Related Pages: Joseph Farcht | Martin Rumley | Harry Bethea
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 Lt. Leonard F. Coleman Crew (left to right)
Norbert Koczent (LWG), Leo Kaminski (TG), Forrest Smith (TTE), Russian Soldier, Milroy Radulovich (NAV)
Wallace Lowans (BOM), Ralph Harris (ROG), Peter Helmin (RWG), Raymond Kaasa (BTG)
Photo courtesy of Leonard Aubert (Lt. Coleman's nephew)
Leonard F. Coleman Crew (left to right)
Back Row: Lt. Leonard F. Coleman, Capt. Stanford, Lt. Charles J. Gutekunst
This picture documents "The Way to the Stars" which was named "This Side of the Ocean" before release in 1945.
Photo courtesy of Leonard Aubert (Lt. Coleman's nephew)
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| Lt. Charles J. Gutekunst |
Lt. Leonard F. Coleman |
Photos courtesy of Leonard Aubert (Lt. Coleman's nephew)
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Lt Leonard F. Coleman was originally the CP on Lt Bethea’s Crew, and then flew a few missions with Lt Forsythe Crew before taking over as copilot on Lt Farcht Crew. Lt Joseph S. Farcht, copilot on Lt Donald Rice crew took over Lt Martin Rumley’s Crew in June 1944. Lt Coleman, from Lt Bethea crew, took over as copilot on this crew. The first time this crew appears on the combat loading list is the First Russian Shuttle mission, 21 JUN 1944. Lt Farcht completed his tour on July 25th, 1944 mission to St Lo and the rest of the Crew (except Koczent) finished on the August 25, 1944 mission to Politz ON 25 AUG 44 Lt. L. F. COLEMAN WAS THE PILOT AND C. J. GUTEKUNST WAS THE CO-PILOT
Lt Leonard Coleman’s Diary starting at point where he becomes first pilot. Remainder of Diary can be viewed on Lt Farcht and Lt Bethea Crew pages.
July 28, 1944 No. 28
Flew my first one as a First Pilot today. Got along fine. We bombed the oil refinery at Merseburg again, picked up a few flak holes again but nothing very bad. My Crew is going on a seven day flak leave now before we fly again.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
7/28/1944 |
MERSEBURG 97154 |
A/C 297154 OUR BABY HUTCHIE
August 7, 1944 Mission No. 29
Got back from leave last night. Today our target was a bridge in France. The weather was so bad we couldn't bomb so we had to bring our bombs home.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/7/1944 |
BEAUTOR (BRIDGES) 97230 |
A/C 297230 LAY OR BUST
August 8, 1944 Mission No. 30
This was another one to help out the British and Canadian Troops. We dropped frag bombs on German troops east of Caen, France (ST. SYLVAIN…mpf). Our altitude was only 12, 000 ft. The flak was really rough. Got a lot of damage but nobody hurt.
August 13, 1944 Mission No. 31
Bombed some highways just west of Paris today. There Germans were supposed to be retreating down the highways. We did a good job on the roads. Got an engine shot out!
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/13/1944 |
NANTES |
A/C 297071 ANDY’S DANDY’S
August 14, 1944 Mission No. 32
The Oil refinery at Ludwigshaven was our target today. Not a bad mission at all. There was a lot of flak at the target but not much damage just a few holes.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/14/1944 |
LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL) 97230 |
A/C 297230 LAY OR BUST
August 15, 1944 Mission No. 33
Bombed an airfield in Northern Belgium today. No flak at the target.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/15/1944 |
VENLO 97230 |
A/C 297230 LAY OR BUST
August 24, 1944 Mission No. 34
Today we bombed the oil refinery at Ruhland, Germany. This is the same target we bombed on the way to Russia. There was quite a lot of flak but no damage.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| RUMLEY M. C. LT |
CP |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/24/1944 |
RUHLAND (OIL) 78 97230 |
A/C 297230 LAY OR BUST
August 25, 1944 Mission No. 35
Got a nice one for the last one. An oil Refinery at Politz, Germany. There was some real good flak and we got some pretty close hits. We got about 16 holes in our Plane.
| COLEMAN L. F. LT |
P |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| GUTEKUNST C. J. LT |
CP |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| RADULOVICH M. LT |
NAV |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| LOWANS W. F LT |
BOM |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| HARRIS R. E. T/SGT |
ROG |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| SMITH F. G. T/SGT |
TTE |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| KAASA R. P. S/SGT |
BTG |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| HELMIN P. V. S/SGT |
LWG |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
| KAMINSKI L. J. S/SGT |
TG |
8/25/1944 |
POLITZ (OIL) 78 97230 |
A/C 297230 LAY OR BUST
Letter from Leonard Aubert to Mike Faley
Mike: Today I got in contact with Col Gutekunst. He was on the orders that sent a crew from the 100th 418th to RAF Station Catterick to film a movie. Uncle Leonard Coleman was pilot and Charles was Co pilot. They did spend 18 days on the RAF Base after they completed their missions. Col Gutekunst
explained they rode about 3 hrs in a truck to get to RAF Station Catterick. The name of the movie is "THIS SIDE OF THE OCEAN" A British film about Americans taking over British Air Bases
Leonard Aubert (nephew of Lt Coleman)
CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR FORCE STATION NO. 139
APO 559
Special Orders Number 231 (26 August 1944)
E X T R A C T
8. The foll named O's and EM, 418th Bomb Sq, WP via Rail and/or GMV fr AAF Sta 139 to AAF Sta 155, reporting not later than 1600 26 Aug 44, thence WP via military aircraft to RAF Station Catterick, RUAT to Squadron Leader NormanLloyd, on TD for a period of app two (2) weeks. CTRS
26 August 1944 Crew sent to RAF Catterick for two weeks to Film "THIS SIDE OF THE OCEAN" later called "THE WAY TO THE STARS" when released in 1945. (mpf. . 2005)
| Lt Leonard Coleman-Pilot |
sn#0-761887 |
| Lt Charles. J. Gutekunst-Copilot |
sn#0-700064 |
| Lt Milroy E. Radulovich-Navigator |
sn#0-756100 |
| Lt Wallace F. Lowans -Bombardier |
sn#0-701446 |
| T/Sgt Forrest G. Smith-Top Turret Engineer |
sn#33618978 |
| S/Sgt Peter V. Helmin-Right Waist Gunner |
sn#37658290 |
| T/Sgt Ralph E. Harris-Radio Operator Gunner |
sn#15195180 |
| S/Sgt. Leo J. Kaminski -Tail Gunner |
sn#36596021 |
| S/Sgt Raymond P. Kaasa-Ball Turret Gunner |
sn#39206394 |
Aircraft not to be used for flights by civilians and neither personnel nor aircraft to be subjected to any risks other than those incidental to normal flight.
Reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses will be paid in accordance with Cir 63, ETOUSA 44, as amended. TONT. TDN. 60-136 P 432-02 A 212/50425. Rail and /or GMV. (Auth: TWX Hq 3d Bomb Division A-1015-C, 26 Aug 44. )
By order of Lt. Col JEFFREY
HORACE L. VARIAN, JR. ,
Captain, Air Corps, Adjutant
OFFICIAL:
DALE Z. HOBBS
Captain, Air Corps, Ass't Adjutant.
Awards Received: by Lt Coleman
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters
ETO ribbon with 3 Battle Stars (Air Offensive Europe, Normandy, Rhineland)
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