COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2nd Lt James C. Adair P CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# O-765896
2nd Lt Elmer G. Wesala CP CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# O-771179
2nd Lt Benjamin J. Goddard NAV CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# O-2060501
2nd Lt Milton J. Brucker BOM CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# O-777429
Cpl Conley E. Culpepper TTE CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# 38508301
Cpl Dewitt P.Meley ROG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# 13106958
Cpl James E. Hendrix BTG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# 39297502
Cpl James H. Horny WG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# 38461218
Cpl Glenn J. Babcock WG NOC Taken off to reduce crew to 9 sn# 17118150
Cpl David M. Dalgarn TG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY sn# 17006218
349th Sqdn. This crew joined the 100th Gp on 23/9/44. Flew overseas B-17G 43-38480 This Aircraft was assigned to the 493rd Bomb Group at Debach and was lost on Sept 30, 1944. Lt Adair flew 20 of their missions in "532" which was nicknamed "Little Sweetheart" and was later called "Kleen Sweep" by Hal Switzer's Crew.
“Goddard was pretty quiet, but fun to be around ... a good officer. When you think about it, he died fairly young after we got home [1958]. But while we were over there he was pretty much a grown-up to me. He was married and had a little girl already – and she [Paula] – was the reason we called the plane that we flew most of our missions on the ‘Little Sweetheart.’” – Conley E. Culpepper interview
Missions of 1st Lt James Adair
# DATE TARGET A/C COMMENTs
1. 12/10/44 Bremen 681 Grumblin Gremlin III FW 190 parts Factory
2. 15/10/44 Cologne 011 The Reluctant Dragon Marshalling Yards
3. 19/10/44 Ludwigshaven 987 The Little Skipper RR Yds, Bomb Bay doors stuck open, #3 eng. Burned out
4. 22/10/44 Munster 215 The Grumblin Gremlin RR Yds
25/10/44 Heligoland 211 no name Recalled after assembly
5. 26/10/44 Hanover 535 no name Tank and Gun factory
6. 02/11/44 Merseburg 987 The Little Skipper Oil
7. 05/11/44 Ludwigshaven 986 Once In A While Chem. Plant, Chaff Ship, Landed at ? Because of strong winds
8. 06/11/44 Neumunster 295 White Cargo Marshalling Yards
9. 16/11/44 Langerwehe (Aachen) 313 Lil Butch Landed with 120 Gal of gas
10. 21/11/44 Osnabruck 535 no name RR Yds
11. 26/11/44 Hamm 073 That's All Brother RR Yds
12. 02/12/44 Koblenz 681 Grumblin Gremlin III Recalled after passing sortie line
13. 04/12/44 Friedburg 987 The Little Skipper RR Yds
14. 05/12/44 Berlin 987 The Little Skipper Tank & Gun factory, Hendrix and Horny passed out from anoxia.
