Lewis Melvin Schulstad Jr
Military
Rear L-R: 1Lt John De Sousa Jr, 1Lt James P Zwayer, 2Lt John M Chapman, Capt William C Heller, Capt Louis M Schulstad.
Front L-R: Sgt Paul E. Buckley, T/Sgt Felix Spoerri, S/Sgt Anthony Laurinitis, S/Sgt Leo Lanier Jr, S/Sgt George S Payne, T/Sgt William J Huston, S/Sgt Melvin E. Schultz.
Object Number - UPL 31536 - Captain Shulstad and lead crew on bombing mission to Brunswick, Germany, pose in front of a Boeing B-17 "Flying Fortress". 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd...
Enlisted in the Army May 23, 1939. Retired December 1965 as an Air Force Colonel.
He enlisted at Rantoul, Illinois-Chanute Air Force Base May 23, 1939-received Cadet training in Tucson Air Base, graduating in August, 1941-reported to Allan Hancock College of Aeronautics in Santa Maria, California for first appointment as flying cadet. Graduated from West Coast Flying Center at Stockton Field, California in March, 1942 and commissioned a Second Lieutenant.
10-Jul-42 Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 [PU-J] "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with rank of 1st Lieutenant. 16-Oct-42 Arrived at Molesworth, UK aboard "Beats Me". Stationed with 303rd Bomb group of the 8th Air Force for 33 months-promoted to Major in 1944. Led formations over Germany and other parts of Europe completing 44 missions-received Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, and Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters while in England. Retired December 1965.
Completed 44 missions; went to Schweinfurt three times. Real first name is Lewis but AAF misspelled name as Louis. He reported to the 306th stateside on 19 March 1942, but flew overseas with with 303rd on 06 Jul 1942.
Mission Participations (UNDER CONSTRUCTION) See Biography events.
2 DFC; AM w/ Silver OLC;
Connections
See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.
Units served with
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 486th Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 832nd Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 14161546
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 31022017
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38288273
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 303rd Bomb Group 351st Bomb Group 360th Bomb Squadron 511th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 38259220
- Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
- Role/Job: Radio Operator
Aircraft
Missions
- Date: 6 December 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 22 November 1942
- Official Description:
- Date: 18 November 1942
- Official Description:
Places
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
9 March 1918 | ||
|
Born |
1 August 1919 - 22 May 1939 | ||
|
Enlisted |
23 May 1939 | ||
|
Other Assigned to Aircraft |
10 July 1942 | Assigned as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS at Alamogordo Field, Alamogordo, New Mexico with rank of 1st Lieutenant. | |
|
Other Arrived in UK |
16 October 1942 | Arrived at Molesworth, UK as Pilot aboard B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS. | |
|
Other Mission #1, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 42-2967, 303BG/360BS |
18 November 1942 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17 42-2967 "Shak Hak", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #2, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 41-24607, 303BG/360BS |
22 November 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17 41-24602 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #3, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
6 December 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the carriage and wagon works at Lille, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. | |
|
Other Mission #4, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
20 December 1942 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #5, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS - Aborted |
30 December 1942 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at Lorient, France, but mechanical failures forced him to abort the sortie. | |
|
Other Mission #6, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 41-24567, 303BG/360BS |
3 January 1943 | Served as Pilot of B-17F 41-24567 "Beats Me", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #7, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 42-5260, 303BG/360BS |
14 February 1943 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 42-5260 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the railroad marshalling yards at Hamm, Germany, but severe weather forced Wing Cmmand to recall the entire formation. RTB OK. | |
|
Other Mission #8, 1LT Louis M. Schulstad, w/B-17F 42-5260, 303BG/360BS |
16 February 1943 | Served as Co-Pilot of B-17F 42-5260 "Yardbird II", 303BG/360BS on a mission to bomb the U-Boat pens at St. Nazaaire, France. RTB OK. | |
|
Died |
6 January 2012 | ||
|
Buried |
Revisions
Added " / " in the "Role/job" field as a Separator to aid readability.
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #8 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 16-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 24-Feb-2016. Added Mission #7 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 14-Feb-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/015.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #6 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 3-Jan-43: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/009.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #5 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 30-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/008.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #4 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 20-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/007.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #3 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 6-Dec-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/005.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #2 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 22-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/003.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Mission #1 event per 303BG website, Gary Moncur, Historian, Mission Report of 18-Nov-42: http://www.303rdbg.com/missionreports/002.pdf
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Arrived in UK event per 303BG wensite, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added Assigned to Aircraft event per 303BG wensite, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Lee Cunningham 13-Feb-2016. Added initial assignment with 303 and arrival in UK info to Summary Biography; Made connections of AIrcraft (through 23-Jan-43) and Missions (through 23-Jan-43) per 303BG wensite, Gary Moncur, Historian. Louis M. Schulstad crew page: http://www.303rdbg.com/c-360-schulstad.html
Lee Cunningham 15-Jan-2015. Deleted Aircraft connection - confusing to loss details.
306th BG Association Directory, 1 September 1999 Edition, First Over Germany pg. 324;son;
http://www.303rdbg.com/360schulstad.html; National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia