T/Sgt
Richard O. DETTWEILER
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 350th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Waist Gunner
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown
Additional 100th Service Notes
From a January 1944 Press Release
“An Eighth AAF Bomber Station, England —Tech Sergeant Richard O. Dettweiler, right waist gunner of a Flying Fortress who expects very soon to complete his operational tour with the Eighth AAF, has two principal ambitions at the moment. One: to become a fighter pilot; two: to see his wife Rosemary, and their daughter, Dixie Jean. Dixie was six weeks old the last time her Dad saw her. Now she’s practically a year old, and the Sergeant anticipates changes in her appearance.
Sgt. Dettweiler’s experiences in the ETO have been many and varied, and he expects to have plenty to tell Dixie Jean after she has learned to talk a little more plainy and appreciate that her Dad is a hero.
The sergeant comes from Kansas City where his family are now living. He attended East High School, and was president of the Literary Club while a student there. He also became a devoted admirer of Thoreau and the native philosopher’s theory of life in general.
When he completes his engagements with the Luftwaffe which will be soon, Sgt. Dettweiler hopes to be accepted for pilot training. He wants to pilot one of those P-47s which have become very dear to him in his role as B-17 gunner. He intends to name his Dixie Jean.
“An Eighth AAF Bomber Station, England —Tech Sergeant Richard O. Dettweiler, right waist gunner of a Flying Fortress who expects very soon to complete his operational tour with the Eighth AAF, has two principal ambitions at the moment. One: to become a fighter pilot; two: to see his wife Rosemary, and their daughter, Dixie Jean. Dixie was six weeks old the last time her Dad saw her. Now she’s practically a year old, and the Sergeant anticipates changes in her appearance.
Sgt. Dettweiler’s experiences in the ETO have been many and varied, and he expects to have plenty to tell Dixie Jean after she has learned to talk a little more plainy and appreciate that her Dad is a hero.
The sergeant comes from Kansas City where his family are now living. He attended East High School, and was president of the Literary Club while a student there. He also became a devoted admirer of Thoreau and the native philosopher’s theory of life in general.
When he completes his engagements with the Luftwaffe which will be soon, Sgt. Dettweiler hopes to be accepted for pilot training. He wants to pilot one of those P-47s which have become very dear to him in his role as B-17 gunner. He intends to name his Dixie Jean.
Status: CPT
Comments: 13 FEB 44 LIVOSSART & BOSREMPRE - NOBALL
Comments and Notes
Memo 1:
CREW
1ST LT VICTOR REED
ORGINAL 100TH PILOT
349TH CREW #8 A/C #42-30090 "El P'sstofo"
1ST LT VICTOR REED P: TRANSFERRED FROM 100TH
F/O CHARLES A. BROOKS CP: CPT, 16/12/43 BREMEN
2ND LT HOWARD D. BASSETT NAV: CPT, 14 JAN 44 FORET D' HESDIN
2ND LT JOSEPH P. ARMANINI BOM: CPT, DATE & MISSION UNKNOWN
T/SGT GLENN N. ALBRIGHT TTE: CPT, DATE & MISSION UNKNOWN
S/SGT RICHARD O. DETTWEILER WG: CPT, 13 FEB 44 LIVOSSART
T/SGT JAMES S. DOUGHERTY ROG: CPT, DATE & MISSION UNKNOWN
S/SGT RICHARD M. PRICE BTG: NOC
S/SGT THOMAS D. BAER WG: KIA, 6 MAR 44 BERLIN WITH LT ALBERT AMIERO CREW
S/SGT CLIFFORD T. MINER TG: NOC
349th Sqdn. The an "Original" crew that flew over with the group.
Charlie Brooks became pilot of the crew and completed the tour. Howard
Bassett replaced me (J.R. Brown) as navigator of the Sam Barr crew after
I was wounded 15 Sept. 1943. Joe Armanini had replaced Joe Kelly as bombardier
of the Barr crew somewhat earlier.
