My grandfather flew in this group with the 364th. A few years back he passed away and never really passed along much information about his service. He attended the reunions and met with his former crew but I haven't really wanted to bug my grandmother about any of this yet. Any info on this crew and their missions would be appreciated.
 
Thanks

Shane -
http://305thbombgroup.org
Click on Organization
Then Click on Name Barbara Tesch - Editor
You can then Email her for info , Crew Members still living etc.
Forum members Ian White , CA and others should respond to your
Post - Keep Checking.
Mike

Thanks very much Mike!

Hello Shane
If I can help, I will. You say the Eby Crew. Whats your Grandfather's name?
Anyother info-names, dates you have for his operational time at 305th BG will help.
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Robert Eugene Eby was his name, from Idaho. I will try to get some of his crew members names from my grandmother. I believe he flew in '44. My mother says that she thought he flew the boomerang but I am sure that this isn't right as it was shot down I believe. I do know that his ball turret gunner was injured severely and lost a leg. He didn't talk much about his war experiences until later un life and even then rather vaguely. He did mention luna plants and Berlin as targets. He also said they were shot out of formation on one occasion I think. Any correspondence is greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks,
Shane 

Hello Shane. I did a very quick initial search for Eugene Eby. Yes also known as Robert Eugene Eby. Was listed up to 2002 in association, Pilot 1944-45. Little other imediate detail to work from. I dont have a complete crew listing either for Eby Crew. I would assume your Grandfather flew late 1944, and into the final stages of WW2, early spring of 1945.
 
If you have other names on crew I can start to piece together something, if its here of course. I'll take a look at missions in late 44 and beginning 45 for Luna plants and Berlin, see what I can offer you.
 
Regards a/c BOOMERANG, again I'm not imediately aware of such a B-17G in our group at that time frame; thats not to say however it wasnt one and simply the records, which are not 100%, dont show it asa name used. Also taking account of fact that a great many a/c were called a name, but actually never had any nose art painted!
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Shane...
After a brief check over, I'd say following.
 
Ball Turret Gunner you mentioned, loosing his leg on mission (to flak) was Sgt. Thomas L. Dilworth Jr. What little I have here relates his loss of right leg over Cologne, Germany. It always appears (?) he saw combat service as aircrew prior to injury, during months of July and August 1944. I can match any mission directly to Cologne during that time frame, have to assume his wounds occured on route to or returning from 'another target'.
 
Mention of Luna works - Merseberg Oil Refinery. The 305th Bomb Group flew several missions to this destination. in August '44, they flew on 24th. September, on the 13th and 27th. November saw them again return; on the 2nd, 25th and 30th. (The 30th mission was a tough one). December 1944, saw a repeat mission again to Merseberg on the 6th.
 
Berlin as a target in the time frame for the Eby crew, was flown on what appears to be just three occassions, on December 5th 1944. The the 3rd and 26th of February '45. A further mission was launched on 28th March 1945, but this last one may not fit the tour of duty assumed for Eby's crew.
 
Without material to confirm, it is hard to say for sure, but I am making a shrewd guess that Gene Eby and his men flew some or all the long missions in late July 1944, 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th, all to the distant Munich. A long haul from Chelveston.
 
I mention July in particular, because...
 
I have discovered further name of Douglas B. Jackson, Tail Gunner on Eby crew. His service runs from August 28th 1944 thru to 10th March 1945.
 
Big assumption now. That is because of Dilworth being critically wounded in what is assumed August of 1944, his position would have been filled by a replacement. Now this might be a fresh new man, newly arrived or it could have been filled by one of the other Eby crew. In August of 1944 ten man crews were already being reduced from ten to a nine man crew. It could very well be that Eby's original crew he arrived with July of 1944 (?) was that ten man team, but was reduced to nine on or about the loss of Dilworth? It may follow - Douglas Jackson may not have been on the original crew?
 
Without a full crew list, perhaps documents from Eby's records proving the names at start, its hard to say.
 
I did another quick look through on name of supposed B-17, BOOMERANG. I cant attribute a machine of that period of operations, mid 1944 onwards, having such a name with the 364th. Certainly I have no obvious matches I can place for it. There were such B-17's on other groups with this name, there may be some confusion from the family telling of stories relating to this?? On the other hand, many crews nicknamed their planes, but never actually had artwork applied. So it is also possible this name holds up but cant be verified with any picture.
 
Again, if you get a chance to talk with your Grandmother, then this may well produce some more information. I will be surprised if somewhere at her home, there isnt a photo of Eby and his men?
 
Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Ian, thanks so much for your quick responses. The information you have come up with is great.
 
I talked with my mother today and she had some really good information. She tells me that there are at least three surviving crew members one of which is Douglas Jackson she believes. She talked with my grandmother and contrary to what I had believed, she is very excited that I am documenting my grandfathers service. I have a few of the crew member names now:
 
co-pilot Gene Creson
Engineer Milton Lang (?sp)
Doug Jackson
Ray Vulcan
"Little Mac" (?)
 
Mom also had a copy of his service record. It appears that Gene arrived in ETO on 7AUG44 and departed on 25 MAR 45. I am in high hopes of talking to some of the crew members in the next few weeks. I will also be getting the war photo album so I may be able to post some of the photos to the internet as well.
 
Concerning the incident over Cologne with Sgt Dillworth. It seems I remember having been told that they may have bombed Cologne, perhaps this was a secondary target? I also seem to remember Hamburg being a target for the Eby crew as well.
 
Again, I would like to thank you for the correspondence and help you are giving me.
 
Shane
 
 

Hello all,
 
I don't have all the missions for the 364th in any easy to locate information but I did find a mission for the crew in question on Sept 17, 1944:
 
Crew is listed as:
 
Plane was 6079 - Miss Dee Day
 
Pilot:  2nd Lt R.E. Eby.
Co-Pilot:  2nd Lt. D. E. Creson.
Nav: 2nd Lt. J. H. McGrew.
Bomb:  Sgt F. J. Wenberg.
Radio:  Sgt J Petrikowicz.
TT:  Sgt W.C. Lange
BT:  Sgt. T. L. DIlworth Jr.
TG:  Sgt D. B. Jackson
WG:  SGt. R. F. Vulcan.
 
There are other missions as well but it is difficult to search them.
 
-Chris

Hi All,
 
Sorry seemed to have fallen out of touch lately.  Shane you are in good hands with Ian and Chris.  As for the name "Boomerang" it was listed in a notebook that was given to me by Bob Lister of the 413th.  But as Ian stated and I too have learned ships were transferred in and out of the group frequently and nothing was really documented.
 
I will dig around to see what other info I can find.
 
 

Kevin Brower
305th BGMA
T-Sgt Carl Leidel-305th/365th
Grandfather

Shane....
Further piece of info - concerns Frank Wenberg. Wenberg was an enlisted man, S/Sgt, who had taken further training as a 'Toggelier'. A recent new post within aircrews, which took an enlisted man and trained him to operate the bomb release switches. This allowed for a crew to fly a mission without the previously used Bombardier - Officer trained.
 
Wenberg appears to have not been a Eby crew regular? I have a notes on him having flown with the Arthur 'Art' Fry crew. His regular ship on the 364th being LEADING LADY. Wenberg did complete all of his 35 missions.
 
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Hello again...
Additional clues. Donald Eugene Creson Co-pilot was a member of the association till 2002. In 2005 he is status unknown. I cant say whether alive or dead; although it is more likely he is deceased.
 
Ray Vulcan is deffinately deceased.
 
McGrew (Little Mac?) doesnt come up on roster listings. This may mean he has never been found (?) and or he has not joined the association. Again status unknown.
 
Interesting to see that Thomas Dilworth was flying with Eby crew on September 1944, mission 'Holland' which I think (?) was in support of the allied break out from northern Belgium into German held dutch territory, the allies were attempting to capture several bridges towards Arnhem (famous Bridge too Far story). This was to have been the forcing of a route across the Rhine by British-American-allied ground units, and into Germany proper. Earlier assumptions, based on some records within 305th BGMA can be dismissed as in error! Dilworth plainly flew longer than the July-August period as first thought. The crew list (thanks to Chris for that!) from September shows the nine man crew then being used in combat missions.
 
Shane - would you email me concerning Douglas Jackson and Thomas Dilworth.
 
Tks
Regards Ian
 
 
 

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

I forgot to add..!! The name Petrikowicz doesnt show up on listings in 305th BGMA. Like others, his status currently is unknown.
Ian W

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Okay, here is an update I got concerning the members of the Eby crew from my grandmother.
 
