Personnel

CREW



1st Lt Frank W.Harte            P     KIA          22/4/44   HAMM

2nd Lt John J.Coppinger   CP      POW       22/4/44   HAMM                    THE ENTIRE CREW WAS ON THIS MISSION

2nd Lt Carl F.Conley        NAV      KIA          22/4/44   HAMM 

T/Sgt Wallace J.Meyer     TOGG     POW/ WIA    22/4/44   HAMM     (From Lt Henington Crew)   

T/Sgt Weston H.Rodkey  ROG       POW         22/4/44   HAMM         (From the R.C.Koper crew)

T/Sgt Paul V.Carlson        TTE     POW/WIA    22/4/44  HAMM

S/Sgt Felix W.McIntosh    BTG       POW         22/4/44  HAMM

S/Sgt Thomas C.McDonald RWG     KIA           22/4/44  HAMM                     MACR #4166,Micro fiche #1475

S/Sgt Edward T.Coley       LWG    POW/WIA     22/4/44 HAMM                      A/C #42 37783  "DOBIE"

S/Sgt George W.McMullin     TG    POW          22/4/44 HAMM



349th Sqdn. Crew,as above, taken from the MACR. This was the ninth mission for this crew. Plane was named after Frank Harte's Girlfriend.  



It appears that on 22/4/44, fighters damaged this A/C,particularly #3 engine,and it began to lag. 

Witnesses saw the crew attempting to jettison equipment from a/c. It appears that all ten men did 

bail out although Sgt.McDonald was badly wounded before leaving the ship. Some of the crew felt that Lt 

Harte & Lt Conley may have been killed by German civilians or soldiers after they landed.



MISSIONS OF LT FRANK HARTE CREW



1.   18 MAR 44     AUGSBURG

2.   22 MAR 44     BERLIN

3.   27 MAR 44     BORDEAUX

4.       UKN          ROUEN (POSSIBLY 19 MAR 44 TO MARQUISE, MIMMOYEQUES)

5.    28 MAR 44   CHATEAUDUN, AF

6.    11 APR 44   POSEN

7.    13 APR 44   AUGSBURG

8.    20 APR 44   FLOTTEMANVILLE

9.    22 APR 44   HAMM





CREW



6 March 1944      349th Sqdn   A/C #42-31051 "Goin Jessies"



TARGET: BERLIN  Source: Film Causalty Report

MACR #3016



Lt. Robert C. Koper          P    KIA

Lt. Gordon C.Lien           CP   POW

Lt. George H.Wing        NAV  KIA

Lt. Thomas O.Drinkwater BOM  POW

S/S Michael J.Tanowigch  ROG  KIA

Sgt Charles P.Corea         TTE  POW

Sgt Charles J.Luquette     BTG  KIA

Sgt Bernard Sundin          TG   KIA Low group in wing

Sgt Arthur Frankel         LWG  KIA

Sgt Ralph V. Zarzecki       RWG  KIA



When this crew joined the 100th GP, the Radio operator was Sgt Weston H, Rodkey. S/Sgt. Mike Tanowigch who was flying in place of Rodkey on 6/3/43 had flown overseas with Crew #4 piloted by Sam L.Barr. Except for Tanowigch, the crew was flying its 5th mission having joined the 100th BG, 349th BS on  24/2/44.  S/Sgt Rodkey was shot down with the Crew of F.W. Harte on 22/4/44 and became a POW. 



An eyewitness report stated as follows: "At 1213 hours just north of Hanover an A/C which may have been #051 was attacked by enemy fighters and was shot down.Four or five chutes were seen. Identity of this A/C  not deflnite. It may have been confused with A/C #170."



"THE STORY OF THE CENTURY" on p.44 states: "Bob Koper ordered his crew to 'bail' and was alone in his ship when it blew up."



Missions flown by Lt Koper Crew



1.    28/02/44    REGENSBURG

2.    29/02/44    BRUNSWICK

3.     2/03/44    CHARTES

4.     3/03/44    BERLIN

5.     6/03/44    BERLIN (SHOT DOWN)





Weston H. Rodkey



21 January 1915 ---- TAPS 24 October,2000

Mission Viejo,Orange,California



349th BS, ROG on the 2nd Lt. Robert C. Koper crew



T/Sgt. Rodkey flying with/shot down with the F.W. Harte crew on the 22 April,1944 mission to HAMM aboard ship 42-37783



T/Sgt Rodkey,POW

POW/KIA notes: Crews 9th Mission.