Mission No 79

MISSION NO. 79
LEIPZIG, GERMANY

29 JUNE, 1944

The target was the aero-engine factory located five miles northeast of Leipzig, one of the sources of production for Ju 88s, Ju-1 88s and He-ills. Many of the targets designated by the Eighth Air Force for this mission had been previously bombed, but fully repaired.

The 457th led the 1st Division and furnished the lead and low boxes of the 94th Combat Wing, a total of thirty-six aircraft. Col. Luper served as Air Commander, in the lead box, with Captain Russell M. Selwyn as pilot, and Major Peresich was Commander, with Lt. Lady as pilot, of the low box.

Due to weather related difficulties, only twenty-one of' the total number of ships dispatched attacked targets. The lead box made a 360 degree turn over the target. On the circle back to the IP, six 410s made a pass at the lead box and damaged one plane. Escorting P-51s intervened and drove them away. Bombing results were considered good.

Flak had tracked the low box all the way to the target and scored a direct hit on the aircraft piloted by Lt. Albert Gumuslauskas. It went into a steep dive, the crew bailed out and the craft exploded. Four of the aircraft bombed the primary target.

Eight craft of the low box bombed a target of opportunity, the railroad marshalling yards at Wittenberge, with good results. The craft piloted by Lt. Norman Breit encountered considerable flak. Thinking the craft was going down, three of the crew bailed out. Intense and accurate flak was encountered and fifteen craft sustained damage.

June ended with the Group having flown 23 missions for the month. A letter received through Supreme Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, brought a message of gratitude to all personnel from His Majesty, King George V.

The crew of Lt Albert Gumuslauskas was lost on this date.

CREW LOADING LIST

June 29th, 1944
Mission No 79 Target: Leipzig, 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 # 101		A/C # 051		A/C #		A/C # 827
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Cornelius R. Woolf Kinney Hellums Herbert N. Webb Gerard J. Hyink John L. Batts Alden B. Orr Waldron S. McGibbon Samuel I. Craft, Jr Ernest R. Campen Gordon H. Haggard	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Donald E. Lady Eugene A. Peresich Judson E. Krueger Marsh Hovey Patrick A. Walls Bernard L. Baker Marvin H. Sloan Walter F. Palmer Carl W. Ostlind Ross D. Pogue Hugh C. Sloan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Russell M. Selwyn James R. Luper William H. Bowman --------- Kreihn Gabriel D. Ofeish Dino H. Tonelli Clifton H. Harrel Jay L. Saulsburry Wayland H. Keefover Truman H. Simley William M. Hammersley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert L. Sikkenga John B. Folsom Winifred E. Stortz Charles S. Gelber John G. Mackie William C. Young James W. Walton James H. Lee Carl A. Robbie

	A/C # 899		A/C # 550		A/C # 098		A/C # 131
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerald L. Kerr Arthur H. Lindskoog Edward A. Schilling Melvin L. Levine Leon Finneran Ernest J. Hegedus Harold E. Ahlfors Robert E. Killion Samuel P. Younger Donald B. Boyle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry R. Stafford James V. Elduff Arthur A. Flach Anthony G. 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	Edward R. Stevens Donald W. Johnson Charles J. Canty Charles O. Webber Morgan J. Newman James C. Baum Joseph W. LaBonte Crad W. McCollum James H. Bryant	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack B. Owens Donald E. Brandvold Francis A. Minturn Phillip M. Murillo Theodore C. Roland Earl A. Markwalder R. C. Zeagler John D. Ward Joseph F. Sprich

	A/C # 955		A/C # 905		A/C # 535		A/C # 505
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William H. Crawford Benjamin Gryncewicz Glen S. Thornton Michael E. Baron Roy C. Schild Harold D. Harris Lowell E. Jones Milton C. Tieman Walter K. Marsh Stephen Kokayko	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jonathan M. Herbold Raymond A. Fulton Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Oescher Elihue R. Mayo Richard R. Hazelhurst Robert L. Grimes Johnny Miller William C. Cain	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jarry J. Huskey Clyde S. Jolly Fred W. Roberts Howard A. Handran Harry C. Lake Patsy Varrassi James A. Martin Ernest W. Kerr Alfred Beacom	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Hercules Phyllides John E. Grimes Frederick J. Stokinger Elman A. Salo Michael S. Rubacha Lester T. Weaver James L. Warn Russell J. Robitaille Frank N. Smith

	A/C # 190		A/C # 086		A/C # 468		A/C # 413
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	Douglas L. Deal Lentz M. Lackey Roy I. Vaughn John M. Traylor Paul E. Miller Edward F. Morgan Cedric N. Priest George W. Emerson Donald D. Brunsvold	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Kaufman Robert C. Burkholder Bernard M. Plaut D. J. Letizia Sanford J. Cadwell Edwin M. Sinclair Rudolph J. Buczak Warren G. Antoine M. J. Smuynski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John W. Fay James E. Carels Bert Graham Thomas W. Lyles Alfred E. Calhoon Donald W. Blackwell William T. Stringer Richard M. Bassett William A. Spoerner

	A/C # 088		A/C # 948		A/C # 607		A/C # 630
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James E. Sherrod Gordon C. Esch Rolland L. Boyle Louis M. Castelucci James M. Rapp James M. Perrin Kenneth V. Nordin Leo J. Gawroniak Joe L. Steele Charles W. Mehring	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul W. Gilbert Richard G. Palmer Andrew Brown, Jr James V. Duffy David C. Foltz Raymond Conway Richard D. Wright Robert V. Moore Ernest D. Pappalardo	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Canfield Clarence E. Ross Donald H. Snyder Thomas H. Norton Robert M. Jensen Julius Smith Alvin E. Merriam Alvie M. Kirkendall Herbert P. Barte	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Parks Charles E. Berta Albert M. Durrett Oreste Procopio James F. Lynch John H. Wiktorowic James H.l VanAckeren Charles L. Bickers Harry S. Young

	A/C # 557		A/C # 060		A/C # 694		A/C # 587
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth R. Johnston William F. Smith Robert E. Jackson Frederick W. Asbell Daniel A. Malcolm Nolan V. Claxton Henry B. Gilbert Francis F. Friedel Harry B. Vaal	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward Kozel Alvie J. Phares Selig Ratchick Carl F. Atlimus Robert E. Nichols Jacob L. Alpert Thomas d. Dalrymple Dwight F. Swanson James T. Pratt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clayton E. Bejot Augustus J. Harris Joseph C. Issacson Andrew V. Solari Paul G. Parker Norman A. Depelteau Fernando P. Biancalana Vinell L. Bush Oliver F. Orris	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Benjamin J. Deloach Gerald W. Esser Joseph F. Sdijko Emil F. Galliessch Vernon H. Hawbaker Harry B. Bartholomew Raymond C. Batliner Warren G. Hummer James C. Parrish

	A/C # 087		A/C # 113		A/C # 923		A/C # 383
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth W. Brucker Edward L. Cavanaugh George A. Sipp James R. Powell Abraham H. Feller Norman C. Bonney John P. Medica Rex Burke Michael Stasko	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Dale J. Jeffers Allen d. Sheakley Leo B. Bunker Marshall H. Hoyt Edward l. Nolan Murrell N. Tobian Allen A. Sharpe Richard L. Gibbs Nomer D. Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Winfred L. Pugh Arthur M. 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 Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald E. Zigler Joseph S. Norman Oliver P. Kolstoe Edgardo Buletti Ernest C. George Raymond L. Rule Robert S. Theiss Willis L. Storrer Alfred C. Noday

	A/C # 954		A/C # 558		A/C # 167		A/C # 562
p cp n b tt ro bt 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	Alfred H. Thoman William E. Thompson William J. Morrow Vernon F. Hornig Charles A. Keller George A. Parsons Wilfred L. Bennett Kenneth L DeNune William W. Myers	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman W. Breit Tracy E. Geiger 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 Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert Gumulauskas William T. Neidhardt Perry E. Will Paul E. Beatty ---------- Deleonardis Louis F. Beske Charles L. Campbell Enos C. Bleacher Joy F. Stacey

	A/C # 934		A/C # 206		A/C #		A/C # 118
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harris S. Mathis Norris H. Gerber Charles S. Tripp Albert L. Thompson Rex B. Crawford Donald E. Cook Mark A. Osborne Morris R. Walker Earle E. Veeder	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Max D. Peterson Charles E. Barrier Myron L. Kruse Champe V. Dobler Martin Muehsam Joseph J. Darden Joseph W. Pitts James G. Lisy Mack W. Fuqua	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt		Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard E. Hoelzer Milton M. Jaraslow George S. Imman John B. Blachley Charles T. Darnell Wilfred E. Baumgartner George T. Gulywasz James E. Doerr Bernard J. Geraghty

	A/C # 470		A/C # 765		A/C #		A/C #
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 Julius Venerofsky Arthur M. Lustig Samuel B. Goff Sidney N. Erickson T. J. Shields Carl Tulowitzki Howard W. Berrier	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stanley E. Kleiner Robert W. Kelley John C. Fonda John B. Bomba Andrew G. Voytko Leo J. Kwiatkowski Joseph Konyak James E. Haddock Rene V. Gabriel Lloyd C. Holdredge	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 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 lrwg 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 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