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Back row, left to right...
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Clyde Hatley, engineer
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Charles Egan, ball turret gunner
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Joyce Freeman, top turret gunner
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Archie MacIntyre, radio operator
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George Attchren, tail gunner
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Hulon Thurston, waist gunner
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Front row, left to right...
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Irvin Gaines, pilot
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Thomas Leggett, co-pilot
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Charles Heist, bombardier
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Walter Wyatt, navigator
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Gaines Crew 715 Summary
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The Gaines Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 1664 from the CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Biggs, Texas, on 3 Mar 44. They were assigned to the 857th BS, designated as Crew 715.
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2nd Lt Irvin Gaines signed out for a B-24J, 44-40201. They named their ship SILVER CHIEF. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief S/Sgt Hartstock flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Webb onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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By our count Lt Gaines flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 715 for a total of 13 missions, plus 4 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 Archie MacIntyre, their mission to Politz on 29 May was an extremely tough one. We found his account written up in the HAPPY WARRIOR newsletter of March 1991. We have republished his well-written story under Baptism of the CHIEF via the link to the right.
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For reasons unknown to us, Lt Gaines switched jobs with Lt Tracey, the co-pilot of the Bridges Crew 702. There were at least two more personnel changes in this crew, but we're not sure whenthey took place. The reorganized crew became the Tracey Crew 715 and their 3-mission record can be seen on their page (see the Tracey Crew 715 link to the right).
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Gaines Crew 715
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Gaines, Irving L |
2nd Lt |
O-808816 |
Promoted to 1st Lt
Reassigned to co-pilot Bridges Crew 702
Transferred to 44th BG, 10 Aug 44 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1022 |
Leggett, Thomas A |
2nd Lt |
O-702208 |
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Wutkiewicz, Walter E |
2nd Lt |
O-703841 |
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Heist, Charles M |
2nd Lt |
O-698886 |
Promoted to 1st Lt
Reassigned to Orthman Crew 806
Transferred to 44th BG, 67th BS |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Hatley, Clyde S |
S/Sgt |
34590966 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
MacIntyre, Archie A |
S/Sgt |
16151743 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Freeman, Joyce K |
Sgt |
13117587 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Eagan, Charles G |
Sgt |
19090968 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Reassigned to Heber Crew 705
Interned in Sweden, 20 Jun 44, MACR 7072 |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Atchison, Robert G |
Sgt |
32713096 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Interned in Switzerland, 11 Jul 44, MACR 6934 |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Thurston, Hulon |
Sgt |
15335338 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Reassigned to Kuecker Crew R-07 |
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Others Who Flew with Gaines Crew 715
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Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Hartstock, Robert P |
S/Sgt |
35266742 |
Flew to England with the crew
Promoted T/Sgt
Promoted M/Sgt |
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Gaines Crew 715
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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15 May 44 |
44-40201 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 02 |
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23 May 44 |
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Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 03 |
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24 May 44 |
44-40140 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 04 |
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25 May 44 |
42-95220 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 05 |
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28 May 44 |
44-40158 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 06 |
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29 May 44 |
42-94986 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| Abort |
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30 May 44 |
41-28978 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
Target: Air depot
Aborted, uncredited |
| 07 |
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2 Jun 44 |
44-40136 |
Berck-sur-Mer, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 08 |
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6 Jun 44 |
42-51121 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 09 |
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10 Jun 44 |
44-40118 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 10 |
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11 Jun 44 |
42-95023 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 11 |
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17 Jun 44 |
44-40135 |
Tours, France |
Target: Airfield
A/C borrowed from 856th BS |
| Abort |
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19 Jun 44 |
44-40072 |
Courbronne, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Aborted, uncredited |
| 12 |
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22 Jun 44 |
44-40156 |
Crepy, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
A/C borrowed from 859th BS |
| Abort |
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23 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Juvincourt, France |
Target: Airfield
Aborted, uncredited |
| 13 |
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25 Jun 44 |
42-51121 |
Roye, France |
Target: Peronne Airfield |
| Abort |
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27 Jun 44 |
42-51171 |
Creil, France |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, uncredited |
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