15. 12/12/44 Darmstadt 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, 2nd Element Lead
16. 18/12/44 Mainz 532 Little Sweetheart Brought Bombs Back
17. 24/12/44 Biblis 532 Little Sweetheart Airfield Plastered
18. 25/12/44 Kaiserlautern 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
19. 28/12/44 Koblenz 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
20. 29/12/44 Frankfurt 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds No 3 in Low Element
21. 30/12/44 Kassel 230 no name Aborted-No1 Eng burned out
22. 03/01/45 Fulda 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
23. 05/01/45 Frankfurt 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Element Lead
24. 07/01/45 Cologne 532 Little Sweetheart Drove over primary, hit Limburg
25. 20/01/45 Heilbronn 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Deputy Lead
26. 21/01/45 Mannheim 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Lead
27. 29/01/45 Kassel 532 Little Sweetheart 2nd Element Lead
28. 09/02/45 Weimar 532 Little Sweetheart Arm Plant, 2nd Element Lead
29. 14/02/45 Chemnitz 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Element Lead
30. 15/02/45 Cottbus 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
31. 20/02/45 Nurnburg 532 Little Sweetheart no comment
32. 21/02/45 Nurnburg 532 Little Sweetheart no comment
33. 23/02/45 Trenchtlingen 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
34. 24/02/45 Bremen 532 Little Sweetheart RR Bridge
35. 25/02/45 Munich 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds. FINIS
Lt Adair's Medals: Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Cluster
ETO Ribbon with one Battle Star
NOTES from Lt Jim Adair's Pilot Log Book:
Assignment and Training of the Crew were in Sioux City Iowa from 6/44 to 9/44. Crew members were previously trained for their positions at various bases. Milton Brucker came from a Bombardier training base in Texas. In September 1944, the crew was sent to Lincoln, Nebraska to pick up a new B-17G. From Lincoln the Crew flew to Syracuse, N.Y. to fuel, then onward to Grenier field, New Hampshire. From there, departed for Presque Newfoundland. Had to return to Grenier Field after detecting a faulty fuel Pump. Waited 8 Days for a replacement to come in. Finally left September 12th for Goose Bay, Newfoundland (5 hour, 40 minute flight). Stayed overnight, left September 14th, flying to Meeks Field in Iceland (8 hr Flight). Stayed at Meeks Field overnight (nothing but C rations for Food). Left Iceland September 16th, heading for Wales (5 hours 40 minutes).
The takeoff from Iceland was extremely hazardous due to the strong cross winds and boulders along side of the runway, Very Scary!!! Had to take off at 70mph substantially less that usual take off speed because of strong cross winds and boulders alongside the runway. Pilot told the control tower of the dangers in that particular runway hoping there might be a better choice for future takeoffs. Arrived in Wales 5 1/2 hours later, left the new plane in Wales and boarded a train for Thorpe Abbotts Air Base. Beginning October 5, 1944, Practice missions 30 minutes to 3 1/2hrs in length were scheduled.
First Bombing Mission was 10/12/44 to Bremen, Germany, Flying time 6 hrs 20 minutes. Bombing raids usually had 27-36 Planes from the 100th flying in formation plus other Groups from England making 1200 planes total on a mission. Target in Bremen was FW 190 parts factory. Battle of Bulge had 3000 plus planes from the Eighth Air Force flying that Mission. The only encounter our crew had with a German fighter plane (ME 262) WAS WHEN A German fighter pilot flew through our formation undetected due to heavy contrails. He flew close enough to our plane for us to see his face. Our gunners shot at him but he was probably flying 120 miles an hour faster and vanished in an instant.
The Pilots log went through censors and some of the data was deleted. Censoring was done before V-E Day and at a time when our 35 Missions were already completed.
My Worst Three Missions were:
No1. Bremen: WE discovered there was real flak out there and realized we could get killed!!!!
No 6 Merseburg: A refinery was heavily protected by flak guns brought in by rail. I witnessed one of our planes go down in flames
No 35 Munich: This was our last mission. Heavy Flak trailed us just 200 feet to one side during a long bomb run. A plane just above us caught fire on #2 engine. The bombardier jumped out immediately--afraid of an explosion. The pilot of his plane made it back to base. The Bombardier ended up a POW (it was actually to have been his last scheduled mission).
My Crew felt very fortunate to complete 35 Missions without a casualty. However, in the future age and illness took their toll.
