COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2ND LT ARTHUR A. LEADER P FEH
2ND LT ROBERT E. JOHNSON CP FEH
2ND LT MAX R. BOYER NAV FEH TAPS: 24 JUN 1972
2ND LT DONALD J. BURNSTEIN BOM FEH
CPL CHARLES D. CONWAY, JR. ROG FEH
CPL JOHN A. SEABLOM BTG FEH TAPS: 3 JAN 1999
CPL WILBUR J. COHEN TTE FEH TAPS: 14 JUL 1976
CPL NORMAN J. LIGHTHISER WG FEH
SGT LEON L. BARNES TG KIA 7 APR 45 BUCHEN, OIL STORAGE
418TH SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 11 FEB 1945
Posted by Jack O'Leary on 7/28/2002,
Combat Missions:
2 MARCH 1945 RUHLAND/DRESDEN LEADER A-SQDN LEAD FLT ELEMENT 2, # 3 817 S HS # 44
8 MARCH 1945 LANGENDREER, GIESSEN, MY (S.T.) LEADER A-SQDN LOW FLGT #2, 817 S HS # 44
9 MARCH 1945 FRANKFURT, AC FACTORY LEADER C-SQDN LEAD FLGT # 2, 817 S HS # 44
12 MARCH 1945 SWINEMUNDE, DOCKS LEADER A-SQDN LEAD FLGT # 2, 525 A HS # 41
14 MARCH 1945 SEELZE "A & C GROUP" LEADER C-SQDN LEAD FLGT# 3, 811 D HS # 49
23 MARCH 1945 UNNA, MY, 100TH A-B-C SQDNS LEADER A-SQDN LEAD ELEMENT 1 # 2 811 D HS # 49
7 APRIL 1945 BUCHEN LEADER a/c # 43-37811 LD-D..(TG..Tail Gunner Leon L. Barnes KIA)
11 APRIL 1945 LANDSHUT LEADER a/c # 44-8616 LD-Z,
14 APRIL 1945 ROYAN LEADER a/c # 43-38525 LD-A "MISS CON DUCT"..(noseart; woman with very attire)
15 APRIL 1945 ROYAN LEADER a/c # 44-6817 LD-S …
Chowhound missions
May 2, 1945 ALKMAAR- HOLLAND A/C 44-8616 LD-Z
May 3, 1945 BERGEN, HILVERSUM A/C 44-8616 LD-Z
May 6, 1945 BERGEN, HILVERSUM A/C 44-8616 LD-Z
Displaced Persons Missions:
June 3,1945 LEADER a/c # 44-6837 LD-Z Ferry mission to Paris..bringing back 30+ French Slave Labors sitting in the Bomb Bay
Green Support Missions to Africa:
Casablanca,June 4, 1945 LEADER, A/C# 44-6837 LD-Z
Casablanca June 12,1945 LEADER, A/C# 44-6837 LD-Z
Subj: Arthur Leader
Date: 3/7/2003 4:17:28 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: candp.seablom@verizon.net
To: MPFaley@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)
A year or so ago I sent you some photos which are now posted on the web site. Since then I have received some new information concerning Arthur Leader.
I compared the names on the photos with the 100th BG roster and found Edward Koch's name on both so I wrote him a letter asking if he had any information on anyone in Leader's crew. He replied saying he had met Mr. Leader at the Salt Lake City reunion last fall and provided me his address. I then wrote to Mr. Leader and received a reply from him in November.
I was mostly interested in learning which position my father (John Seablom) flew in. From what he had told me and my brother Don he was the ball turret gunner. He never mentioned flying in any other position. In 1999 my niece Emily went to Thorpe Abbots and came back with a book and some things that she had learned. According to what she found at the museum Dad was the regular tail gunner, and he and Leon Barnes exchanged places on the fateful mission to Buchen on April 7, 1945, the one on which Barnes was killed. The 100th BG site has it listed the same way. According to Mr. Leader, Dad was the regular ball turret guner and flew every mission in that position. The museum also said they flew the Buchen mission in Gold Brick, which collided with a German fighter and lost most of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the right side. Mr. Leader said there was no collision with his plane (PLANE WAS HIT BY FLAK…mpf)
I hope you will update the captions on the photos to reflect the above information. I can send you a copy of the letter if you want one. He hasn't replied to the last letter I sent him and I'm losing hope of hearing from him again. He was in poor health and living in an assisted living home. His address is 520 S Higley Rd. Unit 235, Mesa, AZ 85206.
Charlie Seablom
MEMO 2:
