Personnel

CREW



2ND LT JOHN A. EVANS              P CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY

2ND LT ELMER F. TALBERT        CP CPT 21 JUL 44  REGENSBURG & LUDWIGSHAFEN

2ND LT HENRY S. MEARS, JR.  NAV CPT 20 JUL 44 MERSEBURG

2ND LT JOHN A. GRAZIANO    BOM CPT 25  JUL 44 ST LO (GROUND DEFENSE)

SGT PETER CHURITCH            ROG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY

SGT LELAND M. BAILEY           TTE CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY

CPL LYNN H. LYTHAGOE         RWG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY

SGT   CLARENCE PORTER JR      LWG NOC SWA  DATE & MISSION UNK

SGT EDWARD J. DELUCCIE         TG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY

S/SGT  WILLIAM BARACK           BTG CPT 17 JUL 44 MONTGOURNOY*



418th Sqdn..  Crew, as above, joined the 100th on 09 Mar 1944.  Crew flew "RETURN TICKET" 



* Information from email from Sandy DeLuccie (Daughter in Law) of Ed DeLuccie on April 11, 2000



According to Sgt Ed Deluccie, Sgt. Clarence Porter Jr was injured by a 50 calibur tracer bullet(friendly fire) and the only thing that saved his life was that the tracer cauderized the wound as it went through him, othewise he would have died.  Sgt Porter's wounds took him off flying status and he was replaced on the crew by a S/Sgt Joseph Parrilla. This action happened around the crews 22nd mission.  (April 14, 2000 by Ed Deluccie) 



List of Missions for Lt John Evans, Sgt Ed Deluccie, Peter Churitch, Leland Bailey, William Barack. 

(Given by Ed DeLuccie May,2000) 



1.   3/18/44-Munich

2.   3/22/44-Berlin

3.   3/27/44-Bordeaux

4.   4/01/44-Ludwigshafen

5.   4/10/44-Rheims

6.   4/11/44-Rostock

7.   4/12/44-Leipzig

8.   4/13/44-Augsburg

9.   4/18/44-Berlin

10. 4/19/44-Lippstadt & Werl

11. 4/20/44-Flottemanville& Marquenneville

12. 4/22/44-Hamm

13. 4/24/44-Friedrichshafen

14. 4/25/44-Dijon

15. 4/29/44-Berlin

16. 5/08/44-Berlin

17. 5/09/44-Couvron

18. 5/11/44-Liege

19. 5/12/44-Brux

20. 5/13/44-Osnabruck

21. 5/19/44-Berlin  

22.  5/24/44-Berlin

23.  5/25/44-Brussels

24.  6/06/44-French Coast (D-Day)

25.  6/06/44-French Coast (D-Day)

26.  6/11/44-Berck-Sur-Mer

27.  6/14/44-Le Culot

28.  6/15/44-Wilster

29.  6/18/44-Brunsbuttelkoog

30.  6/21/44-Ruhland (Shuttle Mission to Russia)

31.  6/26/44-Drohobyez, Poland

32.  7/03/44-Arad (Rumania)

33.  7/05/44-Beziers (Italy to Base)

34.  7/13/44-Munich

35.  7/17/44-South France (No Ball)



Our crew was formed at Moses Lake, WA, in September, '43. After training there for about 6 weeks, we were moved to Tampa…Drew Field…for better weather conditions. Unfortuantely, we did not get the job of flying a B-17 to Florida. Instead, we were on a horribly crowded troop train for 6 days. After Tampa, we went to Savannah (Hunter Field?) to get the B-17 we were to take to England, via the Southern route. We spent a few memorable days there, and then were given a week to visit our families over the Xmas holidays. (john graziano Nov 2001)





PETER CHURITCH SCHERERVILLE, IN 

Peter Churitch, age 86, of Schererville (formerly of Dolton, IL) slipped peacefully into the hands of God on March 9, 2010. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Helen Marie; a son, Michael; and six siblings. Peter is survived by his son, Peter A. (Gale) Churitch, of Griffith; daughters: Robin Littrell of Crown Point and Wendy (Kay) Churitch of Irving, TX; sister, Helen Stahovic, of Ironwood, MI; four grandchildren: Alison (Carl) Giometti, Robert (Rebecca) Beal, Shannon Churitch, and Ashley Churitch; his buddy, great grandson, Braden; and many adoring nieces and nephews. Peter proudly served his country during WWII as a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. He was a radioman/top turret gunner aboard a B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber named "Return Ticket" in the bloody 100th Bomb Group. He flew 35 missions in the European Theatre, including two over the Normandy coast on D-day. Peter returned home briefly to instruct recruits in radio operation, only to return to active service aboard a military transport aircraft, flying supplies from India into, and wounded soldiers out of Russia and China over the Himalayas/Mt. Everest (the Hump). For his heroic service, Peter was awarded numerous medals from both the U.S. and Russia, including the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross. Following his service in WWII, Peter attended the University of Illinois where he graduated with honors with a degree in Chemical Engineering, met and married his wife, Helen, and became a division manager at what was the Atlantic Richfield (Sinclair) Refinery in East Chicago. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Highland, an avid golfer and bowler, and an all-around sports enthusiast. Funeral services will be held Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 10:30 AM at the First Presbyterian Church of Highland, 8727 Delaware, Highland, IN with Rev. Dr. Laura Reason officiating. Interment private at Chapel Hill Gardens South Cemetery, Oak Lawn, IL. Friends are invited to meet with the family on Friday, March 12, 2010 from 4:00-8:00 PM at Kuiper Funeral Home, 9039 Kleinman Road (two blocks south of Ridge Road), Highland, IN.