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Abbott Crew 609
Abbott Crew 609 Summary
The Abbott Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as Crew 1634 from the CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Biggs, Texas. Their crew remained intact with no personnel changes. They were assigned to the 856th BS, designated as Crew 609.
Lt Franklin Abbott signed out for a B-24J, 44-40128. To our knowledge their ship wasn't given a nickname. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief S/Sgt McCready flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Lague onto the Queen Elizabeth.
The Group's first stop while on their way to England was at the processing center in Herrington, Kansas. Among the many things done there were final medical exams. S/Sgt James Brewington failed his and was grounded. He was replaced by S/Sgt Ernest Booth who had just recovered from an accident in a B-25 months earlier. We don't know what became of Brewington.
By our count, Lt Abbott flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 609 for a total of 15 missions. We don't know all of the personnel changes that were made on their various missions. We do know T/Sgt Mike Dipadua was wounded on the 4 June mission, ending his combat tour. We don't know who took his place. There was a different radio operator when they were shot down but he was just filling in for that one mission. He belonged the Bowland Crew.
On 20 Jun 44, they were among the victims of the ill-fated mission sent to bomb the well defended oil refinery at Politz. They were shot down over the Baltic Sea by rocket firing Me-410s and JU-88s. There were no survivors of the 10-man crew. Only one body was recovered for burial. MACR 7075.
More Info
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Abbott CCT 1634
44-40128
42-110152
LADY WILL
Links to missions
flown by the
Abbott Crew 609
are below in their
Mission Record
Original Roster for
Abbott Crew 609
Position / MOS Name Rank Serial # Notes
Pilot
MOS 1024
Abbott, Franklin D 2nd Lt O-663450 Promoted 1st Lt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Bellamy, Roy E 2nd Lt O-702220 KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Navigator
MOS 1034
Tomlinson, Douglas Jr 2nd Lt O-703343 KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Schultz, William W 2nd Lt O-695542 KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Engineer
MOS 748
Booth, Ernest E S/Sgt 34235335 KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Dipadua, Michael G S/Sgt 31258608 Promoted T/Sgt
WIA, 4 Jun 44
Returned to US for recovery
Gunner
MOS 611
Thivener, Chester L Sgt 35647426 Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Gunner
MOS 748
Kent, Dennis C Sgt 18167684 Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Burial info unknown, see Footnotes
Gunner
MOS 748
Wilkie, William M Sgt 12174218 Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
RW Gunner
MOS 612
Lague, Gerald A Sgt 11111884 Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
  Others Who Flew with Abbott Crew 609
Engineer
MOS 748
Brewington, James F S/Sgt 34645140 Original engineer
Replaced at Herrington, KS
Crew Chief
MOS 750
McCreedy, Herbert S S/Sgt 6994505 Flew to England with the crew
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Jezior, Julius S/Sgt 35046846 Lent from Bowland Crew R-11
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7075
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing
Abbott Crew 609
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 44-40128 Zeitz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
02
 Link to Mission 04 page 04
15 May 44 44-40128 Siracourt, France Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
03
 Link to Mission 06 page 06
21 May 44   Siracourt, France Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
04
 Link to Mission 08 page 08
24 May 44 44-40128 Melun, France Target: Airfield
05
 Link to Mission 12 page 12
29 May 44 44-40128 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
06
 Link to Mission 13 page 13
30 May 44 44-40128 Rotenburg, Germany Target: Air depot
07
 Link to Mission 15 page 15
02 Jun 44 44-40128 Berck-sur-Mer, France Target: Airfield
08
 Link to Mission 16 page 16
04 Jun 44 44-40128 Avord, France Target: Airfield
1 WIA
landed at another base
09
 Link to Mission 19 page 19
06 Jun 44 42-110152 Vire, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
10
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
08 Jun 44 44-40128 Angers, France Target: Railroad junction
Bombed with 392nd BG
11
 Link to Mission 22 page 22
10 Jun 44 44-40128 Orleans/Bricy, France Target: Airfield
12
 Link to Mission 25 page 25
12 Jun 44 44-40128 Dreux, France Target: Airfield
13
 Link to Mission 27 page 27
14 Jun 44 44-40128 Chateaudun, France Target: Airfield
14
 Link to Mission 31 page 31
18 Jun 44 44-40128 Luneburg, Germany Target: Airfield
Bombed target of opportunity
15
 Link to Mission 34 page 34
20 Jun 44 44-40128 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Lost before target
10 KIA, MACR 7075
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Page last modified Wednesday, February 16, 2011.