Here is the first report of 455th BG about mission on 27. August 1944 to Blechhammer South O/R :

230 B-24's of 55th and 304th BW whit escort of 111 P-51's of 52nd FG and 332nd FG and 37 P-38's of 1st FG were dispatched . 196 B-24's dropped 475 tons (1900x500 lb. GP bombs) between 1214/1227 hours from 20 500 feet . Bombing Was visual . 28 B-24's returned early , 2 jettisoned bombs and 4 returned prior to reaching target .
455th BG - Concentracion of bombs actoss target area which is mostly smoke obscured by previous bombing . Hits seen just West of hydrogenation stalls and also just S.E. of turbine house , but these installations are all smoke obscured.
Flak at target was M / IAH . 7/11 E/A were seen but none encountered. Claims 0 , Lost 0 , Missing 1 B-24


I have Mission report of 455th BG for this mission too . However at microfilm at the present time .I will make this to digital form about two weeks .

Another report (from "Flight of the ..." .:

Mission 104 , August 27 :

Another long mission to Blechhammer , Germany , these were long ,unusually very rough and were always over seven and one-half hours in Duration . That was tough on all crewmen and their support crews back at the base . This day we sent 28 B-24's loaded whit 500 # GP bombs . They bombed whit good results but as usual the flak was very heavy and intense over target . We lost another plane . It was seen whit one engine feathered losing altitude off to the left of the formation . The crewmen were reported missing in action .
More later .
Regards ,

Viliam

Solved the mystery of the two other photos that I posted, my brother, found them on the internet and sent them to me so I would know what type of A/C was in the picture with Uncle Sonny.

Concerning the crew photo with MISS-I-HOPE, I believe that the A/C is 42-51624, and not 42-78624. The latter A/C did not arrive until 9 SEP 44, while the former was lost 9 AUG 44. I do not, however; have any good reasoning about whether 51624 was 455/740 or 455/741.

After six and half months, I finally got the MACR I requested. Actually, let me clarify, after six months I found a contact number for AFHRA. I called to ask how long a request takes, and the person who answered the phone was Lynn Gamma. Realizing I was speaking directly to the person I wanted to, I asked her about my initial email request. After discovering she never received it, followed by her giving me the correct address; two weeks from that phone call, I have my MACR. (Which also arrived the same day as my Amazon order containing Ambrose’s, The Wild Blue).

P – 2 LT Harold R. Zabawa (GA)
C – 2LT Robert H. Schireman (WA)
N – 2LT Albert V. Agostino (NJ)
B – 2LT Warren L. Franke (MO)
R – SSgt Selwyn E. Bulger (PA)
E – TSgt William D. Gaines (PA)
G – CPL Benjamin J. Levie (NY)
G – CPL Ralph L. Phillips (LA)
G – CPL John E. Lovett (NC)
G – CPL Harold C. Brown (TX)

Ship #42-94938 was attempting to feather #3 engine in the vicinity of Lake Balaton. Farther south at approximately 40°14’ N, 16° 58’ E at 1407 hours, this aircraft was again attempting to feather #3 engine and was seen turning off to the left of the formation. Aircraft was under control when last sighted, and was at about 10,000 feet altitude.

When I pop in that LAT/LONG I end up in the arch of the Italy boot, but based on the strip map in the MACR and the Lake Balaton (Hungary) reference, the A/C was list sighted around the current border of Croatia (Novksa) and Bosnia & Herzegovina (Orahova).

Since I know that Sonny and 2LT Agostino are both interred at Florence, would anyone have any knowledge about the other crewmembers? If they were KIA, I realize they have been disinterred back to the States as ABMC has no listing of them for overseas. Would it have been possible that some of the crew survived, (either POW or escaped & evaded) if so, would it have been the practice to update an already submitted MACR to reflect accuracy?

Are there any other codes on the MACR (RTD, RUS, DED, PED, etc.)? These are often penciled in next to the names of the crew, and will provide additional information.

My brother has finally managed to get a number of things scanned and sent to me.  Thought I would share two of the more interesting ones.  I amazed that the CG, 15th AAF, would have taken the time to be so personable.  This is a letter I would have expected from the Squadron or Group Commander.

Attached Image(s)

This is a newspaper (The Mexico Ledger) clipping about Uncle Sonny still being missing but being awarded the DUC.  This is the first DUC the 455th received for the mission on April 2, 1944.  While parts of  the article quote the General Order, there are a few other interesting tidbits.

Attached Image(s)

In catching up with a past month+ of posts and in an effort to keep all the information in one spot, Jim Peters mentioned in http://forum.armyairforces.com/m_123916/tm.htm
 
"The B-24 was hydraulic with ONLY one engine driven hydraulic pump on the No 3 engine...in the event the No 3 engine was shutdown, there was no hydraulic pump to operate the brakes....to solve this, an electric motor driven pump was installed in the bomb bay...where due to a quirk in the fuel system  on the early B-24s, mostly leaked and therefore the bomb bay doors had to cracked open on takeoff and landing....the electric motor sparked when operated, and if fuel fumes were present, caused an explosion."
 
Since the #3 engine was causing problems (flak hit? just decided to crap out?) would feathering the engine have stopped the hydraulic pump?  What other problems would the pilots have had without the hydrualic pump working?
 
I have also corresponded (since my last posting in this thread) with my (2nd? 3rd?) cousin (Warren's daughter) who informed me that the wreckage was found in a stony field near Sinj, Yugoslavia.  Of course I don't know if that's the Sinj in now Croatia, or Bosnia and Herzogovina.  She also mentioned that the crew photo (post #13) is from Briggs Field before they left for Italy.
 
p.s. - who can tell me how to edit my previous two post to change that awful small font into a larger and more legible size?

Dear Mr. Sawyer;
 
Here is some additional info.  One of my best friends is the son of TSgt William D. Gaines of Havertown, Pa.  Knowing that I am an avid reader of everything relating to WW2 as well as a retired flight instructor, he gave me a picture almost identical to that which you have of Miss-I-Hope as well as a copy of the letter which his mother received when the aircraft was reported missing.  I've been looking all over my hard drive for it but can't find it or I would give it to you.  My copy is in black and white and taken from a much closer distance.  I will continue looking on the other 3 computers I have and will uploaded if possible when I find it.
 
Let me share with you that I was born on August 27th 1942 which would have made me two years old on the day these brave men gave their lives for us.  I have a print of this picture hanging in my office and each day I take a few seconds to reflect on their youth and the fact that they never had the opportunity to enjoy the blessings I have.  I am most grateful for their sacrifice.  Thank you for posting their names as it adds so much to the picture.  FYI TSgt. Gaines is seated 2nd from the right,  I'll be passing this on to his son to see if he can give you additional info.
 
Cesar Cardenas
Lancaster, Pa.
 

ORIGINAL: CTSawyer

After six and half months, I finally got the MACR I requested. Actually, let me clarify, after six months I found a contact number for AFHRA. I called to ask how long a request takes, and the person who answered the phone was Lynn Gamma. Realizing I was speaking directly to the person I wanted to, I asked her about my initial email request. After discovering she never received it, followed by her giving me the correct address; two weeks from that phone call, I have my MACR. (Which also arrived the same day as my Amazon order containing Ambrose’s, The Wild Blue).

P – 2 LT Harold R. Zabawa (GA)
C – 2LT Robert H. Schireman (WA)
N – 2LT Albert V. Agostino (NJ)
B – 2LT Warren L. Franke (MO)
R – SSgt Selwyn E. Bulger (PA)
E – TSgt William D. Gaines (PA)
G – CPL Benjamin J. Levie (NY)
G – CPL Ralph L. Phillips (LA)
G – CPL John E. Lovett (NC)
G – CPL Harold C. Brown (TX)

Ship #42-94938 was attempting to feather #3 engine in the vicinity of Lake Balaton. Farther south at approximately 40°14’ N, 16° 58’ E at 1407 hours, this aircraft was again attempting to feather #3 engine and was seen turning off to the left of the formation. Aircraft was under control when last sighted, and was at about 10,000 feet altitude.

When I pop in that LAT/LONG I end up in the arch of the Italy boot, but based on the strip map in the MACR and the Lake Balaton (Hungary) reference, the A/C was list sighted around the current border of Croatia (Novksa) and Bosnia & Herzegovina (Orahova).

Since I know that Sonny and 2LT Agostino are both interred at Florence, would anyone have any knowledge about the other crewmembers? If they were KIA, I realize they have been disinterred back to the States as ABMC has no listing of them for overseas. Would it have been possible that some of the crew survived, (either POW or escaped & evaded) if so, would it have been the practice to update an already submitted MACR to reflect accuracy?