| 20 FEB 44 POSEN (POLAND) RETURN THORPE ABBOTTS ONE
MONTH CREW OF A. J. HARRIS BEFORE HE WAS
INTERNED AND RETURNED TO OPERATIONS. . VERY RARE OCCURRENCE. CREW WAS
FLYING 42-39792 LN-X "HALF & HALF".
| 2ND LT ARTHUR J. HARRIS |
P |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| 2ND LT JOHN DUTKA |
CP |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| F/O MORRLS C. WEST |
NAV |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| 2ND LT ALBERT A. MARCHIONDO |
BOM |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| T/SGT RENE L. TUJAGUE |
ROG |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| T/SGT ALVIN GRASSHOFF |
TTE |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| S/SGT DONALD A. PETRECCA |
BTG |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| S/SGT LESTER L. ERRETT |
RWG |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| S/SGT JOHN A. MARTIN |
LWG |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
| S/SGT FREDERICK J. KACZYNSKI |
TG |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN |
INTERNEE (SWEDEN) |
350th Sqdn. Crew, as above, is taken from the MACR #2427 microfiche # 807.
On 20/2/44, this crew apparently flying with 95th BG. Pulled out of
formation in high sqdn. at 5430N 1150E and later was seen to go down into
undercast with #2 engine on fire. This Crew did make it to Sweden where
they were briefly interned.
A statement made by Sgt. Donald Petrecca on l7 Nov. l944 is as follows:
…Entire crew except pilot are returned to duty are now in the U. S. I have
seen them in U. K. and off to the States. Pilot was returned to U. K. one
month after being interned…..Have seen official reports telling of Pilot
(Harris) having flown missions after being taken out of Sweden was shot
down and is now a Prisoner of War in Germany. "The statement relative to
Lt. Harris was absolutely correct. On 24/5/44, flying as CP (actually as
tail gunner) with a crew piloted by Capt. J.
R. Geary, Harris was shot down and made a POW. See Geary info below.
This crew joined the 100th Group on 1/12/43. At that time the CP was 2nd
Lt James M. Stanley, the NAV was 2nd Lt Richard R. Powell and the BOM was
2nd Lt Charles R. Fond. Powell was KIC on 29/1/44 with crew of
L. C. Marks. No further record of
Stanley & Fond.
CREW – CAPT. JAMES GEARY
| CAPT JAMES R. GEARY |
P |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN |
| MAJOR MAURICE J. FITZGERALD |
CMD P |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN |
| 1ST LT ARTHUR J. HARRIS |
CP |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN (Flying TG – See Below) |
| 1ST LT A. EDWIN STERN, JR |
BOM |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN |
| 2ND LT DORT B. PAYNE |
NAV |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN |
| T/SGT LOUIS PALTRINERI |
ROG |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN – WIA (From E. McKay
crew) |
| T/SGT FRANCIS ACKER |
BTG |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN (From E. McKay crew) |
| S/SGT CARL F. SCHUSTER |
TTE |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN (From E. McKay crew) |
| S/SGT JOHN E. TROUT |
RWG |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN (From E. McKay crew) |
| S/SGT JACK W. DOMENIG |
LWG |
POW |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN (From E. McKay crew) |
350th Sqdn. On 24/5/44 this was the lead ship of the Group formation.
Major Fitzgerald was C. O. of the 350th and Capt Geary was a pilot who had
completed a tour of operations with the 390th Bomb Group and then been
assigned to the 100th. Lt. A. J. Harris, as pilot of his own crew had been
interned in Sweden on 20/2/44 with his crew but apparently had gotten back
to Thorpe Abbotts by some means. It seems most unusual that he would have
been allowed to fly over Europe again because, for security reasons,
Evadees & Internees were invariably sent back to the U. S. A. This crew
bailed out over Ludwigslust, Germany and all were captured. The 100th lost
nine aircraft this day. MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY (p. 249) says "Opposed by
some 200 E/A, 100BG became separated from bomber stream by weather and
contrails and were subjected to heavy attack. "
Original Crew of Lt Dutka:
| 2nd Lt.
Martin Tashjian |
P |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
KIA 15 MAR 43 BRUNSWICK |
| 2nd Lt. John Dutka |
CP |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
-- |
| 2nd Lt. Floyd E. Hartman |
NAV |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (TAPS 10 APR 90) |
| 2nd Lt. Bennie Epstein |
BOM |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
-- |
| T/Sgt. Floyd O. Douglas |
TTE |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
KIA 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG |
| T/Sgt. Robert D. Longworth |
ROG |
IIC |
4 DEC 43 |
KIA 15 MAR 44 WITH
DEVORE CREW |
| Sgt. Wilbur W. Palmer |
WG |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
| Sgt. John H. White |
WG |
POW |
6 MAR 44 |
BERLIN WITH
LAUTENSCHLAGER CREW |
| Sgt. James S. Morrow |
BTG |
KIA |
24 MAY 44 |
BERLIN WITH
D. S. PEARSON CREW |
| Sgt. Lucien E. Neveu |
TG |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
Crew, as above, joined the 100th BG (351st Sqdn. ) on 1/12/43. On 4/12/43
Crew was IIC = Injured in a crash of a 100th aircraft.
Original Crew of Lt Marchiondo:
| 2nd Lt Herbert A. Alf |
P |
POW |
29 APR 44 |
SOTTEVAST WITH CREW OF
L. G. LAKIN
AND COL. KELLY |
| 1st Lt Kenneth L. Rasmussen |
CP |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
| 2nd Lt Raymond B. Phaneuf |
NAV |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
| 2nd Lt Albert A. Marchiondo |
BOM |
INTERNEE |
20 FEB 44 |
POSEN & SETTIN WITH A. J. HARRIS CREW |
| Sgt Jimison T. Pyles |
TTE |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
| Sgt Carmine V. Roberto |
ROG |
KIA |
29 JUL 44 |
MERSEBURG WITH
W. T. FITZROY CREW |
| Sgt Francis J. Flemm, Jr |
BTG |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
| Sgt Jerome H. Gordon |
WG |
CPT |
-- |
-- |
| Sgt Herschel P. Lowe |
WG |
CPT |
-- |
WITH D. C. RICE CREW |
| Sgt Joseph C. Krusienskl |
TG |
KIA |
6 MAR 44 |
BERLIN WITH
D. RADTKE CREW |
418th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 1/12/43It would
appear that this crew was "broken up" soon after it came to the 100th.
Letter from Gordon 26/1/91 says Rasmussen . RFS soon after arrival in Eng.
because of ulcers & returned to ZI. Crew then broken up and members flew
as replacements with other crews. Gordon flew 5 missions in three months
then was grounded because of (anoxia?) despite his official protest.
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