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358th Lemmon Crew John V. Lemmon, Pilot |
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JOHN V. LEMMON CREW - 358th BS
(crew assigned 358BS: 02 Apr 1943 - photo: 20 July 1943)
(Back L-R) Capt John V. Lemmon (P), 1Lt Darrell D. Gust (N)
Capt William F. Latshaw (P), 1Lt Elbert E. Stone (B), F/O Elmo E. Clark (CP)
(Front L-R) M/Sgt Caryl Zeller (R), S/Sgt Virgil E. Brown (TG)
S/Sgt Clayton R. Bagwell (BT), S/Sgt Wayne E. Briggs (WG)
T/Sgt Andrew Berzansky (E), S/Sgt Albert T. Beavers (WG)
(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission)
Twenty-eight dispatched (25 credited) Combat missions flown by Capt John V. Lemmon:
31 (17 Apr 1943), 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 43A, 44, 45, 47(AS), 48, 49, 50, 51(A), 52, 53, 54(A), 59, 60, 65(AS), 70, 75, 99(LC),101(LC) (29 Jan 1944). Also flew on a non-credited recalled mission on 29 Jan 1944. (A) Non-Credited aborted mission - (AS) Credited Abortive Sortie - No bombs dropped - (LC) Group Lead Crew. For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.
Crew Notes:
- Capt John V. Lemmon (P) - All missions flown as First Pilot. Served as 358th BS Operations Officer from 9 April 1943 to 27 March 1944. 25 mission combat tour completed on 29 Jan 1944. Returned to USA 29 Mar 1944.
- F/O Elmo E. Clark (CP) - Flew on a 16 credited Capt Lemmon combat missions as CoPilot - 32, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 43A, 44, 45, 47(AS), 48, 49, 50. Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot. Flew on 9 missions as First Pilot - 52, 53, 55, 56, 63, 65, 66, 67, 69. 25 mission combat tour completed on 9 Sept 1944. Return to USA 29 Sept 1943. 2Lt William J. Harper flew as the Capt Lemmon Crew CoPilot on 7 credited missions - 52, 53, 54(A), 59, 60, 65(AS), 70, 75
- 1Lt Darrell D. Gust (N) - Flew on all of the Capt Lemmon missions 31 through 75. Flew with other pilots on two missions - 69 & 98, Shot down a German ME109 on mission 53. Became 358th BS Squadron Navigator. 25 mission combat tour completed on 11 Jan 1944 and returned to USA.
- 1Lt Elbert E. Stone (B) - Flew on all of the Capt Lemmon missions 31 through 75 except for mission 37. Flew with other Pilots on three missions - 37, 69 & 77. 25 mission combat tour completed on 10 Oct 1943. Return to USA 11 Oct 1943.
- Enlisted Crewmen: T/Sgt Andrew Berzansky (E); M/Sgt Carl C. Zeller (R); S/Sgt Clayton R. Bagwell (BTG); S/Sgt Albert T. Beavers (WG); S/Sgt Wayne E. Briggs (WG); S/Sgt Virgil E. Brown (TG) - Flew on all of the Capt Lemmon missions. 31 through 75 except for M/Sgt Zeller who stood down on mission 31 and Bagwell who stood down on mission 40. Flew on missions with Lead Crew Pilot Maj Kirk R. Mitchell: Berzansky 66, 77; Zeller 66, 77, 97; Bagwell 66, 73, 77; Beavers 66, 77; Briggs 66, 81; Brown 73, 77. S/Sgt Brown shot down a German FW-190 fighter on mission 53. All completed their 25 combat mission tours. All Enlisted crewmen, except Zeller and Briggs, returned to USA on 11 Oct 1943. M/Sgt Zeller and S/Sgt Briggs returned to USA on 20 Jan 1944 as crewmen on the 358th BS Hell's Angels B-17 on tour of USA war plants.
- Passenger: Sgt Morton Luman flew as a Photographer with the Capt Lemmon Crew on missions 52 & 54.
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, Historian Emeritus, 303rd Bomb Group Association]