Hardison crew

 

MISSION LIST

 

CREW #18; 7th Squadron

Mission #2 May 24, 1944 42-94845 E/A 7BS Hardison Miz-Pah

Mission #5 May 28, 1944 42-94845 E/A 7BS Hardison Miz-Pah (incorrectly listed as 4645.)

Mission #12 June 6, 1944 42-94930 E/S 7BS Hardison

Mission #14 June 11, 1944 42-94930 E/S 7BS Hardison

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40470 E/A 7BS Hardison Worry Bird (lead)

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40470 E/A 7BS Hardison Worry Bird  Crash landed at Woodchurch, 2 KIA

 

MISSION AND CREW DETAILS

 

CREW #18; 7th Squadron

HARDISON JOSEPH H (P) (1024) (P) (1024)   1 LT        7              O-793764

STRINGHAM DANIEL D (CP) (1024)              2 LT        7              O-759522

METZ CHARLES F JR (N) (1034)                      1 LT        7              O-798849

SHORE WALTER JR (B) (1035)                         2 LT        7              O-678480

JOHNSON GEORGE O (AEG) (748)                   SGT        7              17155739

PRICE RABUN A (ROG) (757)                           T/SGT    7              34355568

TOLBERT JOHN S (AG) (612)                           S/SGT     7              15116012

BLACKMAN WILLIAM B (BG) (748)              SGT        7              14178361

HAYES RICHARRD B (BG) (612)                      SGT        7              39413396

 

Mission #2 May 24, 1944 42-94845 E/A 7BS Hardison Miz-Pah

Took off at 0456 hours from Hardstand #7.

Flew Lead of Lead Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on the Secondary target at 0924 hours from 21,000 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 1042 hours.

Pilot's and Co-pilot's mike switch inoperative. Inspected and repaired.

Hardison (P)

LeBailly (Command Pilot)

Stringham, D. D. (CP)

Metz, C. F. (N)

Priddy (PN) (from crew #25)

Shore, W. A. (B)

Price, R. A. (R)

Johnson, G. O. (E)

Furr, V. C. (TG)

Hayes, R. B. (BG)

Blackman, W. B. (G)

 

                     May 24, 1944 Hardison

Crew Status Report 1800 hours.

Crew #18; 7th Squadron

Hardison (P)                          1 Lt         OK

Stringham, D. (CP)               2 Lt         OK

Metz, C. F. (N)                      1 Lt         OK

Shore, W. A. (B)                   2 Lt         OK

Price, R. A. (R)                      T/Sgt      OK

Johnson, G. O. (E)                Sgt          OK

Tolbert, J. S. (NG)                 S/Sgt      OK

Furr, V. C. (TG)                     Sgt          OK

Hayes, R. B. (BG)                 Sgt          OK

Blackman, W. B. (G)             Sgt          OK

 

                     May 25, 1944 42-94845 E/A Hardison Miz-Pah

Took off at 1616 hours on a local flight.

Landed 1700 hours.

 

Mission #5 May 28, 1944 42-94845 E/A 7BS Hardison Miz-Pah (incorrectly listed as 645 on one form.)

Took off at 1036 hours from Hardstand #7.

Flew Deputy Lead, position 1-2 in Low Squadron.

Carried 10 500 lb GP bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 1501 hours from 21,000 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 1756 hours.

Hardison (P)

Stringham (CP)

Metz (N)

Priddy (PN) (from crew #25)

Shore (B)

Price (R)

Johnson (E)

Tolbert (NG)

Furr (BG)

Hayes (TG)

Blackman (G)

 

                     May 31, 1944 44-40421 Hardison (was soon to be B/F, if not already)

Took off at 1216 hours on a "Bomb." flight.

Landed 1416 hours.

 

Mission #12 June 6, 1944 42-94930 E/S 7BS Hardison

Took off at 1704 hours.

Flew Lead of High Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on the Primary but no time or altitude report.

No damage report.

Landed 2342 hours.

 

Mission #14 June 11, 1944 42-94930 E/S 7BS Hardison

Took off at 0441 hours.

Flew position 1-2, Deputy Lead, of High Squadron

Carried 24 250 lb GP bombs. Brought back all bombs to base due to 10/10 cloud coverage of target.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 1028 hours.

Hardison (P)

Stringham (CP)

Metz (N)

Priddy (N2)

Shore (B)

Price (R)

Johnson (E)

Hayes (G)

Furr (G)

Blackman (G)

 

                       June 14, 1944 44-40470 E/A Hardison Worry Bird

Took off at 1708 hours for the Otmoor range.

Landed 1918 hours.

 

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40470 E/A 7BS Hardison Worry Bird (lead)

Took off at 1639 hours

Flew Lead of High Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on Primary at 2022 hours from 18,400 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2244 hours.

Hardison (P)

Tavasti (Command Pilot)

Stringham (CP)

Metz (N)

Priddy (N2) (listed on Formation chart but not on crew loading list)

Shore (B)

Price (R)

Johnson (E)

Hayes (G)

Furr (G)

Tolbert (G)

 

                        June 20, 1944 44-40443 Hardison

Took off at 0948 hours for the Holbrook Range.

Landed 1101 hours.

 

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40470 E/A 7BS Hardison Worry Bird

Took off 1741 hours.

Flew position 1-2, Deputy Lead, of Group A.

Carried 52 100 lb bombs. Dropped on Primary but no time or altitude shown.

Plane suffered major flak damage. 2 KIA, 1WIA.

Crash landed at 2204 hours at Woodchurch. Plane was salvaged.

No crew loading lists for this mission.

Hardison, Joseph H. (P)                      1 Lt         O-793764                KIA

Stringham (CP)                                                                                     WIA

Metz (N)

Priddy (PN)

Blackman, William B. (TG)                  S/Sgt      14178361                KIA

NOTE from Metz: Hit hard by AA fire over Noball target at Haute Cote. Joe Hardison, Pilot and William Blackman, Tail Gunner, were killed. Co-Pilot, Stringham was wounded in the temple, but managed to get the plane safely to fighter base in Southern England and landed on the metal airstrip. The nose wheel collapsed, sending the plane skidding to a stop on its nose, tail high.

 

Crew #18 continues to be listed, but without Hardison & Blackman.

 

Brown, Pilot of Crew #29 eventually takes over the remainder of the Hardison crew, becoming the Pilot of Crew #18, while Whited, former CP on the McAllister crew, takes over as Pilot of Crew #29, replacing Brown.