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Back row, left to right...
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Wilburn McKeen, navigator
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John Curtis, pilot
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Earl Bruton, co-pilot
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Earl Richardson, bombardier
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Front row, left to right...
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Eugene Baumgardner, gunner
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Prosper Touron, gunner
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Eugene Willard, gunner
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Andrew Materna, radio operator
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Victor Mazur, gunner
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Wiljo Matalmaki, engineer
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Curtis Crew 610 Summary
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The Curtis Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG, 856th BS that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in on 3 Mar 44 as crew 1637 from the 330th CCT (Combat Crew Training) school in Biggs, Texas.
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Lt John Curtis signed out for a B-24J 44-40143. The ship was given the name MARY ELLEN. In April 1944 they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief, M/Sgt Tarczali, flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Mazur onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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By our count, Lt Curtis flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 610 for a total of 15 missions plus an aborted one. We can't be positive of all of the personnel changes on some of their missions. There was a different tail gunner when they were shot down and it's always possible that the bombardier could have missed some of the earlier pathfinder missions.
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On 20 Jun 44, they flew the MARY ELLEN to bomb the well defended oil refineries at Politz. They were leading the high right element in the low left squadron. While approaching the target over the Baltic Sea, the Group was attacked by rocket firing Me-410s and JU-88s. None of the 10 man crew survived. MACR 7078.
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The Abbott Crew 609 flew on Curtis' right wing. The Faucher Crew R-12 was on their left. Terry Diggs, the co-pilot on Faucher's crew, recalled...
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"The first indication that we were under attack was a huge ball of fire where Curtis had been. He apparently took a direct hit in the gas tanks. I don't believe anyone could have possibly survived. Things were happening so fast that I didn't see what happened to Abbott and crew."
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Some of the bodies were recovered and buried in German cemeteries. After the war they were moved to American cemeteries. Julian Tosi was buried at Sassnitz, but couldn't be located for transfer. The rest of the crew are commemorated on the wall of the missing in Cambridge.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Curtis Crew 610
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Curtis, John R |
1st Lt |
O-789884 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Bruton, Earl J |
2nd Lt |
O-702228 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
McKeen, Wilburn L |
2nd Lt |
O-704570 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Buried at Ardennes, D-12-16 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Richardson, Earl M |
2nd Lt |
O-676494 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Matalmaki, Wiljo J |
S/Sgt |
37543694 |
Promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing |
Radio
Operator
MOS 747 |
Materna, Andrew |
S/Sgt |
36634999 |
Promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Buried in the USA |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Willard, Eugene F |
Sgt |
19193373 |
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Buried in the USA |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Touron, Prosper J |
Sgt |
39043904 |
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Buried at Lorraine, K-14-21 |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Baumgardner, Eugene W |
S/Sgt |
13092070 |
Wasn't on plane when lost |
Ball Gunner
MOS 748 |
Mazur, Victor H |
Sgt |
32670642 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Cambridge, Wall of the Missing |
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Others Who Flew with Curtis Crew 610
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Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Tarczali, Steve P |
M/Sgt |
15083854 |
Flew to England with the crew |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Perry, Paul J |
Sgt |
31220871 |
From Shalvoy Crew 618
Flew with this crew on 5 missions
Promoted S/Sgt
Grounded when Crew 610 was wiped out
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 36th BS (RCM) |
Tail Gunner
MOS |
Tosi, Julian |
Sgt |
39414390 |
Obtained from Bowland Crew R-11
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7078
Netherlands, Wall of the Missing |
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Curtis Crew 610
492nd BG Mission Record
856th Bomb Squadron
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Crew
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Date |
Aircraft
Serial
Number |
Primary Target |
Mission Notes |
| 01 |
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12 May 44 |
44-40163 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 02 |
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15 May 44 |
44-40143 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 03 |
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21 May 44 |
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Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 04 |
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23 May 44 |
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Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 05 |
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24 May 44 |
44-40143 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 06 |
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29 May 44 |
44-40143 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 07 |
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30 May 44 |
44-40116 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
Target: Air depot |
| 08 |
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04 Jun 44 |
44-40067 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
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06 Jun 44 |
44-40146 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 10 |
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08 Jun 44 |
44-40161 |
Angers, France |
Target: Railroad junction |
| 11 |
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11 Jun 44 |
44-40227 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, credit unconfirmed |
| 12 |
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12 Jun 44 |
44-40227 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 13 |
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14 Jun 44 |
44-40143 |
Chateaudun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 14 |
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17 Jun 44 |
44-40128 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 15 |
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18 Jun 44 |
44-40143 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Bombed target of opportunity |
| 16 |
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20 Jun 44 |
44-40143 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lost before target
10 KIA, MACR 7078 |
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