Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt.Gerald R. Putnam   POW  3/3/44 (with crew of R.H. Lohof while serving as the Command Pilot on the 03 March 44 Berlin Mission) Taps: 18 JUNE 1994  -- Highly respected and universally admired 100th Pilot who became the Operations Officer of the 349th Squadron. 



2nd Lt Gerald R. Putnam             P      POW  3/3/44  BERLIN     sn# O-792348

2nd Lt William A.Donelan, Jr       CP     CPT                               sn# O-684298

2nd Lt.Donald M.Gilzinger        NAV     CPT                               sn# O-682319

2nd Lt Paul A.Levy                 BOM     CPT  13/4/44 AUGSBURG sn# O-676306

T/Sgt Nicholas F.O'Connor       TTE     CPT                               sn# 32551147

T/Sgt John E. Callahan, Jr       ROG     CPT                                sn#31164984  Taps  2 November 1970

S/Sgt George E.Gunther        RWG     CPT                                sn#36361894

S/Sgt Sidney P. Atherton         TG     CPT                                 sn# 6910597  Taps 28 March 1985

S/Sgt Richard A.Corcoran       LWG     CPT                                 sn# 11038415  Taps 22 June 1974

S/Sgt Robert D.Turcotte        BTG     WIA  30/11/43 SOLINGEN  sn# 11085297



The crew as above arrived at Thorpe Abbott in Oct 1943 and were assigned to the 349th Sqdn. See correspondence from

O'Connor's son-in-law,Col.Terry Carlson (Jan.l990)



It appears from records that this crew was assigned to two previous Bomb Groups prior to being assigned to the 100th BG.  Records dated 23 Sep. 1943 that this crew was assigned to the 96th BG at Snetterton Heath.  On 26 Septmeber 1943 we have the Putnam Crew being transferred to the 100th BG (but I believe they were sent to the 94th BG at Bury St. Edmunds due to next order).  On 13 October 1943 Lt Putnam's Crew was transferred from the 94th BG to the 100th BG. This would be a permenant change of Station.



After about 20 missions,Putnam made Operations Officer of the 349th.



Name of their aircraft was "Murderer's Row"  (named by Putnam for the batting order of the New York Yankee's). This ship flown by R.D.Vollmer when lost on 3/3/44  (Berlin)



JANUARY 25, 1944.  LT GERALD PUTNAM WAS PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN-PULLED FROM PILOTING MISSIONS TO TRAIN FOR  SQUADRON AND GROUP LEAD POSTIONS.  EIGHT MEMBERS OF CAPTAIN PUTNAMS ORIGINAL "MURDERER'S ROW" CREW COMPLETED THEIR 25 MISSIONS WITH OTHER CREWS AND WENT HOME.  ROBERT TRUCOTTE, SEVERELY INJURED ON THE 8TH MISSION, REMAINED HOSPITALIZED FOR MONTHS AND EVENTUALLY RETURNED HOME WITHOUT FURTHER MISSIONS.  SIDNEY ATHERTON WENT AWOL IN THE EARLY DAYS AT THORPE ABBOTTS.



Missions of Capt. Gerald R. Putnam (supplied by Nancy Putnam) mpf 2001





1. 03/11/43 WILHEMSHAVEN SUB SHIPYARDS: ON PATHFINDER-POS, #2, SECOND ELEMENT HIGH SQUADRON.  LIGHT FLAK, NO FIGHTER

                      OPPOSTION-MILK RUN

2. 05/11/43 GELSENKIRCHEN OIL REFINERIES. PATHFINDER-OVERCAST-POS #3, LEAD ELEMENT, LOW SQUADRON-HEAVY FLAK, LIGHT

                     FIGHTER OPPOSITON-#3 FUEL LINES HIT BY FLAK & ENGINE FEATHERED. RETURNED WITH GROUP TO DUTCH

                     COAST & THEN ALONE-TOUGH

3. 13/11/43 BREMEN  RR MARSHALLING YARD.  PATHFINDER WENT OUT, DON'T KNOW WHERE WENT, THINK KIEL-MODERAT FLAK

                      40-50 FIGHTERS-NO ATTACKS- B-24'S TAKE BEATING- "FUBAR"

4. 16/11/43 RJUKAN, NORWAY HYDROELECTIC PLANT (PART OF GERMANY'S HEAVY WATER PRODUCTION EFFORT TO DEVELOP ATOMIC

                      WEAPONS).  SINGLE GROUP-VISUAL BOMBING, TARGET DEMOLISHED BY 100TH 1st-NO FLAK OR FIGHTERS MILK RUN

5. 19/11/43 ZUTPHEN  TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY DUE TO WEATHER OBSCURING PRIMARY TARGET, GELSENKIRCHEN.  PATHFINDER

                      ABORTED AT IP, #2 & #4 OIL LINE BUCKS-MODERATE TO HEAVY FLAK-HEAVY ICING IN CLOUDS PREVENT 

                      FIGHTER INTERCEPTION- FUBAR

6. 26/11/43 PARIS   BALL BEARING FACTORY.  VISUAL-CLOUD COVER OVER TARGET-NO BOMBS DROPPED-SEVERAL FIGHTER 

                      ATTACKS- LT G. FORD KNOCKED DOWN-SKIRTED FLAK AREAS. (GEORGE FORD AND FOUR OF HIS CREW

                      BECAME POW's, THREE BECAME EVADEES AND TWO WERE KIA.)

7. 29/11/43 BREMEN  INDUSTRIAL WORKS. PFF-NO FIND TARGET AGAIN-BOMBS DROPPED SOMEWHERE-NO FLAK FIVE FIGHTERS-NO 

                      DAMAGE. "FUBAR"

8. 30/11/43 SOLINGEN  INDUSTRIAL WORKS.  PFF-FOR ONCE IT WORKED-100TH HAD TROUBLE RENDEZVOUSING.  FLEW IN LOW

                     SQUADRON OF 95TH BG, HIT BY FLAK OVER TARGET.  TURCOTTE (BTG) HIT AND STILL IN VERY BAD SHAPE

                    #3 OUT BUT CAN'T FEATHER, #1  TURBOS & #4 PROP RUN AWAY-HEAD BACK ALONE AS USUAL-HIT

                    EVERY LITTLE FLAK AREA ON WAY OUT-FINALLY MAKE IT AFTER MUCH SWEATING-DAWSON (TG) CLAIMS ME109-TOUGH

9. 05/12/43 BORDEAUX  MERIGNAC AIRFIELD.  VISUAL BUT CLOUDS OBSCURE TARGET-NO BOMBS DROPPED, JUST FLEW, NO

                     POSTION-LOST #4 ON WAY BACK, LITTLE FLAK, NO FIGHTERS".

10. 11/12/43 EMDEN   SUB SHIPYARDS. VISUAL-MISSED TARGET BY 4 MILES BUT REST OF FORCE PLASTERED IT. PLENTY

                     FIGHTERS BUT FEW ATTACKS ON US.  390TH BG CATCHES HELL-NO FLAK ON US.

11. 13/12/43 KIEL   SUB SHIPYARDS. PFF-BELIEVE HIT TARGET-FLEW THROUGH HEAVY FLAK-NO FIGHTERS ON US-CLIMB & CRUISE 

                    LOUSY.  DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN POSITION.

12. 16/12/43 BREMEN  CITY.  PFF-HIT TARGET-HEAVY FLAK BUT FEW FIGHTERS-MISSION SUCCESSFUL-GERMANS ADMIT TARGET

                     HIT BEFORE USAAF DOES.  FLEW BETWEEN HILLS OF FLAK-ESCORT LATE-FLEW WITH 95TH BG-ENGLAND CLOSED IN ON 

                     RETURN.

13. 20/12/43 BREMEN  CITY. PFF-AREA WIDE OPEN-BOMB FROM 28,000, HAVING TO CLIMB TO 29,500 TO GET OVER CLOUDS-TARGET

                     ON FIRE AND BLASTED-USUAL BREMEN FLAK BUT NO DAMAGE-FEW FIGHTERS-OUR ESCORT GOOD-MISSION SUCCESSFUL.

