| 2ND LT |
JOHN F. MASSOL |
P |
CPT |
7-Jun-44 |
NANTES, BRIDGES |
| 2ND LT |
HAROLD D. GRANGER |
CP |
CPT |
4-Jun-44 |
BOULOGNE, SHORE DEFENSES |
| 2ND LT |
EDWARD C. KING, JR. |
NAV |
CPT |
-- |
WENT TO GROUP/LEAD NAV |
| 2ND LT |
EDWIN A. STERN, JR |
BOM |
POW |
24-May-44 |
BERLIN (WITH J.R. GEARY CREW) |
| SGT |
ASA A. SPENGLER |
ROG |
CPT |
5-Jun-44 |
ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE |
| SGT |
WILLIAM T. WESTLEY |
TTE |
CPT |
-- |
-- |
| SGT |
WINFRED C. WILLIAMS |
BTG |
CPT |
17-Oct-44 |
COLOGNE, MY |
| SGT |
OLIVER N. McCARTNEY |
LWG |
CPT |
5-Jun-44 |
ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE |
| SGT |
JAMES M. ROBERTS |
RWG |
CPT |
4-Aug-44 |
HAMBURG, OIL REFINERY |
| SGT |
NEWMAN E. GARMON |
TG |
CPT |
5-Jun-44 |
ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE |
351ST SQDN.. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 01 DEC 1943Excerpts
from John Massol's November 1993 letter to Paul West:
King (Edward C. King, Jr.) was taken off our crew about 15th (March
15th, 1944) and sent to advanced navigation school. He went to Group and I
think finished a tour. He stayed in the Air Force and retired in the 1970s
as a Colonel. Stern (Edwin A. Stern, Jr.) off crew March 15th, 1944 and
also sent to special school. As noted he was shot down with Geary (J. R.
Geary) on 24 May 1944 mission to Berlin...Became a POW. Westley (William
T. Westley) was grounded with back trouble but I think he completed a
tour. Roberts (James M. Roberts) left the crew and completed his tour with
another crew. Williams (Winfred C. Williams) missed a mission, completed
with another crew and I do not know why."
From Lt Ray Miller (Navigator)
As I recall Harry Crosby made Ed King the group navigator
when Harry had his R&R back to the states. Ed was a big man (like Big Pete)
and a good lead navigator. He handled briefings for the navigators and
supervised mission planning with the group bombardier. I am sure that the
nav logs were for WW-II only. Harry could give you a lot more on Ed.
LIST OF MISSIONS
FOR CREW 13, PILOT JOHN MASSOL
PLANE..FEVER BEAVER WAS IN
HARDSTAND 13 AND FLEW OVER 125 MISSIONS BEFORE RETURNING TO THE USA.
ALL MISSIONS FLOWN IN 1944
In addition, we were briefed
for 17 missions but did not get in air, scrubbed, and 9 times after we were
in air and recalled, no credit. During our missions, the group lost 13
bombers. Also during our missions the Group was credited with shooting down
18 fighters.
|
#
|
DATE
|
TARGET
|
COMMENT
|
|
01
|
11 JAN 44
|
OSNABRUCK
|
--
|
|
02
|
29 JAN 44
|
FRANKFURT
|
--
|
|
03
|
13 FEB 44
|
LIVOSSART & BOIS
REMPRE
|
NO BALL
|
|
04
|
21 FEB 44
|
BRUNSWICK, ALHORN, &
VORDEN AF
|
--
|
|
05
|
24 FEB 44
|
ROSTOCK
|
--
|
|
06
|
25 FEB 44
|
REGENSBURG
|
--
|
|
07
|
02 MAR 44
|
CHARTRES
|
--
|
|
08
|
04 MAR 44
|
BERLIN
|
--
|
|
--
|
06 MAR 44
|
BERLIN
|
abort, oxygen
malfunction
|
|
09
|
08 MAR 44
|
BERLIN
|
--
|
|
10
|
18 MAR 44
|
MUNICH
|
--
|
|
11
|
19 MAR 44
|
MARQUISE, MIMOYEQUES
|
NO BALL
|
|
12
|
22 MAR 44
|
BERLIN
|
--
|
|
13
|
23 MAR 44
|
BRUNSWICK
|
--
|
|
14
|
28 MAR 44
|
CHATEAUDUN AF
|
--
|
|
15
|
01 APR 44
|
LUDWIGSHAVEN
|
RECALL
|
|
16
|
08 APR 44
|
QUACKENBRUCK AF
|
--
|
|
17
|
10 APR 44
|
RHEIMS
|
RECALL
|
|
18
|
11 APR 44
|
ROSTOCK
|
--
|
|
19
|
13 APR 44
|
AUGSBURG, AC FACTORY
|
--
|
|
20
|
20 APR 44
|
HAGUE
|
--
|
|
21
|
22 APR 44
|
HAMM
|
--
|
|
22
|
24 APR 44
|
FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, AC,
|
--
|
|
23
|
25 APR 44
|
DIJON
|
--
|
|
24
|
02 MAY 44
|
SAARGUEMINES, MY
|
--
|
|
25
|
19 MAY 44
|
BERLIN
|
--
|
|
26
|
20 MAY 44
|
BRUSSELS, MY
|
--
|
|
27
|
27 MAY 44
|
STRASSBOURG, AERO
ENGINES
|
--
|
|
28
|
04 JUN 44
|
BOULOGNE, SHORE
DEFENSES
|
--
|
|
29
|
05 JUN 44
|
ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE
|
--
|
|
30
|
07 JUN 44
|
NANTES
|
--
|
CREW **
|
Capt James R. Geary
|
P
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
--
|
|
1st Lt Arthur J. Harris
|
CP
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
Flying as TG
|
|
Major Maurice J. Fitzgerald
|
CMP
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
--
|
|
1st Lt A. Edwin Stern, Jr
|
BOM
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the John F. Massol crew
|
|
2nd Lt Dort B. Payne
|
NAV
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
--
|
|
T/Sgt Louis Paltrineri
|
ROG
|
POW/WIA
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the E. McKay crew
|
|
T/Sgt Francis Acker
|
TTE
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the E. McKay crew
|
|
S/Sgt Carl F. Schuster
|
BTG
|
POW
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the E. McKay crew
|
|
S/Sgt John E. Trout
|
RWG
|
POW/WIA
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the E. McKay crew
|
|
S/Sgt Jack W. Domenig
|
LWG
|
POW/WIA
|
24/5/44
|
Berlin
|
From the E. McKay crew
|
350th Sqdn. On 24/5/44 this was the lead ship of
the Group formation. Major Fitzgerald was C.O. of the 350th and Capt
Geary was a pilot who had completed a tour of operations with the
390th Bomb Group and then been assigned to the 100th. Lt. A. J.
Harris, as pilot of his own crew had been interned in Sweden on
20/2/44 with his crew but apparently had gotten back to Thorpe
Abbotts by some means. It seems most unusual that he would have been
allowed to fly over Europe again because, for security reasons,
Evadees & Internees were invariably sent back to the U.S.A.
This crew bailed out over Ludwigslust, Germany and
all were captured.
The 100th lost nine aircraft this day. MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY
(p.249) says "Opposed by some 200 E/A,100BG became separated from
bomber stream by weather and contrails and were subjected to heavy
attack."
|
|
