CHAPTER XVIII - THE 461^ST AFTER EIGHTEEN MONTHS

(A) Narrative History

As has been repeatedly stated elsewhere in this History, the 461^st Heavy Bombardment Group was ordered activated as of July 1, 1943. It actually was activated at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, 11 August 1943. In January of 1944, having completed its training, it moved overseas from the United States to the Mediterranean Theater of Operation and by the end of February of that year was established at the Army Air Base at Torretta, Italy.

By the end of February 1945, therefore, the Group was almost eighteen months old and had been overseas for a year. A complete list of staff personnel for the Group and each of the four Squadrons is herein listed for the eighteen months period from 11 August 1943 to 28 February 1945 inclusive.

GROUP STAFF Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Colonel

Willis G. Carter

12 Aug 43 to 25 Oct 43

Colonel

Frederic E. Glantzberg

25 Oct 43 to 22 Sept 44

Lt Col and Colonel

Philip R. Hawes

22 Sept 44 to 20 Dec 44

Lt Col and Colonel

Brooks A. Lawhon

20 Dec 44 to Date

Deputy Commanding Officer

Major

Robert E. Smith

11 Aug 43 to 3 Nov 43

Lt Colonel

Philip R. Hawes

3 Nov 43 to 22 Sept 44

Lt Colonel

Brooks A. Lawhon

22 Sept 44 to 20 Dec 44

Lt Colonel

Otha D. Hardy, Jr.

20 Dec 44 to Date

Executive Officer

Lt Colonel

Edwin W. Grogan

11 Aug 43 to Date

S-1 - Personnel

Adjutant

Major

R. Foster Scott

11 Aug 43 to Date

Asst Adj

WOJG

Richard B. Russey

27 July 44 to Date

Pers Statn

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Louis C. Pfister

2 Sept 43 to Date

S-2 – Combat Intelligence

Combat Int O

Major

Leigh M. Lott

12 Aug 43 to Date

Asst C Int O

1^st Lt

Sydney S. Spivack

26 Oct 43 to 7 Mar 44

Asst C Int O

2^nd Lt

Philip J. Caropelli

7 Mar 44 to 13 April 44

Asst C Int O

Captain

James F. Albert

16 June 44 to 17 Jan 45

Asst C Int O

1^st Lt

Fred F. Hill

17 Feb 45 to 25 Feb 45

Photo Intpn O

2^nd Lt – Capt

James C. Clark

18 Aug 43 to Date

Asst PI O

2^nd Lt

Charles G. Alex

9 June 44 to Date

Photo Officer

2^nd Lt

Allison L. Hornbaker

13 Nov 43 to 3 Jan 44

Photo Officer

2^nd Lt – Capt

James C. Clark

3 Jan 44 to Date

Public Rel O

1^st Lt and Capt

Sydney S. Spivack

7 Mar 44 to 10 Sept 44

Public Rel O

1^st Lt

Charles S. Billhart

14 Sept 44 to Date

S-3 - Operations

Opns Officer

Capt and Major

William Burke

11 Aug 43 to 16 July 44

Opns Officer

Major

Marrison G. Word

16 July 44 to 25 July 44

Opns Officer

Capt and Major

Joseph N. Donovan

25 July 44 to 10 Aug 44

Opns Officer

Lt Colonel

Brooks A. Lawhon

10 Aug 44 to 22 Sept 44

Opns Officer

Capt and Major

Richard L. Rider

22 Sept 44 to 14 Oct 44

Opns Officer

Lt Colonel

Otha B. Hardy, Jr.

14 Oct 44 to 24 Oct 44

Opns Officer

Major

Richard L. Rider

24 Oct 44 to Date

Asst Opns O

2^nd Lt

Noel L. Dahlander

11 Aug 43 to 1 Nov 43

Asst Opns O

1^st Lt

William C. Bock

1 Nov 43 to 26 Nov 43

Asst Opns O

Capt and Major

Harrison G. Word

26 Nov 43 to 16 July 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

Joseph N. Donovan

16 July 44 to 25 July 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

James B. Robinson

25 July 44 to 10 Aug 44

Asst Opns O

Major

Joseph N. Donovan

10 Aug 44 to 15 Sept 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

Richard L. Rider

15 Sept 44 to 22 Sept 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

LeRoy G. Russell

3 Oct 44 to 14 Oct 44

Asst Opns O

Major

Richard L. Rider

14 Oct 44 to 24 Oct 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

Charles R. Phillips

24 Oct 44 to 27 Nov 44

Asst Opns O

Captain

Frank M. Poole

27 Nov 44 to 7 Dec 44

Asst Opns O

Capt and Major

Allyn E. Roberts

7 Dec 44 to Date

Bombdr O

1^st Lt and Major

George V. Leffler

11 Aug 43 to 14 Aug 44

Bombdr O

1^st Lt and Captain

Jack H. King

14 Aug 44 to 9 Sept 44

Bombdr O

Capt and Major

Benjamin S. Murphy

9 Sept 44 to Date

Nav Officer

Capt and Major

Marion N. Pruitt

11 Aug 44 to 13 Oct 44

Nav Officer

Captain

Kenneth W. Prien

13 Oct 44 to 13 Dec 44

Nav Officer

1^st Lt and Captain

Steve Toth, Jr.

