Harold S. Bolsover Crew

HAROLD S. BOLSOVER CREW - 359th BS
(F/O Bolsover assigned 359th BS: 28 May 1943)
(Upgraded from CoPilot, Guy H. McClung Crew, to Pilot: 16 October 1943)

2Lt Harold S. Bolsover (P), 2Lt Charles M. Rice (CP),
2Lt Lloyd S. Johnson (N)(KIA), 1Lt Charles J. McClain (B)

T/Sgt Marvin F. Powell (E), S/Sgt Lloyd C. Mouser (R),
S/Sgt Francis M. Joubert (BTG), S/Sgt Joseph E. Robichaud (WG)(WIA),
S/Sgt Charles W. Robb (WG), S/Sgt Jack L. Perryman (TG)(WIA)

(Ranks and grades at time of last combat mission)

Ten dispatched missions of the 2Lt Harold S. Bolsover Crew:
82 (16 Nov 1943), 83, 88, 90(AS), 91(AS), 92(AS), 93(A), 94, 95 & 97 (7 Jan 1944)
(A) Mission aborted -non credit mission
(AS) Abortive Sortie - credited mission For mission dates and targets see the missions list

Crew Notes:

2Lt Harold S. Bolsover (P) - Flew his first mission (#42 13 June 1943) as a Bombardier with the Lt Guy H. McClung crew and four missions (49, 51, 54, 55) as this crew's CoPilot. Flew on two lead crew missions as a Tail Gunner/Observer (52, 57). Reassigned as CoPilot on the 1Lt Robert L. Phelps crew and was dispatched on twelve missions (63, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71(A), 72(AS), 73, 74, 75, 76(A) & 78). Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on orders dated 16 October 1943 and promoted from F/O to 2Lt. Flew seven missions as a 1st Pilot (82, 83, 91, 92, 93(A), 95 & 97) and three as a Lead Crew CoPilot (88, 90 & 94). 25 mission combat tour completed on 7 January 1944.
2Lt Charles M. Rice (CP) - Flew on six mission as the Lt Bolsover crew CoPilot (82, 83, 92, 93(A), 95 & 97). Reassigned as CoPilot on the 1Lt Howard S. Dahleen crew for 12 missions (108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 125 & 126). Completed his combat tour on 27 April 1944 after flying an additional 10 missions as CoPilot with seven different Pilots.
2Lt Lloyd S. Johnson (N) - Missions flown: Nine missions with six different Pilots (42, 49, 51, 52, 54, 55, 57, 63 & 70: Ten missions with the 1Lt Robert L. Phelps Crew, Lt Bolsover (CP), (65, 66, 67, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76(A) & 78): One mission (82) with Lt Bolsover as Pilot; Two missions with other Pilots (77 & 83); Last mission - #83 on 26 Nov 1943 to Bremen. Germany as the PFF Lead Navigator, in 482nd BG(H) PFF B-17 #42-3484, B/G Robert F. Travis (Air Commander) and Capt Jacob James (P). Was mortally wounded and died on 2 December 1943. Is buried in the Cambridge, England American Cemetery.
2Lt Charles J. McClain (B) - Missions flown: First two missions with Pilot Lt Bolsover (82 & 83); Ten missions as a Lead Crew Bombardier (87, 88, 93, 97, 100, 102, 104, 109, 110 & 114). Became the 303rd BG(H) Group Bombardier; Last mission - #114 on 28 Feb 1944 to Bois Coquerol, France in B-17F 42-5306 (No name) (359BS) BN-Q, 1Lt Noel E. Shoup (P). Aircraft was lost just after a second bomb run. The right wing came off after being hit by flak and the B-17 went down in a slow spiral. The nose broke off while the B-17 was spinning, ejecting 1Lt McClain and the Navigator. Seven crewmen were KIA, one became a POW and two evaded capture - Lt McClain (B) and T/Sgt Avestos (LWG). Lt McClain was captured after his bail-out landing at Blangy, France. He escaped after three days as a POW and then evaded through France and over the Pyrenees mountains to Spain. Was awarded the DFC Medal on mission 109 and the Silver Star Medal on mission #83.
T/Sgt Marvin F. Powell (E) - Missions flown: Six with the Lt Ercil F. Eyster crew (3, 6, 9, 11, 13(A) & 14); Four with the Lt Sanford T. Smith crew (41, 42(A), 43A & 44); Eight with four other Pilots ( 45, 47, 51, 52, 54, 58, 60, 77); Two with the Lt McClung (P)/F/O Bolsover crew (54, 55); Eight with the Lt Phelps (P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) Crew (70, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 78); One with 2Lt Bolsover (P) crew (82). Combat tour completed on 13 December 1943.
T/Sgt Lloyd C. Mouser (R) - Missions flown: Seven with the Lt Bolsover crew (82, 90, 91, 92, 94, 95 & 97); Six with the William E. Eisenhart crew (109, 110, 111, 113, 121 & 125; Twelve with the Lt Edwin H. Assenheimer crew (126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 139(A), 140, 141, 142(Spare), 142, 153); Seven with five other Pilots (72, 76, 80, 83, 84, 99, 118). Combat tour completed on 13 May 1944.
S/Sgt Francis M. Joubert (BTG) - Missions flown: Five with four different Pilots (52, 58, 66, 67, 77); Three with the Lt McClung (P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (51, 54, 55); Eight with the Lt Phelps (P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (70, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76(A), 78); Seven with 2Lt Bolsover crew (82, 83, 84, 92, 93(A), 95 & 97). Did not complete his combat tour. Last mission on 7 January 1944.
S/Sgt Joseph E. Robichaud (WG) - Missions flown: One with the Lt McClung (P)/F/O Bolsover crew (55); Eight with the Lt Phelps (P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (70, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76(A), 78); Two with the 2Lt Bolsover crew (82, 83); Ten with the Lt Edwin H. Assenheimer crew (126, 127, 136(A), 139, 140, 141, 142(Spare), 144, 153 & 154); Seven with the Lt William E. Eisenhart crew (109, 110, 111, 113, 121, 125 & 132); Six with three other Pilots (64, 65, 66, 68, 77, 118). Was wounded on mission #83. Completed combat tour on 15 May 1944.
S/Sgt Charles W. Robb (WG) - Missions flown: One with the Lt McClung(P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (55); Nine as Top Turret gunner on the 1Lt Phelps (P)/F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (67, 70, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76(A), 78); Five with the 2Lt Bolsover crew as WG (82, 83, 88, 90, 91)and six as TG (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97); Four with the Lt William E. Eisenhart crew (109, 110, 121, 125, 132); Eight with the Lt Edwin H. Assenheimer crew (126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 136(A), 139). Combat tour completed on 22 April 1944.
S/Sgt Jack L. Perryman (TG) - Mission flown: Thirteen with the Lt Sanford T. Smith crew (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 35, 36, 37, 38 & 39); Two with other Pilots (23 & 77); Twelve with the Lt Phelps (P)/ F/O Bolsover (CP) crew (63, 65, 66, 67, 70, 71(A), 72, 73, 74, 75, 76(A), 78); Two with the 2Lt Bolsover (P) crew (82 & 83). Wounded on mission 83. Combat tour completed on 16 November 1943.
Substitute crewmen were used on a number of the Lt Bolsover missions.

Notable combat missions:

Mission #83, 26 November 1943 to Bremen, Germany in B-17F 42-5177 Fast Worker II (359BS) BN-U. ME-109 cannon fire knocked out two engines and riddled and badly damaged the B-17. S/Sgt Perryman (TG) was shot through his shoulder, S/Sgt Robichaud (LWG) was shot through his skull and shoulder. Substitute Radio Operator, T/Sgt Raymond K. Roberts, on his 24th mission, was shot and killed. He is buried in the Cambridge, England American Cemetery. 2Lt Lloyd S. Johnson (PFF Navigator) was mortally wounded and died on 2 December 1943. He is buried in the Cambridge, England American Cemetery. 2Lt Bolsover (P) made an emergency landing at the Attlebridge, England airfield. The interrogator at Attlebridge requested that the badly shaken crew not be interrogated further upon their return to Molesworth. 2Lt McClain (B) and S/Sgt Robichaud were awarded the Silver Star Medal for Gallantry in action .
Mission #93, 30 December 1943 to Ludwigshafen, Germany, in B-17F 41-24635 The '8' Ball Mk II, (359BS) BN-O, aborted the mission, about two miles inside France, when his Nos. 2 & 3 superchargers became erratic and he lost the group formation.

[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]