B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd Lt Wilma Caldwell

Post
loic
Squadron Member
Hello all,
 
On the attached file we can see a crew picture about B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" shot down 22nd August 1943 over Normandy. This picture was taken just few days before the crash so I would like to put a name for each crew member. Standing second from left is 2nd Lt Andrew G. Lindsay for sure but for the others I will need your help.
Follows is the crew :
 
2nd Lt Wilma J. Caldwell (P) KIA
2nd Lt Andrew G. Lindsay (CP) EVD
2nd Lt Frank A. Schultz (B) KIA
T/Sgt Clayton H. Burdick (RO) EVD
S/Sgt William M. Callahan (WG) POW
S/Sgt Edward C. Sharpe (TG) POW
 
On the b26.com site we can see a picture about Wilma Caldwell.
 
any help will be welcome, thanks in advance
 
Regards
Loic

Attached Image(s)

loic
Squadron Member
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
we can see a good resolution picture on this link :
 
http://www.fold3.com/image/#32181212
 
Regards,
 
Loic
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
According to the Fold3 website the photo was taken on 20th August 1943, two days before Caldwell was killed.
In the 386th book "The Crusaders" the photo appears on page 165 and the caption is The crew of "Pay off" with Lt Col Ramsey.
The crew are listed as from left (P) Alexander Deussen (CP) Robert Varney (N) L L Smehyl (B) Paul Broffman (R) unknown L S Hileman (G) unknown.
I cannot verify this.
 
loic
Squadron Member
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
Hello Richard,
 
Thank you for this information from this book, otherwise I do have a little doubt because it's for sure Andrew Lindsay second from left...to follow
 
Thanks again,
 
Regards
Loic
buckeyeuk
Scooter
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
Loic
this is probably "Pay-Off" shot down by an FW190 over JG2's airfield at Beaumont Le Roger ; she rolled over and went down in 3 parts as witnessed by a B-26 in the same ( second) box.
The 386BG was still assigned to VIII AF ASC ( 3rd BW) at that time . The FW190 was probably flown by Uffz. Ludwig Schollenberger from 3. Staffel of JG2; the other German claims on the 22nd were Spitfires from the escort.
Beaumont was used by JG2 during the Battle of Britain, when they first landed there in June 1940 it was a huge wheatfield. These photos are from "Target Germany" published a few months after the mission.
There is a USAF photo of 41-34971 showing the back end with newly-applied red outlined insignia.
Nick

Attached Image(s)

toutfou
Cadet
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
Hi gentlemen,
 
I am looking for more information about : S/Sgt William M. Callahan (WG) .
 
I know that he was POW in Austria, and liberated  July 03, 1945
Does He still alive ? Did he stay in the USAAF after the war ?
 
Do you have other picture of this crew ?
 
Regards
 
Seb
RSwank
Division Member
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
loic
Squadron Member
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
Hi Nick, just see your reply so sorry I'm late to reply you but many thanks...very much appreciated
 
Thanks RSwank for the obit link
 
Seb, do you have any info about Callahan or PayOff's crew ?
 
Regards
Loic
loic
Squadron Member
Re:B-26 #41-34971 "Pay-Off" who's who on the picture ? 554th BS - 2nd
Nick,
Is it Pay Off show us shot down on the pic's link ?
Regards
Loic