Mission No 129

MISSION NO. 129
MUNSTER, GERMANY

30 SEPTEMBER, 1944

Comprising the 94th B Combat Wing, the 457th was targeted to hit the vital railroad junction at Munster. Other wings of the Eighth attacked other vital rail junctions. With Major Dickinson as Air Commander, the Group flew the planned route over England and entered the Belgian coast, to encounter nine- tenths cloud cover. From this point to the target, with tops of the clouds reaching to 25,000 feet, it was apparent bombing would be by PFF.

Turning on the bomb run, the lead squadron began an instrument run. Bombs were released in the smoke of other impacts, in the town itself. At the time of bombs away, the formation was flying at 27,000 feet.

Although flak at the target was only moderate, it was accurate enough to hit the deputy lead ship, piloted by Lt. William A. Millea. The nose crumpled forward, parts of both wings fell off, the plane dropped from formation, a bright red flash was seen, the ship exploded and dropped towards the ground. None of the crew survived.

After encountering difficulty with the PFF equipment, the low squadron finally made a successful run when the equipment began to function normally again. Through an opening in the clouds, hits were observed in the city. No pilotage points were visible for the high squadron. As bombs were released, a clearing could be seen below, but landmarks were not identified.

The mission took a toll of one aircraft missing and six others damaged by flak. No enemy aircraft had been encountered. September concluded with the 457th having flown thirteen missions, and having another month to remember. The severity of the autumn season was close at hand. As an indication of the pressure on the crews, Spleth's crew flew eight of the Group's nine missions beginning on September 12 (their first one.) The pressure was to continue.

CREW LOADING LIST

September 30th, 1944
Mission No 129 Target: Munster, Germany

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 # 152		A/C # 064		A/C # 538 LOST		A/C # 429
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Haven R. Burningham Lorentz C. Hanson George A. Voris William J. Meng Frank J. Bernd Karl H. Mannisto John S. Bozoudes Albert D. Paulson Edwin F. Mays William d. Mock	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 Robert G. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William W. Millea Lyman C. Plyer Terrance E. Rice John W. Tadje Lee C. Mohn Albert S. Levy Alvert E. Young Edward J. Roos Curtins E. Harmon John W. Paisley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris W. Wasserman Robert H. Wood George C. Lawlis Oliver P. Kolstoe Asa R. McClure Jean R. Le Shuffy William L. Kennedy Vernon G. Whatley Boyd S. Ballinger

	A/C # 203		A/C # 540		A/C # 167		A/C # 438
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg 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	Oliver G. Burgess, Jr Albert V. Teutschel, Jr John E. Elwood Roland F. Vevier Aldo Molestatore George A. Parsons, Jr Robert J. Burke Herbert E. Dollar G. T. Snyder	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William Clarkson Harold F. Bacon Victor E. Dumbrowski Delos E. Brown Neal Spencer Albert A. Spierling Edmond L. Niec Cleon R. Roy Roman M. Becker	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Earl M. Morrow William M. Stemach George E. Shaffer Samuel J. Lisica Clifford J. Upton Charles E. Lindquist robert K. Loerner Harry W. Pannell Joseph P. Salerno

	A/C # 905		A/C # 633		A/C # 098		A/C # 435
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lauren M. Spleth John F. Welch Theodore M. Braffman Robert L. Haynes Edward J. Grybos Norman T. Ozenberger John Byknish John J. Briol Harry J. Cornell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. McCall, Jr Thomas L. Gregory Arthur M. Livingstone Dominic J.l Giannico George W. Perry Robert J. Hayes Linville Wills Larido A. Battisti Walter S. Slate	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James W. Franklin Donald C. Lengman Charles C. Smith E. B. Hartley Luther E. Holloman Leonard O. Beach Adolph Sroczyk John W. York Ernest L. Herndon	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John A. Fox Herbert A. Rochlitz Jack R. Muth Richar R. Hinman Alfred J. Rubino Calvin Campbell Richard J. Imhoff Guy P. Wharton Wilfred Finke

	A/C # 662		A/C # 706		A/C # 075		A/C # 430
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Zeiler Sidney A. Bacon Martin Schwartz William C. Oliver Samuel J. Gelvin Dominic F. Muscato William P. Roach Donald A. Swisher Stanley R. Patterson James J. Rodel	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Loren G. Hampton Orville K. Hocker John B. Parker Andrew R. Friesen Robert Wills Russell G. Karl Thomas V. Farrell Irving Fetil Arthur feldman	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 Vinell L. Bush H. B. Maples Gordon J. Neely	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 # 394		A/C # 534		A/C # 765		A/C # 428
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wayne B. Tweten James Wilson Robert J. Maitland Norman M. Allegan William H. Carroll James A. Kolofs Carl Lewis James G. Grantham William G. Sewell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Melvin M. Fox Robert E. Southern Beverly C. Robertson Horace W. Whipple Adrian A. Belanger Lloyd J. Blood Robert H.. Ridge Alvin Prueop Harold A. Arndt	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Kaufman Robert C. Burkholder D. J. Letizia H. J. Smuzynski Sanford J. Cadwell Edwin M. Sinclair Rudolph J. Buczak Warren G. Antoine Lauren C. Keene	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Dean F. Fisk Walter J. McGregor James F. Barnes john B. Tomkin Milo G. Hastings Don C. Brewer Milo G. Hastings Fredrick Wosik Robert H. Hughes Raymond J. Helble

