Mission No 166

MISSION NO. 166
KREFELD/UERDINGEN, GERMANY

31 DECEMBER, 1944

On the final day of the year, the Eighth again put over 1200 bombers aloft.

Major Maguire led the mission to bomb the marshalling yards at Uerdingen, a railway transportation center lying on the west bank of the Rhine between Dusseldorf and Duisberg, next to Krefeld. The target had not been previously bombed by the Eighth Air Force. The 457th comprised the 94th A Combat Wing. Wing assembly was accomplished without difficulty.

The Group flew to the left of the briefed course in order to get into Division formation. Division assembly line was flown as briefed. Course to the target was flown on the briefed route, but the Group was behind schedule because of head winds. No other difficulties were encountered.

The IP was not visible. Bombing was in Group formation by means of G-H equipment, with a possible visual assist. Cloud coverage was ten tenths during the majority of the bomb run, clearing to two to three tenths near the BRL. Bombing was done entirely by G-H.

The high squadron was slightly behind and unable to see the smoke markers of the lead, but sighted bombs away. The bombardier held the bombs momentarily and then released. Bombs were released from 27,100 feet.

No bombs hit in the target area. They fell far left of the target, a few hitting in a barracks area on a small airfield on the southwest corner of Krefeld, the remainder in open fields. Flak was moderate but accurate with eight craft being damaged.

The Luftwaffe engaged in battle with the Third Air Division and claimed 27 planes.

The year 1944 ended with no end of the war in sight. The Air War would continue into 1945. The celebration of a Happy New Year would have to wait until 1946. Fireworks would not be measured in inches, but by pounds.

CREW LOADING LIST

December 31th, 1944
Mission No 166 Target: Krefeld/Uerdingen 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 # 504		A/C # 368		A/C # 256		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Haven R. Burningham Edmund W. Hubard Norman K. Nail John A. Franck Gerald Zelikofsky Frank J. Bernd James D. Toal John S. Bozoudes John W. Utter Albert D. Paulson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William F. Fiedler Fredrick C. Ernest Robert W. Pace Edward R. Sage Michael E. Attaway George A. Steltzer Rudolph E. Stegeman Gerald D. Stevens James L. Qusrry	Capt Maj Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edmund G. Coomes James A. Maguire Delmar G. Spatz E. J. Malerich Basuil Feliciasimo John A. Dahler Lawrence D. Wilde Virgil Hill Charles W. Smith Walter L. Laddusaw	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John A. Fox Noel K. Robinson Jack R. Muth Wilfred Finke Alfred J. Rubino Calvin Campbell Richard J. Imhoff Guy P. Wharton Dorsia C. Stutler

	A/C # 509		A/C # 518		A/C # 167		A/C # 885
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John P. Weber Douglas J. Sharkey Carl G. Swanberg Charles K. Rawls Louis L. R. Gomes Edgar W. Monell Lloyd G. Hesseltine John Mezra Godfrey C. Edgarton	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wallace F. Boyes Jr Elmer W. Felgenhauser Kenneth J. Furst Merritt D. Turner Kenneth Garrison Abraham Feldman Frank Trapasi Roy S. Duitman Robert A. Dilley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy H. Kirk Thomas W. Prior Arvo J. Kajander Valentine W. Stype Edward A. Grover Rocco V. Montagno Harold W. Logsdon Willard Krueger Charles W. Coleman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard L. Mack Donald H. Schick John S. Nierengarden Ralph L. Bell Raymond V. Hunter Charles Held Lloyd R. Kennedy Frank J. Eichenlaub Earl E. Whitnack

	A/C # 606		A/C # 113		A/C # 857		A/C # 301
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond F. Rossner Josey H. Nelson Milton Braverman Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Thomas C. Elliott Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John R. Westhoff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Oliver G. Burgess, Jr Robert H. Reed John E. Elwood Albert P. Banks Aldo Molestatore George B. Crockett Robert J. Burke Herbert E. Dollar Kenneth L. Christenson	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Willmore Fluman James M. Graves Harry M. Kennedy Edward T. Ambrose Lawrence J. Gallagher Willard F. Beason Billy E. DeBerry Robert J. Gantz John M. Gayden	Lt Capt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Medford E. Hollis Franklin D. Rollins John F. Kelly, Jr Richard I. Hinman Charles Calcaterra Leonard O. Vittitow Chester L. Mohler Joseph S. Kutas Louis H. Pena