14. 22/12/43 MUNSTER  RR MARSHALLING YARDS.  PFF-CLOUD BROKEN BUT TARGET CLOSED-LIGHT FLAK AND NO FIGHTERS

                     BEAUTIFUL ESCORT.

15. 24/12/43 ST JOSEPH au BOIS PAS de CALAIS COAST.  LAUNCH SITES FOR V-1 ROCKETS AIMED AT ENGLAND.  VISUAL FROM 12,000

                     FLEW WITH 390TH BG-WHOLE AREA PLASTERED AND COMPLETE MISSION A SUCCESS-COMPLETE MASTERY OF AIR BY ALLIES.

16. 30/12/43 LUDWIGSHAVEN CHEMICAL WORKS.  PFF-VISUAL UNTIL NEAR TARGET AREA-HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF FLAK FOR  

                     SEVERAL MINUTES OVER TARGET-GROUP HIT BY FW 190's & LOSE TW PLANES-FIGHTER COVER POOR.  FLAK IN SEVERAL 

                     PLACES ON WAY OUT-LONG & FAIRLY ROUGH-LITTLE DAMAGE-HIT TARGET.

17. 04/01/44 KIEL   SUB SHIPYARDS.  PFF-ABOUT 8/10 OVER TARGET BUT TARGET OBSCURRED-FLAK INACCURATE OVER TARGET

                     DUE TO CHAFF & CARPETS-NO FIGHTER ATTACKS OR COVER-LEAD LOW SQUADRON-HIT IN TARGET AREA.

18. 07/01/44 LUDWIGSHAVEN CHEMICAL WORKS.  (LAST MISSION WITH REGULAR CREW)

                    PFF-OVERCAST MOST OF WAY-TARGET OBSCURRED BUT HIT IN TARGET AREA-FLAK HEAVY BUT NOT TOO ACCURATE DUE TO

                    CHAFF & CARPET-NO FIGHTER

My name is William Gilzinger and my father, Donald Gilzinger, was a navigator with the 100th Bomb Group in England on Gerald Putnam’s Crew. 

My mother kept a good amount of documentation referencing my father’s military service, which started in the Army Infantry and ended in the Army Air Corp.  The material includes newspapers, military magazines, photos, medals,leather flight helmet and more.  My father flew 8 missions with the Royal Air Force as part of the 803rd Bomb Squadron- Radio Counter Measures after he completed his 25 missions with the 100th.  He completed his time in the Air Force as a navigation instructor in Tennessee.





Special Orders Number 137 of 18 May 1944 stated that the following men were released from assignment from their respective organizations and placed on detached service with 803BS at  RAF Sculthorpe. Those included men from the following bomb groups were:

 

From 94th BG

 1st. Lt. Howard H. Klimetz                                   

T/Sgt. Edward D. Baldwin

T/Sgt. Durand B. Lovelace                                    

S/Sgt. Alvin K. Reynolds

S/Sgt. Benjamin F. Roberts

 

From 95th BG

 1st. Lt. William C. Gruelich                                 

1st Lt. William P. Overstreet

T/Sgt. Vincent J. Areno                                        

 S/Sgt. Harry L. Bumgardner

S/Sgt. Horace L. Flynn                                         

S/Sgt. Raymond A. Battistini

S/Sgt. Edward E. Caldwell                                    

S/Sgt. Alton E. Markley

S/Sgt. Herbert C. Hoover                                      

S/Sgt. Alvin S. Janeczko

S/Sgt. Howard C. Culbertson                               

S/Sgt. Ira C. Muse

 

From 96th BG              

1st Lt. Charles M. Travis                                       

1st Lt. Leon Vigdor

1st Lt. Kenneth A. Bevan                                       

T/Sgt. Margind Zuckerman

S/Sgt. Nicholas Popadyn                                     

S/Sgt. George E. O’Malley

S/Sgt. John Rovnak

 

