Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th

RE: Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th (SilverHawk)

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:47:55 GMT

My father is Maj. Lawrence Anderson (Ret.) who was a B24 co-pilot, 448th BG, 712 SQ, shot down 29 April 1944, and was subsequently at Stalag Luft 3, 13A, and 7A.
An uncle interviewed my father some years ago and wrote a memoir, but by this time the memories were already fading. Briefly, the memoir says it was his 4th mission and he was substituting with another aircrew. They took flak over Berlin and were straffed while trying to make it to Belgium. Five men bailed out.
I would be interested in learning any relevant information that might be recorded in S/Sgt Cheyne's log book and can share what I know.

RE: Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th (shooshoobaby)

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:11:16 GMT

Jm - Crewmen Filling in on another Crew happened quite often.
Sometimes assigned - sometimes Volunteers.
Shootdowns of E/A should be in the Mission Reports and
the Squadron Combat Diary.
Mike

RE: Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th (jmarkey)

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 06:48:21 GMT

donall,
Thank you sir. How frequent of an occurrence was it for members of one crew to fill in on another crew? Would guys be assigned based on need or would they volunteer to fill in when the need arose.?

Would mission reports and the like contain information as to enemy fighters the B-24 crews were credited with shotting down? My reading and research continue.

RE: Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th (donall)

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:48:53 GMT

29 APRIL 1944
8th USAAF Mission # 327 of 968, 448th BG Mission # 57 of 262 total.
Target: Daimler-Benz Works; Berlin, Germany

Briefing: 0430. Take Off: 0720.
Excellent fighter cover was provided on the way to Berlin.
A 120 mph headwind and intense flak barrages did not hamper the group maintaining it's integrity to the target.
However, following the bomb drop by PFF due to cloud cover, devastating attacks by FW-190s claimed their first of six 448th BG aircraft at 1335.

At 1358 hours 712th Bomb Squadron's B-24H-1-FO, #42-7655, CHUBBY CHAMP (MACR 4486) piloted by 1st Lt. James G. Clark was incessantly pounded by rear attacking enemy aircraft.
Lts. Lawrence Anderson - C.P., Ralph Casey - Nav., Alfred Tellman(sp) - Bomb., Sgts. Manuel Caballero - Eng., and Robert Harrison - R.O. successfully bailed out and were taken prisoner.
The other five crewmen perished when the a/c entered a spin and crashed at Wildhausen (20 miles SE of Bremen).

Diary / Log Book S/Sgt. Roland M. Cheyne 448th / 712th (jmarkey)

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:05:27 GMT

As a result of researching my Uncle (Roland M. Cheyne KIA 9-Sept 1994 while serving with the 489th / 847th) I discovered he was originally assigned to the 448th / 712th. He flew his first 9 combat missions with the 448th before being transferred to the 389th / 564th where his crew flew as a pathfinder crew. Roland kept a small log book with mission dates and a note or two after the mission. His missions with the 448th / 712th are as follows:

18 April 1944 (Notes: First mission. Big B. Rathenow. Saw Germany. Aborted)
19 April 1944 (Notes: First real mission France. Lost one. Saw Dunkerque)
20 April 1944 (Notes: Mission - another no ball. Lost one)
24 April 1944 (Notes: Hit airfield at Augsberg Germany. All returned)
26 April 1944 (Notes: Mission to Paderborn. Clouds 10/10, no losses)
07 May 1944 (Notes: Bombed Munster)
08 May 1944 (Notes: Bombed Braunschweig. Got hit for first time)
09 May 1944 (Notes: Bombed Lieg Belgium. Lost one. Major Kramer went down)
11 May 1944 (Notes: Mission to Mulhouse France)

He has a notation for 29 April 1944 stating Andy and Tallman went down. Almost was with them. 2nd Lt. Alfred B. Tallman Jr was the F/O on Rolands crew as of 10 April 1944. Tallman became a P.O.W. at Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria. 9 moved to Nuremberg- Langwasser).

After looking a bit closer about the notation about "Andy" going down with Tallman I believe "Andy" may be 2nd Lt. Lawrence E. Anderson (0-806031). After seaching the POW files at the national archives I located 2nd Lt. Anderson. It appears he went down 0n 29 April 1944 9same date as Tallman). He was in Stalag 7A Moosburg Bavaria 48-12 (Work Camps 3324-46 Krumbachstrasse 48011, Work Camp 3368 Munich 48-11). Anderson was the Co-Pilot and Tallman the Navigator on the replacement crew that my Uncle Roland was originally apart of when assigned to the 448th / 712th on 10 April 1944.

According to flight records I have for Roland he was with crew 7 while with the 448th / 712th. It appears that the remainder of his crew transferred with him to the 389th / 564th minus 2nd Lt. Tallman. Any additional info about the 448th / 712th during this time frame would be most appreciated. Looking for the planes he might have flown in. His polit was 2nd Lt. Thomas Plese at this time.