	A/C # 537		A/C # 088		A/C # 796		A/C # 795
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	Jack E. Wescott Fred L. Steadman Merrill H. Ross Louis P. DeCinzo Bernard L. Maki Aber J. DeCoux Billy K. Berry James C. Gianacopolis Harold A. Adams	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Skyrms Clarence E. Leath William L. Tracy Bernard Weiss Raymond C. Blackson Henry Schmidt, Jr Robert L. Stevenson Leonard J. Lewandowski Simon C. Wareck	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin C. Popham Gerald M. Russell Gus S. Skalsky Edward F. Morgan Donald D. Shumate Keith W. Hill Robert W. Hamer William A. Marion Bruno M. Gifford

	A/C # 506		A/C # 574		A/C # 934		A/C # 021
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	James V. Elduff Edward C. Maxey, Jr. Ashton B. Gehen, Jr Andrew R. Friesen George R. Schuller Frank O. Stein Richard L. Gibbs Alock A. Capsalis Johnnie Sarter	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Herbert A. Lawyer John Medwin Olin G. Wellborn Edwin B. Hartley Jerome Grossman Peter Credidio Grant A. Hanson Fernand G. Rupanian Wendell H. Perry	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frank S. Foster Robert H. Wood Julius G. Uhrlaub Max Anderson Ralph W. Libby John L. Prendergast Jessie T. Gill Richard J. Cambria David M. Fleming

	A/C # 591		A/C # 828		A/C # 414		A/C # 749
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 Karl Lambertson John J. Briol Harry J. Cornell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Delmar A. Stanley Parks E. Rea Carl E. Schieffer Charles W. Carbery Leroy R. Ford Roger J. Howell Norman C. Kestler Dale W. Mason Leonard Y. Wendrow	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	Robert W. Gronberg Paul C. Mason Hermon D. Walmer Robert M. McMakin Albert K. Richards Claude W. Crisler Ashmun J. Ripley Dale W. Lee James L. McGill

	A/C # 190		A/C # 706		A/C # 765		A/C # 582
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Hottle, Jr Emile N. Racine William H. Diehl David W. Ellis Roger R. Holden James T. Bell, Jr George Zucker Francis C. Cupp William J. Dufford	Lt F/O F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell C. Tague Jack S. Eshe Francis G. Spillane Jack Lorber George R. Taylor Frank J. Pekar Ivan L. Mathews, Jr. George T. Zielinski Simon Pomerantz	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clyde R. Weid George D. McCurry Wayne W. Hanley John J. Kearney Charles H. Rogers Lawren C. Keene Thaddeus F. Dubaj John Simmen Hillard E. Maples	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Calvin K. Schneller James D. Blackmore Francis E. Hronek Richard M. Beck Donald R. Lallky John P. Austin William S. Garret William H. Hodge Alexander W. Bennett

	A/C # 909		A/C # 851		A/C # 881		A/C # 854
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 Laffetti Trace John E. Dubina Claud M. Gideon	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lloyd S. Gray Charles G. Keiler Peter H. Katz Charles L. T. Carroll James W. Brown Rector L. Soder John R. Boudreau Clifton G. Bragden Paul T. Harlan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John R. Godwin Edward C. Foulke Robert F. Kellow Frank J. Clark Andrew J. McCormick George Kakeh Vincent C. Liguori Paul J. Bernstel Harold H. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Worth G. Kirkman Harry R. Horn George N. Blair John M. Nally John P. Cervero Roy F. Christensen Herbert N. Hook Gordon L. Witt Jack N. Gregory

	A/C # 954		A/C # 733		A/C # 535		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. Robert H. Young Joseph W. Farrow Harley Ernst, Jr. Kenneth M. Beattie	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ennis E. Brown Robert C. Reid William D. Bird Louis F. Brickman Harley J. Ellsworth Hilary A. Turley William C. Craig Archie C. Strahan Ronald A. Weber	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph I. Evans Milton W. Casey Adam E. Santora John H. Cheatham Robert D. Malloy Daniel A. Doherty Maurice E. Patterson Sol Bachos Charles B. Pilling	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George W. Bobbitt Howard T. Hampton Eugene L. Walker Charles M. Carrier John Sing Leland M. Ford Paul M. Zalusky Young W. Rainer Frank M. Prado

	A/C # 101		A/C #		A/C # 694		A/C # 630
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert B Gross William P. O Connor Robert J. Jacobson Tommy M. Pruitt James L. Gray Harold P. Hubert Frank E. Humphries Hubert O. Newell William D. Oden	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt 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	Edward J. Clark Arnold E. Broughton Lionel W. O'Shea Charles F. Gavin Jr Glenn S. Gruver George E. Dainty Gene R. Foss Frederick C. Rex George N. Pollock

	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

	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

	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