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Back row, left to right...
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Richard Graham, bombardier
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John Corbett, co-pilot
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Ted Pfeifer, navigator
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Marvin Paul, pilot
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Front row, left to right...
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Carol Stilabower, nose turret gunner
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Raymond Allen, radio operator
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Tim O'Leary, ball turret gunner
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Clayton Nozling, tail gunner
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Charles Holmes, top turret gunner
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Lyle Ostrander, engineer
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Paul Crew 917 Summary
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The Paul Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred in as crew 121 from the 331st CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Casper, Wyoming, on 26 Jan 44. They were assigned to the 859th BS, designated as Crew 917.
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Lt Marvin Paul signed out for B-24, 42-110091. The crew nicknamed their plane BOLD VENTURE. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Their ground Crew Chief M/Sgt Kowaleski flew with them, thus bumping Sgt O'Leary onto the Queen Elizabeth.
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While enroute to England, the Group had a layover at Harrington, Kansas. Lt Pfeifer was grounded for medical reasons and therefore removed from the crew. He was replaced by Lt Struckhoff, who earlier had been taken off his crew with the 467th BG to undergo minor surgery. Struckhoff had fully recovered by the time the 492nd came through and he took Pfeifer's place. At this time, we do not know what happened to Pfeifer.
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By our count, Paul flew as the aircraft commander for Crew 917 for 26 missions plus an aborted one. 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 Pathfinder-led missions.
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The Paul Crew 917 transferred to the 467th BG, 788th BS and was redesignated as Crew 4. After flying one mission, the Paul Crew was transferred to the 791st BS where they finished their 30 mission tour.
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One of the earlier 492nd missions was uncredited because it was aborted on orders from the mission's commander. After further review, it was determined that the Group aborted after they were in enemy territory and therefore the mission was credited. This review was conducted after the Paul Crew had finished their tour, so they ended up with 31 credited combat missions.
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Whenever a crew their tour finished, the crew members were often given a choice of accepting non-combat jobs in England, accepting another combat tour or returning to the US. Rarely did anyone take another tour, but some did. Since going home might get one reassigned to a new outfit and sent to the Pacific Theater, many would try to stay in England if they could. The Paul Crew decided to stay and do non-combat work.
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Captain Paul and part of crew began flying weather recon missions. Since this type of work did not require a full crew, the others had to find other jobs.
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Two of the original crewmen were KILOD (Killed In the Line Of Duty) in a weather recon incident that almost claimed the entire ship and crew. See the Stories link for more details.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Paul Crew 917
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Paul, Marvin M |
1st Lt |
O-803674 |
Promoted Capt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
WIA, 9 Nov 44 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Corbett, John H |
2nd Lt |
O-692863 |
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Struckhoff, Eugene C |
2nd Lt |
O-692350 |
Replaced Pfeifer
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
WIA, 9 Nov 44 |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Graham, Richard F |
2nd Lt |
O-684151 |
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Ostrander, Lyle M |
S/Sgt |
36125105 |
15 May, promoted T/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
KILOD, 09 Nov 44 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Allen, Raymond V |
Sgt |
32854699 |
1 Jun, promoted S/Sgt
15 Jun, promoted T/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS
KILOD, 09 Nov 44 |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Holmes, Charles P |
S/Sgt |
14048508 |
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Stilabower, Carol E |
Sgt |
35567908 |
1 Jun, promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
O'Leary, Thomas P |
Sgt |
11114579 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
1 Jun, promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Nozling, Clayton W |
Sgt |
35537955 |
1 Jun, promoted S/Sgt
10 Aug, transferred to 467th BG, 788th BS |
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Others Who Flew with Paul Crew 917
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Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Pfeifer, Theodore L |
2nd Lt |
O-743885 |
Removed from the crew in Kansas for medical reasons
Replaced by Struckhoff |
Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Kowaleski, Edmund |
M/Sgt |
6889624 |
Flew to England with the crew |
Staff
Officer
MOS 2161 |
Green, Frank R |
1st Lt |
O-659373 |
859th Asst Squadron Operations Officer |
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Paul Crew 917
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 |
42-110091 |
Mulhouse, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 02 |
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13 May 44 |
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Tutow, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| 03 |
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19 May 44 |
42-110091 |
Brunswick, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 04 |
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23 May 44 |
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Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 05 |
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28 May 44 |
42-110091 |
Zeitz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery
Bombed target of opportunity |
| 06 |
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29 May 44 |
42-110091 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 07 |
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31 May 44 |
44-40156 |
Brussels, Belgium |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 08 |
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4 Jun 44 |
44-40153 |
Avord, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 09 |
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6 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 10 |
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6 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Vire, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 11 |
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10 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 12 |
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11 Jun 44 |
44-40120 |
La Possonniere, France |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, credit unconfirmed |
| 13 |
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11 Jun 44 |
44-40068 |
Monfort, France |
Target: Bridge
Aborted, credited |
| 14 |
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12 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 15 |
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14 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 16 |
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18 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Luneburg, Germany |
Target: Airfield
Bombed Nordenham |
| 17 |
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20 Jun 44 |
44-40155 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 18 |
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22 Jun 44 |
44-40120 |
Crepy, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets) |
| 19 |
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28 Jun 44 |
42-110091 |
Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Damaged by flak |
| 20 |
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29 Jun 44 |
42-50370 |
Magdeburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft Industry |
| 21 |
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4 Jul 44 |
42-110091 |
Beaumont-le-Roger, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 22 |
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6 Jul 44 |
42-110091 |
Kiel, Germany |
Target: Shipyard |
| 23 |
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18 Jul 44 |
42-50611 |
Troarns, France |
Target: Tactical
Led B Section |
| Abort |
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19 Jul 44 |
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Russelheim, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, uncredited |
| 24 |
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29 Jul 44 |
42-50611 |
Oslebhausen, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 25 |
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31 Jul 44 |
42-50611 |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Target: Chemical plant
Led C Section |
| 26 |
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3 Aug 44 |
42-50614 |
Mery-sur-Oise, France |
Target: Crossbow (V-1 rockets)
Led B Section w/Green
Damaged by flak |
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