Mission No 163

MISSION NO. 163
GEROLSTEN, GERMANY

27 DECEMBER, 1944

In spite of unfavorable flying conditions, the 457th was back in action, planes and crews having returned to Base from Eye on December 26.

Major Snow led the Group of 36 planes flying as the 94th B Combat Wing. The target was a railroad bridge at Gerolstein. It was part of the Allied plan to disrupt and destroy the enemy's lines of communications and the flow of supplies to the battle area.

The target was near the Belgian border and was on the main rail line carrying traffic into Belgium to support the Germans' Ardennes Offensive.

The route over England was flown on time, on course and at proper altitude until the vicinity of March when it became necessary to deviate approximately five miles north of course, in order to get into Combat Wing formation. Division assembly line was flown in trail of the 94th A Wing. The entire Wing was able to get back on course before reaching the second Control Point. Course to the target was flown approximately as briefed, except for minor deviations in order to remain in Division formation. The Group was about one minute early in arriving at the IP because of winds.

The Group came across the IP on course. The general target area was visual and a visual run was ordered with G-H assistance. Bombing was done by squadrons, in trail, but not in proper bombing order. The high squadron, not having heard the signal for a visual run, had prepared to bomb in Group formation and had pulled up close to the lead squadron. As the Group proceeded down the bomb run, the high squadron was not able to get behind the low squadron and proceeded down the run in trail of the lead. The lead and low squadrons attacked the primary target area visually, with G-H assistance. The high squadmn was not able to pick up the target on the run, executed a 360 degree turn in order to make a second run and bombed in the smoke. There were no clouds, and visibility was good in the air. The visibility on the ground was poor, particularly in the target area, which was in a valley. The only difficulty encountered was experienced by the low squadron, which hit violent prop wash immediately prior to bombs away. The bombs were dropped from 22,750 feet. Bombing results were good.

After bombing, the lead and low squadrons, having rallied, made a wide turn off of the target to the left of the briefed course in an attempt to allow the high squadron to rejoin the Group. The high squadron was about four minutes behind the lead squadron, was never able to rally, and proceeded to base individually.

CREW LOADING LIST

December 27th, 1944
Mission No 163 Target: Gerolstein, 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 # 028		A/C # 034		A/C # 863		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Irwin G. Forry Louis G. Mueller JHiram M. Drache John A. Frank John W. Purvis James D. Toal Francis D. Crawford William F. Norton Winfield J. Scott Lawrence D. Rogers	Lt Maj Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt Lt	Jonathan M. Herbold Wilbur D. Snow John W. Martin Patrick A. Walls Francis J. Pitelka Louis Dahle Gerald E. Cook Nubar A. Astor Edward G. Palm Francis F. Jasinski	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph I. Evans Thomas W. Prior Einar L. Nelson Elroy J. Peters Leslie R. Peterson Franklin H. Kark Maurice E. Patterson Cleon R. Roy Charles B. Pilling	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Eugene C. Ricker Donald E. Miller William E. Seil Pete A. Antonella Murray L. Cooper William C, Lundy Abe Venick John K. McKinney Howard H. Jacobson

	A/C # 509		A/C # 084		A/C # 857		A/C # 630
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John P. Weber Douglas J. Sharkey Carl G. Swanberg Charles K. Rawls Louis L. R. Gomes Edgar W. Monell Owen S. O'Rourke Godfrey C. Edgarton Lloyd G. Hasseltine	Lt Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	William F. Fiedler Fredrick C. Ernest Robert W. Pace Edward R. Sage Gerald Zelikofsky Michael E. Attaway George A. Steltzer Joseph M. Mooney Rudolph E. Stegeman Gerald D. Stevens Louis Pike	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald C. Meyers Wilbur S. Pursell Maurice R. Keesling Hollis D. Hudleston William R. Watson Robert D. Malloy Joseph A. Jakacki James D. Ransdell Stephen F. Esterholdt	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard L. Mack Donald H. Schick John S. Nierengarden Robert P. Reublin Raymond V. Hunter Charles Held Lloyd R. Kennedy Frank J. Eichenlaub Earl E. Whitnack

	A/C # 826		A/C #		A/C # 694		A/C # 301
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Kelly P. Jacobs Josey H. Nelson James P. Guyot Albert F. Czarnowsky Robert E. Gee Jacob L. Finnerty George H. Haby, Jr. James T. Means Charles F. Brown	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ray D. Hedrick, Jr William T. Robertson John B. Parker Edwin B. Benson James L. Quarry Robert K. Wills Donald H. Gravelle John J. Sweeny Vincent J. Fallon John F. McGillian	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Herbert A. Lawyer John Medwin Olin G. Wellborn Sanford W. Lewin Jerome Grossman Peter Credidio Edwin B. Hartley Fernand G. Rupanian Grant A. Hanson	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Stephen L. Dewald Lorenz M. Koch Byron E. Francisco Richard E. Hansen Elias M. Remirez Frank J. Spurchise Frank Nowakowski Paul H. Suer Anthony S. Lanza

	A/C # 518		A/C # 821		A/C # 934		A/C # 582
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald L. Zeiler Sidney A. Bacon William C. Oliver Samuel J. Gelvin Dominic F. Muscato Donald A. Swisher Stanley R. Patterson James J. Rodel Carl Lewis	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lloyd S. Gray Charles G. Keiler Peter H. Katz Charles L. T. Carroll James W. Brown Rector L. Soder John R. Boudreau Clifton G. Bragden Paul T. Harlan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Henry S. Blach Harold R. Hall Leslie J. Tesdall Otis N. Bennett Edward V. Maculaitis Samuel J. Williams Wendell H. Perry Charles E. Sizemore William E. Wilson	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin C. Popham Robert H. Dickenson Gus S. Skalsky Edward F. Morgan Donald D. Shumate Keith W. Hill Robert W. Hamer William A. Marion Bruno M. Gifford

