Crew 63 – Assigned 755th Squadron – October 7, 1943

Crew 63 trained with the 458th in Tonopah and moved overseas with the group in January 1944.  Their first mission was made on March 6, 1944 to Berlin, Germany.  Five B-24’s from the 458th were lost that day – the highest single mission loss for the group.

On April 9, 1944, S/Sgt Kenneth F. Duffy was assigned to fly the mission to Tutow, Germany as a replacement gunner on Crew 71, piloted by 1Lt Joseph M. Stroup.  They were shot down by fighters near Osnabruck after releasing their bombs on the target.  Crew 63 visited Berlin three times, Brunswick four times, and Friedrichshafen twice.  Towards the end of May and the beginning of June they help to soften the German coastal defenses for the upcoming invasion of the Continent.  The 458th flew three missions on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and Brudos’ crew flew on two of them.  They finished up their 30 mission tour on July 2nd with a trip to a Noball target near Coubronne, France.

After completing their missions, the crew was somehow assigned to Leuchars, Scotland to participate in Carpetbagger operations.  According to navigator, Harold “Mac” McDonald, when they heard that the crew had just finished a combat tour, they didn’t want any part of them and sent them back to Horsham.  The whole crew received the DFC in July and the officers were transferred to the Casual Pool, 12th Replacement Depot later that same month for reassignment.  The enlisted men were held over until October when they were transferred to a Replacement Depot for return to the States.  The reason for the delay is not known.

Standing: Unknown, Grant Conant, Garland Meadows, Clay Wilkening

Kneeling: Albert Lind, Billie Spivey, Rex Brudos, Herschel Dailey, Ralph Bonner

Photo: FOLD3

March 6, 1944 – Load List and Debriefing Sheet

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B-24H-10-DT 41-28678 J3 M

Crew 63 flew this Liberator over from the States and on all but one of their first 8 missions.
This aircraft was lost on March 22nd with the Dunlevie Crew

(Photo: FOLD3)