Mission No 150

MISSION NO. 150
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY

23 NOVEMBER, 1944

The synthetic oil plant at Gelsenkirchen was the target for the 457th, with Captain Dozier as Air Commander and Lt. Barrier as pilot. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing. Assembly was without incident and proper position of fifth in the Division assembly line was assumed. The route to the IP was flown as briefed. About eight minutes before the IP, the lead was taken over by the Deputy Lead.

Cloud coverage over the primary target was ten tenths. Consequently it was decided to bomb by G-H. The lead squadron was flying at 25,900 feet. Since this was the only squadron with operative G-H equipment, the bombs were dropped in Group formation. Results were not observed.

Flak was meager and inaccurate over the target. On the return route in the vicinity of Amsterdam, the formation was forced to take extensive evasive action in order to avoid flak. Today was Thanksgiving Day; however, it had been no day of rest, attending a football game or having a turkey feast.

The following Thanksgiving message was transmitted to personnel of the Base by the Commanding Officer, Colonel Rogner:

"Today Americans all over the world are celebrating one of our oldest holidays. A year ago many of us observed this day in our own homes, or at least within the limits of our own country. This year in England, on the Continent and in the Pacific area, we carry with us the traditions of this great holiday.

"In spite of the fact that this Thanksgiving Day will be spent in unusual circumstances, far from home, there is much to be thankful for. We are closer to our goal. The prospects for the victory which we all desire are good, and we shall be proud to have had a part in its achievements.

"I wish to extend my personal greetings to all personnel of this Station on this Thanksgiving Day, and to hope that this day next year, we will be able to be thankfulfor an accomplished victory and peace."

CREW LOADING LIST

November 23rd, 1944
Mission No 150 Target: Gelsenkirchen, 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 # 024		A/C # 157		A/C # 649		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard E. Fitzhugh Edmund W. Hubard Norman K. Nail Enoch T. Naversen John Schwall Howard Larsen Wesley R. McDonald George L. Cole Josey H. Nelson Eldon E. Smith	Lt Capt Lt Capt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Charles E. Barrier Edward B. Dozier John W. Martin Roy I. Vaughn Herbert A. Dolph Clinton E. Wells Kenneth L. Christensen Donald J. Fehrman Wilbur A. Kurtz Hugh C. Sloan, Jr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arnold G. Brunner William M. Bell Ralph W. Eichenberger William T. Wilborn Charles D. Zhe Ralph Compton William R. Biggie John B. Pawloski Joseph E. Elbers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William B. Dudley John F. Spore Anthony D. Paruta Ralph W. Bell Marshall H. Glover Martin O. Olson Elmer E. Campbell William J. Banghart Frank P. Trom

	A/C # 537		A/C # 165		A/C # 765		A/C # 854
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin F. Forry Harmon E. Robertson Hiram M. Drache John J. Purvis James D. Toal Francis D. Crawford Winfield J. Scott Virgil W. Sterner William F. Norton Robert J. Engle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ray D. Hedrick, Jr Franklin D. Rollins John B. Parker Edwin B. Benson F. A. Edwards Basil H. Dundas Reginald Buxton Donald H. Gravelle John J. Sweeny Harvey G. Ray	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Mathews Albert A. Bean Thomas S.Sajatovich Thomas A. Dunn William A. Allerdice Fernando Urzanqui James R. Boyle Hubert H. Duckett Duan E, Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John A. Fox Herbert A. Rochlitz Jack R. Muth Wilfred G. Finke Alfred J. Rubino Calvin Campbell Richard J. Imhoff Guy P. Wharton Dorsia C. Stutler

	A/C # 479		A/C # 706		A/C # 934		A/C # 219
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 William C. Oliver Samuel J. Gelvin Dominic F. Muscato Carl Lewis 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 Neil C. 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	Henry S. Blach Harold R. Hall Leslie J. Tesdall William E. Wilson Edward V. Maculaitis Samuel J. Williams Wendell H. Perry Charles E. Sizemore Robert F. Seastrand	Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Raymond R. Lyons William R. Fantleroy Jacob Landsman Richard L Hamel Valeran J. Leksan Joseph H. Jones Joseph A. Macke Allen F. Schiebel Adrian W. Pennington Joe T. Clary F. F. Jasinsky

	A/C # 101		A/C # 161		A/C # 694		A/C # 505
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert B Gross Lorentz C. Hanson Robert J. Jacobson Tommy M. Pruitt James L. Gray Harold ?. Hubert Frank E. Humphries Hubert O. Newell William D. Ogden	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 F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alvin I. Caplovitz Harold J. Franklin Peter Mihalik Alvin C. Farrar Raymond G. Field Horace H. Huey John E. Burch James D. McCorkindale Robert E. Springer	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joseph C. Frechette Norman t. Hanson William M. Gullette Thomas W. Davis Granville F. Billingsley Walter B. Lander James F. Hedgecock Frank Nowakowski Clarence R. Shepherd

	A/C # 506		A/C # 374		A/C # 075		A/C # 630
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	William S. Fisher William C. Bonnell, Jr Robert Ekblom, Jr Stanley P. Gillespie David M. Peterson Herman J. Ratica Ernest L. Levonian Cecil B. Brantley Buford B. Lawson	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James C. Evans Donald C. Lengman Olin G. Wellborn Sanford W. Lewin Jerome Grossman Peter Credidio Edwin B. Hartley Grant A. Hansen Ferdinand G. Rupania	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Worth G. Kirkman Arnold E. Broughton George N. Blair John M. Nally John P. Cervero Roy F. Christensen Herbert N. Hook Walter F. Willig Jack N. Gregory

	A/C # 394		A/C # 518		A/C # 535		A/C # 885
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wayne B. Tweten Irwin P. Thompson John A. Franck Norman M. Allegan William H. Carroll Randolph P. Lusk James A. Kolofa G. F. Byhoff Howard A. Prather	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ennis E. Brown Robert G. Reid James J. Klein Louis F. Brookman Harley J. Ellsworth Gerald C. Cook William C. Craig Elihue Mayo Norman J. Thorman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph I. Evans Raymond A. Carlsen Einar L. Nelson Elroy J. Peters Leslie R. Peterson Franklin H. Kark Maurice E. Patterson Elmer R. Sonday Charles B. Pilling	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stephen L. Dewald Lorenz M. Koch Richard E. Hansen Harley E. Barrett Frank J. Spurchise Elias M. Ramirez Paul H. Suer Anthony S. Lanza Rarson A. Smith

	A/C # Unknown		A/C # 534		A/C # 855		A/C # 621
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arthur G. Jellinek James I. Christy Jack A. Dressler Frank J. Conti Harry S. Jolly, Jr. Jimmy Herron Joseph W. Farrow Harley Ernst, Jr. Kenneth M. Beattie	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William E. Thompson, Jr Edwin C. Brain Dominick J. Giannico Robert V. Moore David C. Foltz Raymond A. Conway Roland F. Vivier Joseph P. Brock Charles M. Borland	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Max K. Rahn Paul H. Duckert Edwin H. Simon Joseph A. Minkowski John L. Davis George W. King John J. Tuzi Charles F. Greenlund Harold N. Saxby	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ernest T. Salzer George W. Bobbitt Byron E. Francisco William A. Steffen Jack P. Scarborough Vincent A. Toth Richard F. Metrenga Benjamin W. Hamrick Elbert C. Conger

	A/C # 909		A/C # 635		A/C #		A/C # 582
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George J. Gilbert David S. Kahne William W. Siler John I. Butterly Daniel Cadena, Jr. Albert F. Jenkins Richard C. Clements Claud M. Gideon John E. Dubina	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack E. Wescott Fred L. Steedman Merrill H. Ross Louis P. Decinzo Howard L. Maki Billy K. Berry Abel J. DeCoux James G. Glancopolos Harold A. Adams	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph L. Hay John P. Starnes Joseph V. Johns Ralph B. Julian Carroll W. Gustafson Clyde C. Patterson Thomas F. McGonical Donald M. Olson Jay S. Harrison	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin C. Popham Rex R. Monson Gus S. Skalsky Alfred L. Walker Donald D. Shumate Keith W. Hill Robert W. Hamer William A. Marion Bruno M. Gifford

	A/C # 583		A/C # 118		A/C # 796		A/C # 707
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 Robert J. Engle Hubert H. Akins Anthony N. Kovac, Jr Willard O. Arndt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James V. Eldeff Russell A. Novling Ashton B. Gehen, Jr. Dale F. Baldwin Stephen Skules John M. Handler Theodore F. Steele Willima M. Steil Donald T. Rohne?	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy H. Kirk Thomas W. Prior arvo J. Kajander Charles W. Coleman Edward A. Grover Rocco V. Montagno Harold W. Logsdon Willard Krueger Alexander E. McDougall	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard L. Mack Donald H. Schieck John S. Nierengarden Robert P. Reublin Raymond V. Hunter Charles Held Lloyd R. Kennedy Frank J. Eichenlaub Earl E. Whitnack

	A/C # 751		A/C # 164		A/C #		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William B. Biracree William J. Couch James R. Ogletree George L. Branstetter Archie E. Bruce Robert F. Devaney Arthur J. Christensen Robert H. Young Laffetti Trace	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wallace F. Boyes Jr Elmer Felgenhauser Kenneth J. Furst Merritt D. Turner Francis J. Horan Abraham Feldman Frank Trapasi Roy S. Duitman Robert A. Dilley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C # 594		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 Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Everett Park Edward G. Palm Bernard Liss Donald G. Ward Kenneth M. Garrison Raymond L. Madgett Joy J. Gappelle Clifton J. Rabideaux Steve Sobiaski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt