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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 2:04:03 PM | The walls of the Combat Mess were decorated with aircraft names and crew lists, each squadron having it's own patch of wall.
Some of the names had artwork with them, not always the same artwork that graced the actual aircraft though.
Some of these names cannot currently be matched up with known assigned aircraft or crews, but let's see what we can do about that shall we?
I've blown up images of part of the wall used by the 613th Squardon and have transcribed four crew lists so afr.
Starting with a known aircraft, 42-97931 Madam Queen:
The crew list reads:
Lt Kuta
Lt Chartier
Lt French
T/Sgt Mings
S/Sgt Snodgrass
S/Sgt Greenleaf
S/Sgt Nicholson
S/Sgt Hunt
S/Sgt Pear
S/Sgt Fisher
Again, this is a known 613th crew, that of Lt C.A. Kuta, however the aircraft they flew in is no longer known.
Also, although Madam Queen was at Deenethorpe from June 1st 1944, her recorded missions don't begin until early August 1944, by which time Lt Kuta and crew had flown 19 missions. I guess I'll have to wait to see the mission reports to tie this one up.
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 2:14:24 PM | Second photo, known aircraft, known crew. Just not shown together.
42-31037 Pistol Packin' Mama:
You'll notice the wall artwork isn't the same as the aircraft's artwork here.
The crew list reads:
Capt Reigler
Capt Fesmire
Lt Cushman
Lt Anderson
T/Sgt Lipka
T/Sgt Click
S/Sgt Jack
S/Sgt Malloy
S/Sgt O'Hanian
S/Sgt Owens
This is the same as Captain Riegler's crew list with the exception of Lt Fine who was a Mickey operator.
As before, we have an aircraft known to have been at Deenethorpe for a number of months before any recorded missions begin, and a crew known to be flying missions during that period with no known aircraft (With the exception of Mission No.5)
Again, a copy of the full Mission Report may hold the information to tie them together.
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 2:54:46 PM | Onto number three......
Getting into interesting territory now, "Ole 840":
As there was only a single B-17 assigned to the 401st with a number ending in 840, it's almost certainly 42-39840 "The Lopin' Lobo". Again, this was a 613th Squadron aircraft, with only a single recorded mission during the eight months she was at Deenethorpe.
The crew list reads:
Col Brown
Maj Hinkle
Capt Meadville
Capt Wood
Capt Wilson
Capt Miller
Lt Needham
M/Sgt Harris
M/Sgt Drake
T/Sgt Owens
Although not a regular crew, many of the names were flying in the first winter at Deenethorpe when 42-39840 had recently arrived.
Colonel Brown is probably Edwin Brown, the 613th CO flying as Group Air Commander.
He flew Group Lead with Carl Hinkle, then of the 613th but later CO of the 614th Squadron.
Captain Meadville is probably bombardier Cpt. Harry Meadville.
I'm slowly working through the other names.
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 3:06:24 PM | Last one for now, and it's a good'un. ; )
"Purely Platonic?"
The crew list reads:
Major Barrs “Steer 'er"
Major Lindersmith “Co-steer 'er"
Major Brown “Find 'er"
Major Ewald “Drop 'er"
Major Davidson “Ball 'er"
Major Wise “Tail 'er"
Major Mulmed “Right 'er"
Major Fry “Left 'er"
Major Clemmens “Fix 'er"
Major Engel “Warm 'er"
A very rank-heavy crew you may think....
I wonder if this was a Staff Crew for those who needed to get their flight hours in?
Let's add some of the Base Staff names and postitions to the list:
Major Barrs (Maj. Albert E Barrs, 614th Squadron Executive officer?)
Major Lindersmith (Maj. Walter R Lindersmith, Group Executive Officer?)
Major Brown (Maj. Edwin Brown 613th Squadron Commanding Officer & Group Air Executive?)
Major Ewald (Maj Herbert P Ewald, 613th Squadron Executive Officer)
Major Davidson (Maj. Lyman P Davison, 612th Squadron Executive Officer?)
Major Wise (Maj. Eugene W Wise, 615th Squadron Executive Officer?)
Major Mulmed (Maj. Earl I Mulmed, Group Flight Surgeon?)
Major Fry (Maj. Wilfred B Fry, Group Intelligence Officer?)
Major Clemmens (Maj. Robert C Clements, 857th Air Engineering Squadron CO?)
Major Engel (Maj. Richard B Engel, 450th Sub Depot CO/431st Air Service Group 2IC?)
That's it for now, I'll look for more high quality photos of other names and see if I can add more another day.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
10/2/2008 5:58:45 PM | Another Capital Gain: Great effort put into these Great Work Paul.
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 6:04:46 PM | And thank YOU Don, for having a good resolution copy of one of the photo's on your website, albeit reduced in visual size but not file size. : )
Hope you don't mind me borrowing parts of it.
Best wishes,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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donaldbyers
10/2/2008 6:40:50 PM | My internet is your internet like My House is your House if visiting...........
Don
Sgt. Donald C. Byers, 613th Bomb Squadron, Togglier, 42-97344 Carrie B II, KIA 08/24/1944.
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Paul Bellamy
10/2/2008 6:56:26 PM | Much appreciated Don
Paul Bellamy
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win-win
10/3/2008 12:49:52 AM | Gents: - Interesting subject, and a mystery to me.
Combat Mess and Squadrons:
- Can one of you identify what building/buildings (RAF Map Bldg. #s) was/were the Combat Mess?
- What was meant by: 'each Squadron had its own' (ie, was there a central Combat Mess with separate rooms for each Squadron, or separate Combat Mess units (in each dispersed Squadron sites for example))?
National Archives photo 65572AC:
- Is this photo taken in the (or one of the) Combat Mess?
- Is this 'Officer country' (white table linen) or did Crew Officers and enlisted eat together (and thus both have 'linen' table-settings)?
Son of a Blitz, 42-31081: (Original 401BG a/c, and original Fowler Crew, 613Sq.)
- The 613Sq. 'Son of a Blitz'/Fowler Crew ceiling panel is in NARA photo 65572AC - above the closest of the 3-doors to the right (in the photo) 2nd row up by the light fixture.
- Does that mean this is the 613Sq. Combat Mess?
I can E-mail you my 'mark-over' photos of 'Blitx/Fowler (but I haven't learned how to put them on this post).
Another wonderful quest...
Win
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Paul Bellamy
10/3/2008 7:04:25 PM | "win-win":
Gents: - Interesting subject, and a mystery to me.
Combat Mess and Squadrons:
- Can one of you identify what building/buildings (RAF Map Bldg. #s) was/were the Combat Mess?
- What was meant by: 'each Squadron had its own' (ie, was there a central Combat Mess with separate rooms for each Squadron, or separate Combat Mess units (in each dispersed Squadron sites for example)?
Sorry Win, I wasn't clear enough there.
My current theory is that "Herbie's Hash House", the Combat Mess (for Aircrew use only), was Building No. 189, on the Eastern communal site. This would make Building No. 213 on the Southern communal site the Consolidated Mess, down "Chow House Road".
From the NARA and Blue Book photos, all the artwork seems to have been on the walls of the officers' section of the Combat Mess (need to confirm that though), and each squadron had a quarter of the wallspace in that section.
I've built an outline 3-d model of the interior and am slowly marking up which artwork/crew list went on which wall panel.
National Archives photo 65572AC:
- Is this photo taken in the (or one of the) Combat Mess?
- Is this 'Officer country' (white table linen) or did Crew Officers and enlisted eat together (and thus both have 'linen' table-settings)?
Son of a Blitz, 42-31081: (Original 401BG a/c, and original Fowler Crew, 613Sq.)
- The 613Sq. 'Son of a Blitz'/Fowler Crew ceiling panel is in NARA photo 65572AC - above the closest of the 3-doors to the right (in the photo) 2nd row up by the light fixture.
- Does that mean this is the 613Sq. Combat Mess?
65572AC is a photo of the fireplace in the Sergeants' Club. No tablecloths to see there.... ; )
Could you recheck the photo number?
The Combat Mess would almost certainly have had a seperate dining area for officers.
I can E-mail you my 'mark-over' photos of 'Blitz/Fowler (but I haven't learned how to put them on this post).
Please feel free to e-mail me anytime, it's always good to hear from you.
Another wonderful quest...
Win
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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win-win
10/3/2008 8:44:15 PM | Aak!
Paul - nice catch. The NARA photo I was referring to, of the 'officers'?' mess is 65512AC (laserdisk 3A-12951).
Hope that's closer.
Win
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Phoenix
10/4/2008 5:45:04 AM | Paul,
Just wondering if your top heavy 'Major' crew could be one of the goodwill crews? I have them listed somewhere I'll check when I get some spare time.
Tallyho
Dale
improvise, adapt, overcome
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Paul Bellamy
10/4/2008 5:31:49 PM | Thanks Guys,
Well it took a while, and a fair bit of lateral thinking and a couple of educated guesses on the building layout, but I think I've worked out the positions of all the visible artwork panels in the officers' wing of the Combat Mess.
All I've had to work with is Don's good-quality copy of the photo of the section of wall, the high-quality NARA view of half the interior (65512AC) and the small fuzzy pictures from my reprint Blue Book.
Some of the ones in the Blue Book can be fitted together like a jigsaw, including the single one at the back.
The NARA photo locks most of the Blue Book photos into their relative positions, but there's a 6-foot gap between the two ends of the building coverage where I've had to use logic. As such the results can't be 100%, but are the most likely layout.
Win, if your full copy of 65512AC is as crisp as I think it is, could you let me know? 😎
I've put everything into a .doc file of two tables, each showing half the interior of the Nissen hut.
(I can e-mail this to anyone interested, if nothing else to review it.)
What it does show is that the four squadrons' sections of wall appear to have gone up-and-over. i.e. 614th panels faced each other across the room.
I'm now trying to work out the simplest way of showing the results.
All the best,
Paul
Paul Bellamy
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Shade Ruff
12/5/2008 8:08:55 AM | To all:
As promised, here is the list of crews associated with the corresponding 614th BS (H) aircraft names exactly as they appear on the ceiling panels. Note, too, that Shade Ruff had separate designators of # 1 and # 2 which I've included. This could be a reference to the fact the Stine crew principally flew the original "Shade Ruff" which was then replaced by "Shade Ruff # 2" when the former was lost on a mission in early March 1944.
The only name which I had no luck cross-referencing/confirming as a 614th squadron member was Cpl Belford (assuming I transcribed it correctly from the photograph).
