Mission 324 - 1

MORTON C. PERKINS CREW - 358th BS(crew assigned 358BS: 02 Feb 1945)

(L-R) Unknown Ground Crewman, Sgt Warren L. Partsch (WG), Sgt John T. McDonald (TG), Sgt Walter D. Beckwith (BT), 2Lt Walter W. Kamstra (CP),Sgt Gerald G. Little (R), 2Lt Morton C. Perkins (P),2Lt Robert J. Wallace (N)

303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 32426 February 1945

Target: Marshalling Yard at Berlin, GermanyCrews Dispatched: 39

Length of Mission: 8 hours, 40 minutes

Bomb Load: 6 x 500 lb H.E. M43 & 4 x 500 lb M17 Incendiaries

Bombing Altitudes: 25,000, 24,500 & 26,500 ft

Ammo Fired: 650 rounds

The once-dreaded Big "B" (Berlin) again became the target when a Field Orderspecifying a marshalling yard in Berlin was received. Berlin had lost much of itsterrifying aspects as a target and crews even looked forward eagerly to a Berlin

mission. The secondary target was also Berlin, if PFF bombing was required. Suggestedlast resort targets were Brandenburg, Briest and Rathenow, Germany. No aircraft returnedearly.

Thirty-nine aircraft dropped 228 500-lb. H.E. M43 and 151 500-lb. M17 incendiarybombs from 25,000, 24,500 and 26,000 feet by PFF through a 10/10 undercast with topsat 12,000 to 14,000 feet. There were no contrails at flying altitudes. Results wereunobserved, but all three PFF navigators believed their results were excellent.

There was no enemyair opposition. The Luftwaffeagain distinguished itself byremaining safely on theground. Flak at the targetwas moderate to intenseand generally inaccurate.No aircraft received battledamage and there were nocasualties.

One aircraft failed toreturn – B-17G #44-6316,360BS. Pilot 2Lt Morton C.Perkins, called the Groupleader shortly beforereaching the target andstated that he had a gasshortage and engineproblems. He did not believehe could make the return

journey and was heading for Russian territory. The aircraft made a wheels-up landing atZolotonosha, Russia, near the Poltava Headquarters of the Eastern Base CommandUSSAFE. The crew was unhurt and returned to England by Air Transport Command.

Mission 324 - 2

BELLYING IN—IN THE SNOW—IN RUSSIAN TERRITORYUnusual Experience of S/Sgt Walter D. Beckw ith

On the 26th of February, 1945, we took off on a mission to Berlin to bomb the railroadmarshalling yards. Lt. Perkins was the Pilot and I was the Tail Gunner on the crew. On theway to the target we began having trouble with one engine, which began using a lot of fuel.

Lt. Perkins did not believe that aircraft, #44-6316 (No Name), could make it back tofriendly territory, so just before we dropped our bombs he called the Group Leader and toldhim we were heading for the Russian lines. We were sort of sweating it out with theRussians, but the weather was so bad we couldn’t see a thing so we kept going until webegan running out of fuel.

We had a great Navigator, Lt. Robert Wallace, who was later to make another crashlanding in Germany, flying with a lead crew and was taken prisoner. Lt. Wallace had nomaps of that part of the country but he was pretty sure that we were over flat land. No onewanted to bail out so we let down until we broke out of the soup—about 400 feet, and sureenough, we were over real flat farm country.

We bellied in on a field covered with snow which enabled us to slide real good andwe stopped near a small village with a river. We later found out that the place wasZolotonosha, USSR. The plane was later salvaged.

We weren’t sure what our reception would be like when the people started headingtowards the plane, but as soon as we made them understand that we were American,everything turned out OK.

With the help of a woman who spoke French, we went into the village and goteverything sorted out. We ended up splitting up and staying with three or four differentfamilies that night. I still to this day don’t know what kind of fat meat we ate that night, butwe had the same for breakfast the next morning.

Later that day we all gathered in the village hall where they gave us a banquet of friedchicken accompanied with a lot of wine and vodka, with which we had to drink one toast afteranother to Stalin, Roosevelt and Perkins. A couple of the younger guys got sick becausetheir systems weren’t used to that sort of thing.

That afternoon, they flew us out in five small ski planes. My plane was one passengeropen cockpit, so I got down as low as I could to keep warm. The pilot must have thought Ifell out because he stood up and looked back and I gave him the thumbs up, to let him knowthat all was OK. We landed at one of their bases and kept sort of isolated.

