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Prytulak Crew 907
 Prytulak Crew 907
Back row, left to right...
Wesley Williams, bombardier
Benjamin Babitz, navigator
James Mahoney, commanding officer
Raymond Suchiu, co-pilot
Donald Prytulak, pilot
Front row, left to right...
Duane Heath, engineer
George Robb, top turret gunner
Anthony Maiorino, ball turret gunner
Thomas Floyd, tail gunner
Joseph Capossela, radio operator
Alton Mohney, nose gunner
Prytulak Crew 907 Summary
The Prytulak Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 1096 from the 32nd CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Tucson, Arizona, on 5 Jan 44. While training with the Group no personnel changes were made. They were assigned to the 859th BS, designated as Crew 907.
2nd Lt Donald Prytulak signed out for a B-24J, 42-110141. The crew named their ship BREEZY LADY. In April 1944 they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Sgt Smith, their ground Crew Chief, flew with them, thus bumping Cpl Floyd onto the Queen Elizabeth.
Lt Prytulak flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 907 for 28 missions with the 492nd. They did 3 more missions with the 467th BG. They got in an extra one becuase they had an aborted mission for which they weren't credited until after they reached their tour tally of 30. We can't be positive of all of the personnel changes that might have been made on some of their missions.
For reasons unknown the Prytulak Crew and the Harding Crew switched bombardiers upon arrival to North Pickenham. After the war Lt Williams, the new bombardier from the Harding Crew 902, attached his personal notes to Heath's diary on each of the missions flown by Prytulak Crew 907. The full copy of the war diary can be read using the link "T/Sgt Heath's Crew 907 War Diary" under "Stories" to the right.
Shortly after the Crew began flying their missions, one more personnel change took place. Capossela traded crews with Cronemeyer of the Earleywine Crew 901. Cronemeyer is pictured with the Crew on 21 Jun 44. The switch was therefore made after that.
Another change encountered was the BREEZY LADY was taken from them. Since the Group had all brand new J models, it was decided by the upper brass for the 492nd to swap some of these with older H models flying in the 458th BG. Prytulak and company drew the short straw for the BREEZY LADY. The 458th retained the name for quite sometime before remaning it. See its aircraft page.
Although unconfirmed, it is believed that the H model they received was named OONIE DOONIE by the crew. No one recalls ever painting any kind of nose art on the plane. Some say that because they did not, it was not officially unofficiallynamed. Note: All names and nose art were unofficial according to the USAAF. There is a photo of a door plaque that hung inside the Prytulak's hut. It displayed the running tally of missions flown by Prytulak's OONIE DOONIE crew.
When the Group was disbanded, the Prytulak Crew 907 was transferred to the 467th BG, 788th BS. There they became designated as Crew #7.
More Info
and 2 Other
Crew Photos
Prytulak CCT 1096
Don Prytulak
Joseph Capossela
42-110141
BREEZY LADY
42-50370
OONIE DOONIE
44-40154
44-40290
44-40120
44-40050
SUPER WOLF
42-50481
44-40067
BIG FAT MAMA
42-50675
BOLD VENTURE III
42-95234
EVERYTHIN'S JAKE
Links to missions
flown by the
Prytulak Crew 907
are below in their
Mission Record
467th BG
website
Original Roster for
Prytulak Crew 907
Position / MOS Name Rank Serial # Notes
Pilot
MOS 1024
Prytulak, Donald
"Pry"
2nd Lt O-810948 Promoted 1st Lt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Suchiu, Raymond 2nd Lt O-815013 Promoted 1st Lt
Missed crew mission 19
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Navigator
MOS 1034
Babitz, Benjamin
"Ben"
2nd Lt O-702882 Promoted 1st Lt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Williams, Wesley R
"Wes"
2nd Lt O-694830 Promoted 1st Lt
Obtained Harding Crew 902
Reassigned upon arrival to UK
Engineer
MOS 748
Heath, Duane C
"Dewey"
S/Sgt 36294811 15 May; promoted T/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Cronemeyer,
Benjamin B
S/Sgt 32726873 15 May; promoted T/Sgt
Missed crew mission 11, sick
Reassigned to Earleywine Crew 901
Transferred to the 93rd BG
Gunner
MOS 748
