Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Ivan .W.Rosenbaum    P        FEH Injured in crash landing of Glory Bound

2nd Lt Thomas J.Slaven,Jr.    CP      FEH  Injured in crash landing of Glory Bound

   F/O Arnold E.Bennett      NAV      FEH

2nd Lt Joseph L.Straus       BOM        FEH    SN# 0-928356

   Cpl Bernard W.Guza         ROG       FEH

   Cpl Perry C.Peckham        TTE     FEH   

   Cpl Ellis A.LaLonde         BTG     FEH

   Cpl Edwin Villa               WG       FEH 

   Cpl John F.Curran             TG      FEH



351st Sqdn. Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 24/12/44.  Crew # 69

Crew flew following A/C: 521-Skyway Chariot,  514-EZ Goin, 852, 767-Our Gal Sal, 616(418th), 162(418th), 

708-Skipper II, 992, 632, 963



Jan 4, 1945 while returning from training mission at Thorpe Abbotts, crashed A/C#338523 (GLORY BOUND) on landing.  2nd Lt Ivan Rosenbaum and 2nd Lt Thomas Slaven were both Injured in the crash and hospitalized.   Upon recovery, Lt Slaven would become a fill in CP, he flew on Lt Streich Crew  until they completed their tour in Feb 45 and then became CP on Lt Broyles Crew.  Due too the injuries both Rosenbaum and Slaven were removed from the crew and replaced by Lt Melvin Kodas.  Crew became known as "KODAS KIDS".  Crew would fly with a different Co-Pilot on most missions.  The missions are listed below with co-pilots listed. Lt Rosenbaum would come back to fly 8 missions with his "old" Crew in April 45.  



Combat Missions of 2nd Lt Joseph Straus (KODAS KIDS)...(mpf 2000)



1. 10/1/45 COLOGNE-A/C Skyway Chariot- Co-Pilot-Capt. Albrecht bombed Dusseldorf by mistake

2. 13/1/45 MAINZ-Rhine River Bridge, Co-Pilot- F/O Raymond Stiller

3. 14/1/45 DERBEN- Oil Storage,        Co-Pilot-F/O Raymond Stiller

4. 17/1/45 HAMBURG-Oil Factory,       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Paul Batterman

5. 28/1/45 DUISBURG-RR Bridge,       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

6. 29/1/45 KASSEL-tank factory      Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

7.   3/2/45 BERLIN-City                Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert  Mellem                                                       

8.   6/2/45 ZWICKAU-oil plant       Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

9.   9/2/45 WEIMER-tank factory     Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

10. 15/2/45 COTTBUS-ST,               Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

11. 21/2/45 NURNBURG-RR Yards    Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert  G. Mellem

12. 22/2/45 WEHENGER-TO  "     "

13. 23/2/45 TREUCHTLINGEN-RR "     "

14. 25/2/45 MUNICH-RR Yards  "     "

15. 26/2/45 BERLIN-RR Yards  "     "

16.   2/3/45 DRESDEN   "     "

17.   7/3/45 SIEGEN-RR Yards  "     "

18.   8/3/45 GEISSEN-RR Yards  "     "

19. 10/3/45 DORTMUND-RR Yards "     "

20. 11/3/45 HAMBURG-Oil Plant  "     "

21. 15/3/45 ORANIENBURG-RR        Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

22. 18/3/45 BERLIN-RR Yards-         Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Piolt-2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem

23. 21/3/45 PLAUEN-tank factory    Nav-Lt John Gross, Co-Pilot 2nd Lt Robert G. Mellem -cpt 35 mission

         Captain Melvin Kodas last mission with Crew

24. 28/3/45 HANNOVER-tank factory,  Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum, CP-2nd Lt Francis Beed, Nav-F/O Arnold Bennett 

25. 30/3/45 HAMBURG-sub pens "       "

26. 31/3/45 ZEITZ-oil refinery  "       "

27. 14/4/45 ROYAN-gun positions near Bordeaux  Pilot-Lt Rosenbaum, CP-2nd Lt Walter G. Scott 

       Lt Scott completed his 35 mission

28. 15/4/45 ROYAN-gun positions       Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum CP-? 

