Mission No 181

CHAPTER 14
1 FEBRUARY 1945 TO 28 FEBRUARY 1945

MISSION NO. 181
LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY

1 FEBRUARY, 1945

The primary target was the marshalling yards at Ludwigshafen. The Group comprised the 94th B Combat Wing, with Major Snow as Air Commander. Wing assembly was accomplished without difficulty. Division assembly line was flown approximately as briefed.

Over enemy territory, it became necessary to climb to briefed altitude plus 1,000 feet, in order to get above adverse weather. Deviations to the left of course were caused by the necessity of remaining in Division formation. The Group remained at 26,000 feet instead of 25,000 feet as briefed. The formation was early because of a wind change.

The IP was crossed as briefed. Cloud coverage was ten tenths and it was necessary to bomb by instruments. Bombing was done by squadrons in trail. The lead squadron performed a Micro-H sighting. The low squadron bombed on the lead aircraft's smoke markers. The high squadron performed its own sighting operation. Bombs were released from 26,000 feet. Results were unobserved due to ten tenths cloud coverage.

After bombing, the Group rallied with the Division and followed the approximate briefed course home. A considerable amount of time was lost because of strong head winds; however, the Group landed without further incident.

Flak was light and none of the planes suffered damage. The Group flying the formation to the rear caught the brunt of the enemy's defensive fire.

CREW LOADING LIST

February 1st, 1945
Mission No 181 Target: Ludwigshafen, 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 # 157		A/C # 152		A/C # 881		A/C # 337
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Capt Maj Capt Lt Capt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Seesenguth Donald L. Snow Roland O. Byere John A.Franck Oscar B. Stauff Harry B. Vaal Raymond D. Brodin George R. Langowski Roy E. Goldwin Alvin G. Hazlett	Capt Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ray D. Hedrick, Jr Donald D. Lady John B. Parker Edwin B. Benson Francis F. Jasinski Francis R. Snow Donald H. Gravelle Vincent J. Fallon John J. Sweeny Harvey G. Ray	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alvin I. Caplovitz Harold J. Franklin Peter Mihalik Thomas A. Dunn Raymond G. Field Horace H. Huey Robert E. Springer John E. Burch James D. McCorkindale	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stephen L. Dewald Lorenz M. Koch Byron E. Francisco Richard E. Hansen Frank J. Spurchise Elias M. Remirez Frank Nowakowski Anthony S. Lanza Paul H. Suer

	A/C # 255		A/C # 828		A/C # 075		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John P. Weber Douglas J. Sharkey Carl G. Swanberg Herbert L. Stempler Charles K. Rawls Louis L. R. Gomes Edgar W. Monell Owen S. O'Rourke Lloyd G. Hesseltine John Mezra	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Basil R. Dundas Jr. William G. Litogot Jack Lorber Stanley P. Gillespie Paul Stancil Clarence D. Barnes George Mantan, Jr. Robert G. Smith Ernest D. Pappalardo	Lt F/O Lt Lt 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 Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Eugene C. Ricker Donald E. Miller Anthony D. Paruta Pete A. Antonella Murray L. Cooper William C, Lundy Abe Venick John K. McKinney Howard H. Jacobson

	A/C # 751		A/C # 205		A/C # 414		A/C # 707
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John P. Welch Edmund W. Hubard, Jr. James R. Ogletree William C. Oliver William J. Dallas Edward J. Grybos Norman T. Ozenberger John J. Briol Harry J. Cornell	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert C. Southern Edward C. Maxey, Jr. Ashton B. Gehen, Jr. Aleck A. Capsalis George R. Schmaller Frank O. Stein William C. Craig Johnnie Sarber, Jr. Buford B. Lawson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph L. Hay Thomas W. Prior Joseph V. Johns Elroy J. Peters Carroll W. Gustafson Clyde C. Patterson Thomas F. McGonical Donald M. Olson Jay S. Harrison	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Calvin K. Schneller James D. Blackmore Francis E. Hronek Richard M. Beck John P. Austin Donald R. Lalalky William H. Hodge William S. Garrett Alexander W. Bennett

	A/C # 909		A/C # 540		A/C # 765		A/C # 947
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond F. Rossner William J. Couch Milton Braverman Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Thomas C. Elliott Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John R. Westhoff	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Everett Park Edward G. Palm Bernard Liss Donald C. Ward Kenneth M. Garrison Raymond L. Madgett Clifton J. Rabideaux Joy J. Cappelle Steve Sobiaski	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harlan Buettner George J. Grau Philip A. DuPont Ray F. Hawkins Theodore R. Cowsert Anthony S. Giacobbi James R. Westbrook Leo Rendina Peter Credidio	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard L. Mack Donald H. Schick John S. Nierengarden Frank F. Miles Raymond V. Hunter Charles Held Lloyd R. Kennedy Frank J. Eichenlaub Earl E. Whitnack

