DOES ANYONE IN THIS FORUM HAVE ANY REFERENCES IN THEIR DATABASE TO A PILOT WITH THE 561ST BS NAMED JOHN A EDELMAN.  HIS AIRCRAFT WAS SHOT DOWN ON JAN 9,1945 NEAR ZWEIBUCKEN, GERMANY, B-17 #297112, "LITTLE JOE JR.", MACR 11562.

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

Hi Jim,
 
Project Bits and Pieces shows the date to be 5 Jan 1945. 2Lt John A. Edelman was returned to duty. Nothing else but the crew list if you need it. MACR 11562 and plane serial number checks with what you listed.
 
Vic

Hi Jim,
I'm not sure what exact info you are looking for but thought I would pass this link on.  It has the Edelman Crew, complete list of their missions and a/c flown. 
 

The 388thbg.org has done a nice job on their site:
http://www.388bg.org/servlet/Controller?pageType=detail&dataType=Crew&id=388-C117

Good Luck!
-Keith

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

THANKS MUCH, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE #S MEAN IN THE MSN COLUMN AND WHAT THE LETTERS MEAN IN THE OUTCOME COLUMN?

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

Vic, does the crew list you referenced provide the full names of the crew?  I'd like to try to locate any surviving crew members but I had no luck using just the initials.

Jim McCabe
My father, Lt. Mike McCabe(deceased 4/26/05), 307th BG, 424th BS, was a Navigator based at Morotai. Mission dates ranged from 2/20/45-8/1/45.

Hi Jim,
 
Crew list:
2Lt John A. Edelman (P)
2Lt Herbert L. Drumheller (CP)
2Lt James A. Edens (N)
2Lt Daniel F. McBride Jr (B)
T/Sgt John C. Ambuhl (TT)
T/Sgt Bradley L. Jewett (RO)
S/Sgt Nicholas J. Peters (BT)
S/Sgt Thomas C. Dewey (WG)
S/Sgt Clarence W. Gieck Jr )TG)
 
No hometowns given for these men.
 
Vic

Hello, all!
 
Keep in mind that the crews listed are probably not 100 pct accurate in all respects throughout the war.
 
For instance, my father Peter Brennan - who soon will turn 90 years young - is listed with the 388th BG crew of pilot "SmithO." Indeed he flew many of his missions with them (he's listed as the Togglier in that crew roster). But he just told me yesterday that he had flown a number of other missions with the Pilot Edelman crew, as they sometimes combined crews (I guess members either discharged or, sadly, lost). I knew he had gotten switched in the midst of his missions, but he hadn't mentioned this pilot before. He does have a good memory, though.
 
Any info with more detail on the Edelman crew - and its part-timers like my father - would be appreciated.
 
Also, on one of my father's missions, he said the co-pilot was killed and several crewmen were injured. They lost an engine, too, but were able to limp back to England. This flight may have been Dec. 30, 1944, with co-pilot Stevens of his SmithO group listed as "KIA." But is there any way to get more detail on that?
 
Thanks again.
Fascinating site - and unfathomable to Dad, who says he is relieved he retired before the 'computer age,' lol
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Mission was Hamburg 12/31/44.
Lt. Smith Crew
Co- Pilot Lt. Stevens KIA by 20 MM Shell and Flak.
Waist Gunnner Wounded
Sgt. Brennan removed Lt. Stevens from his seat
and Flight Engineer Took over as Co - Pilot
B - 17 # 44 - 6582 L
Source - 388th At War by Huntzinger
Mike

 
Bless you, Mike!

to what literal extent does "removed" Stevens mean, in military lingo, dare I ask - or is it just as literal as it sounds?

FYI, I actually met the late Ed Huntzinger several times in the 1970s as a teen, whenever we visited Florida. My father flew with him, and they kept in touch over the years.

It's been a revelation to me that the nice "Dad's army buddy" I met played such a pivotal role in documenting the entire 388th BG., via his books.

I have ordered the Part I and II reminiscence books about the 388th, and I think the Huntzinger book should be next...

Don't know if Lt . Stevens had Died by then. Sgt. Brennan would have had to unstrap
him and lift him out of seat. Probably took him to Radio Room to lay him down.
388th At War is a Good reference - has Missions , Formation Charts with A/C #s , Photos etc.
Mike
 
 

 
Thanks once again.
 
Dad isn't the type who would necessarily mention such details. All he mentioned was what happened overall, not his specific role after the attack occurred.
 
You just do what you must as part of the job, he always says.