Staff photo - 829th Squadron
This is a photo of some of the 829th Squadron staff. Major Phil Cummings is kneeling, second from the left. The others are not identified.
Allan crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: R.W. Gurham, Bombardier; Mentor Metaxas, Navigator; Lloyd Allan, Pilot, and Don Blair, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Cy Kaplan, Waist Gunner; Alvin Butti, Top Turret Gunner; Carroll Johnson, Waist Gunner; Robert Thompson, Tail Gunner; William Sanders, Nose Gunner, and James Ridout, Ball Gunner.
Allan’s original aircraft was named "Little Walt", after his son. They began flying missions in August, 1944. Blair was wounded in the neck on the 2/16/45 mission to Regensburg. On the 3/22/45 mission to Vienna, Allan was flying lead with Colonel Cornett, the group commander, and they were shot down by flak, landing near the Russian lines. Those from Allan's crew who were shot down that day were Ridout, Sanders, Thompson, Mataxas and Allan. Kaplan, Blair, Gurham, Butti, and Johnson weren’t on the mission to Vienna and completed their missions in April 1945.
Barnes crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Steve Barnes, Pilot; James Walser, Co-Pilot; A.C. Grover, Navigator and Joe Cramer, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Ed Schiller, Radio Operator; Willis Muir, Gunner; William McCarthy, Flight Engineer; Bob Burling, Top Turret Gunner; Joe Blasberg, Nose Gunner, and Louis Padilla, Gunner.
This replacement crew survived the war.
Barnett crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
This is believed to be James Barnett with his crew. Barnett is believed to be a very early replacement Pilot in the 829th Squadron, flying for a while with Lt. Hugh White before White was shot down. The only person positively identified in this photo is Thomas Petersen, a Gunner. On June 26, 1944, the following men are known to have been flying with Barnett: Glenn Allison, Gunner; James Barnett, Pilot; William Campbell, Bombardier; George Coleman, Radio Operator; John Guido, Engineer; Raymond Lukassweski, Tail Gunner; William Meseki, Co-Pilot; Joseph Perkosski, Ball Gunner; Thomas Petersen, Gunner, and Walter Sjoquist, Navigator. It is likely some of these men are in this photo.
Bobier crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #29
Front Row, L - R: Mel Matthews, Co-Pilot; Dick Doyle, Bombardier; Bob Bobier, Pilot; and John Hannum, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Leonard Lesch, Nose Gunner, Sgt. Ted Lurker, Crew Chief; Sgt MacDowl, Asst. Crew Chief; George Chesterton, Radio Operator/Waist Gunner; Bennett Karoly, Waist Gunner; Christopher Sideratos, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner; John Palmer, Ball Gunner, Charles Dameron, Tail Gunner.
The photo of the crew was taken prior to the flight overseas. Their assigned plane and the plane in the photo is "D’Rape Shape". Lesch went overseas on the Hamilton and was killed when the ship was sunk by enemy aircraft. Sgt. Harold D. Jones then became the Nose Gunner on the crew, having lost his crew when his crew crashed into the mountains in Africa on their way overseas. The crew, (except for Matthews) went down on 6/23/44 on a mission to Guirgiu, Romania. Major Walter Smith was flying in Matthews’ place. This crew became POW’s in Bulgaria and all survived.
Boehme crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Only three of the crew have been identified in this photo. Lt. Weintritt, Bombardier, is kneeling on the left. Harold Oliver, Nose Gunner, is standing, far left and next to him is Elvis Waisath, Flight Engineer. The other men on the crew are: Richard Boehme, Pilot; Merwin Jacobson, Co-Pilot; Bob Bishop Navigator; Abe Goldman, Radio Operator; Ken Lohr, Ball Gunner, and Bob Brown, Tail Gunner. This replacement crew was shot down on October 16, 1944, returning from a mission to Graz, Austria. Bill Culver, from Lozito’s crew, was flying with them as the Top Turret Gunner. Jacobson, Oliver and Waisath were killed. Lohr, Oliver, Goldman and Brown became POWs. Culver was captured, but escaped and made it back to Italy. Bishop and Boehme were picked up by the Partisans and returned safely to Italy. Boeme continued flying and was shot down again over Yugoslavia on November 17, 1944, returning from Blechhammer. He was picked up by the Partisans and made it back to Italy. He was shot down a third time on February 16, 1945, flying with Colonel Tomhave, returning from Regensburg. This time he was killed.
