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Walker Crew R-41 (901)
 Walker Crew R-41
Back row, left to right...
William Walker, pilot
Robert Clark, co-pilot
Leonard Savitski, navigator
Edward Triglia, bombardier
James Gilligan, engineer
Front row, left to right...
Robert Saroney, waist gunner
Edward Halliburton, radio operator
Charles Petrie, ball turret, waist gunner
William Hancock, waist gunner
Ralph Williams, tail gunner
Walker Crew R-41 (901) Summary
The Walker Replacement Crew R-41 arrived at North Pickenham in July. They came as a nine-man crew, as their bombardier had been cut from their roster. Perhaps he was put into the Bombardier Pool. After a little in-house training they were assigned to the 859th BS, designated as Crew 901.
The records concur with the crew's count that they flew 3 missions. We have read a short summary on this crew which states that two of the crewmen were replaced. We have them identified below as the two PFCs listed under "Others Who Flew..." Perhaps these men were original members of this crew when they came to England. But the official transfer order assigning this crew to the 859th is what we used to make their roster, as shown below.
On their third mission, 21 Jul 44, they flew as a nine-man crew. It was a bombing raid on an Me-410 assembly plant near Oberpffaffenhofen, Germany. As the Crew was approaching the target they began experiencing problems with two of their engines. Then the tail gunner's turret suddenly quit working. They realized that the extra strain on the two good engines was burning up too much fuel. They knew that they wouldn't have enough fuel to return to England from such a long mission so they opted for Switzerland. After crossing the Alps the Swiss Air Force found them and escorted them to Dubendorf for internment. MACR 7260.
More Info
44-40290
Links to missions
flown by the
Walker Crew R-41
are below in their
Mission Record
Original Roster for
Walker Crew R-41 (901)
Position / MOS Name Rank Serial # Notes
Pilot
MOS 1024
Walker, William M 2nd Lt O-696825 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Co-Pilot
MOS 1024
Clark, Robert L III 2nd Lt O-820956 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Navigator
MOS 1034
Savitski, Leonard S F/O T-124457 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Bombardier
MOS 1035
      No bombardier came in with this crew
Engineer
MOS 748
Gilligan, James F S/Sgt 12121525 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Radio
Operator
MOS 757
Halliburton, Edward W S/Sgt 14201740 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Waist
Gunner
MOS 612
Hancock, William M Jr Sgt 14134376 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Gunner
MOS 612
Petrie, Charles R Sgt 35626571 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Gunner
MOS 611
Saroney, Robert S Sgt 32936925 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
Gunner
MOS 611
Williams, Ralph O Sgt 14116575 Interned in Switzerland, 21 Jul 44
MACR 7260
  Others Who Flew with Walker Crew R-41 (901)
Bombardier
MOS 1035
Triglia, Edward L 2nd Lt O-706306  
Gunner
MOS
Daniels, Edward E Pfc 07005676  
Gunner
MOS
Clayman, Harry L Pfc 13062945  
Walker Crew R-41 (901)
492nd BG Mission Record
859th Bomb Squadron
Crew
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Number
Group
Mission
Date
Aircraft
Serial
Number
Primary Target Mission Notes
01
 Link to Mission 52 page 52
18 Jul 44 44-40290 Troarns, France Target: Tactical
02
 Link to Mission 54 page 54
20 Jul 44 44-40290 Erfurt, Germany Target: Airfield
05
 Link to Mission 55 page 55
21 Jul 44 44-40290 Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany Target: Aircraft factory
Lost: 9 interned in Switzerland, MACR 7260
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Page last modified Tuesday, October 4, 2011.