Willard H. Bergeron Crew

WILLARD H. BERGERON CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 25 July 1943 - photo: 21 Dec 1943)
(Bergeron was copilot to L.E. Jokerst, upgraded to pilot 10 Oct 1943)

(Back L-R) Capt Willard H. Bergeron (P), 1Lt Hershel R. DeWall (CP),
1Lt James B. Noland (N), 2Lt Robert N. DeFeis (B)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt George W. Wilson (WG), S/Sgt Simon Oxendine (BT),
T/Sgt Alphonse B. Serwa (E), S/Sgt Norman A. Hemmings (WG),
T/Sgt Leroy Cline (R), S/Sgt Vernon R. Appleton (TG)

Crew Note: Capt Bergeron flew on two combat tours.
1st Combat Tour - 28 dispatched (26 credited missions) with 360th BS

As CoPilot: - 12 credited missions: Lt Arthur C. Way (P) - 58 (15 Aug 1943); Lt Leonard E. Jokerst (P) - 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72(AS) & 75 (8 Oct 1943)
As Pilot: - 14 credited missions - 78 (6 Nov 1943), 79 (AS), 82, 83, 101
As Squadron or Group Lead Crew Pilot: - 85 (A), 88 (AS), 92 (AS), 93, 95, 102, 103, 104(A), 105, 118 & 122 (18 March 1944)

2nd Combat Tour - As a Lead Crewman - 13 credited missions (8 Sept 1944 to 14 April 1945)

As Lead Crew CoPilot: - 5 missions with Lead Crew Pilots- 237 (Capt Lynch), 243 (Capt Rosser) , 244 (LtCol Lyle), 280 (Maj Mackin), 344 (LtCol Snyder)
As Lead Crew Pilot: - 7 missions - 249, 250, 260, 264, 272, 316 & 356
Final Mission: (14 April 1945) - As a CoPilot with 1Lt William L. McKimmie (P) - 358

Appointed 358th BS Operations Officer on 19 December 1944
Appointed 358th BS Acting Commanding Officer on 30 March 1945

For mission dates and targets see the missions list.
(A) Non-credited aborted mission -- (AS) Credited Abortive Sortie - no bombs dropped

My Unbelievable Story
by Willard "Bill" Bergeron

In 1941 I lived at 2013 Geneva Avenue, Detroit, Michigan and my draft number was 913 when drafted on 21 June 1941. I was in the first 1000 from Detroit that were sent to Camp Custer, Michigan.

I graduated from Mechanic's School at Chanute Field, Illinois with a Second AM rating. Several of us were sent to McClellan Field, California on 10 January 1942 and the first week were assigned to the 2nd Air Depot Group (in crews of six). We tore down and crated two P-39 Aircraft. The civilian management fired us because they were doing one a week. On 20 February 1942, I passed my Cadet exam and I was reduced from Sergeant to Private and put on Cadet leave for 30 days. I was not called back until August 1942, placed on Cadet status and sent to San Antonio, Texas, "Upper Kelly" now Lackland AFB, for pre-flight; then to Pine Bluff, Arkansas for primary training; Greenville, Texas for basic and Blackland, Waco, Texas for advanced training.

Two weeks before graduation, I was shooting day landings at the auxiliary field west of Waco. Cadet Bevers was my co-pilot in an AT-10 aircraft and coming in for a landing Bevers put the Flap Switch up and not the Landing Gear Switch in the down position. We belly landed and took about 100 feet of fence with us. All flying stopped that afternoon and a few meetings were held by all Cadet Fight Commanders. A week later, Bevers was again my co-pilot on a night cross country to Bryan, Brownwood and back to Waco. Bevers went to sleep and was not navigating - we were lost. I saw a beacon flashing down below (I found out later it was Fort Worth Airport). An aircraft took off at the time my airplane's red lights came on. I think the civilian tower must have heard my engines missing because they left the runway lights on - I didn't have time to call the tower, down I went making a dead stick landing. The maintenance people hauled the airplane off the runway. Well, I sure did get a good talking to. When I called my Fight Commander, B.J. Courneen, at 11:00 P.M. that night and told him I had landed at Fort Worth Airport out of gas - 'I still remember every word he said,' - but I can't repeat it here. In spite of all this, I received my wings on 23 April 1943.

I asked for B-17s and combat so off I went to Moses Lake, Washington. We did not see any airplanes or airbase, just a couple of tents - then on to Edmond, Oregon and Walla Walla, Washington where I was put on a crew as a co-pilot and was sent overseas. We went via Grand Island, Nebraska, Bangor, Maine and arrived in England 25 June 1943. Our crew was assigned to the 303rd BG (H) at Molesworth, England in early July 1943. After some local flying we went on our first combat mission 15 August 1943, second mission, 16 August and third Mission 17 August.

Our third mission was the first Schweinfurt mission, very rough (ball bearing plants). In September 1943, my pilot and assistant engineer were night flying and were killed on takeoff. I then checked out as first pilot and took over the remaining crew members. My 12th mission was the second Schweinfurt mission on 14 October 1943 (called "Black Thursday' because of the heavy loss of aircraft and crews.) I finished 25 missions (25 Club) 18 March 1944 and I had Colonel William Travis (brother of General Travis) as co-pilot that day. We were leading the group. Everyone was betting that Bergeron wouldn't buzz the tower after his 25th mission - well, I called #2 man and said, "Take over, I am going to buzz the tower." Colonel Travis said, "You can't do that!" I said, "I know it." I think some boys lost some money because I gave it two passes and then followed the last man in.

Arriving in the States In April, 1944, I went to Miami Beach for R & R. After 30 days, I was ordered to Lockboume AFB, Columbus, Ohio for B-17 Crew Training. HQ said that I had never been through B-17 School even though I had a total of 1200 hours of B-17 training and combat time. Someone screwed up - I think! I was supposed to finish my training 31 July and on 15 July I received orders to report to Greensboro, North Carolina for overseas processing. The Base Commander finished me up early, flew me down to Greensboro to make my reporting date (again, someone screwed up!) 1 August 1944, I arrived in England and was assigned to the 303rd BG again. I kept flying missions until the war ended in May, 1945 and our group, the "Hells Angels" was sent to Casablanca, Africa, assigned to MATS. I checked out in C-54 type aircraft and flew back and forth to Natal, Brazil.

In September 1945 about 45 crews were sent back to the States to airlift General McArthur's personnel into Japan. Later, after 282 Berlin Airlift missions, flying C54s with coal (most of that time was Instrument time from August 1947 until March 1948), I was assigned to Hickam AFB. - I wanted to fly the line in C-54 type aircraft from Hickam to Tokyo. After about 2600 hours in C-54 type aircraft they said, "You have never been to a C-54 school". So I went to Great Falls, Montana in February 1951.

I was supposed to retire in June 1961! What do you know - they lost my paperwork at SAC HQ. I finally retired 30 November 1961. "THANK GOD"!

[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives]