Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Truman Hermansen     P 

2nd Lt CLifford W.Sellon       CP

2nd Lt Henry C.Griffis         NAV  EVADEE

2nd Lt Jerry E.Brian           BOM 

 S/Sgt George A.Keller        TTE

   Sgt Emil Dihlmann           ROG

   Sgt Robert N.LaRue         BTG

S/Sgt James D.Madden          WG  

  Sgt Harold R.Dorr              WG 

  Sgt Burke D.Hyatt             TG



350th Sqdn.  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 28/11/43



A letter from Hermansen (April 1984) says that after 13 missions with the 100th Group, the crew (minus Griffis) was transferred to the 482BG as a Pathfinder crew. They continued at Alconbury until 29 May 1945 when all came back to the U.S. together. According to Sgt Burke Hyatt, the crew had "Werewolves" painted on their jackets.  



Griffis "was shot down over lowlands of Holland and escaped the Germans through help of patriots who hid him in a room above an Inn until liberated by the Allies." He returned to Thorpe Abbotts briefly before returning to the States. See info below.



Crew of Lt Truman Hermansen when transferred to 482nd Bomb Group, 812 Bomb Squadron,  Alconbury ( Lt Griffis transferred out of 482nd BG back to 100th BG so he could complete his missions sooner.  S/Sgt George A. Keller is replaced by Sgt Palmer at 482nd BG, reason unknown)mpf 2001



Lt Truman Hermansen   P

Lt Clifford W. Sellon      CP

Lt Harry Sparrow          NAV 

Lt Jerry E. Brian           BOM

T/Sgt Burke D. Hyatt    TTE

Sgt Emil Dihlmann         ROG

Sgt W. Palmer              BTG

S/Sgt James D. Madden  WG

Sgt Robert N. LaRue     WG

Sgt Harold R. Dorr         TG



CREW

                                              Pathfinder Aircraft



DATE: 20 July 1944  418th Sqdn.                      A/C #42-97564



MISSION: Merseburg,Ger.                             MACR #7414,Micro-fiche #2701



 Major MaGee C.Fuller          Com. P      POW

 Capt Francis C.Kincannon         P       POW

1st Lt Bernard L.Farnum          CP       POW

Capt Robert E.Nance            BOM      EVADEE

1st Lt Louis H.Abromowitz     NAV      EVADEE

  Capt Henry C.Griffis      Rad/NAV      EVADEE (see Hermansen crew/ 350th Sqdn.)

1st Lt George E.Bonitz            NAV      EVADEE

T/Sgt Daniel B.Deason           TTE       POW

T/Sgt Oscar L.Edge               ROG      POW

 S/Sgt Glen E.Snider           RWG      POW

 S/Sgt Vaniel M.Cargile        LWG       EVAVEE

 S/Sgt Robert D.Chavez          TG         POW



This A/C  was leading the mission in a Pathfinder ship which accounts for the

seven officers aboard. Major Fuller,who had flown overseas as pilot of a 349th

Sqdn. Crew in June 1943, was now C.O. of the 418th.



EYEWITNESS:  "Just as bombs were released A/C #564 received a direct hit by AA fire between #2 engine and fuselage.Shell did not explode but a large hole was torn in the wing and gasoline poured from the tanks. #2 engine feathered and A/C pulled out of formation directing deputy

leader to take over. A/C fell behind and was escorted by fighters and it was reported that #564 was heard to tell fighters over radio that it was all-right." This is all the information that interrogation of 100th "A" Group crews revealed.



From Bottisham (fighter base) to PFF War room to 100th BG the following report was received: "A/C #564 called for fighter support

after it began to lag and contact was made over channel "C" with the fighters which gave it cover. Subsequentlythe PFF had to crash

land near Louvain just east of Brusselsand prearranged plan (over channel "C") as soon as the crew had cleared the A/C the fighter

strafed and set fire to the ship. Fighter did not see PFF explode  but stated definitely that it was afire,and that all the crew was safe.