44th BOMB GROUP ROLL OF HONOR & CASUALTIES
Written by C.W. "Bill" Lundy
44th Bomber Group, Heavy
Stanley enlisted 09 jan 1942 at Oklahoma City, OK.
On February 10, 1942 the 44th was ordered to Barksdale Field, LA. While still in an intense training mode the 44th was given the added duty of patrolling the Gulf of Mexico for German submarines that were causing havoc in the shipping lanes in our home waters.
Stanley married 21 mar 1942 at San Diego, CA.
In addition to training its own personnel, the 44th became a source of cadres for other newly organized B-24 heavy bomb groups. The following Bomb Groups were created by the transfer of 44th personnel to the:
98th on February 15, 1942 by transfer of 579 enlisted men and 46 officers
92nd March 1942 by transfer of cadre (number of personnel unknown)
93rd March 26, 1942 by transfer of 587 enlisted men and one half of the 44th officers
90th May 17,1942 by transfer of 656 enlisted men
In June 1942 the 44th ground echelon was bolstered by the addition of units of finance, quartermaster, transportation and chemical warfare. In reflecting upon these facts, the task of readying a unit for combat with such a huge turnover of personnel is staggering.
On August 25, 1942 the ground echelon left Will Rogers Field, by troop train, for Ft. Dix, NJ to prepare for overseas shipment. On September 4, 1942 the 44th ground echelon, consisting of 62 officers and 819 enlisted men boarded HMS Queen Mary for transport to Greenock, Scotland and duty in the United Kingdom for "the duration" of World War II. They disembarked on September 11. 1942. Initially the ground echelon was housed at the British air base of Cheddington, Bucks. On October 10 they moved to Shipdham, Norfolk. This new lend-lease" base, Officially AAF Station 115, was to be the home of the 44th until the end of the war in Europe.
The air echelon was dispatched to Greiner Field, NH where they received new aircraft, olive drab B-24 D's. There they accomplished some more training, modified their planes and readied for the flight to Britain to join the fledgling "Mighty Eighth Air Force". All of the air echelons 27 planes manned by 123 officers and 147 enlisted men were in place at Shipdham on October 10, 1942
The 44th flew its first combat mission on November 7, 1942. This was the first of 344 missions flown against the Axis powers in WW II. Over 8400 individual combat sorties were flown by 44th crews. In compiling this outstanding record the 44th lost 850 of its brave young patriots who gave their lives to "save the world". On combat operations the 44th lost 153 of its sturdy B-24's. Another 39 planes were lost in non-combat operational flight activities.
The 8th Air Force in the fall/winter of 1942-43 consisted of five B-17 groups and two B-24 groups. No American Fighter groups had yet become operational. The Americans set out to prove that they could conduct high altitude, daylight precision bombing against German targets without fighter escort.
Both the German Luftwaffe and the British RAF had to abandon daylight bombing raids against each other because neither could sustain the losses each had experienced. However, the Americans persisted at great cost, in men and airplanes. In the period between November 7, 1942 and March 8, 1943 the 44th lost 13 of its original 27 B-24's.
26 February 1943 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties Page 52 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Two 66th Squadron aircraft were lost on this mission. They both went down in the vicinity of Oldenburg, Germany as the formation turned from the primary target, Bremen (which was obscured by clouds), to attack the secondary target at Wilhelmshaven.
66th SQUADRON:
66th Sq., #41-23777 H, Adams MAISIE MACR #16067
66th Squadron Crew:
ADAMS, HOWARD F. Pilot Capt. Rutland, ASN 0-023946 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-5) Vermont
McLEOD, STANLEY W. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Oklahoma City, ASN 0-728012 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-10) Oklahoma
GOTKE, WAYNE G. Navigator 2nd Lt. San Antonio, ASN 0-727007 POW Texas
HANNAN, WILLIAM J. Bombardier 2nd Lt. Canton, ASN 0-727337 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-8) New York
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Smith County, Kansas...Killed In Action...Co-Pilot of B-24D-5-CO Liberator "Maisie" #41-23777 that was shot down by enemy fighters...Missing Air Crew Report 16067.
