Mission No 131

MISSION NO. 131
COLOGNE, GERMANY

5 OCTOBER, 1944

Although each of the three squadrons of the Group was assigned its own target, ten-tenths clouds caused the entire formation to attack the secondary target, the Cologne marshalling yards, by PFF. The primary target for the lead box was the Ford Motor Plant near Cologne. For the low box it was the oil refinery near Dusseldorf. The primary target for the high box was to have been a portable gas producing plant just west of Cologne. The 457th was sixth of nine groups in the Division line on targets in the Cologne area. Air Commander of the Group was Lt. Col. Wilson and Captain Fischer was pilot. The Group provided the entire 94th A Combat Wing.

Entering the Belgian coast at Ostend, the formation headed to Nijmegen. At this part of the flight the Division began to drift left of course, causing the Group to end up northeast of the IF. The bomb run was flown north of course.

The lead box released its bombs from 25,700 feet. The high box dropped on the smoke marker of the lead aircraft. Hindered by poor visibility and dense persistent contrails, the low box made an individual run, since the lead box was hidden from view by thick stratus clouds.

Over the target, heavy, accurate flak lasted for approximately five minutes. After bombs away, the three squadrons became separated because of prevailing weather conditions. The high squadron climbed to 30,000 feet, while the other two flew through the haze and contrails at the briefed altitude. The aircraft piloted by Lt. William T. Robertson landed at Antwerp with two engines out, but the crew subsequently returned safely. Eighteen craft sustained damage.

Fighter escort throughout the mission was very good. Complete cloud coverage over the target made bombing results unobserved.

CREW LOADING LIST

October 5th, 1944
Mission No 131 Target: Cologne, 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 # 046		A/C # 164		A/C # 649		A/C # 429
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	William H. Flannery Louis G. Mueller Paul L. Moll Norman K. Nail Herbert D. Dolph John G. Schloendon Lloyd K. Laggassa Duane E. Stowits George L. Petty Scott S. Millis	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joe D. Coleman Howard F. Slaman Thomas S. Crowley William c. Wright David G. Foltz Robert L. Harrison George Martin, Jr. Norman J. Thorman Robert G. Smith	Capt Col Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alfred W. Fischer Henry B. Wilson Roland O. Byers Theodore R. Bortel Edwin E. Mays Ralph D. Stutzman Edward A. McNeal John W. Koehler Ancil U. Shepherd John D. Barrett	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris W. Wasserman Hays Bricka George C. Lawlis Oliver P. Kolstoe Asa R. McClure Jean R. LeShufy William L. Kennedy Vernon g. Whatley Joseph H. Jones

	A/C # 905		A/C # 706		A/C # 167		A/C # 430
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	William S. Fisher William C. Bonnell, Jr Robert Ekbiom, Jr Peter H. Katz David M. Peterson Herman J. Ratica Ernest L. Levonian Cecil B. Brantley Buford B. Lawson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arnold G. Brunner John B. Wallace Ralph W. Eichenberger William T. Wilborn Charles D. Zhe Ralph Compton Joseph E. Elbers John B. Pawloski Joseph E. Elbers	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 Fredrick B. Weyand

	A/C # 662		A/C # 633		A/C # 528		A/C # 435
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Zeiler Sidney A. Bacon Hiram M. Drache William C. Oliver Samuel J. Gelvin Dominic F. Muscato Donald A. Swisher Stanley R. Patterson James J. Rodel	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry J. Whitman Albert O. Gilbertson, Jr John W. Martin Leonard G. Stoner Joseph P. Melly Howard B. Munger William A. Scharnhorst Kenneth E. McGriff Bernard Sitek	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Carl P. Sundbaum Galileo F. Bossio Theodore F. Scanlon Warren W. Nixon John V. Brennan Julian S. Smith Edward U. Zeitz Brooks H. Estes Donald R. Peacock	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 Dorsia C. Stutler

	A/C # 606		A/C # 064		A/C # 782		A/C # 438
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John H. Ingalls William D. Mock Wilmot J. Miller Robert F. Crunk Willard W. Largent Leonard F. Johnson Richard W. Swank Stanley R. Patterson James J. Rodel	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 Raymond Conway Warren M. Rankin Leroy E. Wetzel Glenn M. Wisdom	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James F. Lapaze Audrey B. Whitten Russell L. Scott John J. Kearney Jerome Grossman Melvin R. Bernhardt Franklin Don Delbert A. Brookhart John H. Cheatham	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. Koerner Joseph P. Salerno Delbert L. Bellinger

	A/C # 954		A/C # 674		A/C # 765		A/C # 442
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Sanford Fonnesbeck Kenneth E. Rohde Robert L. Scott Charles L. Wingfield George M. Kuykendall William Moore John L. Morton Paul F. Amann Edwin A. Reynolds	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 W. Weber Archie C. Strahan	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. Goerss	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frank S. Foster Robert H. Wood Jack Gassman Max Anderson Ralph W. Libby John L. Prendergast Jessie T. Gill Richard J. Cambria David M. Fleming

	A/C # 394		A/C # 034		A/C # 075		A/C # 437
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg 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 Arthur T. Ashton James A. Kolofa 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 Ronland Vevier Alvin Prukop Harold A. Arndt	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 Charles B. Pilling	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond R. Lyons Charles E. Robb, Jr Richard L Hamel Valeran J. Leksan Jerome Silverman Joseph A. Macke Adrian W. Pennington Joe T. Clary William R. Fauntleroy

	A/C # 537		A/C # 066		A/C # 551		A/C # 441
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg 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 T. Robertson Clifford Hendrickson Charles W. Carbery Robert Moore Bernard Stutman Clifford B. Digre Stanley P. Szydlowski John F. Brown Louis A. Dahle	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 Duan E. Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William A. Dawson Charles W. Ford George P. Korb Frank O. Pappenfuss John M. Roster Gerald Cook Paul M. Zalusky Fred A. Barshop C. J. Watson

	A/C # 469		A/C # 051		A/C # 923		A/C # 439
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Vernon M. Moland Samuel E. Cashman Leo J. Higgins Arthur G. Jensen Cecil D. Woodruff James A. Gunnels William D. Ackerson John R. Koziel Earl S. Howell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert D. Hooper William E. Thompson, Jr Neil C. Schroeder Charles W. Craig Francis M. Craven John R. Billington Robert H. Ridge Joseph P. Brock Robert Wills	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 Melvin D. Thompson Bernard E. Sidebottom	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. White Hilary C. Smalling Jacob Landsman Leon J. Zimmerman Albert C. Williams Gerald E. Whitman Joseph M. Geller Richard E Seely Benjamin W. Hamrick

	A/C # 583		A/C # 591		A/C # 309		A/C # 422
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clarence R. Jennings Paul F. Gillman Martin Schwartz Stewart W. Jakku Karl H. Mannisto Walter W. Marr Albert D. Paulson Robert A. Storey John S. Wood	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Allen D. Sheakley James A. McGuire Leo B. Bunker Marshall H, Hoyt Edward L. Nolan Murrell N. Tobian Antonio Papaianni Homer D. Reich Richard L. Gibbs	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles Lower Kenneth W. Morrow Paul d. Richardson Douglas S. Rains Albert P. Boemer Thomas L. Jones Earl L. McAdams Lester L. Epps Harold H. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Medford E. Hollis Jerome F. Rakel John F. Kelly Dick E. Coffman Charles Calcaterra Leonard O. Vittitow Joseph S. Kutas Louis H. Pena Richard F. Metranga

	A/C #		A/C # 594		A/C # 796		A/C # 426
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. McCall, Jr Thomas L. Gregory Arthur M. Livingstone Dominick Ginnico George W. Perry Robert J. Hayes Linville Wills George Cooke Walter S. Slate	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ero E. Salo Milton W. Casey Adam E. Santoro Doyl H. Brown Clifford C. Koeheman John P. Fulgham Nicholas T. Benos Sal Bachos Casper J. Casciano	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Samuel H. Schimel Edward Grudzien Edward W. Mullen Dick E. Coffman Herny W. Schort Bob B. McFarlane Albert P. Schmitz Anthony J. Demaro Dominic J. DeMaro

	A/C #		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		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