COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
CREW #29 418TH BS AC #42-3237 "SYTMIE" MACR #1030 TARGET: MUNSTER
1ST LT ERNEST A."DOC" KIESSLING P; SEE NOTES
1ST LT JOHN F. STEPHENS CP/ 1ST PILOT POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER (HAD TAKEN OVER AS 1ST PILOT OF THIS CREW)
1ST LT HOYT L. SMITH CP POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
1ST LT DAVID SOLOMON NAV POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER (LT JOHN BRADY CREW)
2ND LT STANLEY O. MORRISON BOM KIA 25 JUN 43 BREMEN ( with CREW 1, LT PETRICH)
T/SGT JOHN SHAY TTE POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT GEORGE F. KNOLLE WG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
T/SGT MAX U. DRUDGE BTG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT FRANK S. MAZARKA ROG XFR Original ROG, taken off crew before going overseas.
S/SGT CARL E. BATTIN ROG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT CASIMIR A. RACZYNSKI WG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT WILLIAM F. YOUNG TG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
NOTES:
ON THE 100TH FIRST MISSION, 25 JUN 43. LOUIS GRATE, BOMBARDIER OF CREW #1 WAS REPLACED BY LT STANLEY O. MORRISON. THE REASON FOR THE EXCHANGE IS UNKNOWN; AN EXCHANGE OF PERSONNEL BETWEEN SQUADRONS, SUCH AS THIS, WAS RARELY SEEN. MORRISON'S SPOT ON CREW 29 WAS FILLED BY LT WILLIAM F. MOORE WHO BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43.
DAVID SOLOMON MOVED TO CREW #32, REPLACING HARRY CROSBY WHEN CROSBY BECAME GROUP NAVIGATOR. LT RUDOLPH GRUM REPLACED SOLOMON ON CREW #29 AND BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43.
ERNEST KIESSLING WAS GROUNDED AFTER THREE OR FOUR MISSIONS FOR SURGURY AND JOHN STEPHENS TOOK OVER AS PILOT, LIKELY THIS IS WHEN LT HOYT L. SMITH BECAME THE CO-PILOT COMING FROM CREW #28. HE BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43 ALONG WITH STEPHENS.
T/SGT CARL E. BATTIN REPLACED S/SGT FRANK S. MAZARKA PRIOR TO THE CREWS OVERSEAS FLIGHT AND WAS TAKEN PRISONER ON 10 0CT 43.
AFTER SEVERE FLAK DAMAGE AND ATTACKS BY FIGHTERS THE PILOTS MADE A SUCCESSFUL BELLY LANDING. MAX DRUDGE WAS WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT WRIST AND HAND BY A 20-MM AND T/SGT BATTIN SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM, THE REMAINDER WERE NOT INJURED AND ALL BECAME POWS.
CREW
Crew #1 Aircraft #42 29986 M.A.C.R. #269
Capt Oran E. Petrich P KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
2nd Lt Bluford B. Mullins CP KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
1st Lt Edward N. Jones N KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
1st Lt Louis B. Grate B NOC
T/Sgt Max P. Brim E KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
S/Sgt Joseph D. Bieu WG KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
T/Sgt Edward J. Zerblis R KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
S/Sgt Henry H. Rutherford BT KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
S/Sgt Pete S. Villalobes, Jr. WG KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
S/Sgt James M. Strong, Jr. TG KIA 25 June 1943 Bremen
A complete and exact sequence of events on this mission, the first flown by the 100th, is most difficult to determine. Of the 30 men comprising crews #1, 2 and 3, only five survived the mission and, of these, Nick Demchak is the only one who could be located by this writer. (James Brown, 100th Historian)Demchak and I agree that the 100th on this day never completed a proper assembly. At the time of leaving the English coast, the 349th, flying low squadron, was perhaps a mile to the rear of the lead squadron led by Major Flesher of the 418th. Both the lead and high squadrons seemed scattered all over the sky and a true Group combat formation never existed. The atrocious weather had a part in this situation, but perhaps a larger role was that of the questionable judgment of the Group leader.
At a point a little north of the East Frisian islands, Crew #1, leading the first element, disappeared into the undercast and was not seen again. No doubt it fell victim to enemy fighters as did crews #2 and 3.
Louie Grate, regular bombardier on this crew, for some reason did not fly this first mission. His place was taken by Lt. Stanley Morrison (KIA) who was the regular bombardier of Crew #29 of the 418th Squadron. No further record of Grate's service with the 100th has been found...jb
MEMO 2:
Original 100th, Crew #29. Flew with Crew #1 on this day.
