Personnel

CREW

2nd Lt Billy B. Blackman         P  POW 31/12/44 HAMBURG

2nd Lt Robert E. Freshour    CP    KIA 31/12/44 HAMBURG 

2nd Lt Michael V. Repole    NAV   CPT 15/4/45 ROYAN

2nd Lt Wiilliam M. Sterrett   NAV   POW  31/12/44 HAMBURG

Cpl Robert E. Fortney      ROG  KIA  31/12/44 HAMBURG

Cpl Joseph T. Pearl         TTE   KIA  31/12/44 HAMBURG

Cpl Byron W. Nelson         BTG  NOC

Cpl Basil Numack              TG   KIA  31/12/44 HAMBURG

Sgt Thomas C. Pace     WG   POW  31/12/44  HAMBURG

Cpl Andrew M. Herbert, JR     TOG  POW 31/12/44 HAMBURG



418th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined 100th Group on 5 OCT 1944 and were on their 14th mission..

A/C #43-38215 "Grumblin Gremlin" XR-P   MACR #11364, MICRO-FICHE #4182

On this final mission, S/Sgt Stanley P.Carson 

was aboard as a BTG AND WAS KIA ...S.O.C. lists him as an TTE. he was from the crew of 

J.V.DePlanque and was apparently replacing Byron W. Nelson. 

        See S.C.C. p.87 and Sqdn. Diary for Dec.1944.



ORIGINAL CREW AND POSTIONS THAT CAME OVERSEAS:



2nd Lt Billy B.Blackman    P  

2nd Lt Robert E.Freshour    CP      

2nd Lt Michael V.Repole    NAV  

2nd Lt Wiilliam M.Sterrett   BOM   

Cpl Robert E.Fortney      ROG  

Cpl Joseph T.Pearl                 TTE   

Cpl Byron W.Nelson              BTG  

Cpl Basil Numack                WG    

Sgt Thomas C.Pace                WG   

Cpl Andrew M. Herbert, JR         TG



Lt William Sterrett states: "We kept all of our original crew except Byron Nelson, BTG and Lt Mike Repole, Nav.   Nelson

was dropped because we were allowed only a nine man crew. Lt Repole was dropped because he became sick

and went to the hospital for six weeks with yellow jaundice.  We were given a ball turret gunner who only had 6 missions

to fly.  I was checked out as a Navigator and Andy (Herbert) was checked out as toggoler. When we had flown six missons

we were given a new BTG Sgt Carson, who had the same number of missions as we did".  It appears that Cpl Numack made the 

transition to TG from WG.



 MISSION LIST OF LT BILLY BLACKMAN (mpf 2001)



1. 05/11/44 LUDWIGSHAVEN

2. 06/11/44 NEUMUNSTER

3. 10/11/44 MAINZ

4. 16/11/44 AACHEN (LANGERWEKE?)

5. 29/11/44 HAMM

6. 30/11/44 MERSEBURG

7. 02/12/44 KOBLENZ

8. 04/12/44 FRIEDBURG

9. 05/12/44 BERLIN

10. 18/12/44 MAINZ

11. 27/12/44 FULDA

12. 28/12/44 KOBLENZ

13. 29/12/44 FRANKFURT

14. 31/12/33 HAMBURG (SHOT DOWN)



 

EYEWITNESS:  "A/C 215 sustained a direct flak hit on the #2 engine which began to smoke 

  and finally stopped. E/A began to attack #125 as it began to lag.  One engine

  burst into flames and a moment later the aircraft exploded. one (1) chute was seen"



From Lt. Blackman:  "As soon as we were hit the whole right wing caught fire.  I immediately

   rang the bail out bell and the toggalier and bombardier (could be referring to the            Navigatot (Lt . William M. STerrett)....pw) went out the front escape hatch.  The plane

   then blew up, throwing Tom Pace (Thomas C. Pace), the waist gunner and 

   myself clear.  The pieces of the aircraft hit about forty (40) miles toward the 

   sea from Hamburg.



Billy Blackman and his crew were hit by flak and lost #2 engine.  A little later #3 lost oil an had to be feathered

Then #4 started losing power. unable to maintain formation, 2 FW 190's came in from the tail position firing 20MM

the cockpit was detonated and the wing burst into flames.  At about 6000 meters the aircraft exploded.  4 managed to escape

or were blown out, 5 were KIA.