S/Sgt
John A. MILLER
Click here to see album - 4 items
Click here to see album - 4 items
Click here to see album - 4 items
Click here to see album - 4 items
Hometown During Time of Service: Kokomo, IN
Army Serial Number: 15333067
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 349th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Waist Gunner
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown
Additional 100th Service Notes
Status: CPT
Comments: 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY - NO BALL (100th Legend)
Media Articles
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Media Item | Type | Page | Volume/Issue | Broadcast Source | Time | Description | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Miller in crew library at Thorpe Abbotts | The Indianapolis News March 10 1944 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Chalmer Anderson, John Miller, Gordon Lane mission mishap | The Wilsonville Review (NE) July 6 1944 | 12:00 am | |||||
| John Miller discharged | The Kokomo Tribune Dec 1 1944 | 12:00 am |
Comments and Notes
Memo 1:
CREW
2ND LT COY I. MONTGOMERY P KIA 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT ROBERT F. CONNAWAY CP POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT FRANK C LAVER NAV POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT JAMES D. FULTON BOM POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
T/SGT GEORGE W. BURTON TTE POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN (SEE NOTE BELOW)
S/SGT LOLA D. FLORIDA TTE POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT (with Lt John Brown Crew)
S/SGT GEORGE D. TOOMEY, JR. ROG POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT (with Lt John Brown Crew)
SGT JOHN A. MILLER RWG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNEY (NO-BALL) (never flew a mission with this Crew)
SGT EARL W. RITTER TG POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT JUNIOR L. BUCHER LWG POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
349th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 6 Jan 44 (Crew #40)
S/Sgt Billy Joe Bates is pictured with this crew and listed as LWG. On the way overseas (yet still Stateside), he decided he did not want to fly and refused to go overseas with the crew. John A Miller was dispatched from his own crew (a B-24) crew on their way to Theater and told to grab his gear and was assigned to Montgomery Crew on the spot. John had neve flown on a B-17 up to this point.
For 6 Mar 44 mission see MACR #3014, Microfiche #1019. They were flying A/C #42-30170 which had flown under three names: Torchy 2nd, HOT SPIT, and MISS CARRIAGE.
On 6 Mar 44, Lt Frank C. Laver was the Navigator and a POW; Sgt Wilbur Trembley, (from Lt Stout Crew) was the ROG and a POW; T/Sgt George W. Burton was the TTE and a POW; S/Sgt Anthony Ruda was the RWG and a POW, and S/Sgt Louis P. Savell was the BTG and a POW
Eyewitness Account: "At 1215 hours just north of Hanover an A/c believed to be #170
was atttacked by enemy fighters & was shot down. four or five chutes were seen.
I.D. of this aircraft is not positive, it may have been #051."
Lt. Chadwick
The Germans buried Lt Montgomery (Coy I.) on 10 Mar 1944, noting the cause of death as crash/ burns...
S/SGT JOHN A. MILLER COMPLETED 35 MISSIONS ON 17 JULY 44 AND HAD HIT "BIG B" SIX TIMES, 5 WITH LT LAWRENCE TOWNSEND'S CREW. HE HAD SEEN COL. KELLY'S SHIP "BLOW UP", HE HAD FLOWN THE FIRST RUSSIAN SHUTTLE MISSION, WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN A Me 410, WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AND HE WAS STILL ONLY 17 YEARS OLD "GOING ON FORTY". HE FALSIFIED HIS AGE WHEN HE ENLISTED IN INDIANA IN OCTOBER 1942. HE CELEBRATED HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY ON JULY 22, 1944"
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CREW
2ND LT JOHN W.BROWN P EVADEE 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT
2ND LT ALBERT F. FITZPATRICK CP POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT
2ND LT THEODORE H. KLEINMAN NAV EVADEE 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT
2ND LT LAWSON W. CLEMENTS BOM POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT
S/SGT CHARLES R. AMBRUST WG NOC
S/SGT RICHARD F. BRADY ROG NOC
S/SGT LAWRENCE M. PRATT TTE NOC
SGT MILTON GRABEL TG KIA 25 MAY 44 BERLIN
SGT GORDON F. KEON BTG POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT
SGT OWEN D. STOCKTON WG POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
349th Sqdn. Crew joined the 100th Gp on 28 Nov 1943.. Sgt Gordon Keon was the only enlisted man of this crew
to particiapte in the Frankfurt mission of 4 FEB 44. Other aboard for this mission and their fate is a follows:
S/SGT GEORGE E. TOOMEY ROG POW (FROM C.I. MONTGOMERY CREW)
S/SGT LOLA D. FLORIDA TTE POW (FROM C.I. MONTGOMERY CREW)
S/SGT WILLIAM F. KEMP WG KIA (FIRST MISSION)
S/SGT HAROLD F. JANDERUP WG POW ( TAPS 25 SEP 69)
S/SGT RICHARD A. TANGRADI TG POW
Ship suffered severe flak damage and had three engines out over the German-Belgian border. The crew
with the exception of William Kemp, who was apparently badly wounded, bailed out safely. Gordon Keon had
a flak wound in one arm.
A statement by Theodore Kleinman after his return say the bail-out occured about 10 miles SSE of Turnhout,
Belgium and continues: "After contacting an underground unit I was placed in a house in Turnhout. Several days
later I was told something in French concerning the rest of the crew. With my meagre understaning of French, Kemp
was unable to leave th ship due to severe wounds and he went down with the plane. A man was found by the
Germans in the rear half of the ship with his head badly battered, but alive. I later recieved a report the man with the
battered head died."
German records in the MACR file confirm a badly wounded man found in the ship died in the hospital the following day.
