Mission 236 - 1

Battle Damage to B-17G #42-31483 Bonnie B 359BS (BN-P)

303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No. 2365 September 1944

Target: I.G. Farben Plant at Ludwigshafen, GermanyCrews Dispatched: 39

Length of Mission: 8 hours, 8 minutes

Bomb Load: 6 x 1,000 lb G.P. M44 bombs

Bombing Altitudes: 26,000, 25,400 & 24,500 ft

Ammo Fired: 1,439 rounds

Asecond attack on the I.G. Farben plant at Ludwigshafen was made by the 1st BombDivision. Fortress #42-97329 Flak Hack, 360BS (Lt. Bennett), turned back earlydue to a cracked cylinder amplifier and a runaway supercharger.

Thirty-six 303rd BG(H) B-17s dropped 214 1,000-lb. G.P. M44 bombs and eightskymarkers on the target from 26,000, 25,400 and 24,500 ft. There were solid, low cloudswith tops at 15,000 ft. right up to the edge of the target. Weather then broke fairly clear,but the persistent contrails up to 23,000 ft. necessitated PFF bombing. Results wereunobserved, but were believed good. B-17 #42-97949 (No Name), 358BS (Lt. Whitlock,359BS), dropped six 1,000 lb. G.P. bombs on Nockenheim, Germany, as a target ofopportunity. B-17 #42-107206 Old Black Magic, 359BS (Lt. Frazier) did not bomb becausethe electric bomb release failed and the mechanical release was improperly used. Bombswere returned to Molesworth.

Fighter support by 235 P-51s was good. Only a fewGerman fighters were seen andthere were no attacks.Moderate to intense and fairlyaccurate flak was encounteredat the target and several otherlocations. Seven B-17s sufferedmajor and thirteen, minor battledamage. One crewman wasslightly wounded. Chaff wasbelieved to have had somebeneficial effect.

Lt. Parker, pilot of #42-31483 Bonnie B, 359BS, lost a

propeller and, with two engines out, landed at emergency landing strip A62 near Paris.There were no injuries and the crew returned to Molesworth. All other aircraft returnedsafely to Base.

Mission 236 - 2

The Bonnie BBy John Surrell, Tail Gunner

The Bonnie B (A/C# 42-31483) began her career on January 1, 1944 with the303rd Bomb Group, 359th Bomb Squadron. She wasn’t one of those silver, fancy jobs.Rather, she was olive drab, a real workhorse. But one thing you had to say about her; ifshe took you out, she brought you back.

The Bonnie B acquired her name from a pilot named Bech who had a six monthold daughter named Bonnie. The name must have brought good luck because she flew93 missions and aborted only seven times.

Between May 29, 1944 and August 4, 1944 the Arnold crew flew a total of 33missions. Twenty seven of these missions were in the Bonnie B, twice coming home onthree engines. The crew owed a debt of thanks to the masterful hands of her crew chief,Master Sergeant William Zachar. She would come back from a mission with an enginefeathered and numerous flak holes in her wings and fuselage. Crew Chief Zachar wouldhave her ready to fly the next day. His crew probably worked all night to fix the enginesand patch the flak holes, but she would be ready to go by mission time.

Crew Chief Zachar was a man of many talents. Besides being a top-notchairplane mechanic, he also did dry cleaning on the side, as Lick, the waist gunner, and Iwere to find out. The sergeant told us when we returned from leave in London to bringour official duty uniforms for cleaning. Bill took a five gallon can and filled it with 100octane aviation fuel and proceeded to rinse our uniforms up and down with gasoline.Much to our surprise they came out spotless. Needless to say, we did not light anymatches around them for a week!

Bonnie B’s last mission was on September 5, 1944 to Ludwigshafen, Germany.She lost a propeller and with two engines out, landed at an emergency strip, A62, nearParis. On September 9, 1944 she was salvaged for parts. What a sad way to end hercareer!

Shortly after returning to the States in October, 1944 I was married and mydaughter was born in August, 1945. Yes, I named her Bonnie after our bomber.

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group A

Fletcher-Sheets

137 - PFF Ackerman Bliss 666 557 - PFF

Brown Kuykendall 323 860Eisenwinter Dubose Bennett Railing 875 248 329 893 Healy Newton 057 569O'Leary Drewry 197 885

Mission 236 - 3

Heller's Angel #42-102484 (359BS) BN-K41st CBW-A 303BG High - Pilot Capt K.C. Edwards / CoPilot 2Lt C.O. Mainwaring

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group B

Edwards-Mainwaring484

Frazier Quiggle 7206 177

Brabant Shields 944 930Akers Parker Mehlhoff Butler 830 483 196 187 Whitlock Underdown 949 496Lorentz McDavid 076 289

Mission 236 - 4

Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point - Group C

Rosser-Douglass125 - PFF

Glass Freeman 238 739

Lee Crawford 945 861Holm Lay Howard Foley 298 200 124 546 Freeland McCutcheon 316 8206McKinley McConnell 176 099

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 GunnerNG - Nose GunnerRG - Radio GunnerWG - Waist GunnerLWG - Left Waist GunnerRWG - Right Waist GunnerGUN - Gunner

VI - Voice InterpreterOBS - ObserverPAS - PassengerPHO - Photographer

RESULTS OF MISSION

KIA - Killed in actionWIA - Wounded in actionMIA - Missing in actionPOW - Prisoner of war

DOW - Died of woundsEVD - Evaded the enemyINT - Interned in neu cntryREP - RepatriatedRES - RescuedESC - EscapedBO - Bailed outDCH - DitchedCR-L - Crashed on landCR-S - Crashed at sea

Mission 236 - 5

358th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #42-107099 Old 99

P McConnell, John, 1LtCP Thomas, Charles E., 2LtNAV Atwood, Thomas M., 2LtBOM Bennett, Robert W., 2LtENG Johnson, Jack M., S/SgtWG Schneider, Lawrence J., SgtRO Rego, Charles J., S/SgtTG Krebs, Henry R., SgtBT Messerich, Jerome P., S/Sgt

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

P Freeland, Troit D., 1LtCP Prudhoe, Louis J., 2LtNAV Kosta, Alexander, 2LtBOM Nugent, Robert F., 2LtENG Abernathy, Wylie C., S/SgtWG Moran, George J., SgtRO Wilson, Clarence K., S/SgtTG Dyszel, Bernard J., SgtBT Cerzosimo, Bernard P., Sgt

B-17G #42-102945 Sweet Pea

P Lee, Gareth G., 1LtCP Bowman, William E., F/ONAV Poehlman, Robert L., 2LtBOM Townsend, Charles D., 2LtENG Leimgruebler, Victor H., S/SgtWG Olive, Martin, SgtRO Adkinson, James E., S/SgtTG Newman, Gerald D., SgtBT Grundon, Joseph D., Sgt

B-17G #43-38176 Bouncing Betty II

P McKinley, Ralph C., 2LtCP Harwick, James A., 2LtNAV Long, Donald C., Jr., 2LtBOM Green, George A., 2LtENG Jones, Burlen, SgtWG Devaney, Thomas J., SgtRO Moll, Richard S., SgtBT Clark, Woodrow E., SgtTG Soule, Evan R., Sgt

B-17G #43-38200 (No Name)

P Lay, William P., 2LtCP Grenier, David A., 2LtNAV Lasker, Robert M., 2LtBOM Bohannon, Jackson R., 2LtENG Miller, Ray A., SgtWG Hasper, Donald T., SgtRO LaPerch, William J., SgtTG Gillespie, Henry F., SgtBT Kedzierski, Edward P., Sgt

B-17G #42-97298 The Floose

P Holm, Maurice M., 2LtCP Fletcher, Harold D., F/ONAV Howard, Paul A., 2LtBOM Davis, Edward A., 2LtENG Compton, M.C., SgtWG Huck, Robert L., SgtRO Dale, John A., SgtBT Ebert, Preston P., SgtTG Copeland, George E., Sgt

Mission 236 - 6

358th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #44-8125 Sparky - PFF

P Rosser, Samuel E., 1LtCP Douglass, Earl B., 2LtNAV Hunt, Jackson H., 2LtNAV Garrett, Robert M., 2LtBOM Ledbetter, Lamar E., 1LtENG O'Leary, James M., T/SgtRO Rowe, Ollice Z., T/SgtTG Pressentin, Robert H., S/SgtWG Foster, William D., S/Sgt

B-17G #43-38238 (No Name)

P Glass, Leroy E., 2LtP Conley, George L., 2LtNAV Haider, Joseph C., 2LtBOM Boland, Anthony J., 2LtENG Eide, Richard W., S/SgtBT Trumbull, Vernon L., SgtRO Brady, James M., SgtWG Hodges, Grady H., SgtTG Davis, Mark M., Sgt

B-17G #42-31739 Pugnacious Peter

P Freeman, Clyde E., 2LtCP Canning, Glenn R., 2LtNAV Goldstein, Sheldon, 2LtBOM Birkenseer, Donald L., 2LtENG Fleck, Peter J., SgtTG Caporusso, Frank J., SgtRO VanLier, Donald E., SgtWG Martin, Robert G., SgtBT Chesney, Alan D., Sgt

B-17G #43-38206 Silver Fox

P McCutcheon, George E., 2LtCP McGilvray, Richard L., 2LtNAV Starr, Ben, 2LtBOM Kiesel, Frederic T., 2LtENG Burcham, Johnnie O., S/SgtWG Foulk, Donald H., SgtRO Alexander, John C., S/SgtBT Aberdeen, James E., CplTG Kinsman, George R., Sgt

Mission 236 - 7

359th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #42-31830 Marie

P Akers, Robert O., 1LtCP Giddings, Leslie W., 2LtNAV Montone, Neil A., 2LtTOG Cappucci, Joseph R., S/SgtENG Shanker, Herbert, S/SgtRO Meyer, Gerald E., S/SgtBT Saam, Donal W., SgtTG Vogel, Cletus H., SgtWG Meyer, Fulton R., Sgt

B-17G #42-31177 Lonesome Polecat

P Quiggle, Robert D., 2LtCP Bergeron, Arthur A., 2LtNAV Heatherly, Phillip P., 1LtBOM Cooney, Thomas E., 2LtENG Fragasso, Glenn, S/SgtRO Lawson, Lucien P., S/SgtBT Tisdale Elmo O., CplTG Shrader, James F., SgtWG Heffran, James J., Cpl

B-17G #43-38289 Sweet LaRhonda

P McDavid, Philip H., 2Lt CP Beeman, Richard, 2LtNAV King, Robert L., 2LtBOM Torley, Donald W., 2LtENG Hall, Thomas M., S/SgtRO Sikkema, Wilfred J., SgtBT Johnson, Ralph R., SgtTG Linville, Warren N., SgtWG Erdody, Joseph, Sgt

B-17G #44-6076 Liberty Run

P Lorentz, Arthur, 2LtCP Scott, Robert H., 2LtNAV Smith, William A., 2LtBOM Hewitt, LeRoy A., 2LtENG Kreager, Jon B., SgtRO Ringen, Walter E., SgtBT Ingalls, Earl F., CplTG Greenwald, Paul L., SgtWG Gonser, Dwight W., Cpl

B-17G #42-97949 (No Name)

P Whitlock, Garland M., 1LtCP Zimmerman, Paul E., F/ONAV Durkin, James A., 2LtBOM Scheibman, Herman B., 2LtENG Popovich, William G., S/SgtRO Pomicter, Stanley, Jr., S/SgtBT Boyle, Francis L., Jr., SgtTG Gremillion, Raymond L., S/SgtWG Harwat, Edward D., S/Sgt

B-17G #42-97944 Daddy's Delight

P Brabant, Patrick H., 1LtCP Judy, Ira J., 2LtNAV Nielsen, Carl V., 1LtBOM Beers, Donald B., 2LtENG Hodge, Dana A., T/SgtRO Cohen, Seymour T., SgtBT Marquez, Robert P., S/SgtTG Millek, John P., S/SgtWG Valentine, Robert J., S/Sgt

Mission 236 - 8

359th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #42-31483 Bonnie B

P Parker, John W., 2LtCP Bach, Harold J., 2LtNAV Wodinsky, Abraham, 2LtTOG Arendt, John L., S/SgtENG Stephenson, Thomas O., T/SgtRO Carman, Nolan, W., SgtBT Welch, John R., S/SgtTG Turkington, Calvin G., S/SgtWG Schlottman, Jerome D., T/Sgt(Abortive Sortie)

B-17G #42-102496 Special Delivery

P Underdown, Sidney L., 2LtCP Knolle, William C., 2LtNAV Kenny, John P., 2LtBOM Tyree, Joseph C., 2LtENG Kuwik, John J., S/SgtRO Posada, Frank G., S/SgtBT Guptill, Walter R., SgtTG Stevens, Richard G., SgtWG Umberger, Robert C., S/Sgt

B-17G #42-107206 Old Black Magic

P Frazier, Eugene C., 2LtCP Campbell, Laurie H., 2LtNAV Goettman, Andrew T., 2LtBOM Barlow, Richard B., 2LtENG Borges, Gilbert C., SgtRO Trainor, Donald W., CplBT Charron, Raymond H., CplTG McCullough, Luther, Jr., CplWG Anderson, Eston R., Cpl(Abortive Sortie)

