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LT  William CHERRY

UNIT: 418th BOMB Sqdn POSITION: BOM/NAV
SERIAL #: STATUS: CPT
MACR:

Comments1: 17 JUL 44 AUXERRE

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

2nd Lt Donald C.Rice           P    CPT 17/7/44  AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY (NOBALL)
2nd Lt Joseph S.Farcht      CP    CPT 25/7/44  ST. LO, GROUND SUPPORT (took over Lt Rumley's Crew)
2nd Lt George E.Owens    NAV  KlA  18/3/44  GABLINGEN,LECHFELD,AUGSBURG,MUNICH (with Lt Stuke Crew)
2nd Lt William Cherry BOM/NAV  CPT 17/7/44  AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY (NOBALL)
   Sgt Philip H.Rowe         TTE    CPT 17/7/44  AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY (NOBALL)
   Sgt Leslie M.Thompson  ROG   CPT 17/7/44  AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY (NOBALL)
   Sgt Robert E.Pryor        BTG   CPT  31/7/44  MUNICH, AERO ENGINES
   Sgt Harry C.Vaughn       WG   CPT  18/7/44 KIEL, HEMMINGSTADT, OIL (100TH "B")
   Sgt William E.Stein         WG   CPT  31/7/44  MUNICH, AERO ENGINES
   Sgt Robert W.Pion          TG   CPT DATE UNKN

418th Sqdn.  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 9/3/44.

Lt. George Owens was with the crew of D.J.Stuke on 18/3/44 when killed (see Stuke Crew below).   Lt Dort Payne flew as navigator on this crew (March 22-May 13, 1944)  for a while after Owens was lost . Lt Farcht took over Lt Martin Rumley's Crew in June 1944.  Lt William Cherry took over Navigator duties on May 31, 1944 mission to Osnabruck and T/Sgt H.P. Lowe (from ther original crew of Lt Herb Alf) took over as Toggelier. 

Sgt Robert W. Pion flew 27 missions that we can account for, He flew as tail gunner  with the crew of Lt Rice from March 22, 1944-Oranienburg until May 28, 1944 Magdeburg. He then flew as tail gunner with the crews of Lt Jones, Capt. C.E. Harris and Lt M.W. Hall until July when he bacame the  LWG on the crew of  Lt M.J. Anderson. 

See SPLASHER SIX (Winter 1984) for story of this crew's A/C "Our Babe" as told by Herschel
Lowe who flew as toggalier.

MISSION LIST OF LT WILLIAM CHERRY. HE SERVED ORIGINALLY AS A BOMBARDIER AND THEN AS A NAVIGATOR ON THE RICE CREW:

Date Mission Nbr Crew Nbr Target Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr 
3/22/1944 134 28 ORANIENBURG (BERLIN)         CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
3/23/1944 135 28 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM          CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
3/26/1944 136 28 SCHKEUDITZ/JU-88 PLANT     CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
3/27/1944 137 28 BORDEAUX/ MERIGNAC          CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
3/28/1944 138 28 CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX        CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/1/1944 140 28 LUDWIGSHAFEN                    CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/7/1944 141 28 QUAKENBRUCK (SCRUBBED)    CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/7/1944 141 28 QUACKENBRUCK                     CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/8/1944 142 28 QUACKENBRUCH                   CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/9/1944 143 28 KRZESINKI (POSEN)              CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/11/1944 145 28 POZNAN, POLAND              CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
4/12/1944 146 28 SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)          CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/7/1944 111 28 BERLIN                               CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/11/1944 115 28 LIEGE                              CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/13/1944 117 28 OSNABRUCK                     CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/23/1944 120 28 TROYES                          CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/24/1944 121 28 BERLIN                            CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/28/1944 124 28 MAGDEBURG                     CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/29/1944 125 28 LEIPZIG                            CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/30/1944 126 28 TROYES                            CHERRY W. LT BOM 97154 
5/31/1944 127 28 OSNABRUCK                    CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/2/1944 128 28 BOULOGNE                         CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/4/1944 130 28 BOULOGNE                        CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/5/1944 131 28 BOULOGNE(CHG)              CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/6/1944 132 28 OUISTREHAM                   CHERRY W. LT NAV 32090 
6/6/1944 132 28 FALAISE                           CHERRY W. LT NAV 32090 
6/11/1944 137 28 BERCK SUR MER (S.DEF)    CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/14/1944 139 28 LE CULOT (AIR FIELD)       CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/18/1944 141 83 BRUNSBUTTELKOOG         CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/20/1944 143 83 FALLERSLEBEN                  CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
6/21/1944   144 83   RUHLAND (1ST RUSSIAN SHUTTLE MISSION)  CHERRY  W. LT NAV  97154
6/26/1944 149 83 DROHOBYCZ                  CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
7/3/1944 151 83 ARAD (RUMANIA)            CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
7/5/1944 153 83 BEZIER (FROM ITLAY)      CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
7/13/1944 159 83 MUNICH (JET ENGINES) CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
7/14/1944 160 83 SOUTH OF FRANCE       CHERRY W. LT NAV 97154 
7/17/1944 161 83 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY CHERRY W. LT NAV 37808



