COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2ND LT ROBERT A. WEGRZYNEK P RFS ILLNESS
2ND LT CHARLES J. GUTEKUNST CP NOC see note below
2ND LT EDMUND "NED" KAUFFMAN NAV POW 28 JUL 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY (WITH F.H.MASON CREW, SEE BELOW)
2ND LT JACK . EPPENDORF BOM KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND, OIL REFINERY
S/SGT GEORGE W. WRIGHT TTE NOC
S/SGT JAY V. EMRICH ROG NOC TAPS: 1988
SGT DALE E. STRAUSBAUGH BTG NOC
SGT EDWIN J. TYRRELL WG NOC
SGT LUTHER A. WISE, JR. WG NOC
SGT RINALDO J. BUSSINO TG CPT 24 JUL 44 ST LO GROUD SUPPORT
350TH SQDN….CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 09 MAR 1944.. Crew flew a/c" Daisy Mae"
"FLEW FIRST MISSION ON APRIL 11, 1944. AFTER 10 MISSIONS, LT ROBERT WEGRZYNEK WAS GROUNDED BY A SERIOUS ILLNESS THAT REQUIRED A LONG PERIOD OF RECUPERATION IN A STATESIDE MILITARY HOSPITAL. WHILE SERVING IN COMBAT, HIS B-17 CREW WAS UNITED IN THEIR BELIEF THAT BOB WAS AN OUTSTANDING LEADER AND EXCEPTIONAL PILOT"…..2ND LT CHARLES GUTEKUNST IN LETTER DATED DEC. 2000 mpf
LT DALE R. MCEWEN TOOK OVER THIS CREW AS FIRST PILOT. LT KAUFFMAN WAS REPLCED ON THE CREW BY FLIGHT OFFICER ALEXANDER MARUCHESS BOTH MCEWEN AND MARUCHESS WERE FROM LT JAMES NOBLE CREW.
Note:
Michael: Dale McEwen and I, both co-Pilots, lost our Pilots about the same time. I was in the 350th Sq.and Dale was in the 418th. They
transferred me to the 418th and as Dale had started his checkout as Pilot. I flew as Co-Pilot for him. He was about 6 missions ahead of me.
Jack Eppendorf our 350th Sq Bombardier and Ed Kauffman our Navigator, both on the original Wegrzynek crew, did not transfer to the 418th with me. Jack flew with another crew and was killed. Ed Kauffman went to 8th AF HQ, became a Radar Navigator. He returned and was shot down with Noble Crew on his first flight as a Mickey Navigator. He was a POW.
Insofar as I recall, Dale and I were a "Put together on the spot" crew. Spare Navigators and Bombardiers, those that were available at the time were assigned to fly with us, Except for Lt Ivons and Lt Maruchess who were originally in the 350th, Lt Ivons was hurt from flack on the mission when Col. Kelly went down (April 28, 1944 to Sottevast). Maruchess was hurt in a B-17 collision and I never saw either one again. I don't recall the names of any otherBombardiers or Navigators. I flew my last 6 missions with various, new crews. I just don't recall Lt. Anderson and I'm positive Bussino, the Tail Gunner who flew all of his 29 missions with me would not recall him. I'm Sorry I can't be more helpful
Chuck Gutekunst
gutecj@comcast.net
948 W, Leatherleaf Dr.
Tucson, AZ 85755
PROABLY MOST OF THIS CREW COMPLETED TOURS.