MEMO 2:
Transcription of the flight notations of T/Sgt Conley E. Culpepper
349th Bombardment Squadron
100th Bomb Group (Heavy)
Combat Missions: 12 Oct 1944 – 25 Feb 1945
Missions
Bremen
Wed Oct 12th
Bearing factory
Cologne
Sun Oct 15th
Railyards
Ludwigshafen
Thurs Oct 19th
Oil dump
feathered engine
Munster
Sun Oct 22nd
Railyards
Hanover
Thurs Oct 26th
Halftrack factory
Merseburg
Wed Nov 2nd
“Wow”
Oil dump
Ludwigshafen
Sun 5th Nov
Chemical plant
Chaff ship
Neumunster
Mon 6th Nov
Airfield
Aachen
Thur Nov 16th
Siegfried line
Osnabrook
Thursday Nov 23rd
last resort target from Merseburg Railyards
Hamm
Sun Nov 26th
Railyards
Koblenz
recall
Sat Dec 2nd
Giessen
Mon Dec 4th
Railyards
Berlin
Tuesday Dec 5th
Halftrack, Ammunition dump, tank factory
Darmstadt
Tues Dec 12th
Railyards
Low on gas
Meinz
Dec 18th Mon
Failed to drop bombs
Bibliss
Sun Dec 24th
Airfield
Kaiserlautern
Dec 25th Mon
Railyards over lines
Koblenz
Thurs Dec 28th
Railyards
Frankfurt
Fri Dec 29th
Railyards
Kassel
Abortion Sat Dec 30th
Fulda
Tues Jan 3rd
Railyards
Frankfurt
Fri Jan 5th
Railyards. Just made the coast landed Woodridge
Limburg
Sun Jan 7th
Last resort from cologne. Co pilot forgot harness.
Heilbronn
Sat Jan 20th
Railyards
Mannheim
Sun Jan 21st
Railbridge across Rine River between ludwigshafen and mannheim
Bilelefeld
Mon Jan 29th
Railyards vs Kassel tank factory assembly
Weimar
Fri Feb 9th
Armor Factory
Chemnitz
Wed Feb 14th
Communications
Russian offensive
Cottbus
Thurs Feb 15th
Communications
Nurenberg Feb 20
Tues
tank factory
Nurenburg Feb 21st
Communications Wed
Truchtligen
Feb 23rd
Marshelling yds Fri
Bremen
Feb 24th Sat
Railbridge across the Waser
Munich Feb 25th Sun
Marshelling yds
That’s All
PHOTOS:
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courtesy of Chip Culpepper, son |
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Conley Culpepper wearing his A-2 Jacket (Photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Conley Culpepper Lucky Bastard Certificate |
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Conley Culpepper grave marker |
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Bedtime in England
December 29, 1944
Dearest Dell:
And now I'm happy – received your picture today. ... I was about to think it wasn't coming. ...
We are up next for a leave to a ‘flak home,’ a heaven over in the E.T.O. That’s where you sleep lots, fish, hunt or even wear civilian clothes. That doesn’t mean I want to be without mail, and I’ll leave it up to you to supply it, eh?
Time to hit the hay, so Bye now
Love Conley
P.S. Happy New Year ... |
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England
December 16, 1944
Dear Dell, I’m sending you a necklace made by one of the fellows on our ground crew. – Though I doubt you'll see it by exmas time.
Love,
Conley
[PHOTO: The Christmas gift mentioned in the letter of Sgt Conley E. Culpepper to his sweetheart Delphia Ashley is this aircraft-Plexiglas heart inset with brass aviator wings attached to a length of nickel-plated chain linked by three British coins] |
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Wedding portrait of my parents, Delphia ("Del") & T/Sgt Conley E. Culpepper (349th BS/100th BG), Aug 25, 1945.
Unusual fact: Dad was 1 of 2 qualified flight-engineer/gunners aboard the same aircraft, the other being S/Sgt James H. Horny who trained with Lt. Jim Adair's crew. My father was added as a spare gunner for the transatlantic flight to England after his original pilot was grounded and that crew disbanded. Adair's crew voted to keep him in lieu of a man they'd trained with (Glen Babcock). Dad always felt guilty for being the reason another man got removed from a "lucky crew" that made it home alive....chip culpepper |
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A never-before-seen photo of my late father as a 19-year-old aerial gunnery student inside a 1944 Army Air Forces yearbook! (Kingman Army Air Field in Ariz.). Pvt. Conley E. Culpepper, Class 44-17, Flexible Gunner School, Kingman Army Air Field, Ariz. (1944 yearbook, pg 107) - later Top-Turret Gunner/Engineer with the James C. Crew, 349th BS, 100th BG (H). |
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Technical Sergeant, Flight Engineer and Gunner Conley E. Culpepper. 100th BG - 349th BS
A 'paying it forward' restoration and colorization to polish a hero!
