CHAPTER VII FRESHMAN MISSIONS PLUS THE ROUGH ONES, APRIL 1944.

(A) Narrative History.

The history of the 461^st Bombardment Group for the month of April revolves very largely around the flying of combat missions. On days when there were no missions, both the combat crew personnel and the ground personnel improved their housekeeping facilities. The enlisted men’s service club and the officers’ clubs were further improved. Religious services were conducted for the Protestants in the Group by Chaplain Rasmussen, who also made arrangements for Jewish services. The 37^th Service Group Chaplain, Captain Walter F. Junk, regularly conducted the Catholic services. Special Services Officers, Lt. Mente and Lt. Billhart, opened a Group theatre and scheduled a nightly showing of moving pictures. Visitors from other Bomb Groups, the 49^th Bombardment Wing, and the Air Force frequently came and went. Skies cleared, the mud slowly disappeared, and early spring came to Southern Italy.

Although most of this chapter dealing with the events which took place in April concerns the problems and the accomplishments of the combat crews, they were far from being the only officers and men in this organization who really went to work in earnest. The ground officers and men in every Section, both in Headquarters and each Squadron, met the challenge of blasting the enemy with many long hard conscientious hours of labor. After flying five combat missions in six days, the Group was stood down for maintenance on the 8^th of April. Under that date Colonel Glantzberg made the following entry in his diary: “How the ground crews keep going, I don’t see. They are doing a wonderful job.”

On April 4^th Lt. Colonel William B. Keese, Commanding Officer of the 484^th Bombardment Group, and some of the senior members of his staff visited the Base and had lunch in our Headquarters Officers’ Mess. A few days later, on the 9^th and 14^th of April, Lt. Colonel Keese’s Group arrived from Africa. Their planes were stationed on the east side of the field. When the new Group began flying combat missions on the 29^th of April, the problems were presented of having both Groups using one landing strip and one comparatively tight rendezvous area.

By April 4^th the Group had secured a P-40 which was used by Colonel Glantzberg or Lt. Colonel Hawes in herding the planes into formation over the assembly area and in following the formation well out over the Adriatic or the Mediterranean.

Major General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General of the Fifteenth Air Force, paid his first visit to the Group on the 13^th of April and was present to greet Colonel Glantzberg and the crews upon their return from the Budapest mission. With Colonel Lee, Lt. Colonel Hawes, Lt. Colonel Grogan, and Major Scott, the General looked over the set-up at Group Headquarters and in some of the Squadron areas. He also inspected the field. Before leaving, he told Colonel Glantzberg that the 461^st Group was the best new Group he had seen come to the Fifteenth Air Force.

From April 17^th to 28^th, Colonel Glantzberg was a patient in the 61^st Station Hospital at Foggia, where he underwent an operation. In the Colonel’s absence, Lt. Col. Hawes assumed the duties of Commanding Officer. Upon returning from the hospital, Colonel Glantzberg flustered the members of his Staff into a new and even deeper admiration of him by insisting on leading the formation to Alessandria on April 30^th.

(B) Operations.

During the month of April the Group flew a total of sixteen missions to targets, mostly marshalling yards, located in six different countries in Europe: Yugoslavia, Italy, Hungary, Roumania, Austria, and France. There were 508 sorties with 69 early returns, some of which were spares. Tonnage of bombs dropped on targets totaled 874 tons. Claims of enemy fighters were as follows: nine destroyed, four probably destroyed, and one damaged. Six planes and crews were lost to flak.

A chart entitled “Analysis of Operations”, a copy of which constitutes part of this chapter, depicts the breakdown of the accomplishments of each Squadron. Another chart entitled “Mission Summary”, a copy of which also constitutes part of this chapter, presents more of an overall picture of the Group’s operations for the month of April.

MISSIONS

Mission No. 1, 1 April 1944 – Senigallia R.R. Bridge, Italy (Cancelled)

The morning of 1 April 1944 crews were briefed for their first target. This target was a railroad bridge at Senigallia, Italy. Weather was bad when crews went to their planes. Flares from the tower delayed take-off. Mission finally stood down at 1100 o’clock much to the disappointment of the whole Group.

Mission No. 1, 2 April 1944 – Bihac M/Y, Yugoslavia

The first mission flown by the Group was that to the Bihac Marshalling Yard in Yugoslavia. This mission was led, of course, by Colonel Glantzberg. Flight Leader 1^st Lt. Joseph N. Donovan was the lead pilot with Colonel Glantzberg flying as his co-pilot. Captain Marion M. Pruitt, Group Navigator, was the navigator on the lead plane with 1^st Lt. George V. Leffler, Group Bombardier, as the bombardier. The Deputy Group Commander, Lt. Colonel Philip R. Hawes; the Group Operations Officer, Major William Burke; and four Squadron Commanders, Major James B. Knapp, Major Robert E. Applegate, Captain James C. Dooley and Captain Edwin T. Goree flew the mission either leading a flight or as a Deputy Leader in the No. 2 position in “A” Flight of each Section. Two of the Squadron Operations Officers, Captain William J. Franklin and 1^st Lt. William H. Tallant, also flew on this mission.

The weather was excellent; the bomb load consisted of fragmentation bombs. All members of the crews were intensely interested in watching their first bombs hit a target. As a result, two planes collided over the target and were lost. One of those planes was piloted by 1^st Lt. William H. Zumsteg; the other one by 2^nd Lt. Sidney S. Wilson.

Intops Summary No. 255, 2 April 1944. “35 B-24’s of the 461^st Bomb Group off on freshman mission dropped 61.5 tons of 20 lb. Frags between 1131/1137 hours from 19,000/20,000 feet. Five A/C jettisoned 9.5 tons, while 1 A/C dropped 1.8 tons on Pianosa Island. Six additional A/C returned early. 4 E/A were seen in target area but there were no encounters and no claims. Two B-24’s were lost due to a collision at the rally point. Results reported by crew observations indicate 40 to 60% of bombs in target area with heavy smoke in south part of M/Y. Bomb strike photos available give incomplete coverage of bursts.”

Mission No. 2, 3 April 1944 – Drnis M/Y, Yugoslavia

The next day the Group was back to Yugoslavia again on another of its freshman missions. This time the target was the marshalling yard at Drnis. Lt. Colonel Hawes was the formation leader while Colonel Glantzberg flew as a Second Section Leader. Flying in the lead plane with Lt. Colonel Hawes were the pilot, Flight Leader 1^st Lt. Floyd W. Woodard; Captain Pruitt; and Lt. Leffler. Again Major Burke, the four Squadron Commanders, and the two Squadron Operations Officers who had not flown the previous day: Captain William J. Bock and Captain David P. McQuillan also flew this mission. The air speed flown by the lead plane was too slow with the result that the formation was badly spread.

The day was hazy and Group leaders had difficulty in identifying the target against the tan background of early spring. The mission was not as successful as had been the first one, and the crew members began to realize that targets were not easy to identify and hit.

Mission No. 3, 5 April 1944 – Nis M/Y, Yugoslavia

This mission was led by Major Robert E. Applegate, 765^th Squadron Commander. Colonel Glantzberg flew the deputy lead position. The Deputy Group Commander, the Group Operations Officer, and all the Squadron Commanders also flew this mission.

To the haze that had been experienced on the second mission was added 8/10 undercast for this third mission. As a result of the haze, the undercast, and the tan background on the ground, the target was missed completely. For the first and only time during the month no pictures of the bombing were obtained.

The formation was the best thus far flown by the Group. Several mistakes, however, were made. The Group failed a 360º circle and let down to bomb below the overcast; it failed to get on the step before the bomb run; it failed to cover a cripple on the way home; and it also failed to get under the overcast for the return trip home across the Adriatic.

Mission No. 4, 6 April 1944 – Zagreb A/D, Yugoslavia

The 764^th Squadron Commander, Captain Edwin T. Goree, did an outstanding job in leading this mission. The lead pilot, 2^nd Lt. James O. Bean, his bombardier; 2^nd Lt. George B. Cran; and the Squadron Navigator, 1^st Lt. Earl M. DeWitt were the officers on the lead plane. For the fourth day in succession the freshman mission took the Group to Yugoslavia.