I ate a lot of spam and eggs while I was there, which was what I believe to be aboutone week. We had a Russian woman who was a Lieutenant in their Army, as an interpreter.She really wanted my flying boots, so I let her wear them while we were there but I told herI had to have them back when we left. Finally, we were shipped to Poltava, Russia by train.The cars had shelves that pulled down from the walls to sleep on, but as soon as we laiddown on them, the lice started to make meals out of us.

As soon as we got to Poltava, they had to delouse us and we stayed there for aboutthree or four days. We were flown out by our Air Transport Command. Our first stop wasTehran, Iran, where we stayed overnight. From there on to Cairo, Egypt, where we stayedfor two nights and got to see some of the sights.

We stopped at a British base at Tobruk, North Africa, for refueling and then on toAthens, Greece. From there we went to Naples, Italy, where we stayed overnight and thenback to London. We finally got back to Molesworth on the twelfth day of March and thenwent back on duty.

Mission 324 - 3

B-17G #44-8710 Idle Wheel PFF 427BS (GN-Y) with unidentified ground crewmen

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group A

McNamara-Fielder484 - PFF

Nye Snider 590 351 - PFF

Garrett096

Murray Bohle 427 191

Poole Richter 462 011Perkins Leach Walder Cassels 316 554 220 921 McLeod 160

Mission 324 - 4

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group B

Haynes-Mauger710 - PFF

Gates McClurg 875 883

Tilsen127

Call Proffitt 734 608

Bixby Smith 645 621Richeson Beasley Grob Richardson 309 609 937 411 Stocks 891

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group C

O'Beirne-App552 - PFF

Breslin Weaver 860 544

Edmunds451

Fowler Statton 517 672

St. Julien Ayers 523 958Austin Bentley Demian Chuba 532 563 311 977 Lacker 516

KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS

CREW POSITIONSCMP - Command PilotP - PilotCP - Co-PilotNAV - NavigatorANV - Ass't. NavigatorMNV - Mickey NavigatorENG - EngineerBOM - BombardierRO - Radio Operator

TOG - TogglierBT - Ball Turret OperatorTT - Top Turret OperatorTG - Tail GunnerWG - Waist GunnerLWG - Left Waist GunnerRWG - Right Waist GunnerGUN - GunnerVI - Voice InterpreterOBS - Observer

PAS - PassengerPHO - PhotographerY - Y-Operators (YRO,YO)RCM - Radio Cntr MeasuresSJ - Spot Jammer

RESULTS OF MISSIONKIA - Killed in actionWIA - Wounded in actionMIA - Missing in action

POW - Prisoner of warDOW - Died of woundsEVD - Evaded the enemyREP - RepatriatedRES - RescuedESC - EscapedBO - Bailed outDCH - DitchedCR-L - Crashed on landCR-S - Crashed at sea

Mission 324 - 5

358th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #43-39096 Sky Demon

P Garrett, Charles E., 2LtCP Gordon, Joseph, 2LtNAV McCorkle, Robert W., 2LtBOM Jones, George W., 2LtENG Hohstadt, Hollis H., SgtTG Van Cleave, Joseph A., SgtRO Henson, Jessey B., SgtBT Walczak, John, Sgt

B-17G #43-38462 Teddy’s Rough Riders

P Poole, Lawrence E., 1LtCP Cannon, Harley E., 2LtNAV Feezel, Ralph S., 2LtTOG Smith, Donald P., SgtENG Pullen, Rayford E., SgtRO Hoke, Marvin L., SgtBT Kudder, Edward P., S/SgtTG Kindred, Beryl E., Sgt

B-17G #43-38554 Bouncing Betty III

P Leach, Joseph V., 2LtCP Olson, John L., 2LtNAV Wyman, Asa H., F/OTOG Psota, John W., SgtENG Bridgeman, James H., SgtRO Wilburn, Robert R., SgtBT Anderson, Junior W., SgtTG Sulley, Oda F., Jr., Sgt

B-17G #43-39160 G for George

P McLeod, William S., 1LtCP Elkins, Richard A., 2LtNAV Hopkins, William B., 2LtTOG Rafferty, William A., SgtENG DeWillers, Edgar, S/SgtRO Guenin, Wayne E., T/SgtBT Nichols, William A., Jr., SgtTG James, Frank M., Sgt

B-17G #44-8351 (No Name) - PFF

P Snider, Harley D., 1LtCP Kunkel, Joe T., 2LtNAV Wilhelm, Frederick H., 2LtNAV Foltz, Leon P., F/OBOM Kruckemeyer, Thomas J., 2LtENG Work, John R., T/SgRO Ludington, Robert S., T/SgtTG Wade, Murray W., Jr., S/Sgt

