Mission No 107

MISSION NO. 107
BREST, FRANCE

11 AUGUST, 1944

The mission of the day was flown by twenty-three combat wings of the Eighth Air Force, on targets including marshalling yards and fuel dumps in northeastern France, and air fields and fuel dumps in the Pans area.

The 457th attacked B rest, one of the few remaining strong points held by the enemy in the Brest Peninsula. The Group, forming the 94th C Wing, was third on the target and first on the MPIs, a trio of defended areas including a heavy coastal batteiy. The destruction of this defensive unit was desired by allied ground and naval forces ringing the port.

Three twelve-aircraft boxes were dispatched by the 457th. The team of Major Smith and Captain Clarence E. Schuchmann led the formation.

The route both to and from the target was over water the majority of the time. The IP was in the sea southwest of the peninsula's tip. Crossing the entrance to Brest harbor in clear weather, the Wing made a visual bomb run and dropped bombs from 25,000 feet.

Flak was meager and not very accurate, but the aircraft piloted by Lt. Gerald B. Ross was hit in No. 3 and No.4 engines. It left the formation about ten minutes later near the north coast of the peninsula. They began losing altitude and Lt. Ross determined that the plane could not get back to England. He began trying to find a landing strip. Only one was found and it was full of craters. The fields in the countryside were not suitable for a crash landing; consequently Lt. Ross ordered the crew to bail out.

The entire crew successflully parachuted to the earth. Lt. Ross was approached by a farmer holding a pitchfork. Lt. Ross identified himself as an American airman and the farmer told Lt. Ross he was in No Man's Land. He was taken to a nearby town where he was greeted by a group of French patriots. Lt. Ross and crew were later taken to the Allied VIII Corps Headquarters near St. Malo, France, and ultimately returned to England. For the rest of the Group, the route back to the base was without incident.

On 11 August special instructions were received for procedures to follow in the event an aircraft were damaged and a crash landing were to be attempted, or the crew ordered to bail out near the front lines of the ground war. It was the Command's belief that, if the procedure were followed, there would be a very high probability of safe landing in Allied territory.

CREW LOADING LIST

August 11th, 1944
Mission No 107 Target: Brest, France

If you desire to see the original scanned loading lists, click on the respective blue squadron header below.
(If a very small image appears, click on the small image to enlarge.)

748th Squadron

749th Squadron

750th Squadron

751th Squadron

	A/C # 905		A/C # 086		A/C # 649		A/C # 947
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Douglas L. Grantham Clarence R. Jennings Morris Arnovitz Robert O. Douglas Willie N. Suggs Buford R. Milner Arthur T. Ashton John D. Wood Sephus C. Tucker	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul W. Gilbert Richard C. Palmer Andrew Brown, Jr James V. Duffy David C. Foltz Raymond Conway Richard D. Wright Robert V. Moore Charles H. Borland	Capt Maj Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Clarence E. Schuchmann William F. Smith, Jr John W. Tadje Marsh M. Gallaway John L. Kabelac Dino N. Tonelli Joseph W. Labonte J. H. Lambert Edgar D. Lanzoni Billy L. Dalton Donald C. Lengman	Lt Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald E. Zigler Richard E. Hoelzer Norman N. Franz Robert J. Carson Oscar B. Stauff Oliver B. Kolstoe Ernest C. Geroge Edgardo Buletti Raymond L. Rule Willis L. Storrer Robert B. Theiss

	A/C # 558		A/C # 706		A/C # 073		A/C # 155
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Seesenguth Walter C. Strosser Samuel A. Plestine George E. MacDermott Raymond D. Brodin George R. Langowski Robert L. Schaff Charles Spornick Roy E. Goldman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Dale S. Jeffers Allen D. Sheakley Leo B. Bunker Marshall H. Hoyt Edward L. Nolan Morell N. Tobian Richard L. Gibbs Antonio Papaianni Homer D. Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerald B. Ross Samuel W. sayer Chester R. Tingle Thomas A. Matassa Hulitt O. Kirkhart Camille H. Blais Thomas s. Maulstesby Carl A. Adolfson Richard J. Burdett John L. Collins	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris W. Wasserman Hays Bricka George C. Lawlis Oreste Procopio Asa R. McClure Wilfred G. Baumgartner William L. Kennedy Edwin J. Auffurth cleveland M. Adair

	A/C # 470		A/C # 190		A/C # 018		A/C # 383
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. Norton Harry P. Polenski David C. Watts Woodrow W. Hammons Nolan V. Claxton Paul O. Connor Morris R. Walker Lewis H. Shane George S. Kamas	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alfred H. Thoman, Jr William E. Thompson, Jr William J. Morrow Vernon F. Hornig Charles A. Keller George A. Parsons, Jr Kenneth L Demme William W. Myers Bernard E. Arciero	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gordon E. Gallagher Donald W. Johnson joseph O. Isaacton D. N. Riegle William J. Moore Paul W. Johnson Harold E. Sturman James C. Baum Melvin D. Thompson Sol Pollack	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arthur M. Ford John G. Hossack William A. Moore Maurice B. Wilks Gene F. Skidmore Melvin G. Shields Harrel D. Sallis Dencil C. Adams Robert C. Templin

	A/C # 662		A/C # 079		A/C # 567		A/C # 587
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William H. Crawford Benjamin Gryncewicz Martin Schwartz Michael E. Baron Roy C. Schild Harold D. Harris Walter K. Marsh Stephen Kokayko Milton C. Tieman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry J. Whitman Albert O. Gilbertson, Jr Harold W. Patrick Leonard G. Stoner Joseph P. Melly Howard B.Munger William A. Scharnhorst Charles E. Fosson Bernard Sitek	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William K. Doherty James C. Evans Claud H. Sullivan Bernard M. Plaut Russell L. Scott Ancil U. Shepherd William H. Trusselle Franklin Don Melvin R. Bernhardt John J. Derling James R. Norman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack D. Marks Kenneth E. Yap Harold L. Kaplan Richard K. Newman Junior Schaner George T. Stefani Roy L. Walker William H. Shaffer Jesse D. Dunn

	A/C # 954		A/C # 088		A/C #		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Sanford Fonnesbeck Kenneth E. Rohde Paul Moll Robert L. Scott Charles L. Wingfield George M. Kuykendall John L. Morton Paul F. Amann Edwin A. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joe D. Coleman Edward F. Salman William G. Watts Thomas S. Crowley Francis E. Snow Robert L. Harrison George Martin, Jr William C. Wright Geroge B. Crockett	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott L. Williams Phil B. Adrian Fred W. Rogers Delos E. Bown Joseph Deluccia Anthony Collura Kenneth L. Gordier Marshall E. Young Paul Biesswanger Glen M. Rogers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Vizanko Paul F. Reichart Angelo A. Archiopoli Vivian C. McWorter Willis E. moore Joseph L. Mast Matthew J. Przybysz Alton T. Eason Julian J. Rocakowski

	A/C # 591		A/C # 161		A/C # 051		A/C # 556
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert I. Ellsworth John V. VanIngen Thomas O. Metcalfe Felix Merlone James A. Melling James D. Kriegbaum Alex McCahon Joseph J. Smolinski Robert J. Stubbs	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Loren G. Hampton Orville K. Hocker Robert E. Mattox Andrew R. Friesen Maurice A. Diehl Russell G. Karl Thomas V. Farrell Richard C. Weaver Glen E. Seeber	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Franklin H. Morrell Audrey B. Whitten Lawrence C. Ghiorse Donald R. McCurdy Harold L. Barris Lloyd L. Kogler Robert G. Fortna Dwight M. Parken Charles L. Bradford Alfred P. Beacom	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Greame L. Bow Norman S. Brandvold James P. McCole Richard I. Hibshan John O. Bruggeman Chester H. Hall Chester L. Spurrier Robert F. Robinson Joseph Navarro

	A/C # 101		A/C # 948		A/C # 934		A/C # 532
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin G. Forry Harmon E. Robertson John C. Muir John J. Purvis James D. Toal Francis D. Crawford William F. Norton Winfield J. Scott Virgil W. Sterner	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert D. Hooper Milton P. Durham James J. Klein Jack W. Oescher Norbert A. Meeuwsen John R. Billington Herbert L. Brownfield Mildredge C. Dean Virgil G. Maier	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edmund G. Coomes Andrew R. Reeves Delmar G. Spatz John A. Dahler Charles W. Smith Henry M. Githens James A. Conklin Harry W. Kroll Walter L. Laddusaw Sidney W. Brunick	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harold D. Gay Earl L. Johnson Walter H. Sale Favian F. Nordan Arthur G. Beck Donald F. Anderson Arthur B. Rounseville Harry A. Thortsen Fred M. Cogswell

	A/C # 826		A/C # 164		A/C # 051		A/C # 630
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles J. Schultz Alford P. Wilson Alfred A. Houghton Theodore M. Braffman Richard L. Dickinson John R. Palladina August W. Herrmann Calvin M. Carter C. J. Peppers Charles A. Wilt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arnet L. Furr Sterling H. Book, Jr Joseph W. Andrews, Jr Leon M. Plagianos Alfredo J. Raimo Edward Rambler Warren M. Rankin Leroy E. Wetzel Glenn M. Wisdom	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott B. Ormsby Edward A. mcNeal Robert J. Burright Roy E. Gleason Uay L. Saulsburry Fred F. Castle Karl E. Neely Ray R. Jones Karl E. Kramer Hillard B. Maples	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Earl M. Morrow Walter J. McGregor George E. Shaffer Samuel J. Lisica Clifford J. Upton Charles E. Lindquist Robert K. Koerner Harold W. Pannell Joseph P. Salerno

	A/C # 834		A/C #		A/C # 353		A/C # 026
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	David K. Summerville George Metzger Nicholas V. Saidita Robert I. Braun James J. Paradelis Dozier T. Prothro Randolph P. Lusk Edwin C. Vantine Barnett Feldman	Lt Maj Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Douglas L. Deal George A. Beere Roy I. Vaughn John M. Traylor, Jr Fredrick W. Asbel Paul E. Miller Cedric N. Priest George W. Emerson George Blaire Lentz M. Lackey	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William W. Millea Lyman C. Plyer Terrance E. Rice Harold F. Harstedt Albert S. Levy Alvert E. Young Edward J. Roos Curtins E. Harmon John W. Paisley John J. Kearney	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond R. Lyons Charles B. Berta Richard L Hamel Valeran J. Leksan Thomas M. Davis Joseph A. Macke Allen F. Schiebel Adrian W. Pennington Joe T. Clary

	A/C # 118		A/C #		A/C #		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Francisco Gamboa Raymond F. Rossner Norman K. Nail Milton Braverman Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John E. Westhoff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clayton E. Bejot Augustus J. Harris Andrew V. Solari Fernando P. Biancalana Paul G. Parker Norman A. Depelteau Oliver F. Orris Vinell L. Bush James H. Neelan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C #		A/C #		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt