Mission No 52

MISSION NO. 52
LUDWIGSHAFEN, GERMANY

27 MAY, 1944

Six Combat Wings of the 1st Division were dispatched to the banks of the Rhine River to bomb the marshalling yards in the twin cities of Lu4wigshafen and Mannheim. The 457th, as lead of the 94th A Combat Wing, led the Eighth Air Force in the procession to these targets. The 457th supplied thirty-six craft to form the lead and the low boxes in the Wing. Col. James R. Luper led as Air Commander with Lt. Charles D. Brannan as pilot. Captain Jacob M. Dickinson led the low box with Lt. Malcolm E. Johnson as pilot.

En route to the target, the Group fell victim of a massive frontal attack by Me-109s. The craft piloted by Lt. Artie J. Whitlow was hit on the right wing; a part of the wing came off and the No. 3 engine caught on fire. The ship went into a tight spiral before developing a spin. It crashed into a wooded area and exploded. Lt. Whitlow did not survive.

The craft piloted by Lt. William E. Dee was hit, dropped out of formation and headed back towards the Channel. One crewman was killed, the others became prisoners of war. Lt. Thomas E. Lee received direct hits and his engineer was killed instantly.

Lt. Roger W. Birkman's and Lt. David K. Summerville's planes were knocked out of formation. With an engine on fire and losing altitude, Lt. Birkman left the formation and the crew bailed out. Five of the crew were captured and became prisoners of war. The others evaded capture and later returned to England after the invasion.

Lt. Summerville returned to the base after having fires in three of his craft's engines. Two engines were lost completely With the propeller breaking off of one engine, and the tins breaking off the other. He ultimately made a landing at Glat ton with limited power in only one engine.

The Luftwaffe attack lasted twenty-five minutes before it was brought to an end. The Group continued to the primary arget, bombing it with fair results. The Luftwaffe had succeeded in disrupting the formation, causing the low box to go in before the lead box. The lead box did a 360 degree turn and the second time around found the target covered with smoke that was rising thousands of feet in the air. Flak was heavy over the target area with thirteen aircraft receiving flak damage. To offset the losses, the 457th received credit for destroying one enemy aircraft and damaging five others.

Lt. Roy W. Allen came in to land only to discover one landing gear would not come down. Rather than attempt a belly landing, he chose to attempt a one wheel landing. He touched down, kept the wing up as long as possible, and concluded with a 180 degree ground loop. There were no injuries.

(Compiler Note: For Lt. Dave Summerville account of the mission, see Chapter 19.)

CREW LOADING LIST

May 27th, 1944
Mission No 52 Target: Ludwigshafen

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 # 552		A/C # 098		A/C # 075		A/C # 026
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Thomas E. Lee John M. Bristow John C. Sherwin Regis J. Creehan Clayton L. Betterton Jasper Stewart John R. Barber John A. Robinson Irvin V.Gerlich Ralph R.Zagorski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Malcolm E. Johnson Jacob M. Dickinson Roy A. Hoegh Donald E. Muston william G. Patry Randall N. White Milton B. Davison Clarence A. Ray Steve Vargo Raymond L. Osborn Edwin K. Williams	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 F. Dubaj James R. Norman Walter W. Megin	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stuart B. James Bailey G. Gaudinier Charles C. Canon Charles S. Gelbers Angelo J. Ruscito Patrick C. Toomey Eugene G. Goslee Carl N. Davis Dale L. Vance

	A/C # 055		A/C # 051		A/C # 084		A/C # 587
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roger W. Birkman Alexander Kucherenko Michael N. Stanko James M. Cochran, Jr Raymond Koch Andrew Kafka James C. Jones John L. Toney John Buechel Errol Bailey	Lt Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Donald E. Lady George A. Beere Marsh Hovey David B. Jones James C. Mattison Walter F. Palmer Bernard L. Baker Marvin H. Sloan Carl W. Ostlind Rose D. Pogue Morris L. Dickinson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William K. Doherty Donald K. Goss Claude H. Sullivan Russell L. Scott Ancil U. Shepherd William H. Trusselle John H. Graves Franklin Don John H. Derling Melvin R. Bernhardt	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 Oscar A. Gascon Louis F. Beske

	A/C # 088		A/C # 001		A/C # 923		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul V. Chapman James E. Oschier William J. McKelvey George R. Walker Kenneth E. Myers Robert S. Wood Richard T. Trundy Anthony Marrone Byron E. Smull Waldron E. McGibbon	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Rudolph M. Stohl David W. Schellenger John O. Millham James E. Thomas Robert C. Kreite Walter W. Waganer Sheldon T. Moore Erwin A. Welling Charles L. Stewart	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Canfield Clarence E. Ross Donald H. Snyder Milton E. Bunch William R. Cain Julius Smith Alvin E. Merriam Hyman Kalb Herbert P. Barte Alvie M. Kirkendall	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clyde B. Knipfer Richard A. Bruha Geroge R. Derdzinski Stanley V. Gray Stephen T. Voit Nicholas F. Bendino Harvey C. Cottrell Nicholas D. Furrie Joshua Goldstein

