Mission No 173

MISSION NO. 173
MAXIMILIANSAU, GERMANY

13 JANUARY, 1945

The Eighth Air Force stood down for two days because of the weather. Snow blanketed the British Isles and western Europe. The ground troops had practically broken the German Ardennes offensive; however, for the knockout blow, the bombers Were needed. Bridges across the Rhine, marshalling yards and rail Junctions, vital to the Germans, were attacked today by the Eighth.

The 457th sent thirty-six planes to Maximiliansau to knock out a bridge, located on the main route from Metz to Munich. Major Snow was Air Commander.

Flight to the target was flown approximately as briefed. It was necessaty for the Group to do numerous double drifts and "S" turns in order to remain behind the preceding group. The IP was reached fifteen minutes early because of winds. The Group made a good bomb run and scored a direct hit on the target.

Flak was moderate and accurate. The plane piloted by Lt. Irwin C. Popham exploded in mid air over the target. One witness noticed a yellowish color on the right wing just prior to the explosion. The explosion was seen as "one big sheet of flame", and "one big ball of fire".

The lead aircraft was hit and knocked out of formation. Seventeen craft suffered varying degrees of damage. Because of weather conditions, the Group landed at an English base near the coast, at Woodbridge, which had developed a highly sophisticated method of burning off fog.

(Later on, when the official release was made announcing the completion of 200 combat missions flown by the 457th, this mission was cited as an example of the excellent bomb results achieved by the Group.)

CREW LOADING LIST

January 13th, 1945
Mission No 172 Target: Maximiliansau, 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 # 255		A/C # 863		A/C # 827
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Capt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Lon A. McCauley, Jr. Donald E. Lady Harry J. Campbell Henry L. Bartnowski Edward J. McGurren Wilmer G. Boykin Frederick F. Parlin G. B. Gaster Lawrence D. Rogers	Lt Maj Lt Lt Lt Capt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	William T. Robertson Eugene A. Peresich, Jr Robert Mattox Marsh Movey Felecisimo Basuil Frank H. Pearman Louis Dahle Bernard Stutman Elmer W. Szydlowski Edward M. Monasterio	Lt F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward R. Skyrms Clarence E. Leath Sheldon J. Robbin Bernard Weiss Raymond C. Blackson Henry Schmidt, Jr Robert L. Stevenson Leonard J. Lewandowski Simon C. Wareck	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Ronald P. Straus Everett R. Renfro Richard E. Anderson John B. Rogers Robert L. Olsen John P. Lapicca J. W. Bridges John F. Dunn David M. Fleming

	A/C # 509		A/C # 733		A/C # 857		A/C # 795 LOST
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 John Mezra Godfrey C. Edgarton	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Russel A. Nowling Edward G. Maxey, Jr Elmer L. Mankin Dale F. Baldwin Stephen Skulec John M. Handler Theodore F. Steele William M. Stell Allison J. Gunn	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Donald C. Meyers Wilbur S. Pursell Maurice R. Keesling Kenneth R. Vann Elroy J. Peters William R. Watson Robert D. Malloy Joseph A. Jakacki James D. Ransdell Stephen F. Esterholdt	Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Irwin C. Popham Robert H. Dickenson Gus S. Skalsky Joe H. Jones Donald D. Shumate Keith W. Hill Robert W. Hamer William A. Marion Bruno M. Gifford

	A/C # 506		A/C # 831		A/C # 694		A/C # 354
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	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	Alvin I. Caplovitz Harold J. Franklin Peter Mihalik Alvin C. Farrar Raymand G. Field Horace H. Huey John E. Burch James D. McCorkindale Robert E. Springer	Lt Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edward J. Clark Harry R. Horn Lionel W. O'Shea Charles F. Gavin Jr Glenn S. Gruver George E. Dainty Gene R. Foss Frederick C. Rex George N. Pollock

	A/C # 583		A/C # 706		A/C #		A/C # 749
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Raymond F. Rossner Robert G. Quincy Milton Braverman Stanley Zocks Robert B. Black Thomas C. Elliott Lyle W. Astry Henry W. Bennett John R. Westhoff	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Jack E. Wescott Fred L. Steadman Merrill H. Ross Louis P. DeCunzo 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	Alvin I. Caplovitz Harold J. Franklin Peter Mihalik Raymond G. Field Horace H. Huey John E. Burch James D. McCorkindale Robert E. Springer Alvin C. Farrar	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George W. Bobbitt Robert H. Wood Eugene L. Walker Charles M. Carrier John Sing Leland M. Ford Paul M. Zalusky Young W. Rainer Frank M. Prado

