Post by Mark R. Terry on May 31, 2018 23:39:22 GMT -5
Today was the 74th anniversary of the 31 May 1944 mission to Ploesti, Romania. On that mission, the B-24 piloted by my first cousin, once removed 2Lt. Kenneth A. Hanson, was shot down by flak. Hanson and seven others died in the explosion and crash, while two crewmembers miraculously took to their 'chutes and survived.
But here is my question, after a brief explanation. Hanson started out as co-pilot in the crew of Capt. Robert C. Quinlan. After a number of missions, it was a general practice to promote promising co-pilots by moving a pilot to another crew and allowing them to take command of that crew. This is what happened to Lt. Robert W. Willen. He was transferred to another crew while Hanson was allowed to pilot Willen's crew. So, my question is, where did Willen's crew come from?
Although it can't be taken as confirmed information, the two surviving crew stated that most of the crew had only flown 8 missions, while Hanson had flown 17. Hanson was one of the original members of the bomb group, so that makes sense. But going back through the records, I cannot find anything about Willen being one of the original 484th BG crews. Could they have been replacements? But if so, it seems odd because the group had only been in action for about a month prior to the Ploesti mission. Could they have been transferred from another bomb group? This seems more plausible, but I would still like to find the documents to prove it.
Does anyone have any information on this?
Here is a list of the Hanson crew:
Pilot 2Lt. Kenneth A. Hanson, Canby, Minnesota
Co-Pilot 2Lt. Stanley A. Kozlowski, Nashua, New Hampshire
Navigator 2Lt. Charles H. Pfanne, Poughkeepsie, New York
Bombardier 2Lt. George E. Kline, New Cumberland, PA, d. 13 February 2005
Engineer/waist gunner S/Sgt. John J. Szczur, Johnstown, PA, d. 7 November 2015
Nose Gunner Sgt. John H. Soukup, Pittsburgh, PA.
Radio Op./Top Turret Sgt. Wayne H. Bradford, Los Angeles, CA
Ball Turret G. Sgt. Calvin K. Rapson, Bad Axe, MI.
Waist Gunner Sgt. Kenneth E. Bower, Jersey Shore, PA
Tail Gunner Sgt. Edmund F. La Munyan, Salmon, Idaho.
But here is my question, after a brief explanation. Hanson started out as co-pilot in the crew of Capt. Robert C. Quinlan. After a number of missions, it was a general practice to promote promising co-pilots by moving a pilot to another crew and allowing them to take command of that crew. This is what happened to Lt. Robert W. Willen. He was transferred to another crew while Hanson was allowed to pilot Willen's crew. So, my question is, where did Willen's crew come from?
Although it can't be taken as confirmed information, the two surviving crew stated that most of the crew had only flown 8 missions, while Hanson had flown 17. Hanson was one of the original members of the bomb group, so that makes sense. But going back through the records, I cannot find anything about Willen being one of the original 484th BG crews. Could they have been replacements? But if so, it seems odd because the group had only been in action for about a month prior to the Ploesti mission. Could they have been transferred from another bomb group? This seems more plausible, but I would still like to find the documents to prove it.
Does anyone have any information on this?
Here is a list of the Hanson crew:
Pilot 2Lt. Kenneth A. Hanson, Canby, Minnesota
Co-Pilot 2Lt. Stanley A. Kozlowski, Nashua, New Hampshire
Navigator 2Lt. Charles H. Pfanne, Poughkeepsie, New York
Bombardier 2Lt. George E. Kline, New Cumberland, PA, d. 13 February 2005
Engineer/waist gunner S/Sgt. John J. Szczur, Johnstown, PA, d. 7 November 2015
Nose Gunner Sgt. John H. Soukup, Pittsburgh, PA.
Radio Op./Top Turret Sgt. Wayne H. Bradford, Los Angeles, CA
Ball Turret G. Sgt. Calvin K. Rapson, Bad Axe, MI.
Waist Gunner Sgt. Kenneth E. Bower, Jersey Shore, PA
Tail Gunner Sgt. Edmund F. La Munyan, Salmon, Idaho.