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Back row, left to right...
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Bernerd Harding, pilot
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Hurl O'Shields, co-pilot
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Gerald Bethke, navigator
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Edwin Alexander, squadron bombardier
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Richard West, squadron gun officer
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Front row, left to right...
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Robert Silva, engineer
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Champ Hunter, radio operator
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John Reschke, ball turret gunner
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Robert Penberthy, tail gunner
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Franklin Snyder, nose gunner
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John Sander, top turret gunner
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Harding Crew 902 Summary
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2nd Lt Bernard Harding was the 859th Squadron's Operations Officer during the command of Col Pierce. As crews began transferring into the Group under Col Snavely, Lt Harding was given command one of the crews. He took over the Strehorn Crew 1109 that had come up from Tucson. Strehorn and two of his men were reassigned elsewhere. See the Training link. The new Harding Crew remained in the 859th BS, designated as Crew 902.
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Lt Harding signed out for B-24J, 44-40155. The crew named it the FEUDIN' WAGON. In April of '44 they fly their assigned ship to England via the southern route. They took their ground crew chief M/Sgt Busby with them, thus bumping Sgt Penberthy onto the Queen Elizabeth. It appears that after the Group reached England, Lt Williams, the bombardier, switched crews with Lt West on the Prytulak Crew 902.
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By our count, the Harding Crew 902 flew 14 missions. We aren't certain who flew on each of those missions. Since they usually flew as a lead crew, substitutions or added personnel were common. Soon after arriving in England Lt Williams traded places with the bombardier on the Prytulak Crew 907.
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Their last mission was also the last massive air battle fought by the Group. The mission on 7 Jul 44 was to Bernburg to bomb an aircraft manufacturing plant. On board with them were Capt Jaques as the Air Leader plus Lt Kernis, a pilotage navigator. Their plane was assulted by enemy fighters. All 12 on board managed to bail out just before the ship exploded. But the worst was yet to come. On the ground they were severely beaten by a mob of angry German civilians, during which Sgt Snyder was killed. MACR 7229.
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The wreckage of the plane was found scattered near Wegelben, Germany, which is about 7 kilometers east of Halberstadt. Snyder was buried at Krottorf, where he had been killed. After the war, his body was brought back to the US.
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An article written on the fate of the Smiley Crew 910 includes a portion of a letter written by Melvin Kernis to William Sheely's daughter Billy. Kernis was a member of the Smiley Crew but was flying with the Harding crew when both of the crews were shot down. See the story link at right.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Harding Crew 902
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Harding, Bernard N
"Bernie" |
2nd Lt |
O-522768 |
Promoted 1st Lt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft I |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1022 |
O'Shields, Hurl E
"Buck" |
2nd Lt |
O-814956 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft I |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Bethke, Gerald A
"Jerry" |
2nd Lt |
O-700126 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft I |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Williams, Wesley R
"Wes" |
2nd Lt |
O-694830 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
Traded places w/Lt West, Prytulak 907
Transferred to the 467th BG |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Silva, Robert J
"Bob" |
S/Sgt |
19069433 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
Promoted T/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Hunter, Champ W |
S/Sgt |
39267601 |
Promoted T/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229 |
Waist
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Reschke, John C |
Sgt |
06594498 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
Promoted S/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft IV |
Waist
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Sander, John M |
Sgt |
17121566 |
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
Promoted S/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft IV |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Snyder, Franklin W
"Frank" |
Sgt |
15125090 |
Promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229
Buried in the USA |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Penberthy, Robert W
"Bob" |
Sgt |
39411695 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
From Strehorn CCTS Crew 1109
Promoted S/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag Luft IV |
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Others Who Flew with Harding Crew 902
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Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Busby, Bert B |
M/Sgt |
37099450 |
Flew to England with the crew |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
West, Richard M
"Rich" |
2nd Lt |
O-695393 |
From Prytulak Crew 907
Traded places Lt Williams
POW, 7 July 44, MACR 7229, Stalag 383 |
Staff
Commander
MOS 1024 |
Adams, Louis C Jr |
Lt Col |
O-022616 |
Deputy Group Commander |
Staff
Commander
MOS 1024 |
Mahoney, James J |
Lt Col |
O-416320 |
859th Squadron Commander |
Staff Officer
MOS 2161 |
Taylor, John J |
Capt |
O-421636 |
859th Squadron Operations Officer |
Staff
Commander
MOS 1024 |
Turnbull, John I "Jack" |
Lt Col |
O-399733 |
Group Operations Officer |
Staff Officer
MOS 1024 |
Jaques, Louis Jr |
Capt |
O-372868 |
Air Commander
POW, 7 July 44, MACR 7229 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Kernis, Melvin |
2nd Lt |
O-704008 |
From Smiley Crew 910
POW, 7 July 44, MACR 7229, Stalag VIIA |
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Harding Crew 902
492nd BG Mission Record
859th 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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11 May 44 |
44-40155 |
Mulhouse, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 02 |
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15 May 44 |
44-40155 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
w/Mahoney |
| 03 |
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24 May 44 |
44-40155 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield
Lead Ship w/Adams and Simonds |
| 04 |
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29 May 44 |
44-40155 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Lead ship w/Mahoney |
| 05 |
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4 Jun 44 |
44-40130 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield
Deputy lead w/Taylor |
| 06 |
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6 Jun 44 |
44-40131 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 07 |
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10 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield
Flew with the 44th BG |
| 08 |
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12 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield
Lead Ship W/Turnbull |
| 09 |
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15 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
La Frilliere, France |
Target: Railroad bridge
Took over as B leader to target
Bombed target in Le Mans |
| 10 |
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21 Jun 44 |
44-40110 |
Genshagen, Germany |
Target: Aircraft engine factory
Lead Ship w/Adams |
| 11 |
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25 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
La Vaupeliere, France |
Target: Tactical
Lead Ship w/Mahoney |
| 12 |
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28 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Damaged by flak |
| 13 |
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29 Jun 44 |
44-40130 |
Magdeburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft Industry |
| 14 |
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7 Jul 44 |
44-40110 |
Bernburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft manufacturing
Led B Section w/Jaques
Lost: 1 KIA, 11 POW, MACR 7229 |
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