Personnel

CREW     (28 Apr 44)



COL  ROBERT  H. KELLY                  COM KIA 28 APR 44 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)

CAPT  WILLIAM G. LAKIN                     P KIA 28 APR 44 " " "

LT HERBERT A. ALF                           CP POW 28 APR 44 " " " (formation officer, flew in tail)

CAPT  JOSEPH H. "BUBBLES" PAYNE     NAV KIA 28 APR 44 " " "

LT MAURICE  H. CAIN                      BOM POW 28 APR 44 " " " 

T/SGT LEO R. CANNON          ROG POW 28 APT 44 " " "

T/SGT JAMES C. BROWN          TTE KIA 28 APR 44 " " "

S/SGT ALBERT M. FREITAS       BTG POW 28 APR 44 " " "

S/SGT JOHN N. SPIKER             WG KIA 28 APR 44 " " "

S/SGT JOSEPH A. RICHARD       WG POW 28 APR 44 " " "

S/.SGT DELBERT E. BARNHART     TG KIA 28 APR 44 " " "  (manned 50 cal in radio room) 



THE ABOVE WERE FLYING WITH LAKIN AND THE NEW GROUP CO, ROBERT KELLY.





COL KELLY COMMANDED THE 100TH FOR ONE WEEK AND TWO DAYS.  HE WAS LOST ON HIS FIRST MISSION TO SOTTEVAST. AT TAKE-OFF TIME THE NEW COMMANDER ELECTED TO BUMP THE 100TH'S BEST FLIGHT LEADER (CAPT JACK SWARTOUT) AND LEAD HIMSELF. THE RESULTS WERE A DISASTER, TWO SHIPS WERE LOST WHEN THE COL ELECTED TO MAKE A SECOND RUN OVER THE TARGET AT THE SAME ALTITUDE AND ON THE SAME HEADING. AMOUNG THE KIA'S WAS THE 100TH BELOVED LEAD NAVIGATOR JOSEPH "BUBBLES" PAYNE; SAID BY JIM BROWN AND HARRY CROSBY TO HAVE BEEN THE BEST.



This was what can best be called a "pick-up" crew of veteran airmen, with the exception of Col. Kelly fresh from the States and had became the 100th's Commanding Officer only nine days prior to the mission. Joe "Bubbles" Payne was a member of the original air echelon of the Group as were T/Sgt James C. Brown and S/Sgt Albert M. Freitas.  With the exception of Magee Fuller, they were the last of the "Original 100th" to become casualties.  T/Sgt Leo R. Cannon joined the Group in August 1943, his orginal crew (F.H. Meadows) was shot down at Bremen 08 Oct 1943. Capt William G. Lakin had been with the Group prior to October 1943.  The following from MACRs:  "....On 02 May 1944, at 0730 hours an American Airman was captured by two German soldiers on the street of Rochville, Sottevast, France. The Germans record the following

data: Name: Cain, Maurice # 0-681859. According to his statement he rescued himself from the burning aircraft on 28 April 1944. Sent to Airbase Command, Paris, France..Date 3 May 1944 @ 1320 hours."

                           The Originating German Officer is not identified..pw







EMAIL = cannon@rabun.net

UNAME = Michael A. Cannon

CONNECTION = I am a relative of a 100th veteran

TAPS_PERSON = Leo R. Cannon

TAPS_DATE = October 24, 1997

TAPS_UNIT = 350th

TAPS_POSITION = Radio Operator

TAPS_RELATION = Child

QUESTION = Question: 

FEEDBACK = Feedback:Leo R. Cannon joined his second crew after his 1st was shot down. He was in the hospital with the flue when his 1st crew was shot down. 

 

 

Mr. Faley

Yes, I do have a copy of my Dad's first crew. He was assigned to this crew when they were first organized in the states. I know that he told me that his second crew was a pick up crew, but I do not know if he had flown with them since his first crew was shot down. His first crew was shot down on their 8th mission. My Dad was shot down on his 14th mission. Therefore he flew 7 mission after his first crew was shot down.  I will send individual pictures of the first crew later. A fact that you may not know. Delbert Barnhart was not the Tail Gunner on the last crew. He was an extra crew member. He was in the Radio Room with my Dad using the gun in that compartment. When the plane was first hit, they both were not hit. They were attempting to get out when the plane was hit a second time. At this time my father was hit. He fell on the floor & Barnhart fell on top of him. When he awoke some time later Barnhart was gone and so was the rest of the plane about six feet from his head. He some how got out of the plane, pulled his rip cord,  made one oscillation & hit the ground. And was later captured by two German officers. Thanks Mike Cannon