Although no records have been found to substantiate the completion of
their tours (25 missions) it is certainly a safe assumption that both
Price and Miiner did become "Lucky Bastards" .
Thomas "Teddy" Baer was with the crew of Lt.Albert Amiero when killed over
Berlin.
MISSIONS OF LT VICTOR REED (mpf 2001)
DATE MISSION A/C # & NAME
1. 29/06/43 LeMANS 230035 TORCHY
2. 04/07/43 LaPALLICE 230042 OH NAUSEA
3. 10/07/43 LeBOURGET 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
4. 17/07/43 HAMBURG 230063 PICKLEPUSS
5. 25/07/43 WESSELING, KIEL 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
6. 26/07/43 HANOVER 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
7. 28/07/43 OSCHERSLEBEN 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
8. 29/07/43 WARNEMUNDE 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
9. 12/08/43 WESSELING, BONN 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
"ON THE BONN MISSION 12 AUGUST 1943, LT VICTOR REED'S LIFE WAS SAVED BY A NEAR MIRACLE. JUST AS THE SHIP LOOSED HER CARGO OF BOMBS ON THE TARGET, A BURST OF FLAK LITTERED THE COCKPIT WITH SLIVERS OF HOT STEEL. ONE SIZEABLE FRAGMENT PENETRATED REED'S OUTER CLOTHING BUT STRUCK THE SILVER WINGS HE WAS WEARING OVER HIS LEFT SHIRT POCKET. THE VELOCITY OF THE SHARD WAS SO GREAT AS TO DRIVE THE INSIGNIA THROUGH THE SKIN AND CAUSE SEVER BRUISING OF THE CHEST MUSCLES. WITHOUT THE WINGS TO DEFLECT IT, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE PIECE OF FLAK WOULD HAVE KILLED OR SEVERLY WOUNDED LT REED. THIS EPISODE SO UN-NERVED REED, THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO FLY FOR A TIME AND WAS EVENTUALLY TRANSFERRED FROM THE 100TH.
AT ABOUT THIS TIME, "BIG JOE" ARMANINI REPLACED "CRYING JOE" KELLY ON THE SAMMY BARR CREW AND SOME WEEKS LATER HOWARD BASSETT REPLACED JIM BROWN AS NAVIGATOR ON SAMMY BARRS CREW. T/SGT DOUGHERTY WAS ALSO MOVED TO THE BARR CREW REPLACING MIKE TANOWIGCH AS ROG.
CHARLES BROOKS CONTINUED AS CO-PILOT AND THEN AS A FIRST PILOT. A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1943, 1ST LT BROOKS FLEW HIS 25TH MISSION AS PILOT OF "SQUAWKIN HAWK".
MISSIONS OF 1ST LT. CHARLES A. BROOKS WITH CREW #8 AND CREW #37
DATE MISSION A/C # & NAME
1. 29/06/43 LeMANS 230035 TORCHY
2. 17/07/43 HAMBURG 230063 PICKLEPUSS
3. 25/07/43 WARNEMUNDE, KIEL 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
4. 26/07/43 HANOVER 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
5. 28/07/43 OSCHERSLEBEN 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
6. 12/08/43 WESSELING, BONN 230090 EL P'SSTOFO
7. 31/08/43 LeMERUEAUX
8. 03/09/43 PARIS
9. 09/09/43 BEAUVAIS-TILLE
10. 15/09/43 PARIS
11. 16/09/43 LaPALLICE
12. 23/09/43 VANNES 25861 LADEN MAIDEN
13. 26/09/43 PARIS 25861 LADEN MAIDEN
14. 27/09/43 EMDEN 25861 LADEN MAIDEN
15. 02/10/43 EMDEN 230088 SQUAWKIN HAWK
16. 04/10/43 SAARLUIS, HANAU 230088 SQUAWKIN HAWK
17. 20/10/43 DUREN
18. 03/11/43 WILHELMSHAVEN
19. 05/11/43 GELSENKIRCHEN
20. 07/11/43 DUREN
21. 13/11/43 BREMEN
22. 16/11/43 RJUKAN, NORWAY
23. 11/12/43 EMDEN
24. 12/12/43 KIEL
25. 16/12/43 BREMEN 230088 SQUAWKIN HAWK
26. 19/03/44 CROSSBOW
Snowurl@juno.comuname = Bob Brokspage
100TH BOMB GROUP (H) - AIRCRAFT Page 01url = https://www.100thbg.com/mainmenus/airplanes/airplanes_1.htmposition = 349th Aircraft at Thorpe Abbotts 27 Feb 44. This damage could have been inflicted by fighters. Nothing further is know of this aircraft.change = This Tail section which has been damaged is of the "Squawkin Hawk" 230088 XR-E. I do not know anything of the crew on this mission, but I believe it was the the first plane to survive 50 missions and was flown back to the united states by my father Captain Charles A. Brooks. Who himself survived 26 missions and is a member of the imfamous "LUCKY BASTARD CLUB"
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
CREW
2ND LT OWEN D. (COWBOY) ROANE P CPT 26 NOV 43 PARIS (flew one additional mission on Feb 29, 1944-Brunswick)
2ND LT ARTHUR C. "BUD" STIPE CP CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
2ND LT DANIEL L. SCHMUCKER NAV CPT 29 NOV 43 BREMEN
2ND LT CURTIS K. CAMPBELL BOM CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
T/SGT CLARENCE R. TOMB ROG CPT 16 NOV 43 RJUKAN, NORWAY
T/SGT ROBERT A. STUART TTE CPT 16 NOV 43 RJUKAN, NORWAY
S/SGT ROGER O. STROBLE BTG CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
S/SGT JAMES JARVIE RWG CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
S/SGT ARTHUR HAUGE LWG NOC X-FERRED TO BASE MP'S. Replaced by T/SGT RICHARD DETTWEILER
S/SGT PATRICK J. HEALY TG CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
349th Sqdn.. Crew joined 100th in June 26, 1943 as one of the first replacement crews along with Lt Henry Henington, Lt John Justice and Lt "Big Chief" Walter Moreno.
T/SGT RICHARD DETTWEILER (FROM LT VICTOR REED CREW) REPLACES SGT HAUGE AFTER HE WAS TAKEN OFF FLYING STATUS FOR FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE FRIEND OR FOE. GUESS HE STITCHED ONE OF “COWBOYS” WINGMAN ONE TOO MANY TIMES. SGT. HAUGE IS TRANSFERRED TO THE BASE MP'S. T/SGT DETWEILER WOULD LATER BECOME TOP TURRET ENGINEER WHEN T/SGT STUART COMPLETED HIS MISSIONS.
08 OCT 43 BREMEN*
14 OCT 43 SCHWEINFURT* (BLACK THURSDAY)
18 OCT 43 DUREN
20 OCT 43 DUREN
03 NOV 43 WILHEMSHAVEN
05 NOV 43 GILSENKIRCHEN
07 NOV 43 DUREN
11 NOV 43 MUNSTER-RECALL (LEAD CREW WITH COL CHICK HARDING AS COMMAND PILOT) COWBOY MAKES 1S LIEUTENANT
16 NOV 43 RJUKAN, NORWAY (HEAVY WATER) LEAD CREW WITH COL JOHN BENNETT AS COMMAND PILOT
26 NOV 43 PARIS
29 FEB 44 BRUNSWICK
*CREW THAT FLEW WITH COWBOY ON BREMEN AND SCHWEINFURT MISSIONS
2ND LT OWEN D. (COWBOY) ROANE P CPT 26 NOV 43 PARIS
2ND LT ARTHUR C. STIPE CP CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
1ST LT OMAR GONZALES NAV POW 5 NOV 43 GELSENKIRCHEN
2ND LT CURTIS K. CAMPBELL BOM CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
T/SGT CLARENCE R. TOMB ROG CPT 16 NOV 43 RJUKAN, NORWAY
T/SGT ROBERT A. STUART TTE CPT 16 NOV 43 RJUKAN, NORWAY
S/SGT ROGER O. STROBLE BTG CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
S/SGT JAMES JARVIE RWG CPT 20 OCT 43 DUREN
T/SGT RICHARD DETTWEILER LWG CPT 13 FEB 44 NO-BALL
S/SGT PATRICK J. HEALY TG CPT 20 OCT43 DUREN
STARTING 3 NOV 43 2ND LT OWEN D. "COWBOY" ROANE IS A LEAD PILOT. HIS CREW CONSISTS OF:
2ND LT OWEN D. (COWBOY) ROANE P
F/0 REGINALD A. "SMITTY" SMITH CP/FORMATION OFFICER (TRANSFERRED FROM RAF) POW 20/2/44 POSEN & SETTIN
CAPT. JOSEPH H. "BUBBLES" PAYNE NAV (FROM CAPT. EVE BLAKELY CREW)
CAPT. ROBERT K. PEEL BOM (CAME OVER WITH ORIGINAL CADRE, LEAD BOMBARDIER)
T/SGT CLARENCE R. TOMB ROG (ORIGINAL COWBOY CREW MEMBER)
T/SGT ROBERT A. STUART TTE (ORGINAL COWBOY CREW MEMBER)
T/SGT RICHARD DETTWEILER LWG (CAME FROM LT VICTOR REED CREW)
? BTG
? RWG
S/SGT RICHARD TANGRADI TG (FROM LT AMIERO CREW)
CREW ON 16/11/43 RJUKAN MISSION- GROUP LEAD:
COMMAND PILOT: MAJ. JOHN M. BENNETT
LEAD PILOT: LT OWEN "COWBOY" ROANE
CP/FORMATION OFFICER: F/O REGINALD A. "SMITTY" SMITH (FLEW IN TAIL)
LEAD NAVIGATOR: CAPTAIN JOSEPH "BUBBLES" PAYNE
LEAD BOMBARDIER: CAPTAIN ROBERT PEEL
TOP TURRET ENGINEER: T/SGT ROBERT A. STUART
RADIO OPERATOR GUNNER: T/SGT CLARENCE R. TOMB
BALL TURRET GUNNER: ?
LEFT WAIST GUNNER: T/SGT RICHARD DETTWEILER
RIGHT WAIST GUNNER: ?
TAIL GUNNER: S/SGT RICHARD TANGRADI ((BUMPED FROM CREW, CP FLEW AS FORMATION OFFICER ON THIS MISSION)
Photos
Cowboy Roane flight and ground crew:
Oct 14, 1943 Schweinfurt: upon return, the crew took this photo: Standing from left, Curtis Campbell, Owen “Cowboy” Roane, Omar "The Tent Maker" Gonzales, Arthur C. "Bud" Stipe, A. Hauge, James Jarvie; Kneeling center row from left: Robert A. Stuart,Roger O. Stroble, Patrick J. Healy, Clarence Tomb and Richard Dettweiler. Front row; B.G. Woodie Woodward, George Kennedy, Ray C. Morton - Crew Chief, J, E. Baggett. Fred Lehman is not pictured.
Crew List
1st Crew List
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Rank | Name | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| F/O | BROOKS, Charles A. | CP/P | CPT |
| Lt | REED, Victor | P | LWA |
| Capt | BASSETT, Howard D. | NAV | CPT |
| Maj | ARMANINI, Joseph P. | BOM | CPT |
| T/Sgt | ALBRIGHT, Glenn N. | TTE | CPT |
| T/Sgt | DOUGHERTY, James S. | ROG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | PRICE, Richard M. | BTG | XFR |
| T/Sgt | DETTWEILER, Richard O. | WG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | BAER, Thomas D. | TG | KIA |
| S/Sgt | MINER, Clifford T. | TG | NOC |
