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Back row, left to right...
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Malcolm Heber, pilot
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George Whitely, bombardier
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Robert Nichols, navigator
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Charles McLaughlin, co-pilot
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Front row, left to right...
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Richard Mallette, nose gunner
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Jimmie Tate, gunner
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Harry Rawls, engineer
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Harold Johnson, tail gunner
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Thais Castator, radio mechanic
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Andrew Torres, radio operator
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Heber Crew 705 Summary
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The Heber Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 1666 from the CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Biggs, Texas, on 3 Mar 44. The crew came to Alamogordo short a radio operator. Sgt Torres was assigned to fill the spot. Unconfirmed, we think Torres was from one of the crews that came in during Col Pierce's command. The Crew was assigned to the 857th BS, designated as Crew 705.
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Lt Malcolm Heber signed out for a B-24J, 44-40071. They nicknamed their ship, SWEAT BOX. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. One of the radio mechanics, Sgt Castator flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Webb onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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By our count, Lt Malcolm Heber flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 705 for a total of 15 missions plus 2 aborted ones. We can't be positive of all of the personnel changes on some of their missions. It's always possible that the bombardier could have missed some of the earlier pathfinder missions.
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According to the Group's records, the Heber Crew had to scrub one mission on 21 May 44 due to an accident while they were getting ready for take off. They were taxiing around in IRISHMAN'S SHANTY, 44-40166, when the brakes failed causing a collision with the parked WHAT'S NEXT DOC?, 44-40137. The IRISHMAN'S SHANTY was repaired within days, but WHAT'S NEXT DOC? never flew again.
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One tough mission flown was on 18 Jun 44. After the primary target at Luneburg was scrubbed, the Group split up and went to secondary targets and other targets of opportunity. The Heber Crew caught some flak while bombing an airfield at Bremerhaven. The damage to the plane was fairly light but S/Sgt Webb was wounded in both legs.
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S/Sgt Eagan from the Gaines Crew 715 replaced Webb while he was recovering from his wounds. Two days later, Webb would become orphaned from his crew when they failed to return from the Politz mission. After Webb was returned to combat duty, he took Eagan's place on Crew 715, taken over by Lt Tracey.
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On 20 Jun 44, they flew their last mission in SAY WHEN, 44-40103. They flew short-handed as their navigator was flying with the Liggett Crew 701. Just as they released their bombs on an oil refinery at Politz, they lost one engine to flak. That caused the plane to pull itself underneath some of other planes in the formation. Their ship was hit twice by falling bombs. One through the nose gun turret and the other through the right wing.
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The Luftwaffe tried adding insult to injury by attacking them again as they came out of the flak zone. Dispite the added damage from German pilots, SAY WHEN continued to stay aloft. Returning to England was out of the question. The Crew could only wonder if they would make it across the Baltic to Sweden. They did reach Sweden and landed at the Malmo-Bulltofta Airfield. Sgt Tate, who had been wounded in battle, was rushed to the hospital for treatment. Everyone survived.
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In Sweden, the Heber Crew was reunited with their navigator. The Liggett Crew 701, along with two more 492nd crews, also landed at Malmo on that same day.
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One crewman, Sgt Rawls, was interned for the remainder of the war. Since he was a trained aircraft mechanic, he was given a job repairing the crippled planes coming into Sweden. He returned to England in July 1945.
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The rest of the crew was brought back early through a secret project called Operation Sonnie. The old 801st Provisional Squadron, which became the new 492nd BG, brought many internees in Sweden back to England with planes disguised as commercial airliners. The returned men weren't allowed to continue fighting in the European theater for fear the Nazis would execute them as spies should ever they get caught. Some of the former internees became instructors while others were re-assigned to fight the Pacific theater.
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SAY WHEN was damaged beyond repair. It was salvaged for parts and eventually sold off for scrap.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Heber Crew 705
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Heber, Malcolm M |
2nd Lt |
O-737575 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
McLaughlin, Charles P |
2nd Lt |
O-702305 |
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Nichols, Robert E |
2nd Lt |
O-704045 |
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7073, with the Liggett Crew 701 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Whiteley, George S III |
2nd Lt |
O-697790 |
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072
Have seen name as Whitely |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Rawls, Harry N |
S/Sgt |
34375033 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Torres, Andrew |
Sgt |
39276752 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
RW Gunner
MOS 748 |
Tate, Jimmie D |
Sgt |
38394488 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
LW Gunner
MOS 611 |
Mallette, Richard J |
Sgt |
12130659 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Tail Gunner
MOS 612 |
Johnson, Harold E |
Sgt |
35726256 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Webb, Frank W |
Sgt |
17055225 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted S/Sgt
WIA, 18 Jun 44
Reassigned to Tracey Crew 715
11 Jul 44, Interned in Switzerland,
MACR 6934
POW file has ASN as 17055224 |
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Others Who Flew with Heber Crew 705
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Radio
Mechanic
MOS 754 |
Castator, Thais L |
Sgt |
35764374 |
Flew to England with the crew
Promoted S/Sgt |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Eagan, Charles G |
S/Sgt |
19090968 |
From Gaines Crew 715
Interned in Sweden w/Heber Crew,
20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
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Heber Crew 705
492nd BG Mission Record
857th 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 |
44-40071 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 02 |
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13 May 44 |
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Tutow, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| 03 |
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15 May 44 |
44-40071 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 04 |
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25 May 44 |
42-50313 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 05 |
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27 May 44 |
44-40173 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, sortie credit |
| 06 |
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28 May 44 |
42-50313 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| Abort |
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29 May 44 |
44-40156 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
A/C borrowed from 859th BS
Aborted due to a run-a-way prop, uncredited |
| 07 |
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30 May 44 |
42-50313 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
Target: Air depot |
| 08 |
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2 Jun 44 |
42-50313 |
Berck-sur-Mer, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
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4 Jun 44 |
42-51171 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 10 |
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6 Jun 44 |
42-51171 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 11 |
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8 Jun 44 |
42-50313 |
Angers, France |
Target: Railroad junction |
| 12 |
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11 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 13 |
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14 Jun 44 |
42-50313 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 14 |
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18 Jun 44 |
42-51171 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Bombed target of opportunity |
| Abort |
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19 Jun 44 |
42-51121 |
Courbronne, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Aborted, uncredited |
| 15 |
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20 Jun 44 |
44-40103 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lost after target
9 interned in Sweden, MACR 7072 |
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