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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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