COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
LT DALE McEWEN BECAME 1S PILOT OF THIS CREW SOMETIME AFTER THEIR 10TH MISSION.
2ND LT ROBERT A. WEGRZYNEK P RFS ILLNESS
2ND LT CHARLES J. GUTEKUNST CP NOC see note below
2ND LT EDMUND "NED" KAUFFMAN NAV POW 28 JUL 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY (WITH F.H.MASON CREW, SEE BELOW)
2ND LT JACK . EPPENDORF BOM KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND, OIL REFINERY
S/SGT GEORGE W. WRIGHT TTE NOC
S/SGT JAY V. EMRICH ROG NOC TAPS: 1988
SGT DALE E. STRAUSBAUGH BTG NOC
SGT EDWIN J. TYRRELL WG NOC
SGT LUTHER A. WISE, JR. WG NOC
SGT RINALDO J. BUSSINO TG CPT 24 JUL 44 ST LO GROUD SUPPORT
350TH SQDN….CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 09 MAR 1944.. Crew flew a/c" Daisy Mae"
"FLEW FIRST MISSION ON APRIL 11, 1944. AFTER 10 MISSIONS, LT ROBERT WEGRZYNEK WAS GROUNDED BY A SERIOUS ILLNESS THAT REQUIRED A LONG PERIOD OF RECUPERATION IN A STATESIDE MILITARY HOSPITAL. WHILE SERVING IN COMBAT, HIS B-17 CREW WAS UNITED IN THEIR BELIEF THAT BOB WAS AN OUTSTANDING LEADER AND EXCEPTIONAL PILOT"…..2ND LT CHARLES GUTEKUNST IN LETTER DATED DEC. 2000 mpf
LT DALE R. MCEWEN TOOK OVER THIS CREW AS FIRST PILOT. LT KAUFFMAN WAS REPLCED ON THE CREW BY FLIGHT OFFICER ALEXANDER MARUCHESS BOTH MCEWEN AND MARUCHESS WERE FROM LT JAMES NOBLE CREW.
Note:
Michael: Dale McEwen and I, both co-Pilots, lost our Pilots about the same time. I was in the 350th Sq.and Dale was in the 418th. They
transferred me to the 418th and as Dale had started his checkout as Pilot. I flew as Co-Pilot for him. He was about 6 missions ahead of me.
Jack Eppendorf our 350th Sq Bombardier and Ed Kauffman our Navigator, both on the original Wegrzynek crew, did not transfer to the 418th with me. Jack flew with another crew and was killed. Ed Kauffman went to 8th AF HQ, became a Radar Navigator. He returned and was shot down with Noble Crew on his first flight as a Mickey Navigator. He was a POW.
Insofar as I recall, Dale and I were a "Put together on the spot" crew. Spare Navigators and Bombardiers, those that were available at the time were assigned to fly with us, Except for Lt Ivons and Lt Maruchess who were originally in the 350th, Lt Ivons was hurt from flack on the mission when Col. Kelly went down (April 28, 1944 to Sottevast). Maruchess was hurt in a B-17 collision and I never saw either one again. I don't recall the names of any otherBombardiers or Navigators. I flew my last 6 missions with various, new crews. I just don't recall Lt. Anderson and I'm positive Bussino, the Tail Gunner who flew all of his 29 missions with me would not recall him. I'm Sorry I can't be more helpful
Chuck Gutekunst
gutecj@comcast.net
948 W, Leatherleaf Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85755
PROABLY MOST OF THIS CREW COMPLETED TOURS.
