Mission No 135

MISSION NO. 135
COLOGNE, GERMANY

15 OCTOBER, 1944

The 457th again attacked Cologne by instruments, along with the remainder of the 1st Division and twelve groups of the 3rd Division. Ten groups of the 2nd Division attacked Cologne's Ford Motor Plant, as well as oil refineries.>p?

Lt. Col. Watson was Air Commander and Lt. Seesenguth was pilot. The Group's thirty-six planes comprised the 94th B Combat Wing, and the target was the marshalling yards. Assembly and formation were achieved without incident.

The route to the IP was flown as briefed. The IP and target area were obscured by smoke and cloud cover. The lead and low squadrons bombed the PFF secondary target in trail. Hits from the lead squadron extended along the direction of attack in a southeasterly direction across the southern edge of the old city and inside the perimeter railroad.

Bombs from the low squadron dropped in the same direction as far as the perimeter railroad bridge across the Rhine River. There were six direct hits on the railway intersection and one small explosion followed by afire. The center of this pattern was approximately 15,000 feet to the right of the assigned PFF MPI along the direction of attack.

The high squadron fell behind at the turn before the IP, and unable to get into proper bombing formation, selected a target of opportunity (a railroad junction) and dropped its bombs from 26,100 feet. The bombs fell in a wooded area one mile east of Bad Schwalbach, seven miles northwest of Wiesbaden.

Moderate but accurate flak was encountered in the target area, accounting for the damage to twenty-five aircraft.

CREW LOADING LIST

October 15th, 1944
Mission No 135 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 # 580		A/C # 157		A/C # 167		A/C # 439
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin G. Forry Louis G. Mueller 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 Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	William D. Hurdis Kenneth L. Anderson Merton L. Pond George S. Inman Mark K. Miller, Jr Elihue R. Maye Daniel W. Richmond Lawrence C. Johnston Robert S. Hegman Elmer Mittwoch	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Montell C. Higgins Edwin S. Jackson John O. McCaughan Harold F. Harstedt Theodore R. Bortel Fred E. Lawyer Francis J. Winder Philip G. Porter Bill C. Smigielski Russell A. Perry	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. White Rudolph Prokop Jacob Landsman Leon J. Zimmerman Albert C. Williams Gerald E. Whitman Joseph M. Geller Leon C. Johnson Howard Wilcox

	A/C # 152		A/C # 064		A/C # 075		A/C # 435
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Col Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Donald L. Seesenguth Leroy H. Watson Norman K. Nail Roland O. Byers Oscar B. Stauff Irwin Rosen Raymond D. Brodin George R. Langowski Robert L. Shaaf Lorentz C. Hanson	Lt Maj Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert B. Hooper James A Maguire Charles W. Craig Albert R. Banks Francis F. Craven John R. Billington Robert H. Ridge Joseph P. Brock Charles H. Borland	Lt Lt Lt Sgt 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 Paul Biesswanger	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 # 203		A/C # 574		A/C # 733		A/C # 433
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard E. Fitzhugh Harmon E. Robertson Enoch T. Naversen John Schwall Howard Lang Howard Larsen Howard A. Prather Ivory S. Phillips George L. Cole	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 Archie C. Strahan Norman J. Thorman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James W. Franklin Donald C. Lengman Charles C. Smith Elmer E. Veenker Luther E. Holloman Leonard O. Beach Adolph Sroczyk John W. York Ernest L. Herndon	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arthur M. Ford Mason H. Cummings William A. Moore Maurice B. Wilks Gene F. Skidmore Melvin G. Shields Harrel D. Sallis Robert C. Templin Kenneth R. Bosick

	A/C # 583		A/C # 706		A/C # 796		A/C # 432
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg 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 Frank C. Stein Hubert H. Akins Anthony N. Kovac, Jr Willard O. Arndt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lloyd S. Gray Charles G. Keller James J. Klein Louis Fl Brickman Harley J. Ellsworth Hilary A. Turley William C. Craig Archie C. Strahan Norman J. Thomin	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William Clarkson Harold F. Bacon Victor E. Dombrowski Valentine W. Stype Neal Spencer Albert A. Spierling Edmond L. Niec Roman M. Becker John J. Walicki	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Greame L. Bow Donald Allen James F. McGee Richard I. Hibshan John O. Bruggeman Chester H. Hall Chester L. Spurrier Robert F. Robinson Joseph Navarro