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Shade Ruff
Liberty Run
Capt Smith
Lt Faulhaber
Lt Harding
Lt Levey
T/Sgt Fair
T/Sgt Castronova
S/Sgt McKendry
S/Sgt Roberts
S/Sgt Gatzmeyer
S/Sgt Sundberg
Lt Filemyr
Lt Claxton
Lt Robinson
S/Sgt Tutwiler
S/Sgt Moll
S/Sgt Reynolds
Sgt Parker
Sgt Culver
Pvt Campbell
Patches
Lt Wilson
Lt Kelley
Lt Connery
Lt Fogarty
T/Sgt Quinn
S/Sgt Passeno
S/Sgt McMahon
S/Sgt Smith
S/Sgt Pettit
Sgt Gray
Day and Night
Lt Carroll
Lt Leaser
Lt Kaiser
T/Sgt Moll
T/Sgt Le Fleur
S/Sgt Curtin
S/Sgt Killian
S/Sgt Campbell
Sgt Levenberger
Round Tripper
Capt Owens
Lt Bergeson
Lt Noltle
Lt Fitzgerald
T/Sgt Stimmel
T/Sgt Spacek
S/Sgt Murphy
S/Sgt Parrott
S/Sgt Frohman
Cpl Belford
Lt Kovach
Lt Kellam
Lt Coselli
Lt Klefisch
T/Sgt Pollard
T/Sgt Rouhselang
S/Sgt Guest
S/Sgt Schmidt
S/Sgt Horbatuck
Sgt Maki
Shade Ruff
#1
Lt Stine
Lt Kehoe
Lt Miller
Lt Empric
T/Sgt Trump
T/Sgt Keeney
S/Sgt Risi
S/Sgt Thill
S/Sgt Phillips
S/Sgt Prager
#2
Lt Lipka
Lt Faulker
Lt Fowler
Lt Percival
T/Sgt Sugrue
T/Sgt Gilbert
T/Sgt Sanders
S/Sgt Jennings Jr
S/Sgt Nolin
S/Sgt Rowley
Cover Girl
Capt Kenney
Lt Evans
Lt Fowler
Lt Wilson
T/Sgt Cohen
T/Sgt Dixon
S/Sgt Hambright
S/Sgt Higbee
Sgt Elliott
Lt Silverstein
Lt Farquhar
Lt Crickenberger
Lt Schliefer
S/Sgt Gravel
S/Sgt Datson
S/Sgt Landwehr
Sgt Bergstrom
Sgt Dias
Sgt Meyers
Battlin’ Betty
Capt Chapman
Lt Evans
Capt Smith
Capt Deville
S/Sgt Pyle
S/Sgt Wilson
S/Sgt Spatilson
S/Sgt Dayton
S/Sgt Cohen
S/Sgt Brennan
Betty’s Revenge
Lt Fisette
Lt Thompson
Lt Rhinehart
S/Sgt Tollefson
T/Sgt Grites
T/Sgt Garlin
S/Sgt Mack
S/Sgt Long
S/Sgt Wright
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Mark Whelan
12/7/2008 10:47:27 PM | what can be seen for "Son of a Blitz"
Regards
Mark
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EDanaII
12/13/2008 10:48:31 PM | Mark,
I know there's an image for Son of a Blitz, since Win Bryson (win-win) sent me a copy. With a little image editing, I was able to manipulate it so that it could be seen better. However, it should only be considered an image of what the Blitz' nose art looked like, since I used a little guess work to do it:
Win has the original image that I took this from. You can contact him regarding it.
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rblank72
12/22/2008 12:41:14 PM | Ed, do you happen to have the image for Cover Girl?
Actually, I can just contact him for it. Sorry!
Rich Blank
Married to the niece of Lt. L.H. Crickenberger - MIA October 7th, 1944
Son and grandson of retired Air Force officers, brother of a Blackhawk pilot.
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Paul Bellamy
12/22/2008 6:25:19 PM | Hi Rich,
This is the best I can do for you at present:
Hopefully Shade Ruff can post a clearer version from his copy, as I don't have that image other than in the Blue Book.
All the best,
PB
Paul Bellamy
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Shade Ruff
12/29/2008 7:31:28 AM | "Paul Bellamy":
Hi Rich,
This is the best I can do for you at present:
Hopefully Shade Ruff can post a clearer version from his copy, as I don't have that image other than in the Blue Book.
All the best,
PB
Rich,
I'll take a closer look at my photo. As someone previously mentioned, however, the images present on the ceiling tiles did not always correspond to the plane's actual nose art.
This was certainly the case with "Shade Ruff." The "Shade Ruff" A-2 leather jacket image was nothing like the "Shade Ruff" ceiling tile artwork or the "Shade Ruff # 2" nose art itself.
Regards,
Shade Ruff
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win-win
1/5/2009 7:05:50 PM | About 'Son of a Blitz'- what we know:
- - It was an 'original' 1943 401st A/C, ferried and flown by the 'Fowler Crew'. Charles Kashner a 'Fowler' Crewman, indicated the Combat Mess 'wall-art' is not like its 'nose-art'.