B-17G #44-8427 Henn's Revenge

P Murray, Robert I., 2LtCP Boardman, Robert, F/ONAV Cochnar, Richard, 2LtTOG Hammarlund, Carl O., SgtENG Brunale, Vito J., SgtRO Bates, Theodore A., SgtBT Rodock, Nicholas, SgtTG Rennie, Robert P., SgtPAS Higginbotham, Frank D., Sgt

Mission 324 - 6

Escape packet with Russian translation card belonging to 360BS Pilot Capt William E. Jones

358th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #43-37590 Neva-The Silver Lady

P Nye, Robert M., MajCP Cunningham, Neil E., 2LtNAV Johnson, Charles P., 2LtTOG Quig, Francix X., SgtENG Sprinkles, Leburn D., SgtWG Boone, Kenneth E., SgtRO Ennis, Charles S., SgtBT Carter, William J., SgtTG Crigger, Richard S., Sgt

B-17G #44-8484 (No Name) - PFF

P Fielder, George H., 1LtCP McNamara, James F., CaptNAV Metko, Earl D., 1LtNAV Triebes, Earl E., 2LtNAV Beyeler, Earl R., 1LtBOM Gorham, Raymond H., 1LtENG Cavagnaro, James E., T/SgtWG Denning, Glenn J., S/SgtRO Buie, Neil C., T/SgtTG Hopkins, Harry F., 1Lt

B-17G #43-38191 Shasta

P Bohle, Loren W., 2LtCP Castillo, Joseph L.A., Jr., F/ONAV Gerhardstein, Eugene M., F/OBOM Swift, Jonathan S., 2LtENG Bigelow, Robert F., SgtWG Sproule, Wayne O., SgtRO Genter, Norman, SgtBT Aldous, George C., SgtTG Smith, Jack C., SgtPAS Conrad, Joseph, T/Sgt (303rd)

B-17G #44-6316 (No Name)

P Perkins, Morton C., 2Lt RTDCP Kamstra, Walter W., 2Lt RTDNAV Wallace, Robert J., 2Lt RTDTOG Allen, Arlan R., Sgt RTDENG Carlson, Charles F., S/Sgt RTDWG Partsch, Warren L., Sgt RTDRO Little, Gerald G., Sgt RTDBT McDonald, John T., Sgt RTDTG Beckwith, Walter D., Sgt RTD

Mission 324 - 7

359th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #44-6309 Duchess' Granddaughter

P Richeson, Marvin G., Jr., 2LtCP Kirkpatrick, Roy A., 2LtNAV Herrmann, Robert H., 2LtTOG Benge, Charlie W., SgtENG Gray, Alexander W., S/SgtRO Mahoney, Denis J., SgtBT Jones, John V., SgtTG Hoxie, Charles R., SgtWG Davidson, Dyle K., Sgt

B-17G #43-38608 Lucille

P Proffitt, John S., 1LtCP Ogborn, Maurice M., 2LtNAV Finke, John C., 2LtTOG Zielinski, William J., T/SgtENG Young, James W., T/SgtRO Norris, Cornie, Jr., T/SgtBT Bechtold, Robert H., S/SgtTG O'Neal, Howard F., S/SgtRCM Hendrix, Frank H., S/Sgt (427th)

B-17G #43-38609 (No Name)

P Beasley, William M., 2LtCP Rich, Richard H., 2LtNAV Welsh, Harry A., 2LtBOM Mabary, George D.L., F/OENG Gornto, Jacob R., SgtRO Terrill, Jack W., SgtTG Gracida, Henry J., Jr., SgtBT Harrigfeld, Thomas E., SgtRCM Haley, James W., Sgt

B-17G #43-38883 Lady Beth

P McClurg, Galt L., 2LtCP Peterson, Robert C., 2LtNAV Mollman, Charles A., 2LtTOG Wilson, Robert P., SgtENG Reed, Denver E., SgtRO Strigle, Paul C., SgtBT Harper, Richard F., SgtTG Borsody, William L., SgtWG Davis, Carl J., Sgt

B-17G #44-8734 Hell's Cargo

P Call, Fred E., 2LtCP Wilson, Carl V., 2LtNAV Mieslich, Morris, F/OTOG Otto, Kenneth, Jr., S/SgtENG Myers, Ernest L., SgtRO Sussman, Martin, SgtBT Lammers, Roger G., SgtTG Moser, Lawrence B., SgtWG Tanner, Henry C., Sgt

B-17G #43-38875 Redwing

P Gates, Cecil J., 1Lt CP Zapora, Theodore T., 2LtNAV Simon, Albert, 2LtBOM Elliott, Harold F., 2LtENG Belcher, Rubin W., S/SgtRO Minnix, Glenn A., S/SgtBT Schilling, Lawrence H., SgtTG Schoonover, Howard D., S/Sgt

