Mission No 87

MISSION NO. 87
MUNICH, GERMANY

12 JULY, 1944

Heavy cloudy weather still persisted over all of enemy occupied Europe. Visual missions on strategic and tactical targets were impossible. Munich still remained the logical target for a PFF attack. Twelve hundred seventy Eighth Air Force heavies were dispatched in the operation on this hub of aerial and Iransportation activity. Again the 457th Group furnished thirty- six aircraft to form the lead and low boxes of the 94th B Combat Wing. Major Spencer led the Wing in a PFF plane, while Captain Reilly led the low box.

Takeoff was into a cloud filled sky. The penetration route was exactly the same as the mission the day before. Again French based enemy fighters chose to remain on the ground.

En route to Munich an occasional break in the clouds revealed landmarks on the ground. From the 1P, a normal run was made into the city with no malfunctions. When the flak belt around the city was pierced, the fire was more accurate than before.

Lt. Gerald L. Kerr's plane fell back with No. 1 engine smoking and prop feathered, presumably a casualty to flak. The craft remained under control and later crashed into the Alps. Five of the crew survived.

The lead box released its bombs by PFF. A hole in the clouds revealed the Hadern suburbs to be directly below. Although clouds obscured the ground from that point, a plotting of the bomb fall placed them in the Ober Sendling industrial and residential district, three miles south of the center of Munich. The low box was unable to see the bombs released in the lead box and failed to drop. Accurate flak persisted as the formation crossed the area.

The

Lt. Edward Kozel's plane lost its No. 1 propeller and lagged behind the formation. No. 3 and No. 4 engines had low oil pressure. It headed for Switzerland and later landed there. Lt. Robert L. Kaufman's plane was hit by flak, but made it back as far as the English Channel, where the crew bailed out, and all were picked up by Air/Sea Rescue.

After the force left Munich, a hole in the clouds revealed the small German town of Engstingen and the low box aimed its bombs at this target. They were scattered over a wide area. Eleven hundred fifty planes had attacked Munich.

Twenty-six airplanes were lost, eight of them went to Switzerland. Although it was impossible to determine the main impact of the bombs, photos were taken through the nine-tenths undercast, and indicated a bombing pattern in the center of the city, rather than in the outlying suburbs.

The following crews were lost on this date:

Lt Gerald L. Kerr

Lt Edward Kozel

Lt Robert L. Kaufman

CREW LOADING LIST

July 12th, 1944
Mission No 87 Target: Munich, 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 # 103		A/C # 701		A/C # 694		A/C # 766
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 Albert L. Thompson H. B. Gilbert Richard R. Hazelhurst Edwin C. Van Tine ernest R. Campen Herbert W. Shaurette John Harmke	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry R. Stafford Fred A. Spencer Marsh Hovey Anthony G. Wodek Frederick W. Asbell Arthur A. Flach Francis M. Craven Virgil R. Hook Walter H. Osika Bernard J. Yavorosky	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Stevens Donald K. Goss Warren H. Suddath Sidney W. Brunick Joseph W. LaBonte Stewart C. Moody James H. Bryant Crad W. McCollum James H. Neelan	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Parks Joseph S. Norman Albert M. Durrett Thomas W. Battley James F. Lynch John H. Wiktorowic James H.l VanAckeren Harry S. Young Charles L. Bickers

	A/C # 899		A/C # 383		A/C # 468		A/C # 026
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James E. Sherrod Gordon C. Esch Rolland L. Boyle James M. Perrin Wayne C. Rapp William N. Barrett Leo J. Gawroniak Joe L. Steele Lyle D. Johnson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Alfred H. Thoman, Jr William E. Thompson, Jr William J. Morrow Vernon F. Hornig Charles A. Keller George A. Parsons, Jr Kenneth L Denune Bernard E. Arciero Wilfred L. Bennett	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman W. Breit Edward A. McNeal Con F. Poynor William H. Sokolowski Melvin R. Smalley Peter G. Stern William F. Radford John A. Roe Ruben L. Hernandez	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell A. Price Robert C. Cook Eldon J. Foster Harry H. Whitaker Carroll C. Johnson Lester L. Tyndall Edward J. McHale Lynn W. Rice George K. Raymond

	A/C # 955		A/C # 633		A/C # 063		A/C # 587
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William H. Crawford Benjamin Gryncewicz Howard D. Quinn Michael E. Baron Roy C. Schild Harold D. Harris Milton C. Tieman Walter K. Marsh Stephen Kokayko	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stanley E. Kleiner Robert B. Hooper Reed V. Bryant John B. Bomba Andrew G. Voytko Leo J. Kwiatkowaski James E. Haddock LLoyd E. Holdridge Joesph Konyak	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Kaufman Robert C. Burkholder Bernard M. Plaut D. J. Letzia Edwin M. Sinclair Sanford G. Cadwell Rudolph S. Buczak Warren G. Antoine H. J. Smuzynski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris W. Wasserman Robert J. Shaffer George C. Lawlis Vivian B. McWhorter, Jr Asa R. McClure Jean R. LeShufy Cycril C. Hegrele Edwin J. Auffurth William L. Kennedy

	A/C # 118		A/C # 031		A/C # 331		A/C # 155
p cp n b tt ro bt 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 Dozier T. Prothro Leo E. Flagg Clayton T. Dayhoff Joseph E. Cook	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Douglas L. Deal Lentz M. Lackey Roy I. Vaughn Lee C. Mohn Paul E. Miller Edward F. Morgan Cedric N. Priest George W. Emerson George Blaire	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gordon E. Gallagher Donald W. Johnson Theodore R. Bortel Roy E. Gleason William J. Moore Paul W. Johnson Gordon J. Neely Melvin D. Thompson Harold E. Sturman	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John E. Grimes Donald S. Brandvold Winfred E. Stortz Richard K. Newman Edgardo Buletti Ernest C. George Raymond C. Rule Willis L. storrer Robert S. Theiss

	A/C # 785		A/C # 079		A/C # 571		A/C # 532
p cp n b tt ro bt 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 Charles Minter	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry J. Whitman Albert O. Gilbertson, Jr Harold W. Patrick Leonard G. Stoner Joseph P. Melly Howard B. Munger Kenneth E. McGriff Charles E. Fosson William A. Scharnhorst	Lt F/O Lt Sgt 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 John T. Poshefko Howard W. Martin	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Dean F. Fisk Walter J. McGregor James F. Barnes john B. Tonkin Don C. Brewer James H. Kirkland Fredrick Wosik Robert H. Hughes Leroy E. Hiebert

	A/C # 552		A/C # 064		A/C # 075		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt 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 Samuel P. Younger Donald B. Boyle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris H. Shuff William D. Hurdis Merton L. Pond James V. Duffy Glen W. Barnes Thomas G. Scott Leonard A. Smith Robert E. Bergeron Wallace D. Cagle	Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Clayton E. Bejot Augustus J. Harris Andrew V. Solari Fernando P. Biancalana Paul G. Parker Norman A. Depelteau Oliver F. Orris Vinell L. Bush Delos N. Riegle	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Vizanko Richard E. Long Angelo A. Archiopoli Oreste Procopio Willis E. Moore Joseph L. Mast Mathew J. Przybysz Julian J. Rodakowski Alton T. Eason

	A/C # 687		A/C # 060		A/C # 923		A/C # 451
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles D. Brannan Charles E. Newmeyer James H. Kincaid Kenneth B. Taylor John C. Sampson John T. Matovina Joseph M. Colechia Charles R. Vandeventer Milton Lowenstein	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George J. Bennett Milton E. Durham Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Oescher Paul Holder Paul O'Neal Roland F. Vevier Leonard A. Smith John R. Graham	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James W. Franklin Donald C. Lengman Charles C. Smith Robert S. Todd Luther E. Holloman Leonard O. Beach Joseph M. Budich John W. York Ernest L. Herndon	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Hercules Phyllides Jack Marks Elman A. Salo Robert L. Jackson Lester T. Weaver James W. Walton Frank N. Smith Michael S. Rubacha Carl A. Robbie

	A/C # 905		A/C # 733		A/C # 073		A/C # 505
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kenneth R. Johnston Joseph F. Reilly Rovert E. Jackson William B. Wescott Harry B. Vaal Nolan V. Claxton Daniel A. Malcolm Paul O. Conner Francis F. Friedel Anthony Marrone	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Marsden W. Mattatall John L. Fowler Myron L. Kruse Ralph C. Jordan Ben H. Collinsworth John R. Billington Francis R. Redington Douglas C. Ellison George H. Manos	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James P. Lapaze Audrey B. Whitten Joseph O. Isaacson Alfred P. Beacon Jay L. Saulsburry Fred F. Castle John H. Graves Delbert A. Brokhart Hyman Kalb	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert L. Sikkenga John B. Folsom Bert Graham David S. Wright John G. Mackie Wilfred G. Baumgartner William Stringer Joseph A. Toth John W. Brown

	A/C # 087		A/C # 111		A/C # 796		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward A. Taylor Walter F. Creigh Harold W. Walbright Edward J. Colleran Elie R. Carrier Robert E. Killion Herbert L. Webster Lewis H. Shane George S. Kamas	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 Dwight F. Swanson William H. Koester Thomas d. Dalrymple	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joseph O. Paschal Donald S. Hain Vincent L. Vaccarro Harry C. Minor Edward F. Rugg Arthur J. Russell, Jr Charles R. Miller Lorne G. Smith Clifford R. Wilson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C # 558 Weather Ship		A/C # 706		A/C # 551		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George C. Hozier John H. Ingalls Clement H> Marsden R. E. Crunk William C. Bolger	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. Jerome Petrizzi Ray V. Rose Kenneth E. Hixson Joseph Matkowsky	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott L. Williams Phil B. Adrean Delos E. Bown Glenn M. Rogers Joseph Deluccia Anthony Collura Kenneth L. Gordier Marshall E. Young Paul H. Beisswanger	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C # 164		A/C # 606		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	Dale S. Jeffers Allen D. Sheakley Leo B. Bunker Marshall H. Hoyt Edward L. Nolan Morell N. Tobian Richard L. Gibbs Homer D. Reich Antonio Papaianni	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harry J. Huskey Clyde S. Jolley Fred W. Roberts Howard A. Handran Patsy Varrassi Harry C. Lake James A. Martin Ernest W. Kerr Kenneth E. Davidson	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