CHAPTER XIX – THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR OF COMBAT, MARCH 1945

(A)   Narrative History

While on a routine visit to the Fifteenth Air Force, Lieutenant General Joseph T. McNarney, Deputy Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, visited the 461st Group on 21 March 1945.  Accompanying him were Major General James M. Bevans, Deputy Commander of the Army Air Forces in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations; Major General Nathan F. Twining, Commanding General of the Fifteenth Air Force; and Brigadier General William L. Lee, Commanding General of the 49th Bombardment Wing.  After touring Group Headquarters and watching the formation take off on a combat mission to Graz, Austria, the party inspected the set up of Squadron 766.  Later the party returned to the 767th Squadron Officer’s Mess for lunch.

Letter of Commendation

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE

APO 520 US ARMY

23 March 1945

SUBJECT:

TO:

Commendation

Commanding Officer, 461st Bombardment Group (H), APO 520, US Army.

1.                 The following message has been received from the Commander-in-Chief, MAAF, Lieutenant General Ira C. Eaker.

“Have just returned from conference with the Theater Commander.  He indicated to me that he is highly pleased with his three days with the Fifteenth Air Force.

“General McNarney, as an experienced air force officer, has a keen analytical judgement of air matters.  I am certain that you and your organization deserve highest praise and credit for what you showed the Theater Commander, which, although normal with you, cannot be exceeded, if equaled, by any air force.

“My congratulations to you and your people.”

2.                 The efforts of all personnel of this air force in demonstrating to the Theater Commander our method of operating are highly commendable.  I was proud of the Fifteenth Air Force.

/s/ N.F. TWINING

Major General, USA

Commanding.

(B)    Operations

As has been stated elsewhere in this History, the Group flew its first combat mission on 2 April 1944 in attacking the marshalling yard at Bihac, Yugoslavia.  In its first full year of combat in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations the Group flew a total of 205 missions against targets located in nine different countries:  Austria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Roumania, and Yugoslavia.  During its first three months of operations the average bombing scores were the highest of any Group in the Air Force.  The first superior mission flown by the Group was that against the marshalling yard at Ferrara, Italy, on 7 April 1944.  The Group participated in the D-Day drive against the Germans in Italy on 12 May 1944 and in the invasion of Southern France on 15 August 1944.  Well known targets attacked by this Group include those at Athena, Augsburg, Bad Voslau, Belgrade, Beziers, Blechhammer, Bologna, Bolzano, Bratislava, Brux, Bucharest, Budapest, Ferrara, Fiume, Friedrichshafen, Giurgiu, Graz Innsbruck, Linz, Lyon, Mossbierbaum, Munich, Odertal, Pitesti, Ploesti, Porto Marghera, Rogensburg, Trieste, Toulon, Verona, Vienna, Wiener Neustadt, and Zagreb.

During the first year the 4,674 airplanes of the Group over briefed targets amassed a total of 42,090 combat hours.  Bombs dropped on briefed targets totaled 9,642 tons.  In air encounters with the enemy, gunners of the Group claimed 129 enemy fighters destroyed, 44 probably destroyed, and 16 damaged.  During the year the Group lost 106 airplanes on combat missions.  Of the 903 casualties suffered by the Group, 436 are missing in action, 195 have been returned from missing in action, 177 are prisoners of war, and 95 have been killed.

The Group has been awarded two War Department Unit Citations.  The first citation was for an attack on the Duna Repulepgyar Aircraft Factory at Budapest, Hungary, on 13 April 1944.  The cluster to the citation was awarded for an instrument-bombing mission against the Creditul-Minier Oil Refinery, Ploesti, Roumania, on 15 July 1944.  Individual decorations to personnel of the Group include:  3 Awards of the Legion of Merit, 10 Silver Stars, 264 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 27 Oak Leaf Clusters to Distinguished Flying Crosses, 12 Soldier’s Medals, 58 Bronze Stars, 2,619 Air Medals, 3,709 Oak Leaf Clusters to Air Medals, 261 Purple Hearts, and 8 Oak Leaf Clusters to Purple Hearts.

For the month of March the Group had the smallest percentage of early returns and non-effective sorties in the Air Force.  The fact that only 4.4 sorties in every one hundred were non-effective constitutes a new record in the history of the Engineering Section and speaks well for the engineering efficiency of the Group.

The Group flew a total of 20 combat missions during the month.  Combat airplanes logged a total of 4,739 hours.  Of the 631 planes that took off, 573 were over briefed targets.  The average number of aircraft on each mission was 31.5.  Of the 1,117 tons of bombs that were airborne, 1,010 tons were dropped on targets.  In all, seven planes were lost in combat during the month:  two in a mid-air collision, two to flak, and three for other reasons.  Bombing accuracy during the month ranged from 19.6 per cent to that of 69.3 per cent on Mission No. 195.  The Group ranked thirteenth in the Air Force in bombing accuracy with an average of 42.7 per cent.

NEW CREWS

A total of ten new crews were received during the month of March.

Paragraph 1 of Group Special Orders No. 40, dated 3 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG, 15AF, 2 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to the 765th Bomb Sq, eff 2 Mar 45”:

2nd Lt. Robert Caran and crew

Paragraph 1 of Group Special Orders No 40, dated 5 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG, 15AF, dtd 3 Mar 45, the fol named personnel are further asgd to the 766th Bomb Sq, eff 3 Mar 45”:

2nd Lt. James M. Ridenour and crew

Paragraph 10 of Group Special Orders No 41, dated 5 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG 15AF, 5 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to the 766th Bomb Sq, eff this date”:

2nd Lt. Charles L. Brothers and crew

Paragraph 2 of Group Special Orders No 42, dated 6 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this GP VOCG 15AF, 5 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to Sqs as indicated, eff 5 Mar 45”:

764th Squadron

Captain Gordon E. Gilbert and crew

765th Squadron

2nd Lt. Robert J. Bruning and crew

Paragraph 7 of Group Special Orders No 47, dated 12 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG 15AF, 12 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to the 766th Bomb Sq, eff this date”:

2nd Lt. John R. Tebbens and crew

Paragraph 12 of Group Special Orders No 47, dated 12 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG 15AF, 12 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to the 764th Bomb Sq, eff this date”:

2nd Lt. Alcibiades Skalomenos and crew

Paragraph 7 of Group Special Orders No 48, dated 13 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG 15AF, dtd 13 Mar 45, the fol named persl are further asgd to the 764th Bomb Sq, eff this date”:

2nd Lt. Robert C. Arnholt and crew

Paragraph 1 of Group Special Orders No 56, dated 24 March 1945, reads as follows:  “Having been asgd to this Gp PAC VOCG 15AF, 23 Mar 45, the fol named personnel are further asgd to Sqs as indicated, eff 23 Mar 45”:

764th Squadron

2nd Lt. Lawrence R. Toothman and crew

765th Squadron

2nd Lt. John J. Stanko and crew

MISSIONS

Mission No. 186, 1 March 1945 - Moosebierbaum Oil Refinery, Austria

The first mission of the month was a double header with the oil refinery at Moosebierbaum, Austria as the target.  The Red Force, led by Colonel Lawhon, got through the bad weather over the Alps and reached the target.  In the Lake Balaton Area the impassible weather made it necessary for Colonel Lawhon to abandon the briefed route.  Instead of attempting to take his formation under the weather, he did a 360 to gain altitude and swung far to the right and east of the Russian bomb line in an effort to find a deck low enough to get over.  The formation was lost by the time it got up above the weather.  The radar navigator, Lt. Loverin, finally picked up Vienna, which he used in orienting himself at the initial point.

By this time the formation was an hour late.  The combination of bad weather and another formation immediately ahead of Colonel Lawhon's Red Force made it impossible to drop the bombs on the first run.  Despite the flak, the formation made another run on the target and Captain Churchill, finding a hole with only three-tenths cloud coverage, bombed the target visually.  The Red Force was one of four out of forty-two formations in the Air Force scheduled to attack the target that bombed visually.

Photographs show that a concentrated pattern of bombs fell at the north edge of the refinery.  Several direct hits were scored on the distillation plant, the compressor house, the cracking unit, and the hydraulic acid plant.  Other bombs fell on the railroad siding and still others in the building area at the west edge of the refinery.  The mission was scored at 33 percent.

The Blue Force, led by Major Mixson, was unable to find a passage under, above, or around the weather in the Lake Balaton Area and returned its bombs to Base.

Mission No. 187, 2 March 1945 - North Marshalling Yard, Austria

Major Poole led Mission No. 187 in attacking the North Marshalling Yard, Austria, on 2 March.  Because of cloud coverage at the target, the formation was compelled to bomb by instruments.  Photographs of bombing show the target obscured by smoke some bombs outside the target area.  Twelve of twenty-five planes over the target were hit by flak none were lost.

Mission No. 188, 3 March 1945 - Komarom Marshalling Yard, Hungary (Canceled)

Mission No. 188, 4 March 1945 - Graz Main Marshalling Yard, Austria

The mission of 4 March against Graz Main Marshalling Yard, Austria, found Major Rider leading a large formation.  The bombs fell across the target area with twenty-five strikes on cars in the yard and other rail installations.  An overhead pass was hit, while still other bombs fell on the tracks between the Main marshalling yard and the freight yards.  The mission was scored at 26.7 percent.

Mission No. 189, 5 March 1945 - Linz Benzol Plant, Austria (Canceled)

Mission No. 189, 6 March 1945 - Vienna Schwechat Oil Refinery, Austria (Canceled)

Mission No. 189, 7 March 1945 - Moosbierbaum Oil Refinery, Austria (Canceled)

Mission No. 189, 8 March 1945 - Hegyeshalom Marshalling Yard, Hungary

Both a Red and a Blue Force were dispatched on 8 March to attack the marshalling yard at Hegyeshalom, Hungary.  The Red Force, led by Major Mixson, dropped 42.6 percent of its bombs within 1000 feet of the briefed aiming point which included the roundhouse.  The score of the Blue Force led by Captain Thackston, was 29 percent.

Mission No. 190, 9 March 1945 - Graz Marshalling Yard, Austria

The primary target for Mission No. 190 on 9 March was the marshalling yard at Bruck, Austria.  Because of bad weather over the primary target, which was to have been a visual target, the Red Force was compelled to select an alternate pathfinder target.  Captain MacDougall, leading the formation selected the Graz Marshalling Yard.  The bombing was done by instruments with unobserved results.

Major Poole, leading the Blue Force, also abandoned the primary target and attacked the marshalling yard at Graz with unobserved results.  One flight of the Blue Force became separated from the formation in the bad weather in the Klagenfurt Area.  Being unable to find the Blue Force, this Box joined the 451st Group for a run on marshalling yard at Graz but did not drop its bombs.

Mission No. 191, 10 March 1945 - Almasfuzito Oil Refinery, Hungary (Canceled)

Mission No. 191, 11 March 1945 - Muhldorf Marshalling Yard Germany (Canceled)

Mission No. 191, 12 March 1945 - Vienna Florisdorf Oil Refinery, Austria

On 12 March Captain Trommershausser led a large formation attacking the Florisdorf Oil Refinery at Vienna, Austria.  A ten-tenths cloud coverage over the target necessitated pathfinder bombing with unobserved results.  On this mission the Group had the unique experience of bombing a Vienna target without suffering any damage from flak.

Mission No. 192, 13 March 1945 - Regensburg Main Marshalling Yard, Germany

On 13 March Major Mixson led a four-box formation in attacking the marshalling yard at Regensburg, Germany.  Again the bombing was done by the pathfinder method and again the results were unobserved.  There was no flak at Regensburg.

Mission No. 193, 14 March 1945 - Wiener Neustadt Marshalling Yard, Austria

Mission No. 193 on 14 March was a planned visual mission against the marshalling yard at Bruck, Austria.  Bad weather still prevailed.  Lt. Colonel Hardy, leading a six-box formation, was compelled to find an alternate target that could be bombed by instruments.  The target selected was the marshalling yard at Wiener Neustadt, Austria.  The bombs were dropped through a solid undercast with unobserved results.  This proved to be another target at which there was no flak.

Mission No. 194 , 15 March 1945 - Wiener Neustadt Marshalling Yard, Austria

The marshalling yard at Wiener Neustadt, Austria, was again hit by pathfinder bombing as an alternate target.  The briefed target had been the Schwechat Oil refinery at Vienna, but it could not be bombed visually.  This time Major Poole took thirty-six planes over Wiener Neustadt without experiencing any flak.

Mission No. 195, 16 March 1945 - Moosbierbaum Oil Refinery, Austria

On 16 March the Group wrote "finite" on the oil refinery at Moosbierbaum, Austria.  With ideal weather and only slight interference from non-effective smoke screens, the thirty-four planes in the formation hit the northeast portion of the refinery.  The photographs show that a very concentrated pattern of bombs fell on that section of the refinery.  Direct hits were scored on the distillation unit, the liquid air plant, buried oil storage cylinders, and oil storage tanks.  The score for the mission was 69.3 percent, the highest score made by the Group during the month of March.  Twenty-five of the thirty-four planes over the target were hit by flak and three men were injured.  Captain Trommershausser was the formation leader.

Message of Commendation

To: All Concerned

"My congratulations to the 461st Bombardment Group for the excellent bombing of 16 March 1945. Please pass to all participating my personal commendation."

Brig. Gen William L. Lee

Commander, 49th Bomb Wing

Mission No. 196, 17 March 1945 - Bratislava Rangier, Marshalling Yard, Czechoslovakia (Canceled )

Mission No. 196, 18 March 1945 - Linz Main Marshalling Yard, Austria (Canceled )

Mission No. 196, 19 March 1945 - Muhldorf Marshalling Yard, Germany

One hundred pound general purpose bombs were used by the Group in attacking the marshalling yard at Muhldorf, Germany, on 19 March.  A great deal of damage was done to the target, but the bomb pattern was scattered over a comparatively large area.  Of the thirty-five planes led over the target by Captain Thackston, only one was hit by flak.  Unfortunately, however, a man was injured in the damaged airplane.  Colonel Lawhon, flying in the tail end position of the formation, finished his tour of combat duty with this mission.

Mission No. 197, 20 March 1945 - Wels Main Marshalling Yard, Austria

Lt. Colonel Hardy led a six-box formation in attacking the Wels Main Marshalling Yard, Austria, on 20 March.  Again 100 pound general purpose bombs were used.  Despite an eight-tenths cloud coverage at the target, the bombing was done visually.  As had repeatedly been the case during the month when the Group was attacking marshalling yards of secondary - importance, there was no flak at this target.

Mission No. 198, 21 March 1945 - Graz Marshalling Yard, Austria

For Mission No. 198 on 21 March the marshalling yard at Graz turned out to be the alternate target selected for pathfinder bombing.  The primary target had been the Bruck Marshalling Yard, Austria, but Major Poole, the formation leader, abandoned it because of poor visibility.  One thousand pound general purpose bombs were used on this mission.

Mission No. 199, 22 March 1945 - Vienna Florisdorf Oil Refinery and Marshalling Yard, Austria

The primary target for Mission No. 199 on 22 March was the Kagran Oil refinery, which is situated due east from Vienna.  Because this was believed to be the only active enemy oil refinery within bombing range of the Fifteenth Air Force, this target was rated as a first priority target.  Bad weather and poor visibility in the whole Vienna area, however, made it impossible to attack this target visually.  Since it could not be picked up by the mickey operator, Captain Trommershausser, leading the formation, was compelled to select another target for pathfinder bombing.  The Florisdorf Marshalling Yard and Oil Refinery was selected.  The lead "mickey operator", Lt. Levin, sighted on the marshalling yard, but most of the bombs carried across into the oil refinery that was believed to already have been destroyed. The intense, accurate, and heavy flak in the target area holed twenty of the twenty-seven planes on the bomb run and wounded one man.

Message of Commendation

To: All Concerned

"The Commanding General is gratified to be able to pass the following message from General Arnold to General Spaatz relayed through General Cannon:

"’Noted in your message dated 24 March outlining results achieved during the period 16 to 22 March.  Results are source of great satisfaction to all.  Such smashing aerial attacks coordinated with relentless ground pressure can only result in complete victory.  Please pass for me to all echelons of the 15th Air Force my personal commendation.’"

Mission No. 200, 23 March 1945 - Vienna Kagran Oil Refinery, Austria

Mission No. 200 was flown on 23 March 1945 with Captain Trommershausser again leading the formation.  Again the target was the high priority Kagran Oil Refinery near Vienna.  Despite good visibility the mission was scored only at 19.6 percent.  Failure to knock out this target was a bitter disappointment to the Group because it had been hoped by all that Mission No. 200 would be one of outstanding success.  Part of the poor bombing might be attributed to the fact that the lead bombardier, Lt. Rosulek, was wounded just before bombs away.

Thirteen of the thirty planes over the target were hit by flak, Lt. Rosulek was wounded and one plane was lost.  The lost plane, which was flown by 2nd Lt. William R. Baird, had lost a propeller and had and engine on fire when last seen coming off the target.

Mission No. 201, 24 March 1945 - Ceske Budejovice Marshalling Yard, Czechoslovakia

On 24 March the Group bombed again in Czechoslovakia on the first mission in a long time to this country.  The target was the marshalling yard at Ceske Budejovice.  Captain Thackston led the formation against this undefended target.  The patterns around the two aiming points were scattered but both of them carried completely across the marshalling yard. The two roundhouses and workshops were caught in the patterns as well as the passenger station and the freight yards.

Mission No. 202, 25 March 1945 - Wels Airdrome, Austria

The formation leader of the month of March, Captain Trommershausser, turned in his second superior mission of the month in dropping frags on the Airdrome at Wels, Austria.  A splendid pattern fell across the airdrome area, continued into the hangers at the southeast edge of the airdrome, destroyed and damaged several enemy airplanes, and started explosions along the service apron.

Even the success of the mission, however, failed to completely erase the disappointment that attended it.  The briefed primary target had been the Kbely Airdrome at Prague, Czechoslovakia, one of the hottest nests of the enemy's jet propelled Me-262 airplanes.  Captain Trommershausser had led twenty-nine airplanes to the Kbely Airdrome, which is located at 500 08' north latitude and 14" 33' east longitude, only to have to abandon the target because of mechanical failures.  On the bomb run the interphone system on the lead plane went out.  Without this the bombardier and the pilot were unable to coordinate the bomb run.  The target was located so far from the Base that Captain Trommershausser did not dare expend the gasoline required to make a 360" circle for another run to the target.  As the formation turned away from the target, the crew members saw many enemy airplanes parked on the airfield.

Mission No. 203, 26 March 1945 - Straszhof Marshalling Yard, Austria

Using 100 pound general purpose bombs, Major Poole led the mission of 26 March which brought excellent results in the bombing of the marshalling yard at Straszhof, Austria.  The bombs smothered the west choke point of the yards and started large fires.  Flak at the target was described as slight, inaccurate, and heavy but two planes failed to return to the Base and two others were hit.  Enroute to the target the plane flown by 2nd Lt. Lloyd R. Heinze was last seen at good altitude with an engine on fire near Pecs, Hungary.  The plane flown by 2nd Lt. Raymond E. Spehalsky left the formation after being hit by flak.  Pilots in the bomber formation were later told over the intercommunications system by escort fighter pilots that they had seen eight chutes open from the plane before it crashed.

Mission No. 204, 27 March 1945 - Vienna Southeast Communications, Austria (Canceled)
Mission No. 204, 28 March 1945 - Ybbs Marshalling Yard, Austria (Canceled)
Mission No. 204, 29 March 1945 - Vienna North Station, Austria (Canceled)
Mission No. 204, 30 March 1945 - Graz Marshalling Yard, Austria

Mission No. 204 on the 30th of the month was a four plane "lone wolf' mission with the Vienna North Marshalling Yard as the primary target.  Finding that the weather over the Alps was much better than had been briefed, Lt. Miller, who had taken over the lead, decided to abandon the primary target and to hit the marshalling yard at Graz as an alternate target.  Using visual means the small formation dropped its bombs with excellent results.  Three of the four planes were hit by flak but all returned to Base.

Mission No. 205, 31 March 1945 - Linz Benzol Plant, Austria

The target for the last day of the month was the benzol plant at Linz, Austria.  This was a planned pathfinder mission.  The planes dropped their 1000 pound general purpose bombs with unobserved results.  Four planes were damaged by flak and three combat crew were wounded.  The plane flown by 2nd Lt. Cleone C. Conner, Jr. left the formation at the head of the Adriatic a short distance from landfall while enroute to the target, but failed to return to the Base.

MISSING IN ACTION

 

 

 

Mission

Rank

Name

Home Town

Date

Target

2nd Lt.

Paul P. Viliesie

West Hanover, Mass.

9/3/45

Graz

2nd Lt.

Robert H. Jahries

San Diego, Calif.

9/3/45

Graz

2nd Lt.

Charles Leifer

Louisville, Ky.

9/3/45

Graz

S Sgt.

Arthur E. Mahnke

Calumet City, Ill.

9/3/45

Graz

Sgt.

Kenneth M. Khun

Elizabeth, N.J.

9/3/45

Graz

S Sgt.

Leroy H. Grebe

Welcome, Tex.

9/3/45

Graz

Sgt.

Victor W. Davis

Astoria, L.I., N.Y.

9/3/45

Graz

Sgt.

William A. MacDonald

Penns Grove, N.J.

9/3/45

Graz

Sgt.

Robert E. Lee

New York, N.Y.

9/3/45

Graz

Sgt.

Joseph V. Dell ‘O se

Rock Island, N.Y.

9/3/45

Graz

1st Lt.

William R. Baird

DeKalb, Ill.

23/3/45

Vienna

2nd Lt.

Dwight B. Olson

Minneapolis, Minn.

23/3/45

Vienna

1st Lt.

Richard C. Davis

Essex Junction, Vt.

23/3/45

Vienna

2nd Lt.

Edward T. Wenzlik

Los Angeles, Cal.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

John G. Forster

Waltham, Mass.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

John W. Rice

Mt. Vernon, N.Y.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

Glenn A. Sligar

Bell, Calif.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

William F. Sanders

Doncaster, Md.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

William R. Vaitkunas

Chicago, Ill.

23/3/45

Vienna

S Sgt.

Marlin R. Smith

Madisonville, Tex.

23/3/45

Vienna

2nd Lt.

Raymon E. Spehalski

DuBois, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt..

Christ Dallas

Detroit, Mich.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

George A. Leasure

Wichita, Kans.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

Louis R. Gugel

Fort Thomas, Ky.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

John R. Rayburn

Holcomb, N.Y.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

Walter E. Lechner

Fairhope, Ala.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

Stanley E. Todd

Richmond, Ky.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

Albert L. Keller, Jr.

Peoria, Ill.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

Henry L. Moran, Jr.

Chicopee Falls, Mass.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

George D. Farley

Wellsville, N.Y.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Randall L. Webb

Fayette, Ia.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Walter O. Reil

Bethany, Conn.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Michael H. Milby, Jr.

Edna, Tex.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Edwin F. Strauss

Bronx, N.Y.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

William T. Jones

Marshallville, Ga.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

Roy G. Meyers

Detroit, Mich.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

Thomas J. Reiland

Brooklyn, N.Y.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Donald R. Hall

Pueblo, Colo.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

Frederick J. McGrath

Newark, N.J.

26/3/45

Straszhof

S Sgt.

James G. Erwin

Chicago, Ill.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Lloyd R. Heinze

Holyrood, Kans.

26/3/45

Straszhof

F/O

Harold B. Roup, Jr.

Rochester, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

F/O

James W. Kane

St. Paul, Minn.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Lawrence M. Rosenberg

New York, N.Y.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Russell R. McCallicher

Reading, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Donald R. Stackhouse

Hazleton, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

George E. Winslow

Wilmington, N.C.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Joy J. Sturgis

Mitchell, Neb.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Walter D. Fries

Northampton, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Cpl.

Albert H. Oster

Miles City, Mont.

26/3/45

Straszhof

Sgt.

Donald E. Miller

Emmaus, Pa.

26/3/45

Straszhof

2nd Lt.

Cleone C. Connor, Jr.

Maywood, Cal.

31/3/45

Linz

2nd Lt.

Robert W. Jennings

Duluth, Minn.

31/3/45

Linz

F/O

Richard J. Meng

Ferndale, Mich.

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

Raymond J. Nelson

Burlington, Ia.

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

Donald A. Bevilacqua

Erie, Pa.

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

John D. Staniszewski

Philadelphia, Pa.

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

Milford J. Rodgers

Quakertown, Pa.

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

Richard W. Black

Bexley, Ohio

31/3/45

Linz

Sgt.

Bobbie J. Purvis

Cottonwood, Tex.

31/3/45

Linz

T Sgt.

Russell J. Heller

Wheeling, W. Va.

31/3/45

Linz

KILLED IN ACTION

 

 

 

Mission

Rank

Name

Home Town

Date

Target

1st Lt.

Chester J. Lalewicz

Cleveland, Ohio

9/3/45

Graz

2nd Lt.

Henry H. Ivyson

Detroit, Mich.

9/3/45

Graz

2nd Lt.

John E. Grzeszczak

Wilder, Vt.

9/3/45