Personnel

CREW

Lt Cook's original crew was:



2nd Lt Gordon A.Parsons        P   NOC   Severe sinus problem & grounded during tour) 

2nd Lt George W.McLeod       CP FEH 

2nd Lt Wayne H.Lamb         NAV FEH 

2nd Lt William A.Cook          BOM FEH  (flew some missions with Lt Fillingame Crew, see below)

Cpl Francis J.Corcoran           ROG FEH

 S/Sgt Charles E.Bodenheimer  TTE KIA   28/12/44 KOBLENZ,LUXEMBOURG, LUNEBACH 

   Cpl Owen B.Gaisford           BTG FEH

   Cpl Jack C.Combs                 TG SWA

   Cpl Elmer L.Erickson           WG FEH

   Cpl Oliver D.Lee                 WG NOC



349th Sqdn.  Crew,as above,joined the 100th Group on 5/10/44, Oliver Lee removed from crew when 

reduced from 10 to 9 men.  Phone conversation with Elmer Erickson 9/11/83 informed me that 

Parsons developed severe sinus in latter part of tour and McLeod took over Pilot duties. 

Also,that Combs was wounded in leg.



See.91 of CONTRAILS for Bodenheimer story.  "Attempted to help pilot & co pilot with flak 

suits. On climbing out of the turret he caught glove on switch causing turret to turn. This 

pinned Bododeimer between turret and oxygen bottles crushing him. Attempts to revive him with 

artificial respiration and oxygen were futile. A/C dropped to lower altitude and attempted 

landing at emergency field but field was closed. Bodenheimer dead by then."



Reply from Combs 19/9/90. Says he was not a POW  was wounded on a mission but crew came back to 

base. He was sent back to hospital in USA. Story Of The Century mistakenly lists him as a 

POW…jb





MISSIONS OF GEORGE W. McLEOD  FLOWN AS CO-PILOT PRIOR TO ASSUMING COMMAND 



 10 NOV 44 WIESBADEN  7:30 HRS, 26000 FT

 20 NOV 44 RECALL

 21 NOV 44 OSNABRKUCK 6:35 HRS, -47 DEGREES

 26 NOV 44 HAMM

 29 NOV 44 HAMM

 30 NOV 44 MERSEBURG  8 HRS, 30,000 FT

 02 DEC 44 RECALL (KOBLENZ)

 12 DEC 44 DARMSTADT

 13 DEC 44 RECALL

 24 DEC 44 BIBLIS 7:30HRS, 26,000 FT

 25 DEC 44 KAISERLAUTERN, 6:45 HRS, 24,000 FT

 28 DEC 44 KOBLENZ

 DEC 30 44 KASSEL, 7:30HRS, 25,000 FT



MISSION OF GEORGE W. McLEOD FLOWN AS 1ST PILOT OF THE SAME CREW:



 23 FEB 45 TRENCHTLINGEN

 24 FEB 45 BREMEN, 7 HRS, 25,000 FT

 02 MAR 45 DRESDEN

 03 MAR 45 BRUNSWICK, 7 HRS, 25,000 FT

 09 MAR 45 FRANKFURT, 7 HRS, 24,000 FT

 10 MAR 45 DORTMUND

 18 MAR 45 BERLIN, 7:30HRS, 26,000 FT

 19 MAR 45 FULDA/JENA, 8:15 HRS, 26,000 FT

 21 MAR 45 PLAUEN, 7:30 HRS, 26,000 FT

 23 MAR 45 UNNA, 6:30 HRS, 23,000 FT

 24 MAR 45 STEENWIJK, 5 HRS, 14,000 FT

 24 MAR 45 ZIEGNHAIN (note double mission on 24 Mar 45)

 14 APR 45 ROYAN, 7:30 HRS, 14,000 FT

 15 APR 45 ROYAN, 7:30 HRS, 14,000 FT

 16 APR 45 ROYAN, 7:10 HRS, 12,000 FT

 17 APR 45 AUSSIG, 8:40 HRS, 22,000 FT

 20 APR 45 ORANIENBURG (Last combat mission flown by the 100th in WWII)



FOLLOWING ARE "CHOW HOUND" MISSIONS

 01 MAY 45 AMSTERDAM, 3:03 HRS, 400 FT

 02 MAY 45 ALKMAAR, HOLLAND, 3:45 HRS, 400 FT

 03 MAY 45 AMSTERDAM







CREW



2ND LT LYMAN C. FILLINGAME                  P CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

2ND LT DONALD HALVERSON                    CP CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

2ND LT WALTER L. LEWIS                    NAV CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR 

    CPL HOMER C. DUKE                         ROG CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

    CPL PHILIP A. SOTO                        TTE CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

    CPL CHARLES H. RANDALL                  BTG CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

    CPL PAUL HRENKO                            WG CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

    CPL WILLIAM D. MORROW                   WG CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR

    CPL CHARLES L. GAMBLE, JR.                  TG CPT 18 APR 45 STRAUBING, MY & TABOR



349th Sqdn.. Rew, as above, joined the 100th on 27 Dec 44, Lt William Cook does not appear on the orders sending this crew to the 100th, but a letter from L.C.Fillingame (1982) to James R. Brown lists Cook as being on the crew. Crew also used A Tog named Mike ?.  Crew flew first mission on 28 Jan 1945 and their thirtieth  mission on 18 Apr 1945.



Mission Log of Lt Lyman C. Fillingame 1945 including additional notes from Sgt Philip Soto's Diary (mpf 2005)



1.    28 Jan 45  Target-Railroad bridge at DUISBURG,  A/C # 608,  Position: #3 in the High Flt of "A" (lead) Squadron  Time: 6hrs-3hrs on oxy.  Visual-light but accurate flak, six holes in ship-cracked left windshield & had to change right wing.



2.    29 Jan 45  Target-KASSEL, A/C # 805 "FLAMIN MAMIE" Position: #6 in 2nd element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 6hrs 40 min-5hrs on oxy.  Our squadron bombed last resort at Bielefled, flew two bomb runs-flak inaccurate, no holes.



3.      3 Feb 45  Target-Center of BERLIN, A/C# 532 "LITTLE SWEETHEART"  Position: #3 in low flight of "C" (low) Squadron, Time: 7hrs 45min-4hrs oxy.  Visual as hell and plenty of flak. 4 ships from our group went down including leader. We were leading 8th A.F. One ship barely missed us on its way down.  No hits but it flaked me up plenty.  Maj. Rosenthal shot down, hit hard and ended up in Russia.



4.      9 Feb 45  Target-WEIMAR, A/C# 681, Position: #3 on lead, "B" (High) Squadron, Time: 7hrs 15min.

Factory-2nd Target, no flak-poor bombing-our bombs released late because of rack malfunction.



5.    14 Feb 45  Target-CHEMNITZ, A/C# 681, Position: #3 high flight of "A" (lead) Squadron, Time: 8hr 35min-5hrs on oxy. No flak over target-met another sqdn head-on in the soup about 2 minutes from target.  Everyone peeled off in different directions and we dumped our bombs out of formation. Picked up flak coming back over lines and had holes in 2 "tokios" (additional fuel tanks in the wings that allowed longer range on the B-17F and G models, introduced in summer 1943…mpf)



15 Feb 45  PASS TO LONDON!



6.    19 Feb 45  Target-OSNABRUCK-MUNSTER (S.T.), A/C # 512, Position: #3 off lead, "B" (High) Squadron, Time: 5hrs 50min-3:30 on oxy.  Marshalling yards-bombed Munster instead of Osnabruck.  Group lost one ship, Heavy flak.



7,    20 Feb 45  Target-NURNBURG, A/C# 512, Position: #2 in low element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 7hr 10min-2hr on oxy. Lost #2 engine and aborted about 50 miles inside Germany.  No enemy opposition, thank goodness-Walt brought us home through the soup-got credit for mission.



8.    21 Feb 45  Target-NURNBURG, A/C# 166 "YO YO BUDDY/SILVER DOLLAR Jr", Position: #2 in low element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 7hr 40min-3hrs on oxy.  Heavy railroad repair machinery, PFF(radar equipped B-17G aircraft that allowed bombing in bad weather/cloud covered targets..mpf). Good mission and lots of flak-none hit us.



9.    23 Feb 45  Target-TREUCHTLINGEN, A/C# 514 J "E-Z-GOIN", Position: #6 in "B" (high) Squadron, Time: 8hrs 45min-4hrs on oxy. Marshalling yards, no flak-good results-bad weather on TO and landing.  Alt. 16,000ft, instrument landing at base.



10.  24 Feb 45  Target-BREMEN, A/C# 015 N "HUNDRED PROOF", Position: #3 in "A" (high) Squadron, Time: 7hrs-4hrs on oxy.  Bridge across Rhine, 8/10 overcast-large flak barrage but we turned just in the edge of it and only a couple of holes.



11.  25 Feb 45  Target-MUNICH, A/C# 514 J "E-Z-GOIN", Position: #2 in Low element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 8hr 40min-4hrs on oxy.  Marshalling yards in center of town.  Visual bombing and plenty of flak, but no damage.



28 Feb 45 PASS TO LONDON!



12.    3 Mar 45  Target-BRUNSWICK, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position:#2 in low element of "A" (Lead) Squadron, Time: 7hr-2hr on oxy. Half-track factory, visual bombing-light flak, lost one ship from chaff force by fighters-good mission otherwise. Holes in nose and No. 4 engine with a loss of oil pressure, but made it back home.



13.    4 Mar 45  Target-ULM, A/C# 817, Position: #3 in low element of "C" low Squadron, Time; 8hrs 45 min. Secondary target, PFF, assembly over France, bad visibility & contrails.



14.    8 Mar 45  Target-LANGENDREER, A/C# 811 X, Position: #3 in High element, "B" (High) Squadron, Time: 7hrs-4hrs on oxy.  Picked up some holes-element lead (lebo) got hit and lead us always from formation (private tour).



15.    9 Mar 45  Target-FRANKFURT, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #3 in high element "A" (lead) Squadron.  Time: 7hrs 10min-4hrs oxy.  Me 262 plant, Lots of flak but no hits-one ship got over 100 holes.  Maj. Martin lead-missed target.



16.  10 Mar 45  Target-DORTMUND,  Position: #2  in low element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 6hrs 30min-4:30 on oxy. Marshalling yards-PFF-Light Flak-no damage.



17.  23 Mar 45  Target-UNNA, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: 3rd  element lead in "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 6hrs 10min-3hrs on oxy. Marshalling Yards, light accurate flak-no damage-First time for 4 NINE ship squadrons & first element lead.



18.  24 Mar 45  Target-STEENWIJK Holland, A/C 811 X, Position: 3rd element lead in "D" (trailing low and behind "A" Squadron, Time: 5hrs 10min-2hrs oxy. Milk-run- no flak- bombed  jet airfield at 13,000ft-had trouble with bomb racks and dropped bombs all over the Dutch and they (bombs) fell on bomb bay doors and smashed one of them.



19.  24 Mar 45  Target-ZIEGENHAIN, Holland, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: 2nd element lead in "B" (High) Squadron, Time: 6hrs-3hrs on oxy.   Left our Base at 13:25 for 2nd mission of the day.  Hit jet airfield, little flak-three holes-flew eleven hours today.



20.  28 Mar 45  Target-HANOVER, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in low element of "A" (Lead) Squadron, Time: 7hrs 35min-5hrs on oxy.  Marshalling yards-PFF-little flak-rugged weather.



21.  31 Mar 45  Target-ZIETZ, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #3 in lead element of "D" Squadron, Time: 8hrs-5hrs on oxy. Oil Target-Refinery. Plenty of flak-Plenty rough, Larson had #3 engine shot clean off- several holes.



22.    4 Apr 45  Target-KIEL, A/C# 945 "DUFFY'S TUFFYS", Position: #3 in low element of "C" (Low) Squadron, Time: 7hrs 10min. Submarine pens-moderate flak-Chuck got a nice one in the tail & close.  Alarm bell hit by mistake on takeoff-Duke kicked waist door out-we completed the mission sans door.



5 Apr 45   PASS!



23.   8 Apr 45   Target-EGER, Czech, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in lead element of "A" (lead) Squadron, Time: 8hrs 30 min-1:45 on oxy.  Marshalling yards-no flak-fighters in area but didn't come in-bombed in Group Formation.



24.   9 Apr 45   Target-MUNICH, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in lead element of "C"(low) Squadron, Time: 8hrs 30min.  Airfield on the edge of town.  Light flak-no damage-nice mission

 

25. 10 Apr 45    Target-BURG-bei-MAGDEBURG, A/C# 811D (418th Sqdn) "BABY SWEET", Position: #3  in lead element of "D" Squadron, Time: 6hrs 50min.  Jet Airfield near Magdeburg.  Hit by Jet fighters but good, , Engine fire #2, Bombs hung up on left side, crash landed in England, no injuries.



26. 14 Apr 45    Target-ROYAN, France, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Postion:#2 in lead element of "A" (lead) Squadron, Time: 7hrs 30min-3rs on oxy.  Naval guns and Cleaning out German pockets -no resistance.



27. 15 Apr 45    Target-ROYAN, France, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Postion:#2 in lead element of "B" (high) Squadron, Time 8hrs-3hrs on oxy. Same deal, except we carried first firebombs & assembled over France.



28. 16 Apr 45    Target-ROYAN, France, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in lead element of "D" Squadron, Time: 7hrs 10min-2hrs 45min on oxy.  Ditto except for no fire bombs-hit marshalling yards.



29. 17 Apr 45    Target-AUSSIG, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in the lead element of "B" (high) Squadron, Time: 8hrs 40min-3hrs on oxy. Marshalling yards flew in soup over target & lead squadron made 3 runs. 



30. 18 Apr 45    Target-STRUBING, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II", Position: #2 in Lead element of "A" (lead) Squadron, Time: 9hrs 10min-3hrs on oxy.  Marshalling Yards-secondary target-no flak, two runs on target-sweated out fighters but they didn't come, thank goodness.



FINIS!!

We missed out on the last mission by the group, which was Oranienburg, near Big "B". They didn't alert us because we had flown seven out of ten days with a crash landing included. The whole crew came through together with the exception of Mike (?) not flying with us when we had a Bombardier. They all did a wonderful job-one to be proud of.



Chowhound Missions:



3 May 45 -Holland,  A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II" Alkmaar-flew chowhound mission & dropped food to the

Dutch



Continental Express:



14 May 45  Tour of the Ruhr, A/C# 602 P "GRUMBLIN GREMLIN II"-Took a load of 12 G.I.'s on a low altitude tour. Good trip