Personnel

CREW



2ND LT JOHN H. McLAUGHLIN            P  CPT 21 JAN 45 MANNHEIM, RAIL BRIDGE (S.T.) 

2ND LT WINSTON HARGRAVE          CP  CPT 21 JAN 45 MANNHEIM, RAIL BRIDGE (S.T.) TAPS: 29 JAN 1983

2ND LT LOUIE W. McGIMSEY, JR.   NAV  KIA 30 NOV 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY

2ND LT WALTER E. WARNER         BOM  CPT 21 JAN 45 MANNHEIM, RAIL BRIDGE (S.T.) TAPS: 29 JAN 1983

S/SGT CARADINO G. DiGREGORIO   TTE  CPT

S/SGT COLLIN A. LOCKFIELD, JR     ROG  CPT

SGT ROLAND M. GRUNSTEAD         BTG  CPT

SGT WILLIAM L. AYCOCK               WG  CPT TAPS: 10 MAR 1985

SGT MARK B. CARMICHAEL             WG  NOC TAPS: 29 NOV 1944 (IN SERVICE)

SGT MARVIN M. WISOTSKY            TG  CPT  (changed last name to Wain after War)





418TH SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 02 AUG 1944.  CREW FLEW IN ANDY'S DANDY'S 

Sgt Carmichael was taken off the crew to reduce to 9 upon arrival at Thorpe Abbotts.  He was most likely placed in the spare gunners pool. 



LETTER FROM W.E. WARNER OF 20 DEC 1983 TO jb. INDICATES ALL CREW COMPLETED TOUR EXCEPT McGRIMSEY, WHO WAS KILLED BY FLAK AND  BURIED AT CAMBRIDGE, LATER MOVED TO ASHEVILLE, NC.



Some missions of Lt McLaughlin Crew:



1.   25/08/44    POLITZ                        A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

2.   26/08/44    BREST                         A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

3.   27/08/44    BERLIN (RECALL)           A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

      01/09/44    MAINZ (RECALL)           A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

4.   05/09/44    STUTTGART                A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

5.   08/09/44    MAINZ                         A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

6.   09/09/44    DUSSELDORF                A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

7.   10/09/44    NURNBURG                   A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

8.   11/09/44    RUHLAND                     A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

9.   25/09/44    LUDWIGSHAVEN           A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

10. 26/09/44    BREMEN                       A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

11. 28/09/44    MERSEBURG                  A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

12. 30/09/44    BIELEFELD                     A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

13. 02/10/44    KASSEL

14. 11/10/44    BREMEN

15. 10/11/44    WEISBADEN

16. 30/11/44    MERSEBURG

17. 31/12/44    HAMBURG

18. 06/01/45   GERMERSHEIM AF*         A/C 42-97071   "ANDY'S DANDY'S

19. 21/01/45   MANNHEIM



*ON JAN 6, 1945 LT MCLAUGHLIN WAS FORCED TO LAND AT AN EMERGENCY FIELD (A-92) NEAR BRUSSELS. FLAK OVER THE GERMAN AIRFIELD AT GERMERSHEIM HAD SLICED INTO NO. 4 ENGINE AND CAUSED A STEADY STREAM OF FUEL TO LEAK AWAY.





Combat Diary – Walter Warner

Navigator, John McLaughlin Crew

418th Squadron



The following excerpts are from Lt. Warner’s combat diary.  This crew joined the 100th on 02 AUG 44 and flew in Andy’s Dandy’s.



The Crew:

2nd Lt. John H. McLaughlin  Pilot

2nd Lt. Winston Hargrave  Co-Pilot

2nd Lt. Louie W. McGimsey, Jr.  NAV  (KIA)

2nd Lt. Walter E. Warner  BOM

S/Sgt Caradine G. DiGregorio TTE

S/Sgt Collin A. Lockfield, Jr.  ROG

Sgt. Roland M. Grunstead  BTG

Sgt. William L. Aycock  WG

Sgt. Mark B. Carmichael  WG

Sgt. Marvin M. Wisotsky  TG



11 September 44 – Ruhland

Ruhland – Synthetic Oil Factory

Lead Squadron, Lead Group. 10 x 500# G. P.

“Jumped by fighters about ten minutes before target.  About 80 fighters hit the low group at one time and knocked down all twelve planes.  They then jumped our group, but our gunners knocked down 15 fighters and P51’s came to our aid.  Flaming planes were going down everywhere. Five .50 cal. bullets hit ship on way out over channel, inches from pilot’s head.  Flying glass hit co-pilot. Coming in for landing, flap didn’t work so when we pealed off, plane went into spin.  Pulled out at 500 feet and finally landed with no flaps.  #4 Feathered and upwind.

Heavy FLAK over target. Inaccurate

Took off: 063 Landed 1600



2 October 44 – Kassel

Kassel – Tank Factory  10 x 500# G. P.

#2 Low Squadron, Lead Group

Bomb PFF.  Heavy FLAK .88 – 1.05, and Rockets.

Hole in plexiglass inches from my head.  Also, hole in rear of nose.

No Casualties. Saw one plane go down in flames.

Seven hour mission.



6 October 44 – Berlin

Berlin – One of most important aircraft engine factories in Germany.  5 x 1000# G. P.

#3 Lead Squadron, High Group, 27,000 feet.

Bombed visually. No clouds.  Temp -34 degrees.

Intense accurate FLAK and rockets.  Bandits in area but none attacked us.  Saw cloud of dense black smoke 6000’ high rise from target.  Saw dense smoke over Hamburg.  One plane in our group blew up. Hole downward through astro-dome. No injuries.

Took off: 0700

Landed:   1500



11 October 44 – Bremen

Bremen – Focke Wolf Factory

5 x 1000# G. P.  Lead second element, Lead Squadron, Lead Group.  25,000 feet.

Clear over target.  Bombed visually.  Bombs on target.  Carried Bomb Sight – ready to bomb if lead shot down.

Moderate FLAK, very inaccurate.  No e/a sighted.  No battle damage or casualties.

Took off:  0730

Landed:    1430



10 November 44 – Wiesbaden

Wiesbaden – Airfield.  38 x 100#  28,500 feet 

Temp: -42

Lead Low Squadron. Low Group

Ran into bad weather over England. Had trouble assembling Wing.  Made a run on PFF target at Wiesbaden.  “Mickey” equipment out.  Tried to join another group. Failed and had to bring bombs back.

*Dobrogowski and Lundquist down.  Deplanque’s Bombardier and Tail Gunner hit.

No E/A, casualties, or damage.  

Took off:  0800

Landed:    1500



*Dobrogowski returned within two days from Brussels. He and crew killed several days later (20 NOV 44) during take off.  Lundquist never heard from.



30 November 44 – Merseburg

Merseburg – Largest Oil Refinery in Germany.

20 x 250# G. P.  25,500 feet.

Lead Low Squadron, Low Group

3rd Division put up 14 Groups.  Bombed visually through smoke screen. Plane hit just before Bombs Away.  FLAK came through armor plate floor boards, Navigator’s helmet and head and then out top of plane.  Killed instantly. My helmet and mask were knocked off. Had FLAK hit my eye and right hand. Also piece through FLAK suit.  Managed to get bombs away and then passed out from lack of oxygen and concussion.  Engineer revived me after I was almost done for.  Radio man and waist gunner also hit.  Managed to get back, but low on oxygen.  Heaviest FLAK ever seen at any target. 30 Holes in Plane.  No E/A

Took off:  0830

Landed:    1630



31 December 44 – Hamburg

Hamburg – One of largest Synthetic Oil Plants in Germany.  20 x 250# G. P.   Lead Low Squadron, High Group

This was the roughest mission yet.  Flew over the North Sea.  Intense accurate tracking barrage over target.  The nose was riddled again.  Big hole in #4 and #2 engines.  Fighter escort missing.  Jumped by 30 to 40 FW 190’s.  Running battle for twenty minutes.  I got quite a few shots and probably scored some hits.  Machine gun holes in tail and near misses from 20 mm. shells.  Lost two wingmen.  Morin, LaTurno, Lou Cigerio, Mike, Appleton’s crew, Mayo, Cohen, Al (Two Pistol), Blackman’s crew (hit by four fighters).* All Down.  Lou  wished us Happy New Year as he was going down.  Two planes locked together and went down.**  Four chutes.  Crashed



100th Lost 13 Planes



*John Morin-P, Lou Ciriego-CP, Alfred Latourneau-Nav, and Mike (Emil M.) NAWOJ -Bom, all of the Morin crew (TG Dale S. Brown KIA).  William Mayo-P, Al (Albert) Eib-CP, Arthur Cohen-Nav, all of the Mayo crew (entire crew KIA).



** The famous “Piggy Back” story with pilots Glenn Rojohn flying The Little Skipper A/C 231897 and William McNab flying Nine Lives A/C 338457.



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Walter Warner

1479 Eagle Court

Arnold, MD  21012

 

has moved to:

Walter Warner

7200 Third Avenue

Fairhaven, A-210

Sykesville, MD  21784

 

Please send the next issue of Splasher to his new address.

 

Thanks,

Debbie Walker  Debbie6829@comcast.net

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2nd Lt Louie W. McGimsey, 0-718382 was navigator on B-17G A/C 42-97071 on the mission of 30 November 1944 to Merseburg, Germany.  Just prior to bombs away the aircraft was hit by flak, at which time Lt McGimsey was hit in the head, death was apparently instantaneous. Medical records on him were as follows: "KIA, wound, frontal region of head, interiorally to posteriourally, preforating flak, over enemy territory on operational mission."  His body was brought back to this base on the above mentioned aircraft and at a later date he was bured at Cambridge American National Cemetery, Cambridge, England.



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McLaughlin, John H. 93 of Largo died Thursday August 2, 2012 at the Woodside Hospice House in Pinellas Park. Born Dec. 9, 1918 in Mooresville, North Carolina he was the son of the late Robert and Mamie Brantly McLaughlin. John retired from the US Air Force with the rank of Major. During WWII he flew 35 missions over Germany in a B-17 with the 100th Bomb Group and was awarded several decorations including the Distinguished Flying Cross. John also flew numerous other types of air craft both during his military career and afterwards when he established a flying service in the St. Petersburg area. John is survived by his loving wife of almost...

No MACR (SUR). Casualty Report for 30 Nov 44 mission on which McGimsey was KIA.