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 359th Assenheimer Crew
Edwin Assenheimer, Pilot
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EDWIN H. ASSENHEIMER CREW - 359th BS
B-17G #42-97508 Scorchy II (359BS) BN-V
(crew assigned 359BS: 09 Oct 1943 - photo: May 1944)
(Upgraded from CoPilot, Leroy E. Daub Crew, to Pilot: 16 March 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Edwin H. Assenheimer (P)(1),
2Lt Joseph C. Sassone (CP)(2), 2Lt Frederick A. Corbin (N)(3)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Charles G. Covington (WG)(4), Sgt Wayne E. Meir (Tog)(5),
S/Sgt Robert A. Rettinhouse (WG)(WIA)(6), S/Sgt Roland L. Gilcrease (BT)(7),
T/Sgt John C. Mayhugh (E)(8), T/Sgt Lloyd C. Mouser (R)(9),
S/Sgt Joseph E. Robichaud (TG)(WIA)(10)

Crew Notes:

  1. 1Lt Edwin H. Assenheimer (P) - Missions: 1st #80 (3 Nov 43) 34th #180 (14 June 44). Flew first 10 missions as a CoPilot with Lt LeRoy E. Daub (6), Lt Elmer W. Young & Lt Billy M. Goolsby (2). Upgraded to Pilot on 16 March 1944 and flew 24 missions as a Pilot.
  2. 2Lt Joseph C. Sassone (CP) - Missions: 1st #92 (24 Dec 43) 34th #164 (29 May 1944). Flew as CoPilot with 11 Pilots - Young (4), Daub (3), Eisenhart (4), Goolsby (5), Stoulil (1), Blossom (2), Hybert (1), Dahleen (1), Marsh (1), Newell (1), Assenheimer (10 - #126-127-128-129-130-131-139-141-144 & 164).
  3. 2Lt Frederick A. Corbin (N) - Missions: 1st #87 (12 Nov 43) 34th #154 (15 May 44) Assenheimer missions: Three (#144, 153 & 154). Flew 29 missions as a Flight Officer and Bombardier with 11 different Pilots. Promoted to 2Lt and made a Navigator on mission #142 (27 April 44)
  4. S/Sgt Charles G. Covington (WG) - Missions: 1st #88 (13 Dec 43); 30th - #151 (5 Nov 44). Lt Assenheimer Missions: Three (#141,142 & 144) 1st 25 missions as Tail Gunner with the Lt Howard D. Dahleen Crew.
  5. Sgt Wayne E. Meir (Tog) - Missions: 1st #13 (22 Apr 44); 33rd - #214 (29 July 44) Lt Assenheimer missions: 1st Fifteen between 22 April and 06 June 1944. Then flew eighteen missions with seven different Pilots.
  6. S/Sgt Robert A. Rettinhouse (WG)(WIA) - Missions: 1st #35 (14 May 43) 31st - #169 (03 June 44). Lt Assenheimer missions - Last eleven missions #136 (18 Apr 44) to #169 (03 June 44). First fifteen missions with the 1Lt Robert L. Mattison Crew - #35 (14 May 43) to # 51 (17 July 43) Badly wounded on mission #51 (17 July 43) to Hannover, Germany, 1Lt Mattison, Pilot. Spent five months in three different Hospitals. Resumed missions on 03 February 1944. Flew five missions with four different Pilots before his assignment to the Assenheimer Crew as Waist and Tail Gunner.
  7. S/Sgt Roland L. Gilcrease (BT) - Missions: 1st #98 (11 Jan 44) 31st #154 (15 May 44). First 23 missions with the Lt Arthur J. Hybert Crew as a Waist Gunner through mission #130 (28 Mar 44). Flew his next 7 missions as Ball Turret Gunner with the Lt John N. Savage Crew. Last mission, and only mission with Lt Assenheimer, on 15 May 1944 as Ball Turret Gunner
  8. T/Sgt John C. Mayhugh (E) - Missions: 1st #91 (22 Dec 43) 35th #182 (16 June 44). First thirteen missions flown with four different Pilots - Bolsover (5), Goolsby (2), Eisenhart (5) and Quinn (1). Assigned to Lt Assenheimer Crew for 19 missions #126 (23 March 44) through #172 (06 June 1944) with mission #131 (29 Mar 44) flown with Lt Eisenhart. Flew last two missions with two different Pilots - Eisenhart & Moser
  9. T/Sgt Lloyd C. Mouser (R) - Missions: 1st #72 (27 Sept 43) 31st #153 (13 May 44). First 19 missions through #129 (27 Mar 44) with six different Pilots - Hanselmann (2), Campbell (2), Bolsover (6), Quinn (2), Shoup (1) & Eisenhart (6). Assigned to Assenheimer Crew mission #126 (23 Mar 44) and flew his remaining 12 missions with this crew.
  10. S/Sgt Joseph E. Robichaud (TG) - Missions: 1st #55 (29 July 43) 34th #154 (15 May 44). First 16 missions with four different Pilots - McClung (1), Reeder (4), Phelps (2) and Bolsover (2). Was Badly wounded on mission # 83 (26 Nov 43) to Bremen, Germany while his 359th BS B-17 #42-5177 Fast Worker II was under heavy attack by German ME-109 fighters. Despite wounds in his neck and shoulder he remained at his Left Waist Gun position firing at the German fighters. For displaying "Gallantry in Action, Courage, Skill and Devotion to Duty against the enemy" he was awarded the Silver Star Medal. The German fighter attacks knocked out two engines and badly damaged the B-17. The Radio Operator, T/Sgt Raymond K. Roberts was Killed in Action and the Tail Gunner, S/Sgt J. L. Perryman was shot through his shoulder. The damaged B-17 made an emergency landing at Attlebridge, England. S/Sgt Robichaud was hospitalized and resumed his combat missions three months later on mission #109 (20 Feb 1942). He then flew missions with the Lt. Eisenhart Crew and one Lead Crew mission with Major Richard H. Cole before being assigned to the Assenheimer crew for his final eight missions #136 (18 Apr 44) through #154 (15 May 44)

[Photo courtesy of Robert A. Rettinhouse]
[Researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]