Mission No 97

MISSION NO. 97
MERSBERG, GERMANY

29 JULY, 1944

The Heavies attacked the Leuna synthetic oil plant again. The 457th furnished thirty-six craft to compose the 94th A Combat Wing, which flew eighth in the Division formation. Major Leroy H. Watson was Air Commander. Major Eugene Peresich led the low box, and Captain Belcher led the high box. The route to the Continent was with the Eighth Air Force bomber stream, breaking when a part of the stream went to Bremen. The remaining route to the target was without incident.

Bombing results were considered good. The antiaircraft fire was more accurate than the previous day and eighteen craft sustained damages. No enemy fighters were sighted. This mission and the previous day's mission were classified as the most successful PFF missions to date.

CREW LOADING LIST

July 29th, 1944
Mission No 97 Target: Merseberg, 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 # 649		A/C # 088		A/C # 567		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Charles D. Brannan Leroy H. Watson James H. Kincaid Clement H. Marsden John L. Kabelac James E. Fast John T. Matovina Joseph M. Colechia Edward M. Hardin Charles R. Vandeventer Edward M. Hardin	Lt F/O Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George J. Bennett Bernard J. Yavorosky Theodore J. Mellow Jack W. Osecher Norbert A. Meeuwasen Paul O'Neal Jasper L. Smith John R. Graham Robert E. Bergeron	Lt Lt Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William K. Doherty Eugene A. Peresich Clyde H. Sullivan Russell L. Scott Bernard M. Plaut William H. Trusselle Ancil U. Shepherd Franklin Don John H. Derling Melvin R. bernhardt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ernest T. Salzer Richard E. Long Kenneth Post William A. Steffen Raymond A. Adams Vincent A. Toth Elbert C. Conger Benjamin W. Hamrick Mathew J. Przybysz

	A/C # 899		A/C # 034		A/C # 167		A/C # 456
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harris S. Mathis Robert I. Ellsworth Howard V. Quinn Robert I. Braun Rex B. Crawford Nolan V. Claxton Norris H. Walker Herbert W. Shaurette Milton Lowenstein	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 Wilfred L. Bennett Bernard E. Arciero	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Scott B. Ormsby Edward S. McNeal Theodore R. McNeal Roy E. Gleason Jay L. Saulsburry Joseph M. Sofranko Gordon J. Neely Karl E. Kramer Ray F. Jones	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 F. Kirkland Fredrick Wosik Robert H. Hughes Marshall I. Sipe

	A/C # 588		A/C # 060		A/C # 468		A/C # 451
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Seesenguth Walter C. Strosser Samuel A. Plestine George E. MacDermott Raymond D. Brodin George R. Langowski William M. Thacker, Jr Robert L. Schaaf Charles Spornick Roy E. Goldman	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert H. Magill John L. Fowler Ras M. Clausen Alexander P. McDermott Joseph Garbett Thomas G. Scott Glenn W. Barnes Wallace C. Nicholson Wallace D. Cagle	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Winfred L. Pugh Arthur H. Richards Julius H. Drummond Clifford M. Page Edward M. Szumierz James E. Woodgate Joseph R. Wheatley John T. Poshefko Howard W. Martin	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Hercules Phyllides Rex B. Monson Elman A. Salo James S Warn William C. Adams Frank N. Smith Lester T. Weaver James J. Walton Michael S. Rubacha

	A/C # 834		A/C # 574		A/C # 073		A/C # 383
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 Paul O. Conner Clayton T. Dayhoff Barnett Feldman	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 Allen A. Sharpe Homer D. Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James P. Lapaze Audrey B. Whitten Robert S.Todd Con F. Poynor Virgil Hill Fred F. Castle John H. Graves Alfred P. Beacom Hyman Kalb	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack D. Marks Kenneth E. Yap Harold L. Kaplan Richard K. Newman Junior P. Schaner George T. Stefani Roy L. Walker Fredrick B. Weyand Jessie D. Dunn

	A/C # 662		A/C # 086		A/C # 018		A/C # 505
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. Crawford Benjamin Gryncewicz Martin Schwartz 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	Harry J. Whitman Richard G. Palmer Harold W. Patrick Leonard G. Stoner Joseph P. Melly Howard B. Munger Bernard F. Sitek William A. Scharnhorst Kenneth E. McGriff	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gordon E. Gallagher Donald W. Johnson Joseph C. Isaacson Delos N. Reigle William J. Moore Paul W. Johnson Melvin D. Thompson Harold E. Sturman James C. Baum	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert L. Sikkenga John B. Folsom Bert Graham David S. Wright John G. Mackie Donald W. Plackwell William L. Stringer James H. Lee Joseph A. Toth