29. 16/4/45 POINT DE-GRAVE-gun positions near Bordeaux- Pilot -Lt Ivan Rosenbaum

30. 17/4/45 AUSSIG-RR Yards           Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum

31. 20/4/45 ORANIENBURG-RR Yards  Pilot-Lt Ivan Rosenbaum



Chowhounds:            

 1/5/45  LEYDEN/HOLLAND

 2/5/45  AMSTERDAM-SHIPHOL

 5/5/45  BERGEN

 7/5/45  AMSTERDAM-SHIPHOL

 

.

CREW



2nd Lt Herman F.Streich         P  CPT 17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN

2nd Lt Richard W.King        CP  KIA  31/12/44  HAMBURG (With crew flown by F.E.Henderson)

2nd Lt Leon Schwartz      NAV  CPT 19/2/45    OSNABRUCK  sn# 0-723444

2nd Lt Frank Dunst,Jr.      BOM CPT  24/3/45    STEENWIJK/HAVELTE  & ZIEGENHAIN (made lead bomb after 6 missions)

   Cpl Thomas E. Pepper    ROG CPT  17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN

   Cpl Edward R.Benice       BTG  NOC (never flew a mission with this crew) 

   Cpl George H.Holland      TTE  CPT 17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN

   Cpl Thomas L.Whitacre     WG  CPT  17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN

   Cpl Herman H.Buhse WG/TOG  CPT  17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN (Toggleer after 6 missions)

   Cpl Elwood O.Mattiza        TG   CPT  17/2/45    FRANKFURT & GIESSEN



351st Sqdn.  Crew joined 100th Group on 09 Sept1944 according to the Sqdn Diary for Sept. (p.2).



Frank Streich was a TV film producer in England for many years after WWII.



This crew flew thirty five missions, many in "Fever Beaver." This venerable old 100th aircraft flew  125 missions. Her crew chief was J.D.Pearson, who appeared on the 1985 Taps list, became almost a surrogate father to young Sam Hurry.  Hurry latter became President of the !00th Bomb Groups English Association.  Others who served on this Crew included; Copilots Lt Paul Batterman and Lt Tom Slaven (from Lt Rosenbaum Crew).  Sgt Harvey J. Lehman (from Lt Clifton Williams Crew) was transferred to this Crew as BTG and completed tour on 17/2/45 mission to Frankfurt & Giessen.  According to Lt Schwartz, Lt King had been grounded and wonders why he filled in  on Lt Henderson's crew on 31 DEC 44 mission to Hamburg? Lt Schwartz also states that they flew FEVER BEAVER on her 100th MISSION (she flew 126 missions in all)



Missions of 2nd Lt Leon Schwartz (mpf 2002)



1.     25/09/44     LUDWIGSHAVEN-flew with different crew

2.     02/10/44     KASSEL

3.     06/10/44     BERLIN

4.     07/10/44     BOHLEN

5.     09/10/44     WEISBADEN

6.     12/10/44     BREMEN

7.     15/10/44     COLOGNE-Lt Dunst becomes lead bombardier and is replaced by Sgt Buhse-Toggleer