13 Dec 44 to Date

Radar Nav O

1^st Lt

Leonard C. Gizelba

27 Oct 44 to 17 Nov 44

Radar Nav O

1^st Lt

Robert F. Phalen

26 Nov 44 to 8 Feb 45

Radar Nav O

1^st Lt

John N. Panagiotopoulos

8 Feb 45 to Date

Flt Contr O

1^st Lt

Hanley M. Norins

24 May 44 to 2 Dec 44

Gunnery O

S-T-M/Sgt, 2^nd Lt

William E. Shiffermiller

25 May 44 to 15 Dec 44

Gunnery O

Capt and Major

Allyn E. Roberts

15 Dec 44 to Date

Pers Equip O

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Frank B. Maxson

17 April 44 to Date

Weather O

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Stanhope E. Elmore

16 Aug 43 to Date

S-4 - Materiel

Engr Officer

Capt and Major

Henry M. Hudson

11 Aug 43 to Date

Supply Officer

Captain

Walter G. Mitton

10 Sept 44 to 2 Mar 44

Supply Officer

1^st Lt and Captain

Morton R. Zucker

2 Mar 44 to Date

Air Inspector Section

(Tactical) Air Inspector

Captain

Richard L. Rider

2 June 44 to 22 Sept 44

Air Inspector

1^st Lt

Hanley M. Norins

22 Sept 44 to 2 Nov 44

Air Inspector

1^st Lt and Captain

John Trommershausser

2 Nov 44 to Date

(Tactical) Air Inspector

WOJG and CWO

Fred C. Medau

27 Oct 43 to 17 Jan 45

(Administrative) Air Inspector

Captain

Charles J. Summers

18 Dec 44 to 26 Feb 45

Air Inspector

Major

John M. Joyce

26 Feb 44 to Date

Armament Section

Armament O

2^nd Lt – Capt

Edward F. Kiernan

9 Oct 44 to Date

Chaplain

Chaplain

1^st Lt and Captain

Paul G. Rasmussen

10 Oct 43 to Date

Communications Section

Coms Officer

Capt and Major

John A. Wagener

11 Aug 43 to Date

Asst Coms O

1^st Lt and Captain

Alexander Robins

5 June 44 to 17 Jan 45

Crypto Officer

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Fester C. Hume

1 Mar 44 to Date

Rafar Officer

1^st Lt and Captain

Eugene B. Raymond

16 July 44 to Date

Medical Section

Gp Flt Surgeon

Capt and Major

Charles J. Deishley

11 Aug 43 to Date

Gp Dent Officer

2^nd Lt – Capt

Jack L. Werzfold

27 Sept 43 to Date

Med Adm Insp

1^st Lt

Clement Benjamin

20 Dec 44 to Date

Ordnance and Transportation

Ord Officer

2^nd Lt

Steve J. Ozanich

25 Nov 43 to 21 April 44

Ord Officer

1^st Lt

Alson E. Clark

21 April 44 to 21 May 44

Ord Officer

1^st Lt and Capt

Donald L. Stanforth

21 May 44 to Date

Special Services

Spec Serv O

2^nd Lt

Charles S. Billhart

31 Oct 43 to 16 Dec 43

Spec Serv O

1^st Lt and Capt

Joseph J. Mente

16 Dec 43 to Date

Asst Sp Serv O

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Charles S. Billhart

16 Dec 43 to 14 Sept 44

Statistical Section

Statl Officer

2^nd Lt – Capt

Thomas M. Couch

16 Aug 43 to Date

American Red Cross Field Director

Mr. Norman I. Boggs

20 Oct 43 to 7 Dec 44

Mr. Henry L. Janeway

7 Dec 44 to Date

764^TH SQUADRON STAFF Commanding Officer

1^st Lt and Captain

Albert O. Witte

11 Aug 43 to 29 Feb 44

1^st Lt, Capt and Major

Edwin T. Goree

1 Mar 44 to 23 Nov 44

Captain and Major

Marion C. Mixson

23 Nov 44 to Date

Executive Officer

Capt and Major

John P. Joyce

11 Aug 43 to 26 Feb 45

Captain

Charles I. Summers

26 Feb 45 to Date

S-1 Personnel

Adjutant

2^nd Lt – Capt

William L. Wallauer

11 Aug 43 to Date

S-2 Combat Intelligence

S-2

Captain

Howard O. Lund

11 Aug 43 to 26 Feb 45

S-2

1^st Lt

Fred F. Hill

26 Feb 45 to Date

Asst S-2

1^st Lt

Fred F. Hill

25 Oct 43 to 17 Jan 45

S-3 Operations

Opns Officer

1^st Lt

William M. Pitt

11 Aug 43 to 13 Dec 43

Opns Officer

1^st Lt

Edwin T. Goree

14 Dec 43 to 29 Feb 44

Opns Officer

1^st Lt – Major

William N. Tallant

1 Mar 44 to 4 Oct 44

Opns Officer

Captain

LeRoy G. Russell

4 Oct 44 to 2 Dec 44

Opns Officer

Captain

Edward F. Veiluva

2 Dec 44 to Date

Asst Opns O

2^nd Lt

Clyde A. Stevens

11 Aug 43 to 1 Nov 43

Asst Opns O

2^nd Lt

Noel L. Dahlander

1 Nov 43 to 18 Nov 43

Asst Opns O

1^st Lt

Winston J. Lawrence

13 Dec 43 to 26 Feb 44

Asst Opns O

2^nd Lt – Capt

Mac A. Kollenborn

26 Feb 44 to 10 July 44

Asst Opns O

1^st Lt – Capt

George H. Miller

10 July 44 to 28 Feb 45

Asst Opns O

1^st Lt

Ernest C. Parsonson

28 Feb 45 to Date

Bombr O

1^st Lt

Benjamin S. Murphy

11 Aug 43 to 20 Sept 43

Bombr O

2^nd Lt – Capt

John D. Iconis

20 Sept 43 to 15 July 44

Bombr O

1^st Lt

Leo J. Strumski

15 July 44 to 14 Sept 44

Bombr O

1^st Lt

Robert A. Herold

14 Sept 44 to 10 Jan 45

Bombr O

1^st Lt

Robert L. Rosulek

10 Jan 45 to Date

Nav O

2^nd Lt – Capt

Earl E. DeWitt

11 Aug 43 to 14 Sept 44

Nav O

1^st Lt

Robert A. Macdiarmid

14 Sept 44 to 10 Jan 45

Nav O

1^st Lt

James J. Fredericks

10 Jan 45 to Date

S-4 Materiel

S-4

2^nd Lt – Capt

Bryant S. Montgomery

11 Aug 43 to Date

Asst S-4

2^nd Lt

Jack Pogue

7 Nov 43 to 18 Dec 43

Asst S-4

1^st Lt

Raymond C. Whitlock

25 Dec 43 to 27 Oct 44

Arm Officer

2^nd Lt – Capt

Roscoe W. Hundley

11 Aug 43 to Date

Coms Officer

2^nd Lt – Capt

Lee M. Busell

11 Aug 43 to Date

Med Officer

1^st Lt – Capt

Emil J. Koenig

11 Aug 43 to Date

Ordnance O

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Blain L. Lesler

23 Oct 43 to Date

Pers Equip O

2^nd Lt

Jack A.Walker

9 Aug 44 to Date

Supply O

2^nd and 1^st Lt

Nathan Mermelstein

14 Nov 43 to Date

765^TH SQUADRON STAFF Commanding Officer

1^st Lieutenant

John C. Sandall

11 Aug 43 to 1 Nov 43

Captain

Lester B. Briggs, Jr.

1 Nov 43 to 3 Nov 43

Major

Paul R. Yurkanis

3 Nov 43 to 23 Nov 43

1^st Lt – Captain

Willian J. Bock

23 Nov 43 to 8 Dec 43

Major – Lt Col

Robert E. Applegate

8 Dec 43 to 19 Sept 44

Captain – Major

Francis J. Hoermann