Bond crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #33
The individual members of this crew, not identified in the photograph, are: Elliot Altshuler, Nose Gunner; Roy Anderson, Waist Gunner; John Bond, Pilot; Joseph Duffield, Navigator; Albert Homan, Co-Pilot; Albert Knott, Flight Engineer; Clarence Nippes, Radio Operator; Edward Sawyer, Bombardier; Thomas Toot, Tail Gunner and William Whorton, Ball Gunner. This crew was shot down by fighters on the June 9, 1944 mission to Munich. Knott, Nippes and Whorton were killed and the others survived the war as POWs.
Cameron crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Wilson F. Leon, Waist Gunner; Homer E. Jones, Radio Operator; Orville Kingsberg, Nose Gunner; Edward J. Czakoczi, Ball Gunner; Reginald F. Lyons, Tail Gunner, and James W. Dixon, Engineer.
Back Row, L - R: James B. Cameron, Pilot; Alex E. Vroblewsky, Co-Pilot; William F. McLean, Bombardier, and William M. Meeks, Navigator.
This crew was an early replacement crew in the 829th Squadron. On 9/24/44 the crew was shot down over Salonika, Greece. R.V. Burling was flying in Dixon’s place that day. Cameron managed to evade capture and subsequently made his way back to Italy. The other members of the crew were captured by the Germans and taken north. While enroute, they managed to escape and were rescued by the Chetniks, eventually going to Sofia, Bulgaria. They returned to Italy on 12/24/44. Dixon was killed on 2/16/45 while flying with Colonel Tomhave on a mission to Regensburg.
Carlin crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Wayne Wolfe, Co-Pilot; J.C. Carlin, Pilot, and Elmer Schauer, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Salvatore Lobello, Radio Operator; Norman Fessler, Ball Gunner; Barry Davis, Top Turret Gunner; Tim Bristol, Flight Engineer; Francis Carr, Nose Gunner, and John VanderDries, Tail Gunner.
Missing from the photo is John Duntley, Navigator. This crew arrived at Venosa in August 1944.
Cathcart crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #35
Front Row, L - R: Donald Roehn, Bombardier; Joseph Cathcart, Pilot; Slayton McGhee, Co-Pilot, and Arthur Carlson, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Allen McBride, Tail Gunner; Dewey Halcomb, Ball Gunner; Leon Best, Nose Gunner; Marvin Lindsay, Radio Operator/WaistGunner; Roh Mehrkens, Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner, and Irvin Wolf, Top Turret Gunner.
This crew was shot down by fighters on the June 9, 1944 mission to Munich. McBride was killed, but the others made it safely out of the aircraft and became POWs.
Cline crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Leigh Donache, Co-Pilot: Harold Cline, Pilot; Lloyd Edwards, Bombardier, and Thomas McCune, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Albert Slackway, Ball Gunner; Joseph Accurso, Flight Engineer; James Feeley, Radio Operator; Jesse Roberts, Nose Gunner; John Ricker Tail Gunner, and Ernest Jackson, Top Turret Gunner.
This crew arrived in Venosa during the summer of 1944. Most of the grew completed 50 missions.
Cummings crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Major Philip Cummings is seen standing on the far left of this photo. The others on this crew have not been identified. Cummings became the Operations Officer for the 829th Squadron and was killed in an accident on March 8, 1945 when an emergency life raft broke loose in flight and became entangled in the tail. Several others on the plane were also killed.
