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Back row, left to right...
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Harold Burkhalter, co-pilot
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Joe Harris, pilot
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James Sconyers, navigator
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Not in the photo...
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Edward Monteforte, bombardier
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Front row, left to right...
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Joseph Morgan, right waist gunner
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Bernard Hoehn, gunner
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Gilbert Green, ball turret gunner
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Donald Paulson, radio operator
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Willis Beasley, tail gunner
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Ray Earl, engineer
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J Harris Crew 707 Summary
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The Joe Harris Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 1640 from the CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Biggs, Texas, on 3 Mar 44. There is another pilot named Roscoe Harris in the 492nd with a crew in the 856th squadron. They aren't related, but tracking them through the records can sometimes get confusing. The Joe Harris Crew was assigned to the 857th BS and designated as crew 707.
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Lt Joe Harris signed out for a B-24J, 44-40140. Their ship was nicknamed, ALICE. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief, S/Sgt Monti, flew with them, thus bumping S/Sgt Morgan onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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By our count, Lt J Harris flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 707 for a total of 16 missions. We aren't positive of all of the personnel changes on some of their missions. We have read things that show different people flying with the crew, as well as some of this crew having flown with other crews. And it's always possible that their regular bombardier could have missed some of the earlier Pathfinder missions.
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For example, on the day they were interned in Sweden, they were flying as the Group's lead ship with 12 men on board. In all, 5 of the 12 men on board that day were not original members of this crew.
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The Crew's 8th mission, on 29 May 44, was almost their last one. The 492nd had fought a hard battle with the Luftwaffe and was pounded by flak. During the bombing run on the Politz refineries, Monteforte, Green and Hoehn were wounded. While Sgt Green spent the next six weeks in the hospital, the Crew was interned in Sweden. Upon his release, he was assigned to the Koltun Crew R-10. We're still researching the fates of the other two wounded men.
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Their last misson was on 20 Jun 44. Once again they were attacking the heavily defended oil refineries at Politz. They, along with the rest of the group, were severely punished by rockets fired from Me-410s as well as a full strength attack of JU-88s. It didn't look like they could make it to Sweden and they began preparing to bail. In fact, the navigator did jump and became a POW. The pilot and co-pilot discovered that they could control the ship if they both stood up and put their entire weight on the rudder controls. They did just that all the way to Sweden. MACR 7076.
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The Harris Crew 707 was replaced by the Sheffield Crew R-22.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
J Harris Crew 707
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Harris, Joe L |
1st Lt |
O-724613 |
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1022 |
Burkhalter, Harold B |
2nd Lt |
O-702229 |
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Sconyers, James H |
2nd Lt |
O-704066 |
POW, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7076, Stalag Luft III
POW file has his ASN as O-704068 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Monteforte, Edward L |
F/O |
T-122999 |
WIA, 29 May 44 |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Earl, Ray H |
S/Sgt |
15054812 |
Promoted to T/Sgt
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Paulson, Donald L |
S/Sgt |
17047960 |
Promoted to T/Sgt
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
Ball Turret
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Green, Gilbert F |
Sgt |
15078440 |
WIA, 29 May 44
Promoted to S/Sgt
Reassigned to the Koltun Crew R-10
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 445th BG |
Tail Gunner
MOS 611 |
Beasley, Willis H |
Sgt |
17088463 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Hoehn, Bernard A |
S/Sgt |
12174226 |
WIA, 29 May 44 |
RW Gunner
MOS 748 |
Morgan, Joseph A |
S/Sgt |
18168628 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Interned, 20 Jun 44, Sweden, MACR 7076 |
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Others Who Flew with J Harris Crew 707
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Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Monti, Lewis F |
S/Sgt |
32474101 |
Flew to England with the crew
Promoted to T/Sgt
Seen name as Louis |
Staff
Officer
MOS 1024 |
Heaton, Donald H |
Maj |
O-023705 |
857th Squadron Commander |
Staff
Officer
MOS 1024 |
Losee, John F |
Maj |
O-386510 |
856th Squadron Commander
Interned w/crew, 20 Jun 44, Sweden
MACR 7076 |
Staff
Officer
MOS 1034 |
Robinson, Berl
"Robby" |
Capt |
O-426336 |
857th Squadron Navigator
Interned w/crew, 20 Jun 44, Sweden
MACR 7076 |
Bombardier
MOS 1034 |
Briggs, Jesse B
"Snuffy" |
1st Lt |
O-669182 |
857th Squadron Bombardier
Interned w/crew, 20 Jun 44, Sweden
MACR 7076 |
LW Gunner
MOS 611 |
Bristlin, Willard C |
S/Sgt |
39304751 |
From Brantley Crew 905
Interned w/crew, 20 Jun 44, Sweden
MACR 7076 |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Bugaj, Ernest C |
Sgt |
38421185 |
Interned w/crew, 20 Jun 44, Sweden
MACR 7076 |
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J Harris Crew 707
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 |
44-40140 |
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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21 May 44 |
44-40140 |
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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25 May 44 |
44-40140 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 06 |
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27 May 44 |
44-40140 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 07 |
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28 May 44 |
44-40140 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Bombed Saalfeld |
| 08 |
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29 May 44 |
44-40140 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
3 WIA |
| 09 |
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31 May 44 |
44-40128 |
Brussels, Belgium |
Target: Marshalling yard
A/C borrowed from 856th BS |
| 10 |
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4 Jun 44 |
44-40158 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield
Deputy lead B Section |
| 11 |
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6 Jun 44 |
44-40106 |
Caen, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 12 |
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12 Jun 44 |
44-40168 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield
Led B Section w/Heaton |
| 13 |
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14 Jun 44 |
44-40168 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lead Ship |
| 14 |
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15 Jun 44 |
44-40168 |
La Frilliere, France |
Target: Railroad bridge
Lead Ship |
| 15 |
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18 Jun 44 |
44-40136 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Bombed Wesermunde |
| 16 |
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20 Jun 44 |
44-40136 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lead Ship w/Losee
Lost after target
1 POW, 11 interned in Sweden,
MACR 7076 |
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