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.

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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

George Clifford Montgomery

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 388th Bomb Group 560th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-747464
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Westcot Bell Stone

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 466th Bomb Group 784th Bomb Squadron 787th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-661570
  • Highest Rank: Captain
  • Role/Job: Pilot

Aircraft

41-51121

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Niagara Special
  • Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 492nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron 857th Bomb Squadron

42-31600

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Pride of New Mexico : Uncle
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron
A B-17G Flying Fortress (ET-B, serial number 42-31989) of the 336th Bomb Squadron, 95th Bomb Group that has crash-landed 1 April 1944. Official caption on image: "569(44). 4-1-44. Hon. Crash Landing Damage. B-17G, 42-31989. AM-FS..."

42-31989

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Spam Can : Black Magic : Shady Lady
  • Unit: 381st Bomb Group 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 336th Bomb Squadron 535th Bomb Squadron
A B-17 Flying Fortress (serial number 42-37882) of the 95th Bomb Group landing at Colorado in October 1943. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'B-17G-15-DL Denver, Colorada, October 1943.'

42-37882

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Hard Time : A-Good-Bett : Blues in the Reich
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 412th Bomb Squadron

42-38054

  • Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
  • Nicknames: Homawa | Holy Matrimony | Natasha
  • Unit: 95th Bomb Group 334th Bomb Squadron 412th 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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