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S/Sgt John A. Miller Flew two missions with this Crew,
CREW
LT CLEMENT H. COWAN P WIA 16 MAR 44 AUGSBURG (FLAK)
LT HANK A. DIBBERN CP CPT
LT FRED W. ROBERTSON NAV CPT
LT HAROLD L. "HEINIE" HEYNEMAN BOM
T/SGT SHERWYN W. "SPARKY" MEYERS ROG KIA 18 MAR 44 AUGSBURG
T/SGT MURRAY W. HOLDITCH TTE NOC
S/SGT WILLIAM A. GEIGLE BTG NOC
S/SGT ROBERT PATRICK RWG NOC
S/SGT JOHN A. MILLER RWG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNEY (fill in gunner for only two missions)
S/SGT ADAM C. STOPPEL LWG NOC
S/SGT HORACE R. KEMBLE TG CPT
Crew joined the 100th BG, 349th BS on 8 Jan 44. This Crew flew "SPARKY" a/c 231723 XR-R
The following form contents were entered on 6th Aug 2002
EMAIL = Heine48@aol.com
UNAME = James P. Heyneman
CONNECTION = I am a relative of a 100th veteran
COMMENTS = My father Harold L. Heyneman passed away on March 28, 2002 and I have found the mission list for the Clement H. Cowan crew as written by my father and Lieutenant Hank Dibbern, co-pilot on the crew. My father, Lieutenant Harold L. Heyneman was the bombardier on the crew. All the missions listed were flown with Cowan as the pilot until April 29, 1944 when the crew flew with Wilson as pilot then Lunsford and later Trapnell.
Date: Plane Name and # Target
January 24, 1944 Plane-Section Eight #249 Frankfurt
February 3, 1944 Plane-Layden Maiden II #018 Wilhelmshaven
February 5, 1944 Plane-Squawkin Hawk #088 Villacoublay
February 13, 1944 Plane-Murderer's Row #239817 No Ball
February 20, 1944 Plane-(unknown), Posen, Poland
February 21,1944 Plane-Torchy III #4230487 Osnabruck
February 24, 1944 Plane-Section Eight #249 Posen, Poland
February 25, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Regensburg
February 28, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 No Ball
February 29, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 Brunswick
March 2, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Chartres (John A. Miller RWG on this mission)
March 3, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Berlin (john A. Miller RWG on this mission)
March 6, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Berlin (Bloody Monday) Lost from the 349th Squadron (Murry, Amiero, Koper and Montgomery)
March 9, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Berlin
March 15, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Brunswick
March 16, 1944 Plane-(Section Eight)#249 Augsburg
March 18, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723, Augsburg. S/Sgt Sherwyn (Sparks) Meyers killed on this mission
March 28, 1944 Plane-(A for Able)#987 Chateaudon. Sgt. J. P. Cooper new radio operator
April 10, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 Paris (Airfield)
April 24, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 Freidrickshaven
April 26, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 Brunswick
April 27, 1944 Plane-(Sparky)#723 Cherbourg (Morning)
April 27, 1944 Plane-(Miss Ma Lovin)#788 Near Metz, Leculot, Airfield in France(Afternoon)
April 28, 1944 Plane-(Sparky) #723 Cherbourg (Sottevast-Lost Col Kelly)
April 29, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Berlin
May 9, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Laon/Couvron (airfield)
May 12, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Brux, Czechoslovakia
June 6, 1944 Plane-(unknown) D-Day (Somewhere in France)
July 11, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Munich
July 14, 1944 Plane-(unknown) Nancy, France (Maquis Supply Drop)
July 17, 1944 Plane-(Traps)#977 Auxerre, Plane caught fire enroute to target. Made it back to England where all bailed out safely.
Subj: 100th BG_Photo_Archivist
Date: 2/4/2002 7:28:22 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Heine48
To: MPFaley
THE ERROR I AM REPORTING IS OF THE LT. CLEMENT H. COWAN CREW OF THE 349TH SQUADRON PAGE 4, 17TH PICTURE DOWN THE PAGE. THE PHOTOGRAPH OF LT. CLEMENT H. COWAN CREW IS INCORRECT. ACCORDING TO MY FATHER HAROLD L. HEYNEMAN WHO IS STILL LIVING ON THIS DATE OF 02-04-02 AND WAS THE BOMBARDIER ON THE CREW TELLS ME THAT THE BOTTOM ROW OF THE PICTURE IS CORRECT, LEFT TO RIGHT (CLEMENT H. COWAN,Pilot, HANK A.DIBBERN,CP, FRED W. ROBERTSON,NAV, HAROLD L. HEYNEMAN,BOM, THE TOP ROW LEFT TO RIGHT SHOULD BE MURRAY W.HOLDITCH,TTE, WILLIAM A. GEIGLE,BTG, SHERWYN W. MEYERS,ROG, ADAM C. STOPPEL,LWG, ROBERT PATRICK,RWG, AND HORACE R. KEMBLE,TG. MY FATHER TELLS ME THAT JOHN A. MILLER WAS ORIGINALLY ON 2ND LT. COY I. MONTGOMERY'S CREW BUT WAS THROWN OFF AFTER AN ARGUMENT AND WAS ONLY ON THE COWAN CREW FOR TWO MISSIONS WHILE ROBERT PATRICK WAS ON ANOTHER ASSIGNMENT. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS YOU CAN CONTACT MY FATHER WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE 100TH BOMB GROUP FOUNDATION, AT HIS RESIDENCE OF 827 WRIGHT AVE. TOLEDO, OHIO 43609 OR PHONE 419-382-7551
EMAIL = HEINE48@AOL.COM
UNAME = JAMES HEYNEMAN
CONNECTION = I am a relative of a 100th veteran
COMMENTS = On your crews page, you make note that you only list crew records of the pilots. My father LT. Harold L. Heyneman 349th squadron, Lt. Cowan crew (BOM)told me he flew with many different crews after his Augsburg raid of March 16, 1944 when his radio operator was killed and he never saw Lt.Cowan again after they landed at Thorpe Abbotts. He had been injured (flak). Would you have any additional information concerning my father that is not listed, such as missions, date he completed his missions or anything of regarding his service at Thorpe Abbotts. Thank You
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CREW
2nd Lt Lawrence E.Townsend P POW 25/7/44 ST LO TAPS: 1982
2nd Lt Edward H.Fehrenkamp CP REC 11/9/44 RUHLAND (with Lt Herres Crew) TAPS: 30 AUG 1988
2nd Lt Arnold L.Holmes NAV EVADEE 25/7/44 ST LO Flew 35 missions according to Escape and Evasion report
2nd Lt George D.Gardner BOM POW 25/7/44 ST LO TAPS: 1984
Cpl.Tracey Fisher TTE Annoxia on way over to England, Died upon landing.
S/Sgt Robert H.Dunbar ROG NOC On Crew till April 12, transferred to Lt G.S. Allen Crew
Sgt Chalmers M.Anderson BTG POW 25/7/44 ST LO TAPS: 1988
S/Sgt Gordon M.Lane WG POW 25/7/44 ST LO
Sgt Walter W.Kolar WG EVADEE 25/7/44 ST LO (became TTE when Fisher died,)
Sgt Earl C.Milam TG POW 25/7/44 ST LO TAPS: 1957
349th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 9/3/44.
Lt Burkhart was from the crew of S.D. Eichen and replaced Lt Edward H. Fehrenkamp 25 Jul 1944. T/Sgt Glasser (from Lt Frank Harte Crew) took over as ROG on the Crew on May 7, 1944 Berlin mission and completed his tour with Townsend Crew. S/Sgt Robert H. Dunbar flew missions with Townsend Crew until April 12, 1944 then went with Lt G.S. Allen Crew. T/Sgt Glasser became an EVADEE and 2nd Lt Andrew J.Burkhart was a POW.
Lt Fehrenkamp flies 9 missions with this crew and then is replaced with different CP's from 1 May 44 until 19 Jun 44. He returns to the Crew on 20 June 44 and continues flying missions with this crew until 14 June 44. He is replaced on the Crew by Lt Burkhart from the crew of S.D. Eichen.Lt Fehrenkamp flew his last mission with Lt Herres on Sept 11, 1944 mission to Ruhland. S/Sgt John A. Miller took over as WG when Walter Kolar became TTE.
During May and early June, the following co-pilots flew with the Lt Townsend Crew:
F/O P.V. Lammers May 1, 1944
Lt F.W. Craft- May 7, 1944
Lt H.A. Debbern May 8, 1944
Lt P.L. Mitchell May 12,1944 & June 6, 7, 1944
Lt D.L. Roth May 13, 19, 20, 1944 & June 2, 1944
Missions for Lt Lawrence E. Townsend
Date A/C# & Name Target
1. 3/22/1944 957 Horny II ORANIENBURG (BERLIN)
2. 3/23/1944 710 The Savage BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM
3. 3/28/1944 088 Squawkin Hawk CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX
4. 4/1/1944 347 Billy Boy LUDWIGSHAFEN
4/7/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)
5. 4/8/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK
4/9/1944 347 Billy Boy KRZESINKI (POSEN) (RECALL)
6. 4/10/1944 347 Billy Boy RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE
7. 4/11/1944 347 Billy Boy POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.
4/12/1944 347 Billy Boy SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)
8. 4/18/1944 BERLIN
9. 4/19/1944 LIPPSTADT
10. 4/20/1944 MARQUENVILLE & FLOTTEMANVILLE-HAGUE
11. 4/22/1944 HAMM
12. 4/24/1944 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
13. 4/28/1944 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) LOST COL KELLY
14. 5/1/1944 957 Horny II SAARGUEMINES/WIZERNES
15. 5/7/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
16. 5/8/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN & LAGLACERIE
17. 5/12/1944 107230 Yehudi BRUX, OIL REFINERY
18. 5/13/1944 107230 Yehudi OSNABRUCK
19. 5/19/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
20. 5/20/1944 31987 Shilaylee BRUSSELS
21. 6/6/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALAISE/OUISTREHAM
22. 6/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck NANTES (BRIDGES)
23. 6/19/1944 102416 Lady Luck CORME ECLUSE, AF
24. 6/20/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALLERSLEBEN
25. 6/21/1944 102416 Lady Luck RUHLAND (START OF RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)
26. 6/26/1944 102416 Lady Luck DROHOBYCZ (from Russia)
27. 7/3/1944 102416 Lady Luck ARAD (RUMANIA) (from Russia, Landed in Italy)
28. 7/5/1944 102416 Lady Luck BEZIER (FROM ITLAY, Landed in England)
29. 7/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck BOHLEN/MERSEBURG
30. 7/12/1944 102416 Lady Luck MUNICH (IND. AREA)
31. 7/14/1944 97806 Now An' Then SOUTH OF FRANCE
32. 7/17/1944 97806 Now An' Then AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY
33. 7/19/1944 97806 Now An' Then SCHWEINFURT & DUREN
34. 7/24/1944 102416 Lady Luck ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
35. 7/25/1944 102416 Lady Luck ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
EYEWITNESS: A/C #416 was believed to have been hit by flak from St. Lo shortly after bombs away and before reaching
the R.P. (Rally Point) . Fire broke out inside the A/C and #2 engine began to smoke. Crewmen began bailing out of the ship
which appeared to be flying on APCE. Nine chutes were seen, this would account for the entire crew.
This was the 35th mission for this crew. S/Sgt Walter W. Kolar, evaded the Germans
for a few days until the advancing Allied Forces reached his position. He then joined a tank crew and fought until
wounded . His new found armored buddies took him to the aid station, where the medical personell discovered S/Sgt Kolar
was Army Air Force. They terminated his short but popular ground combat career and placed him in the hospital.
He must have been one of the 100th's most intrepid warriors..
See SPLASHER SIX (Spring 1977 page 3 & Summer 1978 "TAPS" for Arnold Holmes.Also see S.O.C. p.71.
Hello,
I am a french historian in the Paris aera.
From our sources, the B-17 "Lady Luck" 349th BS was crashed in the Paris aera on the 25 july44.
But from your sources, the plane was crashed near St Lô in Normandie, about 400 km…. Do you know anything about it. A eventual picture of the "Lady Luck"
Best Regards.
