Mission No 49

MISSION NO. 49
EPINAL-BLAINVILLE, FRANCE

23 MAY, 1944

Fench airfields and marshalling yards were the targets for the day with the Eighth Air Force supplying 1045 heavy bombers and 1185 escorting fighters. The 457th supplied two twelve-aircraft boxes, to make up the 94th A and B Combat Wings. Major Fred A. Spencer served as Air Commander with Captain Jerry Godfrey as pilot of the A Wing and Major William F. Smith was Air Commander of the B Wing, with Captain Clarence E. Schuchmann as pilot.

The target for the A Wing was the marshalling yards at Blainville, located eleven miles southeast of Nancy on the main rail line from Strasbourg to Paris. The B Wing's target was the marshalling yards at Epinal, located forty miles south of Nancy on a connecting link between two double track lines out of Paris. The A box dropped bombs on a target of opportunity. Results were unobserved due to the cloud cover. The B box dropped on the primary target at Epinal with good results.

The mission was marred shortly after its assembly by a B-24 group cutting through the lead box of the B Wing. This scattered the Wing's pattern, and resulted in a collision between aB-17

Lt. Amenco Procopia aborted the mission because of mechanical trouble. Additionally, the left landing gear was locked in the down position and the right landing gear in the up position. The crew was unable to correct either manually. Bombs were dropped in the Channel and the plane began circling the field to Use up fuel. After the other planes returning from the mission had landed Lt. Procopia made a smooth landing on the Left gear and tail wheel When the right wing dropped and hit the runway the plane veered and went off the runway. No one was injured.

CREW LOADING LIST

May 23rd, 1944
Mission No 49 Target: Epinal-Blainville, 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 # 662		A/C # 692		A/C # 015		A/C # 001
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Leonard P. Soenke Howard B Collins Walter A. Ginter Herbert N. Webb George A. Sipp Joseph J. Lukasik Owen L. McDonough Walter A. Ginter Earl S. West Prentis A. Cooper Earle E. Veeder James G. France	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jerome A. Sobjek Edward W. Lynch William R. Kabine George A. Knapp Daniel J. Howard, Jr. Kenneth E. Hixson Jerome Petrizzi Ray V. Rose David J. Scharff Joseph Matkowsky	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Americo Procopio Robert Driscoll Bernard B. Weinberg Edward P. Palika John T. Clements E. L. Angell Russell R. Babel Thaddeus R. Dubej James R. Norman Walter W. Megin	Lt Maj Lt Lt Capt Sgt Sgt Sgt Maj Sgt Lt	Jerome E. Godfrey Fred A. Spencer Charles R. Graf Lionel J. Cusson David S. Wright Alfred E. Calhoon Donald W. Blackwell Leroy E. Heibert Haggard Gerge T. Gulywasz Kaspar O. Lamvik

	A/C # 470		A/C # 633		A/C # 923		A/C # 630
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward A. Taylor Walter F. Creigh Raynold J. Koehmetscher Harold W. Walbright Edward J. Colleran Frank W. Winchester Elie R. Carrier Lewis H. Shane Herbert L. Webster George S. Kamas	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy W. Allen Verne H. Lewis Joseph C. Brusse Lawrence Anderson Roy E. Plum Joseph W. Duvall, Jr Earnest L. Smith Robert L. Grimes William C. Goldsborough Leonard S. Henson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Stevens Charles W. Johns Claude H. Sullivan Charles J. Canty Stewart C. Moody James C. Baum Joseph W. LaBonte James H. Neelan James H. Bryant	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard T. Bennett John G. Hossack Charles R. Hunicutt Houston L. Levers Deward D. Dunn George Ribiero Eugene M. Beamer Glenn R. Finke Charles L. Campbell Donald J. Lighthizer

	A/C # 615		A/C # 656		A/C # 468		A/C # 520
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roger W. Birkman Robert L. Cole Michael N. Stanko James M. Cochran, Jr Rammond Koch John L. Toney Andrew Kafka James C. Jones Errol Bailey John Fuechel	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jonathan M. Herbold Payson E. Tucker Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Oescher Elihu R. Mayo Charles D. Shebell Richard R. Hazzelhurst Philip H. Shebell Johnny Miller William C. Cain	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert M. Krumm Leo R. Green Con F. Poynor Anthony Tozzi Lawrence J. Walsh Raymond J. Kristoff Billy E. Hightower John D. Barrett Marion H. Belt S. Marx	Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Vinton H. Mays Joseph S. Norman Jerome Silverman Frank H. Pearman Albert A. Rothauer Jack F. Berry Stanley H. Krohn Cecil D. Burroughs Jack D. Bush James B. Ambrose Reagan

