Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Leon R.Morgan               P     CPT 24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

2nd Lt Ralph O.Ward                CP    CPT 24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

2nd Lt Robert E.McCormick     NAV   CPT  24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

2nd Lt Albert P.Rule              BOM    KIA    6/3/44 BERLIN          (With crew of A.F.Amiero) SEE BELOW

 T/Sgt Maynard L.Lobb           TTE   CPT    4/6/44 BOULOGNE    (With Lt Lunsford Crew)

 T/Sgt Tony L.Verdusco         ROG   CPT 24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

S/Sgt David C.Lyon,Jr.           BTG  CPT  24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

S/Sgt Hugo C.Kleckner            WG   CPT   7/6/44 Nantes

S/Sgt Kenneth R.Lash            WG    CPT 24/4/44 Friedrichshafen

S/Sgt Ernest R.Gomez            TG    CPT  24/4/44 Friedrichshafen



349th Sqdn. Crew #42 As above joined the 100th BG in late Nov. 1943 0r 1/12/43

Letter from Leon Morgan of 4/12/87 says Al Rule removed from crew when

toggaliers were being phased in and then flew with lead crews.



A S/Sgt Sam J. Laface,toggalier, is listed on this crew in March 1944.



Morgan has lost track of all crew members except Hugo Kleckner who lives in

Two Rivers,Wisconsin



Letter to Jim Brown (100th Historian from Leon Morgan in 1987)



Dec. 4, 1987

Dear Jim,



     George Flanagan brought over a copy of your 100th Bomb Group Comnbat Record with your note attached and asked

that I answer it.He confirmed the fact that Tim Cavanaugh was killed in a crash, but he said Chaney was not.  He said Chaney- was

alive the last time he knew, but he has had no word of his whereabouts at this time.



You asked about the date of my crew's arrival at Station/'139.  I can't give you the axact day, but it was in the latter part of November, 1943.



     Members of the original crew were:



     2nd Lt. Leon R. Morgan, pilot

     2nd Lt. Ralph 0. Ward   Co-pilot

     2nd Lt. Robert E. McCormick, navigator

     2nd Lt.  Albert P. Rule, Bombardier

     Sgt  Maynard L. Lobb  Engineer

     Sgt. Tony Verdusco.  Radio

     Sgt. Hugo Kleckner  WG

     Sgt. David C. Lyon Jr. BT

     Sgt. Kenneth R. Lash ,Jr. WG

     Sgt. Ernest R. Gomez  TG



     Rule was taken off the crew during the togglier phase of the war and was flying with one of the lead crews when he went down over Germany. I think he was on the sameplane as Col. Kelly. (actually was KIA on Mar 6, 1944 Berlin misision with Lt Amiero pick up crew..mpf)

The only member of the crew with whom I am in contact is Hugo Kleckner.  He is living in a house within sightof the house where he was born and grew up in Two Rivers,Wisconsin.  The rest of the gang has vanished into thin air.



     I was fascinated by your description of the exploits of the Squawkin' Hawk.  I flew my first mission in it with Lt.Gossage and my last mission in it over Fredrickshaven, and I saw it lose most of its tail one day over france and still come home safely.  Some of my crew came home with it for the bond tour (June, 1944).



I hope this information is  helpful to you.



                                       Sincerely,



                                        Leon R.Morgan





MISSIONS OF CAPT. LEON MORGAN (INCOMPLETE)



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

3/3/1944   42 122 MORGAN L.R. LT P 987 HORNY II BERLIN

3/4/1944   42 123 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II BERLIN

3/6/1944   42 124 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II BERLIN

3/7/1944   42 125 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II WERL (SCRUBBED)

3/8/1944   42 126 MORGAN L.R. LT P 37783           BERLIN / ERKNER PLANT

3/13/1944 42 128 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II NOBALL/ 11 (SCRUBBED)

3/15/1944 42 129 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II BRUNSWICK

3/16/1944 42 130 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II AUGSBURG

3/17/1944 42 131 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II MUNICH

3/18/1944 42 132 MORGAN L.R. LT P 957 HORNY II MUNCIH

3/23/1944 42 135 MORGAN L.R. LT P 607               BRUNSWICK/ WAGGUM

4/9/1944   42 143 MORGAN L.R. LT P 31249 MISS CARRIAGE KRZESINKI (POSEN)

4/10/1944 42 144 MORGAN L.R. LT P 31249 MISS CARRIAGE  RHEIMS/ CHAMPAGNE

4/11/1944 42 145 MORGAN L.R. LT P 31249 MISS CARRIAGE  POSEN / ROSTOCK T.O.

4/12/1944 42 146 MORGAN L.R. LT P 710               SCHEUDITZ (RECALL)

4/13/1944 42 147 MORGAN L.R. LT P 31249 MISS CARRIAGE  AUGSBURG

4/24/1944   42                                                                                  FRIEDRICHSHAFEN



*********************************************************************************************************



CREW



1st Lt Albert F.Amiero              P    KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

F/O Howard L.Kilmer            CP  KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

2nd Lt Albert P.Rule          NAV  KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

S/Sgt Thomas S.Elliott        BOM   KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

T/Sgt John J.Kovacs         ROG  KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

T/Sgt Russell G.Gilbert        TTE   KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

S/Sgt Virgil F.Summers        BTG   KIA   6/3/44 Berlin 

S/Sgt Hobart H.Spires        WG   KIA   6/3/44 Berlin

S/Sgt Owen D.Stockton    WG   POW 6/3/44 Berlin

S/Sgt Thomas D.Baer            TG  KIA   6/3/44 Berlin



349th Sqdn.   See MACR #3019 (Micro fiche #1021).  Flying A/C #42 31731 on 

6/3/44



This appears to be a "pick up" crew. Kilmer joined tne 100th on 26/2/44 as 

an indlvidual. Baer was from the original crew of V.Reed. Kovacs was a 

"spare" on original 100th Air echelon. Stockton was from the crew of 

J.W.Brown. Hobart Spires was from the original crew of Sam L. Barr.

A.P.Rule on original crew of Leon R.Morgan.



************************************************************************************************************



Leon's education was interrupted by the war in Europe. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, (later to become the U.S. Air Force), where he eventually became a pilot, attaining the rank of captain. He received his wings in Apri1 1943 at Freeman Field, Ind. He was assigned to the 100th Bomb Group which was to be stationed in Thorpe Abbey England. This group participated in some of the very fierce bombings of Germany flying the B-17s, his favorite plane, This bomb group was known as the "Bloody 100th" because of the high rate of casualties. The crew was always relieved to return with the crew alive and the plane relatively "intact." Their plane was dubbed the "Whether or Not."



His parents knew that he was involved in the 1,000 plane raids over Germany and became increasingly uneasy as heavy casualties were being reported and no word from Leon. In his typical fashion in pre-e-mail days, when he arrived in New York just before D-Day, he sent his folks a telegram saying "Your son is back from the wars!"



Back during the days of the air war Leon's crew flew in the first daytime raids. Since his crew was one of the first to go out they were some of the first to return. An enterprising reporter, hoping for a scoop, cornered Leon and asked him how it was "up there." He replied "it was mighty cold." This quote made the front page of the New York Times and was carried on other wire services. Another confirmation to the family that he was safe.



During his tour with the Air Force he flew the B-17 1,100 hours with 190 of those in combat. Before his discharge he spent time in Florida training the new pilots. He was awarded the Air Medal with three oak clusters in recognition of 30 missions. He was also awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.



After being discharged from active duty in 1944, Leon remained in the reserves, where he was promoted to major. Leon's association with the 100th Bomb Group continued over the years as Leon often attended the reunions of the group. Leon again served his country in the Korean War, this time flying B-29s, stationed in Okinawa, flying along the Yalu River. He had the pleasure of flying with some of the legends in American military aviation, including Curtis E. LeMay.