FLIGHT RECORD
RINALDO J. BUSSINO 39550304
350TH SQDN.. 100TH BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
THORPE ABBOTTS, ENGLAND (STA # 139)
DATE TARGET FLT, TIME
5 APR 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:40
9 APR 1944 AIR SEA RESCUE 4:30
11 APR 1944 POSEN, AC & ROSTOCK, CITY 11:30
12 APR 1944 SCHKEUDITZ, AC FACTORY (RECALL) 3:30
18 APR 1944 GENSHAGEN (BERLIN) AC ENGINES 8:15
19 APR 1944 LIPPSTADT & WERL AF'S 6:45
20 APR 1944 MARQUENVILLE & FLOTTEMANVILLE-HAGUE 5:00
24 APR 1944 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, AC FACTORY 9:15
28 APR 1944 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) 5:30
29 APR 1944 BERLIN, CITY 9:30
1 MAY 1944 SAARGUEMINES, MY & WIZERNES (NOBALL 7:15
3 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 4:30
4 MAY 1944 ABORT 2:00
7 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:00
10 MAY 1944 FALLERSLEBEN, MOTOR TRANSP. (RECALL) 3:30
11 MAY 1944 LIEGE, MY 5:00
17 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
19 MAY 1944 BERLIN, CITY (RECALL) 2:10
20 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:30
22 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 3:20
23 MAY 1944 TROYES, AF 8:00
24 MAY 1944 BERLIN, CITY (SPARE; NO HOLES TO FILL) 3:30
28 MAY 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:30
31 MAY 1944 OSNABRUCK, MY 8:30
2 JUN 1944 BOULOGNE & PARIS, RAILWAY JUNCTION 4:10
3 JUN 1944 LOCAL AREA 3:00
5 JUN 1944 ABBEVILLE & BOULOGNE 5:30
6 JUN 1944 OUISTREHAM, TOWN 6:30
6 JUN 1944 FALAISE, TOWN 7:30
7 JUN 1944 NANTES, BRIDGE 7:50
10 JUN 1944 MORLAIX, AF 5:30
15 JUN 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
20 JUN 1944 FALLERSLEBEN, MT FACTORY 7:00
Flack Leave
7 JUL 1944 MERSEBURG & BOHLEN, OIL REFS 3:20
8 JUL 1944 CLAMECY-JOIGNY, RAILWAY BRIDGE 5:30
10 JUL 1944 LOCAL AREA 5:20
11 JUL 1944 MUNICH, AERO ENGINES 10:20
12 JUL 1944 MUNICH, INDUSTRIAL AREA 9:20
13 JUL 1944 MUNICH, JET ENGINES 8:20
17 JUL 1944 AUXERRE, RAIL BRIDGE 7:45
18 JUL 1944 KIEL, HEMMINGSTADT, OIL (100TH "B") 7:10
19 JUL 1944 SCHWEINFURT & DUREN 7:00
20 JUL 1944 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY 8:10
21 JUL 1944 REGENSBURG & LUDWIGSHAFEN 7:30
24 JUL 1944 ST. LO, GROUND SUPPORT 6:15
6 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:00
6 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 1:30
7 AUG 1944 LOCAL AREA 2:00
LT DALE R. McEWEN CREW 5/8/44 (APPEARS TO BE A PICK-UP CREW)
LT DALE R. McEWEN P (FROM LT J.B. NOBLE CREW)
LT CHARLES J. GUTEKUNST CP (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
F/O DAYTON W. CAFFERTY NAV (FROM LT GEORGE P. FORY CREW)
LT OSCAR F. MILLS BOM (FROM LT E. F. NEU CREW)
T/SGT JAY V. EMRICH ROG (FROM LT R. A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
T/SGT ALEXANDER L. HUBIAK TTE (FROM LT HARRY HEMPY CREW)
S/SGT DALE STRAUSBAUGH BTG (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
S/SGT EDWIN J. TYRRELL WG (FROM LT R.A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
S/SGT DONALD W. HARRIS TG (FROM LT H.E. BETHEA CR
EMAIL = winmac@prodigy.net
UNAME = Tim Winners
CONNECTION = I am a relative of a 100th veteran
COMMENTS = I have loads of information and photos on the 100th from my father, Robert A. Wegrzynek, aka Bob Winners. We lost my dad May 22, 2000. Would you be interested in any information that we have on him and the group? Thanks so much for putting such a great site together! I called all 5 of my siblings and mom when I saw his picture show up with his co-pilot, Chuck Gutekunst. Thanks again!
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CREW
CAPT. HENRY F. SMITH P CPT DATE & MISSION UNK
1ST LT WESLEY R. CARLTON CP KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
2ND LT MARK M. HERTZ NAV/BOM POW 28 JUL 44 MERSEBURG SN# 0-700104 (see note below)
T/SGT MILTON S. EDELSTEIN ROG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
T/SGT HIKE B. BAGDASIAN TTE KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
SGT GARNET E. SYMINGTON BTG CPT 26 AUG 44 BREST (FLEW 18 MISSIONS WITH THIS CREW, ORIGINAL CREW LT BETHEA)
S/SGT PAUL J. HAHN LWG NOC (FLEW 12 MISSIONS CAPT SMITH CREW, THEN TO SPARE GUNNERS POOL)
S/SGT WILLIAM U. SCHAEFER RWG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
S/SGT GEORGE E. WATROUS TG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
350th Sqdn. Crew as of June 1944. Crew flew 14 mission in A/C 42-31991 MISS-CHIEF .
It appears this crew used a toggelier for many missions until July 18, 1944 when Lt Eppendorf became the permanent bombardier (from Lt Wegrzynek Crew). CAPT SMITH WAS A GROUP COMMAND PILOT FROM JUNE 1944 UNTIL COMPLETION OF TOUR. He left the Crew after the June 25th Maquis Supply drop and the crew flew three missions with Lt G.W. Clark (original CP with Lt Tiahrt Crew) as pilot before Lt Wesley Carlton took over the Crew. 2nd Lt Hertz shows up in records as flying as the Navigator on this Crew but left the crew after the July 8, 1944 Clamecy-Joigny mission to become a Pathfinder Bombardier (Lead Crew) with the 100th Bomb Group and the 95th Bomb Group. Capt. Smith became 350th Bomb Squadron Operations Officer in Sept. 1944.
CREW make up from 30 AUG 44 to 11 SEPT 44
MACR #8817, Micro-fiche #3237 A/C #42-97154 Our Baby Hutchie
1ST LT WESLEY R. CARLTON P KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
2ND LT EDWARD F. NEU CP POW 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND (Pilot of own crew)
1ST LT HUGH R. DAVIDSON NAV POW 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND (from Lt Neu Crew)
1ST LT JACK L. EPPENDORF BOM KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND (from LT ROBERT A. WEGRZYNEK CREW)
T/SGT MILTON S. EDELSTEIN ROG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
T/SGT HIKE B. BAGDASIAN TTE KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
S/SGT RALPH E. JACOBSON BTG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
S/SGT WILLIAM U. SCHAEFER WG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
S/SGT GEORGE E. WATROUS TG KIA 11 SEP 44 RUHLAND
350th Sqdn. Crew as of 30 Aug 44, Jack Eppendorf was orginally on the crew of R.A.Wegrzynek and Ralph Jacobson was on the original crew of L.W. Riegel, Lt Davidson from Lt Neu Crew.
MISSION LIST OF CAPT. HENRY SMITH AND LT. WESLEY CARLTON
# DATE TARGET PILOT/COPILOT A/C NUMBER A/C NAME
1. 18/6/44 MITBURG LT. SMITH 2102695 NO NAME
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
2. 19/6/44 CORME ECLUSE LT. SMITH 232009 BLACK CAT 13
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
3. 20/6/44 FALLERSLEBEN LT. SMITH 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
4. 24/6/44 GRAND COURONNE LT. SMITH 231049 SUPERSTITIOUS ALOYSIOUS
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
5. 25/6/44 MAQUIS SUPPLY DROP LT SMITH 231074 CAHEPIT
LT W. CARLTON-CP
6. 6/7/44 FLEURY LT. G.W. CLARK 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
7. 8/7/44 CLAMECY-JOIGNY LT. G.W. CLARK 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
LT HERTZ LEAVES CREW TO BECOME RADAR/NAVIGATOR
8. 11/7/44 MUNICH LT. G.W. CLARK 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. W. CARLTON-CP
9. 18/7/44 KIEL LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. G.C. MALCOM-CP
LT J.L. EPPENDORF BECOMES BOMBARDIER ON THIS CREW
10. 20/7/44 MERSEBURG LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. R. DYKEMAN-CP
11. 21/7/44 REGENSBURG LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. R. DYKEMAN-CP
12. 24/7/44 ST LO LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. R. DYKEMAN-CP
