Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Wesley G.Stansbury    P    KIA   28/7/44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY

2nd Lt John E.Baxter  CP  KIA    28/7/44 " " " "

2nd Lt William M.Fischer NAV KIA    28/7/44 " " " " A/C#42 9762t

2nd Lt John D.Goethel   BOM       MACR #8173,.Microfiche #3002

 S/Sgt Wesson A.Stetson ROG  KIA    28/7/44 " " " "

 S/ggt G.W.Moxley  TTE  KIA    28/7/44 " " " "

 S/Sgt Henry W.Inskeep BTG  KIA    28/7/44 " " " "

  Sgt Melvin M.Rogoff  WG KIA   28/7/44 " " " "

  Sgt John A.Myers  TG  KIA    28/7/44 " " " "

   Sgt Victor J.Vallerga  WG NC LWA 5/11/44 LUDWIGSHAVEN, MY (S.T.)

 

350th Sqdn.  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 17/7,~44.



This crew and that of A.S.Spear were involved in a mid air collision over 

the North sea on returning from the mission   Lt John Goethel was flying with 

the crew of J.E.David on 3/9/44 when that ship crashed into the sea . He was replaced on this mission

by T/Sgt Richard D. Hawkins who was KIA.  (Goethel and two other crewmen were saved from the

David collision - the members of his old crew were not so fortunate.



 EYEWITNESS: At 1231 hours near 5238N and 1057E while the formation was flying just above undercast at 9000 feet. A/C #009 was flying #7 in the low squadron. It pulled up climbing and struck A/C #621 with it's vertical stablizer. A/C #009 broke in half at the waist and fell through the undercast. Two bodies were seen to come from #009 but no open chutes were seen. A/C #621 had it's left aileron torn off and the aircraft went into a steep dive, disappearing into the undercast with pieces of wreckage falling off.  No churtes were seen to come from this A/C. Aircraft #903 was sent back to patrol the area and assist Air-Sea Rescue. However, observers on that aircraft failed to find any trace of the crew members."



The dead of Stansbury's crew are all commemorated on the Wall Of The Missing at Cambridge.



Subj: Victor J. Vallerga  

Date: 4/5/2002 11:01:49 PM Pacific Standard Time 

From: e-booksgen@e-booksgen.com  

 

Hi again, 

On page: 



https://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews5/stansbury.htm 



you have Victor J. Vallerga listed and NOC for his status. After going through Dick's (Mullaney) address book I found "Vic" Vallerga with an address of 4142 Monterey Blvd., Oakland, California. My guess is this is the "Vic" I have been looking for. If it is indeed the right man this is what Dick said about him: 



Sun. Nov. 5, 1944 

"In the afternoon I went to the skeet range. While I was out there one of the ships came back from the mission all alone and dropped "Red;Red" (Flares indicate wounded on board.) I ran to the ship and found out it was Vic that was hit pretty bad in the arm and leg. They took him off the ship in a stretcher and rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. He had a terrible rip in his leg! He is a swell kid, sleeps right beside me." 



The last entry that mentions Vic says: 



Sun. Dec. 24, 1944 

 "I got up early to catch the train back to the base. I arrived in the afternoon. At night I went Mass and then to the club and Midnight Mass with Vic." 



Vic apparently survived his wounds. Dick doesn't mention him again. It sounds like he was pretty badly wounded. Could he have been sent Stateside and discharged around that time? Well I don't know if this is any help or not but I thought while this is fresh in my mind I should let you know about it just in case you can use it. 



Pat Mullaney



2nd Lt. Wesley G. Stansbury (https://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/crews/crews5/stansbury.htm) 

It says: Sgt Victor J. Vallerga WG NOC 

I thought you might like to add this information or some of it: 

Victor J. Vallerga was sent home about the end of December 1944 after being wounded in action. He won the Purple Heart among other medals. After his return to civilian life he worked at the U.S. Mint in San Francisco, California. He married Harriet Ann Archer and they had three children together. He had one child by another marriage. His daughter, Pam Smith, nursed him during his last illness and he died peacefully at his home in Oakland, California on February 1, 2002. 

That's it for now. 

Pat Mullaney