Bruno Renoult.
bruno.renoult@club-internet.fr
SOME BRIEF NOTES ON
T/SGT WALTER W. KOLAR
TTE WITH LARRY TOWNSEND CREW
Walter W. Kolar enlisted on September 29, 1942 at Camp New Cumberland Gap, PA after the Pearl Harbor event and decided to join the Air Corp. He did his basic training at Miami and attended a series of gunnery schools from May to June 1943 at Lowrey Field and from July to September at Laredo, Texas. In November 1943 he was at the 395th Combat Crew School in Ardmore, Okla. before joining the Larry Townsend crew
After a series of training flights in the United States, the crew of Larry Townsend embarked for England and the Eighth Air Force on March 7, 1944. The crew at that time was made up of the following:
Pilot Lawrence E. Townsend
C0-Pilot Edward H. Fehrenkamp
Navigator Arnold I. Holmes
Bombardier George D. Gardner
Radio Robert H. Dunbar
Engineer Tracey Fisher
Waist Gunner Gordon M. Lane
Waist Gunner Walter W. Kolar
Tail Gunner Earl C. Milam
Ball Turret Chalmers Anderson
On the flight over the North Atlantic, from Goose Bay Labrador, the plane ran into a sever thunderstorm and was forced to climb to an altitude of 35,000 feet. The entire crew was on oxygen during this time. At one point, without informing anybody, Mr. Fisher climbed out of his top turret position and proceeded to move toward the waist of the plane. He was half-way there when he collapsed from lack of oxygen. He was noticed by both Mr. Lane and Mr. Kolar when he collapsed and they both moved to assist Mr. Fisher and get an extra oxygen mask on him. The pilot immediately began a step descent to get down to about 10,00 feet where oxygen would not be necessary. Both Mr. Kolar and Mr. Lane began CPR on Mr. Fisher and worked on him constantly until an emergency landing was made in Ireland at which time emergency medical personnel were waiting to take over the revitalization of Mr. Fisher. Unfortunately, all attempts were unsuccessful and Tracey Fisher became the first casualty of the Larry Townsend crew.
On March 9, 1944, the crew flew into Thorpe Abbotts, near Diss, and became officially attached to the 100 Bomb Group, 349th Squadron. Walter W. Kolar was made Engineer/Top Turret Gunner at that point. John A. Miller joined the crew as the second waist gunner. Thus, the make-up of the crew when it began flying missions was:
Pilot Lawrence E. Townsend
Co-Pilot Edward H. Fehrenkamp
Navigator Arnold I. Holmes
Bombardier George D. Gardener
Engineer/TTE Walter W. Kolar
Radio Robert H. Dunbar
Waist Gunner Gordon M. Lane
Waist Gunner John A. Miller
Tail Gunner Earl C. Milam
Ball Turret Gunner Chalmers Anderson
After a week of practice missions the Larry Townsend crew undertook its very first mission into enemy territory, joining the 8th Air Force in bombing Berlin on March 22, 1944. According to the personal diary of Walter Kolar, the crew flew on 35 official missions and was subsequently shot down by enemy flak on the 25th of July, 1944 while providing ground support for ground troops in and around St. Lo, France. One of the early planes for the Townsend crew was “Miss Minookie”. During these missions, Kolar was credited with shooting down one and one-half German planes.
The diary of Walter W. Kolar shows the following list of missions in 1944:
1. 3/22 Berlin
2. 3/23 Brunswick
3. 3/28 Chateaudun
4. 4/1 Ludwigshaven
5. 4/8 Quackenbruck
4/9 Krzesinki (recalled no credit for Mission)
6. 4/10 Rheims
7. 4/11 Rostock
8. 4/18 Berlin
9. 4/19 Lippstadt
10. 4/20 Marquenville & Flottemanville-Hague
11. 4/22 Hamm
12. 4/24 Friedrichshafen
13. 4/28 Sottevast
14. 5/1 Saarguemines
15. 5/7 Berlin
16. 5/8 Berlin
17. 5/12 Brux
18. 5/13 Osnabruck
19. 5/19 Berlin
20. 5/20 Brussells
21. 6/3 Bolougne
22. 6/6 D-Day (2 missions)-Falaise
23. 6/6 D-Day-Ouistreham
24. 6/7 Nantes
25. 6/19 Corme Ecluse
26. 6/21 Ruhland (Russian Shuttle Mission)
27. 6/26 Drohobycz, Poland(From Russia)
28. 7/3 Arad – Romania (From Italy)
29. 7/5 Bezier (From Italy – back to England)
30. 7/12 Munich
31. 7/14 South France, Maquis Supply Drop
32. 7/17 Auxerre
33. 7/19 Duren-Schweinfurt
34. 7/24 St. Lo Ground support
35. 7/25 St. Lo Ground support (shot & evaded capture )
Walter W. Kolar, with the Larry Townsend crew, flew a total of 35 missions.
THE FATEFUL 35th…
On July 25, 1944, The crew had an early awakening, went to a briefing where they discovered that they would be participating in what was termed “A Milk Run”. The mission was to provide ground support for troops who
would be advancing into and through St. Lo, France later that day.
To the best of my recollection, we approached the IP (Initial Point) at an altitude of 21,000 feet and shortly thereafter the bomb bay released its full load of bombs. It seemed that, within seconds following the release of the bombs, the plane, Lady Luck, was struck by flak with a full burst in the bombay and waist positions of the plane. There was an immediate great ball of fire that engulfed the entire area and the alarm was sounded that the ship was badly hit and a large fire raged throughout. Pilot Larry Townsend then gave the orders for all to bail out. He put the plane on automatic pilot and apparently it flew to the outskirts of Paris before it finally crashed.
This was a nine member crew for the flight and all bailed out safely.
Six of the nine members were captured by the German forces and wound up in prison camps for the duration. Navigator Arnold Holmes became an evadee and several days later joined American ground forces. Radio man Louis Glasser likewise became an evadee and joined with American forces on July 29, 1944.
Walter W. Kolar, made a free fall to almost 1,000 feet before attempting to open his parachute. Imagine his surprise when he pulled on the red handle and it hung loose in his right hand with no chute coming out! He then frantically began tearing the covering of the chute and actually throwing out the silken folds of the parachute which gradually began to take hold when he was already approaching close to the ground. He came crashing down through an apple tree which arrested much of his momentum along with the now-opened parachute. He quickly gathered the parachute and scrambled into a rather large hedgerow at the edge of the orchard. At time, he could see German soldiers scouting the area, obviously looking for the downed airman. Kolar hid in the hedgerow all day. He buried the parachute. When hunger set in he ventured out in the evening and picked a few green apples he gobbled up as a delicacy.
After spending a cool night in the hedgerow Kolar felt he had to do something; he just couldn’t sit in the hedgerow. About seven AM the next morning he heard the sounds of an approaching wagon. Looking out, he saw a young woman leading a horse and a cart on which an old man sat holding the reins. Making a quick decision, he felt he could overpower the woman if need be, and do the same with the old man if that became necessary. At the precise moment when the wagon approached his hiding place, Kolar jumped out of the hedgerow, in front of the young woman and holding his hands high in the air declared in his high school French, “Je suis Americain! Je suis Americain!”