Mission 324 - 8

359th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #43-39127 (No Name)

P Tilsen, Cyril, 2LtCP McDowell, James B., 2LtNAV Bielski, Casimir, Jr., 2LtBOM Barger, Donald T., 2LtENG Driggers, Sherod R., Jr., S/SgtRO Mawdsley, Arnold, SgtBT Hendon, William G., SgtTG Proctor, Isaac H., Sgt

B-17G #43-38645 (No Name)

P Bixby, Kenneth E., 1LtCP Burgess, William T., 2LtNAV Hudson, Glenn V., 2LtTOG Boucher, Henry G., S/SgtENG Robichaux, John B., T/SgtRO Krumwiede, Leland J., S/SgtBT Reese, Dale G., S/SgtTG Peters, John W., S/Sgt

B-17G #43-38891 Blues in the Night

P Stocks, Jack E., 2LtCP Marsh, John F., 2LtNAV Jardarian, Zaven, 2LtTOG Bailey, John R., S/SgtENG Copp, Edmond D., SgtRO Fiore, John, SgtBT Hamilton, John W., SgtTG Johnson, Robert O., Sgt

B-17G #44-8710 Idle Wheel - PFF

P Haynes, Charles D., 1LtCP Mauger, Warren, 2LtNAV Swenson, Glen R., 2LtMN Harrouff, Kelly F., 2LtBOM Johnson, David E., 2LtENG Sherrill, Elliotte W., T/SgtRO Deen, Oscar A., T/SgtTG Heller, Emerson E., 2Lt

Mission 324 - 9

360th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #43-38563 Jackie

P Bentley, Andrew K., 2LtCP Lucien, Ralph A., 2LtNAV Dwyer, Marion J., 2LtBOM West, Albert G., F/OENG Fleming, James A., SgtRO Kirtner, Billy L., S/SgtBT Beckman, Charles W., SgtTG Moore, Bill A., SgtWG Mulqueen, John J., Sgt

B-17G #44-8552 (No Name) - PFF

P O'Beirne, Nelson B., CaptCP App, Robert G., 1LtNAV Davis, Darius R., CaptMN Wilson, Joseph R., F/OBOM Zwayer, James P., CaptENG Leach, Norman E., T/SgtRO Matlock, Austin M., T/SgtWG Alexander, John P., S/SgtWG Polaski, Duane L., S/Sgt

B-17G #43-38672 (No Name)

P Statton, Roy F., 1LtCP Schroll, David A., 2LtNAV Donahue, Thomas R., 2LtTOG Woods, Heiber J., SgtENG Rhodes, William H., SgtRO Knowles, Charles D., SgtBT McNeel, Morgan L., S/SgtTG Maxson, Gordon H., Sgt

B-17G #43-38451 (No Name)

P Edmunds, Robert E., 2LtCP Bristol, Clarence D., 2LtNAV Lofquist, Gordon B., 2LtBOM Hight, Basil D., 2LtENG Hammel, Norman D., SgtRO Polo, Matthew N., S/SgtBT Farnham, Gordon W., SgtTG Rumberger, Frank C., SgtVI Elkin, Samuel, S/Sgt (427th)

B-17G #42-97860 (No Name)

P Breslin, Jack D., 2LtCP Bischofs, Hans, 2LtNAV Fitzpatrick, Donald, 2LtTOG Perry, Gordon W., SgtENG Moore, Harley E., SgtRO Daugherty, John S., Jr., SgtBT Crawford, Frank J., S/SgtTG Barlow, Grover C., SgtWG Johnson, Wilfred B., Sgt

B-17G #44-6517 Old Cock

P Fowler, Robert R., 2LtCP Boyles, Kenneth L., 2LtNAV Sarkis, George A., F/OTOG Bice, Lowell E., SgtENG Bryson, Emil M., S/SgtRO Ahland, Walter F., SgtBT Henager, Rudolph M., SgtTG King, Marvin O., SgtWG Jones, William P., SgtVI Ladd, John M., Sgt (427th)

Mission 324 - 10

CHARLES A. AUSTIN CREW - 360th BS

(crew assigned 360BS: 19 Jan 1945 - photo: 28 Jan 1945)

360th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #44-6523 (No Name)

P St. Julien, John D., 1LtCP Newell, Richard M., 1LtNAV Carney, Felix A., 1LtTOG McLellan, Raymond L., S/SgtENG Mitchell, William E., T/SgtRO Flanigan, John J., T/SgtBT Farthing, Richard M., M/SgtTG Evans, Marlin D., S/Sgt

