Personnel

CREW



MAJ.  ALBERT MAX "BUCKY" ELTON (O-398685), WAS OPERTIONS OFFICER OF THE 418TH SQDN. WHEN THE GROUP FLEW TO ENGLAND IN JUNE 1943 (Capt at that point). ; When Maj Eagan was shot down on Oct 10, 1943, Capt Elton became temporary CO of the 418th until Capt. Ev Blakely was made CO of the 418th and Capt Elton was made CO of the 350th BS.  He  BECAME COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE 350TH WHEN GALE CLEVEN WAS LOST ON THE MUNSTER MISSION OF 10 OCT 43.  On March 6, 1944 Maj Bucky Elton was leading the 100th "A" Group to Berlin.  On that day the 100th BG lost 15 Crews. 



SOC-Bucky Elton whose weight, because of too many sleepless nights, had come down t 103 pounds. Elton dreaded nightmares and went to sleep in the room with "Smokey" Stover, the medic to calm his nerves.    



Missions:



28 JUN 43   St NAZAIRE

24 JUL 43   TRONDHEIM 

14 JAN 44   FORET D'HESDIN

06 MAR 44  BERLIN (LEAD 100TH "A" GROUP)

27 MAR 44  BORDEAUX

13 APR 44  AUGSBURG

22 APR 44  HAMM (COL KELLY FIRST MISSION, FLEW AS AN OBSERVER)





Subj: Re: 100thBG Feedback Form  

Date: 8/4/2003 5:12:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

From: elton1stop@yahoo.com 

To: MPFaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

Albert Max Elton was a Lt. Col. from 1946 until he retired in 1967

My father Albert Max Elton, Buck Elton, went on to

become a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force, a distinguished career in the military, ending with his retirement as Professor of Aerospace Studies at UCLA, California. 

He started a college, Casa Loma College, in the

poorest neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and developed the first of many new programs modelled  throughout the country.  I will look for more photosand I understand he donated his memorabilia to Thorpe Abbotts. 



My mother kept a scrap book of all of the news

articles from each battle, and his postcards and

letters interspersed.  I can track it down if you

like….Pat Elton



Albert Elton was a Lt. Col. from 1946 until he retired in 1967. 

 

Albert Max Elton

Date of Rank 24 Feb 46

Augmented Regular Air Force (FR35500) 11 Apr 51

Previous Serial Numbers: AO398685, 7004732

Discharged 27 Oct 67 (Permanent Disability)

 

Decorations

 

Distinguished Flying Cross (GO291 Hq 8th AF 1944)

Air Medal (Same GO as DFC)

Air Force Commendation Medal (GO63 Hq 15th AF 1960)

1st Oak Leaf Cluster to AFCM (SOG167 15th AF 1963)

Combat Readiness Medal (GO76 Hq 3rd AF 1945)

1st and 2nd Oak Leaf Clusters to CR (GO66 Hq 15th AF 1957)

 Purple Heart (no date)

1st Oak Leaf Cluster to PH (no date)

 Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (no date)

 American Defense Service Medal (no date)

 Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (no date)

2 Bronze Service Stars to EAMECM (no date)

World War II Victory Medal (no date)

United Nations Service Medal (no date)

National Defense Service Medal (no date)

1 Bronze Service Star to NDSM (no date)

Korea Service Medal (no date)

Armed Forces Reserve Medal (no date)

Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon (no date)

American Campaign Medal (no date)

1 Bronze Service Star to ACM (no date)

Air Force Longevity Service Award (no date)

4 Oak Leaf Clusters to AFLSA (no date)



Training:

B-50D Familiarization Course - 1951

Advanced Flying School Jet 1955

ABC Weapons (Nuclear) 1956

B-52 Combat Crew Training 1957

KC-135 Combat Crew Training 1959

Missile Launch Officer 1961

Missile Maintenance Officer 1961

Autometics (?) 1961

Counterinsurgency Indoctrination Course 1964

Air War College 1964

B.A. International Affairs (Probably AFIT)

 

At least this is how I decipher the DD214.........Charlie Cole (from email from Pat Elton)



Subj: B-17 42-5863  

Date: 11/11/2002 11:04:42 AM Pacific Standard Time 

From: dovejoint@hotmail.com 



 Hello Mike,  Do you have any information about a belly landing crash at Thorpe Abbotts of B-17  # 42-5863 Paddlefoot's Proxy on Sept 6, 1943 piloted by Albert M. Elton?  Also is there any way to find out if this A/C was green or silver?

                              Thanks....Jeffrey DeLong



Subj: Paddlefoot's Proxy......Sept. 6, 1943  

Date: 12/6/2002 5:04:23 AM Pacific Standard Time 

From: dovejoint@hotmail.com 

 

 

 Hi Mike,  I received the copy of the accident report last night about the events of Sept. 6, 1943.  Bucky Elton did have a belly landing, but it was from a test flight after repairs had been made to the plane.  I am assuming repairs made due to the damage received on Sept. 3rd….Jeff DeLong



Subj: The Paddlefoot  

Date: 12/12/2002 10:17:16 AM Pacific Standard Time 

From: dovejoint@hotmail.com 

To: mpfaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 



Hello Mike,

    Here is the info from the report of Paddledoot's Proxy as told by Capt. Elton:



“I took off at 1833, September 6, 1943 to slow time a new engine (no. 3). The others aboard were (1) Pilot and Co-Pilot of a replacement crew. (2) Our squadron line chief (engineering). At 1925 I attempted to contact the tower for landing instruction and found my radio out.  I then attempted to get visual (green light) by flying over the field gear down.  The right gear would not extend either electrically or manually.  As darkness was approaching I knew that I hed to set it down shortly, regardless of the full gas load (approximately 1600 Gls.)  I fired a red-red flare on those dry run approaches and dropped a note to the man on the tower.  When I sure that all on the ground was ready, ambulances, fire-truck, and men in asbestos suits, I landed the ship on the grass paralleling our E-W runway.  Nothing unusual happened.”

 

John B. Kidd added the following:

“A report from the squadron-engineering officer stated that the upper limit switch failed to operate causing the motor to burn out, and the clutch to freeze.  This prevented the gear from being lowered by the hand crank.  No responsibility can be placed upon the crew due to the mechanical nature of the failure.  I witnessed the landing, which was excellent. The report listed J.J Flannigan (CP), G.A. VanGemert (E), and D.E. Dunsdon (CP) as the other crewmembers with Capt. Elton.  It also stated that the aircraft was recovered by the 98th Service Squadran.  The accident happened Sept. 6, 43 and the report was stamped as received by Headquarters Flight Control Command in Winston-Salem, NC on Oct. 2, 43.   The report totaled 9 pages.”

Jeff DeLong

"One day while I was there, I went out to the tower alone. It was raining, and the low clouds raced by. I climbed up to the top where we used to wait for them to come back. I must have been there for a half hour, and then - I swear - I heard them all come back. Patrick, Adams, Schmallenback, Barnhill, Knox, Biddick, all of them. I couldn't see them up there in the clouds, but their engines made the old tower tremble - one slow pass - and they were gone. I do not expect you to understand this, but you must believe it.

I have the feeling they will return because they are being remembered." - 100th BG veteran Capt "Bucky" Elton, writing about a 1982 visit to Thorpe Abbotts