COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
A/C 42-107137 XR-O flew 14 missions in this A/C MACR #7502,Microfiche #2732
2nd Lt Charles S.Harding,Jr. P INTERNEE 13/7/44 Munich sn# O-757191
2nd Lt Bennie D.Wilson CP INTERNEE 13/7/44
2nd Lt Thomas P.Hunt NAV INTERNEE 13/7/44
2nd Lt William F.Edmondson BOM KIA 5/8/44 Madgeburg
S/Sgt John L. Craven TOG INTERNEE 13/7/44 Replaced Lt Edmonsdson after mission 7
S/Sgt Thomas D.Miles ROG INTERNEE 13/7/44
S/Sgt Norbert A.Fike TTE INTERNEE 13/7/44
Sgt Norman D.Fuller BTG INTERNEE 13/7/44
Sgt Wesley H.Peck RWG INTERNEE 13/7/44
Sgt Clare R.Harnden TG NC
S/Sgt Robert J. Buchanan TG INTERNEE 13/7/44 (FROM THE JOHN HARRISON CREW)
Sgt Lester J.Henderson WG INTERNEE 13/7/44
349th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 25/5/44. See John Miller letter 8/3/81. Also,MIGHTY
EIGHTH WAR DIARY says crew down in Switzerland. On 13/7/44, John L.Craven flew as nose gunner, Robert
J.Buchanan flew as tail gunner. Craven had gone overseas with the I00th Group Ground echelon then
volunteered for aerial gunnery. Craven,Buchanan & Fuller returned to Thorpe Abbotts in Feb.1945.
Crew was interned in Switzerland at Adelboden for 1month, then to Wengen for 6 1/2 months.
Crew flew first 3 missions in A/C 42-31987
Lt.Edmondson NAVIGATOR with the crew of A.J.Gallagher when killed. Lt. Edmondson was Bombardier on the Harding Crew for 6 or 7 missions then he was transferred to Lt Gallaghers crew as a Navigator.
Missions of 2nd Lt. Charles S. Harding, Jr (mpf 2000)
1. 30/5/44 TROYES
2. 31/5/44 OSNABRUCK
3. 2/6/44 BOULOGNE
4. 4/6/44 BOULOGNE
5. 5/6/44 ABBEVILLE
6. 6/6/44` D-DAY, OUISTREHAM
7. 7/6/44 NANTES
8. 12/6/44 ROSIERES (S/Sgt Cravens joins crew as Toggelier)
9. 15/6/44 MISBURG
10. 18/6/44 OSTERMOOR, GER
11. 21/6/44 RUHLAND (START OF 1ST RUSSIAN SHUTTLE MISSION)
12. 26/6/44 DROHOBYCZ, POLAND
13. 3/7/44 ARAD-ROMANIA
14. 5/7/44 BEZIERS
15. 11/7/44 MUNICH
16. 12/7/44 MUNICH
17. 13/7/44 MUNICH *
* From the remembrances of S/Sgt Norm Fuller. (mpf nov. 2000)
"Around Augsburg, the IP, our engines began detonating and we were unable to keep speed up with the others in formation. After given clearance, we dropped some of the bombs and proceeded to drop all of them, then started throwing all available weighty things out of the waist. Guns, ammo, anything that could be thrown out, was. Then, with the ongoing problem of not being able to maintain speed or altitude, we made a 180 heading westward towards, England. Immediately, we were hit, direct hit, behind #3 engine with a hole so big you cannot believe it size. Then a "bail out" order was given but not one of us did. Into our view came 2 ME-109 fighters at 3 & 9 O'Clock high. They pulled up to our wing and motioned to follow, we did and they took us to their base, a B-17 landing on a fighter strip. We were tense and hopeful. We made it and were then told that the war for us was over, since we were in Switzerland, a neutral country. We all dropped to the ground and I think we all kissed it. We were there for 7 months and were treated very good considering what it must be like in a POW camp."
"When we got hit, our Toggelier from Boston (Sgt Cravens) in his typical accent said over the intercom "We've just lost all our erl" meaning oil. Also, Harding asked Hunt, the Navigator for a fix or location. Nonchalantly and without any anxiety in his voice, said, "Sure, we are over Europe". We all broke up over that and really laughed, it broke any tension that might become evident. We were actually fighting for our lives since we did not know what circumstances might be forthcoming. God was there in that plane with us and had his protective hand on us."
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From: "Mark Monaghan"
Date: June 9, 2012 3:49:24 PM PDT
To:
Subject: PASSING OF TSGT THOMAS DENIS MILES, USAAF
Sirs,
I regret to inform you of the death of my dear uncle, TSGT Thomas D. Miles, USAAF (Ret) of the 349th Sqdn, 100th Bomb Group based at Thorpe Abbott. Uncle Tom graduated from Temple University with a BS in Chemistry under the GI Bill, and worked for the U.S. Army Labs at Natick, Massachusetts until his retirement in 1974 or so. He helped take care of my grandmother until her death in 1984, and from then on he and his sister Julia Miles supported each other. Uncle Tom died at home, from cancer, May 23rd, 2012 with his family around him.
Tom loved photography, video, and creating computer programs. He was an artist, and collected stamps, coins, and enjoyed sharing his stories with us, his nephews and nieces. Uncle Tom is buried at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetary in Philadelphia, PA.
Sincerely,
Mark Monaghan
CDR, US Navy (Ret)
MEMO 2:
