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Back row, left to right...
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John Simon, pilot
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John Dzanaj, co-pilot
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Colin Barkell, navigator
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Thomas Rice, bombardier
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Front row, left to right...
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John Whitmore, engineer
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Elmer Colt, radio operator
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Garnett Saint, nose gunner
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Norman Wintermeyer, armorer
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Charles Tyson, tail gunner
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Joe Corley, waist gunner
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Simon Crew R-03 Summary
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While training in Colorado, one of the original crewmen on this crew, Bob Lambert, was killed in a plane crash. We learned this information as it was written on the back of the crew photo owned by the Elmer Colt family. We don't know what Bob's position was, his rank, nor who replaced him.
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The Simon replacement crew arrived at North Pickenham in May. After some in-house training they were assigned to the 857th BS on 25 May 44 to fill the squadron's vacancy as Crew 716. At this time we're not sure which crew, if any, they replaced since there wasn't any original crew designated as Crew 716.
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By our count, Lt Simon took his crew through 19 missions plus an aborted one with the 492nd. We don't know if any substitutions were made on any of the missions... which was common during the war as sometimes the men would get sick or wounded.
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We are led to believe that shortly after arriving to North Pickenham, Lt Rice was reassigned to the Testa Crew 704, a lead crew, to serve as their Pilotage Navigator. Furthermore we believe the crew didn't have a regular bombardier as most of their missions were of carpet bombing types and on such missions when they did need one, one was furnished to them from the bombardier's pool. When the Group was disbanded on 07 Aug 44, Lt Drilling, originally with the Foster Crew R-20, transferred with this crew to the 446th BG as their bombardier.
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This crew survived some of the toughest air battles fought by the 492nd. But their luck didn't hold out with the 446th. On 25 Aug 44, they were shot down. 4 KIA, 6 POW, MACR 8473.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Simon Crew R-03
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| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Simon, John W |
2nd Lt |
O-805995 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
KIA, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Dzanaj, John B |
2nd Lt |
O-817642 |
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
KIA, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Barkell, Colin F |
2nd Lt |
O-708388 |
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
KIA, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473
Some records lists his name Harker |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Rice, Thomas F |
2nd Lt |
O-699530 |
Reassigned to Testa Crew 704
Transferred 10 Aug, to 44th BG, 66th BS |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Whitmore, John F |
S/Sgt |
16056402 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft IV |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Colt, Elmer C |
S/Sgt |
37663256 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft IV |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Corley, Joe T |
Sgt |
38140379 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft IV |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Wintermeyer,
Norman J |
Sgt |
15126068 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft IV |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Tyson, Charles F |
Sgt |
35543993 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft IV |
Gunner
MOS 748 |
Saint, Garnett E |
Sgt |
38453184 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
KIA, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473 |
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Others Who Flew with Simon Crew R-03
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Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Drilling, John E |
2nd Lt |
O-706820 |
Obtained from Foster Crew R-20
Transferred 10 Aug 44, to 446th BG
POW, 25 Aug 44, MACR 8473, Stalag Luft VIIA |
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Simon Crew R-03
492nd BG Mission Record
857th 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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2 Jun 44 |
42-51115 |
Berck-sur-Mer, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 02 |
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6 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Normandy, France |
Target: D-Day invasion coast |
| 03 |
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8 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Angers, France |
Target: Railroad junction |
| 04 |
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10 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Boulogne, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 05 |
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12 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Dreux, France |
Target: Airfield |
| 06 |
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14 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Emmerich, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 07 |
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20 Jun 44 |
41-28978 |
Politz, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 08 |
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23 Jun 44 |
42-95005 |
Juvincourt, France |
Target: Airfield
A/C borrowed from 859th BS |
| Abort |
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28 Jun 44 |
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Saarbrucken, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Aborted, uncredited |
| 09 |
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29 Jun 44 |
42-95220 |
Magdeburg, Germany |
Target: Aircraft Industry |
| 10 |
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8 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
Alost, Belgium |
Target: Railroad bridge |
| 11 |
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11 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
Munich, Germany |
Target: Railroad station |
| 12 |
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12 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
Munich, Germany |
Target: Railroad station |
| 13 |
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18 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
Troarns, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 14 |
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19 Jul 44 |
44-40125 |
Russelheim, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Bombed Koblenz |
| 15 |
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21 Jul 44 |
42-95220 |
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany |
Target: Aircraft factory |
| 16 |
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24 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
St Lo area, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 17 |
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25 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
St Lo area, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 18 |
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31 Jul 44 |
41-28978 |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Target: Chemical plant |
| 19 |
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1 Aug 44 |
41-28978 |
Anizy, France |
Target: Railroad bridge |
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