Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Wallace C.Forsythe              P    CPT 24 Jul 44  ST. LO       (as 1st pilot on Lt Ferbache's orginal Crew)

2nd Lt Prescott H.Haralson            CP   CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck (flew as first pilot after April 13, 1944 mission 

2nd Lt Augustus H.Paine             NAV  CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

2nd Lt Robert W.McAtee            BOM  CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck

S/Sgt Peter J.Buck                  ROG   CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

S/Sgt Percy J.Johnston            TTE   CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

Sgt Peter VanSlyck                   BTG  CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

Sgt John A.Codoluto                  RW  CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

Sgt Nelson C.Linke                    LW   CPT 13 May 44 Osnabruck 

Sgt Richard D.Schad                    TG   CPT   4 Jun 44  Boulogne    



418th Sqdn  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 28/11/43.

This was the second Crew to fly Messie Bessie, Walter "Chief" Moreno being the first.



Lt Forsythe flew his last mission with this Crew on April 13, 1944 Augsburg.  2nd Lt Haralson took over as 1st pilot and the rest of the Crew except Capt Forsythe and Sgt Schad completed their tour on May 13, 1944 mission to Osnabruck.  Co Pilot on the Crew from May 1, 1944 to May 13, 1944 was Lt R.C. Holliday from the Crew of Lt Gummersall. He completed his tour with this Crew.   



Letter from R.W.McAtee (19/4/83) says,  "I have lost touch with my crew mates. We did all 

complete our tour of operations."    Jim Brown



Incomplete list of Missions for Capt. Forsythe:



Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target

1/14/1944   77             FORSYTHE   W.C.  LT   P               FORET D'HESDIN (NOBALL) BLEW TIRE ON T.O. BUT COMPT. MISSION

3/3/1944   77 122 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BERLIN

3/4/1944   77 123 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BERLIN

3/6/1944   77 124 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BERLIN

3/7/1944   77 125 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 WERL (SCRUBBED)

3/8/1944   77 126 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BERLIN / ERKNER PLANT

3/9/1944   77 127 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 ORANIENBURG

3/13/1944 77 128 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 NOBALL/ 11 (SCRUBBED)

3/15/1944 77 129 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BRUNSWICK

3/19/1944 77 133 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 175 MARQUIS, MIMMOYEQUES

3/23/1944 77 135 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM

3/31/1944 77 139 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN/RECALLED

4/1/1944   77 140 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN

4/7/1944   77 141 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)

4/8/1944   77 142 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 QUACKENBRUCK

4/9/1944   77 143 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 KRZESINKI (POSEN)

4/10/1944 77 144 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE

4/13/1944 77 147 FORSYTHE W.C LT P 38175 AUGSBURG

6/6/1944   74 -132 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 97673 FALAISE/OUISTREHAM

6/8/1944   74 -136 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 106986 TOURS (BRIDGES)                 LEAD CREW

6/21/1944 86 -144 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 97065 BASDORF & RUHLAND             (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)

6/22/1944 86 -146 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 97065 PARIS (RIVER DOCKS)             (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)

7/8/1944   86 156 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 106986 CLAMECY-JOLGYN                 (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)

7/17/1944 86 161 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 102649 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY   (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)

7/18/1944 86 162 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 102649 KIEL & HEMMINGSTADT          (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)

7/24/1944 86 166 FORSYTHE W.C. CAPT P 37935 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)            (1st Pilot on old Ferbache's Crew)





BATTISTA (NAV) R.E. LT          COM NAV 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

COLEMAN L.E. LT                               CP 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

DOBBINS C.C. S/SGT                        RWG 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

FORYSTHE W.C. CAPT                          P 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

FOX B.S LT                                     BOM 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

FULLER (COM) M.C. MAJOR      COM PILOT 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

HARRIS D.W. S/SGT                           TG 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

HELLEN W.R. T/SGT                         TTE 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

MILLER R.E. LT                                NAV 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

SKAPIN E.A. S/SGT                          LWG 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

SYMINGTON G.E. S/SGT                    BTG 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986

VANCE R.A. T/SGT                           ROG 6/8/1944 TOURS (BRIDGES) 74 106986





Incomplete list of Missions for Rest of Crew except Capt.Forsythe and Sgt Schad:



Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target

1/14/1944 77             HARALSON P.E.    LT   CP              FORET D'HESDIN (NOBALL)  (BLEW TIRE ON TAKE OFF BUT CPT MISSION)

3/3/1944 77 122 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 BERLIN

3/4/1944 77 123 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 BERLIN

3/6/1944 77 124 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 BERLIN

3/7/1944 77 125 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 WERL (SCRUBBED)

3/8/1944 77 126 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 BERLIN / ERKNER PLANT

3/9/1944 77 127 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 ORANIENBURG

3/13/1944 77 128 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 NOBALL/ 11 (SCRUBBED)

3/15/1944 77 129 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 BRUNSWICK

3/19/1944 77 133 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 175 MARQUIS, MIMMOYEQUES

3/23/1944 77 135 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 38175 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM

3/31/1944 77 139 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN/RECALLED

4/1/1944   77 140 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN

4/7/1944   77 141 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 38175 QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)

4/8/1944   77 142 HARALSON P.H. LT CP 38175 QUACKENBRUCK

4/13/1944 77 147 HARALSON P.E. LT CP 38175 AUGSBURG

5/1/1944   77 110 HARALSON P.H. LT P 38175 SAARGUEMINES/WIZERNES

5/9/1944   77 114 HARALSON P.H. LT P 38175 LAON/COUVRON; ANTHIES

5/11/1944 77 115 HARALSON P.H. LT P 97071 LIEGE

5/12/1944 77 116 HARALSON P.H. LT P 97071 BRUX, OIL REFINERY

5/13/1944 77 117 HARALSON P.H. LT P 97071 OSNABRUCK



Incomplete list of Missions for Sgt Schard:



Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target

1/14/1944 77           SCHARD R.D.   S/SGT   TG             FORET D'HESDIN (NOBALL)  (BLEW TIRE ON TAKE OFF BUT CPT MISSION)

3/3/1944 77 122 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BERLIN

3/4/1944 77 123 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BERLIN

3/6/1944 77 124 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BERLIN

3/7/1944 77 125 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 WERL (SCRUBBED)

3/8/1944 77 126 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BERLIN / ERKNER PLANT

3/9/1944 77 127 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 ORANIENBURG

3/13/1944 77 128 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 NOBALL/ 11 (SCRUBBED)

3/15/1944 77 129 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BRUNSWICK

3/19/1944 77 133 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 175 MARQUIS, MIMMOYEQUES

3/23/1944 77 135 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM

3/31/1944 77 139 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN/RECALLED

4/1/1944   77 140 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 LUDWIGSHAFEN

4/7/1944   77 141 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)

4/8/1944   77 142 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 QUACKENBRUCK

4/9/1944   77 143 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 KRZESINKI (POSEN)

4/10/1944 77 144 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE

4/13/1944 77 147 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 38175 AUGSBURG

5/11/1944 77 115 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 97071 LIEGE

5/12/1944 77 116 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 97071 BRUX, OIL REFINERY

5/13/1944 77 117 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT TG 97071 OSNABRUCK

5/30/1944 28 126 SCHAD R.S. S/SGT TG 97154 TROYES          (LT FARCHT CREW)

5/31/1944 28 127 SCHAD R.S. S/SGT TG 97154 OSNABRUCK    (LT FARCHT CREW)

6/2/1944   76 128 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT RWG 30152 BOULOGNE  (LT MAJOR CREW)

6/4/1944   79 130 SCHAD R.D. S/SGT RWG 97071 BOULOGNE  (LT RYAN CREW)









                                                  A Tribute to the Ground Crews

                                             By Robert McAtee, of Gun Barrel, Texas



My hat will always be off to the Ground Crew of our ship, Messie Bessie. Without their conscientious efforts, it is quite possible that our crew (Pilot Wallace Forsythe, Navigator Hank Paine, Engineer Percy Johnson) could have gone down over Germany and spent some time in the POW camp or have been killed. Poor maintenance could have easily caused engine failure, the loss of an oxygen system, loss of control mechanism, and a hundred other reasoned could have caused us to lose our position in the formation and fall prey to enemy aircraft But that did not happen.



Instead, we were able to fly our and with the few extra gallons of gas provided by the ground crew we stayed airborne delivered our bombs, and landed safely at home after 29 mission. I know many lives were saved by the ground crew doing a splendid job.



After a mission the ground crew would be at the dispersal site. They wanted not only to hear what had to be fixed, but they also wanted to hear about the mission. Flak? Enemy fighters? Anyone injured? We felt they were living the missions with us.



By the time we boarded the truck for Operations, they were hooking up generators, cleaning up the spent 50-calibar casings and getting ready for another miserable night at the dispersal area.



I assumed all crews worked under the same SOP. Each aircrew member reported any malfunctions to the aircraft commander who, in turn, reported the problem to the ground crew chief. Armament, ordinance and engineering were then brought into repairing the malfunction. This combined effort had one goal -- to get the plane airworthy for the next mission.



This procedure was complicated by working conditions. Working mostly at night in the cold English weather was an ordeal by itself. Lighting had to be rigged from generators, with flashlights for close work. To get the job done required a lot of know-how and perseverance. Unless a badly damaged aircraft required major overhaul, the work was accomplished at the dispersal site. Tee crew did not have the luxury of working in a heated hangar during daylight, but in the cold of night with cold, numbed fingers. Still, the work was done--and done well.



The ground crew included ordinance, armament, and engineering. At the dispersal camp, in the hangars, at the bomb storage area or in the offices, the total effort was to do whatever was necessary the prepare the ship and airmen for the next mission.



We who were privileged to fly the missions received 95 per cent of the glory. However, those who flew were well aware that we could not have been there without the tremendous effort of the support personnel. If the war over Germany was won in the air, it started on the ground at the airbases all over England.