MISSION LIST OF LT RICE CREW.

Date         Target                                  Aircraft Nbr                           Co Pilot
3/22/1944 ORANIENBURG (BERLIN)         97154  OUR BABE
3/23/1944 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM          97154
3/26/1944 SCHKEUDITZ/JU-88 PLANT     97154
3/27/1944 BORDEAUX/ MERIGNAC          97154
3/28/1944 CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX         97154
4/1/1944  LUDWIGSHAFEN                    97154
4/7/1944  QUAKENBRUCK (SCRUBBED)    97154
4/8/1944  QUACKENBRUCK                    97154
4/9/1944  KRZESINKI (POSEN)               97154
4/10/1944 RHEIMS                               97154
4/11/1944 POSEN/ROSTOCK, POLAND    97154
4/12/1944 SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)            97154
5/7/1944   BERLIN                                97154
5/11/1944 LIEGE                                  97154
5/13/1944 OSNABRUCK                         97154
5/23/1944 TROYES                               97154
5/24/1944 BERLIN                                 97154
5/28/1944 MAGDEBURG                         97154
5/29/1944 LEIPZIG                                97154
5/30/1944 TROYES                               97154
5/31/1944 OSNABRUCK                         97154
6/2/1944 BOULOGNE                            97154                                 Last Mission for Lt Farcht with Rice Crew, becomes a 1st Pilot
6/4/1944 BOULOGNE                            97154                                 Lt H.L. Houghton -CP
6/5/1944 BOULOGNE                            97154                                 Lt H.L. Houghton -CP
6/6/1944 OUISTREHAM                         32090  Silver Dollar               Lt H.L. Houghton -CP
6/6/1944 FALAISE                                32090  Silver Dollar               Lt H.L. Houghton -CP          
6/7/1944 NANTES (BRIDGES)                97154                                 Lt H.L. Houghton -CP 
6/11/1944 BERCK sur MER (S.DEF)          97154                                Lt P.G. Jones-CP
6/14/1944 LE CULOT (AIR FIELD)           97154                                 Lt E.L. Neu-CP
6/18/1944 BRUNSBUTTELKOOG             97154                                 Lt E.L. Neu-CP
6/20/1944 FALLERSLEBEN                      97154                                Lt E.L. Neu-CP
6/21/1944 RUHLAND (1st RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)   97154                       Lt E.L. Neu-CP
6/26/1944 DROHOBYCZ (POLAND)          97154                                Lt E.L. Neu-CP
7/3/1944 ARAD (RUMANIA)                    97154                                Lt E.L. Neu-CP
7/5/1944 BEZIER (FROM ITLAY)              97154                                Lt E.L. Neu-CP
7/13/1944 MUNICH (JET ENGINES)          97154
7/14/1944 MAQUIS SUPPLY DROP           97154
7/17/1944 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY   37808  Milk Run Mable             Lt J.S Seamane-CP

See SPLASHER SIX (Winter 1984) for story of this crew's A/C "Our Babe" as told by Herschel Lowe (originally from Lt Herb Alf's Crew) who flew as toggalier.


CREW

2nd Lt Herbert A.Alf                  P   POW          28/4/44 SOTTEVAST          (With Crew ofW.G.Lakin) see Lakin Crew below
1st Lt Kenneth L.Rasmussen     CP   RFS            Medical Reasons (see gordon letter below)
2nd Lt Raymond B.Phaneuf    NAV   NOC
2nd Lt Albert A.Marchiondo     BOM    INTERNEE   20/2/44 POSEN & SETTIN    (With crew of A.J.Harrls)
   Sgt Jimison T.Pyles           TTE   NOC
   Sgt Carmine V.Roberto      ROG    KIA            29/7/44 MERSEBURG            (With crew of W.T.Fitzroy)
   Sgt Francis J.Flemm, Jr       BTG   NOC
   Sgt Jerome H.Gordon       WG   RFS            Medical reasons 
   Sgt Herschel P.Lowe        WG  CPT             17/7/44 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY (With crew of D.C.Rice) 
   Sgt Joseph C.Krusienskl        TG  KIA             6/3/44    BERLIN (With crew of D.Radtke)

418th Sqdn. Crew,as above, joined the 100th Group on 1/12/43

It would appear that this crew was "broken up" soon after it came to the 100th. Sgt Roberto sent to Lt John Gibbons Crew.  