FLIGHT RECORD
RINALDO J. BUSSINO 39550304
350TH SQDN.. 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
THORPE ABBOTTS, ENGLAND (STA # 139)
DATE TARGET FLT, TIME
5 APR 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:40
9 APR 1944 AIR SEA RESCUE 4:30
11 APR 1944 POSEN, AC & ROSTOCK, CITY 11:30
12 APR 1944 SCHKEUDITZ, AC FACTORY (RECALL) 3:30
18 APR 1944 GENSHAGEN (BERLIN) AC ENGINES 8:15
19 APR 1944 LIPPSTADT & WERL AF'S 6:45
20 APR 1944 MARQUENVILLE & FLOTTEMANVILLE-HAGUE 5:00
24 APR 1944 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, AC FACTORY 9:15
28 APR 1944 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) 5:30
29 APR 1944 BERLIN, CITY 9:30
1 MAY 1944 SAARGUEMINES, MY & WIZERNES (NOBALL 7:15
3 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 4:30
4 MAY 1944 ABORT 2:00
7 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:00
10 MAY 1944 FALLERSLEBEN, MOTOR TRANSP. (RECALL) 3:30
11 MAY 1944 LIEGE, MY 5:00
17 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
19 MAY 1944 BERLIN, CITY (RECALL) 2:10
20 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:30
22 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 3:20
23 MAY 1944 TROYES, AF 8:00
24 MAY 1944 BERLIN, CITY (SPARE; NO HOLES TO FILL) 3:30
28 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:30
31 MAY 1944 OSNABRUCK, MY 8:30
2 JUN 1944 BOULOGNE & PARIS, RAILWAY JUNCTION 4:10
3 JUN 1944 LOCAL AREA 3:00
5 JUN 1944 ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE 5:30
6 JUN 1944 OUISTREHAM, TOWN 6:30
6 JUN 1944 FALAISE, TOWN 7:30
7 JUN 1944 NANTES, BRIDGE 7:50
10 JUN 1944 MORLAIX, AF 5:30
15 JUN 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
20 JUN 1944 FALLERSLEBEN, MT FACTORY 7:00
Flack Leave
7 JUL 1944 MERSEBURG & BOHLEN, OIL REFS 3:20
8 JUL 1944 CLAMECY-JOIGNY, RAILWAY BRIDGE 5:30
10 JUL 1944 LOCAL AREA 5:20
11 JUL 1944 MUNICH, AERO ENGINES 10:20
12 JUL 1944 MUNICH, INDUSTRIAL AREA 9:20
13 JUL 1944 MUNICH, JET ENGINES 8:20
17 JUL 1944 AUXERRE, RAIL BRIDGE 7:45
18 JUL 1944 KIEL, HEMMINGSTADT, OIL (100TH "B") 7:10
19 JUL 1944 SCHWEINFURT & DUREN 7:00
20 JUL 1944 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY 8:10
21 JUL 1944 REGENSBURG & LUDWIGSHAFEN 7:30
24 JUL 1944 ST. LO, GROUND SUPPORT 6:15
6 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:00
6 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
7 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:00
LT DALE R. McEWEN CREW 5/8/44 (APPEARS TO BE A PICK-UP CREW)
LT DALE R. McEWEN P (FROM LT J.B. NOBLE CREW)
LT CHARLES J. GUTEKUNST CP (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
F/O DAYTON W. CAFFERTY NAV (FROM LT GEORGE P. FORY CREW)
LT OSCAR F. MILLS BOM (FROM LT E. F. NEU CREW)
T/SGT JAY V. EMRICH ROG (FROM LT R. A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
T/SGT ALEXANDER L. HUBIAK TTE (FROM LT HARRY HEMPY CREW)
S/SGT DALE STRAUSBAUGH BTG (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
S/SGT EDWIN J. TYRRELL WG (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
S/SGT DONALD W. HARRIS TG (FROM LT H.E. BETHEA CR
EMAIL = winmac@prodigy.net
UNAME = Tim Winners
CONNECTION = I am a relative of a 100th veteran
COMMENTS = I have loads of information and photos on the 100th from my father, Robert A. Wegrzynek, aka Bob Winners. We lost my dad May 22, 2000. Would you be interested in any information that we have on him and the group? Thanks so much for putting such a great site together! I called all 5 of my siblings and mom when I saw his picture show up with his co-pilot, Chuck Gutekunst. Thanks again!W)
MEMO 2:
