 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Left to right...
|
| • |
Howard Handline, waist gunner
|
| • |
Raymond Clawson, nose gunner
|
| • |
William Veitch, engineer
|
| • |
Alston Howery , tail gunner
|
| • |
Donald Girty, co-pilot
|
| • |
Lawrence Mailloux, navigator
|
|
|
Continuing left to right...
|
| • |
Charles Barrett, 859th Squadron S2
|
| • |
Robert Menweg, pilot
|
| • |
Armando Rescigno, ball turret gunner
|
| • |
William Siler, radio operator
|
|
Not in the photo...
|
| • |
Lester Stein, bombardier
|
|
|
|
Menweg Crew 908 Summary
|
|
The Menweg Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 117 from the 331st CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Casper, Wyoming, on 26 Jan 44. While training with the Group there was one personnel change made. They were assigned to the 859th BS, designated as Crew 908.
|
|
2nd Lt Robert Menweg signed out for a B-24J, 44-40132. The crew named their ship, I'LL BE AROUND. In April 1944 as the Crew was ready to depart for England, Lt Kimball was grounded due to a bad cold. Lt Girty was reassigned from the 856th to replace him. They flew to North Pickenham via the southern route. The 859th Squadron Engineering Officer, WOJG Mack flew with them, thus bumping Sgt Rescigno onto the Queen Elizabeth.
|
|
By our count, Lt Menweg flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 908 for 31 missions with the 492nd. The Group returned early on their 20th mission (Menweg's 11th). Initially none of the crews were given credit for it until months later, after Menweg had finished his tour.
|
|
The crew members flew all of their missions together except for one. Lt Stein had missed one (we don't know which one) and wanted to make it up. Perhaps he had missed one of the Pathfinder-led missions. Pathfinders are special ships that use radar to pinpoint the targets for the whole group. They signal the other ships by dropping flares where they should drop. On those missions only a few key planes will take a bombardier along, just-in-case. The planes without a bombardier will use their nose gunner (Togglier) to drop the bombs.
|
|
Stein elected to catch up with his crew by flying one with the Newman Crew 913. His make up mission was on 7 Jul 44. On a day of one of the worst air battles the 492nd fought, losing 12 of their planes. Lt Stein was among the six killed on the Newman ship when it exploded. MACR 7237. We don't know who replaced him.
|
|
|
|
|
More Info |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Original Roster for
Menweg Crew 908
|
|
| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Menweg, Robert A |
2nd Lt |
O-807489 |
29 May; promoted 1st Lt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Girty, Donald H |
2nd Lt |
O-815461 |
Replaced Kimball prior to any missions flown
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Mailloux, Lawrence J |
2nd Lt |
O-692044 |
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Stein, Lester |
2nd Lt |
O-547173 |
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7237, w/Newman 913
Flew 21 credited missions |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Veitch, William H |
Pvt |
15076256 |
15 May; promoted Cpl
1 Jun; promoted Sgt
15 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
1 Jul; promoted T/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Siler, William D |
Pvt |
19124348 |
15 May; promoted Cpl
1 Jun; promoted Sgt
15 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
1 Jul; promoted T/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Waist
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Handline, Howard S |
Sgt |
16043806 |
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour
Seen name as Hameline |
Waist
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Rescigno, Armando P |
Sgt |
12034374 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Clawson, Raymond D |
Pvt |
13090131 |
15 May; promoted Cpl
1 Jun; promoted Sgt
Promoted S/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Howrey, Alston H |
Sgt |
20815961 |
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
5 Aug 44; completed 30 mission tour |
| |
Others Who Flew with Menweg Crew 908
|
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Kimball, Robert E |
2nd Lt |
O-813522 |
Original co-pilot
Replaced before going to England |
Staff Officer
MOS 4823 |
Mack, George H |
WOJG |
W-2104258 |
859th Squadron Engineering Officer
Flew to England with the crew |
|
Menweg Crew 908
492nd BG Mission Record
859th Bomb Squadron
|
|
Crew
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Date |
Aircraft
Serial
Number |
Primary Target |
Mission Notes |
| 01 |
|
13 May 44 |
|
Tutow, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| Abort |
|
15 May 44 |
|
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
abort, uncredited |
| 02 |
|
19 May 44 |
44-40053 |
Brunswick, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 03 |
|
21 May 44 |
44-40131 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 04 |
|
24 May 44 |
42-110091 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 05 |
|
25 May 44 |
44-40290 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard
Bombed with the 392nd |
| 06 |
|
29 May 44 |
44-40290 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Attached to 392nd low left |
| 07 |
|
30 May 44 |
44-40290 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
Target: Air depot |
| 08 |
|
2 Jun 44 |
44-40290 |
Berck-sur-Mer, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
|
6 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| Abort |
|
6 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast
Aborted, uncredited |
| 10 |
|
8 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Angers, France |
Target: Railroad junction
Attacked going over the Channel, returned early, credited |
| 11 |
|
10 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 12 |
|
11 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 13 |
|
14 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 14 |
|
19 Jun 44 |
44-40153 |
Courbronne, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 15 |
|
20 Jun 44 |
44-40153 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 16 |
|
22 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Crepy, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 17 |
|
27 Jun 44 |
44-40131 |
Creil, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 18 |
|
28 Jun 44 |
44-40068 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 19 |
|
29 Jun 44 |
44-40132 |
Magdeburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft Industry |
| 20 |
|
4 Jul 44 |
44-40132 |
Beaumont-le-Roger, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 21 |
|
6 Jul 44 |
44-40132 |
Kiel, Germany |
Target: Shipyard |
| 22 |
|
18 Jul 44 |
42-50432 |
Troarns, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 23 |
|
19 Jul 44 |
42-50432 |
Russelheim, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Bombed Koblenz |
| 24 |
|
21 Jul 44 |
42-95234 |
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany |
Aircraft factory
Took over B Section Lead after leader aborted |
| 25 |
|
24 Jul 44 |
42-50432 |
St Lo area, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 26 |
|
25 Jul 44 |
42-50432 |
St Lo area, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 27 |
|
31 Jul 44 |
42-50580 |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Target: Chemical plant |
| 28 |
|
1 Aug 44 |
44-40118 |
Anizy, France |
Target: Railroad bridge
A/C borrowed from 857th BS |
| 29 |
|
3 Aug 44 |
42-50611 |
Mery-sur-Oise, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 30 |
|
4 Aug 44 |
44-40068 |
Kiel, Germany |
Target: Submarine base |
| 31 |
|
5 Aug 44 |
42-50279 |
Brunswick, Germany |
Target: Aircraft manufacturing |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