- - Charles recalled: "the nose art had the name 'Son Of a Blitz' painted in script angled across both sides of the nose. The icon or picture was a gremlin riding a falling bomb rodeo style. At each position was the name of the crew member printed in block letters on the outside of the plane."
- - We're all still looking for a photo.
Stay tuned.
Win Bryson
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:01:38 PM | Some more...
42-31193 Little Boots:
Capt. Beers
Lt. Byrne
Lt. Gershon
Lt. Ritch
T/Sgt. Young
S/Sgt. Paola
S/Sgt. Craft
S/Sgt. Grigg
S/Sgt. Lynn
S/Sgt. Turvy
Capt R.W. Beers Crew, 615BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:08:37 PM | 42-30855 Ol' Massa
Lt. Shanks
Lt. Mayne
Lt. Wenrich
Lt. Edkin
S/Sgt. Santangelo
S/Sgt. Jarret
Sgt. Gibson
Sgt. Rodgers
Sgt. Hauck
Sgt. Angeli
2nd Lt L.M. Shanks Crew, 613BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:16:44 PM | 42-31619 That Sweet Thing
Lt. Ferdyn
Lt. Enstad
Lt. Filler
Lt. Manning
Lt. Black
T/Sgt. Agee
S/Sgt. Cooper
S/Sgt. May
S/Sgt. Bushendorf
S/Sgt. Hertzan
S/Sgt. Johnson
1st Lt J.E. Ferdyn Crew, 615BS
Lt. Filler listed as navigator on 2nd Lt D.T. Nicklawsky Crew, 615BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:22:50 PM | 42-31467 Sac Hound
Lt. Sheahan
Lt. Ogden
Lt. Davis
Lt. Conway
T/Sgt. Silverstein
T/Sgt. Rickey
S/Sgt. Justice
S/Sgt. O'Mara
S/Sgt. Falk
S/Sgt. Tomlinson
2nd Lt W.G. Sheahan Crew, 613BS
S/Sgt Tomlinson listed as waist gunner on 1st Lt P.F. Scharff Crew, 613BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:29:35 PM | 43-38125 Mary Makers
Capt. Stegemann
Lt. Walter
Lt. McCaslin
Lt. Schultz
Sgt. McKenna
Sgt. Roach
Sgt. Tamburine
Sgt. Waer
Sgt. Mais
Sgt. Sullivan
Capt C.W. Stegemann Crew, 615BS
Sgt. Sullivan unlisted in 615BS lists.
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:37:01 PM | 44-6104 Homing Pigeon
Lt. Lemmons
Lt. Cottrill
Lt. Komaroff
Lt. Heiseir
T/Sgt. Mizener
T/Sgt. Taylor
S/Sgt. Fedynich
S/Sgt. Piromalli
S/Sgt. Farris
S/Sgt. Webster
1st Lt C.G. Lemmons Crew, 613BS
S/Sgt. Farris listed as waist gunner on 1st Lt R.G. Etters Crew. 613BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:42:57 PM | Ruff N Reddy
1st Lt. Wingard
Lt. Abresch
Lt. King
Lt. Sullivan
T/Sgt. Cicogna
T/Sgt. Rutledge
S/Sgt. Winzey
1st Lt M.R. Wingard Crew, 615BS
Paul Bellamy
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Paul Bellamy
11/12/2010 3:53:44 PM | Last one for now....
42-37981 Belle of the Barbary Coast
Lt. Murgatroyd
Lt. Pennoyer
Lt. Jorgensen
Lt. Elderkin
S/Sgt. Spirodex
T/Sgt. Lesser
S/Sgt. Robertson
S/Sgt. Schmitt
S/Sgt. Rxxx (?) (Could be S/Sgt. Ryan, Mannix Crew tail gunner)
S/Sgt. Magnunson
2nd Lt K.R. Murgatroyd Crew, 613BS
NOTE: Belle of the Barbary Coast only listed as being assigned to the 615BS.
Paul Bellamy
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