	A/C # 118		A/C # 948		A/C # 694		A/C # 998
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Haven R. Burningham George A. Voris Lorentz C. Hanson Frank J. Bernd Karl H. Mannisto Lloyd E. Larson Arthur E. Baker John W. Utter Nicola Toscano	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William D. Hurdis Elmer Mittwoch Merton L. Pond Mark K. Miller William L. Finley Daniel W. Richmond Paul A. Stancil Howard Kirshman Robert S. McEwan	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald K. Goss Ralph I. Evans Vincent L. Vaccaro Sidney W. brunich Joseph W. LaBonte Stewart C. Moody Kenneth E. Davidson Crad W. McCollum Clifford R. Wilson	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert J. Shaffer Robert C. Cook Harry H. Whitaker William L. Egri Richard H. Cochrane John C. Bruggeman Wayne A. Taylor Noma R. Norman Paul A. Frank

	A/C # 826		A/C # 164		A/C # 923		A/C # 827
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Cole Francisco Gamboa David C. Watts Stewart W. Jakku Daniel A. Malcolm Robert J. Engler Arthur J. Kimball Francis F. Friedel Edwin C. Vantime	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Joe D. Coleman Edward F. Salman William G. Watts Thomas S. Crowley Francis E. Snow Robert L. Harrison William G. Wright George B. Crockett Robert G. Smith	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles C. Canfield Clarence E. Ross Donald H. Snyder Thomas H. Norton Alvin E. Merriam William R. Cain Herbert P. Barte Alvie M. Kirkendall Julius Smith	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James J. Parks Joseph S. Norman Albert M. durrett Emil F. Gallessich John W. Wiktorowicz James F. Lynch James H. Van Ackeren Harry S. Young Charles L. Bickers

	A/C # 955		A/C # 079		A/C # 026		A/C # 649
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	James E. Sherrod Gordon C. Esch Rolland L. Boyle James M. Perrin Wayne C. Rapp Leo J. Gawroniak Joe L. Steele Lyle D. Johnson Arthur M. Lustig	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Max D. Peterson Robert B. Hooper Myron L. Kruse Champe V. Dobler Martin Muehsam William M. Fuqua Joseph J. Darden Joseph W. Pitts James G. Lisy	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 James C. Neelan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Norman A. Erbe Milton M. Jaraslow Norman M. Franz Thomas W. Lyles Wilfred G. Baumgartner Willis E. Moore Carl A. Robbie Russell J. Robitaille Joesph F. Reilly Oscar B. Stauff

	A/C # 087		A/C # 051		A/C # 606		A/C # 155
p cp n b tt ro bt rwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John H. Ingalls William D. Mock Wilmot J. Miller Robert E. Crunk Willard W. Largent Leonard F. Johnson Leo J. maher Michael Milbour Robert C. Dutcher	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 John B. Billington George Blaire George W. Emerson Edward F. Morgan	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William Clarkson Harold F. Bacon Victor E. Dombrowski John J. Walicki Neal Spencer Albert A. Spierling Edmond L. Niec Cleon R. Roy Roman N. Becker	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Morris W. Wasserman Hays Bricka George C. Lawlis Oreste Procopio Jean R. LeShufy Asa R. McClure William L. Kennedy Cycril C. Hegrele Edwin J. Auffurth

	A/C # 591		A/C # 828		A/C # 934		A/C # 532
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg rwg tg	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard E. Fitzhugh Arthur Gennari Enoch T. Naversen John Schwall Hardy L. Bell Howard Larsen Wesley R. McDonald Howard A. Prather Ivory S. Phillips George L. Cole	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles W. Barrier Hugh C. Sloan, Jr George S. Inman Clinton E. Wells Kenneth L. Christenson Donald J. Fehrman Wilbur A. Kurtz Martin E. Darling Robert P. Ingraham	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert L. Kaufman Robert C. Burkholder D. J. Letizia H. J. Smuzynski Edwin M. Sinclair Sanford G. Cadwell Rudolph S. Buczak E. R. Sonday Lauren C. Keene	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Benjamin J. Deloach Gerald W. Esser Frederick J. Stokinger Allan P. Moulton Harry B. Bartholomew Robert L. Jackson Raymond C. Batliner Luster B. Mills James C. Parrish

	A/C #		A/C # 556		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	Jonathan M. Herbold Mark A. Belcher George D. Anderson Amdrew Brown Elihue R. Mayo Richard R. Hazelhurst Robert L. Grimes Johnny Miller William C. Cain	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