44-40276

B-24J-155-CO

 

A 493BG Original, squadron and letter unknown

Any combat missions with the 493BG are not known to me.

Transferred to the 34BG between May 29th and June 14th 1944, assigned to the 7th Squadron as E/D.

Was already at Mendlesham on June 12, 1944

 

MISSION LIST

 

Mission #16 June 14, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (lead)

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAlister (deputy lead)

Mission #18 June 20, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (lead)

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister

Mission #21 June 23, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Mission #23 June 24, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (deputy lead)

Mission #25 June 25, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (deputy lead)

Mission #26 June 27, 1944 44-40276 E/D Bush (ground spare – lead)

Mission #28 June 29, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Mission #30 July 6, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister (lead)

Mission #32 July 8, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister

Mission #36 July 17, 1944 44-40276 E/D (scheduled for Dees but replaced)

Mission #37 July 18, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Mission #38 July 19, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Brown

Mission #40 July 21, 1944 44-40276 E/D Halbert (ground spare – lead)

Mission #42 July 25, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Holmes

Mission #44 July 27, 1944 44-40276 E/C 4BS Wright

Mission #45 July 28, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Gardner

Mission #48 August 1, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS McAllister

Mission #49 August 2, 1944 44-40276 E/C 18BS Alexander

Mission #50 August 3, 1944 44-40276 E/C (ground spare)

Mission #52 August 5, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Bush

Mission #53 August 6, 1944 44-40276 E/C (ground spare)

Mission #55 August 8, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS McAllister

Mission #56 August 10, 1944 44-40276 E/C Gradner, H. (Weather ship)

Mission #57 August 11, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Bush

Mission #58 August 13, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Avriett

 

Transferred to 44BG as Scotty Mac.

 

MISSION DETAILS

 

                     May 30, 1944 44-40276 (pilot not listed)

Landed at 1817 hours, returning from Honington.

 

                     May 31, 1944 44-40276 (pilot not listed)

Took off at 1941 hours on a local flight.

No landing time given.

 

                       June 12, 1944 44-40276 E/D Bush

Took off at 1320 hours on local flight to the Otmoor range.

Landed 1522 hours.

 

Mission #16 June 14, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (lead)

Took off at 0324 hours.

Flew Lead of High Squadron.

Carried 52 100 lb bombs. Dropped on TO at 0808 hours from 19,000 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 0941 hours.

Bush (P)

Hershenow (Command Pilot)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Cook (B)

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Vronz (G)

Brown (G)

Buckley (G)

 

Mission #17 June 17, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister (deputy lead)

Took off at 1640 hours.

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

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

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2247 hours.

McAllister (P)

Whited (CP)

Baldea (N)

Jorgenson (N)

Ritchie (B)

Sears (R)

Smith (E)

Graff (G)

Domino (G)

Coon (G)

Carroll (G)

 

Mission #18 June 20, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (lead)

Took off at 0501 hours.

Flew Lead of Low Squadron.

Carried 12 500 lb bombs. Dropped on Primary at 0914 hours from 22,500 feet.

Slight battle damage reported. 2 Lt. Charles A. Cook SWA, taken to 65th General Hospital.

Landed 1128 hours.

Bush (P)

Brophy (Command Pilot)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Cook (B)                SWA, taken to 65th General Hospital.

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Vronz (G)

Brown (G)

Bonshoff (G)

Carroll (G) (from crew #27)

 

Mission #19 June 20, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister

Took off at 1740 hours.

Flew Lead of Group A (7th).

Carried 52 100 lb bombs. Dropped on Primary at 2055 hours from 23,000 feet.

Reported Major battle damage.

From Tavasti’s after mission report: The lead ship (McAlister) was hit by flak in the Bombay just as bombs were away. Due to the great amount of gasoline spraying in the Bombay, all electrical units, radios, generators, inverters and heated suits were turned off. As a result, no strike report was relayed by lead ship of lead group. An accurate survey of damage was extremely difficult so lead ship left formation while returning to England. After all gasoline had drained from the #3 fuel cells, #3 engine was lost as cross-feed hose was damaged. #3 was feathered for the return flight to base, but unfeathered shortly before landing to provide hydraulic pressure for gear, flaps and brakes, as it seemed unadvisable to operate the auxiliary hydraulic pump with great amounts of liquid gasoline and fumes present in bombay.   

Landed at 2234 hours.

No Crew Loading List available.

McAlister (P)

Tavasti (Command Pilot)

Jorgeson (PN)

 

                        June 22, 1944 44-40276 E/D Bush

Took off at 1433 hours on a Photo Mission.

Landed 1701 hours.

 

Mission #21 June 23, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Took off at 1602 hours.

Flew Lead of Low Squadron (493BG supplied Lead and High Squadrons)

Carried 52 100 lb GP bombs. Dropped on Primary at 2011 hours from 19,700 feet. Made three runs.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2231 hours.

Bush (P)

Brophy (Command Pilot)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Ritchie, G. J. (B) (from crew #27)

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Buckley (BG)

Coon (TG) (from crew #27)

Brown (NG)

Bonshoff (G)

 

Mission #23 June 24, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Took off at 1632 hours.

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

Carried 24 250 lb GP bombs. Dropped 6 bombs on the Primary. Jettisoned 18 bombs.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2108 hours.

Bush (P)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Rogers (B) (from crew #23)

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Buckley (BG)

Nesbitt (TG) (from crew #20)

Brown (NG)

Bonshoff (G)

 

Mission #25 June 25, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush (deputy lead)

Took off at 1531 hours.

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

Carried 6 1000 lb bombs. Dropped on Primary at 1943 hours from 20,600 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 2239 hours.

Bush (P)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Rogers (B) (from crew #23)

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Buckley (BG)

Stahl (TG) (from another crew)

Brown (NG)

Bonshoff (G)

 

Mission #26 June 27, 1944 44-40276 E/D Bush

Ground spare – lead. Not needed.

 

Mission #28 June 29, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

Took off at 0515 hours.

Flew Lead of High Squadron.

Carried 10 500 lb GP bombs. Dropped on Primary at 0938 hours from 23,700 feet.

No battle damage reported.

Landed 1222 hours.

#4 booster pump inoperative. #3 generator inoperative. #2 engine cuts out at low throttle settings. Inspected and repaired.

Tail turret left charging cable is frayed. Repaired.

Bush (P)

Richey (command Pilot)                                      Capt        (written on mission chart & loading list but scratched off the loading list.)

Duncan (CP)

Jackson (N)

Boulaine (N2)

Rogers (B) (from crew #23)

Ricker (R)

Desantis (E)

Buckley (BG)

Vronz (TG)

Brown (NG)

Bonshoff (G)

 

Mission #30 July 6, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister (lead)

Mission #32 July 8, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS McAllister

Mission #36 July 17, 1944 44-40276 E/D (scheduled for Dees but replaced)

Mission #37 July 18, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Bush

 

Mission #38 July 19, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Brown

Slight flak damage.

 

                       July 20, 1944 44-40276 E/D Zarfoss

Took off at 1118 hours for a practice formation.

Landed 1319 hours.

 

Mission #40 July 21, 1944 44-40276 E/D Halbert (ground spare – lead)

 

                       July 21, 1944 44-40276 E/D Zarfoss

Took off at 1402 hours on a flight to Turnhouse.

Landed 2033 hours.

 

Mission #42 July 25, 1944 44-40276 E/D 7BS Holmes

Mission #44 July 27, 1944 44-40276 E/C 4BS Wright

Mission #45 July 28, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Gardner

Mission #48 August 1, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS McAllister

Mission #49 August 2, 1944 44-40276 E/C 18BS Alexander

Mission #50 August 3, 1944 44-40276 E/C (ground spare)

Mission #52 August 5, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Bush

Mission #53 August 6, 1944 44-40276 E/C (ground spare)

Mission #55 August 8, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS McAllister

Mission #56 August 10, 1944 44-40276 E/C Gradner, H. (Weather ship)

Mission #57 August 11, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Bush

Mission #58 August 13, 1944 44-40276 E/C 7BS Avriett

 

Transferred to 44BG as Scotty Mac.

 

October 17, 1945 to RFC Altus, OK.