John Stanforth
1/15/2005 4:48:53 PM | I have noticed that in your crew listings that you only show nine men on my fathers crew(614th)and i have a crew photo that i believe was taken before departing the U.S.which shows all ten men. It also has the names, city, and state on the reverse, but over time has faded and smeared. Can you find the tenth man for me or was he transferred? Was it common to only run with nine men or did they pick up some one else along the way? I beleive i have heard of crews with only nine men and my father had always told me he made it through the war with the same crew he left the states with even when they were transfered to the 482nd Pathfinders. This is something else you don't have is where they were transfered to after they left the 401st. I also have over two hundred letters my father sent his mother and this is how i know he was transferred to the 482nd because of the return address. I would also like to see the crews picture i have posted on youe web site since i noticed you do not have one of this crew. Do i need to make a copy for you or is there another way of getting you a copy of this picture. Be prepared more questions to come. Thanks
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Clyde Larry Mings
7/2/2005 10:11:06 PM | Nine man crews did exist. Our 613th " Madame Queen " flew with a nine man crew after our left waist gunner was grounded due to "freezing up" during combat and unable to perform his duties. He was a brave man , but some people have a stress reaction that they cant control.ALL of us were scared, but were able to keep on keeping on.I was the radio operator, and during attacks I would go back and man the left waist gun. The radio room "dorsal" gun wasn't as critical to the firing coverage as the waist gun.
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