Mission No 231

MISSION NO. 231
POINY DE GRAVE, FRANCE, GERMANY

15 APRIL, 1945

The Group returned to the Royan area. The formation consisted of six six-ship elements. Targets were not assigned until the formation reached the target area.

The Group left the Assembly area on time, on course, and assembled in Wing formation between Paris and the first Control Point. The Group was in proper position in the B Force formation behind the Wing leader.

Course to the orbiting point was flown as briefed. Arriving at the orbiting point, the Group executed nine 360 degree turns for one hour and eight minutes, until the Wing leader directed that all sections attack Pointe de Grave visually. The Group then divided into elements; elements took interval and Came across the IP on course.

The only difficulty encountered was from prop wash Caused by the 35lst's high squadron. All the elements, except Element No.6, dropped bombs on the first run. Number 6, unable to drop bombs on the first run because of interference caused by prop wash, executed a 360 degree turn in order to make a second run, and released bombs successfully. Observed results for all elements were excellent.

Light enemy antiaircraft opposition was encountered. They must have expected a return. The following message from General Jacob L. Devers, Commanding General of the Sixth Army Group, was received through the 1st Air Division:

"FOR THE STAGGERING BLOW WHICH THEY GAVE TO THE GERMAN GARRISON AT ROYAN, I SEND MY HEARTY THANKS TO THE BRAVE MEN OF THE EIGHTH AIR FORCE. THE RELENTLESS HAMMERING GIVEN TO IT FROM THE AIR CONTRIBUTED SUBSTANTIALLY TO ITS SEIZURE BY GROUND ELEMENTS. IT WAS ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE. MY WARM CONGRATULATIONS."

CREW LOADING LIST

April 15th, 1945
Mission No 231 Target: Pointe De Grave, France

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 # 785		A/C # 157		A/C # 855		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ernest H. Huffington Richard T. Caulfield Anthony A. O'Brien Mike P. Lopez Wright K. Hyatt Ernest F. Petrilli Emile G. Buyak Francis E. McKee John R. Murphy	Capt Col Capt Lt Lt Capt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Roger I. Fisher Leon Stann Marsh Hovey Robert Mattox Francis F. Jasinski Clinton E. Wells George R. Schuller Clarence A. Barnes Vincent J. Fallon William S. Winter	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard S. Sopocy William J. McManus Elmo J. Mitchell Melvin Miller Floyd T. Hennebry Francis J. Staff wayne G. Dobson James R. Blakeley Dale W. Reynolds	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Carrol R. Wissmiller James D. Blackmore Edward N. Demotts Robert F. Nicholson henry Frederich Wallace T. Powell Harmon A. Smith Carl A. Johnson David Barclay

	A/C # 826		A/C # 540		A/C # 863		A/C # 240
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Benny J. Bigley Thomas E. Brines Rudolph G. Warner III James W. Ford Delbert S. Schwab Ray M. Bechtel Floyd N. Henderson Jr. Robert E. Hall Leo B. Lawler	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert H. Reed Edward M. Monasterio Arthur D. Robilio Charles K. Major Robett F. Otterpahl Joseph M. Hamilton Kenneth J. Kuchler Joseph P. Brook Peter P. Angott	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James R. Holden Vaden S. Pitts Orion C. Brower Leo J. Kleinpeter Leo I. McCombs Paul A. Esvanko Lila B. Bradley Bertram G. Johnson Jackson R. Campbell	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward A. Pipkin, Jr James J. Small, Jr Arthur F. Diehl, Jr Ronald D. Reynolds Charles E. Lee Leonard Ruben Everett R, Oakes Eugene M. Wosniak Claude C. Maloney, Jr

	A/C # 154		A/C # 904		A/C # 827		A/C # 885
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harley C. Waldrick John H. Ridson Jr. Ralph H. Hall Melvin P. Rich Billy O. Smith Frank R. Kirchner Lafeyette J. Sharp John A. Corbett Jr. Bernard W. Kleen Nubar A. Astor	Lt Lt F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman L. Stevens Donald R. Sweetman Everett Stainaker Frank J. Mauro Harold E. Graham Wallace H. Davis Danny R. Taylor William Greenberg Dewey L. Smith Jr.	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Hugh E. Arnold Pierre P. Arpin Hubert M. Ange Freeman C. Clouse John W. Anderson Robert C. Rustin L. A. Badger Andy Kuzemchak Joseph W. Brooks	Lt Capt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stephen L. Dewald George C. Ash Byron E. Francisco Richard E. Hansen Frank J. Spurchise Wayne R. Bell Frank Nowakowski Paul H. Suer Anthony S. Lanza

	A/C # 509		A/C # 574		A/C # 535		A/C # 587
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerard A. Sharrock Edmund W. Taylor John S. Pearson Henry J. Nohava Sterling J. Haldeman James C. Hanley James L. Madison William J. O'Hara Harold H. Young	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	David L. Omelich Edwin I. Persons Donald D. Beck Johnnie Sarter, Jr John M. Tabak Robert M. Foster Robert L. Foley Carl F. Hanneken Benjamin F. Ivey	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William B. Stansbury David E. Parker Vincent J. Lococo Joseph A. Skiers John B. Costello Lawrence M. Gast Warren l. Heimke Lester H. Malon Lowell Newton	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred M. Rohrig Charles B. Whiddon Gene B. Brown Oral I. Conyers William B. Wilson Herman J. Gabryel John F. Fox Walter L. Reddy, Jr Young W. Rainer

