Mission No 234

MISSION NO. 234
FREISING, GERMANY

18 APRIL, 1945

The marshalling yards at Traunstein were the primary target. The Group comprised the 94th A Combat Wing with Captain Rollins as Air Commander.

Group and Wing assembly were without incident. Division assembly line was flown on course and in proper position. No difficulty was encountered.

Route over the Continent was flown approximately as briefed. The Group was about five miles left of course most of the route, in order to remain in Division column. Cloud coverage at the target was five to six tenths, but clouds were moving out and preparations were made for visual bombing. Squadrons took interval without difficulty, swung slightly right of the IP, because of antiaircraft fire, and prepared for a visual run.

A run was made on Traunstein, the primary target, but it became obscured again by clouds, and no bombs were released. The Group Leader then ordered squadrons to make a PFF run on the secondary target, Freising, with the low squadron leading, since the PFF equipment of the lead squadron was not operating normally.

Down the bomb run, the clouds broke sufficiently to permit a visual run. The low squadron bombed just ahead of the lead squadron, however, it was necessary for the high squadron to execute a 360 degree turn and make a second run on the target, because it was unable to identify the Ml'l on the first run. No other difficulties were encountered. Bombs were dropped from 18,000 feet. Bombing results were excellent.

Meager, inaccurate flak was encountered in the vicinity of the IP.

Engine No. 4, on the craft piloted by Lt. William T. Thistle, flying deputy lead of the lead squadron, began smoking, but the plane was under control. While on the bomb run, the waist door was jettisoned and f'our to six parachutes were observed. After the chutes cleared, the craft peeled ofT to the left in a 180 degree turn, dropped its bombs and closed its bomb bay doors. The crew, except one member, parachuted suc cessfully and was listed as missing in action. Freising was liberated ten days later by advancing ground troops.

Thistle's crew was the last one lost because of enemy action. Sgt. John T. Miller became the last member of the Group killed in action.

CREW LOADING LIST

April 18th, 1945
Mission No 234 Target: Freising, 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 # 832		A/C # 219		A/C # unknown
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Glenn P. Harris Stephen Polivchak Warren J. Whitman Earles J. Laur George L. Hart Abel M. Chacon Donald W. Young Robert G. Anderson John V. Papaj	Lt Lt Lt sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Orville L. Smiley Delbert D. Swartz Thomas L. McGovern, Jr George W. Thompson James E. Kilgore William M. Whigham Norman R. Shoemaker John K. Bryan Edgar L. Seal Ralph V. Mitchell	Capt Capt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Harold A. Schuler Franklin D. Rollins Robin W. forbes Frank F. Miles Swen Christensen Eugene F. Howard Daniel A. Doherty Theodore J. Hamilton Hilliard B. Maples Thomas J. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	EJner N. Gunderson August F. Spies John F. Grin Walter A. Divan Theodore C. Yates Lenoir A. Greer Thomas O. Lowry Albert L. Mikels Ruben L. Larsen

	A/C # 961		A/C # 826		A/C # 594		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Glenn R. Sewell Paul L. Smith John J. Lesiczka Frederick F. Parlin Louis R. Gomes Albert P.l Christofaro Lloyd G. Hasseltine Godfrey C. Edgerton Harry A. Olson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joseph J. Neff William F. Hubbard Cecil Loen Homer D. Reich Robert S. McEwan William J. Gassen Joseph F. Carney George H. Coughlin Arthur G. Hansen Fred C. Cope	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. Stansbury David B. Parker Vincent J. Lococo Joseph A Skiera Lawrence M. Gast John B. Costello Lester H. Malon Lowell Newton Warren L. Heimke	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Homer W. Haggans Leo Rush William R. Berg Jeremiah W. Sheehan Morris V. Keappreth Jack E. Denny Andrew C. McDermott Donald Wheatley Kirby H. Wright Howard A. Dimpsey

