"HELLSAPOPPIN'S"
CREW
The
plane was reported lost to enemy fighters and crashed in Wunstorf, Germany.
There were 5 men KIA and 5 POW.
The surviving crew members:
1Lt Arthur A. Bushnell (0728824) (Copilot) POW
1Lt Harold Romm (0440518) (Bombardier) POW
1Lt Robert C. Barton (0728159) (Navigator) POW
T/Sgt Norman L. Thompson (ASN 14066337) (Top Turret/Flight Engineer) POW
T/Sgt Howard A. Earney (ASN 36049891) (Radio) POW
All were POW's . . .
1Lt
Arthur A. Bushnell (0728824) (Copilot) POW Capt: 4/17/43 STalag Luft 3 til the
end of the war.
1Lt Harold Romm (0440518) (Bombardier) POW Capt: 4/17/43 STalag Luft 3 til the
end of the war.
1Lt Robert C. Barton (0728159) (Navigator) POW Capt: 4/17/43 STalag Luft 3 til
the end of the war.
T/Sgt Norman L. Thompson (ASN 14066337) (TT/FE) POW Capt: 4/17/43 STalag 17B
til the end of the war.
T/Sgt Howard A. Earney (ASN 36049891) (Radio) POW 4/17/43 . . Stalag 17B
THOSE
WHO GAVE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
Ade, Robert H. (Ball Turret) SSGT
33105382
Robert H. Ade
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
33105382
401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Pennsylvania
Died: April 17, 1943
Buried at: Plot B Row 32 Grave 26
Ardennes American Cemetery
Neupre, Belgium
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart
Andrews, Gilbert F. SSgt (BT) 13064904
Gilbert F. Andrews
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
13064904
401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Virginia
Died: April 17, 1943
Buried at: Plot B Row 11 Grave 17
Ardennes American Cemetery
Neupre, Belgium
Awards: Purple Heart
Bohaczyk, Walter (Waist gunner) SSGT 33147418
Walter Bohaczyk
Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army Air Forces
33147418
401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Pennsylvania
Died: April 17, 1943
Buried at: Plot D Row 18 Grave 1
Ardennes American Cemetery
Neupre, Belgium
Awards: Purple Heart
Cadle, Clifford E. (Waist Gunner) SSgt 18035414
(No ref in ABMC--likely reinterred in USA)
* Wilson, John W. (Pilot) 0729395
John W. Wilson
First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
O-729395
401st Bomber Squadron, 91st Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Iowa
Died: April 17, 1943
Buried at: Plot B Row 9 Grave 17
Ardennes American Cemetery
Neupre, Belgium
Awards: Air Medal, Purple Heart |
NOTES ABOUT THE CREW:
A man could be promoted at any time and
for any reason. Our sources indicate that all of the LTs aboard Hellsapoppin were
1st Lts. Considering how early in the War this was, it is not unlikely that he and
others were being groomed for higher rank and stations. This was an OLD crew by age.
The Air Medal was awarded for five operations or an accumulated number of FLYING
HOURS. Either instance may apply. I do not think that he was transferred from
another group. But, of course, that could be a possibility. I tend to doubt
it, but you never know. Talking to Barton might clarify that as the
pilot/copilot teams tended to stay together from crew training in the states to deployment
overseas. It might be an interesting thing to try to discover who NL Thompson
replaced on the crew. That man might tell you something--historically--of the early
crew movements.
I am surprised that the 91st does not have a Crew photo taken stateside
prior to shipping out to ETO.
All things in time. |