The mission was another fragmentation mission; this time to the north end of the airdrome at Zagreb. Nine-tenths cloud coverage obscured the target and only fifteen of the thirty-one planes over the target dropped their bombs. This was the first mission on which the Group had fighter escort and was its first encounter with enemy fighters. The attack was made by six ME-109s and by nine FW-190s. One enemy plane was shot down. This fighter was claimed by S/Sgt. Melborn Dale Williamson the top turret gunner on a plane in the 765^th Squadron.

The plane flown by 2^nd Lt. John K. Specht and Major Robert E. Applegate, which did not drop its bombs on the target, developed a fire in the bomb bay that led to an explosion when the bombs were jettisoned over the Adriatic returning from the target. Three members of the crew left the plane and were lost. They were: the bombardier, 2^nd Lt. William S. Sullivan; the navigator, 2^nd Lt. Harold E. Milne; and the nose turret gunner, Sgt. John J. Marszalkiewics. Near the Base the seven remaining members of the crew abandoned the plane and parachuted safely to earth. Crew members were rapidly learning that combat missions are dangerous. As a result of this mission all crew members developed a deep-seated and persistent dislike for fragmentation bombs.

The Commanding Officer, the Deputy Group Commander, the Group Operations Officer, and the four Squadron Commanders, and two of the Squadron Operations Officers all flew this mission.

Mission No. 5, 7 April 1944 – Ferrara M/Y, Italy

Freshman mission days were now behind. Instead of flying individual missions, the Group was assigned for the first time to fly Wing formation. This was the first of several missions to be flown with the Groups with the 55^th Wing.

Beginning with this mission the Group began to curtail on the number of executive pilots flying every mission. As a result of the experiences gained in the former missions, Colonel Glantzberg ordered that an exceptionally competent bombardier or navigator should ride in the nose turret of the lead ship to assist in pilotage. 1^st Lt. Stiles, 766^th Squadron Bombardier, flew this mission in that capacity.

Although the crews did not sense it when they were briefed for their fifth mission on Good Friday morning, their missions were getting tougher. Their target was the first one which the Group had been assigned in Italy, that of the South Marshalling Yard, Ferrara. Colonel Glantzberg, Lt. Donovan, Captain Pruitt, and Lt. Leffler, who had led the first mission, were back again in the lead. Again enemy aircraft were seen but not encountered. The pilots all did a superior job of formation flying on this mission. Over the target the Group experienced intense, aimed, and extremely accurate heavy flak for the first time. Despite this new shocking experience the crews did an outstanding job. Having seen enemy fighters for the second time, having been hit hard over the target by enemy anti-aircraft guns, and having really covered the target with a beautiful pattern of bombing, the crew members began to believe they were veterans. There was no stopping this Group after confidence built in all personnel by the success of this mission.

Intops Summary No. 260, 7 April 1944. “33 B-24’s of the 461^st Bomb Group were dispatched. There were no early returns and all bombed primary dropping 66 tons of 500 lb GP bombs at 1310 hours from 21,000 feet. 5 S/E aircraft and 4 Ju-88s were seen in the distance 15 miles S.E. of target. Flak at the target was intense, accurate, heavy, aimed type. There were no losses. Photo reconnaissance photos show bombing exceedingly well concentrated on the target area, and in addition to hits which have totally blocked the yards and inflicted much damage on rolling stock, several damaging hits have been scored on industrial buildings, including the reported ball-bearing plant West of the yard. The main weight of the bombs fell on South end of the M/Y and the loco depot, damaging many of the approximately 200 cars present and at least two locos. Hits were scored on the immediate approach to the South end of the river railroad bridge which completely blocks the yard; on the sugar refinery, flour mill, goods shed West of the main line tracks; and two large buildings just to the East of the yard. Observation of other evidenced damage is hampered by the smoke from fires started in the area.”

MEDITERRANEAN ALLIED PHOTO RECONNAISANCE WING.

SECRET 10^th April 1944

INTERPRETATION REPORT No. D.B. 43. ITALY.

683 Squadron Sortie P.177, dated 10^th April 1944 mean time 1600 hours shows:

Ferrara M/Y.

Attacked by 33 B-24s on 7^th April 1944.

Last report AI/219, dated 14^th February 1944.

Through lines are open. The main weight of the attack has fallen on the Southern end of the M/Yd, and on industrial plant in the vicinity. Some clearance and repairs are noted to areas in the town previously damaged, and to the Transformer Station, to the South, and the Canepificio Minificio Milano Hemp Factory, northwest of the M/Yd.

(1) Soc. E. Sercizio Molini Flour Mill smoldering at the time of photography and more than three quarters destroyed.

(2) At least three hits on the Southern approach to the R/R bridge have cut through tracks to BOLOGNA and branch lines to Poggio Rusco, and Porto Maggiore, but two lines have been repaired and repairs still in progress on two others. Road bridge to the East almost severed.

(3) Damage to three out-buildings of Canepificio Sinz Hemp Mill, one building one quarter destroyed, and two half destroyed by fire and H.E.

(4) Further damage, or clearance to North side of main building of the C.S. Hemp Mill. (See also 3)

(5) Additional damage to buildings in the Zuccherificio Bonora Sugar Refinery, which was already largely destroyed.

(6) Several hits in M/Yd cutting tracks and wrecking rolling stock, but through lines have been opened, and a train is seen moving south at time of photography.

(7) Direct hit cutting tracks into car shops.

(8) Moderately large R/R buildings further damaged and partially demolished.

(9) Heavy damage to main building of factory believed to be the Fratelli Zanzi Aero Engine Valve Factory. Three out if six large bays with curved roofs have been completely destroyed. Construction activity just E. of here.

(10) Direct hit on main building of the I.M.I. Ball Bearing factory.

(11) Unidentified ‘L’ shaped building half destroyed.

(12) Clearance of previously damaged area in Canepificio Linificio Milano Hemp Factory. (Not on print distributed)

(13) Industrial Siding probably cut and repaired.

Annotated Print Distributed: Prints: Comparative:

4077 4090-4092, 4076-4078 P.94, 3110-3113, 4093-4098

COMMENDATION

As a result of this highly successful mission, the following commendation was received in the form of a TWX message from Major General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General of the Fifteenth Air Force:

“FROM: TWINING, CG 15AF

“TO: CO 461 BG

“FOR THE EXCELLENT BOMBING PATTERN ON ATTACK OF FERRARA, ITALY, MARSHALLING YARDS AS EVIDENCED BY STRIKE PHOTOS, I DESIRE TO SEND ‘WELL DONE’ TO THE 461 GROUP.”

Missions No. 6: 8, 9, 11 April 1944.

On the 8th of April and again on the 9th, missions were briefed for the marshalling yard at Zagreb, Yugoslavia. Both missions were stood down. On 11 April 1944 still another mission was stood down. Target for that day was to have been the M/Y at Bologna, Italy.

Mission No. 6, 12 April 1944 – Zagreb M/Y, Yugoslavia

After four days of inactivity, Mission No. 6 was flown on 12 April. The target was the marshalling yard at Zagreb. Despite a four-tenths undercast and much flak, the crews did an excellent job.

Mission No. 7, 13 April 1944 – Duna (Tokol) A/C Factory, Budapest, Hungary.

