| 1st Lt |
Jack R. Swartout |
P |
CPT |
24-May-44 |
Berlin |
| F/O |
Arch Drummond |
CP |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
See Below |
| 2nd Lt |
Leonard P. Bull |
NAV |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| 2nd Lt |
Albert D. Dahlgren |
BOM |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| T/Sgt |
Dorsett C. Bennett |
TTE |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| T/Sgt |
Robert L. McKnight |
BTG |
KIA |
3-Sep-43 |
Beaumount Le Roger, AF (Paris) |
| S/Sgt |
Harry A. Bonn |
WG |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| S/Sgt |
Hugh A. Smallwood |
WG |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| S/Sgt |
Joseph W. Weatherly |
WG |
CPT |
Awarded DFC |
-- |
| S/Sgt |
John M. Delaney |
TG |
CPT |
2-Jun-44 |
Boulogne |
351st Sqdn. Original 100th Crew # 27..
T/Sgt Robert L. McKnight was
killed at Paris with the Richard C. King Crew. Jack
Swartout is well known in the 100th, one of the few "Original 100th"
airmen to complete a tour, finishing with the 24 May 44 trip to Berlin. On
6 Mar 44 (Berlin) Capt Jack Swartout, Command Pilot, flying with Frank
Lauro survived a mid-air collision with an FW-190. Total rudder control
was lost, the rudder barely secured to the vertical stabilizer and
swinging from side to side inducing "a fair amount of yaw" as put by
Swartout. Not withstanding this Swartout and Lauro flew NELSON KING back
to Thorpe Abbotts.
On 28 Apr 44 Swartout was asked by the new group Commander, Colonel
Kelly to surrender the lead to Sottevast - this lead to disaster - the
Colonel ordered a second bomb run over the target at the same altitude
and heading. The flak claimed Colonel Kelly's lead aircraft with it's
crew of mostly 'Original 100th' airmen, among them Capt. Lakin on his
final mission and the 100th's revered Lead Navigator "Bubbles" Payne.
Colonel Kelly was KIA after only nine days as the 100th CO. It was said
then and is today that Swartout flew the best "Leads" in not only the
100th but the entire 3rd Air Division as well. New crews flying their
first missions with Swartout leading were very fortunate.
Note: Arch Drummond known to the 100th as "Four Mile Drummond" claimed
he came from a Kentucky farm that was half way between two towns that were
eight miles apart. Arch returned to that farm after WWII where he remained
until his death in 1995. "Four Mile" was one of the groups most popular
members. He is greatly missed but not forgotten by his old comrades. ..pw
Drummond crew on the 24 Jan 1944 mission to Frankfurt which crashed
on takeoff, avoiding a B-24 on collision course:
| Lt. A. Drummond |
P |
CPT EARLY MARCH 1944 |
| Lt. C. Schindler |
CP |
-- |
| Lt. F. McGuire |
NAV |
-- |
| Lt. M. G. Zetlan |
BOM |
-- |
| S/Sgt. S. A. Cary |
TTE |
-- |
| S/Sgt. T. E. Spenhoff |
ROG |
-- |
| S/Sgt. T. Szekley |
BTG |
-- |
| S/Sgt. J. R. Pendleton |
WG |
-- |
| S/Sgt. G. H. Head |
TG |
-- |
351st Bombardment Squadron (H) AAF
Station 139
14 August 1943
SUBJECT: Recommendation of Flight Officer.
TO: Commanding Officer, AAF 139
1. Flight Officer Arch John Drummond, T-60796, has been a member of
this organization since 6 March 1943, during which time he had acted in
the capacity of co-pilot.
2. Based upon my observation of Flight Officer Drummond it it my
opinion that both his character and his performance of duty have been
excellent. If commissioned as a 2nd Lt. I feel he will be a credit to
himself and to the service.
Ollen Turner
Capt., Air Corps, Commanding
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