Mission No 183

MISSION NO. 183
SCHMALKALDEN, GERMANY

6 FEBRUARY, 1945

The synthetic oil refinery at Lutzkendorf, near Merseburg, was the primary target with Dresden marshalling yards as secondary. The annual production at this plant furnished five percent of the entire German oil production. It had not been attacked by the Eighth Air Force since 3 November, and was now back in full production. The Group comprised the 94th C Combat Wing with Major Peresich as Air Commander.

Division assembly line was flown to the left of the briefed course because another wing was flying a parallel course off to the right. The Group was still below briefed altitude because of clouds.

At the enemy coast, the groups were still bunched, but succeeded in gaining interval and proper position over the Continent. As the formation approached the IF, the primary target was covered by ten tenths clouds. The Division Leader then turned off course to the left in search of a target of opportunity. The 457th followed in formation.

A visual bomb run was attempted on Meiningen airfield, but it was covered by clouds and the run was turned over to the PFF Operator. To the right of the formation, the town of Schmalkalden was sighted and it was decided to attack this target, with a visual assist. Cloud coverage was four to five tenths. Bombing was done in Group formation, with the lead squadron performing the sighting operation and the high and low squadrons releasing on the lead smoke markers. Bomb results were observed to be only fair.

Flak was light and no aircraft sustained damage.

CREW LOADING LIST

February 6th, 1945
Mission No 183 Target: Schmalkalden, 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 # 509		A/C # 157		A/C # 857		A/C # 446
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Victor F. Pfendler Robert G. Quincy Paul F. Lumbya Vaughn D. Heidenreich Normand R. Menard Robert W. Edwards Cleotis N. Helm Sam E. Dike Ralph D. Ice	Capt Maj Lt Lt F/O Capt Sgt Sgt Sgt F/O	William T. Robertson Eugene A. Peresich, Jr Marsh Hovey Robert Mattox James L. Quarry Frank H. Pearman Louis A. Dahle Bernard Stutman Stanley Szyerlehsky Jack S. Eshe	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald C. Meyers Wilbur S. Pursell Elroy J. Peters Thomas A. Dunn William R. Watson Robert D. Malloy Joseph A. Jakacki James D. Ransdell Stephen F. Esterholdt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stephen L. Dewald Lorenz M. Koch Byron E. Francisco Richard E. Hansen Frank J. Spurchise William E. Filicky Frank Nowakowski Paul H. Suer Anthony S. Lanza

	A/C # 506		A/C # 024		A/C # 026		A/C # 444
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	Jonathan M. Herbold Edward G. Maxey, Jr. John W. Martin Ashton B. Green Jr. Gerald Zelikofsky Patrick A. Walls Walter L. Slats Gerald E. Cook Allen A. Sharpe Battisti, Larido A.	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arnold G. Brunner Edward R. Skyrms Ralph W. Eichenberger William T. Wilborn Lawrence D. Rogers Charles D. Zhe Ralph Compton John B. Pawloski Joseph E. Elbers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Eugene C. Ricker Harry G. Bocckino Anthony D. Paruata Jonathan M. Self Murray L. Cooper William C, Lundy Abe Venick John K. McKinney Howard H. Jacobson Dale W. Lee

	A/C # 101		A/C # 594		A/C # 881		A/C # 452
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Hottle, Jr Emile N. Racine David W. Ellis Roger R. Holden James T. Bell, Jr George Zucker Hubert H. Akins Francis C. Cupp William J. Dufford	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward G. Palm John W. Cantillion Arthur D. Robiolo Robert B. Ryan A. Priestley Charles E. Decorte Jesse J. DeBoard William Bodayle Lloyd R. Burke Ralph V. Mitchell	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	Noel K. Robinson Donald D. Nielsen William A. Moore Albert H. Knox Preston C. Grimm James Q. Woodard Bernard P. Wrobleski Louis H. Rickert Bernard F. Swain

	A/C # 591		A/C # 540		A/C # 075		A/C # 453
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald G. Sellon Murray V. Jett Anthony A. O'Brian Ralph S. Kenyon Daniel W. Nose James L. Bass Donald A. Swisher Bennie W. Johnson Walter C. Nowak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack E. Wescott Ralph L. Gray Merrill H. Ross Louis P. DeCinzo Bernard L. Maki Aber J. DeCoux Billy K. Berry James C. Gianacopolis Harold A. Adams	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Carl P. Sundbaum Galileo F. Bossio Warren W. Nixon John V. Brennan Julian S. Smith Edward J. Zeitz Cleon R. Roy Simon C. Warek Harold H. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Calvin K. Schneller James D. Blackmore Francis E. Hronek Richard M. Beck John P. Austin William S. Garrett William H. Hedge Alexander W. Bennett Donald R. Lallky