	A/C # 909		A/C # 594		A/C # 765		A/C # 621
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George J. Gilbert David S. Kahne William W. Siler John I. Butterly Daniel Cadena, Jr. Albert F. Jenkins Richard C. Clements John E. Dubina Claud M. Gideon	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack E. Wescott Fred L. Steadman Merrill H. Ross Louis P. DeCinzo Bernard L. Maki Aber J. DeCoux Billy K. Berry James C. Gianacopolis Harold A. Adams	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Mathews Albert A. Bean Thomas S.Sajatovich Thomas A. Dunn William A. Allerdice Fernando Urzanqui James R. Boyle Hubert H. Duckett Duan E, Reich	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George W. Bobbitt Howard T. Hampton Eugene L. Walker Charles M. Carrier John Sing Leland M. Ford Elmer E. Campbell Young W. Rainer Frank M. Prado

	A/C # 101		A/C # 828		A/C # 796		A/C # 707
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William B. Biracree William J. Couch James R. Ogletree George L. Branstetter Archie E. Bruce Robert F. Devaney Laffetti Trace Arthur J. Christensen James A. Carey	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ennis E. Brown Robert C. Reid James J. Klein Louis F. Brickman Harley J. Ellsworth William H. Goodfellow, Jr Archie C. Strahan Ronald A. Weber Norman J. Thorman	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ero E. Salo Milton W. Casey Adam E. Santora John H. Cheatham Clifford C. Koeneman Jonh P. Fulgham Nicholas T. Benos Sal Bachos Casper J. Casciano	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Frank S. Foster Calvin K. Schnellen Jack Gassman Max Anderson Ralph W. Libby John L. Prendergast Jessie T. Gill Richard J. Cambria David M. Fleming

	A/C # 591		A/C # 161		A/C # 881		A/C # 827
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lauren M. Spleth John F. Welch Theodore M. Braffman Robert L. Haynes Edward J. Grybos Norman T. Ozenberger Karl Lambertson John J. Briol Harry J. Cornell	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	William R. McCall, Jr Thomas L. Gregory Arthur M. Livingstone John W. Mahinske George W. Perry Robert J. Hayes Linville Wills Walter L. Slate Larido A. Battisti Walter S. Slate	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John R. Godwin Edward C. Foulke Robert F. Kellow Frank J. Clark Andrew J. McCormick George Kakeh Vincent C. Liguori Paul J. Bernstel Harold K. Reynolds	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ronald P. Straus Robert E. Gronberg Richard E. Anderson Chester L. Mohler Robert L. Olsen John P. Lapicca J. W. Bridges John F. Dunn John B. Rogers

	A/C # 394		A/C # 574		A/C # 414		A/C # 887
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Roland H. Brazier George M. Pobletts Eldon E. Smith William F. Freeman Walter H. Klimoff Daniel S Hochberg William J. Conner Stanley L. Murray Stanly D. Swanson	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Oliver G. Burgess, Jr Edward M. Monasterio John E. Elwood Robert V. Moore Aldo Molestatore George A. Parsons, Jr Robert J. Burke Herbert E. Dollar Clifford C. Brown Kenneth L. Christenson	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ralph L. Hay John P. Starnes Joseph V. Johns Ralph B. Julian Carroll W. Gustafson Clyde C. Patterson Thomas F. McGonical Donald M. Olson Jay S. Harrison	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Medford E. Hollis Jerome F. Rakel John F. Kelly, Jr Richard I. Hinman Charles Calcaterra Leonard O. Vittitow Mario D. Terenzio Joseph S. Kutas Louis H. Pena

	A/C # 190		A/C # 374		A/C #		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Paul F. Gillman Don E. Jensen Thomas M. Karr Robert W. Crowe Samuel H. Schafstall William S. Stanton J. C. Arnold John E. Walters Wilbert M. Saylor	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wallace F. Boyes Jr Elmer W. Felgenhauser Kenneth J. Furst Merritt D. Turner Francis J. Horan Abraham Feldman Frank Trapasi Roy S. Duitman Robert A. Dilley	Lt Lt Lt F/O Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harold A. Schuler Lawrence D. Wilde Erwin Salnick John LeVar Victor C. Johanson Frank D. Russo Louis A. Qualls Robert F. Altmaier James Valenti	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Herbert A. Rochlitz James P. Jenkins Charles L. Bowers Harley E. Barrett Jack F. Scarborough Wayne R. Bell A. W. Bell Walter L. Smith Vernon G. Whatley William H. Shafer

	A/C # 733		A/C # 113		A/C # 706		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Arthur G. Jellinek James I. Christy Wallace Reed Frank J. Conti Harry H. Jolly, Jr. Joseph W. Farrow Harley Ernst, Jr. Kenneth M. Beattie	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Delmar L. Stanley Parks E. Rea Carl E. Schieffer John R. Levar Leroy R. Ford Roger J. Howell Norman C. Kistler Dale W. Mason John A. Schuck	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Willmore Fluman James M. Graves Harry M. Kennedy Edward T. Ambrose Lawrence J. Gallagher Willard F. Beason Billy E. DeBerry Robert J. Gantz John M. Gayden	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt

	A/C #		A/C #		A/C #		A/C #
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg 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