418th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 23/7/44. Crew flew HEAVEN CAN WAIT 43-37517 Their first aircraft was called "DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY"

Note: Charles W. Emerson wounded 11 Sep 44 at Ruhland and died one week later. He is buried at Cambridge.

1. After 5 or 6 missions Warren Smith, who had served about 10/15 years in the Regular Army, asked to be removed from flying status. He was replaced by T/Sgt Alexander L. Hubiak who had flown approximately 20 missions with another crew and finished his 35 with Hempy's crew. T/Sgt Hubiak flew missions with Lt McEwen and Lt Stout before coming to this crew. A T/Sgt Thomas E. Porch then replaced Hubiak as Engineer. Porch was from the M. J. Anderson crew.

2. John P. Russo was removed from the crew to bring it to nine men and put into the "spares" pool Charles Emerson, who is buried at Cambridge, was killed by fighter attack and, although badly damaged, Hempy's ship limped home. A S/Sgt Alex Sood, from the crew of F. H. Schaffhausen replaced Emerson and completed his tour.

September 11, 1944 was a memorable day for me, we lost twelve B-17's from our group, some came down in your town, one crashed on top of the school in Kovarska. The 100th Bomb Group took an awful beating, we were in the middle of it, our tail gunner and friend Charles Emerson was killed as a result of that mission. We were lucky enough to get back to England on 2+ engines. Marie and I were in the Czech Republic 4 years ago today when your museum was dedicated in remembrance of that day. September 11th was on my mind when I got up this morning. I never thought there would ever be a more tragic September 11th. I was wrong. . . . Don Farley

MISSION RECOLLECTIONS OF LT DONALD FRIEDMAN (DEC 17, 2002)

WORST: SEPT 11, 1944 RUHLAND:  WE WERE THE ONLY PLANE OF OUR SQUADRON TO GET BACK--LOST OUR TAIL GUNNER--DIRECT HIT IN THE TAIL, AMMO EXPLODED-WE HAD A STAND DOWN FOR TWO WEEKS, NO PLANES.

GOOD MEMORY:  200TH MISSION PARTY.  GLENN MILLER, JOHNNY DESMOND (SINGER) AND RAY ELDRIGE ON DRUMS.

BEST MEMORIES: COMPLETION OF 35 MISSIONS, PRESIDENTIAL CITATION, CLUSTERS, BOOKSTORES IN CAMBRIDGE & OXFORD WENT TO A PLAY IN LONDON AND SAW "ARMS AND THE MAN by G.B. SHAW.  ONSTAGE WAS LAWRENCE OLIVIER, RALPH RICHARDSON AND SYBIL THOMDYKE

MOST FRIGHTENING: 2 MISSIONS TO "BIG B" BERLIN, HOWEVER, WE DID GET FRESH EGGS THOSE AM'S (MORNINGS)

M. J. Anderson Crew:

418th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined 100th Group 25/5/44. According to a letter of Nov. 1983 from Arthur J. Farley of the H. M. Hempy crew, Thomas Porch finished his tour with the Hempy crew. A letter from Arthur Juhlin of the D. A. Jones crew (7/1/84) states that Thomas Barrett completed his tour with the Jones crew.