	A/C # 537		A/C # 164		A/C # 881		A/C # 707
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Edmund W. Hubbard Donald G. Sellon Anthony A. O'Brian Ralph S. Kenyon Daniel W. Nose James L. Bass Robert R. Tangey Bennie W. Johnson Walter C. Nowak	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 Trapani Roy S. Duitman Robert A. Dilley	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	John R. Godwin edward C. Foulke Jennings B. Beran Robert F. Kellow Andrew J. McCormick Geroge Kikeh Vincent C. Liguori Paul J. Bernstel Frank J. Clark	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert W. Gronberg Patrick H. Wallace Hermon D. Welmer Robert M. McMakin Albert K. Richards Claude W. Crisler Ashmun J. Ripley James L. McGill Edward F. Morgan

	A/C # 394		A/C # 594		A/C # 826		A/C # 027
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wayne B. Tweten Ben W. McChesney William W. Siler Norman M. Allegan William H. Carroll James A. Kolofa George S. Byoff James G. Grantham Winfield J. Scott	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Everett Park Edward G. Palm Bernard Liss Donald C. Ward Kenneth M. Garrison Raymond L. Madgett Joy J. Cappelle Clifton J. Rabideaux Steve Sobiaski	Lt Lt Lt Lt 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	William B. Dudley John F. Spore William R. Seil Jack R. Muth Ralph W. Bell Marshall H. Glover Martin O. Olson Elmer E. Campbell William J. Banghart Frank P. Trom

	A/C # 909		A/C # 828		A/C # 075		A/C # 024
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 John I. Butterly Daniel Cadena, Jr. Francis D. Crawford James V. Cochran John E. Dubina Claud M. Gideon Richard C. Clements	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Robert H. Reed Myrton P. Barry William D. Bird Chaarles K. Major Robert J. Viles Joseph M. Hamilton Kenneth J. Kuchler John F. Brown Peter P. Angott	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Herbert A. Lawyer John Medwin Olin G. Wellborn Doyle H. Brown Jerome Grossman Peter Credidio Edwin B. Hartley Fernand G. Rupanian Grant A. Hanson	Capt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Lt	Arthur M. Ford Jerome P. Rakel Walter H. Sale William A. Moore Maurice S. Wilks Gene F. Skidmore Leonard O. Vittitow Robert J. Templin Dancil J. Adams Williams

	A/C # 751		A/C # 574		A/C # 855		A/C # 123
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Duane F. Southwood Lyle E. Keran Wallace Reed Warren H. Parmeter Orville D. Clark George N. Radakovich Raymond D. VanWagner R. B. Kelly Santos V. Maira	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Craig P. Greason Quentin P. Thompson Rudolpy Haumann Thomas E. Madigan Garland L. Frost Ralph S. Ingraham Blair Arsenault, Jr Kenneth L. Haseltine Thomas E. Madigan	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Harlan Buettner George J. Grau Erwin Salnick Philip A. Dupont Theodore R. Cowsert Anthony S. Giacobbi James R. Westbrook Leo Rendina Ray F. Hawkins, Jr	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Richard L. Mack Donald H. Schick John S. Nierengarden Richard M. Beck Raymond V. Hunter Charles Held Lloyd R. Kennedy Frank J. Eichenlaub Earl E. Whitnack

	A/C # 964		A/C # 534		A/C # 113		A/C # 582
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	George L. Hottle, Jr Emile N. Racine David W. Ellis Roger R. Holden James T. Bell, Jr Nicola Toscano George Zucker Francis C. Cupp William J. Dufford	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Wendell C. Tague Jack S. Eshe Francis G. Spillane Jack Lorber George A. Taylor Frank J. Pekar Ivan L. Mathews, Jr. George T. Zielinski Simon Pomerantz	Lt F/O 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 F/O Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Gerald M. Russell Carrol R. Wissmiller Julius G. Uhrlaub, Jr John F. Kelsey, Jr Bernard B. Matz Maurice J. D'Agostino Frederick J. Weyand C. A. Rogers Elton C. Conerly

	A/C # 101		A/C # 540		A/C # 765		A/C # 021
p cp n b tt ro bt lwg tg	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Albert B. Gross William P. O'Connor Robert J. Jacobson Tommy M. Pruitt James N. Gray Harris Hubert Frank R. Humphries Robert O. Newell William D. Oden	Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Basil R. Dundas Jr. William G. Litogot Dominick J. Giannico Charles H. Borland Alfredo J. Raimo Clarence D. Barnes John J. Sweeney Reginald W. Buxton Robert G. Smith	Lt Lt F/O Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Willmore Fluman George D. McCurry Wayne W. Hanley Hollis D. Huddleston Charles H. Rogers Lauren C. Keene John Simmen Hilliard B. Maples John H. Cheatham	Lt Lt Lt Lt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt Sgt	Charles E. Birdseye Paul C. Mason Donald F. Macbride Howard W. Demotts Henry Freidrich Wallace T. Powell David Barclay Robert F. Nicholson Carl R. Johnson

	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