Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Lawrence L. Bazin      P      KIA      10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

2nd Lt Charles F.Dixon         CP     FEH

2nd Lt Kenneth C.Peiffer     NAV  FEH   

2nd Lt Harry J.Chase          BOM   FEH

S/Sgt Roens W.Shearwood TTE  Evadee   10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Glenn D.Abraham,Jr.  ROG  POW      10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Paul H.Decker            TG   KIA        10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Richard D.Long          WG   POW     10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF

   Cpl Richard E.Smith         BTG  KIA        10/4/45     BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, AF



351st Sqdn.  Joined 100th Group,as above, on 11/2/45. On 10/4/45, Lt.John D.Gross from the crew of J.J.Dodrill was the NAV  in place of Kenneth Peiffer. James R.Dotson,pilot of his own crew,was flying as CP in place of Charles Dixon. Also aboard were T/Sgt Arthur T.Flowers as NG (Tog) in place of Harry Chase,and S/Sgt Robert B.Patterson as Radar Con.



Eyewitness: (MACR # 14170 " A/C 963 was forced to peel out of the formation with #2 engine feathered. Then it tried to climb back when ME 262's began pressing attack. The A/C was hit in the right wing and a large piece flew off.Then#3 & #4 engines burst into flames and it peeled off low to the right. As it went down flames were larger and it was believed to hit the ground with a terrific explosion. 

No chutes were seen.



Statement by Shearwood:  "The plane was breaking up when I got out and I was  of the opinion that no other crew member parachuted.I saw no other chutes. When I hit the ground,I did not see any of the crew." 



MISSIONS OF CREW OF LT LAWRENCE L. BAZIN FROM CPL RICHARD LONG: (mpf 2001)



1.  26/02/45 BERLIN

2. 28/02/45 KASSEL

3.   7/03/45 SIEGEN 

4.   8/03/45 GIESSEN 

5. 10/03/45 DORTMUND

6. 11/03/45 HAMBURG

7. 12/03/45 SWINEMUNDE

8. 15/03/45 ORANIENBURG

9. 17/03/45 PLAUEN (in Bill Thompsons MACR reports, it lists March 21, 1945 Plauen as the mission for Bazin Crew)   

From 22/3/45 to 6/4/45 Daniel Shaffer flew 11missions as navigator on this crew. Lt Shaffer completed his tour with this Crew

10. 22/03/45 ALHORN

11. 23/03/45 UNNA

12. 24/03/45 STEENWIJK

13. 24/03/45 ZIEGENHAIN

14. 28/03/45 HANOVER

15. 30/03/45 HAMBURG

16. 31/03/45 BAD BERKA

17. 03/04/45 KIEL

18. 04/04/45 KIEL

19. 05/04/45 NURNBURG

21. 06/04/45 LEIPZIG

22. 10/04/45 BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG



Following is the crew component for the 10 Apr 1945 mission to Magdeburg

Lawrence L. Bazin           Pilot                   KIA

James R. Dotson             Co-Pilot              KIAs in red 

John D. Gross                 Navigator           POW

Arthur W. Flowers           Nose Gunner      KIA

Glenn D. Abraham, Jr.      Radio Operato    POW

Roens W. Shearwood       Flight Engineer    EVA

Richard E. Smith             Ball Turret G       KIA

Paul H. Decker               Tail Gunner        KIA

Robert B. Patterson        Radar C.            POW

Richard D. Long             Waist Gunner     POW



A/C#43 38963 MACR#14170,fiche #5162





From son, Stephen Long, by letter... directly as written:

 

LONG, RICHARD D., 351ST SQ.  SEPT 27, 2011.  WAS THE WAIST GUNNER ON LAWRENCE BAZIN'S B-17 AIRCRAFT OUT OF THROPE ABBOTTS ON APRIL 10, 1945, ON HIS 21ST MISSION, WHEN IT WAS SHOT DOWN BY GERMAN ME 262.  AFTER THE TAIL GUNNER WAS SHOT AND THE PILOT BAZIN WAS TRYING TO FEATHER THE LOST #2 ENGINE AND GET BACK INTO FORMATION, THE RIGHT WING WAS SEVERED IN THE SECOND PASS.  DALE INDICATED THAT THE COCKPIT WAS HIT AND AS THE PLANE STARTED TO SPIN HE AND 4 OTHERS WAS ABLE TO EXIT OUT OF THE REAR DOOR, PARACHUTING DOWN AND SEEING AIRCRAFT CRASHING.  HE WAS TAKEN P.O.W. FOR 11 DAYS AT THE END OF THE HOSTILITIES.  HE JOINED THE 100TH FEB 1945 AND WAS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE 100TH BG ASSOCIATION, AND ATTENDED MANY REUNIONS.  DALE WENT BACK TO OHIO AND HIS FAMILY AFTER HIS DISCHARGE, AND RETIRED AFTER 28 YEARS WITH A PLASTICS COMPANY.  DALE WAS A MASTER MASON AND BECAME RIGHT EMINENT GRAND COMMANDER OF THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR IN THE STATE OF OHIO, 1994-1995.  IN 1993 HE AND HIS WIFE ALICE CELEBRATED THEIR 50TH WEDDING  ANIVERSARY BEFORE HER DEATH IN 1996.  DALE'S SON STEPHEN, GRANDSON DARREN AND GRAN DAUGHTER KILEY, HAS CARRIED ON THE FAMILY AIR FORCE TRADITION AS AIRMEN.  (PROUD DAUGHTER ELLYN, SON STEVE AND WIDOW RUTH LONG)