Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt. John J. "Skippy" Flanigan           P  CPT      ?/2/44 Taps 1976         sn#0-797503

2nd Lt. Douglas E.Dunsdon                   CP  CPT                                        sn#0-801641

2nd Lt. Earl L.Richardson                    BOM  POW     6/3/1944 BERLIN      (with D. Miner)       See Below

2nd Lt. Rudolph Grum                      NAV  POW 10/10/1943 MUNSTER  (with J.F.Stephens) See Below

 T/Sgt. Guy M.Tuccero                     TTE  CPT

 S/Sgt. Adam E. "Rudy" Rutkowski       ROG  CPT

 S/Sgt. Guerino "Bill" Melchiorre            BTG  CPT

 S/Sgt. Frederick D."Farmer"Brown        WG  CPT

S/Sgt. Salvatore J. Luistro                   WG  CPT

 S/Sgt. Jack J.Strang                            TG  CPT



Crew,as above,joined the 100th BG (418th Sqdn.) 3/9/43. Crew flew in "Royal Flush" for 19 missions.



Sgt Carl "Rosie" Platkin, from Replacement Gunners Pool flew a few missions with this Crew



2nd Lt Richardson flew his 24th mission with Lt Riley on a makeup crew.  On March 6, 1944 2nd Lt Richardson flew his  25th mission with Lt David Miner Crew, which also included 2nd Lt George E.Kinsella (from Lt Reily"s Crew) and was shot down.  Richardson was POW and Kinsella was KIA.  See details below. 



Subj: The Paddlefoot  

Date: 12/12/2002 10:17:16 AM Pacific Standard Time 

From: dovejoint@hotmail.com 

To: mpfaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

Hello Mike,

    Here is the info from the report of Paddledoot's Proxy as told by Capt. Elton:



I took off at 1833, September 6, 1943 to slow time a new engine(no. 3). The others aboard were Pilot and Co-Pilot of a replacement crew. (2) Our 

squadran line chief (engineering).

  At 1925 I attempted to contact the tower for landing instruction and found my radio out.  I then attempted to get visual (green light) by flying over 

the field gear down.  The right gear would not extend either electrically or manually.  As darkness was approaching I knew that I had to set it down 

shortly, regardless of the full gas load(approx 1600 Gls.)  I fired a red-red flare on those dry run approaches and dropped a note to the man on 

the tower.  When I sure that all on the ground was ready, ambulances, fire-truck, and men in asbestos suits, I landed the ship on the grass 

paralleling our E-W runway.  Nothing unusual happened.



 John B. Kidd added the following:

A report from the squadron engineering officer stated that the upper limit switch failed to operate causing the motor to burn out, and the clutch 

to freeze.  This prevented the gear from being lowered by the hand crank. No responsibility can be placed upon the crew due to the mechanical nature of the failure.  I witnessed the landing which was excellent.



   The report listed J.J Flannigan (CP), G.A. VanGemert (E), and D.E. Duqsdon (CP) as the other crew members with Capt. Elton.  It also stated that the aircraft was recovered by the 98th Service Squadron.  The accident happened Sept. 6, 43 and the report was stamped as received by Headquarters Flight Control Command in Winston-Salem, NC on Oct. 2, 43.   The report 

totaled 9 pages…Jeff DeLong 



Letter from Earl Richardson  to Jim Brown Aug.1983 says of his final rnission . . . ."The 

pilot and co-pilot caught the fire of the first fighter out of the sun, directly into the 

windshield.  I believe 3 gunners and myself got out.  I regained conscious,jumped thru the 

nose opening and the B-17 hit the ground at the same time the chute opened. You got to have 

faith!"



