Buchanan crew
CREW #81; 18th Squadron (as of March 2, 1945)
Mission #146 March 19, 1945 43-38433 B/R 18BS Buchanan
Mission #147 March 20, 1945 43-38257 L/T 18BS Buchanan
Mission #148 March 21, 1945 43-38402 L/P 18BS Buchanan
Mission #149 March 22, 1945 44-8321 B/F 18BS Buchanan
Mission #150 March 23, 1945 44-8605 B/H 18BS Buchanan Homesick Angel
Mission #151 March 24, 1945 43-38409 B/B 18BS Buchanan
Mission #153 March 28, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner Some battle damage
Mission #154 March 30, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #155 March 31, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #156 April 3, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #157 April 4, 1945 43-38415 B/A 18BS Buchanan
Mission #158 April 5, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #159 April 7, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #160 April 8, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #161 April 9, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #164 April 14, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #165 April 15, 1945 43-39183 B/K 18BS Buchanan
Mission #167 April 17, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Mission #168 April 18, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #169 April 19, 1945 43-39183 B/K 18BS Buchanan
Mission #171 May 1, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #172 May 2, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #173 May 3, 1945 43-37960 B/L 18BS Buchanan
Mission #174 May 5, 1945 43-37960 B/L 18BS Buchanan
Mission #175 May 6, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Mission #176 May 7, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Mission #177 May 15, 1945 43-38216 B/O Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission Notes are from Lester Thompson as recorded in MM, June 1988, page 16.)
CREW #81; 18th Squadron (as of March 2, 1945)
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
Blaine (B)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
McAndrew (TG)
Clausen (BG)
Kikielski (G)
Mission #146 March 19, 1945 43-38433 B/R 18BS Buchanan
Mission #147 March 20, 1945 43-38257 L/T 18BS Buchanan
"Through heavy flak and hit by fighters. Came home leading a group of cripples. We started on one guy's wing and he came came back on ours." Les Thompson
Mission #148 March 21, 1945 43-38433 B/R (scheduled for Buchanan but replaced)
Mission #148 March 21, 1945 43-38402 L/P 18BS Buchanan
Mission #149 March 22, 1945 44-8321 B/F 18BS Buchanan
Mission #150 March 23, 1945 44-8605 B/H 18BS Buchanan Homesick Angel
"Navigator got his in the fanny with a piece of flak. He accused bombardier of kicking him. The piece that hit him was off the plane flying right wing on us. That plane went down and took another Fort with him." Les Thompson
Mission #151 March 24, 1945 43-38409 B/B 18BS Buchanan
Mission #153 March 28, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner Some battle damage
Mission #154 March 30, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
"Heaviest flak yet. Flak came through windshield between pilot and co-pilot. Glass blinded us a moment. Co-pilot finally got eyes cleared enough to handle the Tempest until Jerry could get his eyes cleared out. Shaky's cigarette case got hit so he didn't have any smokes on the way back. He really sweated that one out." Les Thompson
Mission #155 March 31, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #156 April 3, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
"Target is two big German Battleships. Flak meager to moderate." Les Thompson
Mission #157 April 4, 1945 43-38415 B/A 18BS Buchanan
"Flak gunners better after yesterday's practice." Les Thompson
Mission #158 April 5, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
"Takeoff was made in pouring rain. Climbed through 25,000 feet of solid overcast. The buncher was not working and we flubbed around an hour trying to assemble. Finally, just joined any old group and went in. Heavy flak as we left target. Had to drop down under the weather to come back home. Saw many ruined German towns on the way back." Les Thompson
Mission #159 April 7, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
"Hit enemy coast at 15,000 feet so they could pick us up on radar and know our altitude. Picked up our fighter escort and headed back into target. We were hit by conventional fighters. Our group got 3. We didn't lose a ship." Les Thompson
Mission #160 April 8, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #161 April 9, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
"We got hit by 262 jets. They came through our formation so fast we didn't have time to call them out. Germans held their fire thinking we were coming over the heart of the city. We dropped our bombs and made out turn before they realized what was happening and started shooting." Les Thompson
Mission #164 April 14, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #165 April 15, 1945 43-39183 B/K 18BS Buchanan
"Helped the French take a pocket so they could open the port at Bordeaux." Les Thompson
Mission #167 April 17, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Mission #168 April 18, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Mission #169 April 19, 1945 43-39183 B/K 18BS Buchanan
"Long haul. Hit by jets. Cookie manning guns with no pants on. Bombed the Germans that day with GI greetings. Spot Jammer ran around the radio room at 20,000 feet wearing nothing but an oxygen mask." Les Thompson
Mission #171 May 1, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Took off 0744 hours from hardstand #13.
Flew position 2-2 in C Squadron
Dropped 90 cases of 10 in 1 at 0918 hours from 500 feet.
Landed 1058 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
McAndrew (TG)
Ford (Tog)
Thompson (Photographer)
"Dropped food on roofs, through greenhouses, etc. One of the biggest thrills of my life." Les Thompson
Mission #172 May 2, 1945 43-38216 B/O 18BS Buchanan Tempest Turner
Took off 1123 hours from hardstand #13.
Flew position 3-1 in A Squadron.
Dropped 90 cases of 10 in 1 rations at 1335 hours from 350 feet.
Landed 1512 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
McAndrew (TG)
Cobb (X)
Squires (X)
"Took off in blinding snow storm. Lost an engine as we left the English coast. Went around on three. Te Old Tempest Turner - best 3 engine Fort in the 8th!" Les Thompson
Mission #173 May 3, 1945 43-37960 B/L 18BS Buchanan
Took off 0847 hours from hardstand #17.
Dropped 3 sets of Br. Rations at 1004 ½ hours from 800 feet.
Carried K-20 camera.
Landed 1112 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
Blaine (B)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
Diamond (X)
Rite (X)
Hildebrant (X)
"Food drop from 250 feet." Les Thompson
Mission #174 May 5, 1945 43-37960 B/L 18BS Buchanan
Took off 0856 hours from hardstand
#17.
Flew with 18th
Squadron.
Dropped 3 sets of rations at 1012
hours from 300 feet.
Landed 1120 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
Blaine (B)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
Maj. Morgan (X)
Capt Hegeman (X)
T/Sgt Mason (X)
"Food drop at 50 feet. Used church steeple for pylon." Les Thompson
Mission #175 May 6, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Took off 1357 hours from hardstand #17.
Flew with 18th Squadron.
Dropped 3 sets of rations at 1456 hours from 400 feet.
Landed 1629 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
Blaine (B)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
Wright (X)
Duley (X)
Mission #176 May 7, 1945 43-38410 B/H 18BS Buchanan
Took off 1302 hours from hardstand #9.
Flew with 18th Squadron.
Dropped 3 sets of rations (213 sacks) at 1408 hours from 400 feet.
Landed 1505 hours.
Buchanan (P)
Thompson (CP)
Shein (N)
Blaine (B)
McLeod (R)
Moon (E)
Haferkafp (X)
Rowen (X)
Zeman (X)
"Food drop - Went down to 20 feet altitude to see the country." Les Thompson
Mission #177 May 15, 1945 43-38216 B/O Buchanan Tempest Turner
Took off 0558 hours.
Landed at Horsching AF and picked up 30 French former POWs.
Discharged 30 French former POWs at Chartres (A-40)
Landed 1723 hours.
No crew loading lists.
"P.O.W. mission. Returned French slave laborers to Paris." Les Thompson (On his mission list he gives the date as May 11, 1945.)
43-38216 Tempest Turner
B-17G-80-BO
June 26, 1945 Returned to the US to Bradley.
Flown to the US by the Buchanan crew #10-34. See Microfilm reel B0115, p.1538.
Buchanan, Gerald W. 1Lt O-780509 Pilot 1091 B-17 Pilot
Thompson, Lester E. 1Lt O-929668 Co-Pilot 1091 B-17 Pilot
Shein, Stanley S. F/O T-134778 Nav 1034 Navigator
McLeod, James W., Jr. T/Sgt 16123869 Radio Op 757 Radio Operator- Mechanic-Gunner
Moon, Walter H., Jr. T/Sgt 13123502 Engr 748
Blaine, Benjamin P., Jr. 1Lt O-929849 Bomb 1035
McAndrew, Joseph L. S/Sgt 12072262 Gunner 612
Schmidt, Joseph J. S/Sgt 37703112 Gunner 612
Kukielski, Leonard J. S/Sgt 36679812 Gunner 612
Squires, Clarence W. S/Sgt 37211276 Crew Chief 750
Sinnott, Lawrence N. S/Sgt 37160449 Passenger 747
Legg, Howard S. Sgt 39127612 Passenger 686
Knox, Kenneth D. Sgt 18070471 Passenger 405 Clerk-Typist
Carnahan, Frederick W. Sgt 17162128 Passenger 911
Whitcomb, Carroll C., Jr. S/Sgt 19092662 Passenger 678
Ferraro, William R. Sgt 33696727 Passenger 809
Haferkamp, Bernard C. Cpl 38436129 Passenger 911
Hendrix, walter A. Cpl 34406802 Passenger 911
Vasquez, Rumaldo Jr. Sgt 18199672 Passenger 060
Smelley, D. O. Pvt 38220060 Passenger 060