	A/C # 591		A/C # 060		A/C # 535		A/C # 594
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Adrian W. Seabock Lloyd. E. Icenogle William G. Smith, Jr --------------- Louis M. Castelucci Lloyd E. Larson Leonard C. Comstock Herbert W. Shaurette Earl W. Holton Francis E. Cornue	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 Onnie B. Baskette, Jr Frank R. Machak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joseph O. Paschal Donald S. Hain John N. McDonnell Thomas ? Arthur J. Russell, Jr Charles R. Miller Edward F. Rugg Harry C. Minor Sidney W. Brunick Clifford R. Wilson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Artie J. Whitlow Robert H. Cunningham Daniel G. McLaughlin Paul R. Isker Paul R. Clark Robert V. Towle Lovell O'Masters Roe S. Woodis James V. Ambrose

	A/C # 558		A/C # 086		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	Edward A. Taylor Walter F. Creigh Harold W. Walbright ---------------- Edward J. Colleran Elie R. Carrier Frank W. Winchester Herbert L. Webster Lewis H. Shane George S. Kamas	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris H. Shuff James V. Elduff ------------ Lee C. Mohn Joseph Garbett Thomas B. Scott Wallace C. Nicholson Leonard A. Smith Wallace D. Cagle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William F. Rogers Stanley J. Wolczanski Wilbert J. Collard Lawrence C. Ghiorse Joshua D. Lane Orion H. Shumway John Chumas Sol Pollack David H. Quick Ray Jones	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack B. Owens Charles E. Berta Armen Topakian Francis A. Minturn Phillip M. Murillo Theodore C. Roland Earl A. Markwalder Hallie L. Bennett R. C. Zeagler

	A/C # 618		A/C # 079		A/C # 571		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 Metsger Nicholas V. Seidita Robert I. Braun James J. Psaradelis Joseph E. Cook Dozier T. Prothro Leo E. Flagg Clayton T. Dayhoff Barnett Feldman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jonathan M. Herbold Payson E. Tucker Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Oescher Elihue R. Mayo Richard R. Hazelhurst Philip H. Shebell Charles D. Shebell Johnny Miller	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles R. Blackwell Theodore R. Baskette Irving R. Meyers Verne M. Boon Thomas W. Howard Thomas G. Leahy Edward Nabozny Billy L. Dalton Francis W. McCall Sylvester C. Kuraszkiewicz	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert Gumulauskas Martin W. Biehn Bert Graham Thomas M. Lyles Paul E. Beatty Winfred G. Baumgartner Joy F. Stacy Constantine Nicholas John W. Brown

	A/C # 470		A/C # 545		A/C # 073		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Bernard V. Connor John W. Norton Glen S. Thornton Morris F. Swerdlove Frank T. Aylstock Arthur M. Lustig Hal H. Willett Edward J. Brazinski Carl W. Lewis Leo L. Lange	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 Joseph Matkowsky	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Garland M. Hutson Tracy E. Geiger Carl F. Hansen Clifford D. Hughes Charles K. Coffman Harold C. Reader Howard C. Layton Herman R. Goossens Jachin M. Forbes George A. Pfeifer	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C # 706		A/C # 062		A/C # 063		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harris S. Mathis Norris H. Gerber Charles S. Tripp John A. Richardson Rex B. Crawford Donald E. Cook Mark A. Osborne Donald E. Cook Gilbert Slocum Morris R. Walker	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy W. Allen Verne H. Lewis Joseph C. Brusse Lawrence Anderson Roy E. Plum Earnest L. Smith Robert D. Grimes William C. Goldsborough Leonard S. Henson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Stevens Charles W. Johns Marsh M. Calloway, Jr Charles J. Canty Stewart C. Moody James C. Baum Joseph W. LaBonte Crad W. McCollum James H. Neelan James H. Bryant	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C # 662		A/C # 460		A/C # 452		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Leonard P. Soenke Howard B Collins Herbert N. Webb ----------- Joseph J. Lukasik Walter A. Ginter William H. Barrett Owen L. McDonough Prentis A. Cooper Earle E. Veeder	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William E. Dee Robert M. Cotterell Lawrence Oberstein Donald S. Jay William H. Jones Orval C. Sterner George L. Hatcher, Jr Stephen L. Floyd Steve J. Sak Thomas L. Treadwell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman W. Breit Franklin H. Morrell Frank E. Vanderelde Bert H. Lindstrom Morgan J. Newman Rubin L. Hernandez Melvin R. Smalley William F. Radford John A. Roe, Jr William H. Sokolowski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C # 164		A/C # 649 Weather Ship		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	Donald G. Karr Wade E. Knudson Richard M. Condon Joel H. Apel Kenneth M. Krise Morris J. Woodell Eugene H. Paprota Paul M. Rogers Alexander P. McDermott	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clarence E. Schuchmann William F. Smith, Jr Roland Byers Robert M. Jensen James E. Pickle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C # 113		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	William K. Byle Ennis E. Brown Paul L. Morris Ralph J. Smithling Vincent W. Krysiak Robert H. Prisk James C. Williams Herbert L. Brownfield John P. Jordan	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 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 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

748th BS 27 May 44 001.jpg