Personnel

CREW



   Lt George S.Allen                P    CPT     9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                        sn# 0-753839

   Lt Orton H.Symer,Jr.           CP   CPT     9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                        sn# 0-819210   

   Lt Thomas J. Tracy           NAV   KIA     24/5/44 BERLIN (with Lt Clarke T. Johnson Crew)

   Lt William A.Stewart          BOM   CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                         sn# 0-759879

T/Sgt Robert A. Monroe       ROG   RFS   15/8/44  VENLO (after 30 missions)                         sn# 39313008          

T/Sgt Wiilliam M..Oberman     TTE    CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                          sn# 36635419   

S/Sgt Richmond L.Bessey      BTG   CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                          sn# 31200232

Sgt Stanley Gottlieb              WG   RFS     Air Sickness (flew one mission) 

Sgt David Jacques                 WG   RFS     Was left in Base Hospital in Bangor Maine

S/Sgt Ray A. Matz                 WG   RFS     Assigned to Crew upon arrival to replace Jacques     sn# 33230747

S/Sgt Lester Jackson             TG   WIA     29/7/44 MERSEBURG   



349th Sqdn. Assigned in April 1944.  Appears as  Crew #12 on Combat Crew Roster of 11/8/44.



Lt Eluid J.Knapp  NAV (from the James W. McGuire Crew) was one of many Navigators to fly with Lt Allen's Crew.  He  CPT his 

tour with the Allen Crew on 24/8/44-RUHLAND.   S/Sgt Wilbur F.Williams, TG  (from Lt Herres Crew) replaced Sgt Jackson after Jul 29, 1944.  He CPT his tour on 9/9/44-DUSSELDORF with Allen Crew.  After one mission, Sgt Gottlieb was removed from flying staus due to air sickness and replaced by S/Sgt John Wargo (from Lt Becktoft Crew) and completed his missions on Jun 18, 1944-BRUNSBUTTELKOOG.

Upon completion of his tour, S/Sgt Ray Matz was replaced on the crew by S/Sgt Joeseph Costanza (from Lt John Keys Crew).  His first mission with the crew was Aug 15, 1944 to Venlo and his last was Sept 9, 1944 to Dusseldorf. Joe was from NYC and he fit in with the crew well.  He almost cried when we finished our tour, as he had more missions to go and dreaded flying with a new Crew.  He did complete his tour on Oc 4, 1944-NURNBURG, Crew unknow.  We had several different Navigators (Tracy, Knapp, Holmes), we never did get to know them well.  Ray Matz was grounded around the end of July due to combat fatigue.  Bob Monroe was grounded after 30 missions for the same reason.  They both went home.  The replacements were not billeted in our hut so I didn't get to know them very well.  We only spoke to one another before we went on a mission, and then we were all busy cleaning our guns, checking ammo and such.  These chores were done in darkness… courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman and son Mark  (mpf 2002)     



CREW  (Pick up Crew)



LT G. S. ALLEN             PILOT 

LT O. H. SYMER            CO-PILOT

LT A. I. HOLMES           NAVIGATOR         (from Lt Lawrence Townsend Crew)

LT W.A. STEWART         BOMBARDIER

T/SGT R.A. MONORE     RADIO OPERATOR

T/SGT W. M. OBERMAN   FLIGHT ENGINEER

S/SGT R. L. BESSEY       BALL TURRET GUNNER

S/SGT R. PATRICK         WAIST GUNNER  (flying spare gunner, from Lt Cowan Crew)

S/SGT J. P. WARGO       WAIST GUNNER  (Replacement for Sgt Gottlieb) 

S/SGT L. E. JACKSON     TAIL GUNNER     (original Crew member)





Missions Flown by S/Sgt William Oberman (mpf 2002)



      DATE             TARGET                  BOMB LOAD



1.    25/05/44       BRUSSELS                38-100 LBS

2.    27/05/44       STRASSBOURG         38-100 LBS

3.    28/05/44       MAGDEBURG            12-500 LBS

4.    29/05/44       LEIPZIG                   12-500 LBS

5.    31/05/44       OSNABRUCK             6-1000 LBS

6.    02/06/44       PARIS                      12-500 LBS

7.    04/06/44       BOLOUGNE               12-500 LBS

8.    05/06/44       BOLOUGNE               12-500 LBS

9.    06/06/44       D-DAY                      12-500 LBS

10.  07/06/44       NANTES                    2-2000 LBS

11.  18/06/44       BRUNSBUTTELKOOG   10-500 LBS

12.  19/06/44       CORME ECLUSE          10-500 LBS

13.  20/06/44       FALLERSLEBEN           2-2000 LBS

14.  21/06/44       RUHLAND                  10-500 LBS

15.  26/06/44       DROHOBYCZ              10-500 LBS

16.  03/07/44       ARAD                        10-500 LBS

17.  05/07/44       BEZIERS                    5-1000 LBS

18.  07/07/44       BOHLEN                    10-500 LBS

19.  18/07/44       KIEL                         10-500 LBS

20.  19/07/44       SCHWEINFURT           10-500 LBS

21.  21/07/44       LUDWIGSBURG           10-500 LBS

22.  24/07/44       ST LO                       38-100 LBS

23.  25/07/44       ST LO                       38-100 LBS

24.  28/07/44       MERSEBURG               10-500 LBS

25.  29/07/44       MERSEBURG               20-250 LBS

26.  03/08/44       TROYES                    6-1000 LBS

27.  06/08/44       BERLIN                      10-500 LBS

28.  11/08/44       VILLACOUBLAY           38-100 LBS

29.  13/08/44       NANTES                     36-100 LBS

30.  15/08/44       VENLO                       36-100 LBS

31.  24/08/44       RUHLAND                   

32.  27/08/44       BERLIN (RECALL)

33.  30/08/44       BREMEN        

34.  08/09/44       MAINZ                        

35.  09/09/44       DUSSELDORF 



"On June 7 1944 mission to Nantes, two engines and Tail Gunners oxygen were knocked out over target. We landed at a RAF glider base, about 40 miles south of London.  We threw ammo and guts of machine guns and radio receivers our as radio man did not need to contact to contact base.  This was done to maintain altitude... 



On July 29, 1944 Merseburg mission, we led the low squadron that day and had an engine knocked out on the bombing run.  The Group did not drop bombs on target area as pathfinder ship could not locate target.  Our pilot radioed planes in our squadron t catch up with the main group, since we only had 3 engines and could not keep up.  Shortly after, the planes pulled away from us, we were hit by German Jets (ME262). You will read jets did not come up until Aug 44.  The came in directly behind our tail and a little high.  Our tail gunner (Jackson)  had crawled into the waist with a walk around bottle. His oxygen was knocked our and he was wounded in the ankle...



The leader of the jets came in first and my guns would not fire as long as they were aiming at any part of our own ship  (fire cut-off cam in gun sight).  I held trigger down and as soon as the guns cleared our plane.  They began to fire, I gave him a few short bursts and he was gone.  He flew out of range to our left and a little high.  He must of radioed his buddies and told them our tail guns were not operating.  Then they came at us one at a time, directly behind the tail.  I gave each one a short burst, then I'd have to pick up the next attacker.  By the time Matz (WG) got back into the tail (filling in for injured TG), they were gone.  I always wondered why they never pressed the attack further.  Our pilot probably saved us by putting the plane in a shallow dive and using evasive maneuvers.  The Jets formed up again and attacked the five planes that were flying with us.  They knocked every one of the five planes out of the sky and left.  Because the pilot put the plane in a dive, we picked up speed and caught up with another group flying at a lower altitude…



We didn't stay with them as we could not keep up after he leveled off. Flying by ourselves was very lonely.  Pilot then asked me to fire the vari pistol for fighter protection.  I don't remember the color of the day as colors were changed every mission.  After firing a few shots at a few minute intervals, 2 P-47's (our little friends as we called them) pulled up along side and they circled around us until their gas supply ran low and they had to leave.  What a beautiful sight that was having the 47's with us…



Since no bombs were dropped on the target area our bombardier dropped his bombs on a target of opportunity on our way home.  At the time of the attack, our bombardier was in the waist giving first aid to tail gunner Jackson… " 

                                                                                                                              courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman (mpf 2002)





LT E.J. KNAPP MISSONS WITH LT GEORGE ALLEN CREW

 

7/21/1944

A/C: 107211

TARGET: REGENSBURG

 

7/24/1944

A/C:   97393

TARGET:  ST LO (GND SUPPORT)

 

7/25/1944

A/C:  97393

TARGET: ST LO (GND SUPPORT)

 

7/28/1944

A/C:  97834

TARGET: MERSEBURG

 

7/29/1944

A/:;  97834

TARGET: MERSEBURG

 

8/2/1944

A/C: 97834

TARGET: TERGNIER/LAFERE

 

8/6/1944

A/C: 97834

TARGET: BERLIN

 

8/11/1944

A/C: 6306

TARGET: VILLACOUBLAY

 

8/13/1944

A/C: 37823

TARGET: NANTES - GASSICOURT

 

8/15/1944

A/C: 37823

TARGET: VENLO

 

8/24/1944

A/C: 37823

TARGET: RUHLAND (OIL)

 



LT J.H. PERTERS FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS  8/30, 9/8, 9/9/1944



Lt B.L. KING FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS 5/29, 31,/1944



LT A.F. RINGHOFFER FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS FROM 6/21-7/19/ 1944



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hello  sorry to report another loss of the 100th bomb group.  my father passed away this afternoon 26th of dec 2012.  his name is william max oberman.  was in the 349th squad. his name is listed there on your flight missions? page.   92 years old  died in saint john indiana. he will be forever missed and loved by all of his brothers, sisters, sons, grand children, and great grandchildren. thank you MIKE for posting all the missions in the war.  respectfully MARK S OBERMAN. ( his son ).  my email address is   mloberman@comcast.net   thank you again.





WILLIAM OBERMAN "YOMS" ST. JOHN, IN 

William "Yoms" Oberman, late of St. John, IN, formerly of Burnham, IL, passed away on December 26, 2012. Beloved husband of late Marion. Beloved father of William J., Mark S. (Linda), and Richard (Dina) Oberman. Fond grandfather of Jennifer (John) Skrundz, Stephanie (Jordan) Knight, Tim Oberman, Max and Brian Oberman. Great grandfather of five. Devoted son of late Marko and late Caroline Oberman. Dear brother of Molly (late Chester) Ogden, Rudy (late Henrietta), Edward (Donna), late Herman (late Violet), late Caroline (late Art) Chartrand, late Mary (late Tony) Behar, late Olga (late John) Krmpotic, late Josephine (late Jack) Muha, late Ann (late Emil) Krevokuch, late Carl (Helen) Oberman. Dear uncle of many nieces and nephews. Loving friend of Mary Margaret Stallone. William was a WWII U.S. Army Air Corps veteran. He was a retired carpenter for Burnside Construction, member of Carpenters Union, St. John Post #717 VFW, and St. John Council #12154 Knights of Columbus. Visitation Friday, December 28, 2012 from 2:00-8:00 PM. Funeral services Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:15 AM from Elmwood Funeral Chapel, 11300 W. 97th LN, St. John (1/2 block west of US 41/Wicker Ave. at 97th LN) to St. John The Evangelist Day Chapel (corner of 93rd and 41) for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. (219) 365-3474. www.elmwood chapel.com