I thought I'd repost my original posting to this forum done 4-5 years ago to see if the names below ring any bells with anyone.

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Truly appreciate hearing from anyone who knew Austin H. Herrity, B-24 navigator, 455 BG, 743 BS, San Giovanni, Italy from 7/44 to 8/44.

On 8/3/44 B-24G s/n 42-78312 ditched in Adriatic Sea upon return from mission to Friedrichshafen. All ten crew listed below survived and were captured and POW at Stalag Luft III:

Thomas A. Ramey 2nd Lt. Pilot
Rexford Carpenter 1st Lt. Co-Pilot
Austin H. Herrity 2nd Lt. Navigator
Howard G. Parton 1st Lt. Bombardier
George W. Houssell S. Sgt RO/Gunner
Clair Allchin S. Sgt Engineer/Gunner
Paul W. Heisey S. Sgt Engineer/Gunner
Elmer C. Kuhn T. Sgt Armorer/Gunner
Robert P. Quebedo S. Sgt Armorer/Gunner
Joseph C. Inmen Cpl Armorer/Gunner

Also, would appreciate info anyone may have on the following crew that Austin reported to Italy with and flew at least one mission late in 7/44 on B-24 41-28952 "Home, James":

Lt. Wm. B. Long Pilot
Lt. John Rushford Co-pilot
S. Lt. Austin H. Herrity Navigator
Lt. Wm. J. Trunek Bombardier
S/Sgt. R.A. Bailey Radio
Sgt. Paul Barnett Gunner
Sgt. Martin Costello Gunner
Sgt. Don Broers (tail gunner) Gunner
Sgt. Melvin Hall Gunner


Thank you very much.

For what it is worth,

H G Parton graduated from bombardier school Big Springs, TX 43-10.

W J Trunek Carlsbad, NM 44-03.

Dave

Link to: Bombardiers of WWII Website

New email address as of Feb 2006: hfhmsite@comcast.net

Thank you, Dave. Had the info on Parton after talking to him a few years ago, but not on Trunek. Another piece to the puzzle is now in place!

Actually George W. Houssell S. Sgt RO/Gunner is my Grandfather.  He passed away though when about 15 years ago when I was only 2 years old.

Hello! New poster here. My father, Robert "Bob" Cloud was a radio operator for the 743rd bomber squadron in missions over Italy & Austria. He may have known your father. However, my father passed away several years ago. I am looking for anyone who may have known Bob Cloud.  I have three crew photos that I will post in a new thread, as soon as I can figure out how to attach them. Perhaps your father was a crew member.

"Lest we forget"

ORIGINAL: MMcFadden

I thought I'd repost my original posting to this forum done 4-5 years ago to see if the names below ring any bells with anyone.

=====================================


Truly appreciate hearing from anyone who knew Austin H. Herrity, B-24 navigator, 455 BG, 743 BS, San Giovanni, Italy from 7/44 to 8/44.

On 8/3/44 B-24G s/n 42-78312 ditched in Adriatic Sea upon return from mission to Friedrichshafen. All ten crew listed below survived and were captured and POW at Stalag Luft III:

Thomas A. Ramey 2nd Lt. Pilot
Rexford Carpenter 1st Lt. Co-Pilot
Austin H. Herrity 2nd Lt. Navigator
Howard G. Parton 1st Lt. Bombardier
George W. Houssell S. Sgt RO/Gunner
Clair Allchin S. Sgt Engineer/Gunner
Paul W. Heisey S. Sgt Engineer/Gunner
Elmer C. Kuhn T. Sgt Armorer/Gunner
Robert P. Quebedo S. Sgt Armorer/Gunner
Joseph C. Inmen Cpl Armorer/Gunner

Also, would appreciate info anyone may have on the following crew that Austin reported to Italy with and flew at least one mission late in 7/44 on B-24 41-28952 "Home, James":

Lt. Wm. B. Long Pilot
Lt. John Rushford Co-pilot
S. Lt. Austin H. Herrity Navigator
Lt. Wm. J. Trunek Bombardier
S/Sgt. R.A. Bailey Radio
Sgt. Paul Barnett Gunner
Sgt. Martin Costello Gunner
Sgt. Don Broers (tail gunner) Gunner
Sgt. Melvin Hall Gunner


Thank you very much.

The pilot of Home James is my dad. He is alive and well... age 85

How do you put photos on this site? I have a picture of "Home James" with the crew.

Posted for slong... "Home James" S/N 41-28952.  Great photo!

[image]local://upfiles/3620/7D982CBDF86B4B6D90A4A6B330A41B02.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

GREAT to see your post, slong!  I've sent a PM to you.

A little info on that photograph.  It was taken 7/26/44, and shows the replacement crew (see previous post for list) that arrived in San Giovanni 7/23/44.  The day after the picture was taken, Home James was shot down.  I had the honor of speaking with Bruce Fredrickson, who was the navigator on Home James on that fateful day.  He managed to bail out of the falling ball of fire.  The bombardier was severely burned, and the nose gunner died.   Also, on that same day, 4 of the gunners (kneeling in the picture) had been assigned to another ship (#294), and were shot down by enemy fighters and at least one perished.

Austin Herrity's first mission was on 8/3/44 (B-24G 42-78312, piloted by Tom Ramey), on which he too was shot down but fortunately survived (along with the rest of the crew) after Tom ditched the ship in the Adriatic Sea 300 yards offshore near Ravena, Italy.

Hi Mike,
 
do you have the mission plan, operations plan, etc. for the July 27, 1944 mission?  I would need the list of the partcipating crews, planes and their call numbers.  Do yo have the side (call) numbers for these planes and especially for the lost ones?  Thanks,
 
Gabor