Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt Murray D.Johnson          P   CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

2nd Lt Donald G.Rohlfs            CP  CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

2nd Lt Robert J.Lehto          NAV   CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

2nd Lt Robert Figg               BOM   NOC  15 JUN 44 MISBURG/WILSTER (ORIG BOMBARDIER, FLEW ONLY ONE MISSION WITH CREW)

 S/Sgt Louis Bartoy                NG   CPT    3  SEP 44 BREST 

 S/Sgt Richard J.Moran           ROG CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

 T/Sgt Merton H.Wilch           TTE CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG sn# 37512399

   Sgt Clyde E.Forrester          BTG CPT   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

   Sgt John J.Coffelt               WG NOC   12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG

   Sgt Earl E.Williams               WG CPT    31 DEC 44 HAMBURG

   Sgt Richard K.Thormahlon     TG CPT    12 SEP 44 MADGEBURG  SN# 16137934,



418th Sqdn. Crew arrived at 100th BG in May 27, 1944 

This crew,as above,appears on Combat Crew roster of 24/6/44 as Crew #81.  T/Sgt Wilch says the crew arrived in May 1944 and that he finished the last half of his mission in "Silver Dollar".  Sgt Earl Williams flew with this crew until July 24, 1944, then was taken off crew to reduce to 9 men. He became a Tog on Lt Bucklew Crew.  



Crew roster of 3/8/44 has Lt.George L.Reid as bombardier filling in for Sgt Bartoy. On 5/9/44 Crew roster shows a T/Sgt B.Beamer as NG in place of  S/Sgt Bartoy who completed his tour. A T/Sgt Wm R. Hellen from crew of H.E.Bethea as TTE flew 2 missions in place of T/Sgt.Wilch.



Crew roster of 11/9/44 is as follows:

      Lt. M.D.Johnson       P                

      Lt. D.H.Rohlfs         CP

      Lt. R.J.Lehto         NAV

      Lt. L.G.Schmidt      BOM

     T/S. R.J.Moran        ROG     

     T/S. M.H.Wilch        TTE

     S/S. C.E.Forrester    BTG

     S/S. J.J.Coffelt         WG  

     S/S. R.K.Thormahlen  TG

     T/S.  Don.Bradley      350th BS aerial photographer





MEMO

COPY OF MISSON LOG PROVIED BY MERTON H. WILCH ON 23 OCT 92 (pw)



01. WILSTER, GER                  6/15/44

02. FALLERSLADEN, FR            6/20/44

03. BERLIN, GER                     6/21/44

04. PARIS, FR                         6/22/44

05. SOUTHERN FRANCE           6/25/44

06. BOHLEN, GER                   6/29/44

07. NOBALL                           7/4/44

08. NOBALL                           7/6/44

09. BOHLEN, GER                   7/7/44

10. BOURTH, FR                     7/8/44

11. MUNICH, GER                  7/11/44

12. MUNICH, GER                  7/12/44

13. MUNICH, GER                  7/13/44

14. SOUTHERN FRANCE         7/14/44

15. AUXERRE, FR                   7/17/44

16. NORTHERN, FR                7/24/44

17. BATTLE LINE, FR             7/25/44

18. MERSEBURG, GER            7/28/44

19. MERSEBURG, GER            7/29/44

20. MUNICH, GER                  7/31/44

21. LeFERE, FR                     8/2/44

22. TROYES, FR                    8/3/44

23. NORTHERN FRANCE         8/7/44

24. NORTHERN FRANCE         8/8/44

25. VILLACOMBLEY              8/11/44

26. BATTLE FRONT, FR         8/13/44

27. LUDWIGSHAVEN, GER     8/14/44

28. BERLIN, GER                  8/27/44

29. MAINZ, GER                    9/1/44

30. NURNBURG, GER            9/10/44

31. RUHLAND, GER              9/11/44

32. DUSSELDORF, GER         9/12/44

        MISSION NAMES GIVEN HERE ARE NOT THE OFFICIAL MISSION NAMES LISTED IN THE 100TH MISSION LOG, THE DATES MATCH AND IT APPEARS THE PREPARING OFFICER, A LT ROBERT G. CRANE, MAY HAVE ABBREVIATED THE OFFICIAL MISSION TITLES.



Memories of T/Sgt Merton Wilch (mpf 2001)



"Lt Murray Johnson was may pilot and Lt Don Rohlfs was my co-pilot.  Our pilot flew as a co-pilot with another crew for his first mission for experience.  So he was one up on us for number of missons.  I was sick and missed one mission and I don't know what happened but I missed another mission.  Any way  I completed 32 missions.  When the pilot got in 35 missions, then the crew could go back to the States.  I was transferred to another base for several months as a gunnery instructor before returning to the States.



Fifty five crews trained at Dalhart Texas.  Five of the crews went to the 100th BG. Of the five, two were shot down.  Not a good percentage.  I could not have timed my time with the 100th any better.  All missions in the summer time and with good figher support by that time.  Also getting my missions in one right after the other after D-Day.  My first mission June 15, 1944 and last September 12, 1944.  Less than 3 months.  We were one of the lucky ones, never lost an engine.



I feel a little guilty because I know what a lot of the other crews might have gone through.  As the top turret gunner and engineer, I never shot at anything.  We just happened to be in the right place in the formation.  Got a lot of flak holes.  My next to last mission was September 11, 1944 to Ruhland.  The 100th sent up 36 planes and 12 were shot down.  The war was serious business.  On the plane, as with all crews, there was no conversations only what was important.  About every hour the co-pilot would call for an oxygen check, each crew member answering from the bombardier back to the tail gunner.  To check to see if everyone was OK.  There was not the silly stuff that was in the last "Memphis Belle" movie.  I told my kids not to see it.  That was not the way it was"



Just a side light story.  Our pilot was one of the older ones.  Twenty-eight and serious and he had to smoke at high altitude.  There was no cigareet lighter on a B-17.  At the oxygen regulator is a red knob that can be turned on for pure oxygen.  He lit his cigareet this way.  Breathing in all the oxygen that he could, then taking of his mask.  He then turned the oxygen hose to his lighter to get it lit.  Then breathed through the cigarette and sucked through to get his smoke.  I'vd never smoked but that shows what some people go through to keep from having a nicotine fit.  He was the BEST pilot."

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Missions of S/Sgt Richard Thormahlen SN# 16137934, assigned to 100th May 27, 1944

     Missions Mostly flown in A/C # 42-32090  "Silver Dollar"



1. 15/6/44  Wilster

2. 20/6/44  Fallersleben

3. 21/6/44  BERLIN

4. 22/6/44  Paris

5. 25/6/44  So France Maquis Supply drop

6. 29/6/44  Bohlen

7.  4/7/44  Gien, Fr.

8.  6/7/44  So France No Ball

9.  7/7/44  Gottingen

10.  8/7/44  Le Lentie

11. 11/7/44  Munich

12. 12/7/44  Munich

13. 13/7/44  Munich

14. 14/7/44  So France Marquis Supply drop

15. 17/7/44  Montgournoy No Ball

16. 24/7/44  St Lo

17. 25/7/44  St Lo

18. 28/7/44  Merseburg

19. 29/7/44  Merseburg

20. 31/7/44  Munich

21.   2/8/44  La Fere

22.   3/8/44  Troyes, Fr

23.   7/8/44  Beautor Fr

24.   8/8/44  St. Sukvain

25.  11/8/44  Paris

26. 13/8/44  Batt AR 3

27. 14/8/44  Ludwigshaven

28. 27/8/44  BERLIN

29.   1/9/44  Mainz

30.   3/9/44  Brest

31.   5/9/44  Stuttgart

32. 10/9/44  Nurnburg

33. 11/9/44  Ruhland

34. 12/9/44  Magdeburg



Missions Memories: July 28 & 29 when we lost 3 17's on the 28th and 8 on the 29th.  Briefed that target area would have 1200 to 1500 flak guns instead of the normal 300 guns.  Merseburg flak was extra heavy as synthetic oil refineries became Germany's main oil supply after the loss of the Ploesti Oil Refineries in Romaina in June of 1944.



Missions to Ruhland, Germany on September 11, 1944 when we lost a whole Squadron of 12 A/C in less than Thirty Seconds.  No excorting fighters were near us at the time.



(per S/Sgt Thormahlen questionaire May 2000)

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MISSIONS OF S/SGT FORRESTER FROM OPS



Date Crew Nbr Mission Nbr Last Name Initial Rank Position Aircraft Nbr Target

6/15/1944 81 -140 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 31404 MITBURG & WILSTER

6/20/1944 81 -143 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 31404 FALLERSLEBEN

6/21/1944 81 -144 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 31404 BASDORF

6/22/1944 81 -146 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 31404 PARIS (RIVER DOCKS)

6/25/1944 81 148 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 37517 SOUTH OF FRANCE

6/29/1944 81 150 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 37517 BOHLEN (OIL REF)

7/4/1944 81 152 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97673 GIEN (RECALLED)

7/6/1944 81 154 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97673 FLEURY/CREPEUIL

7/7/1944 81 155 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97230 BOHLEN/MERSEBURG

7/8/1944 81 156 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 CLAMECY-JOLGYN

7/11/1944 81 157 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97230 MUNICH (AERO ENGINES)

7/12/1944 81 158 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97154 MUNICH (IND. AREA)

7/13/1944 81 159 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 38175 MUNICH (JET ENGINES)

7/14/1944 81 160 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 102649 SOUTH OF FRANCE

7/17/1944 81 161 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 38175 AUXERRE & MONTGOURNOY

7/18/1944 81 162 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 38175 KIEL & HEMMINGSTADT

7/24/1944 81 166 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)

7/25/1944 81 167 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 ST LO (GND SUPPORT)

7/28/1944 81 168 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 MERSEBURG

7/29/1944 81 169 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 MERSEBURG

7/31/1944 81 170 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 97230 MUNICH (AERO ENGINES)

8/2/1944 81 171 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 106986 TERGNIER/LAFERE

8/3/1944 81 172 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 TROYES (RAIL YARD)

8/7/1944 81 176 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 6092 BEAUTOR (BRIDGES)

8/11/1944 81 178 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 102649 VILLACOUBLAY

8/13/1944 81 179 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 31220 NANTES - GASSICOURT

8/14/1944 81 180 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 102649 LUDWIGHSAVEN (OIL)

8/27/1944 81 186 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 BERLIN (RECALL)

8/30/1944 81 187 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 BREMEN

9/1/1944 81 188 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 MAINZ (RECALL)

9/3/1944 81 189 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 BREST

9/5/1944 81 190 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 STUTTGART (AERO ENGS)

9/10/1944 81 193 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 NURNBURG

9/11/1944 81 194 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 RUHLAND (OIL)

9/12/1944 81 195 FORRESTER C.E. SGT BTG 32090 MAGDEBURG (OIL)

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