	A/C # 479		A/C # 831		A/C # 765		A/C # 449
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James Wilson William C. Manspeaker Eldon E. Smith Robert L. Haynes William Moore Albert E. Baker Randolph P. Lusk Robert A. Storey Harry J. Cornell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert C. Southern Kenneth D. Woods Paull L. Hertenstein Stanley P. Gillespie Alfredo J. Raimo Lloyd J. Blood Joseph M. Mooney Rector L. Soder Paul T. Harlan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harlan Buettner George J. Grau Philip A. DuPont Ray F. Hawkins, Jr Theodore R. Cowsert Anthony S. Giacobbi James R. Westbrook Leo Rendina Raymond C. Blackson	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George W. Bobbitt Howard T. Hampton Eugene L. Walker Charles M. Carrier John Sing Leland M. Ford Young W. Rainer Frank M. Prado Walter A. Smith

	A/C # 785		A/C # 394		A/C # 694		A/C # 454
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Elmer E. Witten John K. Wales George R. Nichols Ben Demattia John D. Williams Francis G. Maure Carl Lewis William A. Gearhart Floyd A. Monroe	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred L Steadman Raymond H. Wolf Robert W. Hentges Ronald A. Weber Paul A. Stancil Joseph J. Firzst William C. Craig Rudolph E. Stegeman Cecil B. Brantley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph W. Coons Kenneth Blakebrough Jennings B. Beran Stephen Cokorogianis George F. Peschen Joseph D. DeCrescio Conrad E. Craig Woodrow W. Tatman Douglas S. Rains	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerald M. Rusell Carol R. Wissmiller Julius G. Uhrlaus John F. Kelsey Bernard F. Katz Elias M. Ramirez Boris C. Stutler C.A. Rogers Elton C. Conerly

	A/C # 190		A/C # 574		A/C # 934		A/C # 456
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frederick G. Smithson Nathaniel J. Beam, Jr Arnold L. Rosenblatt Jay W. Grider Albert P. Cristofaro Walter H. Kleinfelter Wilbert M. Saylor John V. Lawton Harry A. Olson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Delmar A. 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 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 D. Whiteaker	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward F. Clark Harry R. Horn Charles F. Gavin Jr Harley E. Barrett Glenn S. Gruver George E. Dainty Gene R. Foss Frederick C. Rex George N. Pollock

	A/C # 537		A/C # 534		A/C # 528		A/C # 445
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George J. Gilbert David S. Kahne John I. Butterly Daniel Cadena, Jr. Albert F. Jenkins Richard C. Clements Albert D. Paulson John E. Dubina Henry W. Bennett George W. Jackson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell C. Tague Thomas A. Hyde Francis G. Spillane Donald G. Ward George A. 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 Bernard B. Bosse Lee R. Gormon Donald S. Moore Hiram E. Morrow Frank C. Tucker James R. Day	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ronald P. Straus Everett R. Renfro Floyd A. Crispin Richard E. Anderson Robert L. Olsen John P. Lapicca J. W. Bridges John F. Dunn John B. Rogers

	A/C # 606		A/C # 838		A/C # 414		A/C # 401
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edmund W. Hubard Jr. Ben W. McChesney William W. Siler Norman M. Allegan Chester C. Madsen George S. Byoff James G. Grantham Robert H. Young James V. Cochran Ralph Frackman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Basil R. Dundas Jr. William G. Litogot Bernard Liss Charles L. Carroll Calvin R. Taylor Clarence D. Barnes Norman O. Kistler Peter P. Angott Ernest D. Pappalardo	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph L. Hay Thomas W. Prior 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	Charles E. Birdseye Donald F. Macbride Patrick H. Wallace Howard W. Demotts Henry Freidrich Wallace T. Powel James E. McCloskey Carl A. Johnson David Barclay

	A/C # 751		A/C # 516		A/C # 152		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 James A. Carey Laffatti Trace Robert B. Otterphol	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jesse E. Castanias Quenten P. Thompson Jack Lorber Stephen T. Cowell Martin Norsic, Jr Cletus R. Newman William F. Waters Stanley F. Bendzynski Michael Denitti	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Max K. Rahn Paul H. Duckert Edwin H. Simon Otis N. Bennett John L. Davis George W. King John J. Tuzi Charles F. Greenlund Herbert L. Stempler	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