CREW REDUCED TO 9 MEN, S/SGT P.J. HAHN IS TAKEN OFF THE CREW AND SENT TO SPARE GUNNERS POOL
13. 25/7/44 ST LO LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. R. DYKEMAN-CP (Lt Dykeman is KIA on July 29, 1944 with Fitzroy Crew)
14. 31/7/44 MUNICH LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. E.F. NEU ?-CP
15. 2/8/44 TERGNIER LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. E.F. NEU ?-CP
16. 3/8/44 TROYES LT. W. CARLTON 297924 PARTY TONIGHT
LT. E.F. NEU ?-CP
17. 4/8/44 HAMBURG LT. W. CARLTON 338043 NO NAME
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
18. 5/8/44 MAGDEBURG LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
19. 6/8/44 BERLIN LT. W. CARLTON 46089 LEADING LADY
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
20. 7/8/44 BEAUTOR LT. W. CARLTON 337882 HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
21. 26/8/44 BREST LT. W. CARLTON 46089 LEADING LADY
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
SGT G.E. SYMINGTON COMPLETES 35 MISSIONS AND IS REPLACED ON THE CREW BY S/SGT R.E.JACOBSON
22. 30/8/44 BREMEN LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
23. 8/9/44 MAINZ LT. W. CARLTON 231991 MISS-CHIEF
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
24. 9/9/44 DUSSELDORF LT. W. CARLTON 338043 NO NAME
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
25. 10/9/44 NURNBURG LT. W. CARLTON 338043 NO NAME
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
26. 11/9/44 RUHLAND LT. W. CARLTON 297154 OUR BABY HUTCHIE (SHOT DOWN)
LT. E.F. NEU-CP
The following is quoted from a letter written by E.F.Neu dated 23 July 1945...pw
"........we were flying in the low squadron numbering twelve aircraft of which 11 were shot down. Our ship was badly hit and on fire. Lt Carlton, who was flying in the right seat suffered wounds on the right side of his face and head. Lt. Carlton had his chute fastened to his harness the last time I saw him. While I was trying to move the Engineer's (Bagdasian) body from the escape hatch the ship exploded and I came to on the ground. Due to the fire in the bomb bay no one from the front of the ship could go to the rear, also the inter phone was shot out so no communications in the ship was possible.
Lt. Carlton's wounds seemed to be serious from the way he was bleeding. S/Sgt Schaefer and Watrous were in the rear of the ship and due to fire and no inter phone we could not communicate with them, although they were ordered by Lt. Carlton and myself to leave the ship before out inter phone was shot out."
NOTE:
CREW
DATE: 28 July 1944 350th Sqdn A/C#42-97555 PATHFINDER "Island F for Fox" on loan from 95th BG
MISSION: Merseburg MACR#7880,Micro-fiche#2890
Capt Floyd H.Mason (349th Ops Officer) COM P POW
1st Lt James B.Noble P POW
2nd Lt Robert P.Lipps CP POW
1st Lt Edmund J. Kauffman RAD/NAV POW
1st Lt Robert W.Barry NAV POW (WIA)
2nd Lt Marcus M.Hertz BOM POW
T/Sgt Frank Cruz,Jr. TTE POW
T/Sgt Russell F.Ellis ROG POW
S/Sgt Arthur L.Roberts RWG KIA
S/Sgt William P.McNally TG KIA
S/Sgt Frederick F.Swartz LWG POW
Of the above,Noble, Cruz, Ellis, Roberts, McNally,and Swartz appear to be from the
original Noble crew. Lipps was from the M.C.Rumley crew. Kaufman from the R.A.
Wegrzynek crew. Barry from the H.E.Bethea crew. Lt Hertz was from Capt. Smith/Lt Wesly Carlton Crew.
Mason had joined the 100th withhis own crew on 28/11/43 and may have been on his 2nd tour.
Eyewitness Report: " At 0850 hours near 5043N-0802E,A/C #555 nosed down twice
and the group followed.Then the wheels were lowered and fire was seen in the
radio room. Looked as if it might be a flare fire. The A/C peeled off to the
right.A small explosion was seen in the right wing between #3 engine and the
fuselage. Ono man bailed out before the A/C left the formation. The others
followed. Nine chutes were seen to open and the tenth had not opened when the man
disappoared into the undercast. The fire in the A/C appeared to be out when it
plunged into the undercast flying steadily under AFCE control."
EW)
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MEMO 2:
