41-24575 Sunrise Serenader
Back row: S/Sgt Homer F Vinning (tail gunner), 2/Lt Jack W Bennet (bombardier), 2/Lt Arthur D Reitz (navigator), 2/Lt Wilbur D Greenwalt (co-pilot) and 1/Lt Dale Shaffer (pilot).
Front row: Sgt Louis P. Berring (waist gunner), Pvt Thomas H Lawler (radio operator), S/Sgt William F Clendenen (ball turret gunner), S/Sgt Herbert W Armstrong (waist gunner) and T/Sgt Alan G Nates (engineer).
See previous message. Berring was a Sgt.
Object Number - UPL 27725 - First Lieutenant Dale Shaffer's crew of the 365th Bomb Squadron of the 305th Bomb Group, 23 November 1942. They are in front of B-17 41-24575. Most...
Assigned 365BS/305BG [XK-S] Presque Is 19/10/42; Grafton Underwood 25/10/42; transferred 544BS/384BG [SU-J] Grafton Underwood 19/9/43; detailed Bremen 13/11/43 but recalled with Ralph Connell, Co-pilot: Albt Doman, Navigator: Larry Angthius, Bombardier: Claud Gober, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Harvey Wick, Ball turret gunner: Ellsworth Calder, Waist gunner: Ken Barr, Waist gunner: Bill McCully, Tail gunner: Bob Bryant (9 Killed in Action); Radio Operator: Srgt. Thomas M. Lawler (Pictured Bottom Row 2nd from left) . Alan Purdy (Returned to Duty). crashed RAF Wargrave, Berks., UK. SUNRISE SERENADER.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O-747074
- Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Navigator
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 16154459
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner, Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 37285869
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Tail Gunner / Waist Gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 305th Bomb Group 365th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: waist gunner
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 384th Bomb Group 544th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: 36268988
- Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
- Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Grafton Undermud
Missions
- Date: 13 November 1943
- Date: 5 November 1943
![An Illustration of the Wilhelmshaven raid, 3 November 1943. Image stamped on reverse: '10 Nov 1943.' [stamp], '292478.'[Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'THE BIGGEST EVER DAY RAID: By US Fortresses and Liberators on Wilhelmshaven- escorted all the way by fighters. Special Sphere drawings. THE SCENE OVER WILHELMSHAVEN JUST AS OUT BOMBERS WERE LEAVING THE TARGET ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMVER 3RD. AFTER THE BIGGEST DAYLIGHT RAID EVER CARRIED OUT OVER GERMANY. IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND OF THIS DRAWING, LIGHTNING](https://assets.americanairmuseum.com/s3fs-public/styles/teaser_thumb_x2/public/freeman/media-418517.jpg.webp?itok=KjJP-yi2)
- Date: 3 November 1943
- Date: 8 October 1943
- Date: 4 July 1943
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Assigned |
19 October 1942 - 25 October 1942 | 305th Bomb Group, 365th Bomb Squadron | |
|
Transferred |
25 October 1942 - 19 September 1943 | 305th Bomb Group, 365th Bomb Squadron. | |
|
Assigned |
19 September 1943 - 13 November 1943 | 384th Bomb Group, 544th Bomb Squadron | |
|
Crashed |
13 November 1943 - 13 November 1943 | Crashed during takeoff on mission to Bremen. |
Revisions
Thomas Lawler was my grandfather. I have military records showing he flew 25 missions with the 305th. He is pictured second left on bottom row in this archive picture.
Added a space before the words "Tail gunner" in the A/C “Description” to aid clarity.
AAIR 43-11-13-500 / Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database
