Personnel

CREW



2ND LT ARTHUR A. LEADER          P FEH

2ND LT ROBERT E. JOHNSON      CP FEH

2ND LT MAX R. BOYER             NAV FEH TAPS: 24 JUN 1972

2ND LT DONALD J. BURNSTEIN BOM FEH

CPL CHARLES D. CONWAY, JR. ROG FEH

CPL JOHN A. SEABLOM            BTG FEH TAPS: 3 JAN 1999

CPL WILBUR J. COHEN             TTE FEH TAPS: 14 JUL 1976

CPL NORMAN J. LIGHTHISER      WG FEH

SGT LEON L. BARNES                 TG KIA 7 APR 45 BUCHEN, OIL STORAGE



418TH SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 11 FEB 1945



Posted by Jack O'Leary on 7/28/2002, 

Combat Missions: 



2 MARCH 1945    RUHLAND/DRESDEN                        LEADER  A-SQDN  LEAD FLT ELEMENT 2, # 3  817 S  HS # 44

8 MARCH 1945    LANGENDREER, GIESSEN, MY (S.T.)  LEADER  A-SQDN  LOW FLGT  #2,   817 S    HS # 44

9 MARCH 1945    FRANKFURT, AC FACTORY                LEADER  C-SQDN  LEAD FLGT # 2,  817  S   HS # 44

12 MARCH 1945  SWINEMUNDE, DOCKS                     LEADER  A-SQDN  LEAD FLGT # 2,  525  A   HS # 41

14 MARCH 1945  SEELZE "A & C GROUP"                    LEADER  C-SQDN   LEAD FLGT# 3,  811 D    HS # 49

23 MARCH  1945 UNNA, MY, 100TH  A-B-C SQDNS      LEADER   A-SQDN LEAD ELEMENT 1 # 2   811 D  HS # 49 

7 APRIL 7,1945   BUCHEN                                        LEADER  a/c # 43-37811 LD-D..(TG..Tail Gunner Leon L. Barnes KIA)

11 APRIL 1945    LANDSHUT                                     LEADER a/c # 44-8616 LD-Z,

14 APRIL 1945    ROYAN                                          LEADER a/c # 43-38525 LD-A "MISS CON DUCT"..(noseart; woman with very attire)

15 APRIL 1945    ROYAN                                          LEADER a/c # 44-6817 LD-S …



Chowhound missions

May 2, 1945 ALKMAAR- HOLLAND      A/C  44-8616 LD-Z   

May 3, 1945 BERGEN, HILVERSUM     A/C  44-8616 LD-Z 

May 6, 1945 BERGEN, HILVERSUM     A/C  44-8616 LD-Z 



Displaced Persons Missions: 

June 3,1945 LEADER a/c # 44-6837 LD-Z  Ferry mission to Paris..bringing back 30+ French Slave Labors sitting in the Bomb Bay 



Green Support Missions to Africa:

Casablanca,June 4, 1945   LEADER, A/C# 44-6837 LD-Z

Casablanca June 12,1945  LEADER, A/C# 44-6837 LD-Z





Subj: Arthur Leader  

Date: 3/7/2003 4:17:28 PM Pacific Standard Time 

From: candp.seablom@verizon.net 

To: MPFaley@aol.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

A year or so ago I sent you some photos which are now posted on the web site.  Since then I have received some new information concerning Arthur Leader.

 

I compared the names on the photos with the 100th BG roster and found Edward Koch's name on both so I wrote him a letter asking if he had any information on anyone in Leader's crew.  He replied saying he had met Mr. Leader at the Salt Lake City reunion last fall and provided me his address.  I then wrote to Mr. Leader and received a reply from him in November.

 

I was mostly interested in learning which position my father (John Seablom) flew in.  From what he had told me and my brother Don he was the ball turret gunner.  He never mentioned flying in any other position.  In 1999 my niece Emily went to Thorpe Abbots and came back with a book and some things that she had learned.  According to what she found at the museum Dad was the regular tail gunner, and he and Leon Barnes exchanged places on the fateful mission to Buchen on April 7, 1945, the one on which Barnes was killed.  The 100th BG site has it listed the same way.  According to Mr. Leader, Dad was the regular ball turret guner and flew every mission in that position.  The museum also said they flew the Buchen mission in Gold Brick, which collided with a German fighter and lost most of the horizontal stabilizer and elevator on the right side.  Mr. Leader said there was no collision with his plane (PLANE WAS HIT BY FLAK…mpf)

 

I hope you will update the captions on the photos to reflect the above information.  I can send you a copy of the letter if you want one.  He hasn't replied to the last letter I sent him and I'm losing hope of hearing from him again.  He was in poor health and living in an assisted living home.  His address is 520 S Higley Rd. Unit 235, Mesa, AZ 85206.

 

Charlie Seablom