Mission No 65

MISSION NO. 65
VITRY-en-ARTOIS, FRANCE

12 JUNE, 1944

The Eighth Air Force put 1,500 bombers aloft for widespread attacks on French airfields and transportation centers. The 457th put up three 12-ship boxes to comprise all craft for the 94th A Combat Wing with the airfield at ViItry-en-Artois as the target. This field had been used by the RAF in 1939 and 1940, but more recently by the Luftwaffe for long range bombers as well as night fighters. Lt. Col. Henry B. Wilson was Air Commander and Lt. Vinton H. Mays was pilot. Captain Syptak led the high box and Major Spencer the low box.

En route to the target the formation encountered dense flak near Brussels. Fifteen planes were damaged by this concentration of flak. The lead craft of the low box, piloted by Major Spencer, was seriously hit, losing two engines; however, the aircraft successfully returned to the Base. The target was bombed with good results. On the return to England, while flying over Claxton at 4,500 feet, flak was encountered by one of the boxes.

The 12th of June also marked the promotion of Col. Luper, the Group Commander, to the rank of full Colonel. It was the impetus for a festive occasion on the Base.

CREW LOADING LIST

June 12th, 1944
Mission No 65 Target: Vitry-en-Artois, 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 # 190		A/C # 060		A/C # 571		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Maj Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Clyde R. Weid Raymond Syptak Solon J. Boydston William H. Dupont Kenneth B. Taylor James R. Powell William C. Bolger Arthur M. Lustig Norman C. bonney Edward L. Cavanaugh	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Wetherald George J. Bennett Thomas W. Burns Alex W. Fisher Cleo F. Corder Secondo P. Pentacolone George Stiller Onnie B. Baskette, Jr Frank R. Machak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Stevens Charles W. Johns Charles J. Canty Charles O. Webber Stewart C. Moody James C. Baum Joseph W. LaBonte Crad W. McCollum James H. Bryant	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman A. Erbe Hercules Phyllides Robert A. Carson Russell H. Auten Richard H. Cochrane James M. Kirkland Wayne A. Taylor William L. Egri Paul Frank

	A/C # 905		A/C # 164		A/C # 551		A/C # 419
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 Mark A. Osborne Morris R. Walker Donald E. Cook Ernest R. Campen	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard J. Dudek Russell M. Dobyns John F. Moore James H. Coonrod John J. Connell John Kessock Alfred A. Sabory Henri A. Boulay Robert E. Bergeron	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Winfred L. Pugh Arthur H. Richards Julius H. Drummond Clifford E. Page Edward M. Szumierz James E. Woodgate Joseph R. Wheatley Howard W. Martin John T. Poshefko	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack B. Owens Donald S. Zigler Armen Topakian Francis A. Minturn Phillip M. Murillo Theodore C. Roland Earl A. Markwalder R. C. Zeagler Hallie L. Bennett

	A/C # 662		A/C # 051		A/C # 015		A/C # 021
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 Jasper Stewart Abraham N. Feller Irvin V.Gerlich John A. Robinson Ralph R.Zagorski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald E. Lady Fred A. Spencer Judson E. Krueger Marsh Hovey David B. Jones William G. Arterburn Marvin H. Sloan Carl W. Ostlind Ross D. Pogue Minton E. Durham	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 Sylvester C. Kuraszkiewicz Francis W. McCall John E. Misener	Lt Maj Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James D. Oldenhage Eugene A. Peresich Bert Graham Thomas W. Lyles Edward T. Sawyer William A. Spoerner Frederick G. Wagner Hugh C. Arant Harry B. Bartholomew

	A/C # 535		A/C # 545		A/C # 923		A/C # 412
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt 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 Roman A. Zelazo Francis E. Cornue	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris H. Shuff John L. Fowler Lee C. Mohn Alexander P. McDermott Joseph Garbett Glen W. Barnes Thomas G. Scott Wallace C. Nicholson Wallace D. Cagle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Canfield Clarence E. Ross Donald H. Snyder Charles L. Hilton Morgan J. Newman Alvin E. Merriam Alvie M. Kirkendall Herbert P. Barte Julius Smith	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William L. Brackley Charles E. Robb Winfred E. Stortz Anthony Kulczucki Miles L. McQueen Glen A. Jackson Bernard J. Geraghty Daniel D. Elieff Thomas E. Gougarty