The young woman immediately understood the situation. She ran up to Kolar and in part English and part French was able to convey that he was very welcome. She indicated that he should return to his hedgerow hiding place and that she would return later that day, in the evening, True to her word, as dusk fell, she and the old man appeared at the hedgerow and brought food in a briefcase in the form of a loaf of bread, a bottle of red wine, and a large hunk of salami. Needless to say, the food was delicious!
The old man then showed him some old clothes that he brought and indicated that Kolar should change from his flying gear and into some civilian garb. He also brought a warm blanket. They took his flying suit and promised to burn it and get rid of it. They then told Kolar that they would be back the next morning with some papers and some miscellaneous paraphernalia. At this time they indicated that they were part of the French underground resistance movement and expressed their deep appreciation for the support of the Americans. The name of the young woman was Simone Gillette, a school teacher. The old man was Christel Julien.
True to their word, the young woman and the old man returned the next morning and delivered some official-looking papers that identified the carrier of these papers that he was a person with the name of Rene Noel.
twenty two years old, becoming a deaf mute as a result of some terrible bombing by the Americans in the vicinity of St. Lo which apparently knocked out his ear drums. The old man gave him a wheelbarrow containing a spade, a rake and a hoe, to push around during the day. He also brought a warm blanket. Kolar was stopped once by a German officer, but when he showed him his new papers, the officer simply grunted and gave them back to him and dismissed him with a wave of his hand, indicating, be gone! Kolar spent most of the morning pushing the wheelbarrow around the outskirts of St. Lo.
This was on July 27, 1944… and a look back…
What the 100th Bomb Group did was to provide ground support for troops on the 24th and 25th of July 1944. Operation Cobra was to get started on the 24th of July. After a one day postponement because of bad weather, Cobra got underway on the morning of July 25th. Both the U.S. 2nd Armored Division and the 1st Infantry Division, under the command of General Omar Bradley, joined together for the attack. They reached one of Cobra’s first objectives on the morning of the 26th, a road junction north of Le Mesnil-Herman. The VIII Corps entered the battle, led by the 8th and 90th Infantry divisions. They rolled into St. Lo by noon on July 27th, having cleared organized German resistance, and were advancing rapidly.
This was when Kolar met the American troops, took out his dog tags which he had hidden in the heels of one of his shoes, and identified himself as an American. A gunner on one of the tanks pointed a 50 caliber machine gun at him until he identified himself as an American (he was dressed in ragged old civilian clothes given to him by the old man). He was invited to join the troops and rode in an open Jeep as the entire convoy moved forward in a rapid thrust to the East.
Things became a bit hazy from this point on. Kolar remembers riding in the jeep for a couple of hours, witnessing several small skirmishes. At some point in the late afternoon, the word came around that a large number of German prisoners had been taken and volunteers were needed to take them back into the American held territory. Kolar volunteered, feeling he didn’t want to continue into Germany with the tank corps. He already had a bunch of flak wounds from the direct hit on the plane and felt he should be seeking some medical attention.
Still riding in the open jeep and with a convoy of trucks loaded with German prisoners, the group embarked upon the return trip back to American lines.
Someplace along the way the convoy was ambushed by a group of Germans. Kolar was shot in the chest. The driver of the jeep was shot in the throat. Both tumbled out of the jeep and into a small gutter alongside the road.
Kolar remembers trying to tie a handkerchief around the man’s neck to help stop the bleeding. Then nothing…blackness…
The next thing he seems to remember is a medic working over him and a priest giving him the last rites. Then again…nothing…
He next remembers waking up in the American hospital where he spent the next couple of weeks, recuperating.
In the meantime his mother had received a telegram informing her that her son was missing in action. Two weeks later she received a telegram advising her that her son was missing in action and presumed dead. One of the first things Kolar thought of was to inform his mother, and his fiancée, that he was O.K., injured but recuperating in an American hospital in France. For a couple years after the war ended, his Alma Mater, Duquesne University, listed his name on a monument on campus as one of those alumni who gave his life for his country.
It was back to England, to Thorpe Abbots, and a series of debriefings. Kolar was offered a lieutenant’s commission if he would become a lecturer on escape and evasion methods.. He declined, feeling he had had enough of the war. He was sent back to the states for a month’s leave, after which he was assigned as a gunnery instructor at Westover Field. During his one month’s leave, he married his sweetheart, Jennie Peternac, and they spent most of the month at Atlantic City where Kolar was assigned prior to Westover Field, and where he spent the remainder of the war until being honorably discharged at the Separation Center, Fort Devens, Mass. On August 22, 1945.
During his tour of duty, Walter W. Kolar earned the following awards:
Air Medals 9
Distinguished Flying Cross-2
Purple Heart-1
Presidential Citation: 2
Today, his son, David, carries as his middle name “Rene” – David Rene Kolar, and his granddaughter carries “Noelle” as her middle name – Jennie Noelle Kolar.- a couple of remembrances from 70 years ago!
***********************************************************************************************************
Missions for T/Sgt R.H. Dunbar
Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target
3/17/1944 05 131 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 710 MUNICH (ERROR)
3/18/1944 05 132 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 710 MUNICH
3/22/1944 05 134 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 957 ORANIENBURG (BERLIN)
3/23/1944 05 135 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 710 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM
3/28/1944 05 138 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 88 CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX
4/1/1944 05 140 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 LUDWIGSHAFEN
4/7/1944 05 141 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)
4/8/1944 05 142 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 QUACKENBRUCK
4/9/1944 05 143 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 KRZESINKI (POSEN)
4/10/1944 05 144 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE
4/11/1944 05 145 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.
4/12/1944 05 146 DUNBAR R.H. S/SGT ROG 347 SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)
5/25/1944 12 122 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 97393 BRUSSELS
5/27/1944 12 123 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 97393 STRASBOURG
5/28/1944 12 124 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 97393 MAGDEBURG
5/29/1944 12 125 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 97393 LEIPZIG
8/27/1944 12 186 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 6306 BERLIN (RECALL)
8/30/1944 12 187 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 6306 BREMEN
9/8/1944 12 191 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 6306 MAINZ
9/9/1944 12 192 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 6306 DUSSELDORF
9/27/1944 01 201 DUNBAR R.H. T/SGT ROG 98015 MAINZ
05 is Lt Lawrence Townsend Crew
12 is Lt G.S. Allen Crew
************************************************************************************************************
Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target
3/17/1944 09 131 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 31534 MUNICH (ERROR)
3/18/1944 09 132 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 31249 MUNICH
3/19/1944 09 133 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 487 MARQUIS, MIMMOYEQUES
3/23/1944 09 135 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 957 BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM
3/26/1944 09 136 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 SCHKEUDITZ/JU-88 PLANT
3/27/1944 09 137 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 BORDEAUX/ MERIGNAC
3/31/1944 09 139 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 LUDWIGSHAFEN /RECALLED
4/7/1944 09 141 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 QUACKENBRUCK
4/9/1944 09 143 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 KRZESINKI (POSEN)
4/10/1944 09 144 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 37783 RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE
4/11/1944 09 145 GLASSER L.P. S/SGT ROG 607 POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.
5/7/1944 05 111 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 107230 BERLIN
5/8/1944 05 112 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 107230 BERLIN & LAGLACERIE
5/12/1944 05 116 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 107230 BRUX, OIL REFINERY
5/13/1944 05 117 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 107230 OSNABRUCK
5/19/1944 05 118 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 107230 BERLIN
5/20/1944 05 119 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 31987 BRUSSELS
6/2/1944 05 128 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 BOULOGNE
6/6/1944 05 -132 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 FALAISE/OUISTREHAM
6/7/1944 05 -135 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 NANTES (BRIDGES)
6/19/1944 05 -142 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 CORME ECLUSE, AF
6/20/1944 05 -143 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 FALLERSLEBEN
6/21/1944 05 149 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 RUHLAND (START OF RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)
6/26/1944 05 149 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 DROHOBYCZ
7/3/1944 05 151 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 ARAD (RUMANIA)
7/5/1944 05 153 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 BEZIER (FROM ITALY)
7/7/1944 05 155 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 BOHLEN/MERSEBURG
7/12/1944 05 158 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 MUNICH (IND. AREA)
7/14/1944 05 160 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 97806 SOUTH OF FRANCE
7/17/1944 05 161 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 97806 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY
7/19/1944 05 163 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 97806 SCHWEINFURT & DUREN
7/24/1944 05 166 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
7/25/1944 05 167 GLASSER L.P. T/SGT ROG 102416 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
09 is Lt Frank Harte Crew
05 is Lt Lawrence Townsend Crew
****************************************************************************************************************
Missions of S/Sgt John A. Miller
1. 3/2/1944 SPARKY CHARTES, AF (flew with Lt Cowan Crew)
2. 3/3/1944 SPARKY BERLIN (Flew with Lt Cowan Crew)
3. 3/22/1944 957 Horny II ORANIENBURG (BERLIN)
4. 3/23/1944 710 The Savage BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM
5. 3/28/1944 088 Squawkin Hawk CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX
6. 4/1/1944 347 Billy Boy LUDWIGSHAFEN
4/7/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK (SCRB)
7. 4/8/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK
4/9/1944 347 Billy Boy KRZESINKI (POSEN) (RECALL)
8. 4/10/1944 347 Billy Boy RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE
9. 4/11/1944 347 Billy Boy POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.
4/12/1944 347 Billy Boy SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)
10. 4/18/1944 BERLIN
11. 4/19/1944 LIPPSTADT
12. 4/20/1944 MARQUENVILLE & FLOTTEMANVILLE-HAGUE
13. 4/22/1944 HAMM
14. 4/24/1944 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN We come home alone on the Deck from this one)
15. 4/28/1944 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) LOST COL KELLY Our Group CO of 9 days KIA, his first Mission)
16. 5/1/1944 957 Horny II SAARGUEMINES/WIZERNES
17. 5/7/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
18. 5/8/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN & LAGLACERIE
19. 5/12/1944 107230 Yehudi BRUX, OIL REFINERY
20. 5/13/1944 107230 Yehudi OSNABRUCK
21. 5/19/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
22. 5/20/1944 31987 Shilaylee BRUSSELS
23 6/3/1944 BOLUGNE
24. 6/6/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALAISE/OUISTREHAM
25. 6/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck NANTES (BRIDGES)
26. 6/19/1944 102416 Lady Luck CORME ECLUSE, AF
27. 6/20/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALLERSLEBEN
28. 6/21/1944 102416 Lady Luck RUHLAND (START OF RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)
29. 6/26/1944 102416 Lady Luck DROHOBYCZ (from Russia)
30. 7/3/1944 102416 Lady Luck ARAD (RUMANIA) (from Russia, Landed in Italy)
31. 7/5/1944 102416 Lady Luck BEZIER (FROM ITLAY, Landed in England)
32. 7/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck BOHLEN/MERSEBURG
33. 7/12/1944 102416 Lady Luck MUNICH (IND. AREA)
34. 7/14/1944 97806 Now An' Then SOUTH OF FRANCE
35. 7/17/1944 97806 Now An' Then AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY
Memo 2:
Part 2 - John A. Miller Memo and Crew Notes:
S/SGT JOHN A. MILLER COMPLETED 35 MISSIONS ON 17 JULY 44 AND HAD HIT "BIG B" SIX TIMES, 5 WITH LT LAWRENCE TOWNSEND'S CREW. HE HAD SEEN COL. KELLY'S SHIP "BL0W UP", HE HAD FLOWN THE FIRST RUSSIAN SHUTTLE MISSION, WAS CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN A Me 410, WAS AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AIR MEDAL, AND HE WAS STILL ONLY 17 YEARS OLD "GOING ON FORTY". HIS PARENTS SIGNED HIS ENLISTEMENT PAPERS WHEN HE WAS 16 WHEN HE ENLISTED IN INDIANA IN OCTOBER 1942. HE CELEBRATED HIS 18TH BIRTHDAY ON JULY 22, 1944"
John A. Miller first trained in B-24's, here is the crew
The Benjamin Chase Crew
Standing: S/Sgt. Marlin Olson - Flight Engineer (not on Steyr mission), Sgt. ? Radio Operator, Pvt. Russel Capogreco - Right Waist Gunner, Sgt. Martin Yerick - Tail Gunner, S/Sgt. David Fairley - Nose Gunner.
