Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt John M.Shelly               P       POW   11/9/44    RUHLAND (WITH J. GILES CREW)  sn# 0-747505

 2nd Lt Albert Skaar              CP        CPT    25/7/44    ST LO, GROUND SUPPORT           sn# 0-695778

2nd Lt Michael W Spiller       NAV       CPT    25/7/44    ST LO, GROUND SUPPORT           sn# 0-694411

2nd Lt Edward A.Fayette     BOM      SWA    17/7/44   AUXERRE                                   sn#0-755078

S/Sgt Edward D.Lowther      TTE      POW   29/7/44   MERSEBURG (Wlth crew of G.H.Steussy)   sn# 35446224       

S/Sgt Gilbert R.Trunkett       ROG      CPT    24/7/44   ST LO, GROUND SUPPORT            sn# 31297553                               

 Sgt Victor H.Harikian            BTG      CPT    25/7/44   ST LO, GROUND SUPPORT            sn# 39554170

Sgt Joseph P.O'Donnell         WG      POW   29/7/44   MERSEBURG  (With crew of W.T.Fitzroy) see memo below sn# 12085105

 Sgt Ralph H.Bates                TG      CPT     17/7/44   AUXERRE                                    sn# 11998543

 Sgt Gordon Winkler             WG      CPT      24/7/44  ST LO, GROUND SUPPORT           sn#  16037800



350th Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 9/3/44   Shelly flying as CP for J.S.Giles,Jr. on 11/9/44.  Lt Sterling "Pete" Lambert (from Lt Giles Crew) took over as 1st pilot on this Crew after June 6, 1944.

Crew flew in BOSS LADY and NELLIE BLY (named after Lt Shelly's Mother)



CREW

   

2nd Lt John S.Giles,Jr.                   P           POW   11/9/44  RUHLAND   Taps 1980

2nd Lt Sterling P.Lambert              CP         CPT       7/8/44  BEAUTOR

2nd Lt Charles E.Gunter,Jr.            NAV      CPT     25/12/44 KAISERLAUTERN 

2nd Lt Cordy A.Ramer,Jr.              BOM      POW    29/7/44  MERSEBURG  (with crew of E.C.Jones)

 S/Sgt Elzo Bevan                         ROG      POW   11/9/44  RUHLAND

 S/Sgt Andrew G Leuthold             TTE      POW   11/9/44  RUHLAND                                  A/C ,#43 37863 

 S/Sgt Norbert O. DePauw            BTG      POW    11/9/44  RUHLAND                                MACR #8812,Microfiche #3235

   Sgt Albert S. Pela                     WG       POW    11/9/44  RUHLAND

   Sgt Jack E.Conger                     WG       NOC

   Sgt Robert S.Rowley                 TG        POW   11/9/44  RUHLAND



350th Sqdn.  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 7/4/44. See "CONTRAILLS" p.199 for photo                  

On 11/9/44,Lts J.M.Shelly, K.S.Welty & H.H.Skelton had replaced Lambert, Gunter & Ramer. The three became 

POWs.  On 11/8/44,Jack Conger was flying with the crew of A.D.Elbel



1st Lt John S. Giles, Jr.,   P SN# 0753999

2nd Lt Harris H. Skelton, BOM SN# 0664833

1st Lt Charlie E. Gunter, Jr. NAV SN# 0699160

T Sgt Andrew G. Leuthold TTE SN# 37240307

S Sgt Jack E. Conger  WG SN# 19151118

S Sgt Robert B. Rowley  TG SN# 31140110

S Sgt Norbert O. Depauw BTG SN# 37118775

T Sgt Elzo Bevan  ROG SN# 34700509

S Sgt Albert S. Pela  WG SN# 18067003

T/Sgt Floyd O. Douglas TOGG (listed on this Crew on July 2, 1944) sn#32383566





CREW



2ND LT GERALD H. STEUSSY  P POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REF & HILDESHEIM  TAPS: 1987

F/O FRANK C. PETRDIL  CP P0W " " " " " " " "

2ND LT HOWARD J. LEECH  NAV P0W " " " " " " " "

2ND LT ALLAN J. MacALLISTER  BOM P0W " " " " " " " "

S/SGT ANTHONY NOCCHIERO  ROG P0W " " " " " " " "

S/SGT CARLOS E. McCUTCHEON TTE CPT 6 OCT 44 BERLIN (SPANDAU), AC PARTS

SGT JULIUS GREENWALD  BTG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REF & HILDESHEIM

SGT JOHN L. GAUNCE  RWG P0W " " " " " " " "

SGT EDDIE D. DUMAS  LWG RFS TAPS: 13 OCT 1980

SGT JODA D. TICER   TG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REF & HILDESHEIM



350TH SQDN.. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 25 MAY 1944..  See S.O.C. page 82/83



ON 29 JUL 44 S/SGT EDWARD LOWTHER, FROM THE J.M. SHELLY CREW, WAS FLYING AS TTE AND BECAME A POW.

THIS WAS THE CREW'S 18/19TH MISSION...pw



EYEWITNESS:  "A/C #829 was hit by flak over the target. Bombs were dropped; then the aircraft fell back

amoung the stragglers and was not seen again." 



Statement by Lt. Petrdil indicates that all nine members of the crew abandoned the ship about 30 miles west of Merseburg. The only apparent injury was a fractured foot suffered by Lt. MacAllister hitting the ground. They were leading the high squadron on this day. Crew, with the exception of T/Sgt Edward D. Lowther from the J.M. Shelly crew, had joined the 100th on 25 May 1944. (They found the 100th despondent over the loss of 9 crews at Berlin the day before ,24 May 44) Lowther was flying in place of the crew's regular TTE, T/Sgt Carlos E. McCutcheon who went on to complete his tour.



Note:  This is Lt William Fitzroy's original crew, which was shot down at Merseburg 29 Jul 44.



Lt. William T. "Buzz" Fitzroy           P   POW was on 35th mission

Lt. Robert Dykeman                   CP   KIA    Killed by German civilians, hanged

Lt. Floyd  F. Hartman               NAV   POW

 T/Sgt Floyd O. Douglas         TOGG   KIA    Killed by German civilians, hanged  

 T/Sgt Carmine V. Roberto       ROG   KIA    Killed by 20mm shell

 T/Sgt Ira L. Arnold                 TTE   KIA    Killed by German civilians, hanged

 S/Sgt Bernard L. Spragg           TG   POW

   Sgt Frank  W. Buschmeier      WG   POW

   Sgt Joseph P. O' Donnell       BTG  POW



This appears to have been a "Pick - Up" crew.  A/C 42-31537 LN-S "Randie Lou"  Plane was named by Lt Randell Chadwick after his Daughter (she was named after Randell and his Wife Louise "Randie Lou")

 

Lt Dykeman, T/Sgt Arnold, Buschmeier and Spragg were from Lt John P.Gibbons crew. O'Donnell from Lt J.M.Shelly crew and of course Fitzroy was the original co-pilot of the Randel T. Chadwick crew when it joined the 100th on 24 Feb 1944.  



On July 29, 1944, for the second day in a row, B-17's set out for the oil plant at Merseburg.  The formation was led by 1st Lt Herbert Howard and Austin Dunlap on a faulty course which went over Leipzig.  The 100th "A" Group followed the 390th BG.  The formation flew on a southernly course towards Merseburg and was hit in a barrage of extremely heavy flak.  In the next few minutes, the low squadron of the 100th Lead was hard hit, losing 5 of 6 B-17's. Crew members believe FW 190's and ME 109's wee radioing the formations altitude while flying in their own flak.  The "A" Group dropped wide, "B" Group hit the target.  The entire low squadron of the 100th "A" Group failed to return.  There was a 6 8/10th's cloud cover at the target.  The lead A/C was hit by flak before the target causing a formation breakup and many stragglers.  All were presumable lost to enemy fighters after passing over targets of opportunity. Witnesses: Lt Kasselbaum and Lt George Allen reported Lt Fitzroy's A/C blowing up after being hit.  German records indicate that 5 bodies were recovered.



EYEWITNESS:  "No specific information concerning the loss of this A/C is available. The formation leader for this squadron suffered flak damage prior to the target and was forced to jettison his bombs. This may have led to the beaking up of the formation for all became more of less stragglers. All were lost, presumaby to E/A after passing over the target of opportunity."

          Floyd F. Hartman



Hartman's statement  also indicates S/Sgt Carmine V. Roberto was killed before the crew bailed out over Leipzig at approx. 1045 hours.  Lt Fitzroy stated that he had seen 12 Americans Hanged and shot by Germans on the 29th of July, 1944.  Lt Dykeman, T/Sgt Douglas and T/Sgt Ira Arnold  were among them





Mission list of the Shelly Crew: (povided by Pat Archer, Sgt. Gordon Winkler's Daughter) 



Mission                               Shelly      Lambert      Skaar         Spiller      Fayette      Winkler        O'Donnell        Harikian       Bates

16/03/44 Augsburg                                                                                             1.(shot down ME 109)                         1

22/03/44 Berlin                                                                     1

23/03/44 Brunswick               1                             1               2             1              2                  1                  1               2 

28/03/44 Chateaudun            2                             2               3             2              3                  2                  2               3

01/04/44 Ludwigshaven         3 (Recall)                                   4             3              4                  3                  3               4

10/04/44 Rheims                   4                             3               5             4              5                  4                  4               5

11/04/44 Rostock                  5                             4               6             5              6                  5                  5               6

13/04/44 Augsburg                6                             5               7             6              7                  6                  6               7

18/04/44 Berlin                      7                             6               8             7              8                  7                  7               8

20/04/44 Flottemanville          8  

22/04/44 Hamm                                                   7                              8              9                  8                  8              9

24/04/44 Friedrichshafen        9                             8                              9              10                9                   9              10

25/04/44 Dijon                     10                            9                             10             11                10                10              11

26/04/44 Fallersleben                                           10

27/04/44 NO-BALL                11                           11                            11             12                11                11              12

27/04/44 LeCulot                  12                                                          12             13                12                12              13

