 |
457th Bomb Group Honor Roll
Mission No. 52 |
 |
| 457th Bomb Group | 748th Bomb Squadron |
| (457th Home) (Back) Updated 12/03/2000, 19:17:09 |
Mission NarrativeMission No. 52Date - May 27, 1944 Target - Ludwigshaven This mission was to the marshalling yards at Ludwigshaven and Mannheim. The 457th led the 94th Combat Wing with Col James Luper as Air Commander. Enroute to the target the group was savagely attacked by 50 or 60 ME-109's and several planes in the formation were lost. The fighter attack lasted 25 minutes and disrupted the formation causing the low box to bomb before the lead. The lead box did a 360 degree turn and made a second pass through the heavy flak. Thirteen planes received flak damage. Plane 42-38055, piloted by Lt Roger W. Birkman, had two engines shot out during the ME 109 fighter attack. He turned and considered heading toward Switzerland but before he could set the direction they were hit by flak and #3 engine was set afire. They fought the fire for some time, trying to make it to the channel but were forced to bail out over Belgium. Birkman, Stanko, Koch, Toney, and Cochran were rescued by the underground and made it to England the other five were captured and made POW's. See "Black Puff Polly" for a description of this incident by Sgt John E. Toney. |
......... Crew
| Pilot | Lt Roger W. Birkman | ||
| Copilot | Lt Alexander Kuckerenko | POW | |
| Navigator | Lt Michael N. Stanko | ||
| Bombardier | Lt James M. Cochran | ||
| Aircraft Engineer | Sgt Raymond Koch | ||
| Radio Operator | Sgt Andrew Kafka | POW | |
| Left Waist Gunner | Sgt John L. Toney | ||
| Right Waist Gunner | Sgt James C. Jones | POW | |
| Ball Turret Gunner | Sgt John Buechel | POW | |
| Tail Gunner | Sgt Errol Bailey | POW |
Plane s/n
| Note: Please feel free to send your observations/comments on the Content: Willard (Hap) Reese (Website Author) |