B-17G #42-102484 Heller's Angel

P Edwards, Kenneth C., CaptCP Mainwaring, Charles O., 2LtNAV Prince, Alan, M., 2LtBOM Hoover, William L., 1LtENG Johnson, Kenneth V., T/SgtRO Hanson, Robert W., T/SgtBT Guzman, Abel G., S/SgtTG Kowalk, Francis M., S/SgtWG Abernathy, Fay S., S/SgtPHO Skinner, Donald E., Sgt

Mission 236 - 9

360th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #42-97546 Idaliza

P Foley, Norment, 1LtCP Rowe, Robert A., 2LtNAV Conklin, James M., 2LtBOM Littlefield, Robert I., 2LtENG Snell, Edward A., S/SgtRO Johnson, Vernelle V., S/SgtTG Stewart, Charles R., SgtBT Waltmire, Harrel A., Jr., SgtWG Rice, Charles G., S/Sgt

B-17G #42-97187 Miss Umbriago

P Butler, Milton C., 1LtCP Lovell, Brook H., 2LtNAV Holden, John E., 2LtBOM Hackler, Maurice G., 2LtENG Bird, Harry G., SgtRO Christ, Donald R., SgtBT Miller, Donald E., SgtTG Johnson, David T., Jr., SgtWG Peterson, Robert E., Sgt

B-17G #42-97861 Iza Vailable III

P Crawford, William C., 1LtCP Kidd, Warren D., 2LtNAV Wade, Robert E., 2LtBOM Parrilla, Rufe H., 1LtENG LeRoux, Lyle W., T/SgtRO Miller, William L., T/SgtBT Whitney, Daniel F., S/SgtTG Proctor, Robert D., S/SgtWG Patton, Nelson R., S/Sgt

B-17G #42-97893 Minnie the Moocher

P Railing, Charles F., Jt., 2LtCP McCarl, Howard D., 2LtNAV Leibovitz, Mayer, 2LtBOM Willson, Louis H., 2LtENG Mellon, James B., Jr., SgtRO Hanna, William M., SgtBT Burgeson, Lawrence L., SgtTG Barber, Ralph K., SgtWG Cole, Lorne R., Sgt

B-17G #42-107196 Temptress

P Mehlhoff, Arthur R., 2LtCP Nelson, Edgar H., 2LtNAV Williams, Gaylon C., 2LtBOM Newcomb, Harry F., Jr., F/OENG Wagner, Donald L., S/SgtRO Thye, Norman W., S/SgtBT Keeran, Elwood R., SgtTG Quackenbush, Benjamin V., SgtWG Harms, Vernon H., Sgt

B-17G #43-37930 (No Name)

P Shields, Edward F., 2LtCP Cooter, William M., 2LtNAV Mundell, William K., F/OBOM Lee, Wilbur W., 2LtENG Nagel, Leeland J., S/SgtRO Dennerle, Almo W., S/SgtBT Horwitz, Charles, SgtTG Skubal, Joseph J., SgtWG Sheehan, Arthur E., Jr., Sgt

Mission 236 - 10

360th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

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

P Kuykendall, Roger L., 1LtCP Norris, Loy R., 2LtNAV Klein, Norman M., 2LtBOM Rape, Sylvester H., 2LtENG Evans, Harry D., S/SgtBT Boone, Everett D., SgtRO Barton, Forrest E., S/SgtTG Alexander, John P., SgtWG Dubin, Martin M., Sgt

B-17G #44-6124 (No Name)

P Howard, Victor L., 2LtCP Beasley, Roland C., 2LtNAV Harding, Warren G., 2LtBOM Thomas, Edward H., 2LtENG Girard, Louis P., S/SgtRO Wimer, Maurice H., S/SgtBT Oberly, Eldridge C., SgtTG Englis, Hiram E., SgtWG Branin, James J., Sgt

B-17G #42-97329 Flak Hack

P Bennett, Paul K., 2LtCP Goff, Lloyd E., 2LtNAV Lane, Elwin A., F/OBOM Singular, William H., 2LtENG Gonshor, Edmund A., S/SgtRO Shulan, Gerald M., S/SgtBT Jones, Charles E., SgtTG Essig, Charles G., SgtWG Marucco, Leroy N., Sgt(Abortive)