28/04/44 Stottevast                                            12

29/04/44 Berlin                                                   13

01/05/44 NO-BALL                13                           14              9            13             14                13                13              14

07/05/44 Berlin                     14                           15             10           14             15                14                14              15

08/05/44 Berlin                     15                           16             11           15             16                15                15              16

09/04/44 Couvron                 16                           17             12           16             17                16                16              17

11/05/44 Liege                     17                           18             13           17             18                17                17              18

12/05/44 Brux                      18                           19             14           18             19                18                18              19

13/05/44 Osnabruck              19                           20             15           19             20                19                19              20

Flack Leave

27/05/44 Strassbourg                                                                                                                                                   21

29/05/44 Leipzig                   20                           21             16           20             21                                    20              22

30/05/44 Troyes                   21                           22             17          21              22                20                21              23

02/06/44 Paris                                                                     18

04/06/44 Boulogne               22                           23             19          22              23                21                22              24

05/06/44 Boulogne               23                           24             20          23              24                22                23              25

06/06/44 Falaise D-Day          24                           25             21          24              25                23                24              26

                                  wounded by flak                                                        Invasion 07:08

06/06/44 Falaise                                                 26

07/06/44 Nantes                                                                 22

11/06/44 Berck sur Mer                                                        23

15/06/44 Wilster                                                                 24

19/06/44 Ecluse                                                                  25

                                              Lt Lambert (New Pilot)

20/06/44 Fallersleben                         23             27                           25              26                24                 25              27

21/06/44 Berlin                                 24             28              26          26              27               25                  26              28

22/06/44 Paris                                  25             29              27          27              28               26                  27              29

07/07/44 Merseburg                          26             30              28          28              29               27                  27              30

11/07/44 Munich                               27             31              29          29              30               28                  29              31

12/07/44 Munich                              28              32              30          30              31               29                  30              32

13/07/44 Munich                              29              33              31          31              32               30                  31              33

                                                                                                                Shot Down 109

14/07/44 Maquis Supply Drop             30              34              32          32              33               31                  32              34

17/07/44 Auxerre                             31             35               33          33              34               32                  33              35

                                                                                                 Wounded                                                              Finished

19/07/44 Schweinfurt                       32

24/07/44 St Lo                                33              36              34                            35               33                  34

                                                                                                                   Finished

25/07/44 St Lo                                34              37              35                                              34                  35

                                                                                                                                                            Finished

28/07/44 Merseburg                         35

29/07/44 Merseburg                                                                                                             POW

24/08/44 Ruhland             25

25/08/44 Politz                 26

05/09/44 Stuttgart           27

09/09/44 Dusseldorf          28

10/09/44 Nurnburg           29

11/09/44 Ruhland           POW





"Lt Shelly was injured on D-Day in the face around the eyes, hit by flak over the target-didn't think he would be OK, was grounded until August 24, 1944….. Lt Fayette, our Bombardier, was shot in the front of the plane on July 17th Mission to Auxerre.  Bates left his station and put his hands in this chest, Fayette was hit by flak over the target, finished mission and was taken away in an ambulance…..

Sgt Bates went on to fly a second tour of duty in the 12th Air Force in B-25's.  He flew 31 missions in B-25's (out of Italy and Corsica) from January 1945 until the end of the war…." from Sgt Winkler.

Albert Skaar, age 97, of Billings, died on Oct. 14, 2017. Albert was born on his parent’s homestead on March 2, 1920, in Wibaux County, the son of Edward and Anna Hagna Skaar. He received his education in a small country school in Wibaux and graduated from Wibaux High School. He also attended Billings Business College.



In 1943, Albert joined the Army Air Corps, and after pilot training, was assigned to the 100th Heavy Bomb Group, 8th Air Force as a B17 pilot stationed in England. In 1945, he returned to civilian life and in 1948, was employed by the Billings Postal Service. He retired in 1979 after completing 31 years of service.



Albert married Theresa Michel on Sept. 30, 1950, and enjoyed 62 years of marriage. Al was a family man who cherished those close bonds. Quiet, conservative, and modest, he enjoyed life by hunting, horseback riding, eradicating gophers, watching football, and mostly, spending time in his shop building and fixing anything. He had an engineer mind when it came to designing solutions for almost any problem. Being Norwegian, he loved pie, ice cream, and coffee. He was an optimistic person; incredibly strong in mind and spirit.



Albert is survived by his son, Gary (Tutti) Skaar of Bozeman; his daughter, Barbara (Jack) White of Hillsboro, Oregon; three granddaughters, Jennifer (Cole) Schnitzer of Portland, Oregon, Katie White of Los Angeles, California, and Stephanie White of Portland, Oregon; and four great-grandchildren, Caylin and Eli Schnitzer, and Ryder and Ruby Hanson. He was preceded in death by his wife, Theresa; parents; two brothers; and four sisters.



Albert was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Billings for 67 years. Memorial services will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 11 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church, 537 Grand Ave. followed by a luncheon at the church. Interment of the urn will be at 1:30 p.m., at Sunset Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Albert’s name to Trinity Lutheran Church or Trinity Lutheran School where Al was a long-time volunteer.