Related Page:
Sassy
Lassy (offsite link)
|
 Anthony Gallagher Crrew (left to right)
Front Row: Lt. Gallagher, Lt. Bowen, Lt. Langenburg, Lt Verdal
Back Row: Sgt. Lucas, Sgt. Herhamer, Sgt. Prince, Sgt. Zaher, Sgt. Gobin,
Sgt. Wittendorf
|
| 1ST LT ANTHONY J. GALLAGHER |
P |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| 2ND LT GORDON K. BOWEN |
CP |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| 2ND LT WILLIAM F. EDMONDSON |
NAV |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| 2ND LT GUSTAV A. VERDAL |
BOM |
CPT |
12 DEC 44 DARMSTADT |
| T/SGT ALBERT S. PRINCE |
ROG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| T/SGT JOSEPH A. LUCAS |
TTE |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| S/SGT WALTER WITTENDORF |
BTG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| S/SGT JOHN A. ZAHER |
WG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
| S/SGT JACK GOBIN |
WG |
CPT |
16 NOV 44 AACHEN |
| S/SGT HERMAN F. HERHAMER |
TG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG, TANK, AC |
349th Sqdn. . LT GALLAGHER Crew as assigned in June 1944 except for
Lt Edmondson. It is known that Lt Edmondson was from the crew of C.
S. Harding, Jr. He was assigned to Gallagher permanently from
Harding's crew because the original navigator, Lt. Lyle Langenburg,
had been pulled from the crew when they arrived in England and was
sent for pathfinder training. S/SGT J. GOBIN and S/SGT ZAHER were
switching off missions flying as waist gunner as crews were reduced
to 9 men. S/Sgt Gobin was put in the spare gunners’ pool after the
Gallagher Crew was shot down.
MISSIONS FOR LT GALLAGHER CREW: # 43- 37572 IS "SASSY L" (LASSY)
| NBR |
DATE |
TARGET |
A/C # |
| 01 |
6/19/1944 |
CORME ECLUSE, AF |
37572 |
| 02 |
6/20/1944 |
FALLERSLEBEN |
37572 |
| 03 |
6/21/1944 |
BASDORF & RUHLAND |
102934 |
| 04 |
6/29/1944 |
BOHLEN (OIL REF) |
102934 |
| NC |
7/4/1944 |
GIEN (RECALLED) |
37972 |
| 05 |
7/6/1944 |
FLEURY/CREPEUIL |
31723 |
| 06 |
7/7/1944 |
BOHLEN/MERSEBURG |
37572 |
| 07 |
7/8/1944 |
CLAMECY-JOLGYN |
97834 |
| 08 |
7/11/1944 |
MUNICH (AERO ENG) |
37972 |
| 09 |
7/12/1944 |
MUNICH (IND. AREA) |
37572 |
| 10 |
7/13/1944 |
MUNICH (JET ENGINES) |
37572 |
| 11 |
7/14/1944 |
SOUTH OF FRANCE |
37572 |
| 12 |
7/19/1944 |
SCHWEINFURT & DUREN |
37572 |
| 13 |
7/20/1944 |
MERSEBURG |
39867 |
| 14 |
7/21/1944 |
REGENSBURG |
37572 |
| 15 |
7/24/1944 |
ST LO (GND SUPP) |
37572 |
| 16 |
7/25/1944 |
ST LO (GND SUPP) |
37572 |
| 17 |
8/3/1944 |
TROYES (RAIL YARD) |
37572 |
| 18 |
8/4/1944 |
HAMBURG (OIL) LT VERDAL IS INJURED ON HAMBURG MISSION
AND IS REPLACED BY SGT INGALLS FOR MAGDEBURG
MISSION AND IS KIA |
37572 |
| 19 |
8/5/1944 |
MAGDEBURG |
37572 |
Crew on 5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG MACR #7878, Microfiche #2888 A/C #42 –
37572
| 1ST LTANTHONY J. GALLAGHER |
P |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| 2ND LTGORDON K. BOWEN |
CP |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| 2ND LTWILLIAM F. EDMONDSON |
NAV |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| SGT RALPH O. INGALLS |
TOG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| T/SGTALBERT S. PRINCE |
ROG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| T/SGTJOSEPH A. LUCAS |
TTE |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| S/SGTWALTER WITTENDORF |
BTG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| S/SGTJOHN A. ZAHER |
WG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
| S/SGTHERMAN F. HERHAMER |
TG |
KIA |
5 AUG 44 MAGDEBURG |
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #572 as seen to be hit by flak as bombs were
released. The A/C disintegrated and no chutes were seen.
Later reports suggest it may have been bombs from another B-17 that
destroyed A/C #42-37572; there is no confirmation of this and the
fate of the A/C will probably never be positively determined.
(According to the Casualty Report, it states "the plane was hit by
flak on the bomb run". Sounds like a direct hit in the bomb bay…mpf)
Email from Ron Lucas, son of T/Sgt. Joseph A. Lucas (the_quiet_heroes@hotmail.
Com):
"As far as the navigator Lt. Edmondson, I understand he was assigned
to Gallagher permanently from Harding's crew because the original
navigator, Lt. Lyle Langenburg, had been pulled from the crew when
they arrived in England and was sent for pathfinder training. I
believe Edmondson was originally a bombardier but hated it and
wanted to be a navigator. (this is correct, he was a Bomb for 7
missions with Lt Harding Crew before coming too Lt Gallagher Crew as
Nav…. . mpf)
The toggelier Sgt. Ralph O. Ingalls, had been assigned to the crew
because the regular bombardier, Lt. Gustav Verdal, had been wounded
on the previous days mission to Hamburg and was in the hospital. He
finished his tour, returned to the states and lived in Idaho until
his death a few years ago.
Waist gunner Jack Gobin was not flying that day because with the
nine man policy John Zaher was flying. Gobin finished his tour,
returned to the states, lives in Florida and is a member of the
foundation.
I researched the rumor that the plane had been hit by bombs from the
plane above it but neither the waist gunner on "Billy Boy" (Chuck
Winters who was looking directly at the plane when it blew up) nor
the tail gunner on the lead plane of the element (and I don't have
his name handy) believed Gallagher was hit by bombs. Only the ball
turret gunner of the plane above (and I don't have his name handy
either…it's in my files) said the bombs may have hit it. Every other
source seemed to think a 1 in a million direct hit by flak in the
bomb bay caused the plane to explode. Naturally I prefer that
explanation. (the casualty report backs up fact the plane was hit by
flak on the bomb run…. mpf)
Herhamer's body was found, Ingalls I understand lived a few hours
and Edmondson supposedly lived for several days according to family.
Herhamer and Edmondson were returned to the states for reburial
after the war and Ingalls is buried in France. "-end-
|
|