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359th Lorentz Crew
Arthur Lorentz, Pilot
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ARTHUR LORENTZ CREW - 359th BS
B-17G Liberty Run #44-6076 (359BS) BN-Y
(crew assigned 359BS: 25 July 1944 - photo: 29 Aug 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Arthur Lorentz (P), 2Lt Robert H. Scott (CP),
2Lt Leroy A. Hewitt (B), 2Lt William A. Smith (N)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Gerald W. Clark (RWG), T/Sgt Jon B. Kreager (E),
T/Sgt Walter E. Ringen, Jr. (R), S/Sgt Earl F. Ingalls (BT),
S/Sgt Dwight W. Gonser (LWG), S/Sgt Paul L. Greenwald (TG)

Thirty-five credited combat missions flown by 1Lt Arthur Lorentz:
218 (4 Aug 1944), 220, 221, 223, 224, 225, 227, 228, 230, 231, 233, 234, 236, 238, 239, 243, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251, 254, 255, 258, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 270, 271, 272, 273(16 Nov 1944). For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.

Crew Notes:

  • 1Lt Arthur Lorentz (P) - Flew on two missions as a combat orientation CoPilot: Mission 218 with the new 1Lt John W. Reed crew; Mission 270 with the new 2Lt James F. Green crew. Completed 35 mission combat tour on 16 Nov 1944 (mission 273). Became a TWA Airline Pilot in 1951.
  • 2Lt Robert H. Scott (CP) - Flew on 33 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 268 and 271, 272 & 273) and two missions with other Pilots (274, 282). Completed 35 mission combat tour on 4 Dec 1944 (Mission 282).
  • 2Lt William H. Smith (N) - Flew on 31 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 268, and 271) and two missions with other Pilots (260, 270). Completed 33 combat missions on 10 Nov 1944 (mission 271).
  • 2Lt Leroy H. Hewitt (B) - Flew on 22 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (Missions 220 through 254) and 12 missions as Navigator with the Lt Henry C. Embrey crew (255, 258, 261, 262, 263, 264, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 273). Completed 34 combat missions on 16 Nov 1944 (mission 273).
  • T/Sgt Jon B. Kreager (E) - Flew on 33 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 268, 271, 272, 273) and 11 Lead Crew missions with other Pilots (286, 299, 307, 313, 321, 325, 329, 341, 354, 358, 362). Complete 35 mission combat tour on 8 Jan 1945 (mission 299) and volunteered for a second combat tour of which nine additional missions were completed for a total of 44 combat missions on 17 April 1945 (mission 362).
  • T/Sgt Walter E. Ringen (R) - Flew on 21 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (Missions 220 through 251) and 9 Lead Crew missions with other Pilots (255, 256, 258, 260, 261, 277, 279, 283, 285). Completed combat tour (30 missions with credit for Lead Crew missions) on 11 Dec 1944 (mission 285).
  • S/Sgt Earl F. Ingalls (BTG) - Flew on 33 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 268, 271, 272, 273) and one mission with another Pilot (275). Completed 34 combat missions on 21 Nov 1944 (mission 275).
  • S/Sgt Dwight W. Gonser (WG) - Flew on 32 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 249, 251 through 268, 271, 272, 273) and three missions with other Pilots (274, 277, 279). Completed 35 mission combat tour on 29 Nov 1944 (mission 279).
  • S/Sgt Gerald W. Clark (WG) - Flew no 303rd BG(H) combat missions. Removed from the 1Lt Lorentz Crew when second Waist Gunner was deleted from combat crews. The 1Lt Lorentz crew flew with one Waist Gunner on all of their missions.
  • S/Sgt Paul L. Greenwald (TG) - Flew on 33 missions with 1Lt Lorentz (220 through 268 and 272 & 273) and two missions with other Pilots (274, 277). Completed 35 mission combat tour on 26 Nov 1944 (mission 277).
Crew photo above taken with 359th BS B-17G 44-6026 Liberty Run (BN-Y). The 1Lt Lorentz Crew flew in this B-17 on five combat missions (230, 231, 233, 234, 236). 1Lt Lorentz flew his other missions in 17 different B-17s.

[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]