	A/C # 190		A/C # 080		A/C # 528		A/C # 487
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Marion K. Burk Cecil C. Harris James D. Tauscher Clifford N. Cunningham Herbert K. Clark, Sr Joe E. Floerke Frederick A. McDuffie Harold E. Buhrow Earl R. Kenyon, Jr	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Thomas J. Heter Dale E. Harrison Orin C. Cedergren William L. Cooney Robert J. Vilas Donald M. Satra Robert K. Butler Henry R. Koziol Joseph Carroll	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert H. Hey William S. Owens Morris Rosen Ray F. Hawkins Robert T. Payne George C. Gately Robert W. Packingham Andrew V. Clark Edward A. Smith Julius Kornblatt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frank P. Hill Steadman S. Stahl, Jr Lawrence W. Brennan Francis J. Conlon Bernard E. Lengerich, Jr Donald R. Thunberg William H. Hurst Hervert V. Frazier Robert E. Hoekstra

	A/C # 092		A/C # 534		A/C # 028		A/C # unknown
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alvin A. Kollaja Gordon K. Beard John D. Alexander Charles H. Norton Max L. Rice Herbert L. Thiede Robert Orlanski Marvin Overfelt James J. Pedine	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond H. Wolf William F. Reynolds Robert W. Hentges Charles W. Carberry Edward W. Kane Milton E. Drissler Robert J. Townley Donald E. Polen Dennis G. Schaffner	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joseph B. Maguire Robert D. McMorrow Jackson Taylor Glyn E. Aleshire Houston H. LaCombe Oliver J. Swischer Rudolph W. Schroer Horace K. Richardson Richard J. Kaminski Lawrence D. Rogers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert Cantarella Joseph M. Sergeson Morton H. Saul Lawrence B. Coryell George B. Lane Charles J. Kunigus John a Cantrell Richard K. Tobin Harold G. Young

	A/C # 897		A/C # 087		A/C # 211		A/C # 605
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gordon P. Robertson Hillard W. Gantner Donald E. McCleod Jr. Agustus L. Moore Curtis H. White Robert T. Harrison Bernard R. Mack Thomas W. McDonald Jr. Earl R. Bolier Ralph Frankman	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert Martin Norman F. Zoltowski William D. Bowles Edward B. Tooker Richard P. Barnes Martin Jacobs Paul L. Cardwell Hubert S. Johnson Harold Stege George W. Jackson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James R. Howell Eugene F. Howard Robert D. Beltz John S. King Thomas D. McCormick Lee R. Groman Donald S. Moore Frank C. Tucker Hiram E. Morrow	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ejner N. Gunderson Glenn R. Harry John F. Owin Walter A. Divan Thomas O. Lowry Jack Kynion Ruben L. Larson Albert L. Mikels Theodroe C. Yates

	A/C # 394		A/C # 388		A/C # 167		A/C # 902
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lester G. Radcliff Andrew G. Anderson Carl G. Swanberg Werner L. Bernau Lawrence M. Charlesworth Virgil W. Sterner Peter P. Kopas William F. Rykert Theodore R. Rose	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles J. Herrmann Ralph E. Eberhart Walter R. Robinson, Jr John B. Hood, Jr Elmer L. Jensen Forrest H. Morgan Paul D. McLain Harold R. White, Jr Frank V. Wainwright	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James L. Hall Robert L. Fortner Gordon W. Dykes Robert R. Battray Alan Morton John R. Middlebrooks Anthony Colin Harry A. Sempf Robert L. Fischer	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Jenkins August F. Spies Arthur W. Stark Joseph Kirwan Jack M. Koester James Q. Woodard John B. aslyH Harry B. Holp Frederick J. Moynihan Jack E. Arnold

	A/C # 072		A/C #		A/C # 195		A/C # 706
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William A. Barrett Robert A. Bloomer Robert D. Mueller Wallace A. Proux Walter W. Hunt Joseph P. Reidy Robert R. Slocomb Eston L. Selby Franklin V. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred M. Stevenson Jack E. Sanders Frederick Schuler Harry M. Hughes Stanley E. Smith Jerome C. Dressler Larry B. McMahon Clyde Tiedemann Alfred F.Hoots Robert P. Kimmell	Lt Maj Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert W. Gronberg Robert D. Shaw Herman D. Welmer Robert M. McMakin Albert K. Richards Ashmun J. Ripley Norman W. Castle Mathew F. Patulski James L. McGill

	A/C # 961		A/C #		A/C # 649		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Murray V. Jett Stephen Polivchak Arnold L. Rosenblatt Walter H. Kleinfelter James L. Bass Jr. Daniel W. Nose John V. Lawton Benni W. Johnson Walter C. Nowak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Max K. Rahn Jack G. McMillen Edwin H. Simon Edward F. Ambrose John L. Davis George W. King John J. Tuzi Charles F. Greenlund Christopher Zissler Frank H. Keyser	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

	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