Daniel crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #36
Front Row, L - R: Edward Beecham, Co-Pilot; Roy Daniel, Pilot; Layton Tuggle, Navigator, and Steven Simmerman, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Frank Jasso, Flight Engineer; Daniel Hagerty, Ball Gunner; David Phillips, Gunner; E.H. Braziel, Tail Gunner, and Mack Lundy, Radio Operator.
Missing from the photo is Otis Gammon, Nose Gunner. The crew was shot down on the May 29, 1944 mission to Vienna. This was considered the first entire crew from the group lost to enemy action. The entire crew bailed out over Yugoslavia and survived the war as POWs.
Duecker crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #25
Front Row, L - R: Keith Foster, Bombardier, Charles Duecker, Pilot; Alexander Malkoski, Co-Pilot, and Robert Bricker, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: John Johnson, Flight Engineer; William Helton, Gunner; Jules Dursse, Radio Operator; Charles Herman, Gunner; Pierre Doris, Gunner, and Roy Gatts, Gunner.
Keith Foster was killed on the July 30, 1944 mission to Budapest, while flying with another crew, believed to be Lt. Wodzinski’s crew. The rest of the crew completed their missions. Their assigned plane was "Little Emma", 42-78136G, YD.
Hegmann crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
The individual positions of the men in this photo haven't been identified, but the crew consisted of : Richard Hegmann, Pilot; Bryson Watts, Co-Pilot; Edgar Christian, Navigator; Joe Hackler, Bombardier; Walter Stone, Flight Engineer; Thomas White, Radio Operator; Joseph Cullen, Nose Gunner; Dale Morrison, Tail Gunner; Edward Oliveira, Gunner, and Cecil Smith, Gunner. Most of this crew was shot down by flak over Salonika, Greece on September 24, 1944. Christian was not on the mission and was replaced by Marvin Weiner, who was killed. Hegmann, Watts, Cullen, Smith, Stone and White were also killed. Everett Latham, a second Navigator, was also flying with this crew and was killed. Hackler and Morrison were captured by the Germans. In early November, both men escaped as they were being moved north through Yugoslavia and made their way to Sofia, Bulgaria. They returned to Italy on December 24, 1944.
Huffman crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
The members of this crew are: Bernard Huffman, Pilot; Stephen Kobak, Co-Pilot; Edward Mifflin, Navigator; Edwin Taylor, Bombardier; Edward Nelson, Flight Engineer; W. Kerr, Radio Operator; James Wellman, Nose Gunner; Russell Young, Top Turret Gunner; Charles McManus, Ball Gunner, and Hugh Drawdy, Tail Gunner. Kobak, Mifflin, Taylor and Huffman are in the front row, left to right. Others are unknown. This crew arrived in Italy in December 1944.
Karns crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Arthur Karns, Pilot; William Pohlman, Co-Pilot; Sidney Connellee, Bombardier, and James Cahen, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Roy Burke, Waist Gunner; Walter Fergus, Tail Gunner; Lewis Matthews, Waist Gunner; Sgt. Graham, Tail Gunner; John Mas, Radio Operator, and Sgt. Kirr, Engineer.
It’s unknown what happened to some of this original crew. Cahen, Burke, a replacement Gunner by the name of James Dixon, Matthews, and Fergus went down on the Regensburg mission on February 16, 1945, while flying with Colonel Tomhave. Fergus and Burke became POWs. Cahen was killed and Matthews evaded capture. Pohlman was wounded on the Sept 24, 1944 mission to Salonika and was shipped home. Connellee was wounded on this mission, but returned to duty and finished his missions. Fergus was also wounded on the Salonika mission. Karns was working in the control tower when the war ended.
Knowles crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Rene DuFour, Navigator; William Knowles, Pilot and Carl Grothman, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Henry Draus, Nose Gunner; Earl Yaffee, Radio Operator; George Sepac, Tail Gunner; George Gutleber, Top Turret Gunner,Thomas Hough, Flight Engineer and James Greer, Ball Gunner.
