 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Kuntz Crew 616 upon arrival in North Pickenham, England - April 24, 1944
|
|
Back row, left to right...
|
| • |
Jerry Kuntz, original pilot
|
| • |
Gene Kollinger, bombardier
|
| • |
Eugene "Pop" Osborn, crew chief
|
| • |
Kent Dickson, co-pilot
|
| • |
Andy Gall, navigator
|
|
|
Front row, left to right...
|
| • |
Marion Thomas Kelley, Sr, nose gunner
|
| • |
Don Wehagen, ball turret gunner
|
| • |
John Kristynik, engineer
|
| • |
Clyde Dorsey, radio operator
|
| • |
Arthur Suter, waist gunner
|
|
|
This is a photo of the Kuntz Crew 616, before it became the Seitzinger Crew 616.
2nd Lt Elvern Seitzinger, pilot, and Sgt John H Simpson, gunner, are not in the photo.
|
|
Seitzinger Crew 616 Summary
|
|
Lt Elvern Seitzinger took over as aircraft commander of the Kuntz Crew 616 after Lt Kuntz was injured from falling off the wing during a post-mission inspection. Seitzinger had come to the 492nd as a pilot, bringing his own crew with him. His original crew was disassembled in Alamogordo and the personnel was reassigned to other crews. He himself was demoted to co-pilot to serve on the Val Preda Crew 601. See the Seitzinger CCT 1116 link on the right.
|
|
Seitzinger led this crew on 9 more missions plus an aborted one, bringing the Crew's combined total to 13. We can't be positive if there were any other personnel changes on some of their missions. It's always possible that the bombardier could have missed some of the pathfinder-led missions. We do know that with the exception of the pilot, the whole crew was together when they were interned in Sweden.
|
|
On the 20 Jun 44 mission to Politz, they got badly banged up by German Me-410s as they reached Rugen Island. Seitzinger quickly realized their only chance of survival was to try making it to Sweden. They limped their way across the Baltic Sea up to Sweden where they were interned. MACR 7077.
|
|
|
|
More Info |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Original Roster for
Seitzinger Crew 616
|
|
| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Seitzinger, Elvern R |
2nd Lt |
O-710956 |
Obtained from Val Preda 601
Promoted 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Dickson, Willis K |
2nd Lt |
O-693014 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Gall, Andrew S |
2nd Lt |
O-691982 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Kollinger, Eugene V |
2nd Lt |
O-684172 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Engineer
MOS 757 |
Kristynik, John J |
S/Sgt |
18190174 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Dorsey, Clyde |
S/Sgt |
18118791 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Suter, Arthur R |
Sgt |
12162656 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Wehagen, Donald R |
Sgt |
15329043 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077
Seen named spelled Wehagen |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Kelley, Marion T |
Sgt |
36415028 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
Armorer
Tail Gunner
MOS 612 |
Simpson, John H |
Sgt |
18051755 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7077 |
|
Seitzinger Crew 616
492nd BG Mission Record
856th Bomb Squadron
|
|
Crew
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Date |
Aircraft
Serial
Number |
Primary Target |
Mission Notes |
| 05 |
|
28 May 44 |
41-110152 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Bombed Saalfeld |
| 06 |
|
29 May 44 |
44-40227 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 07 |
|
2 Jun 44 |
42-95160 |
Berck-sur-Mer, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 08 |
|
4 Jun 44 |
44-40150 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
|
6 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 10 |
|
8 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
Angers, France |
Target: Railroad junction |
| 11 |
|
12 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield |
| Abort |
|
14 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Aborted, uncredited |
| 12 |
|
15 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
La Frilliere, France |
Target: Railroad bridge |
| 13 |
|
20 Jun 44 |
44-40142 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lost after bombing target
10 interned in Sweden, MACR 7077 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
