Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Sidney C. Johnson           P    CPT      15/3/45  ORANIENBURG

2nd Lt Williarn J. Duggan          CP    CPT     15/3/45   ORANIENBURG

1st Lt Chester Romanowski      NAV   NOC   REPLACED ON CREW BY M/SGT GORDEN SINCLAIR

    F/O Harry M. Thompson      BOM   CPT      21/3/45   RUHLAND

    Cpl Charles M. Beck, Jr.       ROG   CPT      15/3/45    ORANIENBURG

    Cpl Harry E. Menter            TTE   CPT      15/3/45    ORANIENBURG

    Cpl William G. Weeks          BTG    CPT      15/3/45   ORANIENBURG

    Cpl Edwin R. Hodgson         WG    CPT      15/3/45   ORANIENBURG

    Cpl Francis W. Manser          TG    CPT      15/3/45   ORANIENBURG



351st Sqdn.  Crew, as above, joined the 100th Bomb Group on 28 OCT 44.



This crew flew the Dec 31, 1944 Mission to Hamburg which resulted in the loss of 12 a/c from the 100th Bomb Group.  This crew flew in the lead flight, low squadron, position #2.



Hi Paul (West),

It says that the sidney Johnson crew flew the Hamburg mission on Dec 31,1944 but in Charlie Becks listing of missions, Hamburg is not listed?  Do you know

why?  Was Charlie sick that day, or on leave?  just wondering.  I know That sidney flew that day in Mason and Dixon.



From Paul West:

Mike, They lost an engine at takeoff and returned and landed on three engines. There was not a spare aircraft and they were told to stand down.

This from Charlie, Weeks, and Manser.. Paul



CREW

A/C #43 38124                 MACR #11363,Fiche #4182



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

Lt Kenneth W.Newkirk         CP  KIA "

Lt Richard F.Williams           NAV  KIA "                                      

Lt Lawrence W.Ward         BOM  POW  "                                   

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 disagreement 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





Mission Log ; Charles M. Beck                                Clm      A/C Lost    Crew Lost        Results              Mission #



1. 16 NOV 44 AACHEN AREA, GROUND SUPPORT         0         0              0                 GOOD                 223

2. 26 NOV 44 HAMM, MY                                           0         0              0                 MISSED               225

3. 29 NOV 44 HAMM, MY                                           0         0              0                 MISSED               226

4. 30 NOV 44 MERSEBURG, OIL REFINERY                   0         1             10                POOR                  227

5. 02 DEC 44 KOBLENZ (Recalled with mission credit awarded)

6. 04 DEC 44 GIESSEN, FRIEDBERG                             0         0              0                 POOR                  229

7. 05 DEC 44 BERLIN, TANK WORKS                           0         0              0                  UNK                    230

8. 11 DEC 44 GIESSEN, KOBLENZ                               0         0              0                  FAIR                    231

9. 12 DEC 44 DARMSTADT, MY                                  0         0              0                 HIT TARGET         232

10. 24 DEC 44 BABENHAUSEN,KAISERLAUNTERN         0          0             0                  EXCELLENT          234

11. 25 DEC 44 KAISERLAUTERN, MY                           0         0             0                  EXCELLENT           235

12. 27 DEC 44 FULDA, MY                                         0         0             0                  VERY GOOD          236

13. 28 DEC 44 KOBLENZ                                            0         0              0                  VERY GOOD         237

14. 29 DEC 44 FRANKFURT, MY                                 0          0             1                  VERY GOOD         238

15. 06 JAN 45 GERMERSHEIM & ANNWEILER               0          0             0                  POOR                 217

16. 13 JAN 45 MIANZ, BRIDGE                                   0          0              0                  GOOD                 220

17. 14 JAN 45 DERBEN, OIL STORAGE                        6          0              0                  EXCELLENT         221

18. 17 JAN 45 HAMBURG, OIL REFINERY                     0          0              0                  GOOD                 222

19. 21 JAN 45 MANNHEIM, RR BRIDGE (S.T.)              0          0              0                  UNKNOWN          224

20. 28 JAN 45 DUISBURG, BRIDGE                             0          0              0                  VERY GOOD        225

21. 29 JAN 45 KASSEL, TANK WORKS                        0          0             0                   GOOD                226

22. 03 FEB 45 BERLIN, CITY                                      0          4             36                  GOOD                227

23. 17 FEB 45 FRANKFURT & GIESSEN                       0          0              0                   POOR               233

24. 19 FEB 45 OSNABRUCK & MUNSTER                     0          0              0                   FAIR                234

25. 21 FEB 45 NURNBURG, MY (S.T.)                         0          0              0                   FAIR                 236

26. 22 FEB 45 DONAUESCHINGEN                             0           0              0                   FAIR                 237

27. 23 FEB 45 TREUCHTLINGEN                                0          0              0                   VERY GOOD       238

28. 25 FEB 45 MUNICH, MY                                      0          0              0                   FAIR                 240

29. 26 FEB 45 BERLIN, CITY                                     0          0              0                   GOOD               241

30. 28 FEB 45 KASSEL, MY                                       0          0              0                   FAIR                242

31. 04 MAR 45 ULM, MY (S.T.)                                 0          0              0                    H2X UNK          245

32. 07 MAR 45 SIEGEN, MY (S.T.)                            0          0               0                   UNK                 246

33. 08 MAR 45 GIESSEN, MY (S.T.)                          0           0               0                   MISSED           247

34. 10 MAR 45 DORTMUND, MY                               0           0               0                   FAIR                249

35. 15 MAR 45 ORANIENBURG, MY                           0           0               0                   MISSED            253



Here's the link below to the William G. Weeks obituary.TAPS on 27 Oct,2009 in Albany,MO. two days after his 85th birthday. Born 25 Oct,1924

BTG on the 2nd Lt. Sidney C. Johnson crew. CPT 3/15/45



Posted By: JCGS Volunteer

Date: 11/16/2009 at 18:49:32 



William G. Weeks, 85 years and 2 days old, passed away on Oct. 27, 2009, at his home in Albany, Mo. 

He was born in St. Joseph, Mo., to Roy and Elizabeth (Smith) Weeks on Oct. 25, 1924. His parents moved to Newton, Iowa, in 1929, and William graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1943. 

Shortly after graduation, he joined the Army Airforce and was a member of the 100th Bomb Group, 8th Airforce, 351st squadron based out of Thorpe Abbots Airfield in England during World War II. He was a staff sargent. William flew 35 missions over Germany and was awarded five Air Medal Oakleaf Clusters, two Bronze Battle Stars and a European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal while in the European Theatre of Operations. William flew on the Mason and Dixon and his job was the ball turret gunner — a job nobody wanted and often referred to as a death trap. He left England after 35 missions and was discharged in October 1945. 

William married the love of his life, Aletha Ferne McComas of Denver, Mo., in Troy, Kan., on Sept. 7, 1946, and made their home in Denver, Mo. In 1957, they moved to Newton, where William pursued a career as an electrician. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local for 40 years. He retired in 1984. Upon his retirement, William and Ferne moved to Albany to live closer to family and pursue a hobby of raising cattle and growing excellent pasture and hay fields for their herd. William was an accomplished pilot and enjoyed flying, especially to Canada, on fishing trips and yearly Oshkosh Conventions. 

William was a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and an avid ham radio operator — call letters WPRA, standing for Pretty Red Apple or as he called himself sometimes “Poor Ragged Amateur.” William and Ferne rarely missed their grandsons’ football or baseball games. In later years, they became great-grandparents to Adrian Taylor, better known as “Sweet Pea,” who was the apple of their eyes and the daughter of Chase and Ashley Sorensen. 

William was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Aletha, and his parents, Roy and Elizabeth (Smith) Weeks. 

He is survived by his daughter, Billie Sorensen, and husband, Gordon, of Denver, Mo., and grandchildren Chase Sorensen and daughter Adrian of Kansas City, Mo., and Brent Sorensen of Denver, Mo. 

The family will receive friends from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City with service to follow. Interment and Military Rites by American Legion Post 92 and V.F.W. Post 3123 will be in the Miller Cemetery near Denver, Mo. Family and friends are invited to William’s home after services. Chaplain Marty Clary will officiate. Pallbearers will be Dale Findley, Ronnie Roach, Dan Parman, Jim Dunfee and Chase and Brent Sorensen. Memorials may be made to Hands of Hope Hospice of Albany, Mo. 

Source: Newton Daily News; Friday, October 30, 2009