	A/C # 618		A/C # 111		A/C # 075		A/C # 556
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. Seidita Morris F. Swerdlove Joseph 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	William K. Byle Edwin K. Williams 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	Robert M. Krumm Leo R. Green Con F. Poynor Anthony Tozzi Lawrence J. Walsh Billy E. Hightower Raymond J. Kristoff John D. Barrett Marion H. Belt	Lt Lt Capt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert L. Sikkenga James J. Parks Arthur N. Hoffman Houston L. Levers John G. Mackie John H. Wiktorowicz James W. Walton Joseph A. Toth John W. Brown

	A/C # 470		A/C # 973		A/C # 464		A/C # 383
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 Zaven R. Astor Frank W. Aylstock Edward J. Brazinski John P. Medica Carl W. Lewis Leo L. Lange	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry A. Stafford George A. Beere Roy A. Hoegh Arthur A. Flach Anthony D. Wodek Virgil D. Naylor Virgil R. Hook Jean P. Dubois Walter H. Osika Robert H. Ridge	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott B. Ormsby Fred D. Stallings Vincent A. Lemon Arthur R. Mendenhall Joseph M. Sofranko Jay L. Saulsburry Gordon J. Neely Fred F. Castle Ray F. Jones	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell A. Price Richard E. Long Norman M. Franz Harry H. Whitaker Carroll C. Johnson Lester L. Tyndall Donald E. Betthauser Edward J. McHale George H. Davis

	A/C # 087		A/C # 034		A/C # 073		A/C # 587
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 T. Winchester Herbert L. Webster Lewis H. Shane George S. Kamas	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ennis E. Brown Max D. Peterson Myron L. Kruse Champe V. Dobler Martin Mueheam Joseph J. Darden James G. Lisy Joseph W. Pitts William M. Fuqua	Lt Lt F/O 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 George A. Pfeifer Jachin M. Forbes Herman R. Goossens	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert Gumulauskas Benjamin H. Deloach Harry R. Will Paul E. Beatty Wilfred G. Baumgartner Joy F. Stacey Constantine Nicholas Joseph F. Sprich Enos C. Bleacher

	A/C # 591		A/C # 706		A/C # 468		A/C # 056
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 Floyd T. Stitely Harold R. Moore Herve J. Paquin Walter F. Pittman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jonathan M. Herbold Delbert H. Lawson Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Oescher Norbert A. Meeuwsen Richard R. Hazelhurst Johnny Miller Virgil G. Maier John W. Whiteside	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman W. Breit R. C. Burkholder Bert H. Lindstrom Charles J. Hrubos Terence T. Camp Rubin L. Hernandez Melvin R. Smalley William F. Radford John A. Roe, Jr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Louis O. Auld Jack Gumm Frederick J. Stokinger Alden N. Rittman Carl D. Seibrands Lyod G. Vanzant Richard Mellott William L. Stringer John b. Healy

	A/C # 088		A/C # 948		A/C # 889		A/C # 131
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Cornelius R. Woolf James E. Oschier William J. McKelvey George R. Walker Kenneth E. Myers Richard T. Trundy Robert S. Wood Anthony Marrone Waldron E. McGibbon	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roy W. Allen Verne H. Lewis Joseph C. Brusse Lawrence Anderson Roy E. Plum Earnest L. Smith Robert L. Grimes William C. Goldsborough John M. Miller	Lt F/O F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James P. LaPaze Louis N. McGranahan Keith W. Morgan Chester V. Hudec Henry L. Baker Charles H. Rogers, Jr Elmer E. Valicer Delbert A. Brokhart James M. Cole	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stuart B. James Martin W. Biehn Charles C. Canon Charles S. Gelbers Angelo J. Ruscito George Ripiero Eugene G. Goslee Dale L. Vance Carl N. Davis

	A/C # 558		A/C # 064		A/C #		A/C # 998
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth W. Burkhart Noble L. Webster William B. Wescott Julius Venerofsky John Venerofsky Samuel B. Goff Sidney N. Erickson Paul Lizura Kenneth L. Holder Howard W. Berrier	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wade E. Knudson Paul W. Gilbert Andrew Brown, Jr James V. Duffy David C. Foltz Raymond Conway Ernest D. Pappalardo Charles H. Borland Robert V. Moore	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Capt Col Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Vinton H. Mays Henry B. Wilson Jerome Silverman donald E. Msuton Joeph S. Norman Albert L. Rothbauer Jack F. Berry Stanley H. Krohn Cecil D. burroughs Jack D. Bush Frank J. Pearman

	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

	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