360

21 May 1944
Nine men in Air Force uniform posed in front of a Air Force bomber plane. Four men standing in rear and five men kneeling in front UPL 65551 UPL 65551 Bowman Crew, 859th BS, 492nd BG. Back row, left to right: Vernon Rood, Bombardier; Jock, Pilotage Navigator; William Kriegel, Navigator; James Bowman, Pilot. Front row, left to right: James Green, Engineer; Everett Newton, Waist Gunner; Howard Garrett, Radio Operator; August Bonkowski, Ball Turret Gunner; William Ryan, Waist Gunner. The Bowman Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They were assigned to the 859th BS, designated as Crew 914. 1st Lt James Bowman signed out for a B-24J, 44-40139. In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. Perhaps the crew came closest to death during a training exercise on the evening of 30 Jun 44 as they were practicing night flying formations. Bowman's leader signaled for him to peel off and land. However, he was directed to the wrong base which had a short runway. No one was hurt when the plane ran off the end of the landing strip, however the plane was damaged beyond repair.

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On

Object Number - UPL 65551 - Bowman Crew, 859th BS, 492nd BG. Back row, left to right: Vernon Rood, Bombardier; Jock, Pilotage Navigator; William Kriegel, Navigator; James...

Mission Details

MARQUISE/MIMOYECQUES (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Notes: 1st Bomb Division was made up of 379th Bomb Group, 384th Bomb Group

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 94.5 T HE

SIRACOURT (Primary)

Description: V-1 MISSILE SITES

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 392nd Bomb Group, 446th Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 492nd Bomb Group

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 365 T HE

Connections

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People

Aircraft

A B-24 Liberators including, (serial number 44-40066) nicknamed "S.O.L", of the 458th Bomb Group fly in formation with a flight assembly ship. Written on slide casing: 'SOL, Azon a/c.'

44-40066

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: S.O.L.
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 858th Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group

44-40072

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: B.T.O. (Big Time Operator)
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 466th Bomb Group 489th Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 734th Bomb Squadron 785th Bomb Squadron 846th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron
A Swedish soldier guards the nose of a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-40103) nicknamed "Say When" of the 492nd Bomb Group that has landed near Malmö, Sweden. First handwritten caption on reverse: '440103, Say When, 20/6/44.' Second handwritten caption on reverse: 'Nose gunner pinned in and believed dead. Was very much alive and bitter cold.'

44-40103

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Say When
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 858th Bomb Squadron 859th Bomb Squadron

44-40106

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 857th Bomb Squadron

44-40131

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Gremlin Manor
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 859th Bomb Squadron 467th Bomb Group 789th Bomb Squadron 791st Bomb Squadron

Revisions

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'.

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