For the seventh mission, which was against the Duna Tokol A/C Components Factory at Budapest, RDX bombs were used for the first time by this Group. Major Burke flew as Group leader for the first time. On this mission a total of 58 enemy aircraft were seen. Several encounters were experienced, three enemy planes were destroyed and three more claimed as probable. Twin-engine enemy airplanes fired rockets at the formation. Single engine enemy airplanes flew parallel with the Group at a safe distance and radioed headings, altitude, and air speed to their ground installations. Flak over the target was intense, accurate, and heavy. Two bombers were lost over the target. 1^st Lt. Charles W. Bauman, flying the deputy lead position in “A” Flight of the second Section, had part of a wing shot off by flak. His plane fell into the plane in the number 4 position of the same flight, which was piloted by 2^nd Lt. Paul S. Mowery. A third plane flown by 2^nd Lt. Kay B. Steele, which had come off the target with the formation, failed to return to the Base. Colonel Glantzberg, who was flying as co-pilot in a plane in the second Section, led a small formation of planes in chasing attacking Ju-88s away from this damaged plane. He was unable, however, to stay with the plane because of an undercast. Fifteen planes were damaged over this target.

Again the Group turned in an excellent mission by dropping 45 per cent of its bombs within 1,000 feet of the briefed aiming point on a comparatively rectangular building well hidden in woods.

COMMENDATION

From General Twining on the following day came the following TWX through channels:

“FROM: TWINING CITE FAF ABLE 16

“TO: CO 461^ST BOMB GROUP

“IT IS DESIRED THAT YOU EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION TO ALL PARTICIPATING PERSONNEL IN YESTERDAY’S COUNTER AIR FORCE OPERATIONS FOR DOING AN ESPECIALLY FINE JOB. THE 460, 461, AND 483 BOMB GROUPS DID ESPECIALLY GOOD BOMBING ALTHOUGH RELATIVELY INEXPERIENCED. THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF THE FIGHTER UNITS AND THEIR EXCELLENT ESCORT WORK CONTRIBUTED IMMEASURABLY TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS OUTSTANDING OPERATION.”

“PS: KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.”

THE 49^TH WING ADDS ITS PROUD COMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL’S EVALUATION OF YOUR WORK.

The following TWX was also received after this mission:

“FROM: LEE CO 49^TH BOMB WING

“TO: COMMANDING OFFICER, 451^ST 461^ST 484^TH BOMB GROUPS APO 520

“THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE FROM THE FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE IS QUOTED FOR YOUR INFORMATION. CITE FAF BAKER 13 – I AM HAPPY TO PASS ON THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM THE COMMANDING GENERAL, EIGHT AIR FORCE. ‘THE EIGHT AIR FORCE JOINS ME IN CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR RECENT OPERATIONS. WE OF THE EIGHT FULLY APPRECIATE THE EFFECT OF THESE OPERATIONS TOWARD ACCOMPLISHING OUR JOINT MISSION.’”

Mission No. 8, 14 April 1944 – Chitila M/Y at Bucharest, Roumania (Cancelled)

Mission No. 8, 15 April 1944 - Chitila M/Y at Bucharest, Roumania

With Mission No. 8 the Group was off on its first mission to Roumania. Bad weather built up over Yugoslavia and there was nine-tenths cloud coverage in the target area. Bombs were dropped, but the results were unobserved. Twenty enemy aircraft were seen but there were no encounters.

Mission No. 9, 16 April 1944 – Belgrade Zemun A/D, Yugoslavia

The primary target for this mission was the Brasov Airdrome in Roumania. Bad weather experienced the day previous on the Bucharest Mission had moved westward and built up to over 20,000 feet. Nineteen of the thirty-four planes to take off lost the formation in the clouds over Yugoslavia and returned to the Base. Fourteen others individually worked their way to the top of cloud formations and reformed on Colonel Glantzberg who chose the last resort target, Belgrade Zemun A/D in Yugoslavia, as his target.

Fragmentation bombs were dropped with unobserved results through haze and six-tenths cloud coverage. Again twenty enemy aircraft were seen without any encounters. Half of the planes over the target were hit by flak and one was lost through flak over the target. On this plane, piloted by 1^st Lt. Floyd W. Woodard, were the members of one of the four original “model crews”.

Mission No. 10, 17 April 1944 – Belgrade Zemun A/D, Yugoslavia

The primary target for this mission was the last resort target of yesterday. This time the target was completely obscured by clouds and no fragmentation bombs were dropped. This was Major Knapp’s first mission as Group leader.

Mission No. 11, 20 April 1944 – Tagliamento Casarsa RR Bridge, Italy

Reconnaissance photography having revealed that the enemy had partially repaired the damage this Group had done to the South Marshalling Yard at Ferrara, Italy on April 7^th, the Group was reassigned to hit another section of the same target. Because of bad weather over the primary target the Group went on to bomb the first alternative, the Tagliamento Casarsa Railroad Bridge at the head of the Adriatic in Italy. This was the first attempt of the Group to bomb a bridge. The cloud coverage was seven-tenths. Coming down the river and hitting the target at right angles, the Group scored several hits on both the railroad bridge and the highway bridge beyond it. Fifteen per cent of the bombs dropped were plotted within a 1,000 feet of the briefed aiming point. Thirteen enemy aircraft seen by the Group made no passes at the formation.

Mission No. 12, 21 April 1944 – Chitila M/Y at Bucharest, Roumania

Again the target was the Chitila M/Y, Bucharest, Roumania, and again the weather was bad. A solid undercast prevented bombing with the result that all bombs were jettisoned in the Adriatic. Forty enemy aircraft were seen, several were encountered, and one was shot down. A nose gunner, Sgt. W.G. Rollins, became the first casualty on a crew when his face was cut by shell casings from another plane.

Mission No. 13, 23 April 1944 – Bad Voslau A/D, Austria

When the crew members learned at briefing that they were to attack their first target in Vienna Area, they fully realized that they were now in the big time. Before our Group hit its target the 304^th Wing had performed an outstanding job in practically demolishing the buildings at the Airdrome. Uncovering the three flights of each Section in approaching the target, the Group, led for the first time by Captain Dooley, completely sprayed the landing field with fragmentation bombs. The bombing pattern was one of perfection. The returning crews doubted if it would ever be necessary to return again to that target. Several encounters were had with twenty-three enemy fighters, two of which were claimed as probably destroyed. Fourteen planes over the target were hard hit by flak.

There were two casualties as a result of this mission: Bombardier, F/O R.B. Stewart, and a ball turret gunner, Sgt. P.N. Godino, both on 2^nd Lt. G. Fulks’ crew. Each was hit in the foot by flak.

COMMENDATION

“FROM: OPERATIONS OFFICE 49^TH BOMB WING

“TO: COMMANDING OFFICERS, 451^ST, 461^ST, 484^TH BOMB GROUPS

“THE BOMBING OF BAD VOSLAU, 23 APRIL, BY THE 49^TH WING WAS EXCELLENT. PLEASE PASS TO ALL PARTICIPATING MY COMMENDATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE. COL. LEE DESIRES TO EXPRESS APPRECIATION FOR A JOB WELL DONE.”

“LEE”

Mission No. 14, 24 April 1944 – Chitila M/Y, Bucharest, Roumania

For the third time during the month the Group went to Chitila Marshalling Yard at Bucharest, Roumania. This time the weather was CAVU with haze. The target was picked up by the lead plane, but unfortunately a bomb rack malfunction temporarily held up the bombs in the lead plane, which overshot the target. This was also true of most of the planes in the first attack unit who were dropping on the section leader. The second Section saved the day for the Group by getting 11 per cent of all the bombs dropped by the Group on the briefed aiming point. The flak was intense and heavy, but inaccurate. Of the twenty-five enemy fighters seen, several were encountered, one was destroyed, and one was damaged.

Mission No. 15, 25 April 1944 – Nord A/D, Wiener Neustadt, Austria (Cancelled)

Mission No. 15, 26 April 1944 – Wollerdorf A/D, Wiener Neustadt, Austria (Cancelled)

Mission No. 15, 27 April 1944 – Wollerdorf A/D, Wiener Neustadt, Austria (Cancelled)

Mission No. 15, 29 April 1944 – Submarine Pens, Toulon Harbor, France

This mission took the Group on its first trip to France and to a target in the sixth country of Europe that the Group bombed during the month of April. This was the first mission on which the 451^st, the 461^st and the 484^th flew as the Groups of the 49^th Bombardment Wing. The mission provided another new experience for the Group in that the target had been previously obscured by a perfect smoke screen from smudge pots situated both on shore and on ships in the harbor. For the first time the Group used 1,000-pound bombs. Results were unobserved, but no bombs were believed to have hit the target. The Group Bombardier, Captain Leffler, who was the lead bombardier on the mission and who had already turned in five successful missions during the month, both laughed at and cursed the clever Kraut.

Mission No. 16, 30 April 1944 – Alessandria M/Y, Italy

For the last mission of the month the Group was back to Italy and to its marshalling yard targets. The target, a large one, was hard hit, but the bombs were scattered across a long area. Colonel Glantzberg was most unhappy when the pictures showed that only 17 per cent of the bombs had hit the aiming point of this easily identified target, especially since the weather was CAVU, and there were neither flak nor fighters to interfere with the bombing.

MISSING IN ACTION
Rank	Name	Home Town	Mission
			Date	Target
1^st Lt.	William H. Zumsteg	Burlinggame, Cal,	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	John C. Fuller Jr.	Lumberton, N.C.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	George M. Felbar	Irvington, N.J.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Joseph J. Repko	Freeland, Pa.	4/2/44	Bihac
M/Sgt.	Oscar R. Ives	Diagonal, Ia.	4/2/44	Bihac
S/Sgt.	Woodrow P. Clayton	Houston, Tex.	4/2/44	Bihac
S/Sgt.	Antonio P. Lerma	Laredo, Tex.	4/2/44	Bihac
S/Sgt.	Andrew J. Allocco	Rochester, N.Y.	4/2/44	Bihac
S/Sgt.	Alvin J. Kadlecek	Sugar Island, Tex.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Sidney S. Wilson	Buffalo, N.Y.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Emil L. Whitney	Kooskia, Idaho	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Harlan P. Ross	Maywood, N.J.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Joseph W. Loftus Jr.	Burlington, Cal.	4/2/44	Bihac
T/Sgt.	Irving G. Wallace	Wyoming, N.Y.	4/2/44	Bihac
S/Sgt.	Gerald Goldstein	Brooklyn, N.Y.	4/2/44	Bihac
Sgt.	Edward G. Ulrich	Fort Lee, N.J.	4/2/44	Bihac
Sgt.	Dale V. Fine	Drumright, Okla.	4/2/44	Bihac
Sgt.	Homer D. Childs	Southington, Conn.	4/2/44	Bihac
Sgt.	Clifford A. McCoy	Campton, Mo.	4/2/44	Bihac
2^nd Lt.	Harold E. Milne	Barre, Vt.	4/6/44	Zagreb
2^nd Lt.	William S. Sullivan	Los Angeles, Cal.	4/6/44	Zagreb
Sgt.	John J. Marszalkiewicz	Baltimore, Md.	4/6/44	Zagreb
2^nd Lt.	Kay B. Steale	Idaho Falls, Idaho	4/13/44	Budapest
2^nd Lt.	Ralph M. McKinney	Aurora, Illinois	4/13/44	Budapest
2^nd Lt.	Charles M. Smith Jr.	Idaho Falls, Idaho	4/13/44	Budapest
2^nd Lt.	Jack R. Severns	Long Beach, Cal.	4/13/44	Budapest
Cpl.	Charles A. Humphress	Indianapolis, Ind.	4/13/44	Budapest
S/Sgt.	John F. Reynolds	Madison, Wis.	4/13/44	Budapest
Sgt.	Even G. Medellin	Hebbronville, Tex.	4/13/44	Budapest
S/Sgt.	Richard G. Lyke	Edmonds, Wash.	4/13/44	Budapest
Sgt.	Stanley A. Kosierowski	Brooklyn, N.Y.	4/13/44	Budapest
Sgt.	Merle A. Troup	Washington, D.C.	4/13/44	Budapest
2^nd Lt.	Philip J. Caroselli	Jersey City, N.J.	4/13/44	Budapest
1^st Lt.	Charles W. Bauman	Dallas, Tex.	4/13/44	Budapest
2^nd Lt.