Sortie2ADB-24Bombed Primary
“Wee Willie”.Over Hesepe.
Mission 901 · 21 March 1945 · Hesepe, Germany
Serial
44-50600
B-24H
Fuselage Code
YM
Squadron
409th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
8
men
The crew.
§ 8 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
CaptEdward L. McGuire
“Ted”
Pilot
Station 1
O-392667
Shreveport, Louisiana
Completed his tour
Returned
→
2LtVictor H. Hanf
Co-Pilot
Station 2
O-8266262
—
Returned
→
T/SgtCornelius J. Leach
“Bill”
Engineer / Top Turret
Station 5
42056289
—
Returned
→
S/SgtDonald M. South
“Don”
Radio Operator
Station 6
31305999
—
Returned
→
S/SgtWilliam H. Gardner
“Shorty”
Waist Gunner
Station 8
33710942
—
Completed his tour
Returned
→
S/SgtEdward S. Powell
“Ed”
Waist Gunner
Station 8
33805719
—
Returned
→
S/SgtBarney C. Eller
Tail Gunner
Station 9
34828795
—
Returned
→
S/SgtTheodore F. Szajna
“Snafoo”
Nose Gunner
36164043
—
Returned
→
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
Landed atHardwick (Sta. 104)
The Record
ResultBombed Primary
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with409th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
HesepeAirfield
LocationHesepe, Germany
Notes.
§ From the Record
Hespe airfield. First mission after 30-day grounding following Nuremberg return and crash of O Oboe. First mission in Wee Willie (serial 44-50600, YM-W), brand-new unpainted B-24H with rudder boosters. McGuire flew takeoff, form-up, bomb run through rally, and landing only during this late-tour period.