I am researching some of the original crews of the 533BS.  S/Sgt. Thomas A. Childress was the original tail gunner in the 1st Lt. Olof M. Ballinger crew which few to England from Salina, KS on 20 May 1943 in 42-29992 ("Connie").

Most of Ballinger's crew was reassigned to other planes for the first group mission to Antwerp on 22 June 1943.  Several were KIA.  Ballinger finally regained a plane and what was left of his original crew was reassembled for missions in late June 1943.

An exception was S/Sgt. Thomas A. Childress.  I have not been able to find him participating in any crew, but know he transferred to the 535th BS on 26 Aug 1943.

Mr. Childress evidently survived the war as I cannot find him on any 381st casualty list or POW list.  Osborne only shows him as a member of Ballinger's crew and no additional information is provided.

Does anyone have any leads on where Childress was from--I would like to contact him or his family for photos/history of the unit.

Warren B. Carah