Related Page: Crew #13 by Earl
Benham
With Crew #13 by Earl Benham
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The VanSteenis Crew 13 - Flight
and Ground Crew - 1944 (left to right)
Standing:
M/Sgt Glem Meyers (Crew Chief), S/Sgt Peter Sokolosky (Mechanic),
S/Sgt Jim Yarnall (Armorer - Flight Crew), S/Sgt Joseph Clouther (WG),
S/Sgt Walter Schneider (Armorer and TG), S/Sgt Edward Butchino
(Asst. Flight Engineer), Sgt. Amos Hill (Mechanic), Sgt Leonard
Mozinski (Mechanic)
Kneeling:
S/Sgt Robert Goodman (Asst. ROG and BTG), T/Sgt Archie K. Holladay
(Flight Engineer), Lt. Jack Ogg (Co-Pilot), Capt. Loren C. Van
Steenis (Pilot), Lt. Harold Becker (Navigator),
Capt Lester Torbett
(BOM), T/Sgt Earl V. Benham (ROG)
S/Sgt Joe Couthier was added to the crew to replace Jim
Yarnall who was wounded and grounded.
100th BG Photo Archives
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| Capt |
LOREN C. VANSTEENIS |
P |
CPT |
7-May-44 |
BERLIN |
| 2nd Lt |
JACK OGG |
CP |
CPT |
13-Jul-44 |
MUNICH |
| 2nd Lt |
HAROLD C. BECKER |
NAV |
KIA |
7-May-44 |
BERLIN |
| Capt |
LESTER TORBETT |
BOM |
WIA |
7-May-44 |
BERLIN |
| T/SGT |
ARCHIE K. HOLLADAY |
TTE |
CPT |
1-May-44 |
METZ, FR. |
| T/SGT |
EARL V. BENHAM |
ROG |
CPT |
1-May-44 |
METZ, FR. |
| S/SGT |
ROBERT N. GOODMAN |
BTG |
CPT |
24-May-44 |
BERLIN |
| S/SGT |
EDWARD C. BUTCHINO |
WG |
CPT |
9-Mar-45 |
FRANKFURT |
| S/SGT |
JAMES L. YARNALL |
WG |
WIA |
24-Feb-44 |
ROSTOCK |
| S/SGT |
WALTER A. SCHNEIDER |
TG |
CPT |
7-May-44 |
BERLIN |
| S/SGT |
JOSEPH V. CLOTHIER |
WG |
CPT |
7-May-44 |
BERLIN |
350TH SQDN.. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 1OOTH ON 13 OCT 1943. FLEW "HARD LUCK" FOR FIRST SEVENTEEN MISSIONS. (A/C
42-3413)
Press Release from the 8th Air Force:
It's navigator dead and bombardier gravely wounded, prospects for the
Eight Air Force Flying Fortress "Hard Luck II," commanded by Capt. L.C.
Van Steenis, University Park, Iowa. to return safely to its home base over
dim after a recent raid (May 7. '44) on Berlin. But the fortress got back
unfolding a story of its crews indomitable spirit and team play between
the bomber and a P-47 pursuit plane.
Over Berlin, never an easy affair as fliers dub "a milk run". Rings of
flak circumscribed the sky when Capt. Van Steenis, leading a squadron, was
near the point where "Hard Luck II" would be sailing on flak free air. the
young navigator gestured with two fingers - In two minutes all will be
O.K. The bombs were down and gallant gunners scanned the sly for reticent
German defenders. Berlin was sprawling below and burning, but a curtain of
fluffy clouds were in between. A stray Anti Aircraft shell burst near
"Hard Luck II". The No 3 engine began coughing oil and Capt Van Steenis
and his aircraft dropping from formation and loosing altitude to 16,000
feet, called for a check from all crew member stations. There was no
answer from the navigator or the bombardier. Just as two gunners, S/Sgt
Edward C. Butchino, 21, of Bridgeport, Conn. and T/Sgt Sansevaro, 24, Brighton, Mass were
ordered to investigate. the bombardier was found bleeding profusely,
lurched into the radio compartment. "Take a look at the middle of my
back," the bombardier said. "I'm not sure it is still there." The wound
was deep and the two gunners preceded to strip of his clothes and apply
sulphanilamide powder. "No No," said the bombardier as first aid was being
given, "Take care of the navigator and the ship first."
Coming forward to help, S/Sgt Joseph V. Clouthier, 20 Harlow St.
Worchester, Mass left waist gunner, applied pressure packs on the
bombardier's wounds, holding the packs firmly in place, gave morphine and
placed him in an electrically
heated blanket. As the bombardier's oxygen bottle was shattered, Capt Van
Steeenis dropped to 15,000 feet to the oxygen level. The top turret gunner
went to the aid of the navigator. Flak fragments had killed him instantly
and his body was crumpled over maps that were intended to get "Hard Luck
II" back to roost in England. Meantime the fortress had become lost from
the formation and only the trackless waste of the North Sea lay ahead. The
tail gunner, s/Sgt Walter A. Schneider, 24, of Greenfield, Mass., reported
a God Send--A P-47 was beginning to circle about the stricken B-17.
P-47 to Big Friend in trouble, came a call over the fighter channel.
"What can I do for you?" Capt Van Stennis urged the P-47 to head for home.
"No use for both of us to take a swim." "Don't worry about me," replied the pursuit pilot. "Will you be
O.K. if I circle at a radius of two miles?" With the American fighter
leading the way "Hard Luck II" came home to its base where medics and
ambulances were waiting to rush the bombardier to a hospital where
numerous fragments of flak were taken from his back and shoulder. Surgeons
said that first aid administered by Sgt's Clouthier, Butchino, Sanservaro,
and Acker undoubtedly saved the life of the bombardier. From the crew
another tribute was forthcoming. "Without the P-47, Said Capt Van Steenis,
"We soon would have been floundering around in the North Sea. I would like
to meet the pilot of the fighter and thank him personally." As for our
bombardier---there isn't a medal to high for him. At the point of death he
kept insisting the gunners take care of the ship and navigator first.
Lodged in Capt Van Steenis's parachute was a piece of flak but he was
uninjured. Although parts of the fortress were flak riddled, none besides
the navigator and bombardier had been hit.-end- |
-end-
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