Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Lawrence L. Bazin      P      KIA      10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

2nd Lt Charles F.Dixon         CP     FEH

2nd Lt Kenneth C.Peiffer   NAV     FEH   

2nd Lt Harry J.Chase       BOM     FEH

S/Sgt Roens W.Shearwood TTE  Evadee   10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Glenn D.Abraham,Jr.  ROG  POW      10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Paul H.Decker            TG   KIA        10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Richard D.Long          WG   POW     10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Richard E.Smith         BTG  KIA        10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF



351st Sqdn.  Joined 100th Group,as above, on 11/2/45. On 10/4/45, Lt.John D.Gross from the crew of J.J.Dodrill was the NAV  in place of Kenneth Peiffer. James R.Dotson,pilot of his own crew,was flying as CP in place of Charles Dixon. Also aboard were T/Sgt Arthur T.Flowers as NG (Tog) in place of Harry Chase,and S/Sgt Robert B.Patterson as Radar Con.



Believe that Lt Charles Dixon took over Lt Dotson's crew as first pilot.  



Eyewitness: (MACR # 14170 " A/C 963 was forced to peel out of the formation with #2 engine feathered. Then it tried to climb back when ME 262's began pressing attack. The A/C was hit in the right wing and a large piece flew off.Then#3 & #4 engines burst into flames and it peeled off low to the right. As it went down flames were larger and it was believed to hit the ground with a terrific explosion. 

No chutes were seen.



Statement by Shearwood:  "The plane was breaking up when I got out and I was  of the opinion that no other crew member parachuted.I saw no other chutes. When I hit the ground,I did not see any of the crew." 



MISSIONS OF CREW OF LT LAWRENCE L. BAZIN FROM CPL RICHARD LONG: (mpf 2001)



1.  26/02/45 BERLIN

2. 28/02/45 KASSEL

3.   7/03/45 SIEGEN 

4.   8/03/45 GIESSEN 

5. 10/03/45 DORTMUND

6. 11/03/45 HAMBURG

7. 12/03/45 SWINEMUNDE

8. 15/03/45 ORANIENBURG

9. 17/03/45 PLAUEN (in Bill Thompsons MACR reports, it lists March 21, 1945 Plauen as the mission for Bazin Crew)   

From 22/3/45 to 6/4/45 Daniel Shaffer flew 11missions as navigator on this crew. Lt Shaffer completed his tour with this Crew

10. 22/03/45 ALHORN

11. 23/03/45 UNNA

12. 24/03/45 STEENWIJK

13. 24/03/45 ZIEGENHAIN

14. 28/03/45 HANOVER

15. 30/03/45 HAMBURG

16. 31/03/45 BAD BERKA

17. 03/04/45 KIEL

18. 04/04/45 KIEL

19. 05/04/45 NURNBURG

21. 06/04/45 LEIPZIG

22. 10/04/45 BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG



Following is the crew component for the 10 Apr 1945 mission to Magdeburg

Lawrence L. Bazin           Pilot                   KIA

James R. Dotson             Co-Pilot              KIAs in red 

John D. Gross                 Navigator           POW

Arthur W. Flowers           Nose Gunner      KIA

Glenn D. Abraham, Jr.      Radio Operato    POW

Roens W. Shearwood       Flight Engineer    EVA

Richard E. Smith             Ball Turret G       KIA

Paul H. Decker               Tail Gunner        KIA

Robert B. Patterson        Radar C.            POW

Richard D. Long             Waist Gunner     POW



A/C#43 38963 MACR#14170,fiche #5162

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Belive that 2nd Lt Charles F. Dixon took over Lt Dotson's crew when he was KIA on April 10, 1945 with Bazin Crew



CREW



2ND LT JAMES R. DOTSON                    P KIA  10 APR 45  BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

2ND LT KENNETH R. PFISTER               CP FEH  (flew ferry missions with Lt Wofford after VE Day, see note from Joe urice)

2ND LT FREDERICK A. NICHOLAEV        NAV FEH

SGT HARRY F. FISCHBURG                  TTE FEH

SGT NICHOLAS L. GRAVINO                ROG FEH

SGT CHARLES E. BLACK                      BTG FEH

SGT WALTER G. DAUBNEY                  WG FEH

SGT FREDERICK J. GOODCHILD        NG/TOG FEH

SGT BURL F. BLEVINS                          TG FEH





2lt Lt. Charles F. DIXON missions as a First Pilot…



Aprl 10, 1945   BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

April 11, 1945  LANDSHUT, ORD DEPOT;INGOLSTADT, MY        A/C# 126

April 13, 1945  Practice Mission

April 15, 1945  ROYAN, GROUND DEFENSES                             A/C# 767

April 16, 1945  ROYAN/POINT DE-GRAVE GND DEFENSES          A/C# 708

April 20, 1945  ORANIENBURG, MY,                                        A/C# 815   

April 26, 1945  Practice Mission



CHOWHOUND MISSIONS:

May 1, 1945   VALKENBURG, HAGUE-CHOWHOUND                   A/C# 258

May 2, 1945   SCHIPHOL AF/ALKMAAR-CHOWHOUND                A/C# 258

May 3, 1945   BERGEN, HILVERSUM-CHOWHOUND                    A/C# 258

May 5, 1945   BERGEN, AF, HILVERSUM, BAARN, CHOWHOUND  A/C# 535



DP/POW FERRY FLIGHTS FROM AUSTRIA TO PARIS

May 16, 1945                                                                      A/C# 258

May 19, 1945                                                                      A/C# 258

  





April,1945 and I believe he flew at least 3 more in April...check 16,17,20.....practice missions on 13,25April...and Chowhound missions on 3,4(scheduled but scrubbed)5,6,7 May, and a DP/POW  ferry mission from Austria to Paris 19 May,1945...I also believe he flew another ferry but nothing conclusive on him....Regarding the Dotson crew...Walter Daubney and the others..They arrived at T/A on 30 MARCH,1945......I think they would have qualified for 2 Campaign Stars on their EAME Theater ribbon...or been damn close. It was based on when they arrived in the ETO,not at Thorpe Abbotts and the qualifying dates were; RHINELAND  SEPT 14,1944-MARCH 21,1945    CENTRAL EUROPE  MARCH 22,1945-MAY 8,1945 .........What we need to do is contact one of the surviving crew members that can offer some details of who flew with Dixon as first pilot. FYI, I called one last night Harry J Chase in ARK but no answer on the phone.  Do you guys have anything for contact info on any of the Dotson crew members living?  Did Walter's son have any details on his dads mission dates,crew members from 10 April,1945 on.