	A/C # 506		A/C # 164		A/C # 551		A/C # 442
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul F. Gillman Don E. Jensen Thomas M. Karr Robert W. Crowe Samuel H. Schafstall William S. Stanton Donald F. Boyd J. C. Arnold John E. Walters	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry J. Whitman Albert O. Gilbertson, Jr Louis Pine 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	James C. Evans Herbert A. Lawyer Olin G. Wellborn Sanford W. Lewin William R. Watson Peter Credidio Edwin B. Hartley Ferdinand G. Rupanian Grant A. Hanson	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 # 101		A/C # 051		A/C # 535		A/C # 426
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	Joe D. Coleman Edward F. Salman Thomas S. Crowley William C. Wright Francis E. Snow Robert L. Harrison George Martin, Jr Geroge B. Crockett Robert G. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph I. Evans Raymond A. Carlsen Elroy J. Peters John H. Cheatham Leslie R. Peterson Franklin H. Kark Maurice E. Patterson Elmer R. Sonday Allen A. sharpe	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Samuel H. Schimel Edward Grudzien John B. Kelly Dick E. Coffman Herny W. Schort Bob B. McFarlane Albert P. Schmitz Anthony J. Demaro Dominic Stasewski

	A/C # 785		A/C # 534		A/C # 606		A/C # 414
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Agt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Francisco Gamboa Raymond F. Rossner Milton Braverman Robert L. Haynes Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John E. Westhoff Thoms C. Elliot	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Melvin M. Fox William E. Thompson, Jr Beverly C. Robertson Horace W. Whipple Adrian A. Belanger Lloyd J. Blood Paul A. Stancil Alvin Prukop Harold A. Arndt	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	Charles C. Schobert William C. Girard Jame E. Tolbert Fayette Dennison, Jr William B. Wilson James F. Casey Walter l. Smith Norman W. Castle Raymond J. Helble

	A/C # 662		A/C # 594		A/C # 567		A/C # 441
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 Wilbert M. Sayler Karl Lambertson Richard W. Swank	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William S. Fisher William C. Bonnell, Jr Robert Ekbiom, Jr Stanley P. Gillespie David M. Peterson Herman J. Ratica Ernest L. Levonian Cecil B. Brantley Donald D. Brunsvold	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Oscar R. Kempf Kenneth L. Guptill Robert C. Spaight Maurice E. Walbridge William E. Flicky John W. Ward Jeff W. Chastain Robert E. Smolik Alfred G. Wolff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Lt	William A. Dawson William B. Gibbons George P. Korb Walter A. Sale Frank O. Pappenfuss William C. Adams Harold W. McDaniel Fred M. Barshop Herbert A. Dolph Charles W. Ford

	A/C # 662		A/C # 635		A/C # 782		A/C # 407
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wayne B. Tweten James Wilson Eldon E. Smith Norman M. Allegan William H. Carr Arthur T. Ashton James A. Kolofa James G. Grantham William G. Sewell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. McCall, Jr Thomas L. Gregory Arthur M. Livingstone George A. Cooke George W. Perry Robert J. Hayes Linville Wills Larido A. Battisti Walter S. Slate	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ero E. Salo Milton W. Casey Adam E. Santore Doyle 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	Bruce F. Harrison Robert C. Mcquire Edward W. Mullen Peter G. elsbeck Robert F. Rhyner Martin silverstein John J. O'Toole Joseph A. Youngross Anthony T. Cerrone

	A/C # 509		A/C # 034		A/C # 765		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edgar H. Humble Edmund W. Hubard Ashton B. Geren Fabio F. Sulpizzi Edward J. McGurren Jack J. Ham Junior D. Brooks Louis B. Reinhart Gilbert J. Fleming	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Loren G. Hampton Orville K. Hocker Neil G. Schroeder Andrew R. Friesen Maurice A. Diehl Russell G. Karl Thomas V. Farrell Irving Feitel Arthur J. Feldman	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

	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