Kneeling: 2nd Lt. Benjamin B. Chase - Pilot, 2nd. Lt. Wayne Nesbitt - Bombardier, 2nd. Lt. Edward Pine - Navigator, 2nd. Lt. Merwin Combest - Co-Pilot. Photo taken in November of 1943 at Grand Island, Nebraska. Also on board during the Steyr mission was three replacement crew members: T/Sgt. Pasquale Agresta - Flight Engineer, S.Sgt. Freeman Smith - Top Turret Gunner, Sgt. Arthur Phelan - Ball Turret Gunner.
Their plane was shot down by fighters during Mission 216 to Steyr, Austria. The plane crashed at St. Valentin, Austria on 2-23-44. This crew was originally a part of the Pomoroy Provisional Group. The Pomoroy Provisional Group had 490 crew members that served as replacement crews for various Bomb Groups in the 15th Air Force.
MACR: 2584
DATE:02/23/44
AIRCRAFT:B-24J
SERIAL NUMBER:42-100255
BOMB GROUP: 376BG 12 BS
PILOT: Chase, Benjamin B
TARGET: Steyr Austr1a
S/Sgt. Marlin Olson - Flight Engineer (not on Steyr mission),
Sgt. Frank Perrin Jr. - Left Waist Gunner, ( REPLACED John Miller on Crew)
Pvt. Russel Capogreco - Right Waist Gunner,
Sgt. Martin Yerick - Tail Gunner,
S/Sgt. David Fairley - Nose Gunner.
S/Sgt ? Radio Operator
2nd Lt. Benjamin B. Chase - Pilot,
2nd. Lt. Wayne Nesbitt - Bombardier,
2nd. Lt. Edward Pine - Navigator,
2nd. Lt. Merwin Combest - Co-Pilot.
John A. Millers B-24 Crew
Sept 1943, at Biggs Field TX the plane was on night maneuvers and landed short of the runway.
Accident Report #: 430819 CHASE, BENJAMIN B-2 42-79 BIGGS FIELD, TX
He arrived at Thorpe Abbotts with the Montgomery Crew but did not fly a mission with them. John was originally trained for B-24's and was waiting with his B-24 crew to fly overseas when an Officer came in, Said is there a John Miller here, get your things your coming with us. He was led to a waiting B-17 that was headed for England. S/Sgt Billy Joe Bates WG on Montgomery Crew decided he did not want to fly and refused to go overseas with the crew. John A Miller was dispatched from his own crew (a B-24) crew on their way to Theater and told to grab his gear and was assigned to Montgomery Crew on the spot. John had neve flown on a B-17 up to this point. John had never been on a B-17 and his first introduction was to hit his head on the Wing!
CREW
2ND LT COY I. MONTGOMERY P KIA 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT ROBERT F. CONNAWAY CP POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT FRANK C LAVER NAV POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
2ND LT JAMES D. FULTON BOM POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
S/SGT LOLA D. FLORIDA TTE POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT (with Lt John Brown Crew)
S/SGT GEORGE D. TOOMEY JR ROG POW 4 FEB 44 FRANKFURT (with Lt John Brown Crew)
SGT JOHN A. MILLER RWG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNEY (NO-BALL)
SGT JUNIOR L. BUCHER LWG POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT EARL W. RITTER TG POW 6 MAR 44 BERLIN
349th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 6 Jan 44 (Crew #40)
On 6 Mar 44, Lt Frank C. Laver was the Navigator and a POW; Sgt Wilbur Trembley, (from Lt Stout Crew) was the ROG and a POW; T/Sgt George W. Burton was the TTE and a POW; S/Sgt Anthony Ruda was the RWG and a POW, and S/Sgt Louis P. Savell was the BTG and a POW . They were flying A/C #42-30170 which had flown under three names: Torchy 2nd, HOT SPIT, and MISS CARRIAGE
Eyewitness Account: "At 1215 hours just north of Hanover an A/c believed to be #170
was atttacked by enemy fighters & was shot down. four or five chutes were seen.
I.D. of this aircraft is not positive, it may have been #051."............Lt. Chadwick
John Miller never flew a mission with the Montgomery Crew and was placed in the Spare gunners pool. In the Beginning of March 1944, He flew two missions with Lt Clement Cowen Crew on March 2nd and March 3rd.
CREW
LT CLEMENT H. COWAN P NOC
LT HANK A. DIBBERN CP CPT
LT FRED W. ROBERTSON NAV CPT
LT HAROLD L. HEYNEMAN BOM WIA 16 MAR 44 AUGSBURG (FLAK)
T/SGT SHERWYN W. "SPARKY" MEYERS ROG KIA 16 MAR 44 AUGSBURG
T/SGT MURRAY W. HOLDITCH TTE NOC
S/SGT WILLIAM A. GEIGLE BTG NOC
S/SGT ROBERT PATRICK RWG NOC
S/SGT ADAM C. STOPPEL LWG NOC
S/SGT HORACE R. KEMBLE TG CPT
Crew joined the 100th BG, 349th BS on 8 Jan 44. This Crew flew "SPARKY" a/c 231723 XR-R.
After the horrendous losses the 100th Bomb Group sustained over Berlin on March, 3, 4, 6, 8, 1944, John found himself alone in his nissan hut. All of the other spare gunners were either KIA or MIA over Europe. After a week of staring at empty beds and belongings being carted away, John spoke up to Capt Sumner Reeder, (temp CO, 349th BS) who immediately gave him a pass to London. When John returned from London on the Morning of March 22, 1944, the sentries asked him what he was doing off base! John had been scheduled for a mission that day (even though he had a pass and had just returned). He ran and grabbed all his gear and headed out to his assigned crew he was to fill in for that day. He just nearly made it. Throwing everything onboard he settled in and when the time was right he asked where they were headed? The response back was, the target for today is BERLIN!!!! John felt sick, all his buddies had gone down over this target. That day, and for the rest of his tour, John A. Miller would be flying with the Crew was Lt Lawrence Townsend.
