Personnel

CREW



2ND LT STANLEY J. DOBROGOWSKI               P KIC 20 NOV 44 WEATHER FLIGHT

2ND LT MALCOM E. HAVARD                      CP KIC 20 NOV 44 WEATHER FLIGHT

2ND LT HENRY R. Van De VURST               NAV KIC 20 NOV 44 WEATHER FLIGHT

2ND LT BRUCE B. GRUESCHOW                  BOM CPT (BECAME LEAD BOMBARDIER AND FLEW MANY MISSIONS WITH D.A. JONES CREW)

S/SGT WILLIAM F. O'SHEA                       ROG CPT 26 FEB 45 BERLIN

S/SGT WILLIAM P. HOOD                         TTE CPT 04 MAR 45 ULM  (WITH D.A. JONES CREW, SEE BELOW)

SGT JAMES W. FRAIL                               BTG NOC

SGT VANCE R. Van DEUSEN                       WG NOC  (TAKEN OFF CREW TO REDUCE TO 9 MEN)

SGT EDWARD C. LEWEK                            WG KIC 20 NOV 44 WEATHER FLIGHT

SGT LORIE M. ESPESETH                            TG KIC 20 NOV 44 WEATHER FLIGHT



418TH SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 14 JUL 1944.



INCOMPLETE LIST OF MISSIONS FOR LT DOBROGOWSKI CREW:



Date          Last Name        Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target

7/28/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37517 MERSEBURG

7/29/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37517 MERSEBURG

7/31/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37517 MUNICH (AERO ENGINES)

8/2/1944   DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37517 TERGNIER/LAFERE

8/3/1944   DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37517 TROYES (RAIL YARD)

8/14/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37808 LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL)

8/15/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 37636 VENLO

8/24/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 RUHLAND (OIL)

8/25/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 POLITZ (OIL)

9/8/1944   DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 MAINZ

9/9/1944   DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 DUSSELDORF

9/10/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 NURNBURG

9/18/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 WARSAW

9/19/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 SZOLNOK (FROM RUSSIA)

9/28/1944 DOBROGOWSKI S.J. LT P 38095 MERSEBERG





THE MORNING OF 20 NOV 44 WAS HAZY WHEN THE WEATHER SHIP (A/C #43-380995) TOOK OFF AT 0557 HOURS.  APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE LATER AT 400 FEET ALTITUDE THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP LEFT BANK, LOST ALTITUDE, HIT A TREE AND EXPLODED. THE CRASH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF  SIX LIVES INCLUDING CAPT CHARLES W. MYLIUS, JR WHO WAS FLYING AS COMMAND PILOT. GRUESCHOW AND HOOD ENDED UP ON LT D.A. JONES CREW AND THE REST OF DOBROGOWSKI CREW ENDED UP IN SPARE REPLACEMENT POOLS. 



CREW



2nd Lt Donald A.Jones            P     CT   4/3/45    ULM            sn# 0-764687

2nd Lt Grant A.Fuller             CP     CT   4/3/45    ULM            sn# 0-715178

2nd Lt Arthur H.Juhlin         NAV     CT   4/3/45    ULM            sn# 0-723096

2nd Lt Ralph P.Farrell,Jr.      BOM    SWA 17/10/44 COLGNE      sn# 0-216851

  Cpl Donald Stewart,Jr.       ROG    SWA 17/10/44 COLOGNE    sn# 19129630

  Cpl Alfred F.Marcello          TTE      CT   4/3/45    ULM            sn# 17155233

  Cpl Curtis L.Hooker            BTG     CT    8/3/45   GIESSEN      sn# 38591214

  Cpl Sam L.Foushee             TG      CT    4/3/45    ULM            sn# 14107051

  Cpl Perry G.Kratsas             WG      NC                                  sn# 13187776

  Cpl Patrick J.Gillen,Jr.          WG      CT   31/3/45  BAD BERKA,sn# 32901583 

                                                           OIL STORAGE (100TH "A")  



418th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 18/8/44.



It is probable that Kratsas was removed from the crew to get down to nine men and went to the replacement pool.On the 11th mission,both Farrell & Stewart suffered severe injuries which resulted in their being returned to the U.S. Bruce Grueschow,from the crew of S.J.Dobrogowski,and Thomas M. Barrett,from the crew of M.J.Anderson both served as bombardiers on the crew. Storm C.Rhode also flew about 20 missions with this crew as a Mickey Operator.  A Sgt William P. Hood from the crew of S.J. Dobrogowski was one of two ROG who filled in on this crew. He completed his tour with this crew on March 4, 1945-ULM.  

 

  

Subj: Re: Missions Flown  

Date: 10/2/2002 5:04:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time 

From: gafuller@webtv.net 

To: MPFaley@aol.com  

 

Mike:

    We had two radio operators who followed Don Stewart.  The first one

although I have a picture of him none of us can remembered his name.

The second one I believe was William P. Hood who came from the

Dobrogowski crew.  He finished his tour when we did at Ulm in Mar. 1945.

Dobrogowski I am sure you know was killed on takeoff for a weather

mission early one morning along with his co-pilot and navigator.  Bruce

Grueschow their bombardier flew several missions with us as lead

bombardier before Tom Barrett came on.

I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks.      Grant Fuller





EMAIL = pjmarcel@pressenter.com

UNAME = Paul J. Marcello

DIED = Bruce B. Grueschow

DEATH_DATE = 12 December 1992

UNIT = 418th

COMMENTS = Lt. Grueschow was a Wisconsin native who served as the Bombardier on the Dobrowgowski crew prior to the weather ship crash. He flew a few missions with the D.A. Jones crew afterwards, however I am not sure which ones. 



Stan was a good friend of mine while we were with the 100th.In my opinion he was an excellent pilot,who always had full command of his aircraft.Exactly what went wrong on his final flight was never determined to my knowledge ,but I am certain he made all of the right moves(during the emergency that developed) to keep his plane in the air..

My flight crew attended the services that were held in honor of his crew.

You can be proud of your uncles accomplishments during his service on behalf of the country he loved.He, like many other young men during the forties,put his life on the line so others could enjoy the freedom we have today.

Best Regards,

Lt Schaffhausen

Pilot of Miss Conduct,

418th Sqdn