	A/C # 618		A/C # 164		A/C # 101		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	David K. Summerville George Metzger Nicholas V. Saidita Robert I. Braun James J. Psaradelis Leo E. Flagg Dozier T. Prothro Joseph E. Cook Clayton T. Dayhoff Barnett Feldman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald G. Karr Ennis E. Brown Richard N. Condon Joel H. Appel Kenneth M. Krise Walter F. Palmer Morris J. Woodell Eugene H. Paprota Paul M. Rogers Chaarles L. Edwards	Lt Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Garlan M. Hutson Tracy E. Geiger Carl F. Hansen Clifford D. Hughes Charles J. Coffman Howard C. Layton Harold E. Reader Herman R. Goossens Jachin M. Forbes George A. Pfeifer	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Emanuel Hauf Donald V. Swain William R. Hawley Richard E. Jaqua Willis H. Johnson James J. Kilroy Paul R. Moore Joseph S. Reid Louis F. Beske Oscar A. Gascon

	A/C # 558		A/C # 060		A/C # 591		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert H. Magill Richard J. Cotter David C. Watts William A. O'Connor Norman Hirsch Herve J. Paquin Floyd T. Stitely Charles Minter, J Ernest R. Campen Harold R. Moore	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Wetherald Francis G. Bogle Thomas W. Burns Alex W. Fisher Cleo F. Corder John J. Orazem George Stiller Secondo P. Pentacolone Onnie B. Baskette, Jr Frank R. Machak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott B. Ormsby Fred D. Stallings Vincent A. Lemon Arthur R. Mendenhall Jay L. Saulsburry Joseph M. Sofranko Ray R. Jones Fred F. Castle Alvin J. Hendryx Gordon J. Neely	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell A. Price Richard E. Long Eldon J. Foster Harry H. Whitaker Carroll O. Johnson Lester Tyndall George K. Raymond Donald E. Betthauser Edward J. McHale George H. Davis

	A/C # 055		A/C # 113		A/C # 084		A/C # 45?
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward J. Reppa Aaron J. Ayres Curtis J Overdahl George H. Stateman Stephen F. Billisits Norman C. Bonney Ivan W. Browning Kenneth L. Holder Leonard C. Comstock Francis E. Cornue	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Noel A. Cunefare Milton E. Durham Wesley C. Akins Donald W. Barton Howard S. Drake Ralph T. Hodson Frank L. Nunn Richard P. Forney Walden M. Hearn Gordon B. Long	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William K. Doherty Donald K Goss Russell L. Scott L. H. Thomas Ancil U. Shepherd William H. Trusselle John H. Graves Franklin Don John J. Derling Morgan J. Newman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Pvt Sgt Sgt	Clyde B. Knipfer Richard A. Bruha Geroge R. Derdzinski Stanley V. Gray Stephen T. Voit Nicholas F. Bendino Percy Waltho Harvey C. Cottrell Nicholas D. Furrie Joshua Goldstein

	A/C # 088		A/C # 545		A/C # 098		A/C # 056
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harris E. Mathis Morris E. Gerber Charles C. Tripp John A. Richardson Rex B. Crawford Donald H. Cook Mark A. Osborne, Jr. Morris R. Walker Earl W. Holton Michael Stasko	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William K. Byie Edwin K. Williams Paul L. Morris Ralph J. Smithling Vincent W. Krysiac William T. Alford Robert H. Priak James C. Williams Herbert L. Brownfield John P. Jordan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Lt	Clarence E. Schuchmann William F. Smith Thomas A. Goff John B. Blachley Joseph L. Hibbs Harold A. Dusseau J. H. Lambert Edgar D. Lanzoni Robert Bridges Roland O. Byers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William L. Brackley Charles R. Bobb Winfred E. Stortz Anthony Kulczcyki Harry Bernstein Glen A. Jackson Bernard J. Geraghty Miles L. McQueen Daniel D. Elieff Thomas E. Gougarty

	A/C #		A/C #		A/C # 579		A/C # 505
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Maj Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Lt	Alfred W. Fischer Beere John W. McDonnell Ralph D. Stutzman Robert M. Jensen Andrew E. Jasso James E. Pickle James H. Long Leo McHatton Harry J. Huskey Alexis P. Umoff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert Gumulauskas Albert L. Sikkenga Bert Graham Thomas M. Lyles Enos C. Bleacher George W. Staudt Joy F. Stacy Joseph F. Sprich Paul E. Beatty Constantine Nicholas

	A/C #		A/C #		A/C #		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg 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