Rhonda Schwarz
8/16/2001 10:44:18 AM | I am trying to locate the crew members who flew with my father in law. Their last mission was 18 April, 1945 on the B-17 called Becomin' Back and was shot down near Krallsheim. 1st Lt. Eugene A. Viehman, 2nd Lt. Harold K. Coutts, 2nd Lt. James J. Stalzer, S/Sgt. James A. Retzlaff, Sgt. Kenneth E. Hobson, S/Sgt. David M. Hay, Sgt. Joseph E. Rutkowsky, S/Sgt. Peter Orlando, S/Sgt. Joseph S. Allaire. If you are out there or any of your family members read this please e-mail me. I also am trying to locate a photo of the above mentioned plane "Becomin' Back". Thank you all for bravery. I am so thankful.
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Art Seder
8/16/2001 2:42:15 PM | I am Vice President of the 401st Bomb Group Association and have been trying to answer inquiries addressed to the Forum based on Group records.
As to crew members of your father in law's crew, the Pilot, Eugene A. Viehman, lives at 1241 Eagle Street, Aurora, Colorado 80011-6946. His telephone number is (303) 366-5022. The widows of two other members of the crew are also members of the Association. Mrs. Germain R. Orlando, widow of Peter Orlando, lives at 1714 Hillman Drive, Los Banos, California 93635-4708. Mrs. Betty A. Hay, widow of David M. Hay, lives at 6025 Vineyard Lane, Montgomery, Alabama 36117-5003.
I have seen a photocopy of the crew photograph, and we hope to publish all available crew photos in the not too distant future.
As you may know, the crew went down April 18, 1944 on their 28th mission, which was to Traunstein. Group records state: "This aircraft had feathered engines Nos. 3 and 4 before entering the flak area in the vicinity of the Austro-German border. The flak was meager but accurate. No hits were observed on the aircraft. It went down near Crailsheim. All crew members were listed as having evaded capture.
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