Mission No 189

MISSION NO. 189
GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY

19 FEBRUARY, 1945

Commencing with this mission, the 457th saw battle for thirteen consecutive days, putting up 468 bombers in the effort. For this mission, the Group comprised the 94th A Combat Wing with Captain Dozier as Air Commander. Combat Wing assembly was accomplished without incident. The Group also was in proper position in Division formation. Along the Division assembly line, groups were echeloned in order to avoid contrails from aircraft of the groups ahead.

The enemy coast was crossed on course. Route to the IF was flown as briefed. The [P was crossed on course. Bombing was done in Group formation, with the lead squadron performing the sighting operation. The bomb run was G-H with a visual assist. Cloud cover was ten tenths until five to ten seconds before the BRL. No interference was encountered on the bomb run.

The low squadron experienced some difficulty in dropping on the lead squadron when the smoke markers of the lead squadron leader's bombs failed to go off, but the low squadron bombardier was able to release bombs successfully. Bombs were dropped from 26,000 feet and results were reported to be good.

After bombing, the formation executed the briefed turn off the target, and proceeded on the return route. Just before recrossing the IF, the Group executed a 360 degrees turn in order to avoid shuffling with the 379th Group. It had made a 180 degree turn in order to make a second run on the target. Flak was moderate but accurate, with nine planes

sustaining damage.

CREW LOADING LIST

February 19th, 1945
Mission No 189 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 # 028		A/C # 368		A/C # 125		A/C # 445
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lon A. McCauley, Jr. Donald D. Lady Harry J. Campbell James P. Guyot Herbert L. Stempler Henry L. Bartnowski Bernard J. Carroll Wilmer G. Boykin Frederick F. Parlin G. B. Gaster	Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ray D. Hedrick, Jr Edward G. Maxey, Jr Ashton B. Geran, Jr Edward B. Benson Alfred Hansen Paul A. Stancil Donald H. Gravelle Vincent J. Fallon John F. McGillian Harvey G. Ray	Capt Capt Capt Lt Capt Sgt Sgt F/O Sgt Sgt	Harold A. Schuler Edward B. Dozier Alexis P. Umoff James L. Quarry Ralph D. Stutzman Albert P. Boemer Lester L. Epps Clarence E. Leath Arthur M. Grisa	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald 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 # 566		A/C # 694		A/C # 114
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond F. Rossner Nathaniel J. Beam, Jr Milton Braverman Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Thomas C. Elliott Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John R. Westhoff Ralph Frackman	Lt Capt Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Russel A. Nowling Roger L. Fisher Elmer L. Mankin Dale F. Baldwin Jesse Prince Gerald Zelikofsky Stephen Skulec John M. Handler William M. Stell Allison J. Gunn Donald F. Rhone	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alvin I. Caplovitz Harold J. Franklin Peter Mihalik Glyn E. Aleshire 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	Gerald M. Russell Carrol R. Wissmiller Julius G. Uhrlaub John F. Kelsey Bernard B. Matz Maurice L. D'Agotino Lloyd R. Kennedy Elton C. Conerly C. A. Rogers

	A/C # 506		A/C # 080		A/C # 855		A/C # 455
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kelly P. Jacobs William C. Manspeaker Albert F. Czarnowsky Robert E. Gee Jacob L. Finnerty George H. Haby, Jr. Charles F. Brown James J. Rodel	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. Cantillon Thomas A. Hyde Arthur D. Robioilo Robert B. Ryan Jesse J. DeBoard Donald A. Priestley Charles E. DeCorte William Bodayle Lloyd R. Burke	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth E. Kentner Edwin S. Jackson Jacob C. Kosman Sam Radak Lewis J. Crain Charles R. Haynes Virgil W. Terral Wayne S. Richman Myron S. Spahr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert W. Gronberg Paul C. Mason Herman D. Welmer Robert M. McMakin Albert K. Richards Milo G. Hastings Ashmun J. Ripley Dale W. Lee James L. McGill

	A/C # 537		A/C # 831		A/C # 881		A/C #
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 Arthur J. Christensen Robert H. Young John E. Dubina	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Everett Park Edward G. Palm Bernard Liss Donald C. Ward Kenneth M. Garrison Raymond L. Madgett Joy J. Cappelle Clifton J. Rabideaux Steve Sobiaski	Lt Lt Lt Agt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John R. Godwin Kenneth W. Morrow Robert F. Kellow Andrew J. McCormick George Kakeh Vincent C. Liguori Paul J. Bernstel Frank J. Clark James A. Conklin Howard A. Dempsey	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Crew names unreadable from original documents

	A/C # 537		A/C # 904		A/C # 863		A/C # 401
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 David W. Ellis Roger R. Holden James T. Bell, Jr George Zucker Donald F. Boyd Francis C. Cupp William J. Dufford Robert H. Tangney	Lt Lt F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred Steadman Norman L. Stevens Everett Stainaker Kenneth R. Wall Harold E. Graham Wallace H. Davis Danny A. Taylor William Greenberg Dewey L. Smith Jr.	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James R. Holden Vaden S. Pitts Janken Taylor Leo J. Kleinpeter Leo I. McCombs Paul A. Esvanko Lila B. Bradley Bertram G. Johnson Jackson R. Campbell	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles E. Birdseye Donald F. Macbride Howard W. Demotts Robert F. Nicholson Henry Freidrich Wallace T. Powell Harmon A. Smith Carl A. Johnson David Barclay

	A/C # 101		A/C # 113		A/C # 765		A/C # 431
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert B. Gross William P. O'Connor Robert J. Jacobson Tommy M. Pruitt James N. Gray William D. Oden Harris Hubert Robert O. Newell Wilbert M. Saylor	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Craig P. Greason Edward M. Monasterio Rudolph Haumann Thomas E. Madigan Garland L. Frost Ralph S. Ingraham William N. Wagner Blair Arsenault, Jr Kenneth L. Haseltine	Lt Lt Lt Sgt 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 Harry W. Kroll Charles W. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry G. Bocckino Thomas J. Tredici Robert E. Rodgers Jonathan M. Self Edward C. Lowery Clayton J. Dutcher Windsor J. Deaton Richard F. Lucas Stokely M. Gribble

	A/C # 785		A/C # 832		A/C # 551		A/C # 444
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George H. Greer William J. Couch Edward J. Strzyzewski Archie F. Cole Gerald P. Uzdavinis Walter H. Carter John W. Rockefeller Edward W. Blucker Byrne J. Ranney	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell C. Tague Jack S. Eshe Francis G. Spillane Irving Feitel George A. Taylor Frank J. Pekar Ivan L. Mathews, Jr. George T. Zielinski Simon Pomerantz	Lt Lt Lt Sgt 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 Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Eugene C. Ricker Donald E. Miller Anthony D. Paruta Pete A. Antonella Murray L. Cooper William C, Lundy Allen F. Schiebel Guy W. Wharton Elbert C. Conger

	A/C # 190		A/C # 574		A/C # 535		A/C # 450
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt F/O Lt Lt Cpl Cpl Cpl Cpl Cpl Cpl	Lester G. Radcliff Andrew G. Anderson Ben W. McChesney Donald R. Sherman Lawrence M. Charlesworth Peter P. Kopas Theodore R. Rose William F. Rykert Anthony J. Bradisse Werner L. Bernau	F/O F/O F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles Scarpaci Francis J. Patry Paul R. Kelly Thomas H. Reed Everett R. Watson Alrfed R. Jones. Floyd R. Lashmit Francis X. Demarzio Jerome Shapiro	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frank R. Guca Clifton R. Smith Melvin K. Stoner Robert F. Olwick Emil T. Pavlus Albert J. Yost Earl L. McAdams Elton A. Clodfelter Charles T. Root	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arnold E. Broughton William C. Girard Kenneth L. Post Thomas W. Davis William C. Adams Elias M. Ramirez Dorsia C. Stutler Jessie D. Dunn George N. Pollock

	A/C # 203		A/C #		A/C # 528		A/C # 456
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Marion K. Burk Robert G. Quincy John T. Freese Frederick A. McDuffie Earl R. Kenyon Cliff N. Cunningham Herbert K. Clark Harold E. Buhrow Joe E. Floerke	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond H. Wolf William F. Reynolds Robert W. Hentges Jacob Cohen Thomas J. Hamilton Milton E. Drissler Robert J. Townley Donald E. Polen Dennis G. Schaffner Nubar A. Astor	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Willmore Fluman James M. Graves Harry M. Kennedy John J. Kearney Lawrence J. Gallagher Willard F. Beason Billy E. DeBerry Robert J. Gantz John M. Gayden Raymond P. Kimmel	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Calvin K. Schneller James D. Blackmore Richard M. Beck ? Donald R. Lallky John P. Austin Elmer E. Campbell William S. Garrett Alexander W. Bennett

	A/C # 394		A/C # 828		A/C # 934		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Elmer E. Witten John K. Wales George R. Nichols Ben Demattia Archie F. Bruce Francis G. Maure John T. Sullivant William A. Gearhart Floyd A. Monroe	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth D. Woods Joseph B. Watkins Paul L. Hertenstein Rex A. Stevens Harry E. Graham Horace M. Seyster Robert Bonazza Benjamin F. Parris Dennis L. Phelps	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Henry S. Blach Harold R. Hall Leslie J. Tesdall William E. Wilson Edward V. Maculaitis Samuel J. Williams William R. Biggie Wendell H. Perry Charles E. Sizemore	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