This replacement crew arrived in October 1944 and flew their first mission on November 1, 1944. They completed their 30th and final mission on April 20th .
Latwaitis crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #32
Front Row, L - R: Marion Shelor, Bombardier; Jonas Latwaitis, Pilot; Elmer Kohler, Co-Pilot, and Morris Burney, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Ed Wals, Nose Gunner; Otis Vinson, Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner; Jack Mizrahi, Radio Operator/Waist Gunner; Paul Combs, Tail Gunner; Simon Ventimiglia, Ball Gunner, and Edgar Pierce, Top Turret Gunner. (Unknown ground crewman seated in front.)
This crew was shot down by fighters on the June 9, 1944 mission to Munich. Only Burney, Shelor and Vinson survived, all of them POWs.
Lozito crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Cliff Manderscheid, Navigator; Elmer Hall, Co-Pilot; Francis Lozito, Pilot and William Donovan, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Edgar Helms, Radio Operator; Forrest Yeager, Ball Gunner; Kenneth Robison, Flight Engineer; Thomas West, Gunner, Richard Salazar, Gunner and Bill Culver, Top Turret Gunner.
This replacement crew flew their first mission on 8/2/44. On the 8/10/44 mission to Ploesti, their aircraft was damaged by flak. The crew bailed out over Yugoslavia (now Montenegro) and was rescued by Partisans and returned to Italy. Bill Culver was shot down again over Yugoslavia (north of Zara) while flying with Richard Boehme's crew on a mission to Graz, Austria on 10/16/44. He was again rescued by Partisans and returned to Italy. The entire crew survived the war.
McCarthy crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Thomas Robertson, Bombardier; Clyde McCarthy, Pilot; Merton Baker, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Charles Berrardi, Radio Operator; William Schultz, Top Turret Gunner; Benjamin Vickery, Tail Gunner; William Leins, Engineer; Robert Donaldson, Nose Gunner; and John Fox, Ball Gunner.
Not pictured is Joseph Berkowitz, Navigator. This early replacement crew arrived in Venosa on July 2, 1944. Berkowitz was killed by a 20 MM cannon shell in a fighter attack on the 7/26/44 mission to Szombathely, Hungary. The remainder of the crew survived the war. This crew flew "Homeward Angel" to Italy.
Miller crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #23
Front Row, L - R: Lawrence Somerville, Flight Engineer; Frederick Waters, Navigator; Clark Miller Pilot; Bernard Weinstock, Bombardier and Collis Horne, Ball Gunner.
Back Row, L - R: Ernest Widegren, Nose Gunner; Hailey Sullivan Top Turret Gunner; Allen Sussel, Co-Pilot; Edwin Baxter, Tail Gunner, and Edgar Mack, Radio Operator.
Sussell was replaced by Roger Love as Co-Pilot. Mack was shot down on the 7/8/44 mission to Vienna, while flying with Lt. Peterson’s crew and became a POW. The remainder of the crew completed their missions.
O'Brien crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #28
Front Row, L - R: Marvin Weiner, Navigator; Thomas O’Brien, Pilot; Harold Kohne, Co-Pilot, and George Buttel, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R:Daniel Finley, Radio Operator; Frank Penner, Waist Gunner; Charles Raabe, Tail Gunner; Leslie Good, Waist Gunner; Nick Hank Engineer, and William Walz, Ball Gunner.
O’Brien became the 829th Squadron Commander. Marvin Weiner was killed while flying with Hegmann’s crew on September 24, 1944, on a mission to Salonika, Greece. The others on the crew finished their missions. Kohne became a First Pilot.
Olney crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #34
The positions of the men in the photo are unknown, but the following men were on this crew: Robert Olney, Pilot; James Asher, Co-Pilot; Wallace Whaley, Navigator; Edward Osborn, Navigator; Julius Roberts, Engineer; Clifford Yost, Radio Operator; Glenn Badger, Gunner; Raymond Heuer, Gunner and Andrew Latzo, Gunner. This crew was killed when it crashed into the mountains in Morocco. Flying with them was Winton Wenzel, a non-flying member of the 485th. The crash occurred on March 24, 1944.
