41-28840 (Smoky)

B-24H-15-DT

A 34^th BG Original.

This plane was to have been named “Smoky” but this had not yet been painted on the plane when it was lost, so this is not the same “Smokey” that appears in later photos.

Crew Chief: Frank Bristo.

MIA 5-30-44

MISSION LIST

Mission #1 May 23, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky

Mission #3 May 25, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Blackburn Smoky

Mission #5 May 28, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky

Mission #7 May 30, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky MIA

MISSION DETAILS

Mission #1 May 23, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky

Took off at 0547 hours from Hardstand #15.

Flew position 4-2 in Low Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs.

Slight damage.

Landed 1142 hours.

Hanson (P)

Boyle (CP)

Koch (B)

Sims (R)

Elmo (E)

Layman

Szards

Antonovitch

Thomas

Werner (from crew #47 Dees)

Zemmelman (N)

Mission #2 May 24, 1944 41-28840 B/R (Scheduled for Hansen, but replaced.) Smoky

Mission #3 May 25, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Blackburn Smoky

Took off at 0453 hours.

Flew position 1-3 in Lead Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on the Secondary target at 0918 hours from 18,200 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 1056 hours.

Blackburn, J. R. (P)

Little, J. W. (CP)

Conklin, C. D. (B)

Younker, G. L. (R)

Bushey, H. V. (E)

Eshman, P. O. (NG)

Stark, J. A. (TG)

Dolley, H. L. (BG)

Clements, E. P. (G)

Mission #5 May 28, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky

Took off at 1028 hours from Hardstand #15.

Flew position 1-3 in High Squadron.

Carried 10 500 lb GP bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 1500 hours from 22,000 feet.

No damage reported.

Landed 1810 hours.

Hansen, A. M. (P)

Boyle, G. F. (CP)

Zemelman, N. O. (N)

Sims, P. N. (R)

Elmo, S. S. (E)

Antanovitch, A. (NG)

Szaras, A. (TG)

Layman, W. E. (BG)

Thomas, J. M. (G)

Mission #7 May 30, 1944 41-28840 B/R 18BS Hansen Smoky MIA

Took off at 0653 hours from Hardstand #15.

Flew position 2-2 in Lead Squadron.

Carried 6 1000 lb bombs. Dropped on the Primary at 1110 hours.

Missing in Action. Aircraft fell 1,000 feet below formation at the IP with #2 engine feathered. After releasing bombs on target at 1110 hours, aircraft left formation with #2 engine feathered and #1 engine smoking. Aircraft was last observed at 1135 hours, position 5236N-0635E, at an altitude of between 5,000 and 10,000 feet on a magnetic heading of 250 degrees with four P-47s in escort. Aircraft was last observed under control, no chutes appeared.

Hansen (P)

Boyle (CP)

Koch (B)

Sims (R)

Elmo (E)

Layman (NG)

Szaras (TG)

Antanovitch (BG)

Thomas (G)

B-24H 41-28840 B/R Smoky Missing in Action believed near Rotterdam. Crashed at Rheine. With 18BS. Pilot: Hansen.

Missing Air Crew Report # 5238. 8 Prisoner of War, 1 Evaded. (The name had not been painted on the plane as yet.)

POW HANSEN, ARTHUR M (P)                      2 LT            18        O-699979                        BROOKLYN NY

POW BOYLE GEORGE F (CP)                            2 LT            18        O-816779                        FREEHOLD NJ

POW KOCH STEPHEN (B)                                2 LT            18        O-694914                        NEW YORK NY

POW ELMO SALVATORE S (TT)                    S/SGT         18        31279796                        NEW HAVEN CT

POW SIMS PAUL N (R)                                     S/SGT         18        15277744                        VIENNA WV

EVD ANTANOVICH ALEX (BT)                      SGT            18        33423824                        COKESBURG PA

POW THOMAS JAMES E (WG)                      SGT            18        19104980                        TULARE CA

POW SZARAS ADOLPH JR (TG)                    SGT            18        12168814                        BUFFALO NY

POW LAYMAN WILLIAM E (NG)                  SGT            18        19103290                        ELCENTRO CA

NOTES: Layman was returned to Military Control April 16, 1945.

Antanovich evaded capture, contacted the underground and was eventually escorted out through Spain. He arrived months later back at Mendlesham to find all his posessions gone. He was rotated back to the states. (see Sturdivan, p.15.)