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457th Bomb Group Honor Roll
Mission No. 123 |
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| 457th Bomb Group | 748th Bomb Squadron |
| (457th Home) (Back) Updated 12/03/2000, 19:17:12 |
Mission NarrativeMission No. 123Date - September 17, 1944 Target - Nijmegan, Holland This was the first time that the 457th flew a mission in support of ground troops. This bombing was to preceed the Allied airborn landings near Niemegan, Holland. The flight plan led the group over the Belgium coast and then turned toward the IP at Weert, Holland. The lead aircraft, s/n 42-97951, took a flak hit in the right wing which set fire to the two starboard engines. All the crew parachuted from the plane. Bombs were dropped from 18000feet. with very good results. Another plane, s/n 42-97190, crash landed in Belgium with two engines out and another damaged. Plane s/n 42-97190, named "Hitler's Milkman," was piloted by Lt Walter Strosser. The crew of Lt Fred Lockwald were flying their first mission with Lt Strosser as pilot. Lockwald flew as copilot. The plane was hit by flak on the bomb run and lost two engines and a third barely operating, left the formation and returned to Belgium where he landed the plane. All members of the crew were safe. This plane was repaired and returned to active duty at Glatton and eventually survived the war and returned to the USA on June 4th, 1945. |
......... Crew
| Pilot | Lt Walter Strosser | ||
| Copilot | Lt Fred Lockwald | ||
| Navigator | Lt James Rawls | ||
| Bombardier | Lt Seymour Salganick | ||
| Aircraft Engineer | Carlton Killgo | ||
| Radio Operator | Sgt Harry I Jacobson | ||
| Left Waist Gunner | Sgt Karl Lambertson | ||
| Observer | Lt Joseph Jerik (Lockwald's copilot) | ||
| Ball Turret Gunner | Sgt Drew Sheffield | ||
| Tail Gunner | Sgt E. Alan Mahannah |
Plane s/n
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