Written by C.W. "Bill" Lundy
44th Bomber Group, Heavy
Stanley enlisted 09 jan 1942 at Oklahoma City, OK.
On February 10, 1942 the 44th was ordered to Barksdale Field, LA. While still in an intense training mode the 44th was given the added duty of patrolling the Gulf of Mexico for German submarines that were causing havoc in the shipping lanes in our home waters.
Stanley married 21 mar 1942 at San Diego, CA.
In addition to training its own personnel, the 44th became a source of cadres for other newly organized B-24 heavy bomb groups. The following Bomb Groups were created by the transfer of 44th personnel to the:
98th on February 15, 1942 by transfer of 579 enlisted men and 46 officers
92nd March 1942 by transfer of cadre (number of personnel unknown)
93rd March 26, 1942 by transfer of 587 enlisted men and one half of the 44th officers
90th May 17,1942 by transfer of 656 enlisted men
In June 1942 the 44th ground echelon was bolstered by the addition of units of finance, quartermaster, transportation and chemical warfare. In reflecting upon these facts, the task of readying a unit for combat with such a huge turnover of personnel is staggering.
On August 25, 1942 the ground echelon left Will Rogers Field, by troop train, for Ft. Dix, NJ to prepare for overseas shipment. On September 4, 1942 the 44th ground echelon, consisting of 62 officers and 819 enlisted men boarded HMS Queen Mary for transport to Greenock, Scotland and duty in the United Kingdom for "the duration" of World War II. They disembarked on September 11. 1942. Initially the ground echelon was housed at the British air base of Cheddington, Bucks. On October 10 they moved to Shipdham, Norfolk. This new lend-lease" base, Officially AAF Station 115, was to be the home of the 44th until the end of the war in Europe.
The air echelon was dispatched to Greiner Field, NH where they received new aircraft, olive drab B-24 D's. There they accomplished some more training, modified their planes and readied for the flight to Britain to join the fledgling "Mighty Eighth Air Force". All of the air echelons 27 planes manned by 123 officers and 147 enlisted men were in place at Shipdham on October 10, 1942
The 44th flew its first combat mission on November 7, 1942. This was the first of 344 missions flown against the Axis powers in WW II. Over 8400 individual combat sorties were flown by 44th crews. In compiling this outstanding record the 44th lost 850 of its brave young patriots who gave their lives to "save the world". On combat operations the 44th lost 153 of its sturdy B-24's. Another 39 planes were lost in non-combat operational flight activities.
The 8th Air Force in the fall/winter of 1942-43 consisted of five B-17 groups and two B-24 groups. No American Fighter groups had yet become operational. The Americans set out to prove that they could conduct high altitude, daylight precision bombing against German targets without fighter escort.
Both the German Luftwaffe and the British RAF had to abandon daylight bombing raids against each other because neither could sustain the losses each had experienced. However, the Americans persisted at great cost, in men and airplanes. In the period between November 7, 1942 and March 8, 1943 the 44th lost 13 of its original 27 B-24's.
26 February 1943 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties Page 52 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Two 66th Squadron aircraft were lost on this mission. They both went down in the vicinity of Oldenburg, Germany as the formation turned from the primary target, Bremen (which was obscured by clouds), to attack the secondary target at Wilhelmshaven.
66th SQUADRON:
66th Sq., #41-23777 H, Adams MAISIE MACR #16067
66th Squadron Crew:
ADAMS, HOWARD F. Pilot Capt. Rutland, ASN 0-023946 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-5) Vermont
McLEOD, STANLEY W. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Oklahoma City, ASN 0-728012 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-10) Oklahoma
GOTKE, WAYNE G. Navigator 2nd Lt. San Antonio, ASN 0-727007 POW Texas
HANNAN, WILLIAM J. Bombardier 2nd Lt. Canton, ASN 0-727337 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-8) New York
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Smith County, Kansas...Killed In Action...Co-Pilot of B-24D-5-CO Liberator "Maisie" #41-23777 that was shot down by enemy fighters...Missing Air Crew Report 16067.
44th BOMB GROUP ROLL OF HONOR & CASUALTIES
Written by C.W. "Bill" Lundy
44th Bomber Group, Heavy
Stanley enlisted 09 jan 1942 at Oklahoma City, OK.
On February 10, 1942 the 44th was ordered to Barksdale Field, LA. While still in an intense training mode the 44th was given the added duty of patrolling the Gulf of Mexico for German submarines that were causing havoc in the shipping lanes in our home waters.
Stanley married 21 mar 1942 at San Diego, CA.
In addition to training its own personnel, the 44th became a source of cadres for other newly organized B-24 heavy bomb groups. The following Bomb Groups were created by the transfer of 44th personnel to the:
98th on February 15, 1942 by transfer of 579 enlisted men and 46 officers
92nd March 1942 by transfer of cadre (number of personnel unknown)
93rd March 26, 1942 by transfer of 587 enlisted men and one half of the 44th officers
90th May 17,1942 by transfer of 656 enlisted men
In June 1942 the 44th ground echelon was bolstered by the addition of units of finance, quartermaster, transportation and chemical warfare. In reflecting upon these facts, the task of readying a unit for combat with such a huge turnover of personnel is staggering.
On August 25, 1942 the ground echelon left Will Rogers Field, by troop train, for Ft. Dix, NJ to prepare for overseas shipment. On September 4, 1942 the 44th ground echelon, consisting of 62 officers and 819 enlisted men boarded HMS Queen Mary for transport to Greenock, Scotland and duty in the United Kingdom for "the duration" of World War II. They disembarked on September 11. 1942. Initially the ground echelon was housed at the British air base of Cheddington, Bucks. On October 10 they moved to Shipdham, Norfolk. This new lend-lease" base, Officially AAF Station 115, was to be the home of the 44th until the end of the war in Europe.
The air echelon was dispatched to Greiner Field, NH where they received new aircraft, olive drab B-24 D's. There they accomplished some more training, modified their planes and readied for the flight to Britain to join the fledgling "Mighty Eighth Air Force". All of the air echelons 27 planes manned by 123 officers and 147 enlisted men were in place at Shipdham on October 10, 1942
The 44th flew its first combat mission on November 7, 1942. This was the first of 344 missions flown against the Axis powers in WW II. Over 8400 individual combat sorties were flown by 44th crews. In compiling this outstanding record the 44th lost 850 of its brave young patriots who gave their lives to "save the world". On combat operations the 44th lost 153 of its sturdy B-24's. Another 39 planes were lost in non-combat operational flight activities.
The 8th Air Force in the fall/winter of 1942-43 consisted of five B-17 groups and two B-24 groups. No American Fighter groups had yet become operational. The Americans set out to prove that they could conduct high altitude, daylight precision bombing against German targets without fighter escort.
Both the German Luftwaffe and the British RAF had to abandon daylight bombing raids against each other because neither could sustain the losses each had experienced. However, the Americans persisted at great cost, in men and airplanes. In the period between November 7, 1942 and March 8, 1943 the 44th lost 13 of its original 27 B-24's.
26 February 1943 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties Page 52 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Two 66th Squadron aircraft were lost on this mission. They both went down in the vicinity of Oldenburg, Germany as the formation turned from the primary target, Bremen (which was obscured by clouds), to attack the secondary target at Wilhelmshaven.
66th SQUADRON:
66th Sq., #41-23777 H, Adams MAISIE MACR #16067
66th Squadron Crew:
ADAMS, HOWARD F. Pilot Capt. Rutland, ASN 0-023946 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-5) Vermont
McLEOD, STANLEY W. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Oklahoma City, ASN 0-728012 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-10) Oklahoma
GOTKE, WAYNE G. Navigator 2nd Lt. San Antonio, ASN 0-727007 POW Texas
HANNAN, WILLIAM J. Bombardier 2nd Lt. Canton, ASN 0-727337 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-8) New York
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Smith County, Kansas...Killed In Action...Co-Pilot of B-24D-5-CO Liberator "Maisie" #41-23777 that was shot down by enemy fighters...Missing Air Crew Report 16067.
Written by C.W. "Bill" Lundy
44th Bomber Group, Heavy
Stanley enlisted 09 jan 1942 at Oklahoma City, OK.
On February 10, 1942 the 44th was ordered to Barksdale Field, LA. While still in an intense training mode the 44th was given the added duty of patrolling the Gulf of Mexico for German submarines that were causing havoc in the shipping lanes in our home waters.
Stanley married 21 mar 1942 at San Diego, CA.
In addition to training its own personnel, the 44th became a source of cadres for other newly organized B-24 heavy bomb groups. The following Bomb Groups were created by the transfer of 44th personnel to the:
98th on February 15, 1942 by transfer of 579 enlisted men and 46 officers
92nd March 1942 by transfer of cadre (number of personnel unknown)
93rd March 26, 1942 by transfer of 587 enlisted men and one half of the 44th officers
90th May 17,1942 by transfer of 656 enlisted men
In June 1942 the 44th ground echelon was bolstered by the addition of units of finance, quartermaster, transportation and chemical warfare. In reflecting upon these facts, the task of readying a unit for combat with such a huge turnover of personnel is staggering.
On August 25, 1942 the ground echelon left Will Rogers Field, by troop train, for Ft. Dix, NJ to prepare for overseas shipment. On September 4, 1942 the 44th ground echelon, consisting of 62 officers and 819 enlisted men boarded HMS Queen Mary for transport to Greenock, Scotland and duty in the United Kingdom for "the duration" of World War II. They disembarked on September 11. 1942. Initially the ground echelon was housed at the British air base of Cheddington, Bucks. On October 10 they moved to Shipdham, Norfolk. This new lend-lease" base, Officially AAF Station 115, was to be the home of the 44th until the end of the war in Europe.
The air echelon was dispatched to Greiner Field, NH where they received new aircraft, olive drab B-24 D's. There they accomplished some more training, modified their planes and readied for the flight to Britain to join the fledgling "Mighty Eighth Air Force". All of the air echelons 27 planes manned by 123 officers and 147 enlisted men were in place at Shipdham on October 10, 1942
The 44th flew its first combat mission on November 7, 1942. This was the first of 344 missions flown against the Axis powers in WW II. Over 8400 individual combat sorties were flown by 44th crews. In compiling this outstanding record the 44th lost 850 of its brave young patriots who gave their lives to "save the world". On combat operations the 44th lost 153 of its sturdy B-24's. Another 39 planes were lost in non-combat operational flight activities.
The 8th Air Force in the fall/winter of 1942-43 consisted of five B-17 groups and two B-24 groups. No American Fighter groups had yet become operational. The Americans set out to prove that they could conduct high altitude, daylight precision bombing against German targets without fighter escort.
Both the German Luftwaffe and the British RAF had to abandon daylight bombing raids against each other because neither could sustain the losses each had experienced. However, the Americans persisted at great cost, in men and airplanes. In the period between November 7, 1942 and March 8, 1943 the 44th lost 13 of its original 27 B-24's.
26 February 1943 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties Page 52 www.44thbombgroup.com July 2005 edition
Wilhelmshaven, Germany
Two 66th Squadron aircraft were lost on this mission. They both went down in the vicinity of Oldenburg, Germany as the formation turned from the primary target, Bremen (which was obscured by clouds), to attack the secondary target at Wilhelmshaven.
66th SQUADRON:
66th Sq., #41-23777 H, Adams MAISIE MACR #16067
66th Squadron Crew:
ADAMS, HOWARD F. Pilot Capt. Rutland, ASN 0-023946 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-5) Vermont
McLEOD, STANLEY W. Co-pilot 1st Lt. Oklahoma City, ASN 0-728012 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-10) Oklahoma
GOTKE, WAYNE G. Navigator 2nd Lt. San Antonio, ASN 0-727007 POW Texas
HANNAN, WILLIAM J. Bombardier 2nd Lt. Canton, ASN 0-727337 KIA, buried Ardennes (B-33-8) New York
NARA War Department records list this soldiers Home of Record as Smith County, Kansas...Killed In Action...Co-Pilot of B-24D-5-CO Liberator "Maisie" #41-23777 that was shot down by enemy fighters...Missing Air Crew Report 16067.
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