Letter from Gordon 26/1/91 says Rasmussen .RFS soon after arrival in Eng. 
Because of ulcers & returned to ZI. Crew then broken up and members flew 
as replacements with other crews. Gordon flew 5 missions in three months 
then was grounded because of (anoxia?) despite his official protest.


CREW

1ST LT DONALD J. STUKE           P KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
2ND LT THOMAS L. LEMOND      CP EVA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
2ND LT GEORGE E. OWENS     NAV KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH (from Lt Rice Crew)
2ND LT CLARENCE W. PULLEN   BOM KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT ARTHUR R. TUOTT      ROG KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT DANIEL J. SEGRETE      TTE POW 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT IRVING W. COOKE        BTG KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT JOSEPH M. DRAGOWICH   WG KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT JOSEPH C. OGG             WG KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH
    SGT PHILLIP J. DONNELLY      TG KIA 18 MAR 44 MUNICH

418th Sqdn.. Crew, as above, is taken from the MACR # 3233. The exact date and composition of this crew when it joined the 100th is unknown. (Iit may be possible to find their assigment order on Micro-film..pw)

The aircraft was lost in a mid-air collision with the A/C (#42-39830) flown by Lt Paul A. Martin of the 350th Sqdn.  The entire nose section of the Stuke A/C plus both left engines were torn off in the collision.


CREW:
Lt Joseph Fracht, copilot on Lt Donald Rice crew took over Lt Martin Rumley’s Crew in June 1944.  Lt Coleman, from Lt Bethea crew, took over as copilot on this crew.  The first time this crew appears on the combat loading list is the First Russian Shuttle mission.  Lt Farcht completed his tour on July 25th, 1944 mission to St Lo and the rest of the Crew (except Koczent) finished on the August 25, 1944 mission to Politz    ON 25 AUG 44 Lt. L.F. COLEMAN WAS THE PILOT AND C.J. GUTEKUNST WAS THE CO-PILOT 

FARCHT J.S. LT PILOT
COLEMAN L.F. LT COPILOT
RADULOVICH M. LT NAV
LOWANS W.F. LT BOM
HARRIS R.E. T/SGT ROG
SMITH  F.G. T/SGT TTE
KASSA R.P. S/SGT BTG
HELMIN P.V. S/SGT RWG
KOCZENT N.T. S/SGT LWG
KAMINSKI L.J. S/SGT TG
 

6/21/1944 RUHLAND (1st RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)    32090 Silver Dollar                     
6/26/1944 DROHOBYCZ (POLAND)                    32090 Silver Dollar
7/3/1944 ARAD (RUMANIA)                              32090 Silver Dollar
7/5/1944 BEZIER (FROM ITLAY)                       32090 Silver Dollar
7/12/1944 MUNICH (IND. AREA)                       97230 Lay or Bust
7/17/1944 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY               97230 Lay or Bust
7/18/1944 KIEL & HEMMINGSTADT                    97230 Lay or Bust
7/19/1944 SCHWEINFURT & DUREN                   97230 Lay or Bust
7/20/1944 MERSEBURG                                     97230 Lay or Bust
7/21/1944 REGENSBURG                                   97230 Lay or Bust
7/24/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)                     97230 Lay or Bust
7/25/1944 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)                      97230 Lay or Bust

MEMO 2:

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION:

TARGET: DATE:  
AIRCRAFT: CAUSE:  

BURIAL INFORMATION

PLOT: ROW:  
GRAVE: CEMETERY:  

PHOTOS:

 June 22, 1944 - Mirgorod, Russia (l to r) Bill Cherry (BOM - Don Rice crew "OUR BABE") , Sniper, Jack Graziano (BOM - John Evans crew "RETURN TICKET"), Sniper, John A. Evans (P - "RETURN TICKET") (100th Photo Archives) 

 

SERVED IN:

Crew 1

ID: 858