Personnel

CREW



1ST LT JAMES F. "MOOSE" MUSSER                     P CPT  2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA   (CALIF)

2ND LT LEO McINTYRE                                         CP CPT  3 APRIL 44, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (SEE LIST OF MISSIONS BELOW) 

2ND LT GORDON H "BIG PETE". PETERSON     NAV CPT  2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA TAPS/DATE UNK

2ND LT CHARLES W. PARLEE                            BOM CPT  2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA (CALIF)

T/SGT MARLIN JOSEPH                                     ROG CPT  2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA (PENN) TAPS/DATE UNK

T/SGT DON ATKINSON                                        TTE CPT  2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA (OHIO) (Awarded Soldiers Medal for saving crew members on Crash landing in Atlantic on way over to England, Picked up by British Destroyers- story below)

S/SGT WILLIAM N. CLOUGH                             BTG CPT   2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA (DEL)

S/SGT ROBERT L. SHEARER                            LWG CPT   2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA  (PENN)

S/SGT KERMIT Q. WARD                                  RWG CPT   2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA  (GA)

S/SGT GEORGE E. KLINE                                     TG CPT   2 APRIL 44  STEYR, AUSTRIA  (PENN) TAPS/DATE UNK



418th Sqdn..

In a letter to Paul West (Nov 1993), Don Atkinson states that the crew flew it's first mission on November 3, 1943. It would seem likely they joined the 100th in late October, 1943.   He further states they flew a plane named "Daylight Delivery".  The crew list and mission data that follows is courtesy of Mr. Don Atkinson .(November 1993…..pw).  Lt Gordon "Big Pete" Peterson lost his finger when it was caught whle getting out of the plane,  they tried to save the finger but eventually it was amputated. 



MISSION LOG SUPPLIED BY DON T. ATKINSON IN 1993



MISSION # 01 WEDESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 1943

 TARGET:  WILHELSHAVEN, GERMANY 5 1/2 HOURS _47 DEGREES

 MEDIUM FLAK  HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT WITH P-47s---MORE THAN A 1000 PLANES PARTICIPATED--BOMBED IMPORTANT NAVAL BASE AND SUBMARINE PENS--LOST 5 HEAVIES--ENCOUNTERED FIGHTER OPPOSITION.



MISSION # 02 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 1943

 TARGET:  DUREN, GERMANY--6 1/2 HOURS--(-40 DEGREES)--SCATTERED FLAK--BROKEN CLOUDS--DUREN, GERMANY WAS A GREAT RAILWAY CENTER--BOMBED RAILYARD--GOOD ESCORT OF P47s, KEPT MOST OF ENEMY AIRCRAFT AWAY.



MISSION # 03 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1943

 TARGET:  RJUKIN, NORWAY--10 1/2 HOURS--(0 DEGRESS)--SCATTERED FLAK--BOMBED AT ALTITUDE OF 12000  FT.--BROKEN CLOUDS--NO ESCORT--SEEN ONE ME-109, DID NOT PRESS ATTACK--PICKED UP FLAK WHEN LEAVING THE COAST--BOMBED HARD (HEAVY) WATER WORKS FOR EXPLOSIVES, SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF HITLER'S SECRET WEAPONS--MADE ONE DRY RUN ON TARGET BECAUSE WE ARRIVED ON THE TARGET BEFORE NOON, THE  NORWIEGIANS TOOK THEIR LUNCH PERIOD AT TWELVE NOON.  THE DRY RUN ALLOWED THEM TO CLEAR THE BUILDING BEFORE WE DROPPED OUR BOMBS.



MISSION # 04 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1943

 TARGET:  GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY--7 HOURS--(-45 DEGREES)--MEDIUM FLAK--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT, FEW ENEMY FIGHTERS ATTACKED--BOMBED BLAST FURNACES AND RAILYARD.



MISSION # 05 SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1943

 TARGET:  BORDEAUX, FRANCE--9 HOURS--(-30 DEGREES)--LITTLE FLAK--GOOD ESCORT--NO ENEMY FIGHTERS PRESSED AN ATTACK--RETURNED WITH BOMBS.



MISSION # 06 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1943

 TARGET:  EMDEN, GERMANY--6 HOURS--(-47 DEGREES)-- MEDIUM FLAK--SCATTERED CLOUDS--ESCORT ARRIVED LATE--MET FIGHTER OPPOSITION--NOSE ATTACKS--CLOUGH (S/SGT WILLIAM N. CLOUGH--BTG) BAGGED ONE ME-110--DESTROYED 138 FIGHTERS--BOMBED CONSTRUCTION YARDS BEING BUILT FOR SUBMARINES.



MISSION # 07 MONDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1943

 TARGET:  KIEL, GERMANY--7 1/2 HOURS--(-42 DEGREES)--HEAVY AND ACCURATE FLAK--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD FIGHTER SUPPORT--FLAK DAMAGE TO OUR BOMBAY DOORS--BOMBED NAVAL BASE WITH SEVERE DAMAGE--PICKED UP FLAK ON RETURN TRIP FROM A SMALL ISLAND.



MISSION # 08 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1943

 TARGET:  MUNSTER, GERMANY--6 HOURS--(-50 DEGREES)--MEDIUM FLAK--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT--BOMBED RAILWAY YARDS AND WORK SHOPS--BOMBERS CRISS CROSSED TARGET.



MISSION # 09 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1943

 TARGET:  "SECRET", FRANCE (NO-BALL)--4/1/2 HOURS--(0 DEGREES)--ALTITUDE 12000 FEET--GOOD ESCORT--ENCOUNTERED FLAK OVER ABBEVILLE--CLEAR TARGET--HAD A DRY RUN--BOMBED ROCKET LAUNCHING INSTALLATION--TARGET WIPED OUT.



MISSION # 10 FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1944

 TARGET:  "SECRET", FRANCE (NO-BALL)--3 1/2 HOURS-- (-31 DEGREES)--.3 TO .5 TENTHS OVERCAST-- MEDIUM FLAK--ENCOUNTERED ENGINE TROUBLE, ABORTED BOMB RUN, COULD NOT KEEP IN FORMATION--DROPPED BOMBS IN CHANNEL--RETURNED TO BASE.



MISSION # 11 MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1944

 TARGET:  FRANKFURT, GERMANY--(RECALLED)--5 3/4 HOURS--(-31 DEGREES)--ACCURATE FLAK--PICKED UP FLAK AT OSTEND--LOST ONE AIRCRAFT TO FLAK GUNNERS--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT--ARTILLERY SHELLS LOBED AT US 800 YARDS FROM OUT TAIL.



MISSION # 12 SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1944

 TARGET:  FRANKFURT, GERMANY--7 1/2 HOURS..(-30 DEGREES)--HEAVY FLAK--DROPPED CHAFF TO SCREW UP RADAR--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT--DEMOLISHED PRACTICALLY ALL OF THE TOWN.



MISSION # 13 SUNDAY, JANUARY 30, 1944

 TARGET:  BRUNSWICK, GERMANY--6 HOURS--(-40 DEGREES)--MEDIUM FLAK--HEAVY OVERCAST--GOOD ESCORT-- CONTRAILS VERY HEAVY, HAZARDOUS FLYING CONDITIONS--BOMBED AT 28000 FEET--DEVELOPED BENDS IN SHOULDER--BOMBED AN AIRCRAFT ENGINE PLANT.



MISSION # 14 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 1944

 TARGET:  WILHELMSHAVEN, GERMANY--(-44 DEGREES)--HEAVY OVERCAST--FLAK TRAILING FIRE AND CONTINUOUS POINTING--GOOD ESCORT--SOME ENEMY AIRCRAFT--BOMBED SUBMARINE PENS AND CITY--BOMBED AT 29000 FEET--BENDS IN LEFT SHOULDER--VERY HEAVY ENGINE CONTRAILS--VERY LONG TRIP;



 Mr Atkinson states 03 Feb 44 Wilhelshaven as  the last mission with the 8th AF and that on 4 Feb 1944 transferred to  the 15th AF at Foggia, Italy-- assigned to the 97 th Bomb Group...pw (Nov 1993)



There are many reasons a crew transfers to the 15th AF from the 8th.  In this case there are a few issues.  Seems there is a story of a run in between a Lt Col and Lt Musser. 

 The result of which was a transfer of the Crew to the 97th BG in Italy.  Reg Musser gives the following info: "The name my Dad mentions “with extreme prejudice” as the person who was responsible for transferring his crew to Foggia was only mentioned to me once...he said the guy was a LtCol who my Dad called “Quisling”, a think his actual name was “Kessling” or something like that, and there was NO love lost between them. I think they did manage to “bury the hatchet” at one of the reunions of the 100th years later, when my Dad arranged for “Luckye Bastarde” certificates to be given to all the surviving crew members.

Hope this helps... Jim “Reg” Musser



Mission list for everyone except Leo McIntyre: 



 1.  3/11/43  Wilhelmshaven

 2.  7/11/43  Duren

 3. 16/11/43 Rjuken (Heavy Water Plant)

 4. 19/11/43 Gelsenkirchen

 5. 26/11/43 Bremen

 6. 29/11/43 Bremen

 7.  5/12/43  Bordeaux

 8. 11/12/43 Emden

 9. 13/12/43 Kiel

10. 22/12/43 Munster

11. 24/12/43 No-Ball

12. 30/12/43 Ludwigshaven

13. 21/1/44  No-Ball

14. 24/1/44  Frankfurt-Recall

15. 29/1/44  Frankfurt

16. 30/1/44  Brunswick

17.   3/2/44  Wilhelmshaven

Transferred to 15th AF at Foggia, Italy, assigned to the 97th Bomb Group, 341st Bomb Squadron

18. 15/2/44   Monte Cassino, Italy

19.  17/2/44  Amio, Italy

20.  22/2/44  Regensburg, Ger.

21.  24/2/44  Steyr, Austria

22.    2/3/44  Anzio Beachhead, Italy

23.    3/3/44  Rome, Italy

24.  15/3/44  Monte Cassino

25.  18/3/44  Udine, Italy

26.  19/3/44  Klagenfurt, Austria

27.  22/3/44  Verona, Italy

28.  28/3/44  Verona, Italy

29.  29/3/44  Turin, Italy

30.  30/3/44  Sofia, Italy

31.    2/4/44  Steyr, Austria





List of Missions of Lt Leo R. McIntyre (mpf 10/2000)



 1.  3/11/43  Wilhelmshaven

 2.  7/11/43  Duren

 3. 16/11/43 Rjuken (Heavy Water Plant)

 4. 19/11/43 Gelsenkirchen

 5. 26/11/43 Bremen

 6. 29/11/43 Bremen

 7.  5/12/43  Bordeaux

 8. 11/12/43 Emden

 9. 13/12/43 Kiel

10. 22/12/43 Munster

11. 24/12/43 No-Ball

12. 30/12/43 Ludwigshaven

13. 21/1/44  No-Ball

14. 24/1/44  Frankfurt-Recall

15. 29/1/44  Frankfurt

16. 30/1/44  Brunswick

17.   3/2/44  Wilhelmshaven

Transferred to 15th AF at Foggia, Italy, assigned to the 97th Bomb Group

18. 23/2/44  Regensburg

19. 24/2/44  Steyr, Austria

20.   2/3/44  Anzio Beachhead

21.   3/3/44  Rome

22. 15/3/44  Monte Cassino

23. 18/3/44  Udine, Italy

24. 19/3/44  Klagenfurt, Austria

25. 22/3/44  Verona, Italy

26. 28/3/44  Verona, Italy

27. 29/3/44  Turin, Italy

28. 30/3/44  Sofia, Italy

29.   2/4/44  Steyr, Austria

30.   3/4/44  Budapest, Hungary