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457th Bomb Group Honor Roll
Mission No. 1 |
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| 457th Bomb Group | 750th Bomb Squadron |
| (457th Home) (Back) Updated 12/03/2000, 19:17:06 |
Mission NarrativeMission No. 1Date - February 21, 1944 Target - Lippstade/Gutersloh [1st Loss] This was the first mission flown by the 457th Bomb Group and was led by the Commander of the 457th, Col James Luper. Of the thirty six planes the group put up, eighteen were assigned to enemy fighter airfield targets at Lippstadt and eighteen to Gutersloh. The planes at Guttersloh encountered heavy flack and fighters. One plane was lost to fighter action This was the first mission flown by Lt Llewellyn (Lew) Bredeson and his crew. Bredeson, flying 'Tail End Charlie', was under heavy fighter attack on the bomb run. With two engines out, oxygen system damaged, and other major damage from 20 mm shells, Lt Bredeson salvoed his bombs and the crew abandoned the plane. The tail gunner of the crew was injured during the attack and the crew attached a static line to his chute and helped him out the waist door, hoping he would get prompt medical attention. He apparently died before touching the ground. The other nine survived and became POW's. This was the first plane lost in combat by the 457th. |
......... Crew
| Pilot | Lt. Llewellyn G. Bredeson - POW | POW | |
| Copilot | Lt. George M. Barnes - POW | POW | |
| Navigator | Lt. Robert A. Whitby - POW | POW | |
| Bombardier | Lt. Samuel L. Kalman - POW | POW | |
| Aircraft Engineer | Sgt Howard R Collins - POW | POW | |
| Radio Operator | Sgt Leonard V. Luchonock - POW | POW | |
| Left Waist Gunner | Sgt. Louis P. Rigaud - POW | POW | |
| Right Waist Gunner | Sgt John F. Lewis - POW | POW | |
| Ball Turret Gunner | Sgt Walter J. Jutze - POW | POW | |
| Tail Gunner |  | Sgt William H. Schenkel | KIA |
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