Parsegian crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Edward Parsegian, Pilot; Delmar Brinkman, Co-Pilot; George Fuccillo, Navigator, and Jack Fordyce, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Clayton Boyer, Radio Operator; Luther Combs, Gunner; Jack Bohall, Gunner; Gilbert Thompson, Flight Engineer, and Edward Campbell, Gunner.
Missing from the photo is Kenneth Miller, Gunner. This crew arrived in Venosa in October 1944. George Fuccillo was killed while flying with Lt. Pooley’s crew on March 2, 1945, when there was a mid-air collision over Austria. The rest of the crew survived the war.
Peterson crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #38
Front Row, L - R: Raymond Balcerzak, Navigator; Robert King, Co-Pilot; Robert Peterson, Pilot, and Fred Savage, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Ralph Alley, Flight Engineer; Alvin Martin, Radio Operator; Richard Hagan, Nose Gunner; John Bowling, Tail Gunner; Earl Isaacson, Top Turret Gunner, and Rex Merrell, Ball Gunner.
The assigned plane for this crew was "Ole 769", 42-94769, Yellow S. The entire crew, except for Al Martin, was shot down on the Vienna mission, July 8, 1944. All became POWs. Al Martin flew 31 missions and was then assigned to General Barr’s crew in France.
Peyton Crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front row (L-R): Wes Rowland. Flight Engineer; Gino Altobelli, Radio Operator; Chet Kida, Ball Gunner; Clint Feller, Nose Gunner; Blase Jackovich, Top Turret Gunner; Don Cogswell, Tail Gunner.
Back row (L-R): Tom Peyton, Pilot; Bill McKeever, Co-Pilot; John Wisner, Navigator; Francis Simono, Bombardier.
This crew arrived in December 1944.
Pooley crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
This crew arrived in Italy in August 1944. The members of the crew were: Earl Pooley, Pilot; Aubrey Rabb, Co-Pilot; John Carmody, Navigator; Adam Welger, Bombardier; Charles Jones, Flight Engineer; LaVern Krueger, Radio Operator; Walter Broker Jr, Gunner: Walter Kuszler, Gunner, Peter Lambros, Gunner and John Magness, Gunner. Carmody was killed while flying a mission with Colonel Tomhave, the group Commander on February 16, 1945. On March 2, 1945 the crew was flying a mission and was involved in a mid-air collision over Austria with another aircraft flown by 828th Squadron Pilot Carl Langley. The entire crew perished. Flying with the regular crew that day were James Michalaros as Co-Pilot and two Navigators, George Fuccilo and Albert Griffith Jr.
Richie crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
The individual crew members are not identified in this photo, but this was a replacement crew that arrived in Italy in July 1944. The crew consisted of the following men: Ward Richie, Pilot; John Schley, Co-Pilot; Ed Krider, Navigator; Francis Rusiewicz, Bombardier; Don Hysell, Flight Engineer, Bruce Graves, Radio Operator; Laron Rouch, Gunner; Charles Spargur, Gunner; James Terhorst, Gunner and James Travers, Gunner. Graves was shot down and killed on February 16, 1945 while flying with Colonel Tomhave. Hysell was shot down on March 22, 1945 while flying with Colonel Cornett and became a POW. Spargur was also shot down and survived the war as a POW. Krider was wounded on the November 7, 1944 mission to northern Italy and was returned to the U.S. Terhorst and Travers finished their missions in April 1945.