	A/C # 954		A/C # 088		A/C # 923		A/C # 433
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Sanford Fonnesbeck Kenneth E. Rohde Robert L. Scott Robert L. Scott Charles L. Wingfield George M. Kuykendall Hubert H. Akins John L. Morton Phillip F. Amann Edwin A. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William T. Robertson Clifford Hendrickson Charles W. Carbery Albert T. Banks Louis A. Dahle David M. Peterson Louis A. Dahle Bernard Stutman Clifford B. Digre John F. Brown	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Oscar R. Kempf James C. Evans Robert C. Spaight Douglas S. Rains William E. Flicky John W. Ward Jeff W. Chastain Robert E. Smolik Alfred G. Wolff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert C. Cook Nason H. Cummings Maurice C. Wilks John N. Martin Gene f. Skidmore Melvin G. Shields Harry D. Sallis Robert C. Templin Dencil J. Adams

	A/C # 899		A/C # 164		A/C # 528		A/C # 437
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John F. Angier Samuel E. Cashman samuel A. Plestine Howard H. Lang William M. Thomas Maynard E. Judson Charles D. Osborne Edwin C. VanTine James V. Cochran	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William S. Fisher William C. Bonnell, Jr Robert Ekbiom, Jr Edwin R. Benson David M. Peterson Herman J. Ratica Cecil B. Brantley Buford B. Lawson Stanley P, Gillespie	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William J. Murdock Alvert F. Porta Robert J. Huels Ben W. Berg Ray L. Zirbel William F. Hunter Charles C. Martiny Edmund G. Caruso Robert H. Goeras	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond R. Lyons Charles E. Robb, Jr Richard L Hamel Valeran J. Leksan Joseph H. Jones Joseph A. Macke Allen F. Schiebel Joe T. Clary William R. Fauntleroy

	A/C # 583		A/C # 574		A/C # 782		A/C # 439
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward J. Schorr George M. Bobletts Donald L. Neff Robert R. Wheeler William J. Dallas Anthony N. Kovac, Jr William H. Barth, Jr William Moore Willard O. Arndt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William G. Hitchin Robert C. Reid James J. Klein Louis F. Brickman Harley J. Ellsworth Hilary A. Turley William G. Craig Ronald Weber Norman J. Thorman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles Lower Kenneth W. Morrow Paul D. Richardson Paul D. Richardson Glenn M. Rogers Albert P. Boemer Thomas L. Jones Earl L. McAdams L. L. Epps H. H. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. White Hilary C. Smalling Jacob Landsman Leon J. Zimmerman Robert A. Adams Gerald E. Whitman Joseph M. Geller Leon C. Johnson David M. Flemming

	A/C # 101		A/C # 826		A/C # 551		A/C # 426
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Vernon M. Moland Scott S. Millis Leo J. Higgins Arthur G. Jensen James A. Gunnels William D. Ackerson John R. Koziel Earl S. Howell Walter W. Marr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Allen D. Sheakley Bernard J. Yavorosky Leo B. Bunker Marshall H, Hoyt Edward L. Nolan Murrell N. Tobian Antonio Papaianni Allen A. Sharpe Homer D. Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ero E, Salo Milton W. Casey Adam E. Santora Doyle H. Brown Clifford G. Koeneman John P. Fulgham Nicholas T. Benos Sol (NMI) Bachos Casper J. Casciano	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Samuel H. Schimel Edward F. Grudzien James E. Tolbert Dick E. Coffman Herny W. Schort Bob B. McFarlane Albert P. Schmitz Robert J. Kaer Dominic Staszewski

	A/C # 785		A/C #		A/C # 535		A/C # 410
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edgar H. Humble Edmund W. Hubard Richard J. Rementeria Fabio F. Sulpizzi Edward J. McGurren Jack J. Ham Charles A. Sneer Louis B. Reinhart Gilbert J. Fleming	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Mathews Albert A. Bean Thomas S.Sajatovich S. Marklin William A. Allerdice Fernando Urzanqui James R. Boyle Hubert H. Duckett Duane E. Reich	Capt Maj Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Lt	Vinton H. Mays Jacob M. Dickinson Charles E. Graf Walter H. Sale George Cahelo William C. Adams Chester C. Madsen Jesse T. Gill Kenneth R. Bostick Hays Bricka Herbert A. Dolph

	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