 2/Lt Russel Williams and gunner S/Sgt Al Schumacher, members of 2/Lt William J. Clower's crew. The 16 Jan 1945 mission to Lauta (Dresden) was the Clower crew's 15th. The plan called for us to meet at the I.P., make the bomb run, then take evasive action in a large circle and head for the English Channel and home. Flak had already cost us an engine and we could no longer keep up with the rest of the formation and continued south. Two P-51s came to look us over, gave us a salute and left us to fend for ourselves. Al had gotten a bomb out that was "hung up" in the bomb bay while Russ kept track of our location and depended upon the pilot to make necessary decisions. We continued to lose altitude and airspeed. We all continued to stare at the feathered props (by this time, we had lost #1 as well) when Bill called, "Russ, where the hell are we?" After some rapid dead reckoning and map consultation, Russ told Bill that there was an emergency field near Nancy, France, and gave him a heading of 300 degrees. However, we continued to lose airspeed and altitude, and over the intercom came the fateful words, "Guys, we aren't going to make it! Make up your minds-do you want to bail out?" We all voted to ride the plane down. At that, we were all told to take crash positions. Bill and copilot Harry Reel stayed at the controls and everyone else went in crash positions. We could all feel the plane losing altitude rapidly and then we heard Bill say, "Oh, no, Harry!" From training and landing instincts Harry had hit the landing gear lever, but it should have stayed up under the conditions of the land and snow covering. The next few minutes were all a continuous bouncing and noise as we plowed our way through brush and small trees. A landing gear flew past a waist window, and then everything was silent. We all broke out into a cheer and then quickly got out of our mangled plane. We were all alive, uninjured but for bruises. We were all praising Bill and Harry for the wonderful crash landing when we saw some flames. We then ran like hell to get away from the plane. Two spotter planes from Nancy circled over us. One managed to land, checked if anyone was injured, then took off with Bill. Much later, a truck with Bill aboard came to pick us up. The rest of the story was making our way to Paris where a C-47 was waiting to take us back to our base. We later discovered that we crashed very close to the front lines and the land wasn't in American hands for very long. The day after getting to our base we were once again flying a bombing mission over German-held territory. Plane 42-50813 after the Clower crew made a controlled crash-landing in France. Photo from Phil Johnson.

Nehring, #647: Landed at B-51 due to lack of fuel. The nose wheel collapsed at take-off on the return trip but no one was injured. The plane was salvaged.

Decker, #223: B-50

Stoddard, #345: The crew bailed out near Cheddington with the plane crashing at Tuddenham. The crew was safe (although Sgt Logue sprained his ankle). The plane was salvaged.

Wade, #868: A-61

Low Squadron

Eggleston, #670 B-53

Bilz, #249 RAF Sherbourn

Rose, #448 B-53

Duff, #240 B-53

Tays, #313 B-53

Vickers, #121 A-6. This plane was seen on the bomb run at 1158 hours with #4 engine feathered and hit by flak in #2 engine. It was sighted after bombs away at 1204 with smoke coming out under the left wing and nearly being struck with bombs released from the lead ship of the high squadron. The bomber was last seen losing altitude and trailing beneath the formation, under control with two engines feathered and no chutes observed. Two P-51 fighters were seen escorting the crippled Liberator out of the target area. This aircrew was initially listed as MIA but on the 22nd of January it was learned that all members had bailed out safely southwest of Metz toward Conflans-en-Jarny as the ship had lost a third engine by AA fire on the route out just south of Frankfurt. Two members of this crew, the Flight Engineer and Radio Operator, suffered severe leg injuries during the bailout and were placed in the 106th U.S. Army Field Hospital near Metz as were the Co-Pilot and one Waist Gunner with lesser injuries. It was later recognized that the Engineer and Navigator of Vickers' crew had accomplished superior tasks in splicing and rerouting damaged fuel lines as well as navigating the crippled aircraft around heavy enemy defenses to a safe bailout point within friendly lines.

Garcia, #636 RAF Cuningsby

Cerrato, #772 Landing field unknown

Tokarsky, #511 Y-34 near Metz due to fuel shortage. Returned to base on January 22.

High Squadron

Meehan, #480 The crew was forced to crash land at B-53 (near Armentiers, France) due to low fuel. Waist gunner S/Sgt D.H. Lange got a cut on his eye, abrasions in both legs, and was in slight shock. The other waist gunner, S/Sgt Paul D. Conner, had cuts on his eyes, abrasions on his left shoulder and arm. The plane was salvaged.

Linzmeier, #659 B-53

Smith, #302 A-61

Novik, #489 The crew was forced to bail out on the Continent due to fuel shortage. The mishap occurred near St. Maur, France, at approximately 1330 hours. Two members of the crew, tragically, were killed; see the Casualties Not List in MACR report below for details. The aircraft was salvaged.

Ross, #357 B-53

Raczko, #409 B-53

Harcus, #464 A-50

Blakeley, #991 Landed at Luneville. There was no apparent damage to the aircraft but the #2 engine quit immediately upon leaving the target area. The ship was left in care of the 1st Service Command. Sgt E.J. Fugarazzo had been wounded; he was left at Luneville Emergency Hospital.

All crews landing away returned to base the next day except as indicated. As the curtain rang down on this heavy loss mission, the 392nd had only eight serviceable B-24s left on the station which prompted stand down of the Group on 17 January.

An aircraft investigation board later investigated the circumstances of 2/Lt Stoddard's crash landing. Their report said, "While coming back over France with formation, the copilot picked up VHF message which, in part, instructed Division to land at certain specified fields on the continent. The pilot interpreted this message to mean, 'if low on fuel, land on the continent, if not, land at home base.'

His radio operator tried to contact his home base HF/DF Station to get a weather report. He could not contact this station until they were approximately 50 miles from the field. When contact was finally made he was instructed to proceed to a diversionary field in Northern England. He did not have enough fuel (by his own calculations) to get there. He then tried to get in at his home base but found 0/0 conditions there. He climbed up to 3,000 feet and proceeded to emergency field at Woodbridge but found similar conditions there. During this time his radio operator was attempting to get weather from Air Sea Rescue, Division and other sources but was unsuccessful. His fuel was getting seriously low so he decided to abandon the aircraft as there was no possibility of attempting a landing. He bailed the crew out at 5,000 feet. He left the aircraft on a 90 degree heading on Auto-Pilot."

English witnesses at Fleur De Lys Farm near Dagnall, Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, later told investigators, "I heard the a/c coming from southeast of our house, very low. The engines seemed to be sputtering, and then heard the crash on the hill."

The Sub Depot at AAF Station 113 later reported that the aircraft crashed in a wooded lot and was completely demolished; oxygen panels, AFCE servo units, tires, wheels, etc, were partially recoverable; Sub-Depot removed a part of the radio equipment, all of which was beyond repair. Pilot Stoddard was slightly injured but no one else was.

---

The next day, 17 January 1944, the 392nd's Photo Interpreter wrote this report: "Finally after an extra day of waiting for the ships to return, we have the bombing results of this deep penetration. Led by the 44th the Group was to hit Ruhland oil plant, but due to some unknown error that isn't what the 392nd hit.

Our lead squadron, the 577th, went in past the target and finding the great aluminum works at Lauta dead ahead, they bombed it in place of the primary. For a target of opportunity they really did all right. It was a very important target and the bombing was excellent. Observed results were, 2 near misses on the foundry, 1 near miss on a cooling tower, 10 hits in the reduction furnaces area, 8 hits on a large building, 3 hits in the transformers, 5 hits in some cooling towers, 7 hits on another building, and a very heavy concentration all across the ferro-vanadium plant. Another heavy concentration was across the center of the plant and transformers. A really all right job and should cripple the plant for a time at least.

Next came the high right 576th Squadron and due to a mechanical failure they didn't bomb till on the route home. Here they dropped on a snow covered hill side near the town of Marbach. Except for hits on minor roads no damage was done.

Last was the 578th low Squadron. They went over beyond the lead squadron and bombed a small plant connected to the big one the 577th found. Observed results were 6 hits on the narrow gauge railroad line, some possible hits on the plant under the smoke, and other hits on the edge of the quarry. Not too much damage visible, but a good choice in a target of opportunity.

To sum it up the primary target was not bombed by our Group but the target found and hit by the 577th was a very good choice and should hurt the Jerries plenty."

CASUALTIES NOT LISTED IN MACR
2/LT Fife, Robert M. (N) 576th KIA
S/S Glass, Richard D. (NG) 576th KIA

These men were on 1/Lt Novik's crew aboard #42-51121 (which was on its 36th combat mission). They took off at about 0745 hours and dropped (12) 500-pound bombs on a secondary target in the vicinity of Leipzig at about 1330 hours. The flight duration was long and the route in and out was circuitous, navigation-wise.

On the return route, gas reserves ran low and the ship left formation to land after informing the Group leader. Gas ran out and the crew abandoned ship at 1530 hours. Parachutes were used by all crew members. Copilot 2/Lt J.H. Graves, T/Sgt R.O. Hildebrand, and gunner Sgt H.Q. Malone suffered minor injuries. The body of S/Sgt Glass was found about one-half mile from the ship; his parachute apparently opened late. The body of 2/Lt Fife was found near the ship, parachute unopened. A Quartermaster unit brought the remaining crewmen to Station A-73 (Roye-Amy), 391st BG. The aircraft was completely wrecked near St. Maur; its radar equipment was turned over to the station Provost Marshall and military police guarded the airplane and bodies.

An investigation of the scene of the accident indicated that the deaths were probably due to the extreme low altitude of the plane at the time the jump was made. Wide distribution of the wreckage along an up-grade pointed to the conclusion that the plane flew into the ground at a fairly flat angle of glide.

S/Sgt Glass is interred in the Epinal American Cemetery in France. His grave is A-41-38 and awards were an Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Sgt. Glass was from West Virginia. 2/Lt Fife is interred at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Section C-6, Site 8347.

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16 JANUARY 1945

MISSION #229      Target: Lauta (Dresden)

16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 659 P Linzmeier, R.B. 2nd Lt. CP Fisher, R.M. 2nd Lt. N Oppenheim, R. F/O B Miller, S. 1st Lt. E Connor, E.J. T/Sgt. R Hughes, C.B. Sgt. RW Specht, C.O. Sgt. LW Downing, J.E. Sgt. BT - - TG Watts, F. Sgt. NG Schutze, G.C. 2nd Lt. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 480 P Meehan, J.L. 1st Lt. CP Carey, H.V. 1st Lt. N McAfee, S.P. 2nd Lt. NT Lynch, R.C. S/Sgt. E  Cohen, H.J. T/Sgt. R Candido, C.D. T/Sgt. RW Lange, D.H. S/Sgt. LW Conner, P.P. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Borraccini, P.J. S/Sgt. . 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 489 P Novik, A.J. 1st Lt. CP Graves, J.H. 2nd Lt. N Fife, R.N. 2nd Lt. (KIA) B Glass, R.D. S/Sgt. (KIA) E DiMarco, F.J. S/Sgt. R Hildebrand, R.O. S/Sgt. RW Watkins, M.F. S/Sgt. LW Graves, R.H. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Buckley, C.A. S/Sgt. RCM Malone, H.Q. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 302 P Smith, K.A. 1st Lt. CP Perkins, G.A. 2nd Lt. N Vealey, S.L. F/O NG Dodge, H.F. S/Sgt. E Benadum, T.E. T/Sgt. R Carlstrand, R.E. T/Sgt. RW Flesey, R.J. S/Sgt. LW Hamment, R.E. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Rubinstein, S.J. S/Sgt. RCM Allen, P. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 991 P Blakeley, W.G. 2nd Lt. CP Schoelerman, H.A. 2nd Lt. N Walker, C.S. 2nd Lt. B - - E Sevier, R. Pvt. R Spades, R.J. Sgt. RW Amodeo, F.A. Pvt. LW Fugarazzo, E.J. Sgt. BT Talley, E.R. Sgt. TG Law J.L. Sgt. RCM Taylor, J.L. Cpl. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 464 P Harcus, R.W. 2nd Lt. CP Thompson, W.R. 2nd Lt. N Adler, M.N. 2nd Lt. B - - E Thomas, E. S/Sgt. R Shanley, J.V. S/Sgt. RW McInvale, A.L. S/Sgt. LW Marshall, L.C. Sgt. BT - - TG Rosenberg, J.E. Sgt. NG Brennan, R.W. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 409 P Raczko, W. 2nd Lt. CP McGill, C.L. 2nd Lt. N Cline, A.P. F/O B Feldman, P. 2nd Lt. E Reynolds, J.R. Sgt. R VanDeven, J.K. Sgt. RW Holland, J.R. Sgt. LW Parker, R.J. Sgt. BT - - TG Adkins, J.E. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 576th Sqdn. A/C 357 P Ross, J.E. 2nd Lt. CP Crane, F.D. 2nd Lt. N Richner, G.C. F/O NG Hester, T.C. S/Sgt. E Albright, H.B. S/Sgt. R Slechta, M.T. T/Sgt. RW Brooks, V.B. S/Sgt. LW Blackburn, W.F. S/Sgt. BT Arnold, E.S. S/Sgt. TG Cauchon, L.V. S/Sgt.

16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 223 P Decker, J.C. 2nd Lt. CP Biakis, M.J. 2nd Lt. N Johnson, R.G. 2nd Lt. B - - E Demery, R.F. Sgt. R Hadley, M.W. Sgt. RW Kobil, G.F. Sgt. LW Towns, W.L. Sgt. BT Belanger, R.E. Sgt. TG Jarvis, M.A. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 647 P Nehring, E.H. 1st Lt. CP Trigilio, G.J. 2nd Lt. N Farrar, R.B. 2nd Lt. B - - E McJunkin, F.R. T/Sgt. R Dobson, H.J. T/Sgt. RW Koegen, F.J. S/Sgt. LW Harrow, K.J. S/Sgt. BT Thomas, W.J. S/Sgt. TG Kent, C.L. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 901 P Schuster, W.H. 2nd Lt. CP Dougherty, T.V. 2nd Lt. N Harron, R.J. F/O NG Dunn, T.C. S/Sgt. E Pellecchia, R.W. Sgt. R Kohn, F.A. Sgt. RW Englebrecht, L.C. Sgt. LW Maccarrone, A.A. Pvt. BT - - TG Sablitz, P. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 118 P Cohn, A.J. 2nd Lt. CP Runyon, D.S. 2nd Lt. N Flugel, R.R. F/O B - - E Cross, G.H. S/Sgt. R Kincaid, M.M. S/Sgt. RW Korpi, W.B. Sgt. LW Nogales, D. S/Sgt. BT Norton, W.R. S/Sgt. TG Avery, W.R. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 898 (no mission credit) P Popek, E. 2nd Lt. CP Henry, H.E. 2nd Lt. N Frederickson, L.T. 2nd Lt. NT Irvine, E.C. S/Sgt. E Bombardier, W.J. T/Sgt. R Yuhas, G. T/Sgt. RW Trofnoff, F. S/Sgt. LW Thompson, J.R. T/Sgt. BT - - TG Swee, E.A. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 868 P Wade, B.L. 2nd Lt. CP Grabarkiewicz, L. F/O N Sanders, L.L. Jr. 2nd Lt. B Somerhalder, W.R. F/O E Pergande, B.E. Cpl. R Luniewicz, T.E. Cpl. RW Kudej, R.W. Cpl. LW Jamar, J.L. Jr. Cpl. BT - - TG Townsend, E.S. Cpl. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 345 P Stoddard, K.L. 2nd Lt. CP Wilson, J.A. 2nd Lt. N Koke, D.H. 2nd Lt. B Santoro, M.P. F/O E O'Hara, R.F. Sgt. R Logue, R.V. Sgt. RW Hoffman, R.A. Sgt. LW Hores, G.P. Sgt. BT - - TG Szews, S.M. Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 577th Sqdn. A/C 813 P Clower, W.J. 2nd Lt. CP Reel, H.D. 2nd Lt. N Williams, R.B. 2nd Lt. B - - E Tomaszewski, E.A. T/Sgt. R Stroh, J.E. T/Sgt. RW Galvin, G.M. S/Sgt. LW Schumacher, A.H. S/Sgt. BT Letourneau, D.R. S/Sgt. TG Hendrickson, R.H. S/Sgt. RCM Steffen, N.W. S/Sgt.

16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 838 (no mission credit) P Byrne, C.E. 1st Lt. CP Schmitt, F.J. 2nd Lt. N Lasker, M. F/O B Heilman, R.C. S/Sgt. E Bennett, L.F. T/Sgt. R Trapp, M.W. T/Sgt. RW Libby, J.E. S/Sgt. LW Wagner, F.E. S/Sgt. BT Simpson, V.H. S/Sgt. TG Alper, M.A. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 772 P Cerrato, V.H. 2nd Lt. CP Addison, A.E. 2nd Lt. N Marcelli, A.F. 2nd Lt. B Ramos, R. 2nd Lt. E Lee, R.M. S/Sgt. R Ewell, A.J. S/Sgt. RW Lamson, P.M. S/Sgt. LW Burrell, M.L. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Warwick, F.W. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 249 P Bilz, J.J. 2nd Lt. CP Slayter, D.W. 2nd Lt. N Barnes, J.M. 2nd Lt. B Overman, D.T. 2nd Lt. E Grout, A.G. T/Sgt. R Fahrenbruch, K.G. T/Sgt. RW Poepping, R.F. S/Sgt. LW Beals, B.M. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Ludwig, D.J. S/Sgt. NG Hartman, H.R. 1st Lt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 636 P Garcia, A.R. 2nd Lt. CP Pollack, M. 2nd Lt. N Oakes, H.W. 2nd Lt. NG Westlund, J.K. Sgt. E Landes, I.B. S/Sgt. R Nelson, D.A. T/Sgt. RW Pennington, M.E. S/Sgt. LW Merda, A. Sgt. BT - - TG Rauscher, J.G. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 240 P Duff, A.L. 1st Lt. CP Wilson, T. 1st Lt. N Ott, J.W. 1st Lt. B Parish, J.K. 1st Lt. E Slama, A.R. T/Sgt. R Louizides, S. T/Sgt. RW Haskins, B.D. S/Sgt. LW Smith, W.W. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Harrod, C. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 121 P Vickers, R.E. 2nd Lt. CP Schwarzer, D.E. 2nd Lt. N Roberts, K.E. 2nd Lt. B - - E Markham, E.H. Sgt.  (injured) R Moore, R. Sgt.   (injured) RW Nock, W.H. Sgt. LW Damuth, T.A. Sgt.   (injured) BT Henthorn, W.N. Sgt. TG Leinweber, R.L. Sgt. RCM Frappier, H. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 313 P Tays, R.H. 2nd Lt. CP Ferguson, T.B. F/O N Holzinger, J.J. 1st Lt. B Sorensen, A.C. 1st Lt. E King, C.C. T/Sgt. R Berger, J.T. S/Sgt. RW Coury, G.A. S/Sgt. LW Turner, M.E. S/Sgt. BT Harvie, W.M. S/Sgt. TG Fetterhoff, E.E. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 448 P Rose, P.E. 1st Lt. CP Pratt, D.M. 2nd Lt. N Rohde, C.R. 2nd Lt. B Harnden, R.G. 2nd Lt. E Scott, W.A. T/Sgt. R Croy, O.N. T/Sgt. RW Davidson, S.A. S/Sgt. LW Manelick, N.L. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Beane, H.A. S/Sgt. 16 Jan 1945 578th Sqdn. A/C 511 P Tokarsky, A. 2nd Lt. CP Moore, M.R. F/O N King, F.S. F/O NG Ross, W.  S/Sgt. E Dowling, R.L. S/Sgt. R Vivero, D.L. S/Sgt. RW Ridge, B.E. S/Sgt. LW Granzow, L.J. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Weissbeck, E.A. Sgt.

16 Jan 1945 579th Sqdn. A/C 150 CA Hunsacker, B.W. Capt. P Caldwell, R.R. Capt. CP Conner, J.A. 2nd Lt. N Thornburgh, J.W. 1st Lt. B Cetin, W.F. Capt. E Munden, F.R. T/Sgt. R Westerfield, M.M. T/Sgt. RW Maher, T.O. S/Sgt. LW Conn, J.G. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Bennett, D.F. S/Sgt. PN Walters, J.E. 1st Lt. NV Edmundson, R.H. 1st Lt. 16 Jan 1945 579th Sqdn. A/C 459 (No mission credit) P Daley, J.C. 1st Lt. CP Stebner, O.G. 1st Lt. N Thomas, C.P. 1st Lt. B Cunningham, V.J. 1st Lt. E Minster, G.E. T/Sgt. R Firquain, O.S. T/Sgt. RW Bevill, B.T. S/Sgt. LW Cole, R.A. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Berry, J.F. S/Sgt. MV Barger, G.W. 1st Lt. PN Bailey, D.C. 2nd Lt. 16 Jan 1945 579th Sqdn. A/C 670 P Eggleston, J.W. Capt. CP Peters, M.J. 1st Lt. N Zamor, R.J. 1st Lt. B Hickok, H.E.  1st Lt. E Smith, J.W. T/Sgt. R Nika, L.E. T/Sgt. RW Murray, J.J. S/Sgt. LW Mitchell, R.L. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Mortimer, D.E. Sgt. Wilfahrt, D.W. 1st Lt. NV Adelstein, R.L. 2nd Lt. 16 Jan 1945 579th Sqdn. A/C 103 P Twining, E.S. 1st Lt. CP Perry, R.J. 1st Lt. N Bertoli, L.J. 1st Lt. B Clark, H.J. 1st Lt. E Hostetter, F.E. T/Sgt. R Hinckley, B.J. T/Sgt. RW Grimm, R.H. S/Sgt. LW Maguire, F.H. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Largen, J.E. S/Sgt. NT Lips, T.J. 2nd Lt. NV Tucker, W.L. 2nd Lt.

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