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Back row, left to right...
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John Beyer, bombardier
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Vance Cridling, navigator
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John Bales, co-pilot
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Roger Leister, pilot
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Front row, left to right...
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Darlton Pontius, engineer
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Neil Matzek, waist gunner
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Philip Snyder, nose gunner
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Ernest Schreiner, gunner
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George Lifschitz, radio operator
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Jess Duff, tail gunner
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Leister Crew R-36 Summary
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| The Leister replacement Crew arrived at North Pickenham on 10 July. After getting some in-house training they were assigned to the 859th BS. We've read that they were designated as Crew 908, but since that's Menweg's number we suspect a typo. We think they were designated as Crew 902.
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Lt Leister flew 9 missions for the 492nd. According to a letter written to the HAPPY WARRIOR by Vance Cridling, John Beyer, the bombardier, was taken off the crew when they first arrived at North Pickenham. He said that Beyer was made a Pilotage Navigator for the the Johnson Crew 903. Cridling took over Beyer's duties by serving as Navigator and Togglier for the Leister Crew. Therefore, the Leister Crew was a nine-man crew.
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Cridling went on to say that on their first mission, their co-pilot, John Bales, traded places for the day with Elmer Clarey, co-pilot on the Prewitte Crew 916. This was done in order to put someone with combat experience flying with them while they got their feet wet.
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The Leister Crew transferred to the 467th BG on 10 Aug 44. There they were assigned to the 788th BS. They were designated as Crew #8. They had one change in the crew's personnel. Lt Cridling was reassigned to the Hudson Crew. He was replaced by Lt Sherrill. We don't know Sherrill's former assignment.
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The 492nd Hudson Crew R-25, designated as Crew 904, also went to the 467th and was redesignated Crew #14.
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On the Leister Crew's second mission with the 467th, their ship was heavily damaged. They made it back to England, but couldn't reach their base. They crashlanded at the small village Kirby Bedon. Four of the men were killed. Another was critically wounded. After recovery, the survivors were each given the choice of returning to combat or doing ground duty. Only the pilot Roger Leister asked to be returned to combat.
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After Leister recovered from his wounds, he took over the Sims Crew #6. Sims, another former 492nd vet, had been transferred again. Leister led the old Sims Crew on 20 more missions to complete their tour of 35 missions. Leister himself was still 6 missions short and was thus given another crew, Crew #19, and finished his tour.
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More Info |
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Original Roster for
Leister Crew R-36
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Position
MOS |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Leister, Roger L |
2nd Lt |
O-695751 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Bales, John F |
2nd Lt |
O-822920 |
Promoted 1st Lt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS
WIA, 18 Aug 44, 2 year recovery |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Cridling, Vance |
2nd Lt |
O-717187 |
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS
Reassigned to Hudson Crew
Replaced by Sherrill |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Beyer, John |
2nd Lt |
O-762892 |
Reassigned to Johnson Crew 903
Promoted 1st Lt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Pontius, Darlton
"Dolly" |
S/Sgt |
17099290 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS
KIA, 18 Aug 44 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Lifschitz, George |
S/Sgt |
12043462 |
Promoted T/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS
KIA, 18 Aug 44 |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Schreiner, Ernest W |
Sgt |
39296904 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Waist
Gunner
MOS 611 |
Matzek, Neil C |
Sgt |
11107517 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS |
Nose Gunner
MOS 611 |
Snyder, Philip A |
Sgt |
33353620 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS
KIA, 18 Aug 44
See Footnotes |
Tail Gunner
MOS 611 |
Duff, Jess A |
Sgt |
39450853 |
Promoted S/Sgt
Transferred 10 Aug, to 467th BG, 788th BS |
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Others Who Flew with Leister Crew R-36 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Clarey, Elmer W
"Bill" |
2nd Lt |
O-702235 |
From Prewitte Crew 916
Flew w/crew, on 18 Jul 44 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Sherrill, William M |
2nd Lt |
O-717274 |
Obtained at the 467th
Replaced Cridling
KIA, 18 Aug 44 |
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Leister Crew R-36
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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18 Jul 44 |
44-10496 |
Troarns, France |
Target: Tactical |
| 02 |
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19 Jul 44 |
44-40131 |
Russelheim, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Bombed Koblenz |
| 03 |
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20 Jul 44 |
42-50279 |
Erfurt, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| 04 |
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21 Jul 44 |
42-50279 |
Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany |
Target: Aircraft factory |
| 05 |
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29 Jul 44 |
44-40131 |
Oslebhausen, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 06 |
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31 Jul 44 |
42-50481 |
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
Target: Chemical plant |
| 07 |
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1 Aug 44 |
42-50481 |
Anizy, France |
Target: Railroad bridge
Damaged by Flak |
| 08 |
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6 Aug 44 |
42-50432 |
Hamburg, Germany |
Target: Oil refinery |
| 09 |
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7 Aug 44 |
44-40211 |
Ostend, Belgium |
Target: Oil dump |
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