I have been following this thread with interest.   I believe that my father was in the 868th based on an address an old army buddy has. This friend was with him earlier in the war before the 868th was formed.   His name was Sgt Sam White, from Wheatland, Wyoming,  and he was an aircraft armorer.  One of the only friends from his unit I  that I remember him talking about was a man named Ed Scanlon who became a dentist near Chicago after the war.  I don't know if Ed was with him beofre or after the 868th was formed.  Can anyone on this board confirm that my father was indeed in the 868th?  Thanks   Kate Schaumann

Mike:
 
According to Special Order #13 dated 9 August 43 the 10 original pilots assigned to the 5th Bomb Group (394th) were as follows: 
 
1) Major Foster
2) Major Carlson
3) Capt Zinn
4) Capt Reynolds
5) Capt Lehti
6) 1st Lt Easterling
7) 1st Lt Rockwood
8) 1st Lt Brown
9) 1st Lt Martus
10) 1st Lt Tillinghast
 
These 10 pilots and/or replacements became the 868th beginning Jan of '44. 
 
Col. Dolan is not one of them.  I believe Jim Pope was a Navigator of Col. Dolan.  He appears  (Jim Pope) on the Special Order on Zinn's crew but there is no Scanlon so I cannot conclude that Zinn took Dolan's crew.  Can you elaborate on what Perrone says? 

I read about this crew in some information I got about the First Sea Search Attack Group.  Col. Dolan was in charge of the whole group.