Robb, George B Sgt 17162149 1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Gunner
MOS 612
Maiorino, Anthony
"Andy"
Sgt 32775614 15 May; promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Gunner
MOS 748
Mohney, Alton D
"Al"
Sgt 36420249 1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
Missed crew mission 20, sick
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Gunner
MOS 611
Floyd, Thomas W
"Tom"
Cpl 16031290 Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted Sgt
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
  Others Who Flew with Prytulak Crew 907
Crew Chief
MOS 750
Smith, Melbourne E S/Sgt 14090821 Flew to England with the crew
15 May; promoted T/Sgt
Bombardier
MOS 1035
West, Richard H 2nd Lt O-695393 Original crew member
Flew to England with crew
Reassigned w/Harding Crew 902
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7229, Stalag 383
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Capossela, Joseph T
"Joe"
S/Sgt 32453640 15 May; promoted T/Sgt
Obtained from Earleywine Crew 901
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
Prytulak Crew 907
492nd BG Mission Record
859th 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 42-110141 Mulhouse, France Target: Marshalling yard
02
 Link to Mission 02 page 02
12 May 44 42-110141 Zeitz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
03
 Link to Mission 06 page 06
21 May 44 42-110141 Siracourt, France Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
04
 Link to Mission 07 page 07
23 May 44   Avord, France Target: Airfield
05
 Link to Mission 08 page 08
24 May 44 44-40154 Melun, France Target: Airfield
06
 Link to Mission 10 page 10
27 May 44 44-40290 Saarbrucken, Germany Target: Marshalling yard
07
 Link to Mission 12 page 12
29 May 44 42-50370 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Landed at Oulton
08
 Link to Mission 14 page 14
31 May 44 44-40120 Brussels, Belgium Target: Marshalling yard
09
 Link to Mission 17 page 17
6 Jun 44 42-50370 Normandy, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
10
 Link to Mission 19 page 19
6 Jun 44 42-50370 Vire, France Target: D-Day invasion coast
11
 Link to Mission 20 page 20
8 Jun 44 42-50370 Angers, France Target: Railroad junction
Bombed with B-17 group
12
 Link to Mission 23 page 23
11 Jun 44 42-50370 La Possonniere, France Target: Marshalling yard
13
 Link to Mission 26 page 26
14 Jun 44 42-50370 Emmerich, Germany Target: Oil refinery
14
 Link to Mission 28 page 28
15 Jun 44 42-50370 La Frilliere, France Target: Railroad bridge
Bombed target in Le Mans
15
 Link to Mission 34 page 34
20 Jun 44 42-50370 Politz, Germany Target: Oil refinery
16
 Link to Mission 36 page 36
21 Jun 44 42-50370 Genshagen, Germany Target: Aircraft engine factory
17
 Link to Mission 41 page 41
27 Jun 44 42-50370 Creil, France Target: Marshalling yard
18
 Link to Mission 42 page 42
28 Jun 44 44-40050 Saarbrucken, Germany Target: Marshalling yard
19
 Link to Mission 48 page 48
11 Jul 44 42-50481 Munich, Germany Target: Railroad station
20
 Link to Mission 49 page 49
12 Jul 44 44-40067 Munich, Germany Target: Railroad station
A/C borrowed from 856th BS
21
 Link to Mission 51 page 51
16 Jul 44 42-95234 Saarbrucken, Germany Target: Marshalling yard
22
 Link to Mission 52 page 52
18 Jul 44 42-95234 Troarns, France Target: Tactical
23
 Link to Mission 56 page 56
24 Jul 44 44-40211 St Lo area, France Target: Tactical
24
 Link to Mission 57 page 57
25 Jul 44 42-95234 St Lo area, France Target: Tactical
25
 Link to Mission 58 page 58
29 Jul 44 42-95234 Oslebhausen, Germany Target: Oil refinery
26
 Link to Mission 59 page 59
31 Jul 44 42-95234 Ludwigshafen, Germany Target: Chemical plant
27
 Link to Mission 62 page 62
4 Aug 44 42-95234 Kiel, Germany Target: Submarine base
Abort
 Link to Mission 64 page 64
5 Aug 44 42-50675 Brunswick, Germany Target: Aircraft manufacturing
Aborted, uncredited
28
 Link to Mission 65 page 65
6 Aug 44 42-95234 Hamburg, Germany Target: Oil refinery
Prytulak Missions with the 467th BG, 788th BS
29
99
14 Aug 44 42-50737 Trevoux, France Target: airfield
30
100
15 Aug 44 42-50439 Uchte, Germany Target: airfield
31
101
16 Aug 44 42-51171 Madgeburg, Germany Target: junction air plant
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Page last modified Tuesday, October 4, 2011.