R.E. Eby PILOT
Gene Creson CO-PILOT
W.B. McKown NAVIGATOR (Little Mac)
John Petrikowicz RADIO
Tom Dillworth BALL TURRET
Ray Vulcan GUNNER
Doug Jackson GUN TURRET
Eddie Bladel OPERATION GUNNER (?)
Joe Barnett BOMBADIER
Milton Lange ENGINEER
 
I was told that Dillworth was not replaced after his injury. I might also add that while I am a bit of a history buff I am no expert so correct me if some of the things I repeat as I remeber them are wrong.
 
One such thing that I remember being told was that The EBY crew flew in a lead position on a mission or two. Perhaps the addition of a togglier was used in these instances. I definetly remember him mentioning a togglier.It seems to me that my grandfather said that his co-pilot may have been replaced by a major on those missions but I am not sure about this. 
 
I will try to contact the surviving crew members this week.
 
Shane

Hello Shane... sent you a PM message...
But just to say, I beleive the crew list you have is the original arriving crew of Gene Eby, at start of combat.
 
By September 1944, from list supplied by Chris, this crew had changed. May be wounded personnel replaced? Could be aircrew shared with another crew, thus splitting up the original group? I beleive at some point Gene's original Bombardier Barnett was replaced by a Toggelier, could have been Frank Wenberg, but equally could have been several different men.
 
Eddie Bladel I assume could have been the second waist gunner. In August of 44, crews were reduced from ten to nine men. Usually one waist gunner would be removed, reasigned to another crew in same sqn. The vacant waist gun position could then, when necessary, be manned by the radio operator between his usual radio duties.
 
Interesting you mention perhaps leading missions? Again would explain changes in names. Some of Eby's crew may not have remained with him as he allegedly found himself promoted up the chain into a lead crew. And yes if he flew lead missions, he may well have had a ACP - Air Command Pilot, a Major or Colonel, in the right seat. With Eby flying the plane for him....
 
With the possible 'lead' crew scenario, this could mean there are several name changes through Eby's time at the 305th BG....
 
What next???
 
Ian

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009

Ian, at this point I am going to be getting alot of info from my grandmother on Thursday. After that I hope to call the crew members I can reach. My goal is to put together a good chronology of the missions of the Eby crew. I will also let you know the info I find out a Jackson and Dilworth. I hope to post some photos as soon as this weekend.
 
Shane
 
P.S. Is there a good source for researching individual missions by plane?

Here is some related photographs that I found.
The 8th AF, 305 Bomber Group, 365th Bomber Squadron
Mainbase in England WWII Chelveston England.
The build a memorial and I found some pictures that someone related put up the web.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jkaysen/HowardJimKaysenUSAAF
 
and here
 
http://rides.webshots.com/album/559604994txkRtq
 


Anyone else have any pictures they would like to share?

John Ingianni, MSgt, Ret. USAF 1968 - 1989

Half Brother
Sgt Wallace Robert Ingianni
305th BG, 365th BS
A/C# 43-38803 XK-O, B-17 G
Pilot Lt. James E. Lauback
MACR # 13877
9 KIA April 10, 1945
A/C crashed near Wilsnack , GE

Hello All! I would like to thank everyone for the help I am getting on both this thread and in other places.
 
Today was a great day for my research. I received a packet of photos, mission lists and copies of Stars and Stripes articles about missions the Eby crew participated in from Doug Jackson, tail gunner. Of interest was that Eby flew lead on the 30 Nov '44 mission to Merseberg and was hit pretty hard by flak. I also found out that Tom Dilworth lost his leg over Cologne on 17 Oct 44. I will post as complete a mision list as I can tomorrow and perhaps the rest of you can help me fill in the blanks.
 
Thanks,
Shane 

http://flickr.com/photos/90341042@N00/2618825507/

Hi Shane. Appreciate your posting the Eby crew photo. A fantastic shot, comes across as a cear image. Plus it makes me think this was taken more as an informal 'personal' shot rather than an official AF picture. Wonderful!
Tks - Ian

Ian White - 305th BGMA Hon. Life Associate, UK Contact and Organiser of next years 40th Combat Wing UK Reunion - May 21st-31st 2009