September 16, 1943: Bordeaux/Merignac & La Pallice (A/C 23508 - Bastard's Bungelow II) 

September 23, 1943: Vannes                                    (A/C 26087 - Royal Fush) 

September 27, 1943: Emden, Port                             (A/C 26087 - Royal Flush) 

October 2, 1943:       Emden. Docks                          (A/C 26087 - Royal Flush) 

October 4, 1943:       Saarluis & Hanau                      (A/C 26087 - Royal Flush) 

October 10, 1943:     Munster                                  

(A/C 26094 - No Name) REM

***********************************************************************************************************



From the Daughter of S/Sgt Guerino Melshiorre:



Subj: RE: 100thBG Feedback Form  

Date: 2/26/2002 6:12:47 AM Pacific Standard Time 

From: d.aubrey@att.net 

To: MPFaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

Michael,

 

I spoke to my father about the war and needless to say he gave me little information. He does not have a list of the missions he and the crew flew. However, he did remember that they thought they would be the next ones down during one mission. They ran into some difficulty (what it was???) and the plane next to them left them a stray. He said that he would never forget the US plane that left. It was called the "Big Dick". He also remembered one mission where they flew to bomb a German airfield and another was in Norway. During another mission, or one of these, he remembered that all the planes disappeared and they continued to the mission destination. He does recall at one time a lead plane, right in front of them, exploding in mid-air and during another instance, a fully loaded plane crashing and exploding upon take-off at the airfield in England. 

 

I know these are only pieces of info, but this is the best I could do at this time. Dad prefers talking about all the places he saw prior to going overseas and the fun time the crew had and what the men did when they were drunk. It appears the crew got soused to relieve a lot of the tension. He also spoke about travelling around England on bicycles since that was the only mode of transportation.

 

The info I have on Dad from his discharge papers and certificates is as follows:

 

- Inducted on Set. 9, 1942 and began service on Sept. 24, 1942, Fort Jay, NY.

- Recognition and Citations:

    American Theater - Europe-Africa-Middle Eastern with 1 Bronze Star

    Good Conduct Medal, June 15, 1945

    Air Medal, October 2, 1943

    Distinguished Flying Cross, February 26, 1944

    1st OLCAM, November 29, 1943

    2nd OLCAM, December 19, 1943

    3rd OLCAM January 19, 1944

- Badges

    AAF Tech. Badge (Ap. Mech.)

    AAF Air Crew Member Badge (Wings)

- Departed to EAMET on August 19, 1943 arriving August 22, 1943

- Returned to US on March 25, 1944 arriving April 3, 1944

- Technical Training and Certificates

    Aerial Gunnery, Kingman Arizona May 10, 1943

    AP Mech, Lincoln, Nebraska February 15, 1943

    B-17 Specialist, Long Beach, California March 23, 1943

    Altitude Training, Ephrata, Washington June 3, 1943

- Flight Engineer (he says Asst. Engineer) and operated 50 Caliber gun turrets

- Also was a military instructor in the states

- Discharged October 30, 1945

 

He remembers flying to Europe from New Founland to Ireland. When the crew got to Ireland, there were no military personnel to give them their orders. They had to wait a few days. Once they got their orders, he recalls that the crew was required to take additional training courses, however, he wasn't requested to do so. He doesn't know why. So as they trained, he slept and was woken up at 3:00 a.m. to fly. That was his first mission. What it was, I don't know. They were stationed in England.

 

I have a number of photos, certificates and some memorabilia scanned. Dad was able to identify some of the men in the photos, however, not all. One of the photos is not of his crew. It is the crew of "Bastard's Bungalow". On the back of this photo is written "Raid on Kiel", December 13, 1943, S/Sgt. Leroy E. Leist. I will send some of this info to you. Do you want it in BMP or PDF format?

 

I also have to apologize. My last e-mail stated that Dad met with Jack Strang in NY. It wasn't Jack he met, it was the pilot of the "Royal Flush", Flannigan. Dad said that he was already married and had kids when they flew in Europe.

 

I hope this info helps in identifying some of the missions. If you obtain any info, I would appreciate it if you could forward it to me. By the way, what is "OLCAM"?

 

Dale

********************************************************************************************************

CREW



CAPT DAVID L. MINER              P KIA  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

LT HERBERT A. ALF                CP POW  28 APR 44 SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)

LT EARL L. RICHARDSON       NAV POW  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP (FROM THE JACK FLANIGAN CREW)

LT GEORGE R. JONES            BOM KIA  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT WILLIAM C. LIBBERT       ROG POW  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT ALBERT ZIKORUS            TTE POW  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT VARDEN I. BUTLER          BTG KIA  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT SAM PRY                     RWG POW/WIA 06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT LEONARD D. MALCUIT     LWG POW/WIA 06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP

SGT JUNE E. ROBERSON           TG POW  06 MAR 44 BERLIN, ELECTRICAL EQUIP



418th Sqdn.  Letter from Bertholf 8/Sep/88 : Crew joined the 100th in Sept.1943....jb 

Flying a/c 42-38059 LD-A.  This A/C was leading the high squadron when attacked by fighters.The nose was shot away and other damage 

occurred. It was Richardson's belief that as the ship wildly manuevered, Jones slipped or was thrown from the nose without his chute. Malcuit & Pry both suffered burns about the face and eyes."



Lt Alf was replaced for this mission of 6/3/44 by Lt George E.Kinsella from the T.J.Reilly crew. 

Kinsella was KIA.  Lt.Alf was flying with Col.Kelly and Capt.Lakin when he became a POW

Alf had arrived at the 100th Group as pilot with his own crew on 1/12/43.



Letter from E.L.Rlchardson dated 8/4/86 says that "Miner's crew was on its 25 misslon. and that he was"flying as replacement for D.Berthlof,Nav. who was ill with a sinus infection"



Missions of Capt. David Miner (from Bill Thompson's MACR Reports, missing 4 missions from this crew...mpf 2002)



1.  2/10/43  EMDEN

2.  4/10/43  HANAU

3.  8/10/43  BREMEN

4.  9/10/43  MARIENBURG

5.  5/11/43  GELSENKIRCHEN

6. 11/11/43 MUNSTER

7. 26/11/43 PARIS

8. 30/11/43 SOLINGEN

9.   5/12/43 BORDEAUX

10. 11/12/43 EMDEN

11. 13/12/43 KIEL

12. 16/12/43 BREMEN

13. 20/12/43 BREMEN

14. 22/12/43 MUNSTER

15.   1/01/44 PARIS

16. 30/01/44 BRUNSWICK

17. 10/02/44 BRUNSWICK

18. 24/02/44 ROSTOCK

19. 25/02/44 REGENSBURG

20.  3/03/44  BERLIN

21.  6/03/44  BERLIN





Subj: RE: 100thBG Feedback Form  

Date: 12/27/2003 9:25:07 PM Pacific Standard Time 

From: mroe21877@comcast.net 

To: MPFaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

There are three pictures.

On the 418th link 2nd page of pics 22nd down with the subtitle “Eighteen mostly unidentified airmen pose with ROYAL FLUSH”

The first person on the left in the middle row is my grandfather William Groenendaal.  (to the left of the person in the goggles) This same pic is under the aircraft link with the subtitle “ROYAL FLUSH

418th aircraft” Also on page 4 of pics under 418th with subtitle “John J. Flanigan crew with ground crew “



 NEXT PIC



On page 5 of pics under the 418th

4rd pic from bottom with subtitle “Photograph identified as, Gronendyle, Peal, Roach and Burns, April 1944.    (100th Photo Archives)

 upper left is William Groenendaal   (close)

Thanks



Mike

*******************************************************************************************************



CREW THAT FLEW  10 OCT 43 MUNSTER MISSION



1ST LT JOHN F. STEPHENS                   P POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

1ST LT HOYT L. SMITH                    CP POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

2ND LT RUDOLPH GRUM                   NAV POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER   (from Lt Flanigan Crew)

2 ND LT WILLIAM J. MOORE             BOM POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

T/SGT JOHN SHAY                        TTE POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

S/SGT GEORGE F. KNOLLE                WG POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

T/SGT MAX U. DRUDGE                   BTG POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

S/SGT CARL E. BATTIN                 ROG POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

S/SGT CASIMIR A. RACZYNSKI          WG POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 

S/SGT WILLIAM F. YOUNG                TG POW 10 OCT 43   MUNSTER 



DAVID SOLOMON (NAV) MOVED TO CREW #32,  REPLACING HARRY CROSBY WHEN CROSBY BECAME GROUP NAVIGATOR. LT RUDOLPH GRUM REPLACED SOLOMON ON CREW #29 AND BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43.



ERNEST KIESSLING WAS GROUNDED AFTER THREE OR FOUR MISSIONS FOR SURGURY AND JOHN STEPHENS TOOK OVER AS PILOT, LIKELY THIS IS WHEN LT HOYT L. SMITH BECAME THE CO-PILOT COMING FROM CREW #28. HE BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43 ALONG WITH STEPHENS.



T/SGT CARL E. BATTIN REPLACED S/SGT FRANK S. MAZARKA PRIOR TO THE CREWS OVERSEAS  FLIGHT AND WAS TAKEN PRISONER ON 10 0CT 43.



AFTER SEVERE FLAK DAMAGE AND ATTACKS BY FIGHTERS THE PILOTS MADE A SUCCESSFUL BELLY LANDING. MAX DRUDGE WAS WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT WRIST AND HAND BY A 20-MM AND T/SGT BATTIN SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM, THE REMAINDER WERE NOT INJURED AND ALL BECAME POWS. 





   

                                            CREW COMBAT MISSIONS

                                              B17F  23237  "Stymie"





-      Mission        Date         Flt Time             Target                        Results

        Number



          1.        6/22/43          4:00        Diversion, North Sea          Completed a.b.

          2.        6/25/43          5:00        Bremen, Subyards              Abortive c.d.

          3.        6/28/43          5:45        St Nazaire, Subpens           Completed

          4.        6/29/43          5:40        LeMans, Aero Engines             Completed

          5.         7/4/43         11:00        LaPallice, Harbor              Completed

          6.        7/10/43          5:30        LeBourget, Air Field           Abortive

          7         7/14/43          5:45        LeBourget, Air Field          Abortive

          8         7/25/43          7:35        Warnemunde, Aircraft Fac     Completed

          9.        7/29/43          7:20        Warnemunde, Aircraft Fac     Completed

         10.        7/30/43         6:10        Kassel Aircraft Factory           Completed

         11.        8/12/43         5:00        Wesseling, Synthetic Oil        Completed

         12.        8/14/43         3:50        Diversion, North Sea               Completed

         13.         9/6/43          9:15        Stuttgart, Ball Bearings           Completed

         14.         9/7/43          3:30        Watten, V-weapons                 Completed

         15.         9/7/43          4:00        Beauvais-Tille, Air Field         Completed

         16.        9/15/43         6:45        Paris, Aircraft Factory             Completed

         17.        9/27/43         5:45        Emden, Port                             Completed

         18.        10/2/43         6:00        Emden, Docks                          Completed

         19.        10/4/43         6:05        Hanau, Rubber Works             Completed

         20.        10/9/43       10:15        Marienburg, Aircraft Fac         Completed

         21.        l0/l0/43         ---            Munster, Marshalling Yards   Crash Landed, near Borken, Ger (e)

****************************************************************************************************************





---> SUBMITTER INFORMATION

SUBMITTER: Deborah Rutkowski

EMAIL: debbiesthemes@adelphia.net

PURPOSE: Report a death (TAPS)

INTEREST: I am the veteran's child



---> TAPS REPORT

VETERAN: Adam Edward Rutkowski

DATE OF DEATH: 2/4/88

FAMILY CONTACT: 40251 Chelsea Ct.

Palmdale, CA 93551

661-273-9920



---> MEMBERSHIP

OLD ADDRESS: 

NEW ADDRESS: 

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

Transferred to Radio Countermeasures after completing his missions. 



Special Orders Number 137 of 18 May 1944 stated that the following men were released from assignment from their respective organizations and placed on detached service with 803BS at  RAF Sculthorpe. Those included men from the following bomb groups were:

 

From 94th BG

 1st. Lt. Howard H. Klimetz                                   

T/Sgt. Edward D. Baldwin

T/Sgt. Durand B. Lovelace                                    

S/Sgt. Alvin K. Reynolds

S/Sgt. Benjamin F. Roberts

 

From 95th BG

 1st. Lt. William C. Gruelich                                 

1st Lt. William P. Overstreet

T/Sgt. Vincent J. Areno                                        

 S/Sgt. Harry L. Bumgardner

S/Sgt. Horace L. Flynn                                         

S/Sgt. Raymond A. Battistini

S/Sgt. Edward E. Caldwell                                    

S/Sgt. Alton E. Markley

S/Sgt. Herbert C. Hoover                                      

S/Sgt. Alvin S. Janeczko

S/Sgt. Howard C. Culbertson                               

S/Sgt. Ira C. Muse

 

From 96th BG              

1st Lt. Charles M. Travis                                       

1st Lt. Leon Vigdor

1st Lt. Kenneth A. Bevan                                       

T/Sgt. Margind Zuckerman

S/Sgt. Nicholas Popadyn                                     

S/Sgt. George E. O’Malley

S/Sgt. John Rovnak

 

From 385th BG

Capt. Robert G. Stutzman                                     

Capt. Raymond A. Robinson

1st Lt. Walter B. Slade                                          

1st Lt. William R. Hoagland

1st Lt. William F. Flagler                                      

T/Sgt. Richard J. Davis

S/Sgt. James C. Wooden                                      

S/Sgt. Harold H. Bogart

S/Sgt. Richard R. Long                                         

S/Sgt. Joseph E. Simkins

 

From 388th BG

 1st Lt. Richard O. Obenschain                            

1st Lt. James B. Warner

1st Lt. James P. Ostler                                         

T/Sgt. John R. Lopes

T/Sgt. Garven J. Pinciger                                     

T/Sgt. George W. Wilson

S/Sgt. Robert W. Mier                                         

S/Sgt. Bernard Berg

S/Sgt. Fred H. Belcher                                         

S/Sgt. Jack C. Kings

 

From 390th BG

1st Lt. Harvey A. Paul                                          

1st Lt. Wade L. Birmingham

1st Lt. Warren V. Smith                                        

T/Sgt. George B. Ellison

T/Sgt. Kenneth L. Hagan                                     

T/Sgt. Thomas Hennessey

 

From 447th BG

S/Sgt. Landis L. Pratt                                              

S/Sgt. Roy B. McGraw

 

From 100th BG

 1st Lt. Donald Gilzinger                                                      

T/Sgt. Adam E. Rutkowski







Radio Counter Measures

 

Early signs were evident to RAF Bomber Command that the use of radio counter measures was helping to reduce bomber losses and the need to further continue and develop these measures was a necessity.

 The American British Laboratory Division 15 (ABL-15) was set up in Britain in order to introduce the American forces to radar countermeasures and as such they were part of the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE) based at Great Malvern. 

   Leading the way in secret RCM operations was the RAF 100 Group which was operating throughout local Norfolk airbases, and were already conducting operational missions and testing the equipment and techniques constantly being developed.

   In January 1944 an attachment of selected experienced American personnel who would eventually form the 803rd Bomb Squadron (Provisional) began working with the RAF 100 Group at RAF Sculthorpe, with the engineering section training RAF ground crews on operation and maintenance of the B17 Flying Fortress Aircraft.  

By March 1944 this role would evolve with the newly formed squadron joining RAF operations.  This would give the US attachment their first taste of the RCM and deceptive measures being used at that time.   Examples of which being Mandrel, Jostle, Carpet and Window (Chaff as known to US forces).  



As war progressed and the enemy devised their own counter measures against the allied techniques then the work at Great Malvern was ever more important and forever changing.  As we walk through the history of the 36th Bomb Squadron which evolved out of the 803rd Bomb Squadron we will discover these new technologies and the effect that they had on some of the most crucial battles of World War two.

  The 803rd Bomb Squadron was a provisional unit established due to a need to have an RCM unit within the US Airforce.  Its initial formation came shortly after arrival at RAF Sculthorpe where soon to be squadron members would assist in the training of RAF staff on US aircraft namely the B17 Flying Fortress, before commencing operational missions with RAF 100 Group.  The combination of both forces worked well meaning technical skills on both the scientific front in terms of RCM development at locations such as Malvern, and resources in experienced aircrew plus aircraft could combine into one operational front.

  The American aircraft was most suited to be customised to carry advanced radio counter measures equipment, which was large and cumbersome at that time.  Later the B24 would be the preferred aircraft of choice.



This was the first step in their secret counter measures journey and would eventually lead them to forming the 36th Bomb Squadron RCM Unit affectionately known as ‘The Gremlins’.  The name itself being deceptive and hiding the true purpose of the special operations that would then follow.

 

On the 16th May the 803 BS transferred to RAF Oulton along with 214 Squadron of RAF 100 Group who they had been working alongside.  As many of the squadron were experienced and had already completed a tour of duty the squadron would now undergo a number of personnel changes.  This would result in several new crews gradually joining the squadron who had not yet completed an operational tour.  



Courtesy of https://heroesofourtime.co.uk/the-36th-bomb-squadron_us_raf100group.html