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Back row, left to right...
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Henry G Gendreizig, original pilot
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Gerald E Baarsch, co-pilot
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Monroe J Behrens, navigator
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Armond L Hankin, bombardier
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Lanta W Redmond Jr, armorer, gunner
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Not in the photo...
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Nicholas B Kehoe, pilot
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Front row, left to right...
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William J Seufert, radio operator
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Charles W Allen, engineer
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Elbert E Ester, gunner
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Herman E Beasley, gunner
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Elbert E Ester, gunner
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George S Cavanaugh, gunner
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Kehoe Crew 613 Summary
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Lt Kehoe had been with the 492nd since the Col Pierce command in 1943. He had been serving as the 856th Squadron Assistant Operations Officer. After the Group began flying missions, it was decided to have Lt Kehoe and Capt Gendreizig trade jobs.
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By our count, Lt Kehoe flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 612 for a total of 6 missions plus an aborted one. We're don't know exactly who flew on each mission. But this crew was a Lead Crew.
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On 20 Jun 44, they led the group's low left squadron to bomb the heavily defended oil refineries at Politz. On the way to target, just as they reached Rugen Island, they were attacked by enemy fighters. Kehoe recalls, "A loud explosion was my first indication that we had been hit. When I turned around the whole flight deck was in flames." His co-pilot left his seat to see if he could put the fire out. The whole plane was filled with smoke and for a time no one could see. Kehoe gave the order to bail, but wasn't sure if the bell or intercom was working. As the smoke semi-cleared a few minutes later, Kehoe discovered he was the only one left in the plane.
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Kehoe's first thought was to try to return to England and he began heading west towards Denmark. He feathered one of the two shot-up engines but could not feather the other. He put his plane on auto-pilot and went back to try and put out the fire. As he approached the flak guns on the Danish coast, he knew he wasn't going to make it much further. He turned north hoping his plane might make Sweden, but even that seemed doubtful.
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Somehow Kehoe made it to Sweden, but he knew there was no way he could land the plane there, so he had to bail. But first he turned his plane around to head southwards to Germany so it would crash into the sea. He jumped. As he was going down he saw his plane turn itself around and crash into a mountainside. Soon after landing he was picked up and fed by the locals before being turned over to the Swedish Army.
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Of the ten others who had bailed, only two, Grossman and Redmond, were lucky enough to be picked up by German patrol boats near Sassnitz, located towards the northern tip of Rugen Island. The rest were reported to have washed up ashore during late July and throughout August.
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Some of the bodies were recovered, buried locally and then reburied at the American Cemetery at the Ardennes. Cavanaugh was found on 19 July 44. A few days later, Allen was discovered on 24 July 44. Hankin and Ester were both found on 6 August 44. Only Cavanaugh's body was returned to the US.
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Lt Bassing's body surfaced on 2 Aug 44 in Bay Tromper Wiek, northwest of Sassnitz. He was buried locally, but his grave ID was lost. He is listed on the wall of the missing in the Netherlands.
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On the following day, parts of Beasley's body were discovered in the sea. The locals gave him a sea burial off the shores of the Gohren - Rugen area. He is listed on the wall of the missing in the Netherlands.
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The bodies of Carroll and Seufert were never found. They are listed on the wall of the missing at Cambridge.
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The final casualty count for this crew is 8 KIA, 2 POW and 1 interned in Sweden. MACR 7074
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Kehoe Crew 613
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Kehoe, Nicholas B |
2nd Lt |
O-659380 |
Assistant Operations Officer
Flew over to UK with Sachtleben Crew 607
Took over Gendreizig Crew 613
Promoted to 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Baarsch, Gerald E |
2nd Lt |
O-702216 |
Reassigned to Ogden Crew 606
3 Jul 44; transferred to 44th BG, 66th BS |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Behrens, Monroe J |
2nd Lt |
O-704555 |
28 May; sent to 482nd for 30 day training
No record of his return |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Hankin, Armond L |
2nd Lt |
O-695814 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Buried in Ardennes, D-13-15 |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Allen, Charles W |
S/Sgt |
39555395 |
Promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Buried in Ardennes, B-36-45 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Seufert, William J |
S/Sgt |
35789596 |
Promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Wall of the Missing, Cambridge |
Ball Gunner
MOS 748 |
Beasley, Herman E |
Sgt |
14151017 |
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Wall of the Missing, Netherlands |
Tail Gunner
MOS 748 |
Ester, Elbert E |
S/Sgt |
39553701 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Buried in Ardennes, B-37-22 |
RW Gunner
MOS 748 |
Cavanaugh, George S |
Sgt |
15394280 |
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Buried in the USA |
Armorer
LW Gunner
MOS 612 |
Redmond, Lanta W Jr |
Sgt |
34802235 |
Promoted S/Sgt
POW, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074, Stalag Luft IV |
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Others Who Flew with Kehoe Crew 613
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Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Bassing, Charles H |
2nd Lt |
O-759163 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Buried at Altenkirchen, grave ID lost
Wall of the Missing, Netherlands |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Carroll, James P |
1st Lt |
O-804367 |
KIA, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074
Wall of the Missing, Cambridge |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Grossman, Milton |
2nd Lt |
O-678716 |
From Bowland Crew R-11
POW, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7074, Satlag Luft III |
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Kehoe Crew 613
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 |
44-40112 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 02 |
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21 May 44 |
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Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 03 |
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25 May 44 |
44-40163 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| Abort |
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06 Jun 44 |
44-40112 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast
Aborted, uncredited |
| 04 |
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11 Jun 44 |
44-40112 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard
Led B section |
| 05 |
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18 Jun 44 |
44-40161 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Lead Ship
Bombed target of opportunity |
| 06 |
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20 Jun 44 |
44-40112 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Led B Section
Lost after bombing target
8 KIA, 2 POW, 1 interned in Sweden |
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