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Personnel

S/Sgt

Lester L. ALEXANDER

Lester L. Alexander

Lester L. Alexander, WG on the Robert K. Gilbert crew. Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives)

Army Serial Number: 39719507
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 350th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Waist Gunner
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown

Additional 100th Service Notes

Status: FEH
Comments: LOS ANGLES, CA (flying at end of hostilities)

Media Articles

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Media ItemTypePageVolume/IssueBroadcast SourceTimeDescriptionFile
Lester Alexander air medalPrintEvening Vanguard May 25 194512:00 am

Comments and Notes

Memo 1:
CREW

2nd Lt Robert K.Gllbert P FEH O-775322
2nd Lt Raymond T.Albright CP FEH O-206241
F/0 Jack Clopeck NAV FEH T-132242
Cpl Richard G.Crane ROG FEH 37662202
Cpl Russell A.Madsen TTE FEH 19171296
Cpl Curtis H.Satzinger BTG FEH 37576840
Cpl William G. "Tex"Leonard NG FEH 38133367 (TRANSFERRED TO LT PLANK CREW AS TOG AFTER 10 MISSIONS)
Cpl Lester L. Alexander WG FEH 39719507
Cpl Mearl W.Johnson TG FEH 37576840

350th Sqdn. Crew,as above, joined the 100th Group on 9/1/45.
Crew flew ten (10) missions before being selected as lead crew (see below)

Wrote Lester Alexander,3083 Patrlcia Ave.,Los Angeles,CA 90064 for information 27/2/84.

Following information courtesy of Russell A. Madsen: "We flew 10 missions in February 1945 (original crew), were in lead crew training all of March 1945, and flew five missions as lead crew during April and May 1945. Ray Albright, William Leonard and Lester Alexander completed their tours with other crew."

First Ten Missions - Original Crew

03 Feb 1945 Berlin City and Tempelhof Air Field
06 Feb 1945 Chemnitz City
14 Feb 1945 Chemnitz City and Bridge
15 Feb 1945 Cottbus City
17 Feb 1945 Frankfurt Marshalling yards Contrails shows Giessen. The Story of the Century indicates Frankfurt - jet engines and Giessen marshalling yards.
20 Feb 1945 Nurnburg Marshalling yards
21 Feb 1945 Nurnburg Marshalling yards
22 Feb 1945 Kitzingen Town and marshalling yards..Contrails indicates 100th A - Donaueschihgen
100th B - Hueingen, 100th C - Wehinger. The Story of the Century lists all four targets named above
24 Feb 1945 Bremen Rail Bridge
25 Feb 1945 Munich Marshalling yards

Lead crew

Command Pilot
Lt Robert K. Gilbert P
Lt Jack Clopeck NAV
Lt Lyle Calvert BOM
Lt Dave Hoffner (Mickey Operator)
S/Sgt Richard G. Crane ROG
S/Sgt Russell A. Madsen TTE
S/Sgt Curtis H. Satzinger BTG
S/Sgt John Marlowe WG
S/Sgt Mearl W. Johnson TG

Lead Crew Missions

08 Apr 1945 Eger, Czechoslavakia Marshalling yards
09 Apr 1945 Munich Air Field
11 Apr 1945 Landshut Ordinance Depot
14 Apr 1945 Royan, France Ground defenses
01 May 1945 Amsterdam, Holland Food Drop (operation Chow Hound)
***************************************************************************************************************

CREW (Leonard's second crew)

2ND LT GERALD A. PLANK P FEH
2ND LT EDWIN C. CLOUGH CP FEH
2ND LT ROBERT E. GAST NAV FEH
2ND LT HERMANN L. CALVERT, JR. BOM FEH
CPL FRED N. KUPPERSMITH ROG FEH
CPL KENNETH NEWMAN TTE FEH
CPL HANS F. BOSCH BTG FEH
CPL JOHN M, BUNN WG FEH
CPL CHARLES H. LEAVENS TG FEH

350TH SQDN...CREW, AS ABOVE JOINED THE 100TH ON 18 FEB 1945
WILLIAM GAYLE "TEX" LEONARD FLEW 15 MISSIONS WITH THE ABOVE CREW AS TOGGELER

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

Raymond Albright, 93, of McHenry, died Tuesday, June 7, 2011, at Hospice of Northeastern Illinois Inpatient Unit in Woodstock.
He passed away on the date of his 70th wedding anniversary to Evelyn. The family was able to have a celebration in honor of this event Saturday, June 4.
He was born July 3, 1917, in Chicago, to William and Florence Albright. He married Evelyn Schaefer on June 7, 1941, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in McHenry.
A U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II, he was a 1st lieutenant who served with the 8th Air Force, 100th Bomb Group and 350 Squadron. He was the recipient of the Air Medal in recognition of exceptionally meritorious achievement while flying a B-17 in 19 missions over Germany.
He was a life member of McHenry VFW Post 4600. He enjoyed dancing, golf and bowling.
He loved his family and is survived by his wife of 70 years, Evelyn Albright of McHenry; his three children, Kitty (Fred) Ballstaedt of McHenry, Barb (Bill) Gray of McHenry and Rich (Frankie) Albright of Woodstock; his grandchildren, Dan (Tracy) Ballstaedt, Anita (Jim) Camara, Michael (Toni) Ballstaedt, Fred Ballstaedt, Jason (Stephanie) Faunt, Christine (John) Tufts and RJ (Jesse) Albright; his great-grandchildren, Toni, Alyssa, Jeff, Dustin, Adam, Julie, Keira and Makayla; his sister, Florence Weber of New Port Richey, Fla.; and his two sisters-in-law, Treva Burgess of Taylorville and Marilyn Schaefer of McHenry
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, James Albright; and two brothers-in-law, John Weber and John Burgess.
The visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at Colonial Funeral Home, 591 Ridgeview Drive, McHenry. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 10, at the funeral home. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010.
For information, call Colonial Funeral Home at 815-385-0063 or visit

Crew List

1st Crew List

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Rank Name Pos Status
LT GILBERT, Robert K. P FEH
LT ALBRIGHT, Raymond T. CP FEH
LT CLOPECK, JACK NAV NOC
LT HOFFNER, Dave NAV NOC
S/SGT LEONARD, William G. TOG/NG FEH
S/SGT MADSEN, Russell A. TTE FEH
S/Sgt CRANE, Richard G. ROG FEH
S/SGT SATZINGER, Curtis H. BTG FEH
S/Sgt ALEXANDER, Lester L. WG FEH
S/SGT JOHNSON, Mearl W. TG FEH