Chip Culpper Family Collection - All rights reserved!
Work by Nathan Howland - @HowdiColour |
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Conley Culpepper Promotion Record |
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James C. Adair Crew (left to right)
Ben Goddard (NAV), Conley Culpepper (TTE), Mike Dalgarn (TG), Barney Meley (ROG), Jim Hendrix (BTG), Jim Horny (WG), Elmer Wesala (CP), James Adair (P), Milton Brucker (BOM) Standing in front of Little Sweetheart 48532 |
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Little Rock Reunion with Conley Culpepper, James Adair and Milton Brucker. (courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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How the press rarely agreed with the men who had to fight the war. (photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Mission Diary of T/Sgt "Chip" Culpepper TTE on Lt Adair Crew. (photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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[Adair's Crew - Version 7] (identification)
Standing (L-R, as viewed): Sgt David M. Dalgarn (TG), Sgt Conley E. Culpepper (TTE), Sgt James E. Hendrix (BTG), Lt James C. Adair (P), Lt Elmer G. Wesala (CP), Sgt DeWitt P. Meley (ROG). Kneeling (L-R): Lt Benjamin J. Goddard (NAV), Sgt James H. Horny (WG), Lt Milton J. Brucker (BOM) ( photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Lt James Adair Crew: (identification)
Dalgarn, Goddard, Culpepper, Hendrix, Horny, Meley, (Wesala, bending in background), Brucker (photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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10-man2): This is the full crew that came over with Adair shortly after landing in the UK and before reducing to 9 men for combat assignment -- my father was added shortly before they shuttled the new plane over (B-17G 43-38480).
BACK ROW (L-R): Wesala, Goddard, Brucker, Adair, Horny.
FRONT ROW: Glenn Babcock (WG), Hendrix, Meley, Dalgarn, Culpepper. (Dad was retained by Adair's crew. Glenn Babcock was put into a replacement pool). (Photo and info courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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PHOTO IDs:
This is the full crew that came over with Adair shortly after landing in the UK and before reducing to 9 men for combat assignment -- my father was added shortly before they shuttled the new plane over (B-17G 43-38480).
Seems photo likely taken by Adair, as he's absent.
BACK: Wesala, Goddard, Brucker, Hendrix, Horny, Dalgarn
FRONT: Babcock, Meley, Culpepper
Photo courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Conley "Chip"Culpepper Mission Diary |
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T/Sgt Conley Culpepper TTE on Adair Crew mission diary (courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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T/Sgt Conley Culpepper TTE on Adair Crew mission diary (courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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T/Sgt Conley Culpepper TTE on Adair Crew mission diary (courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Conley Culpepper TTE and Dewitt Meley ROG on Lt Adair Crew (Courtesy of Chip Culpepper) |
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Lt James Adair Crew Stateside. Photo Courtesy of Chip Culpepper. |
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Transfer paperwork to be ssnt home from 3rd Air Division |
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The Lt. Adair crew pictured in front of B-17G 'The Little Sweetheart' serial 44-48532 of 349th BS - 100th BG, Thorpe Abbots, England.
The crew (L-R standing) Mike Dalgarn (TG), Conley Culpepper (TTE), Jim Hendrix (BTG), James Adair (P), Elmer Wesala (CP), and Barney Meley (ROG); (kneeling L-R): Goddard (Nav), Jim Horny, and Milton Brucker (Bom).
Credit: The Culpepper Family Archive - All rights reserved.
Image repair, restoration and colourisation - Nathan Howland @HowdiColour. |
SERVED IN:
- ADAIR, James C. - P
- WESALA, Elmer G. - CP
- GODDARD, Benjamin J. - NAV
- BRUCKER, Milton J. - BOM
- CULPEPPER, Conley E. - TTE
- MELEY, Dewitt P. - ROG
- HENDRIX, James E. - BTG
- BABCOCK, Glenn J. - WG
- HORNY, James H. - WG
- DALGARN, David M. - TG
