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 427th Klint Crew
Wilbur "Bud" Klint, Pilot
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WILBUR KLINT CREW - 427th BS
B-17G #42-38020 V-Packet (427BS) GN-L
(pilot assigned 427BS: 06 July 1943 - photo: 09 Feb 1944)
(Klint was copilot to R.J. Hullar, upgraded to pilot 29 Dec 1943)

(Back L-R) S/Sgt Nyle F. Smith (TG);
2Lt Elton L. Jenkins (CP)(2)(3); 2Lt Edward F. Eccleston (N)(3);
2Lt Robert W. Meagher (B)(3); 1Lt Wilbur "Bud" Klint (P)(1)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Robert H. McGrew (WG);
T/Sgt Charles E. Walsh (E); S/Sgt Charles H. Marson (WG);
S/Sgt Frederick B. Knight (BTG); T/Sgt Leonard E. Ratliff (R)

The crewmen went on to complete their combat tours of 25 missions.

  1. Lt Wilbur "Bud" Klint was upgraded from Hullar Crew CoPilot to Pilot on 31 Dec 43
  2. Lt Elton L. Jenkins (CP) was upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on 04 April 1944. Was originally a member of the 427th Ralph E. Whitcomb Crew (17 Sept 43).
  3. Was originally a member of the 427th BS Alan Eckhart Crew that ditched their B-17 on 01 Dec 1944.
Twenty-eight dispatched (25 credited) Missions flown by 1Lt Wilbur Klint:
  • As CoPilot: - 18 credited missions - Lt Robert J. Hullar (P) - 59 (16 Aug 43), 60, 61, 64, 65(AS), 66(A), 67, 70, 71 (A), 73, 75, 77, 78, 79 (AS), 80, 85, 86(AS), 87 & 89 (16 Dec 43), Lt Deane L. Barnes (P) - 88
  • As Pilot: - 7 credited missions - Lt Elton L. Jenkins (CP) - 95 (4 Jan 1944), 99, 101, 102, 103(A), 104, 107, 109 (20 Feb 1944).
For mission dates and targets see the missions list.
(A) Non-credit aborted mission --- (AS) Credited abortive sortie - no bombs dropped

Crew Note:
1Lt Wilbur Klint (P) - Flew 18 missions as CoPilot. Upgraded from CoPilot ro Pilot on orders dated 31 December 1943. First mission as 1st Pilot 4 Jan 1944. Completed twenty-five mission combat tour on 20 February 1944. Flew on both of the Schweinfurt missions #60 (17 Aug 1944) and #78 (14 Oct 1943) with the Robert J. Huller crew.

[photo courtesy of Wilbur Bud Klint]
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]