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Back row, left to right...
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Robert Janton, crew chief
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Darrell Andrews, radio operator
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William Sheely, tail gunner
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Wirt Young, waist gunner
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Donald Brown, engineer
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Front row, left to right...
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Melvin Kernis, navigator
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Lyle Day, bombardier
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Leroy Ochs, co-pilot
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Elmer Smiley, pilot
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Smiley Crew 910 Summary
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The Smiley Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 1674 from the 330th CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Biggs, Texas, on 3 Mar 44. They were assigned to the 859th BG, designated as Crew 910.
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Lt Elmer Smiley signed out for a B-24J, 44-40050. The ship was given the nickname SUPER WOLF. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief Sgt Janton flew with them, thus bumping Cpl Matzen onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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After they left Florida with their sealed orders and instructions for the southern route, they lost an engine and diverted to Cuba. It was a good thing they had their crew chief with them. Sgt Janton, along with Lt Kernis, returned to Florida and brought back another engine. The Crew spent most of the month in Cuba before they could get on their way again.
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Meanwhile, the Group in North Pickenham were beginning to think they had gone down in the Atlantic. Amazingly, every plane in the Group had made it to England. The 492nd became the first group to make the journey to England completely intact. The Army Air Force had expected the 492nd to lose one or two on the flyover.
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By our count, Smiley flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 910 for 19 missions. Another source says they flew 22, so we'll still be investigating. We're not sure of what personnel changes were made on some of their missions.
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We do know that on the Crew's last mission they went without a navigator. Kernis flew with the Harding Crew 902 to serve as the Lead Navigator for the low left section (squadron). Their target that day (7 Jul 44) was an aircraft manufacturing plant at Bernburg, Germany. The Group got caught without fighter protection by about 125 enemy fighters. Smiley's ship took some punishing hits that caused a fire in the bomb bay. Only two crewmen were able to escape before the plane exploded. 7 KIA, 2 POW, MACR 7228.
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The SUPER WOLF crashed near Egeln, Germany, which is about 27 kilometers west and northwest of Bernburg. The bodies of the scattered dead were buried locally. After the war, they were reburied in American cemeteries. Two of them could not be identified individually and became a part of a group burial in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at St Louis, Missouri. Buried with them were the bodies of Vincent Brdecka and Salvatore Stamerra, both from the Jacks Crew 918. Also buried with them was Lt Frank A Fisher from another bomb group.
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Kernis, who was flying with the Harding Crew, as well as the whole 492nd had about the same hard luck. Of the 23 ships dispatched that day by the Group, 12 were lost. The 859th BS lost all 8 of its ships and crews sent out, including the Harding Crew 902. Kernis and the rest of Crew 902 were able to bail out, only to be mauled up by an angry mob of German civilians. One crewman was beaten to death before the German Army could come to their rescue. The casualty count for Crew 902 was 1 KIA, 11 POW, MACR 7229.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Smiley Crew 910
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Smiley, Elmer J
"Tug" |
2nd Lt |
O-808600 |
29 May; promoted 1st Lt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in the USA |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Ochs, Leroy L |
2nd Lt |
O-702323 |
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in the USA |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Kernis, Melvin
"Mel" |
2nd Lt |
O-704008 |
POW, 7 Jul 44, w/Harding 902
MACR 7229, Stalag VIIA |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Day, Lyle E |
2nd Lt |
O-696222 |
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228 |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Brown, Donald W |
S/Sgt |
39278285 |
1 Jun; promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Andrews, Daryl B |
S/Sgt |
39276787 |
1 Jun; promoted T/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
Seen name as Darrel, Darrell |
R Waist
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Bullinger, Albert O |
Sgt |
20723918 |
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in Ardennes, C-15-20 |
L Waist
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Young, Wirt M |
Sgt |
39129884 |
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
POW, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
NARA AAD POW file has ASN as 39129784 |
Ball Turret
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Matzen, Clifford W |
Cpl |
19024665 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
Promoted Sgt
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in the USA
Some records have Mitzen or Matson |
Tail Gunner
MOS 748 |
Sheely, William F |
Sgt |
14084971 |
1 Jun; promoted S/Sgt
KIA, 7 Jul 44, MACR 7228
Buried in Ardennes, A-20-17
Seen middle initial as M |
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Others Who Flew with Smiley Crew 910
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Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Janton, Robert C |
Sgt |
15125312 |
Flew to England with the crew
15 May; promoted S/Sgt
15 Jul; promoted T/Sgt
Transferred to the 467th BG |
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Smiley Crew 910
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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13 May 44 |
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Tutow, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| 02 |
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15 May 44 |
42-110141 |
Siracourt, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 03 |
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24 May 44 |
44-40130 |
Melun, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 04 |
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25 May 44 |
44-40050 |
Belfort, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 05 |
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27 May 44 |
44-40050 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 06 |
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30 May 44 |
44-40130 |
Rotenburg, Germany |
Target: Air depot |
| 07 |
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31 May 44 |
44-40290 |
Brussels, Belgium |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 08 |
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4 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
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6 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 10 |
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6 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast
Bombed with a B-17 group |
| 11 |
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10 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield
Flew with the 44th BG |
| 12 |
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12 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 13 |
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14 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 14 |
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18 Jun 44 |
42-95005 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Bombed Nordenham |
| 15 |
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23 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Juvincourt, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 16 |
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25 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
La Vaupeliere, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 17 |
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27 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Creil, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 18 |
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29 Jun 44 |
44-40050 |
Magdeburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft Industry |
| 19 |
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7 Jul 44 |
44-40050 |
Bernburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft manufacturing
Lost: 7 KIA, 2 POW, MACR 7228 |
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