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Konstand Crew 711
Konstand Crew 711 Summary
2nd Lt Gus Konstand was part of the Col Pierce echelon that stayed with the Group. He was given command of the Welsh crew 1051 that had arrived at Alamogordo from the 32nd CCT in Tucson, Arizona. We don't know where Lt Welsh went. See the Training link to the right. Konstand and his crew was assigned to the 857th BS, designated as Crew 711.
Lt Konstand signed for a brand new B-24J, 44-40113. Because of his crew number being 7-11 the crew named their ship the GAMBLING LADY. The nose art includes a pair of dice, one showing a 4 and the other a 3. In April of 44, they flew their assigned plane to England via the southern route. Capt Robinson, the Squadron Navigator accompanied them, thus bumping Sgt Davis onto the Queen Elizabeth.
By our count, the Konstand Crew 711 flew 11 missions with the 492nd. We aren't sure who was on the plane on each of the missions. The bombardier could have missed some of the Pathfinder-led missions.
Konstand accepted a leadership role. His crew led the Group on a half dozen missions. On others he flew as a deputy lead or as a section leader. His dedication quickly earned him the rank of Capt as well as a Distinguished Flying Cross.
His DFC was awarded for his actions in the Politz raid on 29 Jun 44. The Group took a serious beating from the Luftwaffe that day. Konstand took over as the lead ship and rallied what was left of the Group. Without his leadership many more ships might have been lost.
The bombardier, F/O Loflin, earned himself a DFC, too. His was for his actions during a run on Madgeburg on 29 Jun 44. When they dropped their bombs, two of them got hung up in the bomb bay. Loflin took off his parachute and flak jacket and crawled out onto the catwalk. Without oxygen and working in twenty-five below temperature, he removed the detonators. Then he raised and secured the bombs inside so that the doors could be closed. Aside from the medal, he got frostbite as well.
When the Group disbanded, Crew 711 was transferred to the 44th BG, 68th BS. On 28 Dec 44, the crew's 28th mission, they were shot down over Kaiserlautern, Germany. Capt Konstand and six others were killed while five others survived to become POWs. We have no other details at this time.
More Info
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Welsh CCT 1051
44-40113
GAMBLING LADY
44-40071
SWEAT BOX
44-40168
TEQUILA DAISY
Links to missions
flown by the
Konstand Crew 711
are below in their
Mission Record
44th BG
website
Original Roster for
Konstand Crew 711
Position / MOS Name Rank Serial # Notes
Pilot
MOS 1024
Konstand, Gus 2nd Lt O-794428 Promoted 1st Lt
Promoted Capt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
KIA, 28 Dec 44
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Rowe, Roderick K 2nd Lt O-816368 Promoted 1st Lt
Navigator
MOS 1034
Parker, George J 2nd Lt O-699327 Promoted 1st Lt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Loflin, William E F/O T-123016 Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Engineer
MOS 748
Fields, Edwin D S/Sgt 33522224 Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Lybarger, William B
"Bill"
S/Sgt 39556559 Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
POW, 28 Dec 44, Stalag Luft XIII D
Gunner
MOS 748
Garrett, Howard N Sgt 18098718 Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Gunner
MOS 612
Povich, George Sgt 33675477 Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Gunner
MOS 611
Stephanovic, Reuben J Sgt 13169810 Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
Gunner
MOS 748
Davis, Addison C Sgt 31312747 Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 44th BG, 68th BS
POW, 28 Dec 44
  Others Who Flew with Konstand Crew 711
Staff
Officer
MOS 1034
Robinson, Berl Capt O-426336 857th Squadron Navigator
Flew to England with the crew
Staff
Officer
MOS 1024
Heaton, Donald H Maj O-023705 857th Squadron Commander
Staff
Officer
MOS 2161
Byrne, Austin P Capt O-025011 857th Squadron Operations Officer
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Oliver, George H 2nd Lt O-819153 Obtained from Oliver replacement crew
10 Aug; transferred to 44th BG, 68th BS
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Baxter, Robert C 1st Lt O-819153 Obtained from Liggett Crew 701
10 Aug; transferred to 44th BG, 68th BS
Konstand Crew 711
492nd BG Mission Record
857th Bomb Squadron
Crew
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Date
Aircraft
Serial
Number
Primary Target Mission Notes
01
 Link to Mission 01 page 01
11 May 44 44-40071 Mulhouse, France Target: Marshalling yard
02
 Link to Mission 03 page 03
13 May 44   Tutow, Germany Target: Airfield
03
 Link to Mission 10 page 10
27 May 44 44-40113 Saarbrucken, Germany Target: Marshalling yard
Lead ship w/Heaton
04
 Link to Mission 14 page 14
31 May 44 44-40113 Brussels, Belgium Target: Marshalling yard
Lead ship w/Byrne
05
 Link to Mission 17 page 17
6 Jun 44 44-40113 Normandy, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
06
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
8 Jun 44 44-40113 Angers, France Target: Railroad junction
Led B section
07
 Link to Mission 22 page 22
10 Jun 44   Orleans/Bricy, France Target: Airfield
Lead Ship
08
 Link to Mission 34 page 34
20 Jun 44 44-40113 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Pilot earned DFC
09
 Link to Mission 39 page 39
23 Jun 44 44-40168 Juvincourt, France Target: Airfield
Lead Ship
10
 Link to Mission 43 page 43
29 Jun 44 44-40113 Magdeburg, Germany Target: Aircraft Industry
Lead Ship w/Heaton
11
 Link to Mission 46 page 46
7 Jul 44 44-40113 Bernburg, Germany Target: Aircraft manufacturing
Lead Ship w/Heaton
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Page last modified Sunday, June 20, 2010.