Barkev A Hovsepian
MilitaryRobert F. Applin Crew
466th BG - 787th BS
Standing Left to Right: Robert F. Applin (P), Richard Joyce (CP), Carl Herbst (B), Leon Appel (N), Earl Rau (FE)
Kneeling Left to Right: Barkev Hovesepian (R/O), Henry Ciocci (G), Donald Brooks (G), Arthur Huggins (TG), LaVern Young (G)
This crew completed a 33 combat mission tour
5 October 1944 - 24 March 1945
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Flew 35 missions and 3 fuel haul missions to Patton's army in Sept 1944. Crash landed at Manson after preparing to ditch in channel.
In a B-24, the R/O had to concentrate on the coded messages above all the din, noise and static, then decode the messages. My visibility to the outside was very limited. The only view ahead was through the cockpit and an occasional glimpse through the tiny window on the starboard side and below the #3 engine. I could feel the concussion of each flak burst and the clatter of shrapnel on the skin of the aircraft. I remember the occasional call from the tail gunner that we were being stalked by an ME 262 jet. I had resigned myself that I may not survive and tried desperately to do my job as best as I could - Barky Hovsepian 25 March 1996.
After the war Barky was instrumental in starting to gather the histories of the members of the 466th BG and was very active in the 466th BG Association. He was a thoughtful religious man. Though I didn't get the chance to meet him, by all accounts he was a gregarious prince of a fellow to all that had the pleasure of meeting him.
Air Medal w/4 Oak Leaf Cluster, EAME Medal w/stars, Good Conduct Medal
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
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 787th Bomb Squadron
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Born |
Hartford, Connecticut | 10 July 1921 | |
Died |
22 October 1997 | ||
Buried |
Braintree, MA, USA | 26 October 1997 |
Revisions
Added /Removed some punctuation in the "Summary biography" to aid readability.
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/wife & Page 300 in the book THE SECOND AIR DIVISION by Turner Publishing Company, 1998 edition, D790.A2S45