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457th Bomb Group Honor Roll
Mission No. 4 |
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| 457th Bomb Group | 748th Bomb Squadron |
| (457th Home) (Back) Updated 12/03/2000, 19:17:14 |
Mission NarrativeMission No. 4Date - February 25, 1944 Target - Augsburg - Crashed in England On this mission the 457th put up 27 aircraft and were led by Col Luper to a target at Augsburg. The target was an aircraft manufacturing plant making the Me 210 jet planes. The opposition was heavy and the group was under fighter attack most of the way. The group had two planes shot down by enemy fighters and one that crash landed back in England (s/n 42-97458). Twenty three of the twenty four planes completing the mission had battle damage. After loosing one engine over the target, plane s/n 42-97458, piloted by Lt Reppa lost another engine on the way home and ultimately crash landed at another base in England without any brakes. The plane left the runway and came to a stop in a deep ditch after first hitting a tree. All the crew survived but the plane was a total loss. (See "Black Puff Polly" for Reppa's and Ayer's description of this incident). |
Edward J. Reppa Crew
| Pilot | Lt Edward J. Reppa | ||
| Copilot | Lt Aaron J. Ayers | ||
| Navigator | Lt Robert E. Jackson | ||
| Bombardier | Lt George H. Stateman | ||
| Aircraft Engineer | Sgt Stephen F. Billisits | ||
| Radio Operator | Sgt Francis A Boyson | ||
| Left Waist Gunner | Sgt Irving Feldnman | ||
| Right Waist Gunner | Sgt John Harmke | ||
| Ball Turret Gunner | Sgt Charles W. Mehring | ||
| Tail Gunner | Sgt Ivan W. Browning |
Plane s/n
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