2nd Lt Donald A. Jones |
P |
CPT |
4/3/45 |
ULM |
2nd Lt Grant A. Fuller |
CP |
CPT |
4/3/45 |
ULM |
2nd Lt Arthur H. Juhlin |
NAV |
CPT |
4/3/45 |
ULM |
2nd Lt Ralph P. Farrell. Jr. |
BOM |
SWA |
17/10/44 |
COLOGNE |
Cpl Donald Stewart, Jr. |
ROG |
SWA |
17/10/44 |
COLOGNE |
Cpl Alfred F. Marcello |
TTE |
CPT |
4/3/45 |
ULM |
Cpl Curtis L. Hooker |
BTG |
CPT |
8/3/45 |
GIESSEN |
Cpl Sam L. Foushee |
WG |
CPT |
4/3/45 |
ULM |
Cpl Perry G. Kratsas |
WG |
NOC |
-- |
-- |
Cpl
Patrick J. Gillen, Jr. |
TG |
CPT |
31/3/45 |
BAD
BERKA OIL STORAGE (100TH "A") |
418th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 18/8/44.It is
probable that Kratsas was removed from the crew to get down to nine men
and went to the replacement pool. On the 11th mission, both Farrell &
Stewart suffered severe injuries which resulted in their being returned to
the U.S. Bruce Grueschow, from the crew of
S. J. Dobrogowski, and Thomas
M. Barrett, from the crew of M. J. Anderson
both served as bombardiers on the crew. Storm C. Rhode also flew about 20
missions with this crew as a Mickey Operator.
Letter (1/7/84) from Art Juhlin contains much about this crew and says
that Sam Foushee and Al Marcello "passed away several years ago." This was
a "Lead" crew for much of it' s tour. the following is extracted from Arthur Juhlin's diary: "17
Oct.1944 Mission #11 Cologne, Germany.
Due to a malfunction of the bomb racks in our ship only 16 of our
10o# bombs were released. This left eighteen 100# and two 500# incendiary
clusters jammed in the bomb bay. The bombardier and radio operator went
back into the bomb bay to try and get rid of the mess, but it was a
ticklish job as all the bombs were armed. They finally got most of the
pins put back in the l00# and removed them to the radio room, but were
unable to get the incendiaries out, so we decided to wait and try to salvo them upon reaching the channel. We
left the formation and circled over the channel while the bombardier,
radio operator and tail gunner tried to get the rest of the bombs, which
were wedged up against the bomb bay doors away. It was at this time that
one of the incendiary fuses went off with a terrible blast. Our bombardier
got hit by several fragments and lost his left eye. The radio operator got
several fragments in his leg severing an artery and a nerve. The tail
gunner was blown back into the radio room and received minor facial
injuries. The bottom of the ship looked like a sieve and there was one
hole big enough for a man to crawl through. It was a miracle that the
whole ship wasn't blown to bits. Unable to open the bomb bay doors which
had been sprung by the explosion, and not being able to bail out with the
injured men on board, we started for the base with the live bombs swinging
in the bomb bay. Our waist gunner then volunteered to go back in the bomb
bay and try to wire some of the incendiaries together so they wouldn't be
so apt to be jarred loose upon landing. This sure took a lot of guts after
what had already happened. As we turned on the approach our pilot remarked
that maybe we'd all get a big bang out of the landing, but I am afraid the
humor wasn't appreciated at that time. A safe landing was made and the
injured removed to the hospital. Time of flight was 7 hours. We flew ship
#459 and led the high squadron of the lead group."
Storm C.Rhode came to the 100th as a "Mickey" operator in Sept.1944 and
flew about 20 missions with the D. A. Jones crew. Rhode flew an
un-determined number of missions with the
DePlanque crew.
Mike:
We had two radio operators who followed Don Stewart. The first one,
although I have a picture of him, none of us can remembered his name. The
second one I believe was William P. Hood who came from the Dobrogowski
crew. He finished his tour when we did at Ulm in Mar. 1945. Dobrogowski I
am sure you know was killed on takeoff for weather mission early one
morning along with his co-pilot and navigator. Bruce Grueschow, their
bombardier, flew several missions with us as lead bombardier before Tom
Barrett came on. I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks…Grant
Fuller
List of Missions for Cpl Donald Stewart Jr & Lt. Ralph Farrell Jr. (mpf)
Nbr |
Date |
Target |
Aircraft |
01 |
9/9/44 |
Dusseldorf-Munitions plant |
A/C 238175 |
02 |
10/9/44 |
Nurnburg-Tank factory |
A/C 238175 |
03 |
11/9/44 |
Ruhland-Synthetic Oil Factory |
A/C 2102649-Lady Geraldine |
04 |
12/9/44 |
Magdeburg- Synthetic Oil Factory |
A/C 2102649-Lady Geraldine |
05 |
18/9/44 |
Warsaw-Supply Drop Arms |
A/C 297071-Andy's Dandy's |
06 |
19/9/44 |
Szolnok, Hungary-MY |
A/C 297071-Andy's Dandy's |
07 |
3/10/44 |
Nurnburg-Tank Factory |
A/C 337636 |
08 |
5/10/44 |
Munster (Recall) |
A/C 337636 |
09 |
7/10/44 |
Bohlen-Synthetic Oil |
A/C 337636 |
10 |
15/10/44 |
Cologne-MY |
A/C 338459-Cargo for Margo |
11 |
17/10/44 |
Cologne-MY |
A/C 338459-Cargo for Margo |
Following is a 1994 Press Release. It is presented as written without
editing or spelling corrections. . pw
From Tas 18/1736A Oct 44
To: Major E. J. Huber. Pro, 3rd Bomb Div. , Public Relations
Confidential 100BG O-343-D
An Eighth Air Force Bomber Station, England--- The B-17 flying Fortress
"Cargo for Margo", a hole gouged through it by an incendiary bomb fuse
which exploded inside and with fire bombs tangled like jackstraws on the
doors of the jammed-shut Bombay, settled down gingerly at it's base after
a dangerous flight from Cologne during which the crew were in deadly peril
from the incendiaries. The fuse, which exploded, wounded three of the
crew.
Nervy action by the crew in tying fast most of the loose incendiaries
jumbled together, after detonation of the fuse when the Bombay release
mechanism failed to function properly, with 100 pound high explosive, but
at the time not dangerous bombs saved the fortress and crew as well.
Crediting his crew with outstanding courage, Second Lieutenant Donald
A. Jones, 22 years old, of Goose Creek, Texas, piloted: Cargo for Margo"
safely to it's 100th Bombardment Group runway.
Almost instinctively, over Cologne, the crew knew something was foul in
the Bombay. the fortress did not suddenly lurch up as it should in losing
bomb weight. Dropped clear were 14 bombs--but 20 other H. E. bombs and two
large clusters of incendiaries fell in a snarled heap.
While still over German held territory, the Bombardier and Radio
Operator, respectively Second Lieutenant Ralph P. Harrell, 19, of
Gastonia, N. C. and Sergeant Donald Stewart, Jr. of 4447 Marillja Avenue,
Van Nuys, Calif. , attempted to dislodge the tangled bombs but failed.
"Close the Bays, " ordered Lt Jones a few minutes later. "We're proably
over our own territory and we can't take a chance on dropping these babies
on our own boys. "
The Navigator, Second Lieutenant Arthur H. Julin, of 7641 South
Hermitage, Chicago, Ill. , notified the pilot that Nazi fighters were in
the vicinity "so we can't try any circus stunts in getting rid of the
bombs. "
Although the slightest motion might have detonated the fuse on the
cluster of incendiaries---500 pounds of them dropped loose from their
moorings and jammed into the bottom of the Bombay the fortress reached the
channel and Lt. Farrell and Sgt Stewart decide to work them loose by
opening the Bombay doors once again.
Standing on the catwalk, Sgt Stewart carried six 100-pound bombs back
into the radio room after the Bombardier placed the safety-pins back in
the fuses. Then the Bombardier tried to replace a safety wire into the
fuse of the 500-pound incendiary cluster which was jammed against the side
of the Bombay's curving door.
The fuse on the cluster exploded. Fragments of the fuse splattered
throughout the Bombay and slivers struck the bombardier in the face,
causing a severe wound, and struck the radio operator in the legs and
body. detonation of the fuse on the cluster released all the individual
bombs within the cluster.
The tail gunner, Sergeant Sam L. Foushee, 24, of Lillington, N. C. ,
had just come up from his gun position and suffered a slight facial wound.
The Bombay doors had warped from the explosion and the cylindrical
shaped incendiaries were protruding through the cracks and became more a
menace than ever. Although suffering painfully, both the bombardier and
the radio operator struggled back, seeing the danger, to try to prevent
the rest of the incendiaries from dooming the bomber.
While two gunners, Sgt Foushee and Sergeant Curtis L. Hooker, 19, of
Copan, Okl. , ball turret gunner, administered first aid to the three
wounded, a third gunner--Sergeant Patrick J. Gillen, Jr. of 538 Union
Avenue, New York city, left his waist gun position and began the dangerous
job of securing the loosened incendiaries. He soon was joined by Sgt
Foushee.
"They tackled the job in spite of the fact that just a minute before
the bombardier had been badly hurt trying to do the same thing. " Declared
the pilot. "We all held our breath while Gillen and Foushee edged down
through the maze of bombs and tied them fast with an arming wire--which
minimized the danger and possibly saved the bomber and us, too. I knew I
had to bring the plane down, because of the wounded men, and when I asked
if anyone wanted to bale out, there wasn't a single reply on the inter
phone. "
The fortress had fallen behind its formation by now. "When we get over
England, the air will get rough and you'll have to take it easy. " said
the bombardier. "You might not know what a hot potato you have here, but I
do. "
While Lt Jones went back to inspect the damage, the Co-pilot, 21 year
old Second Lieutenant Grant A. Fuller, of 601 East Fourth Street,
Hereford, Texas, handled the controls, and the engineer, Staff Sergeant
Alfred F. Marcello, 22, of 1248 Fremont Avenue, St. Paul, reported that
trying to land with the individual incendiaries would proably bring
disastrous results, each individual incendiary has a fuse which detonated
on impact.
Lt Jones eased "Cargo for Margo" down for a smooth landing, and the
medics were on hand to give attention to the three wounded fliers. Ground
crew men later safely removed the incendiaries --103 of them-- from the
plane.
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