Personnel

CREW



Was on the original crew of Lt Amiero.   Mike alittle confused here on last report you sent me sgt j. raff flying with capt.moede crew was shot down and captured  going thru pictures to send to you soon came across shot of joe being congratulated on completion of his 25th mission  bottom of shot are letters  gpr-98-2-100-30-1-44 -j.l.raff -25 missions.  From what heard joe transferred to B-26 maurder outfit and did 25 more  the damn nuttttt  am I right mike….   Rich tangradi TG on original Amiero Crew



Capt Donald H.Moede  Pilot   CT 349th Sqdn. Page 213 of S.O.C. lists a 

Donald H.Moede,Pilot of 1401 G St.,Llncoln,Neb., as completing his tour of 

operatlons. Page 179 of "Contrails" has a picture (349th Sqdn.) of a Capt. 

D. Moedo.



Bruce E.Alshouse of the J.G.Gossage crew writes (1986) that after the 

Gossage crew loss  on 24/9/43,He,Theodore Don,and Mike Gillen( B & R ) were 

assigned to the crew Of Capt.Donald H.Moede. Also on tho Moede crew:



Capt. Donald H. Moede P

2nd Lt Theodore Don    BOM (originally with the JG Gossage Crew) 

M/Sgt. Art Gibbons      NAV

T/Sgt. Mike Gillen      ROG    (originally with the JG Gossage Crew)

Sgt  Joe Raff             WG      (originally with Lt Amiero Crew, CPT on 30 JAN 44 Brunswick)

Sgt  Don Sackrider      WG    (he was wlth J.G.Gossage on 3/3/44 and became a POW)

 Sgt Richard Pearson   BTG

Sgt Bruce E. Alshouse TG  (originally with the JG Gossage Crew)



The CP was usually a replacement; Moede flew "The Laden Maiden" after Owen 

"Cowboy" Roane had flow her for 13 missions..jb



Missions of M/Sgt A.W. Gibbons from paperwork supplied by Gwen Gibbons Nov 9, 1999 (mpf 1999)



1.  October  20, 1943  Duren Germany

2.  November 3, 1943 Wilhelmshaven, Germany 

3.  November 5, 1943 Gelsenkirchen, Germany

4.  November 7, 1943 Duren, Germany

5.  November 13, 1943 Bremen, Germany

6.  November 16, 1943 Rjukan, Norway

7.  November 26, 1943 Bremen, Germany

8.  November 29, 1943 Bremen, Germanyu

9.  November 30, 1943 Sokingen, Germany

10 December  5, 1943   Bordeaux, France

11 December 11, 1943 Emden, Germany

12 December 13, 1943 Kiel, Germany

13 December 20, 1943 Bremen, Germany

14 December 22, 1943   Munster, Germany

15 December 24, 1943  "No Ball" (Pais de Calsis) 

16 December 30, 1943 Ludwigshaven, Germany

17 January     21, 1944 "No Ball" (St Omer)

18 January     29, 1944 Frankfurt, Germany

19 January     30, 1944 Brunswick, Germany

20 February     3, 1944 Wilhelmhaven, Germany

21 February     4, 1944 Frankfurt, Germany

22 February     6, 1944 Romilly, France

23 February   13, 1944 "No Ball" (Pais de Calsis)

24 February   26, 1944 Brunswick, Germany

25 April           1, 1944 Ludwigshaven, Germany





CREW



ORIGINAL CREW STATESIDE/FIRST REPLACEMENT CREW (from Henry Henington 10/14/2000 mpf)



2nd LT. HENRY M. HENINGTON  P CPT 31 DEC 1943 PARIS  SN# 0-734086

2nd LT. HOMER A. TRIPP CP CPT 31 DEC 1943 PARIS  SN# 0-799103

2nd LT. WARD J DALTON        NAV KIA 24 SEP 1943 EAC/Practice Mission   SN# 0-673491

