548th-549th - 550th - 551st Squadrons

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	548Th -549th- 550TH - 551ST.Squadrons - 385TH BOMB GROUP
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---These are Pictures of Members of the four Squadrons ---- 385th Bombardment Group --- Great Ashfield --- England __________________________________________________________________________________________________
T/Sgt. Joseph W. Zorzoli ( Papa Joe ) Ground Crew Chief 551st Squadron - 385th Bomb Group B-17 -"Offspring" - Serial No. 42-31917 Photo taken - 1944. July 26, 1921 - May 5, 1997
B-17 Shot From The Sky ! ________________ This is what a B-17 looked like after being shot from the sky by German ME-109s. You will see a German soldier standing near the wreakage. A part of the vertical rudder is the most identifiable part. The bomber crashed to the ground - exploded - caught fire - killing all Airmen on board that did not parachute to safety. The men that did escape the crash were taken POW. This photo was taken at Flanders - Belgium - 1944.
	385TH - Tail Gunner - "DON" Don shown cleaning glass about his Tail Gunner position. This photo taken in 1944 is on a B-17 of the "F" series model bombers.The small dark rod to the left of the photo is the gun sight for the gunner's two 50 cal. machine guns located in the extream tail end of the airplane located to the left of the photo. To get a comparable size of this position look at a full size B-17 photo. The Tail Gunner had an escape hatch just out of sight to the right of the photo. The hatch door was about 20 inches square - just big enought for the Airman to slip through with a parachute. It would have been impossible for a man with a parachute to get out of the bomber through the window Don is shown in. The vertical rudder is just above Don's head - and - the smaller part on the lower rear edge of the rudder is a trim tab the pilot used to correct trim of the B-17. Sort of gives you an idea of compartive size of man and machine ! ________________________________________________________________________________
"BLUE CHAMPAGNE" - ( The second ) ---- 549th-SQUADRON This B-17 was origionaly named the "Latest Rumor" The crew assigned the Latest Rumor painted out the shark teeth and copied the name and painting for their bomber _______________________________ Lt. George Kontos was Navigator on the Original "Blue Champagne" - see photo below on this page. His German P.O.W. photo is shown on the page - "War Horse Crew and Others" _______________________________ THE ORIGIONAL BLUE CHAMPANGE WAS SHOT DOWN AND CRASHED OVER GERMANY WITH ALL TEN CREW MEMBERS TAKEN P.O.W. - See listing on photo below with the original crew. ___________________________
	B-17 - The "Original" "BLUE CHAMPAGNE" _______________________ Note this is not the same bomber as shown above __________________________________________________________ Lt. R. B. Bailey - First Pilot, standing with arms crossed Other crew members = Co-Pilot = Lt. W. D. Corbin Navigator = Lt. George Kontos Bombardier = Lt. G. J. Bradley Top Turret Gunner = C. Lybeck Radio OPerator = C. A. Ailes Ball Turret Gunner = M. D. Gillis Left Waist Gunner = N. W. Brucker Right Waist Gunner = B. J. Coble Tail Gunner = F. Fugate ___________________________________________ All "F" Model and early "G" Model B-17s were manufactured without the installation of Cheek Guns. In early 1944 the modification of adding Cheek Guns for the Navigator to fire began to be made on all combat B-17s. All late "G" Model B-17s were manufactured with the Cheek Guns installed. Neither the Origional or second B-17 named Blue Champagne had cheek guns. _____________________________________________________________________________
Lt. J. Johnston and Crew __________________ 549th. SQRD --- 385th. BOMB GROUP ________________________________ This photo of Lt. Johnston and crew was taken after completing "Phase Training" at base in Peyote Texas - 1944, prior to transfer to Great Ashfield England Shown in picture from left to right = Standing ; Lt. J. Johnston - Pilot * (unknown) Replaced by Bombardier Lt. W. J. Feurstein - KIA - 10/6/1944 Lt. William Waggoner - Co-Pilot - KIA - 10/6/1944 Lt. Metro J. Marchyn - Navigator - Left to Right - Kneeling ; Sgt. FNU O' Donnel * Sgt. unknown (?) Sgt. Donald T. McGraw - KIA -10/6/1944 Sgt. Paul Provincial - KIA - 10/6/1944 Sgt. Stanley Gue - KIA - 10/6/1944 Sgt. James Burns - KIA - 10/6/1944 * = Lt. Johnston had been transferred from crew prior to mission on 10/6/44 to another base to fly as Pilot on PPF "Pathfinder" radar bombers. The first pilot on crew at time of 10/6/44 mission was Lt. Raymond Noiseau. Lt. Noiseau was blown from the bomber by exploding bombs - managed to open his parachute and was taken POW by Germans. = Lt. Marchyn survived bomber destruction on 10/6/44 - parachuted - taken POW by Germans - and now lives in Williamsville, NY. * = Sgt. O' Donnel had been wounded and removed from crew prior to 10/6/44 mission and was replaced by gunner T/Sgt. Norman B. Weiss. Sgt. Weiss was KIA on the 10/6/44 mission. NOTE: Sgt. D. T. Mc Graw was the uncle of Jim Hoffman who provided photo and given information. Jim requests anyony recognizing any of the men in photo - or - having additional information - please contact him at JEH636@cs.com _________________________________________________________________
	Lt. Art Naylor - Pilot - (left) & Lt. Carl Cunningham - Co-Pilot - (right) ________________________________________________________ Pilots on the War Horse's final combat mission Lt. Naylor was the last pilot on the WAR HORSE as the B-17 exploded on it's final combat mission - November 11, 1944. With the B-17 in flames - Lt. Naylor ordered the crew to bail-out. Gallantly vying for time - as Lt. Cunningham and eight other crewmembers parachuted from the bomber - Lt. Naylor became trapped and perished in a fiery crash near Easton England. ( The B-17 Flying Fortress lasted approximately eight months after arriving at Great Ashfield England. ) _____________________________________________________________________________________
LT. JERRY STALCUP & CREW __________________________ Standing - Left to Right = Lt. Jerry Stalcup - Pilot Lt. Ralph Duston - Bombardier Lt. Elvey Ely - Co-Pilot Lt. C. C. Nunnamaker - Navigator Sgt. Orville Ashby - Top Turret Gunner Kneeling - Left to Right = Sgt. Bill Wilks - Tail Gunner Sgt. Rocco Spadola - Radio Operator/ Left Waist Gunner Sgt. Norris "Ollie" Olson - Ball Turret Gunner Sgt. Donald S. Graham - Right Waist Gunner ______________________________________ Lt. Stalcup's crew arrived at Great Ashfield in 1945 - and didn't get situated to be assigned a B-17 bomber to be called their own. The crew flew whatever bomber was available. It should be noted = this crew flew on the last combat mission of WW II out of Great Ashfield. It just so happened this was a food-drop mission and the record reads = "due to being fired upon by uniformed German AA crew - and a bomber receiving hits". This crew photo and information proudly presented by the son of Sgt. Graham - Steve Graham of Birmingham Alabama. ___________________________________________________________________
	<---B-17 -"CURLEY'S KIDS" ________________ All right to left - standing and kneeling ____________ Pilot - Lt. Robert L. McDonald Co-Pilot -Lt. Steven F. Ryan Navigator - Lt. William T. Henry Bombardier - F/O Francis M. Chrisman Radio Operator - Sgt. Russel Hale Waist Gunner - Peter J. Hofferman Ball Turret Gunner - Walter R. Barosh Tail Gunner - Pete Linton Top Turret Gunner - George W. Brown Waist Gunner - Larry Atiyeh The B-17 "Curley's Kids" and B-17 "Off Spring" collided in formation with each other on mission No. 150 out of Great Ashfield, over Perle Luxembourg. The two bombers fell in pieces to the ground killing 18 men - nine on each crew. Sgt. Larry Atiyeh of "Curley's Kids" parachuted to safety and was taken prisoner by the Germans. - Sgt. Robert P. McPherson parachute from the "Off Spring", and managed to escape the Germans into safety of the Belgian Marquis. ______________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
B-17 - "THE OFF SPRING" CREW ---> _______________________________ Photo Names = Left to Right Pilot - Lt. Richard M. White Co-Pilot - Lt.Clarence E. Gittins Navigator - Lt. James W. Johnson Bombardier - Lt. Patrick J. Flanagan Top Turret Gunner - Sgt. Marvin W. Nieman Radio Operator - Sgt. Harry E. Fitzwater Ball Turret Gunner - Sgt. Homor C. Comegys Tail Gunner - Sgt. Robert P. McPherson Waist Gunner - Sgt. Samuel L. Canter Waist Gunner - Sgt. William R. Lort Jr. _________________________________ Nine crewmembers of the "Off Spring" perished when the two B-17s collided over Perle Luxembourg as stated above under "Curley's Kids" Crew photo. Tail Gunner Sgt.R. P. McPherson parachuted to safety and escaped capture by Germans. --- Sgt. McPherson managed to locate and return to England with assistance of the Belgian Maquis. _____________________________________________________________
	S/Sgt. Ernest G. Swanson - Chief Armorer ___________________________________ ----December 10, 1915 - August 13, 1983 ---- ____________________________________ Sgt. Swanson was with 850th Air Engineering Squadron - 424th Air Service Group Stationed with the 385th Bomb Group at Great Ashfield England - 1943 -1945. Sgt. Swanson secured parts and oversaw servicing of all 50 cal. machine guns for the four flight squadrons. Without dedicated men like Sgt. Swanson gunners on B-17s would not have had the weapons to defend bombers against Nazi fighter attacks. ( This photo proudly provided by Sgt. Swamson's son - Bob Swanson ) _________________________________________________________________________________________
"PICCADILLY QUEEN" - ( "F" Model - B-17 ) ___________________ _________________ Serial No. 42-30251 - 385th BG - 549th Bomb Squadron ______________________________________________> The "Piccadilly Queen" and crew were flying their 5th combat mission -on base mission No. 56 -out of Great Ashfield England, to bomb target at Frankfurt Germany, on January 29, 1944 when the bomber was rammed by a German ME-109 fighter. Four crewmembers were able to parachute to safety behind German lines and taken P.O.W.. Six crewmembers were KIA in the mid-air collision - or could not escape from the B-17 as it spiraled to earth. The Co-Pilot - 2nd. Lt. Earl R. Follensbee and Radio Operator - T/Sgt. Arthur L. Karnowski - both later reported T/Sgt. Gla E. Owen ( Engineer - Top Turret Gunner ) could have jumped to safety - but elected to go back and try to assist the pilot and co-pilot untangle their their gear and parachutes - but became entrapped after helping the co-pilot out of the bomber - and went down with the bomber. T/Sgt. Owen while trying to help his fellow crewmember - surrendered his own life. Photos of crew and B-17 proudly provided by; T/Sgt. Gla Owen's grandson - Steven Ditzenberger. ____________________________________________________________________
	"PICCADILLY QUEEN" CREW __________________________ Standing - Left to Right * T/Sgt. Gla E. Owen - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner T/Sgt. Arthur L. Karnowski - Radioman * S/Sgt. John E. Moriaty - Right Waist Gunner -- (Sgt. Cheney - not on final mission ) Replaced by = * Sgt. Clifford E. Owen ( no kin to Gla ) Left Waist Gunner * S/Sgt. Carl F. Huwe - Tail Gunner * S/Sgt. John D. Huffman - Ball Turret Gunner ________________________________ Kneeling - Left to Right * 1st.Lt. Raymond "Ike" A. Notestein - Pilot 2nd.Lt. Earl R. Follensbee - Co-Pilot 2nd.Lt. Charles L. Markwell - Bombardier 2nd.Lt. Eldon W. Rohs - Navigator * = Killed in Action over Germany ___________________________________
AERIAL PHOTO - GREAT ASHFIELD - ENGLAND _________________________________________ APRIL - 1944 _____________ In lower left corner find an "X" with arrowhead pointing to the 549th Squadron Area ___________________________________________________________________ I did not want to mess-up the aerial photo by drawing lines on it - so - imagine this = The photo cut into four squares, as if making a grid. Left to right top squares = "A" and "B" grid. Left to right lower squares = "C" and "D" grid. [ for example = In "C" grid, lower left corner find an "X" with an arrowhead pointing to the 549th Squadron area. ] The CONTROL TOWER and Flight HQ is located in "C" quad just north of the dark area ( trees ) The light strip circling the three runways is the Taxi Strip with small light concrete strip exits to hard stands where B-17s are parked. To locate the "Famous" three trees pilots used to identify this field as Great Ashfield - look in the low left corner of "B". On the line between "B" and "D" - close to the light colored field - to the left - is a very small dark spot - see three short dark lines - which are the shadows of the three trees. Since the trees were in the center of open area between all runways they were obvious to pilots flying at low altitudes. Footnote 1 : In fact the arrowhead on the "X" in low left-hand corner is pointing directly at the Hut in which Frank Mays bunked ! The Hut is located on the very edge of the field not far from the point of the arrowhead. Footnote 2 : The field across the road from entry to the 549th Squadron area was planted with sugar beets. This and other adjacent fields were fertilized with human waste from toilets on base. The summer sun heated this waste and the odor drifted over the 549th area in the moist night English air. It was not a plesant evening on many occasions as the waste deteriorated.