Mission 236 - 11

427th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists

B-17G #43-38057 (No Name)

P Healy, Richard F., 1LtCP Smith, Donald R., 2LtNAV Stuart, Norman L., 2LtBOM Warner, Robert A., 1LtTT Robertson, Joseph J., T/SgtBT Leal, Raymond T., T/SgtRO Smith, Phillip E., S/SgtTG Whitlow, Zane O., SgtWG DeLiso, Vincent A., Sgt

B-17G #42-102569 Miss Lace

P Newton, George C., 2LtCP Raley, Stonewall J., 2LtNAV Jenkins, John I., 2LtBOM Lewis, Willard L., Jr., 2LtTT Schneider, Joseph R., SgtBT Hartog, Samuel S., SgtRO Corn, Byron D., SgtTG Karr, Leslie E., SgtWG Simon, Lawrence E., Sgt

B-17G #43-38197 (No Name)

P O'Leary, James W., 2LtCP Reed, Louis E., 2LtNAV Kacere, Michael J., 2LtBOM Lyda, Robert E., 2LtTT Kernodle, John T., SgtBT Czerwonka, Joseph A., S/SgtRO DeVaney, Bernard C., SgtTG Carver, Harold R., SgtWG DeCicco, Frank C., Jr., Sgt

B-17G #42-39875 Buzz Blonde

P Eisenwinter, Philip D., 2LtCP Waggoner, Richard C., 2LtNAV Norman, Frederick J., 2LtBOM Campbell, Robert C., 2LtTT Henry, Donivan D., SgtBT Veljkov, Paul, SgtRO Murphy, William A., S/SgtWG Ross, Edward E., SgtTG Ruhge, Wayne L., S/Sgt

B-17G #43-37666 Full House

P Ackerman, Stewart S., Jr., 2LtCP Barrios, Alfred R., 2LtNAV Dubois, Benjamin, 2LtBOM Oswald, Alois G., Jr., 2LtTT Creaghan, Robert E., Sgt BT Highfill, Thomas W., SgtRO Ribesky, John V., Jr., SgtTG Wiencek, Edward J., Sgt WG Proper, George M., Sgt

B-17G #43-38323 (No Name)

P Brown, Tracy D., Jr., 1LtCP Van Antwerp, Robert G., 2LtNAV Rusk, Donald M., 2LtBOM Keese, Thomas R., 1LtTT Duffek, Francis T., S/SgtBT Born, Robert S., SgtRO Bridge, R.R., S/SgtTG Blim, Raymond C., SgtWG Muzyka, Myron M., S/Sgt

Mission 236 - 12

427th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists - Cont'd.

B-17G #43-38248 Jigger Rooche II

P Dubose, Carl L., Jr., 1LtCP Droll, Louis P., 2LtNAV Laverty, Leo E., 2LtT Johnson, O.D., S/SgtTT Jones, Jesse T., Jr., S/SgtBT Kidd, Robert E., SgtRO Kollmar, Donald L., S/SgtTG Watson, Byron W., SgtWG Balint, Daniel, Jr., Sgt

B-17G #42-97557 Mercy's Madhouse - PFF

P Bliss, Robert P., 1LtCP Morrow, John E., 2LtNAV Sumbur, Simon, 1LtNAV Lifshus, Lawrence, 2LtBOM Smoleroff, Theodore L., 2LtTT Shumar, Carl K., SgtBT Eakins, Charles A, Jr., SgtRO Herman, Benjamin, SgtTG Plesinger, Michael J., SgtWG Curry, Richard L., Sgt

B-17G #42-39885 Sweet Rose O'Grady

P Drewry, James A., 2LtCP Schneider, Richard H., 2LtNAV Mayo, Archie W., 2LtBOM Burke, James D., 2LtTT Dorrah, Walter R., S/SgtBT Morin, Donald P., S/Sgt RO Nash, Leslie G., SgtTG Delcher, Merlin S., SgtWG Koch, Edwin H., Sgt

B-17G #44-8137 - (No Name) - PFF

P Fletcher, John E., 1LtCP Sheets, Robert W., CaptNAV Lunde, Frithjof M., CaptNAV Tollack, Howard V., 2LtNAV Desmond, MacChesney, 1LtBOM Roode, William A.T., 1LtTT Clark, Jay R., S/SgtRO Bridge, R.R., T/SgtWG Smith, Orphus, Jr., SgtTG Johnston, Lawrence M., Jr., 2LtWG Lance, Calvin L., Sgt