Personnel

CREW

                                                MACR #68l #Mlcrofiche #225

2nd Lt Thomas D. Hummel        P   POW   17/8/43  Regensburg 

2nd Lt Michael C.Doroski            CP  POW   17/8/43  Regensburg  

2nd Lt Archie S.Depew  NAV POW   17/8/43  Regensburg 

2nd Lt Norman Brewster  BOM  POW   17/8/43  Regensburg 

S/Sgt John E.Devich  TTE  Injured in accident on base

S/Sgt Richard E. Bowler TTE KIA   17/8/43  Regensburg 

S/Sgt Nelson O.Gunnar  WG  POW    17/8/43   Regensburg 

S/Sgt Lorenzo D.Bishoff  BTG  Grd Illiness

S/Sgt Francis T. Stafford  BTG POW   17/8/43  Regensburg

S/Sgt Donald J. Meeker  ROG  POW    17/8/43  Regensburg  

S/Sgt Kenneth T.O'Connor WG  KIA         17/8/43  Regensburg 

S/Sgt Gordon A.Williams TG  POW       17/8/43  Regensburg 



 350th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group 14/7/43.  The first replacement Crew in the 350th BS.  A/C 42-30311 LN-T



On the Regensburg mission. this crew was flying as left wing to Roy Claytor who was leading the second element of the low squadrin. Truly "tail end Charlie" to not only the 100th Group but the entire Regensburg force. Attacked by e/a about 10 minutes before reaching Nurenburg,Hummel's plane was seen to"blow up" but some chutes were seen. On this final flight of 17/8/43 Devich & Bishoff were replaced by S/Sgt Richard E.Bowler & S/Sgt Francis T.J.Stafford.  Bowler was KIA  and Stafford became a POW. J.E.Devich had sustained a broken wrist and other injuries when one dark night he ran his bicycle into a ditch near the base. "THEY NEVER HAD IT SO G0OD" p.75 notes that ". . . . a last man,Bishoff, was later removed from the crew for hospitalization and his place taken by a spare gunner." See also TNHISG p.81 re Dick Bowler.



First mission for this crew was 26/7/43 Trondheim,;Norway.Then Rostock,Ger.28/7/43,Keil,Ger. 2/8/43, Warnemunde,Ger. 5/8/43 and Lille,France 15/8/43    See letter 6/4/87 from T.D.Hummel 



Eyewitness report:  "Saw Hummel blow up about 10 minutes before reaching

                     Nurenburg at Bad  Mergerheim."

                                                   Lt.J.K.Justice



"Hummel's A/C blew up 20 minutes before target. three chutes seen".

                                                   Lt.B.A.DeMarco



Sgt. Bowler was badly wounded by ME lO9 and probably died during descent in chute or upon landing. Sgt.O'Connor,it is  believed by crew members did not jump although able to do so. Lt. Doroski said that O'connor had remarked to him that he was "afraid to ever jump from the plane". This was the fifth mission for O'Connor and the second for Bowler,



Mission List of 2nd Lt Thomas D. Hummel Crew (from 2nd Lt Michael Doroski 2002)



 DATE  TARGET   A/C NUMBER & NAME   COMMENT



1. 24/7/43 TRONDHEIM,  NORWAY

 25/7/43 WARNEMUNDE, GERMANY 230047 SWEATER GIRL  ABORT-BOLT STUD MISSING

 26/7/43 HANOVER,    GERMANY 25878  BADGER BEAUTY  ABORT-ENGINEER GOT SICK,VOMITED IN OXYGEN               MASK

 28/7/43 OSCHERSLEBEN,GERMANY 25878  BADGER BEAUTY  ABORT-BLOWN SUPERCHARGER

2. 29/7/43 WARNEMUNDE, GERMANY 23233  OUR BABY

3. 30/7/43 KASSEL,     GERMANY 23233  OUR BABY

4. 12/8/43 WESSELING,  GERMANY 25878  BADGER BEAUTY

5 15/8/43 MERVILLE & LILLE, FR 230311

6. 17/8/43 REGENSBURG, GERMANY 230311