Schmidt crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Captain A.M. Schmidt is seated, second from left in the front row. The positions of the other crewmen in the photo are unknown, but the crew is identified as follows: August M. Schmidt, Pilot; Robert J. Graham, Co-Pilot; Joseph S. Miller, Navigator; Jerry B. Shinew, Bombardier; Charles A. Menefee, Gunner; Hal Crabb, Radio Operator; Herman L. Martin, Gunner; James E. Wideman, Gunner; William D. Hammick, Gunner; and Thomas F. Hurton Jr., Gunner. The entire crew was killed on March 3, 1945, near Pantanella, when their aircraft (Yellow C) crashed. The circumstances of the crash are unknown, but they crashed in bad weather, at the beginning of a mission. The mission was recalled.
Skelton crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #24
Front Row, L - R: Robert Skelton, Pilot; William Furgueson, Bombardier; Harvey Huber, Navigator and Michael Kopcha, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Allessio Bovino, Crew Chief; Robert Camden, Radio Operator; William Long, Engineer; Gerald Behunin, Top Turret Gunner; Wallace Williams, Tail Gunner, and Jay Baker, Nose Gunner.
Missing from the photo is Kenneth Carter, Ball Gunner. The entire crew completed their 50 missions. Their assigned plane was "Big Alice From Dallas", Yellow X, 42-53730H.
Smith crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Allen Carlson, Navigator; Wayne Smith, Pilot; Harvey Hansen, Co-Pilot, and Russell Arthur, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Robert Blount, Tail Gunner; Charles Edmonds, Radio Operator; John Hronetz, Waist Gunner; Harold Sanford, Nose Gunner; Kenneth Ruhf, Ball Gunner and Elmer Shaver, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner.
This crew arrived in Venosa in October 1944. The entire crew survived the war.
Stewart crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Richard Heim, Tail Gunner; Powell Robinson, Ball Gunner; George Schiazza, Nose Gunner; Joe Sediak, Top Turret Gunner; Claude Martin, Radio Operator, and John Elmore, Flight Engineer.
Back Row, L - R: Harry Carter, Bombardier, William Craven Jr, Navigator; James Michalaros, Co-Pilot, and Charles Stewart, Pilot.
This crew arrived in Italy in October 1944. On November 17,1944 they went down in Yugoslavia while returning from Blechhammer. Michalaros was replaced on this mission by Richard Boehme, who was an instructor Pilot, checking out the crew. Craven wasn’t on this mission either. The entire 9-man crew evaded capture, assisted by the Partisans and returned safely to Italy. Michalaros was later killed on March 2, 1945 in a mid-air crash over Austria.
Stockdale crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: George Sampson, Bombardier; Carl Stockdale Pilot; Arnold Mick, Co-Pilot and William T. Miller, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Earl Beatty, Top Turret Gunner; Milton Wolfson, Flight Engineer/Waist Gunner; Theo Molek, Radio Operator/Waist Gunner; John Flynn, Tail Gunner; Frank Grippo, Nose Gunner and Jesse Hall, Ball Gunner.
This crew arrived in Italy in November 1944. On 2/16/45 Stockdale's plane collided with Colonel Tomhave's plane over Chiusaforte, Italy, after Tomhave's plane was hit by flak, while returning from Regensburg, Germany. Wolfson, Flynn, Grippo and Hall were killed and the rest of the crew survived as POWs.
Thorne crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
Front Row, L - R: Walter Becker, Bombardier; John Thorne, Pilot, and George Pasch, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Summer Wolfe, Top Turret Gunner; Glevis Egger, Ball Gunner; Nicholas DiRienzo, Radio Operator; John Nelson, Nose Gunner; Harold Burns, Flight Engineer, and James Gray, Tail Gunner.
Missing from the photo is the Navigator, Glenn Andrews. This crew arrived in Italy in July 1944. Their assigned plane was "MIS-TIT". The crew finished their missions in November 1944.
Turner crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
The individual crew members have not been identified on this photo, but the members of the crew are listed as follows: Charles Albright, Navigator; Francis Hetu, Co-Pilot; Francis Holmes, Radio Operator; Billy Joyner, Gunner; Paul Smith, Flight Engineer; John Sopper, Gunner; Edward Szymanski, Gunner; Earl Thomas, Gunner, and Charles Turner, Pilot.
This crew arrived in Italy in October 1944. Nothing further is known about the crew, but it is believed that they all survived the war.
Tyer crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #37
Front Row, L - R: Ivan Tyer, Pilot; Milton Hirsch, Navigator; Seymour Segan, Bombardier, and Richard Jordan, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Webster Burrows, Tail Gunner; Clayton Peterson, Flight Engineer; Peter Buchanauer, Nose Gunner; Robert Anderson, Top Turret Gunner; James Scott, Radio Operator and Horace O’Conner, Ball Gunner.
This crew was shot down by fighters on the June 28, 1944 mission to Bucharest, Romania. Only Scott, Segan and Hirsch survived, becoming POWs in Romania. The crew was flying "Nudist Kay" when they were shot down, but their assigned plane was "Tyer’s Flyer", 42-78127G.
Weibel crew - 829th Squadron - Replacement crew
This crew arrived in Italy in November 1944. The following men were in the crew, but aren't identified individually in the photo: Irwin Weibel, Pilot; Donald Ganahl, Co-Pilot; Robert O'Mahoney, Navigator; Francis Lashbrook, Flight Engineer; Richard McCachren, Radio Operator; Francis Dering, Gunner; Gerald Kennedy, Gunner; Gene Thurston, Gunner and William Virginia, Gunner.
White crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #22
Front Row, L - R: John Norris, Bombardier; Hugh White, Pilot; Charles Duecker, Co-Pilot, and Charles Field, Navigator.
Back Row, L - R: Benjamin Thigpen, Nose Gunner; Ben Thompson, Radio Operator/Waist Gunner; Gilbert Lish, Ball Gunner; John Hawk, Tail Gunner; James Gillett, Engineer/Waist Gunner, and Lawrence Silveira, Top Turret Gunner.
On June 9, 1944 this crew was shot down on the Munich mission, while trying to make it to Switzerland in their damaged plane. Duecker got his own crew before going overseas. Duecker was replaced by James Barnett, who also obtained his own crew. On the June 9th mission, the Co-Pilot was replaced by Lynn Tipson and David Roth replaced Norris. The entire crew made it out of the plane safely and became POWs.
Whiteman crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #30
Front Row, L - R: Roy Anderson, Radio Operator; Raymond Lozon, Flight Engineer; Edward Meyer, Ball Gunner, and Harold Sumrell, Bombardier.
Back Row, L - R: Charles Musso, Waist Gunner; Charles Mincher, Co-Pilot; Don Whiteman, Pilot; Robert Nugent, Tail Gunner, and Virgil Painter, Nose Gunner.
Walter Lober, the Navigator, hadn’t yet been assigned to the crew when this photo was taken. This crew’s assigned aircraft was "Our Baby". Most of this crew finished their missions at the end of August 1944. Meyer received a minor flak wound on the May 22, 1944 mission to Valmontone. Mincher became a First Pilot and had his own crew. This entire crew survived the war. Mincher’s last mission was the mission to Salonika on September 24, 1944.
Wodzinski crew - 829th Squadron - Original crew #39
Front Row, L - R: Jose Machado, Mechanic; Ebe Reynolds, Crew Chief, and Ralph Johnson, Mechanic.
Middle Row, L - R: James Scott, Navigator; Frank Wodzinski, Pilot; David Roth, Bombardier, and William Pullen, Co-Pilot.
Back Row, L - R: Leslie Dorow, Flight Engineer; John Handler, Radio Operator; Mike Copenhaver, Gunner; Richard Walker, Gunner; George Yulich, Gunner, and Espy Spencer, Gunner.
Roth was shot down while flying with Hugh White’s crew on the June 9, 1944 mission to Munich. He survived the war as a POW. The remainder of the crew was shot down on the July 30, 1944 mission to Budapest, hit by flak over the target. Only Spencer and Yulich survived the war, becoming POWs. They were in their assigned plane when they were shot down, 42-78164G, Yellow U.