8.     05/11/44     LUDWIGSHAVEN

9.     09/11/44     SAARBRUCKEN

10.   21/11/44     OSNABRUCK

11.   26/11/44     HAMM

12.   29/11/44     HAMM

13.   30/11/44     MERSEBURG

14.   04/12/44     FRIEDBERG

15.   05/12/44     BERLIN

16.   12/12/44     DARMSTADT

17.   24/12/44     KAISERLAUTERN

18.   25/12/44     KAISERLAUTERN

19.   27/12/44     FULDA

20.   28/12/44     KOBLENZ

21.   30/12/44     KASSEL

22.   31/12/44     HAMBURG

23.   13/01/45     MAINZ

24.   14/01/45     DERBEN

25.   17/01/45     HAMBURG

26.   20/01/45     HEIBRON

27.   21/01/45     MANNHEIM

28.   28/01/45     DUISBURG

29.   29/01/45     KASSEL

30.   03/02/45     BERLIN

31.   06/02/45     CHEMNITZ

32.   09/02/45     WEIMAR

33.   15/02/45     COTTBUS

34.   17/02/45     FRANKFURT & GIESSEN

35.   19/02/45     OSNABRUCK-flew with different crew    



Henderson crew

On the  31 DEC 44 ( HAMBURG) mission,  FLOYD E. HENDERSON was the first pilot of this crew..Appears mainly that of Carl J. HEDIN...jb

These  crewmen were with the crew of Floyd E.Henderson on 31/12/44. Henderson, himself,was CP on the crew of R.L.Stevenson when that crew joined the 100th Group on 14/7/44. 



A/C #42-31066 "Fools Rush In"  MACR #11366, MICRO-FICHE #4183



2ND LT FLOYD E. HENDERSON      P         KIA 31 DEC 44   HAMBURG

2nd  Lt   Richard W. King             CP        KIA 31 DEC 44  HAMBURG  (from Lt Streich Crew)

2nd   Lt   George J. Smigo, Jr     NAV       POW 31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

S/Sgt  Elmer L. Kovach            TOGG        KIA 31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

S/Sgt George J.Robinson            ROG       KIA  31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

 S/Sgt James W.Shepard            TTE      KIA   31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

   Sgt Leo O.Murphy                  BTG     POW    31DEC /44  HAMBURG

   Sgt Fred Horcasitas                 WG       KIA     31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

   Sgt Frank S.Sauls                    TG       POW   31 DEC 44  HAMBURG





EYEWITNESS:  "A/C 42-31066 recieved a direct hit by flak just before "Bombs Away" , and the bombs were salvoed. 

     The A/C fell off on the right wing and dropped onto A/C #43-38124 piloted by Lt Clifton M. Williams.

     Both aircraft went down in flames  and one exploded" (See Williams crew below)



Lt Clifton M.Williams     P    KIA   31/12/44 HAMBURG

Lt Kenneth W.Newkirk   CP  KIA "

Lt Richard F.Williams   NAV  KIA " A/C #43 38124

Lt Lawrence W.Ward   BOM  POW  " MACR #11363,Fiche #4182

T/S/Sgt Charles J.McGinley  ROG  KIA " 

T/Sgt .Alvin H.Petteys   TTE  KIA "

S/Sgt Lee F.Carpenter   BTG  KIA "

S/Sgt  James H.Murphy        WG   POW  "  TAPS: 1973

  Cpl  Gordon R.Sinclair      TG   CPT  15 /3/45 ORANIENBURG /WITH THE S. JOHNSON CREW AS NAV (see note)



351st Sqdn. Sqdn Diary of Sept.1944 notes this crew as joining the 100th Group in Sept. A Cpl.Harvey J.Lehman was 

on the crew at that time but no further record of him has turned up.



On 31/12/44, S/Sgt Roland L.Douglas,from the crew of Gerald Brown,was flying in place of Gordon Sinclair and was 

made a POW.



Note

Gordon Sinclair was removed from Navigator's school one day short of graduation for some unknown infraction, proably the Training Command acted  a bit over zealous in view of the need for trained Navigators.  The 351st Sqdn. Commander (Harry Cruver, a man known to have had some disagreements with training command personnel during his cadet days) corrected this bit of over zealousness by immediately promoting Sinclair to M/Sgt and  making him the Navigator for the Sidney Johnson crew, where he completed a tour.  This from Charles M. Beck, of the Sidney Johnson crew..pw

Flew with Streich as CP until they completed missions and then flew with Lt Broyles Crew