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358th White Crew Franklin F. White, Pilot |
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FRANKLIN F. WHITE CREW - 358th BS
B-17G #42-102945 Sweet Pea (358BS) VK-M
(crew assigned 358BS: 15 July 1944)
(Back L-R) 1Lt Robert M. Ross (B/N), 2Lt Wallace A. Clines (CP),
1Lt Franklin F. White (P), 2Lt Seymour Kaufman (N)
(Front L-R)
T/Sgt William J. Adams (E),
S/Sgt Frederick S. Gilman (BT),
S/Sgt Henry L. Vesely (R),
S/Sgt Monroe C. Hein (WG),
Sgt William H. Crumpton (WG),
S/Sgt James R. Campbell (TG)
(Ranks and grades at time of last combat missions)
Thirty-five credited combat missions of 1Lt Franklin F. White:
214 (29 July 1944), 215, 216, 217, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 233, 234, 239, 240, 241, 243, 244, 245, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 255, 258, 260, 261, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274 (20 Nov 1944).
For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.
Crew Notes:
- 1Lt Franklin F. White (P) - All of his 35 missions flown as First Pilot. First two missions flown with an experienced combat orientation CoPilot, 2Lt John R. Helms. Combat tour (35 missions) completed on 20 Nov 1944 (Mission 274).
- 2Lt Wallace A. Clines (CP) - Flew no combat missions with the 1Lt White Crew. Flew two missions as CoPilot with Lt Telesphor Lojewski (214, 215). 2Lt Clines Was hospitalized and flew no more combat missions. 1Lt White flew with fourteen different CoPilots: Lt John N. Petersen - 16 missions (217, 224, 227, 230, 233, 240, 241, 243, 244, 245, 249, 250, 251, 260, 261, 267); 2Lt John R. Helms - 2 missions (214, 215), 2Lt Harry E. Hopkins - 6 missions (269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274); Eleven other CoPilots who flew on a single missions with the 1Lt White crew.
- 2Lt Seymour Kaufman (N) - Flew on 23 missions with 1Lt White (214, 215, 216, 217, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 233, 234, 239, 240, 241, 243, 244, 245, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 255) and 12 missions with other seven other Pilots (273, 274, 275, 277, 279, 280, 281, 287, 294, 296, 297, 298A). Combat tour (35 missions) completed on 6 Jan 1945 (Mission 298A).
- 1Lt Robert M. Ross (B/N) - Flew on 34 missions with 1Lt White: As Bombardier (25 missions - 214, 215, 216, 217, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 233, 234, 239, 240, 241, 243, 244, 245, 247, 249, 250, 251, 252, 255, 260, 261); As Navigator (9 missions - 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274); As Navigator with 2Lt William H. Woodson (275). Combat Tour (35 missions) completed on 21 Nov 1944 (Mission 275).
- T/Sgt William J. Adams (E), S/Sgt Frederick S. Gilman (BTG), S/Sgt Monroe C. Hein (WG) and S/Sgt James R. Campbell - Flew all of their 35 combat missions with 1Lt White. Combat tours (35 missions) completed on 20 Nov 1944 (Mission 274).
- S/Sgt Henry L. Vesely (R) - Stood down on one mission (241). All other missions with 1Lt White. Completed 34 combat missions on 21 Nov 1944 (Mission 274).
- Sgt William H. Crumpton (WG) - Flew no 303rd BG(H) combat missions. Deleted from 1Lt White crew before the crews first mission. A 303rd BG(H) directive mandated crews to fly combat missions with a single Waist Gunner.
Nineteen different B-17Gs flown by 1Lt White on his 35 combat missions See Nose Art for photos of named B-17s:
Serial No. Aircraft Name Squadron ID Code Missions Flown 42-97298 The Floose (358BS) VK-H 214, 250, 251 42-31739 Pugnacious Peter (358BS) VK-P 216, 217, 225, 230, 241, 244, 252 42-31183 Bad Penny (359BS) BN-J 224 42-32037 Betty Jane (427BS) GN-E 227 42-102945 Sweet Pea (358BS) VK-M 233 43-37590 Neva-The Silver Lady (358BS) VK-Q 249, 258 43-38258 Forget Me Not Olly (358BS) VK-H 260 43-38554 Bouncing Betty III (358BS) VK-B 268 42-39875 Buzz Blonde (427BS) GN-F 272 44-6503 Lady Alta (358BS) VK-F 273, 274 42-97972 (No name) (358BS) VK-N 215, 216 42-102680 (No name) (358BS) VK-I 228 43-38200 (No name) (358BS) VK-E 234, 239 44-6316 (No name) (358BS) VK-C 240, 267 42-97949 (No name) (358BS) VK-O 243, 247 44-6006 (No name) (358BS) VK-D 245, 261 44-8326 (No name) (359BS) BN-S 255 43-38530 (No name) (358BS) VK-G 269, 271 43-38238 (No name) (358BS) VK-L 270
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]