| Letter from Stanley W. Yates to Paul West following the 1995 100th reunion in Fort Worth, TX - dated Oct 22, 1995 Dear Paul; ….Some crew history. Crew was formed in early 1944 at Rapid City, south Dakota and completed B-17 phase training in June of 1944. From Rapid City we picked up a new B-17G in Kearney, Nebraska … departed the States July 4th, 1944 via Gander, Newfoundland and Prestwich, Scotland July 9th, 1944. We joined the 100th Bomb Group July 17th, 1944 and flew our first combat mission July, 28th, 1944 to Merseburg, Germany.On our 14th mission to Nurnberg, Germany we encountered flak and Stevenson (Robert L. Stevenson – the pilot) was hit in the left thigh. While Stevenson was in the hospital the crew flew with other 1st pilots and on other crews. I am unsure what date or mission Stevenson was returned to flying duty, but I think it was the Nov. 2nd mission to Merseburg.The crew flew together the Dec 30th mission to Kassel. All the crew with the exception of Stevenson had 30 or more missions and the crew was disbanded. Stevenson, with 25 missions was assigned a new crew. Henderson (Floyd E. Henderson – the crew’s original co-pilot) was assigned as 1st Pilot of the Carl Hedon crew. (Shot down Dec 31st at Hamburg.)
See notes at end from 100th database. Leffingwell had finished with the Kassel mission, I had 33 missions and finished with Duke Quin’s crew on Jan. 7th, 1945. The Enlisted men were sent home. Stevenson finished his tour Feb.9th, 1945…. Best Wishes
Stanely (Bill) Yates. Notes:
Crew #133
| 2ND LT ROBERT L. STEVENSON | P | CPT |
9 FEB 45 | -- | | 2ND LT FLOYD E. HENDERSON |
CP | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| 2ND LT WILLIAM C. LEFFINGWELL | NAV |
CPT | 28 DEC 44 | -- |
| 2ND LT STANLEY W. YATES | BOM |
CPT | 7 JAN 45 | -- |
| T/SGT ALAN B. CRAIG | ROG | CPT |
30 DEC 44 | -- | | T/SGT HENRY GREEN |
TTE | CPT | 30 DEC 44 | -- |
| S/SGT ISAAC N. HULME | BTG | CPT |
30 DEC 44 | -- | | S/SGT` HERMAN G. FRAHS |
WG | CPT | 30 DEC 44 | -- |
| S/SGT EDWARD M. AUGUSTINE | WG | CPT |
30 DEC 44 | -- | | S/SGT JOHN B. HUNNICUTT |
TG | CPT | 30 DEC 44 | TAPS: 1945 |
351ST SQDN. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 17 JUL 1944.. ON THE 31 DEC 44 ( HAMBURG) MISSION FLOYD E. HENDERSON WAS THE FIRST PILOT OF A CREW THAT APPEARS TO BE MAINLY THAT OF CARL J. HEDIN...jb (On the 31 DEC 44 ( HAMBURG) mission, FLOYD E. HENDERSON was the first pilot of this crew.. Appears mainly that of Carl J. HEDIN...jb A/C #42-31066 "Fools Rush In" MACR #11366, MICRO-FICHE #4183
| 2nd Lt Floyd E. Henderson |
P | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| 2nd Lt. Richard W. King |
CP | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| 2nd Lt. George J. Smigo, Jr | NAV | POW |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG | | S/Sgt Elmer L. Kovach |
TOGG | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| S/Sgt George J. Robinson |
ROG | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| S/Sgt James W. Shepard |
TTE | KIA |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
| Sgt Leo O. Murphy | BTG | POS |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG | | Sgt Fred Horcasitas |
WG | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| Sgt Frank S. Sauls | TG | POW |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG |
EYEWITNESS: "A/C 42-31066 received a direct hit by flak just before "Bombs Away" , and the bombs were salvoed. The A/C fell off on the right wing and dropped onto A/C #43-38124 piloted by Lt. Clifton M. Williams. Both aircraft went down in flames and one exploded" (See Williams crew below)
| Lt. Clifton M. Williams |
P | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| Lt. Kenneth W. Newkirk |
CP | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| Lt. Richard F. Williams |
NAV | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| Lt. Lawrence W. Ward | BOM | POW |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG | | T/S/Sgt Charles J. McGinley |
ROG | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| T/Sgt .Alvin H. Petteys |
TTE | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| S/Sgt Lee F. Carpenter |
BTG | KIA |
31 DEC 44 |
HAMBURG |
| S/Sgt James H. Murphy | WG | POW |
31 DEC 44 | HAMBURG | | Cpl. Gordon R. Sinclair |
TG | CPT | 15 MAR 45 | ORANIENBURG |
| Sinclair CPT with the S. Johnson Crew as NAV (see note) |
351st Sqdn. Sqdn Diary of Sept.1944 notes this crew as joining the 100th Group in Sept. A Cpl. Harvey J. Lehman was on the crew at that time but no further record of him has turned up. On 31/12/44, S/Sgt Roland L. Douglas, from the crew of Gerald Brown, was flying in place of Gordon Sinclair and was made a POW. Note Gordon Sinclair was removed from Navigator's school one day short of graduation for some unknown infraction, probably the Training Command acted a bit over zealous in view of the need for trained Navigators. The 351st Sqdn. Commander (Harry Cruver, a man known to have had some disagreements with training command personnel during his cadet days) corrected this bit of over zealousness by immediately promoting Sinclair to M/Sgt and making him the Navigator for the Sidney Johnson crew, where he completed a tour. This from Charles M. Beck, of the Sidney Johnson crew. ...pw)Following crew members located by Stanley W. Yates as of 1995 Crew #133
| Robert L. Stevenson |
Retired USAF Taps 1991 or 1992 |
| Floyd E. Henderson |
KIA 31 Dec 44 Hamburg, Germany |
| William E. Leffingwell |
Remained in Air Force – whereabouts unknown |
| Stanley W. Yates |
Little Rock, Arkansas |
| Allen B. Graig |
Doraville, Georgia Taps 1994 |
| Henry Green |
Rt. 2 Box 6, Minatose, Nebraska |
| Isaac N. Hulme |
108 Walnut St., Hendersville, Tennessee 37075 |
| Herman G. Frahs |
99 Lewis St., Geneva, New York |
| Edward M. Augstine |
Whereabouts unknown |
| John B. Hunnicutt |
Transferred to B-26’s and KIA |
Missions of Stanley W. Yates
| Nbr |
Date |
Target |
Aircraft |
Bomb Load |
| 01 | 7-28-44 | Merseburg, Ger | Our Gal Sal | 12-500# - Oil Refinery |
| 02 | 8-2-44 | LeFere, Fr. | #579 | 6-1000# - Bridges |
| 03 | 8-4-44 | Hamburg, Ger. | Boeing Belle | 20-250# GP - Fighter Factory |
| 04 | 8-8-44 | St. Silvain, Fr. | Boeing Belle | 12-500, 2-1000# - Battle Line |
| 05 | 8-11-44 | Villa Coublay, Fr. | The Latest Rumor | 38-100# GP’s - Airdrome |
| 06 | 8-14-44 | Ludwigshaven, Ger. | The Latest Rumor | 25-500# GO - Chemical Plant |
| 07 | 8-15-44 | Venlo, Holland | Boeing Belle | 38-100# GP’s - Airdrome |
| 08 | 8-25-44 | Politz, Ger. | Boeing Belle | 10-500# GP’s - Oil Refinery |
| 09 | 8-27-44 | Berlin, Ger. | #521 | 10-500# GP’s - City |
| 10 | 8-30-44 | Bremen, Ger. | All American Girl | 6-1000# GP’s - Tank Works |
| 11 | 9-3-44 | Best, Fr. (Crozon) | Fever Beaver | 12-500# GP’s - Harbor |
| 12 | 9-5-44 | Stuttgart, Ger | Boeing Belle | 10-500# INC - Tank Works |
| 13 | 9-9-44 | Dusseldorf, Ger. | #808 | 10-500# GP’s - Industrial Plant |
| 14 | 9-10-44 | Nurnburg, Ger. | Boeing Belle | Stevenson hit by flak - Tank Works |
| 15 | 9-12-44 | Magdeburg, Ger. | Quittin Time | 10-500# GP’s - Oil Refinery |
| 16 | 9-13-44 | Sindelfingen, Ger. | The Latest Rumor | Daimler-Benz Plant |
| 17 | 9-18-44 | Warsaw. Pol | Unknown | (Aborted over Baltic - Lost #3 Engine)
Supplies |
| 18 | 10-15-44 | Cologne, Ger | Fools Rush In | 16-250# INC - Industrial Plant |
| 19 | 10-17-44 | Cologne, Ger | Fools Rush In | 34-100# GP & 2-500# INC |
| 20 | 10-19-44 | Ludwigshaven, Ger. | Skyway Chariot | 14-350# GP & 2-500# INC |
| 21 | 10-23-44 | Munster, Ger | Fools Rush In | 14-250# GP & 3-500# INC |
| 22 | 10-30-44 | Western Germany | Unknown | Rail Yards |
| 23 | 11-2-44 | Merseburg, Ger. | Skyway Chariot | 20-500# GP’s - Oil Refinery |
| 24 | 11-5-44 | Ludwigshaven, Ger. | Fools Rush In | 6-1000# GP’s - Oil Refinery |
| 25 | 11-6-44 | Neumunster | Fools Rush In | 20-250# GP’s - Rail Yards |
| 26 | 11-29-44 | Hamm, Ger. | Humpty Dumpty | 10-500# GP’s & 2-M-17 |
| 27 | 12-4-44 | Friedburg, Ger | Fools Rush In | 20-250# GP’s - Rail Yards |
| 28 | 12-5-44 | Berlin, Ger. | Fools Rush In | 20-250# GP’s - City |
| 29 | 12-24-44 | Kaiserlautern, Ger. | | Rail Yards |
| 30 | 12-25-44 | Kaiserlautern, Ger | | Rail Yards |
| 31 | 12-27-44 | Fulda, Ger | Fools Rush In | 25-250# GP’s - Rail Yards |
| 32 | 12-28-44 | Koblenz, Ger | #938/ 418th A/C | 25-250# GP’s - Rail Yards |
| 33 | 12-31-44 | Kassel, Ger | #459/ 418th A/C | 12-500# GP’s - Rail Yards |
| (Last mission with crew - Enlisted members of crew sent home) |
| 34 | 1-3-45 | Fulda, Ger | Quittin Time | Rail Yards |
| 35 | 1-7-45 | Cologne, Ger | Skyway Chariot | 6-1000# GP’s - Bridges |
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