2nd LT. WILLIAM J. MOORE    BOM POW 10 OCT 1943 MUNSTER*  SN# 0-738783

S/SGT WALLACE J. MEYER TTE POW 22 APL 1944 HAMM*  SN# 12030773

T/SGT JOSEPH W. RODRICK ROG NOC     SN# 14044111

S/SGT NATHAN F. HOLTON BTG CPT 22 DEC 1943 MUNSTER SN# 16072304

S/SGT HAROLD J. JANDERUP  WG POW  4 FEB 1944 FRANKFURT* SN# 32555990

   CPL JAY S. ORTH   WG NOC Taken off Crew at Bovingdon SN# 13072260**

S/SGT CHARLES A. HANTUSCH TG NOC     SN# 12124607



A/C # 42-30611 "HORNY" XR-D, 349TH SQUADRON, ASSIGNED TO 100TH LATE JUNE 1943.  Crew also flew 230023 XR-M "Forever Yours".  This plane was named after a famous candy bar during that time and this was painted on the side of the Aircraft in Red lettering in the same fashion as the lettering for the candy bar .  This aircraft, contrary to popular belief was never called Horny.  (info from Henry Henington to mpf 5/2002)



2nd LT HENINGTON RECEIVED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS THREE TIMES DURING HIS TOUR OF DUTY (AUGUST 17, 1943, NOV 13,19, 26 1943 COMBINED  & UPON COMPLETION OF 25 MISSIONS).  TG S/SGT CHARLES A HANTUSCH WOULD ALWAYS SAY "MY GOD, I'M HUNGARY" AFTER BOMBS AWAY.  



**S/SGT WILLIAM S. BLEVINS (WG) FLEW ON THIS CREW FOR THE FIRST FIVE MISSIONS AND THEN WAS RFS.  ORIGINAL WG (CPL ORTH) TAKEN OFF CREW AT BOVINGDON  (NEW CREWS ORIENTATION CENTER)

*LT MOORE WAS FLYING WITH LT JOHN F. STEPHENS (KIESSLING CREW).  HE IS REPLACED ON THE HENINGTON CREW BY 1st LT HOWARD J. KELLY FROM THE ORIGINAL SAMMY BARR CREW.

*S/SGT MEYER WAS FLYING WITH LT. FRANK HARTE CREW, HE WAS A TOGG ON THIS MISSION

*S/SGT JANDERUP WAS FLYING WITH THE LT. JOHN BROWN CREW

T/SGT JOHN J. KOVACS ROG WAS ALSO KNOWN TO FLY WITH THIS CREW. ACCORDING TO HENINGTON, HE REMEMBERS KOVACS FLYING MANY MISSIONS WITH HIS CREW. (mpf )

 

349TH SQDN.. (following from Jim Brown)    "THIS CREW JOINED THE 100TH IN EARLY JULY 1943 AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FOUR REPLACEMENT CREWS (ROANE, JUSTICE, MORENO AND HENINGTON) TO JOIN THE GROUP.  I HAVE FOUND NO RECORD OF THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THIS CREW, BUT DALTON WAS KIA FLYING WITH J.C. GOSSAGE. SEE S.O.C. p. 18/19 and 38. ALSO "BOWMAN'S DIARY (p. 27) NOTES THIS CREW DITCHED ON 3 SEP 1943 (PARIS,BEAUMONT le ROGER, AF (S.T.)) BUT WERE RESCUED AND RETURNED TO THORPE ABBOTTS.  THE AIRCRAFT THEY USUALLY FLEW WAS #42-30611, "HORNY".  I HAVE DETERMINED THAT LT A. FAHLSTEDT WAS FLYING AS BOMBARDIER WHEN THE DITCHING OCCURRED AND SUFFERED A SEVERE BACK INJURY.." jb





3/9/43 PARIS  5hrs, HIT BY FLAK AFTER BOMB RELEASE, #3 ENGINE ON FIRE, ANOTHER LOST 

TURBO AND ANOTHER PROP RAN AWAY, MADE A DIVING SPIRAL TO FOOL FIGHTERS. It WORKED, AT CRITIQUE SEVERAL CREWS REPORTED "THEY SPUN DOWN IN FLAMES".  WE WOULD HAVE BAILED OUT, BUT FLAK HIT AND UNPACKED TWO CHUTES.  WE CARRIED A SPARE BUT THAT LEFT US ONE SHORT.  I GAVE THE CREW THE OK TO BAIL OUT AND THAT I WAS GOING TO DITCH IF IT DIDN'T BLOW UP.  STILL ON FIRE, LEVELED AT 4000 FEET, STARTED A SLOW DECENT CROSSING THE COAST NEAR DEPPE AT 500 FEET, AND DITCHED EIGHT MILES OFF SHORE.  NO INJURIES, THE AIRCRAFT FLOATED THREE HOURS.  SIX CREW MEMBERS WERE PICKED UP BY TWO RAF WALRUS SEAPLANES.  THE FOUR REMAINING TO GO IN THE THRID WALRUS, BUT COULD NOT GET AIRBORNE.  THE LEFT PONTOON HAD TAKEN WATER AND WE COULD ONLY CIRCLE.  WE WERE TAKEN ABOARD A ROYAL NAVY PT BOAT THAT TOOK THE WALRUS IN TOW FOR A SLOW CHANNEL CROSSING.  FROM 10 MINUTES AFTER OUR DITCHING TILL THE PT BOAT WAS HALFWAY TO PORT, WE HAD CONSTANT COVER OF 3-5 SPITFIRES.  DUE TO HEAVY MISSION COMMUNICATIONS, WE COULD NOT CONTACT OUR BASE.  NEXT MORNING, THE RAF FLEW US HOME TO LEARN WE WERE MIA (SHOT DOWN OVER FRANCE).



CREW ON SEP 3, 1943 MISSION TO PARIS  A/C 42-30611 "HORNY"



2nd LT. HENRY M. HENINGTON  P CPT 31 DEC 1943 PARIS  

2nd LT. HOMER A. TRIPP CP CPT 31 DEC 1943 PARIS  

2nd LT. WARD J DALTON NAV KIA 24 SEP 1943 EAC/Practice Mission   

2nd LT. A. FAHLSTEDT BOM SWA   3 SEP 1943 PARIS 

S/SGT WALLACE J. MEYER TTE POW 22 APL 1944 HAMM  

T/SGT JOSEPH W. RODRICK ROG NOC     

S/SGT NATHAN F. HOLTON BTG CPT 22 DEC 1943 MUNSTER 

S/SGT HAROLD J. JANDERUP  WG POW  4 FEB 1944 FRANKFURT

S/SGT JOE RAFF   WG CPT 30 JAN 1944 BRUNSWICK (FROM ORIGINAL CREW OF LT AMIERO AND  LT DON MOEDE CREW)

S/SGT RICHARD TANGRADI TG POW  4 FEB 1944 FRANKFURT





CREW:



1st Lt Albert F.Amiero                      P KIA    6 MAR 44   BERLIN         (this with a pick up crew, see note below)

1st Lt Kenneth I.Menzie                  CP XFR   7 OCT 43  ALCONBURY  (transferred to 482nd BG, Pathfinders, see note below)

                                                                                                    (on Aug 17, 1943 Capt. Norman Scott Crew, see note below)

2ND Lt Lloyd A. Hammarlund         BOM INT   17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG (flying with Lt Oakes Crew in High Life, see note below)

2nd Lt W.C. Abbey                      NAV CPT             ?                       (Transferred to 418th BS)

T/Sgt Russell G.Gilbert                  TTE KIA    6 MAR 44  BERLIN         (Flew with Lt Amiero "pick up" Crew,  see note below)

S/Sgt Earl Griggs                          BTG KIA    3 SEPT43  PARIS          (Flew as BTG with Lt Floyd Crew, see note below)

S/Sgt  Joe Raff                            LWG CPT  30 JAN 44  BRUNSWICK  (Flew with Capt Moede Crew, see note below)

S/SGT James W. Gregg                RWG POW  3 MAR 44  BERLIN         (Flew with Lt Gossage pick up Crew, see note below)

S/SGT Richard A. Tangradi               TG POW  4 FEB  44  FRANKFURT  (Flew with Lt John Brown Crew, see note below)

SGT    Jerry Korman                      ROG XFR    7 OCT 43  ALCONBURY  (transferred to 482nd BG, Pathfinders, see note below)



349th BS. Joined the 100th BG in July 1943. 



Our crew was assembled in Casper Wyoming Jan. 1943, from there we went to Lowrey Field in March 1943, on to Boise Idaho in May 1943 for advanced bombing and gunnery incidently we met the actor Jimmy Stewart who also was in training.  From Boise we went to Kearney Neb. To pick up our big bird, what a beautiful plane!  I say this because when we got to ta (Thorpe Abbotts) we were shocked to see what we had to fly in, a once proud lady was now a dirty smelly hulk! From Kearney we flew to Bangor Maine, we laid over in Bangor for a few days then we flew to Iceland.  We knew then were we were going,  we then flew to Prestwick Scotland, very pretty girls.



Now it gets interesting after we got to ta and settled in,  the enlisted men of our crew were sent to a place on the English coast. It was a camp for advanced air to air gunnery; it was run by a tiger by the name of Capt Cohen.  I'll never forget it when we went for our first briefing Capt Cohen walked in and said "good mourning gentlemen forget all they taught you about gunnery in the United States" gulp! We were there for about a week and he was right "shoot em and kill em". I also found out you can get hurt in this war  we went back to ta and found out the crew had been busted up. After awhile thru the grape vine and other resources we found why.



Lt. Amiero had a medical problem that took him off flying status for a while.  We never saw the four officers again! Lt. Amiero was probably stuck in some office job, one was sent to the 351st Sqdn (Lt Hammarlund) one was sent to the 418th Sqdn (Lt Abbey)  Lt Menzie was transferred to a pathfinder outfit (482nd BG) I believe he was the copilot… S/Sgt Richard Tangradi, TG Dec 8, 2005



Sgt J. Raff flying with Capt.Moede crew completed his 25th mission 30-1-44.  From what heard Joe transferred to a B-26 Marauder outfit and did 25 more, the danm nuttttt….rich



____________________________________________________________________________________

LT AMIERO and S/SGT GILBERT NOTE:



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 (from Lt. Leon Morgan Crew)

S/Sgt Thomas S.Elliott   TOG  KIA   6/3/44  BERLIN

T/Sgt John J.Kovacs      ROG  KIA   6/3/44  BERLIN (original 100th air echelon)

T/Sgt Russell G.Gilbert    TTE  KIA   6/3/44  BERLIN (from original Lt Amiero Crew)

S/Sgt Virgil F.Summers   BTG  KIA   6/3/44  BERLIN (from Lt Ford Crew)

S/Sgt Hobart H.Spires    WG  KIA     6/3/44  BERLIN (from original Sammy Barr Crew)

S/Sgt Owen D.Stockton  WG  POW  6/3/44  BERLIN (from Lt J.W. Brown Crew)

S/Sgt Thomas D.Baer               TG  KIA   6/3/44  BERLIN (from Lt Victor Reed Crew)

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 the 100th on 26/2/44 as an individual. Baer was from the original crew of Lt V.Reed. Kovacs was a "spare" on original 100th Air echelon. Stockton was from the crew of J.W.Brown. Hobart Spires (flying his 24th mission) was from the original crew of Sam L. Barr.

S/Sgt Virgil Summers was from the original Crew of Lt Ford. 2nd Lt A.P.Rule on original crew of Leon R.Morgan.

____________________________________________________________________________________

1st Lt KENNETH I. MENZIE AND SGT JERRY KORMAN NOTE:



Note on Menzie: was with 350th at the time of transfer. On 7/10/43 Special Orders #21 (Hdq. 3rd Bomber Division) the following crew was transferred from the 100th Bomb. Gp to the 482nd Bomb.Gp for Pathfinder training. Crew departed Thorpe Abbotts on 10/10/43 for Alconbury to join the 482 Bomb Group (Pathfinders)



1st Lt Kenneth I.Menzie   P (on Aug 17, 1943, copilot on Capt. Norman Scott Crew, manned gun in the nose)

* 2nd Lt Kenneth O. Blair  CP

2nd Lt Vanden J.Willey NAV

* Capt Norris G.Norman  BOM

Sgt Jerry (nmi)Korman ROG

* T/Sgt James E.Parks  TTE

* Sgt Blazier Paddy       TG

* Sgt Lewis D.Miller      BTG

Sgt Gordon D.Griffith  WG

* Sgt Britton I.Smith    WG



Those with Asterisks are members of the original crew of Norman H.Scott. According to Norris Norman,these men all CPT with the Pathfinders.  Scott and Strout were transferred to Bovingdon, to indoctrinate replacement crews.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2ND LT LLOYD A. HAMMARLUND NOTE:



CREW

1ST LT DONALD K. OAKES

ORGINAL 100TH PILOT, 351st BS



CREW #19  A/C #42-30080  "HIGH LIFE"



1ST LT  DONALD K. OAKES                   P: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

F/O     JOSEPH C. HARPER                   CP: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

2ND LT  HIRAM E. HARRIS, JR.           NAV: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

2ND LT  HOWARD G. BALL                BOM: POW  3 MAR 44 BERLIN

T/SGT   GEORGE W. ELDER               TTE: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

S/SGT   NOLAN D. STEVENS              WG: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

T/SGT   JAMES P. SCOTT                 ROG: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

S/SGT   LESLIE D. NADEAU               BTG: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

S/SGT   LEONARD P. GOYER              WG: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG

CPL     VINCENT E. McGRATH              TG: INT  17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG



HOWARD BALL'S PLACE ON CREW #19 WAS TAKEN BY 2ND LT LLOYD A. HAMMARLUND (from Lt Amiero original crew) WHO WAS INTERNED WITH THE OTHERS.



________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

S/SGT EARL GRIGGS NOTE:



CREW #23

351st  BS

Mission: Paris (Beaumont AF)

M.A.C.R.#685

Date: 3 Sept.1943

Aircraft #42-30059 "BARKER'S BURDENS"

Time: 0920

A/C last seen: Over Beaumont Airdrome at Evreux,France



CREW ABOARD:

Charles W.Floyd,Jr.    2nd Lt P KIA

Jack C.Boyd             2nd Lt    CP KIA

Robert M.Rosenberg 2nd Lt NAV POW

Frank C.Coon           2nd Lt BOM POW

Theodore W.Price     T/Sgt ROG  KIA

John M.Neal              S/Sgt TTE KIA

Earl Griggs                 S/Sgt BTG KIA    (Replacement)

Dale P.Huffer            Sgt RWG  KIA (Replacement)

Peter J.Theodore      1st Lt LWG KIA   (Gunnery Officer)

John K.Williams          S/Sgt TG KIA





The following is from a conversation between Cowboy Roane and Paul West in 1991…Cowboy's remarks are from notes:



"I was with them at Paris and saw King's plane hit amidships by flak. It pitched up in and extreme nose high attitude and struck the tail section of Alvin's (Barker) plane. It seemed like slow motion, or maybe that is just my memory but they seemed to hang there for a time and then Richard (King) went straight down and Alvin (Barker) just exploded then and there. It was and still is a sad day for me, I had been Richard's (King) co-pilot in the states, the entire crew were my close friends. I also knew Alvin (Barker) from back in the states where we were squadron mates as well." 



Crash Information: FROM LT KING CASUALTY REPORT

The third aircraft to be involved in a massive mid-air collision in the Paris, France area. A salvoed bomb (from the high group) hit the No# 3 engine of aircraft 42-30059 piloted by 1/Lt Charles Floyd, which collided with aircraft 42-5865 piloted by Lt Victor Fienup, resulting in loss of control. The aircraft piloted by Lt. Richard King received a diredt falk burst amidships and sudden moved upward striking aircraft piloted by Lt Charles Floyd, this aircraft exploded.



When Al Barker, regular pilot of this crew, was made Squadron Operations officer, Charles Floyd moved from the co-pilots to the pilots seat and Jack Boyd, who had flown overseas with the 100th unassigned to a crew, became the new co-pilot.



Earl Griggs and Dale Huffer were flying in place of regular crewmen, Willis Stroud and Robyn Fulton, while Lt. Peter Theodore flew this mission in place of Edwin Morgan.

____________________________________________________________________________________

S/SGT JOE RAFF NOTE:



Bruce E.Alshouse of the J.G.Gossage crew writes (1986) that after the Gossage crew loss on 24/9/43, He, Theodore Don, and Mike Gillen (Bom & ROG) were assigned to the crew Of Capt. Donald H. Moede. Also on the Moede crew:



Capt. Donald H. Moede     P

2nd Lt Theodore Don    BOM (originally with the JG Gossage Crew)

M/Sgt. Art Gibbon          NAV

T/Sgt. Mike Gillen           ROG (originally with the JG Gossage Crew)

Sgt  Joe Raff                  WG (originally with Lt Amiero Crew, CPT on 30 JAN 44 Brunswick)

Sgt  Don Sackrider          WG (he was wlth J.G.Gossage on 3/3/44 and became a POW)

Sgt Richard Pearson       BTG

Sgt Bruce E. Alshouse      TG (originally with the JG Gossage Crew)



The CP was usually a replacement; Moede flew "The Laden Maiden" after Owen "Cowboy" Roane had flow her for 13 missions..jb



Sgt Joe Raff - FLEW 3 SEPT 43 PARIS MISSION WITH LT HENRY HENINGTON.

____________________________________________________________________________________

S/SGT JAMES W. GREGG NOTE:



CREW



1ST LT JOHN G. GOSSAGE                   P         POW     3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

2ND LT BERTRAND D. McNEILL            CP       POW     3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

F/O EDWARD A. WARNER        NAV POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

1ST LT HOWARD G. BALL         BOM POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

T/SGT MICHAEL G. POLANICK      ROG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

T/SGT ARTHUR A. COOPER       TTE POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT THOMAS R. WOODERSON  BTG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT JAMES W. GREGG          RWG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT DONALD B. SACKRIDER      LWG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)

S/SGT ARTHUR V.R. CONGROVE      TG POW 3 MAR 44 BERLIN (LNDED IN DENMARK)



MACR #3025,

Microfiche #1023

A/C #42-38017

349th Sqdn..

Lt Howard Ball was from the "Original” crew of Lt Donald Oakes and was wounded on 10 Jul 1943 Le Bourget mission. He had been hospitalized for a considerable period. On 3 Mar 44 this crew was flying in the #2 position of the lead element to the lead squadron. There was a tremendous cloud build up and as the lead element entered the cloud some following ships believed they saw an explosion as if a collision had occurred. Later VHF was heard from Gossage saying he intended to try for Sweden. Actually, he landed the plane on a Schlewig airfield (Denmark) thinking he was in Sweden. This probably gave the Germans their first intact B-17 which they later operated.



_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



S/SGT RICHARD A. TANGRADI NOTE:



Rich Tangradi 

349th, TAILGUNNER 

HORNY 1&2 & LADEN MAIDEN

POPB17TAN@aol.com

mr faley have many pics and stories of 349th came to thorpes abbotts july 43 as crewmember of lt al amiera (lt amiero) check spelling its along story why crew was dismantled. I  became spare gunner flew many missions lt hennington,  flew 25thmission to paris with the '' cowboy''  his 25th I mean trying to get all this stuff together ill close now keep in touch    rich tangradi (message board 100th bg)





Mr. faley got your message thanks  as best I can I will start from the beginning all dates are aprox. Our crew was assembled in casper wyoming jan. 1943,  from there we went to lowrey field in march on to boise idaho in may for advanced bombing and gunnery  incidently we met the actor jimmy stewert who also was in training, from boise we went to kearney neb. To pick up our big bird what a beautifull plane I say this because when we got to ta (thorpe abbotts)  we were shocked to see what we had to fly in, a once proud lady was now a dirty smelly hulk! From kearney we flew to bangor maine which was at the time the vd capitol of the states keep this statement in mind  we laid over in bangor for a few days we flew to iceland we knew then were we were going we then flew to prestwick scotland  very pretty girls.



Now it gets interesting after we got to ta and settled in the enlisted men of our crew were sent to a place on the english coast. It was a camp for advanced air to air gunnery, it was run by a tiger by the name of capt cohen ill never forget it when we went for our first briefing  capt cohen walked in and said "good mourning gentleman forget all they taught you about gunnery in the united states" gulp! We were there for about a week and he was right "shoot em and kill em".  I also found out you can get hurt in this war  we went back to ta and found out the crew had been busted  after awhile thru the grape vine and other resourses we found why.  Mr. faley it was hard to believe what we heard,  im having a hard time with this after all these years  my wife tells me if you can convince her why you need this information she will agree with me  convince her mrfaley ill wait for your answer… Rich Tangradi, TG on first Amiero Crew dec 7, 2005





We never saw the four officers again  lt. amiero was probably stuck in some office job , one was sent to the 351 sqdn one was sent to the 418 sqdn  lt menzie was transferred to a pathfinder outfit I believe he was the navigator (CP..mpf)  true all true  mike    I have shots of these men in uniform  if you have a copy of contrails my war record  I can give you there names and page number there on,  how can I get these pictures to you the same with the enlisted men there all in contrails .

I have there names and sqdns there in.  When we get this squared away mike ill tell you about other crews and missions I was on    before I sign off I must tell you that my son and his wife bought me this pc this past june for my 81st birthday  im learning but its tough tough tough  bye…Richard Tangradi, TG  dec 8, 2005



Mike, here is a list of the crew.

 

Pilot - Lt. Al Amiero -  Page 172, Row 2, No. 7

Co-Pilot - Lt. Menzie - No photo

Bom. ? - Lt. L. Hammerlund - Page 206, Row 6, No. 4

Nav. ? - Lt. W. Abbey - Page 218, Row 1, No. 1  (not sure)



TTE/G - T/Sgt. R. Gilbert - Page 175, Row 4, No. 3

RO/G - S/Sgt. E. Griggs - Page 206, Row 4, No. 8

W/G - S/Sgt. J. Raff - Page 180, Row  3, No. 1

W/G - Sgt. J. Gregg  - Page 175, Row 6, No. 7

BT/G - T/Sgt. G. Holton - [Not sure - either with this crew or Hennington, either BT/G or TTE/G) -  Page 176,  Row 4, No. 8

T/G - S/Sgt. R. Tangradi - Page 181, Row 7, No. 7

 

I am not a member of the 100th Bomb Group Foundation.  Here is the information you need:

 

                 Richard A. Tangradi

                 HCR 1, Box 16P

                 Paupack, PA  18451

                 Tel. (570) 226-6387

 

The crew members photos are 2x3 and other photos are 4 x 5…….Rich Tangradi….TG on Amiero Crew (Dec 10, 2005



Mike a little confused here on last report you sent me sgt j. raff flying with capt.moede crew was shot down and captured  going thru pictures to send to you soon came across shot of joe being congratulated on completion of his 25th mission  bottom of shot are letters  gpr-98-2-100-30-1-44 -j.l.raff -25 missions.  From what heard joe transferred to B-26 maurder outfit and did 25 more  the damn nuttttt  am I right mike….   Rich tangradi TG on original Amiero Crew



mike,

 on my last message to you I meant to say I  would get back to you after xmass day have a little more to do on my missions and stories I came across something very interesting about our missing bt/g . On 12/11/05 you listed lt.menzie crew  I stopped at sgt. Jerry korman's name a bell went off  I know this guy I flew with him in the states im not sure mike but if I flew with korman it means he was a menber of lt. amiero's crew! He's not listed as a ro/g on menzies crew. Lets go back to same date s/sgt.earl griggs on org. crew of lt.amiero griggs flew bt/g on lt. floyd's crew kia as bt/g  lets go back to our training in the states. All gunners where classified like t/g was bombers armorer w/g was asst. armorer I think this was j.raff  tte/g took care turrets and sigths bt/g asst.engineer same job ro/g could be korman! w/g j.gregg asst. ro/g   mike I can't recall any turret gunner taking over ro/g position  don't forget theywere trained as radio/operaters  I don't think were looking for a bt/g mike!!!!!  One thougt I'll leave you with if I was lt. menzie and was told to get a crew together woud'nt you pick a guy from your original crew !!!??- I HOPE THIS MAKES SENSE TO YOU MIKE     A POOPED OUT  RICH TANGRADI





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  (FROM LT HENINGTON CREW)    

 S/SGT RICHARD A. TANGRADI  TG POW (FROM original LT AMIERO CREW)

 - No MACR.