CREW
2nd Lt Lawrence E.Townsend P POW 25/7/44 ST LO
2nd Lt Edward H.Fehrenkamp CP REC 11/9/44 RUHLAND (with Lt Herres Crew)
2nd Lt Arnold I.Holmes NAV EVA 25/7/44 ST LO
2nd Lt George D.Gardner BOM POW 25/7/44 ST LO
Cpl.Tracey Fisher TTE DIED FEB 1944 Anoxia on way over to England, Died upon landing. See Kolar notes below
S/Sgt Robert H.Dunbar ROG NOC On Crew till April 12, transferred to Lt G.S. Allen Crew
Sgt ChalmersM.Anderson BTG POW 25/7/44 ST LO
S/Sgt Gordon M.Lane WG POW 25/7/44 ST LO
Sgt Walter W.Kolar WG EVA 25/7/44 ST LO (became TTE when Fisher died,)
Sgt Earl C.Milam TG POW 25/7/44 ST LO
349th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 9/3/44.
Lt Burkhart was from the crew of S.D. Eichen and replaced Lt Edward H. Fehrenkamp 25 Jul 1944. T/Sgt Glasser (from Lt Frank Harte Crew) took over as ROG on the Crew on May 7, 1944 Berlin mission and completed his tour with Townsend Crew. S/Sgt Robert H. Dunbar flew missions with Townsend Crew until April 12, 1944 then went with Lt G.S. Allen Crew. T/Sgt Glasser became an EVADEE
and 2nd Lt Andrew J.Burkhart was a POW.
Lt Fehrenkamp flies 9 missions with this crew and then is replaced with different CP's from 1 May 44 until 19 Jun 44. He returns to the Crew on 20 June 44 and continues flying missions with this crew until 14 June 44. He is replaced on the Crew by Lt Burkhart from the crew of S.D. Eichen.Lt Fehrenkamp flew his last mission with Lt Herres on Sept 11, 1944 mission to Ruhland. S/Sgt John A. Miller took over as WG when Walter Kolar became TTE.
During May and early June, the following co-pilots flew with the Lt Townsend Crew:
F/O P.V. Lammers May 1, 1944
Lt F.W. Craft- May 7, 1944
Lt H.A. Debbern May 8, 1944
Lt P.L. Mitchell May 12,1944 & June 6, 7, 1944
Lt D.L. Roth May 13, 19, 20, 1944 & June 2, 1944
Missions of S/Sgt John A. Miller
1. 3/2/1944 231723 "SPARKY" CHARTES, AF (flew with Lt Cowan Crew)
2. 3/3/1944 231723 "SPARKY" BERLIN (Flew with Lt Cowan Crew)
3. 3/22/1944 957 Horny II ORANIENBURG (BERLIN) 1st mission with Townsend Crew
4 3/23/1944 710 The Savage BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM
5. 3/28/1944 088 Squawkin Hawk CHATEAUDUN/ EVREUX
6. 4/1/1944 347 Billy Boy LUDWIGSHAFEN
4/7/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK SCRUBBED
7. 4/8/1944 347 Billy Boy QUACKENBRUCK
4/9/1944 347 Billy Boy KRZESINKI (POSEN) (RECALL)
8. 4/10/1944 347 Billy Boy RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE
9. 4/11/1944 347 Billy Boy POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.
4/12/1944 347 Billy Boy SCHEUDITZ RECALL)
10. 4/18/1944 BERLIN
11. 4/19/1944 LIPPSTADT
12. 4/20/1944 MARQUENVILLE & FLOTTEMANVILLE-HAGUE
13. 4/22/1944 HAMM
14. 4/24/1944 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (We come home alone on the Deck from this one)
15. 4/28/1944 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) LOST COL KELLY Our Group CO of 9 days KIA, his first Mission)
16. 5/1/1944 957 Horny II SAARGUEMINES/WIZERNES
17. 5/7/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
18. 5/8/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
19. 5/12/1944 107230 Yehudi BRUX, OIL REFINERY
20. 5/13/1944 107230 Yehudi OSNABRUCK
21. 5/19/1944 107230 Yehudi BERLIN
22. 5/20/1944 31987 Shilaylee BRUSSELS
23. 6/3/1944 BOLOUGNE
24. 6/6/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALAISE/OUISTREHAM
25. 6/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck NANTES (BRIDGES)
26. 6/19/1944 102416 Lady Luck CORME ECLUSE, AF
27. 6/20/1944 102416 Lady Luck FALLERSLEBEN
28. 6/21/1944 102416 Lady Luck RUHLAND (START OF RUSSIAN SHUTTLE)
29. 6/26/1944 102416 Lady Luck DROHOBYCZ (POLAND) (from Russia)
30. 7/3/1944 102416 Lady Luck ARAD (RUMANIA) (from Russia, Landed in Italy)
31. 7/5/1944 102416 Lady Luck BEZIER (from Italy, Landed in England)
32. 7/7/1944 102416 Lady Luck BOHLEN/MERSEBURG
33. 7/12/1944 102416 Lady Luck MUNICH
34. 7/14/1944 97806 Now An' Then SOUTH OF FRANCE
35. 7/17/1944 97806 Now An' Then AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY
Photos
Crew List
1st Crew List
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Rank | Name | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lt | MONTGOMERY, Coy I. | P | KIA |
| Lt | CONNAWAY, Robert F. | CP | POW |
| Lt | LAVER, Frank C. | NAV | POW |
| Lt | FULTON, James W. | BOM | POW |
| T/Sgt | BURTON, George W. | TTE | POW |
| S/Sgt | FLORIDA, Lola D. | TTE | POW |
| S/SGT | SAVELL, Louis P. | BTG | POW |
| S/SGT | BATES, Billy J. | WG | RFS |
| S/Sgt | BUCHER, Junior L. | WG | POW |
| S/Sgt | MILLER, John A. | WG | CPT |
| S/Sgt | RUDA, Anthony E. | WG | POW |
| S/Sgt | RITTER, Earl W. | TG | POW |
2nd Crew List
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Rank | Name | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lt | TOWNSEND, Lawrence E. | P | POW |
| Lt | BURKHART, Andrew | CP | POW |
| T/SGT | GLASSER, Louis P. | ROG | EVA |
| S/Sgt | MILLER, John A. | WG | CPT |