From 385th BG

Capt. Robert G. Stutzman                                     

Capt. Raymond A. Robinson

1st Lt. Walter B. Slade                                          

1st Lt. William R. Hoagland

1st Lt. William F. Flagler                                      

T/Sgt. Richard J. Davis

S/Sgt. James C. Wooden                                      

S/Sgt. Harold H. Bogart

S/Sgt. Richard R. Long                                         

S/Sgt. Joseph E. Simkins

 

From 388th BG

 1st Lt. Richard O. Obenschain                            

1st Lt. James B. Warner

1st Lt. James P. Ostler                                         

T/Sgt. John R. Lopes

T/Sgt. Garven J. Pinciger                                     

T/Sgt. George W. Wilson

S/Sgt. Robert W. Mier                                         

S/Sgt. Bernard Berg

S/Sgt. Fred H. Belcher                                         

S/Sgt. Jack C. Kings

 

From 390th BG

1st Lt. Harvey A. Paul                                          

1st Lt. Wade L. Birmingham

1st Lt. Warren V. Smith                                        

T/Sgt. George B. Ellison

T/Sgt. Kenneth L. Hagan                                     

T/Sgt. Thomas Hennessey

 

From 447th BG

S/Sgt. Landis L. Pratt                                              

S/Sgt. Roy B. McGraw

 

From 100th BG

 1st Lt. Donald Gilzinger                                                      

T/Sgt. Adam E. Rutkowski







Radio Counter Measures

 

Early signs were evident to RAF Bomber Command that the use of radio counter measures was helping to reduce bomber losses and the need to further continue and develop these measures was a necessity.

 The American British Laboratory Division 15 (ABL-15) was set up in Britain in order to introduce the American forces to radar countermeasures and as such they were part of the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) based at Great Malvern. 

   Leading the way in secret RCM operations was the RAF 100 Group which was operating throughout local Norfolk airbases, and were already conducting operational missions and testing the equipment and techniques constantly being developed.

   In January 1944 an attachment of selected experienced American personnel who would eventually form the 803rd Bomb Squadron (Provisional) began working with the RAF 100 Group at RAF Sculthorpe, with the engineering section training RAF ground crews on operation and maintenance of the B17 Flying Fortress Aircraft.  

By March 1944 this role would evolve with the newly formed squadron joining RAF operations.  This would give the US attachment their first taste of the RCM and deceptive measures being used at that time.   Examples of which being Mandrel, Jostle, Carpet and Window (Chaff as known to US forces).  



As war progressed and the enemy devised their own counter measures against the allied techniques then the work at Great Malvern was ever more important and forever changing.  As we walk through the history of the 36th Bomb Squadron which evolved out of the 803rd Bomb Squadron we will discover these new technologies and the effect that they had on some of the most crucial battles of World War two.

  The 803rd Bomb Squadron was a provisional unit established due to a need to have an RCM unit within the US Airforce.  Its initial formation came shortly after arrival at RAF Sculthorpe where soon to be squadron members would assist in the training of RAF staff on US aircraft namely the B17 Flying Fortress, before commencing operational missions with RAF 100 Group.  The combination of both forces worked well meaning technical skills on both the scientific front in terms of RCM development at locations such as Malvern, and resources in experienced aircrew plus aircraft could combine into one operational front.

  The American aircraft was most suited to be customised to carry advanced radio counter measures equipment, which was large and cumbersome at that time.  Later the B24 would be the preferred aircraft of choice.



This was the first step in their secret counter measures journey and would eventually lead them to forming the 36th Bomb Squadron RCM Unit affectionately known as ‘The Gremlins’.  The name itself being deceptive and hiding the true purpose of the special operations that would then follow.

 

On the 16th May the 803 BS transferred to RAF Oulton along with 214 Squadron of RAF 100 Group who they had been working alongside.  As many of the squadron were experienced and had already completed a tour of duty the squadron would now undergo a number of personnel changes.  This would result in several new crews gradually joining the squadron who had not yet completed an operational tour.  



Courtesy of https://heroesofourtime.co.uk/the-36th-bomb-squadron_us_raf100group.html