Niles W Hartung

Military
media-16224.jpeg UPL 16224 Crew #743
Niles W. Hartung Crew
466th BG - 787th BS

Standing Left to Right: unidentified person, Hal Kren (B), Niles W. Hartung (P), Clifford Smith (CP), Richard Gates (N), unidentified person

Kneeling Left to Right: Kowalski (R/O), Nelson Anderson (FE), unidentified person, Pollack (G) 466th Bomb Group collection

Grandson: Justin Benard

Object Number - UPL 16224 - Crew #743 Niles W. Hartung Crew 466th BG - 787th BS Standing Left to Right: unidentified person, Hal Kren (B), Niles W. Hartung (P), Clifford...

Connections

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Units served with

Three little girls hold up a balloon celebrating the 100th mission of the 466th Bomb Group in front of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95592) nicknamed "Black Cat". Handwritten caption on reverse: 'On our 100 Mission party Day- 18 Aug 1944, Attlebridge, 466th- wouldn't it be something if we could identify these girls? How could I do it?'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 35607275
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant (2nd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Flight Engineer
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-766291
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 37527146
  • Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade)
  • Role/Job: Gunner
  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Earthquake McGoon
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
The nose art of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 42-95067) nicknamed "Trouble Maker" of the 466th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '466 BG, Trouble Maker, 42-95067 D 27, 110 Msns. 787th A936E.'
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Troublemaker
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Lady
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron

Missions

  • Date: 7 January 1945
  • Date: 3 January 1945
A B-17 Flying Fortress (EP-E, serial number 42-31767) nicknamed "Our Gal Sal" of the 100th Bomb Group at Mount Farm. Image by Robert Astrella, 7th Photographic Reconnaissance Group. Written on slide casing: 'Our Gal Sal EP-E, 231767 at Mount Farm.'
  • Date: 31 December 1944
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-5725) nicknamed "This is IT!" of the 381st Bomb Group opens her bomb bay doors during a mission.
  • Date: 30 December 1944
  • Date: 27 December 1944

Places

Aerial photograph of Attlebridge airfield, looking north, the fuel store and a T2 hangar are in the upper centre, 31 January 1946. Photograph taken by No. 90 Squadron, sortie number RAF/3G/TUD/UK/51. English Heritage (RAF Photography).
  • Site type: Airfield
  • Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120

Events

Event Location Date Description

Born

Levering, MI 49755, USA 5 August 1916

Other

466th BG Combat Tour

Attlebridge, Norwich, Norfolk NR9, UK 5 August 1944 - 7 January 1945 "Niles was a rangy, country boy sort whose civilian job had been with the telephone company. He had a good down to earth attitude, and as events later proved, was a solid citizen." - Hal Kren

Other

2nd Combat Mission

Hamburg, Germany 6 August 1944 Hamburg changed my attitude about the ease of flying combat 100% or 180 degrees, if you care to look at it that way. We had flak. The flak was radar directed; it was extremely accurate. It was heavy. It was everything that you could think of that would make a mission unpleasant. We were not shot full of holes, but we were scared. Here is where the pilot came in. This one of the reasons I developed so much respect for our pilot, Niles Hartung. He had listened to, and he had paid attention to, and he had heeded the advice we had been given about what to do under these circumstances. He was able to maintain formation, and we were flying just off someone's wing, but he was still able to do evasive action sufficiently while still maintaining formation so that we got through this whole mess. He showed that quality many, many, many times over. We survived the mission. - Hal Kren, Bombardier

Died

Hebron, MI, USA 13 February 1992 Niles Hartung, 75, of Hebron Township, died Feb.13,1992, at his home. Funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb.16, at the Nordman Funeral Home in Cheboygan with the Rev. Glen Wegner officiating. Burial will be in Carp Lake Township Cemetery. Mr. Hartung was born Aug. 5, 1916, in Levering, the son of Edmund and Hazel (Sirgley) Hartung. He married the former Lillian Dennis on June 28,1940. Mr. Hartung served in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying more than 70 missions. He was employed as a Pioneer telephone man with Michigan Bell for more than 42 years He worked as a lineman and later as a forester supervisor. Mr. Hartung was a member of the VFW of Levering, the Levering Lions Club and was a former member of the Elks Club of Petoskey. Survivors include his wife, Lillian; two daughters, Mrs. Gene (Nileen) Copeman of Levering and Mrs. Brian (Mary Jane) Berand of Connecticut; one son, Leo Hartung of Reese, Mich.; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchildren; two brothers, Maurice Hartung of Alabama; and one sister, Marion Doyle. The family will receive callers from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, Feb.15, at the Nordman Funeral Home in Cheboygan.

Enlisted

Carp Lake, MI, USA 16 February 1992 Carp Lake Township Cemetery Carp Lake Emmet County Michigan, USA
Petoskey, MI, USA

Revisions

Date
Contributorjdbenard
Changes
Sources

Grandson: Justin Benard

Date
ContributorMarcia466BG
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The original HARTUNG Crew was formed on 26 July 1944. The crew consisted of: Niles W. HARTUNG (P): Abraham C. SMITH (CP): Richard F. GATES (N): Harold E. KREN (B): Richard J. KOWALSKI (R/O):Nelson W. ANDERSON (Eng. Gun): Chester F. MEYERS (G): William D. POLLOCK (Armorer/gunner): William Jack KEY (G); Kerwyn H. PARK (G). Perhaps having the names will help identify the unknown individuals in the crew photo.

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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Sources

letter from Hal Kren - 27 April 2007

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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466th BG Historian

Date
Contributor466thHistorian
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466th BG Historian

Date
ContributorAAM
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Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Unit roster in the book ATTLEBRIDGE ARSENAL by Wassom & Brassfield, page 346

Niles W Hartung: Gallery (1 items)