	A/C # 537		A/C # 851		A/C # 857		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frederick G. Smithson Nethaniel J. Bean Arnold L. Rosenblatt Jay W. Grider Albert P. Cristofaro Stanley R. Patterson Walter H. Kleinfelter John V. Lawton Harry A. Olson	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Keller Ralph L. Gray Peter H. Katz Charles L. Carroll James W. Brown Rector L. Soder John R. Boudreau Clifton G. Bragden Paul T. Harlan	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald C. Meyers Wilbur S. Pursell Hollis D. Hudleston Kenneth R. Vann William R. Watson Robert D. Malloy Joseph A. Jakacki James D. Ransdell Stephen F. Esterholdt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Noel K. Robinson Donald D. Nielsen Kenneth pOST William A. Moore Preston C. Grimm James Q. Woodard Bernard P. Wrobleski Louis H. Rickert Bernard F. Swain

	A/C # 785		A/C # 735		A/C # 831		A/C # 621
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Elmer E. Witten John K. Wales George R. Nichols Robert R. Wheeler John D. Williams Francis G. Mauro William A. Gearhart Anthoney N. Kovac Floyd A. Monroe	Lt Lt Lt Lt 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 Harold A. Adams James C. Gianacopolis	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy H. Kirk Edwin S. Jackson Arvo J. Kajander Valentine W. Stype Edward A. Grover Rocco V. Montagno Harold W. Logsdon Willard Krueger Charles W. Coleman	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George W. Bobbitt Howard T. Hampton Eugene L. Walker Albert H. Knox John Sing Leland M. Ford Mario D. Terenzio Young W. Rainer Frank M. Prado

	A/C # 479		A/C # 534		A/C # 934		A/C # 827
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kelly P. Jacobs Thomas P. Thompson James P. Guyot Albert F. Czarnowsky Robert E. Gee Jacob L. Finnerty James T. Means Charles F. Brown George H. Haby, Jr.	Lt F/O F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell C. Tague Jack S. Eshe Francis G. Spillane Ronald A. Weber George A. Taylor Frank J. Pekar Ivan L. Mathews, Jr. George T. Zielinski Simon Pomerantz	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Henry S. Blach Harold R. Hall Leslie J. Tesdall William E. Wilson William E. Williams Edward V. Maculaitis Wendell H. Perry Charles E. Sizemore Jerome Grossman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert W. Gronberg Paul C. Mason Hermon D. Welmer Robert M. McMakin Albert K. Richards Milo G. Hastings Ashmun J. Ripley Delbert B. Bellinger James L. McGill

	A/C # 506		A/C # 518		A/C # 528		A/C # 582
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Josey H. Nelson Ben W. McChesney William W. Siler Norman M. Allegan Chester C. Madsen James G. Grantham George S. Byoff Robert H. Young James V. Cochran	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jesse E. Castanias Quenton P. Thompson James H. Rusk Stephen T. Cowell Martin Norsic, Jr Stanley F. Bendzynski William F. Waters Herbert E. Dollar Michael Denitti	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John P. Starnes Lawrence D. Wilde Erwin Selnick Robert F. Altmaier Victor C. Johanson Frank D. Russo Louis A. Qualls John Simmen James Valenti	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerald M. Russell Carrol R. Wissmiller Julius G. Uhrlaub, Jr John F. Kelsey, Jr Bernard B. Matz Maurice J. D'Agostino Boyd G. Ballinger C. A. Rogers Elton C. Conerly

	A/C # 591		A/C # 574		A/C # 535		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald G. Sellon Murray V. Jott Anthony A. O'Brian Ralph S. Kenyon Daniel W. Nose James L. Bass, Jr. William M. Thacker, Jr. Bennie W. Johnson Walter C. Nowak	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Delmar L. Stanley Parks E. Rea Carl E. Schieffer Leonard Y. Wendrow Leroy R. Ford Roger J. Howell Norman C. Kistler Dale W. Mason John A. Schuck	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph W. Coons Kenneth Blakebrough Jennings B. Beran Stephen Cokorogianis Joseph D. DeCrescio George F. Peschen Conrad E. Craig Woodrow W. Tatman Douglas S. Rains	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles E. Birdseye Patrick H. Wallace Howard W. Demotts Gilfred G. Finke Wallace T. Powell Henry Freidrich Rarson A. Smith Robert F. Nicholson David Barclay

	A/C # 190		A/C # 115		A/C #	A/C # 024
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Duane F. Southwood Lyle E. Keran Wallace Reed Warren H. Parmeter Orville D. Clark George N. Radakovich Raymond D. VanWagner R. B. Kelly Santos V. Maira	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Craig P. Greason Myrton P. Barry Rudolph Hallmann Thomas E. Madigan Blair Arsenault, Jr William B. Wagner Ralph S. Ingraham Garland L. Frost Kenneth L. Haseltine	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Schrobert Louis G. Mueller Jame E. Tolbert Charles L. Bowers Fayette H. Dennison William B. Wilson James F. Casey Raymond J. Helble Harry C. Thortsen

	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