436

23 June 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 65511 UPL 65511 Beard Crew 603, 856th BS, 492nd BG. Back row, left to right: Charles Beard, pilot; Kenneth Sousa, co-pilot; Thomas Woolsey, navigator; James Wolslager, bombardier; Front row, left to right: Robert Denney, radio operator; Tyler Posner, gunner; Israel Eiferman, gunner; Kenneth Brandt, gunner; Richard Paules, engineer. Not Pictured: Albert McFadden, gunner.
The Beard Crew was one of the original crews for the 492nd BG that trained in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Their ship was nicknamed, "BIG FAT MAMA." In April 1944, they flew their assigned aircraft, 44-40067, to North Pickenham, England, via the southern route. 2nd Lt James Ferguson, the squadron's Armament and Chemical Officier accompanied them, thus bumping Sgt. McFadden onto the Queen Elizabeth. The Crew transferred to the 801st/492 BG, 858th BS, when the Group disbanded. They completed their 30 mission tour there.

http://www.492ndbombgroup.com/cgi-bin/pagepilot.cgi?page=showCrewPage&c…

On

Object Number - UPL 65511 - Beard Crew 603, 856th BS, 492nd BG. Back row, left to right: Charles Beard, pilot; Kenneth Sousa, co-pilot; Thomas Woolsey, navigator; James...

Mission Details

Description: BOMB TARGETS OF OPPORTUNITY

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 5 T

COULOMMIERS (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 61.1 T

JUVENCOURT (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Notes: 2nd Bomb Division was made up of 93rd Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group, 458th Bomb Group, 466th Bomb Group, 467th Bomb Group, 491st Bomb Group 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-24 is 34th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group, 493rd Bomb Group

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 261.2 T

LAON/ATHIES (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 125 T

Description: TRANSPORTATION TARGET

Notes: Most of the bombers are forced to abort due to heavy cloud cover. 3rd Bomb Division was made up of B-17s is 94th Bomb Group, 95th Bomb Group, 385th Bomb Group, 390th Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Group, 452nd Bomb Group, 486th Bomb Group, 487th Bomb Group.

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 25 T

SOISSONS (Primary)

Description: AIRFIELD

Mission Statistics

  • Tonnage Dropped: 2.6 T

Connections

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People

Aircraft

42-95272

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Pursuit of Happiness
  • Unit: 458th Bomb Group 753rd Bomb Squadron 492nd Bomb Group 856th Bomb Squadron 392nd Bomb Group 576th Bomb Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortresses (serial number 43-38521), (DI-G, serial number 42-31974), (DI-V, serial number 42-97407) and (serial number 42-102972) of the 390th Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: '390BG.'

42-97407

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: The As-Te-Risk
  • Unit: 1st Strategic Air Depot 390th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron 570th Bomb Squadron

42-97599

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Unit: 96th Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 335th Bomb Squadron

44-40050

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Super Wolf
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 859th Bomb Squadron

44-40064

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Unit: 492nd Bomb Group 859th Bomb Squadron 858th Bomb Squadron 856th 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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