B-17G #43-38532 (No Name)

P Austin, Charles A., 1LtCP Johnson, Arthur E., 2LtNAV Kokoska, Florian T., 2LtBOM Morgan, Clinton J., 2LtENG Ingles, Howard L., SgtRO Kummer, Burnell R., SgtBT Danielsen, Stanley K., SgtTG Krouse, Thomas R., SgtWG Stuckey, Edward C., Sgt

B-17G #42-102544 Sack Time

P Weaver, Jack W., 1LtCP Chalmers, John D., F/ONAV Polkabla, William J., 1LtBOM Emery, Roy F., 2LtENG Murphy, Jason, S/SgtRO Cole, Robert L., S/SgtBT Lardie, Thomas D., SgtTG Bailey, Arthur L., Sgt

B-17G #44-6516 My Darling

P Lacker, Howard C., 2LtCP Hardy, Jams H., F/ONAV O'Neil, James B., 2LtBOM Runnels, Billy L., 2LtENG Bratcher, Francis E., SgtRO Foster, Lane, SgtBT Reynolds, Robert R., SgtTG Garbarino, Louis V., Jr., Sgt

Mission 324 - 11

427th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #44-6937 El Sereano

P Grob, Emil E., Jr., 2LtCP Vanderhei, Vivian S., 2LtNAV Hoida, Donald J., 2LtTOG Leas, Harry D., S/SgtTT Loy, Vernon C., SgtBT Apel, Charles W., SgtRO Mullen, John P., SgtTG Nutting, Rufus R., Sgt

B-17G #43-38958 Green Hill Belle

P Ayers, Roger D, 2LtCP Larkin, Clayton E., 2Lt NAV Wagner, Charles D., 2LtTOG Clarkson, Robert T., S/SgtTT Rys, Valentine J., SgtBT Bailey, George E., SgtRO Morris, Allen L., SgtTG Turkovich, Charles J., Sgt

B-17G #43-38621 50 Ragged

P Smith, Grafton N., 1LtCP Alderman, Melvin, 2LtNAV Slauson, Leon H., 2LtTOG Garrett, Joe W., T/SgtTT Arnott, David H., T/SgtBT Miller, Raymond M., SgtRO Parker, George F., S/SgtWG Dussliere, Albert L., Sgt

B-17G #43-39011 (No Name)

P Richter, George K., 2LtCP Kipfer, James F., 2LtNAV Thompson, John M., 2LtBOM Marshall, Alexander F., 1LtTT Vernon, James D., SgtBT Smith, Donald S., SgtRO Kemmerer, Alfred G., S/SgtTG Chisholm, Robert E., Sgt

B-17G #42-97311 Shoo Shoo Baby

P Demian, Julius C., F/OCP Weatherby, Earl R., F/ONAV Tractman, Bernard L., F/OTOG Ross, Joseph M., Jr., SgtTT Leach, Harry L., SgtBT Wilson, Alfred D., SgtRO Lombardi, Donato J., SgtTG Buford, Thomas A., Sgt

B-17G #43-39220 Smilie Jack

P Walder, Wilfred M., Jr., 2LtCP Roche, John E., F/ONAV Wolansky, John, 2LtBOM Short, Arthur E., F/OTT Engelhardt, Roy H., SgtBT Doles, David, Jr., SgtRO Gibbons, Francis M., SgtTG Mitchell, Donald C., Sgt

Mission 324 - 12

427th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #42-102411 Miss Lace

P Richardson, Thomas W., 2LtCP Ayling, Peter D., 2LtNAV Rubins, William R., F/O TOG Hardin, Joe A., S/SgtTT Schneider, Joseph R., T/SgtBT Graves, John M., SgtRO Corn, Byron D., T/SgtTG Wakefield, Richard E., SgtWG Allen, Herrold H., Sgt

B-17G #44-6977 Better Do’er

P Chuba, Francis B., 2LtCP Ferrari, Walter J., 2LtNAV Wolf, Robert J., 2LtTOG Malmo, Richard C., SgtTT Ayers, Francis H., SgtBT Paananen, Uhlo J., SgtRO Harkey, Charles I., SgtTG Huckabay, Harvey H., Sgt WG Anderson, Dale R., Sgt

B-17G #44-6921 (No Name)

P Cassels, James C., 2LtCP Candido, Anthony N., 2LtNAV Fox, Richard W., 2LtTOG Porter, Ellery G., SgtTT Mason, Jack F., SgtBT Plant, Billy C., SgtRO Dragon, George O., SgtTG Phillips, John E., SgtWG Perkins, Herschel E., Sgt