	A/C # 826		A/C # 574		A/C # 157		A/C # 154
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Benny J. Bigley Thomas E. Brines Rudolph G. Warner III Ray M. Bechtel James W. Ford Delbert S. Schwab Floyd N. Henderson Jr. Robert E. Hall Leo B. Lawler	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	David L. Omelich Edwin I. Persons Donald D. Beck Johnnie Sartor John M. Tabak Robert M. Foster Robert L. Foley Carl F. Hanneken Benjamin F. Ivey	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Sgt	James R. Howell Frederick C. Smithson Robert D. Beltz John S. King Thomas D. McCormick Lee R. Groman Donald S. Moore Frank C. Tucker Frank H. Keyser	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Calvin K. Schneller Thomas M. Fulbright Richard M. Beck Ray G. Wilcox John P. Austin William S. Garrett Willard R. Hedge Alexander W. Bennett Donald R. Lallky

	A/C # 785		A/C # 831		A/C # 863		A/C # 947
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George H. Greer Thomas J. Cronin Edward J. Strzyzewski Walter H. Carter Gerald P. Uzdavinis John W. Rockefeller Archie F. Cole Edward W. Blycker Byrne J. Ranney	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Thomas J. Heter Dale E. Harrison Orion C. Cedergren William L. Cooney Robert J. Viles Joseph Carroll Donald M. Satra Robert K. Butler Henry R. Koziol	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack O. McMillen James R. Bibb Propm C. Brower Leo J. Kleinpeter Lewis J. Crain Paul A. Esvanko Lila B. Bradley Bertram G. Johnson Jackson R. Campbell	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred M. Rohrig Robert McKay Gene B. Brown Oral I. Conyers Herman J. Gabryel Loring Lynes John F. Fox Walter L. Reddy, Jr Elton C. Conerly

	A/C # 072		A/C # 087		A/C # 551		A/C # 240
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wilbur J. Rose Berge Parigian William K. Stephens Walter H. Kleinfelter Elmer H. Lederhaus, Jr Joseph Dzioba Ted M. Richardson Jessie D. Kitchen Jack L. Kline	Lt Lt Lt Lt 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	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Fred M. Stevenson Jack E. Sanders George Crofford Harry M. Hughes Stanley E. Smith Jerome C. Dressler Larry B. McMahon Clyde Hoots Alfred F. Tiedemann	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Glenn R. Harry Earl R. Peterson Paul A. Brook Albert H. Knox Richard O. Miller Jack Kynion Richard H. Lee Robert E. Morrison Russell V. Upton, Jr

	A/C # 897		A/C # 594		A/C # 881		A/C # 123
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 Ralph Frackman	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Myrton P. Barry Ernest N. Kostis William M. Robertson William S. Hurd John N. Fisher Lloyd E. Kennedy Charles H. Good Lestoer D. Major William S. Huey	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 Robert P. Kimmell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Nielson Lawrence D. Hesch Ralph L. Bell John Lalicos Dominic R. Delise Edwin J. Kelley Anthony S. Lanza Daniel D. Roth Bernard F. Wrobleski

	A/C # 844		A/C # 904		A/C # 934		A/C # 557
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harley C. Waldrick John H. Ridson Jr. Arnold Rosenblatt Lafeyette J. Sharp Melvin P. Rich Billy O. Smith Frank R. Kirchner Bernard W. Kleen Francis E. McKee John J. O'Toole	Lt Lt F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman L Stevens, Jr Donald R. Sweetman Everett B. Stainaker, Jr Frank J. Mauro Kenneth R. Wall Wallace R. Davis Danny A. Taylor Harold E. Graham Dewey L. Smith, Jr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edmund W. Taylor Richard S. Schmidt William P. Tinkler Felix E. Antignani Charles F. McCall Joseph T. Szyluk Albert G. Ruben, Jr William N. Cutlip George J. Kloss	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt F/O	William T. Thistle Joseph Taylor Craig K. Winters Roy R. Truba John T. Miller Louis E. Domato Harvey G. Henkel Luther H. Smith John H. Taylor William W. McIntosh

	A/C #		A/C #		A/C # 195		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 Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul M. Roberts Jacob Kosman James O. Worrell Emile R. Goerlich Herman Cohen David H. Dixon Emil J. Torlosky Leonard Lewandowski Kelly L. Harris	Lt Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt F/O	Harry G. Bocckino George C. Ash Robert E. Rodgers Earl P. McCrae Richard E. Hanson Edward C. Lowery Clayton J. Dutcher Richard F. Lucas Stokely M. Gribble Lawrence D. Rogers

	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

	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