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Hadden Crew 608
 Hadden Crew 608
Back row, left to right...
Arthur Hostettler, bombardier
Eugene Hadden, pilot
Leonard Telfer, co-pilot
Robert Jackson, navigator
Front row, left to right...
Richard Anderson, engineer
Julian Dukes, radio operator
Iren Pearce, tail gunner
Maurice Chartier, nose gunner
Frederick Albers, gunner
Hadden Crew 608 Summary
The Hadden Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 87 on 26 Jan 44 from the 331st CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Casper, Wyoming. No personnel changes were made with this crew. They were assigned to the 856th BS as Crew 608.
Lt Eugene Hadden signed out for a B-24, but its serial number was omitted from the flyover roster, so we can't be sure which ship he signed for. There's a strong possiblity that it was 44-40134. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Major John Losee, the 856th Squadron Commander flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Augustine onto the Queen Elizabeth.
By our count, Lt Hadden flew as the aircraft commander for crew 608 for a total of 16 missions. We aren't sure of who was on each mission or of all the personnel changes. We don't know why but neither Jackson, Hostettler or Albers were on the plane when the crew was killed. In their places were Dichter, Rybarczyk, and Mitchell respectively. Although Dichter was trained as a bombardier he flew this mission as navigator.
On 20 Jun 44, they were sent to bomb the oil refinery at Politz. They were blown out of the sky over the Baltic by rocket firing Me-410s and JU-88s. There were no survivors of the 10-man crew. MACR 7083.
The next day, Lt Jackson became the new 856th Squadron Navigator. Lt Hostettler was transferred later to the 306th BG. He was KIA later on 11 Sept 44, flying a mission with them. At this time we do not know where Sgt Albers went.
More Info
Hadden CCT 87
Ogden Crew 606
Val Preda Crew 601
44-40134
42-95272
PURSUIT OF
HAPPINESS
44-40227
FOUR BEERS DOC
42-110143
LITTLE LULU
Links to missions
flown by the
Hadden Crew 608
are below in their
Mission Record
Original Roster for
Hadden Crew 608
Position / MOS Name Rank Serial # Notes
Pilot
MOS 1024
Hadden, Eugene H 2nd Lt O-808538 29 May 44, promoted 1st Lt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Telfer, Leonard F 2nd Lt O-810071 KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Navigator
MOS 1034
Jackson, Robert E 2nd Lt O-685626 21 Jun 44, promoted Squadron Navigator
18 Jul 44, promoted 1st Lt
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Hostettler, Arthur S 1st Lt O-668712 18 Jul 44, promoted Capt
Transferred to the 306th BG
KIA, 11 Sep 44
Engineer
MOS 748
Anderson, Richard B S/Sgt 12017424 1 Jun 44, promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Buried at Ardennes, D-12-20
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Dukes, Julian E S/Sgt 14140516 1 Jun 44, promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Gunner
MOS 612
Albers, Frederick R Sgt 33561814 fate unknown
not on plane when lost
Nose Gunner
MOS 748
Chartier, Maurice C Sgt 11044366 1 Jun 44, promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Tail Gunner
MOS 748
Pearce, Iren R Sgt 34474369 1 Jun 44, promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Ball Gunner
MOS 612
Augustine, Lynn P Sgt 33425807 Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
1 Jun 44, promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
  Others Who Flew with Hadden Crew 608
Squadron
Commander
MOS 1024
Losee, John Maj O-386510 Flew to England with the crew
Navigator
MOS 1035
Dichter, Lester 2nd Lt O-699145 From Ogden Crew 606
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Rybarczyk, Luke S 2nd Lt O-668786 From Val Preda Crew 601
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Gunner
MOS 748
Mitchell, Joe D Sgt 37651857 not sure where he came from
1 Jun 44, promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7083
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Hadden Crew 608
492nd BG Mission Record
856th Bomb Squadron
Crew
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Date
Aircraft
Serial
Number
Primary Target Mission Notes
01
 Link to Mission 02 page 02
12 May 44   Zeitz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
02
 Link to Mission 04 page 04
15 May 44   Siracourt, France Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Aborted, credit unconfirmed
03
 Link to Mission 06 page 06
21 May 44   Siracourt, France Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Aborted, credit unconfirmed
04
 Link to Mission 10 page 10
27 May 44 42-95272 Saarbrucken, Germany Target: Marshalling yard
05
 Link to Mission 11 page 11
28 May 44 42-95272 Zeitz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Bombed Saalfeld
06
 Link to Mission 13 page 13
30 May 44 42-95272 Rotenburg, Germany Target: Air depot
07
 Link to Mission 14 page 14
31 May 44 42-95272 Brussels, Belgium Target: Marshalling yard
08
 Link to Mission 16 page 16
04 Jun 44 42-95272 Avord, France Target: Airfield
09
 Link to Mission 17 page 17
06 Jun 44 42-95272 Normandy, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
10
 Link to Mission 19 page 19
06 Jun 44 42-95272 Vire, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
11
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
08 Jun 44 42-95272 Angers, France Target: Railroad junction
12
 Link to Mission 22 page 22
10 Jun 44 42-95272 Orleans/Bricy, France Target: Airfield
13
 Link to Mission 25 page 25
12 Jun 44 42-95272 Dreux, France Target: Airfield
14
 Link to Mission 27 page 27
14 Jun 44 42-95272 Chateaudun, France Target: Airfield
15
 Link to Mission 31 page 31
18 Jun 44 44-40227 Luneburg, Germany Target: Airfield
Bombed target of opportunity
16
 Link to Mission 34 page 34
20 Jun 44 42-110143 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Lost before target
10 KIA, MACR 7083
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Page last modified Saturday, April 27, 2013.