Besten Crew – Assigned 754th Squadron – August 13, 1944
Completed Tour
Rank | Name | Serial # | Crew Position | Date | Status | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Lt | Emil B Besten | 0705001 | Pilot | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
1Lt | Millens W Taft, Jr | 0824992 | Co-pilot | 22-Feb-45 | WIA | Hit by flak in neck | |
1Lt | Edgar O Suiter | 0722389 | Navigator | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
1Lt | Arthur C Krueger | 0716737 | Bombardier | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
T/Sgt | Frederick J Fuhrman | 16116444 | Radio Operator | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
T/Sgt | Beryl C Christiansen | 37663228 | Flight Engineer | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
S/Sgt | John R MacQuarrie | 39082555 | Armorer-Gunner | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
S/Sgt | Charles G Domek, Jr | 36697275 | Aerial Gunner | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
S/Sgt | Edgar L Kingsborough | 33241690 | Aerial Gunner | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour | |
S/Sgt | George F Spencer | 14193821 | Aerial Gunner | 08-Mar-45 | CT | Completed Tour |
Emil Besten’s crew was assigned to the 458th Bomb Group on August 13, 1944 and placed in the 754BS. They would remain in this squadron throughout their combat tour.
They flew their first mission on August 25, 1944 in one of the squadron’s original aircraft, Old Doc’s Yacht. This was a two-mission day for the 458th, and Besten and crew flew the first to the Dornier Aircraft Factory at Lubeck, Germany. They flew the next two consecutive days to round out their combat flights for August and were selected to fly three missions in the beginning of September. After their sixth mission on September 9th, the group was pulled off of combat operations in order to ferry gasoline to the Continent.
Between September 21 and 30, Besten flew eight of these “Truckin’ Missions”, hauling gas to Patton’s army in France. These flights consisted of the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, radio operator, flight engineer, and at least one gunner. There may have also been some “passengers” along for the ride. These flights did not count towards a crew’s mission total, even though many of the airmen felt that loading a B-24 Liberator with thousands of gallons of fuel in specially made tanks was more dangerous than combat flying ever was! The 458th lost seven aircraft and two full crews on these flights.
The group resumed combat flying in early October and Besten’s first mission was on October 7th to Magdeburg, when the crew were forced to abort due to engine problems. According to the “Aircraft Not Attacking Report” for this date, “Pilot reported RPM fluctuating on #2 and 4 engines during climb while transferring fuel. A/C test hopped and found OK. Probable cause was air in gas lines due to transferring fuel while climbing with auxiliary tanks nearly empty.”
Before the end of the year, Besten and crew had completed 20 missions, including the Eight Air Force’s “Maximum Effort” on December 24th, Christmas Eve. The group put up 56 aircraft, of which 53 made it to the target area. One loss marred the day’s mission: that of Lt Charles A. Giesen and crew who took a direct flak hit over the target.
The crew flew six missions in January and seven in February, although they were forced to abort on February 9th run to Magdeburg, again with engine problems. On February 22nd the group split the formation into an “A” Group to hit the marshaling yards at Peine, Germany and a “B” Group to hit the marshaling yards Hildesheim. Besten’s Crew did not fly on this date, but co-pilot, Millens Taft flew with the crew of Lt John Rosen in the lead squadron of the “A” Group and was wounded in action, hit in the neck by flak. The extent of his wounds are not detailed, and it is unknown if he flew any further combat missions.
Most of the crew finished their combat tour of 35 missions on March 8, 1945.
Missions
Date | Target | 458th Msn | Pilot Msn | Serial | RCL | Sqdn | A/C Msn | A/C Name | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
25-Aug-44 | LUBECK | 118 | 1 | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | 39 | OLD DOC'S YACHT | |
26-Aug-44 | DULMEN | 120 | 2 | 42-95108 | M | Z5 | 34 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
27-Aug-44 | FINOW | 121 | 3 | 41-29340 | N | 7V | 51 | YANKEE BUZZ BOMB | MSN CRED IN NOV |
05-Sep-44 | KARLSRUHE | 122 | 4 | 44-40126 | L | Z5 | 22 | SPITTEN KITTEN / SKY TRAMP | |
08-Sep-44 | KARLSRUHE | 123 | 5 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 52 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
09-Sep-44 | MAINZ | 124 | 6 | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | 38 | UNKNOWN 056 | |
21-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR05 | -- | 42-95001 | Z | 44BG | T3 | TS TESSIE | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
23-Sep-44 | HSF to ST DIZIER | TR07 | -- | 42-97972 | I | T1 | NOT 458TH SHIP - HETHEL | TRUCKIN' MISSION | |
25-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR08-1 | -- | 41-28682 | I | Z5 | T5 | NO NAME or NAME UNKNOWN | 1ST FLIGHT - WW |
26-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR09 | -- | 44-40475 | M | 755 | T8 | JOLLY ROGER | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
27-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR10 | -- | 41-29475 | M | 44BG | T1 | SHIPDAM HI SCHOOL | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
28-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR11 | -- | 41-29305 | N | 754 | T4 | I'LL BE BACK | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
29-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR12 | -- | 41-29305 | N | 754 | T5 | I'LL BE BACK | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
30-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR13 | -- | 41-28610 | X+ | 453BG | T1 | CURLY | ON LOAN FOR TRUCKIN' |
07-Oct-44 | MAGDEBURG | 130 | ABT | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | -- | OLD DOC'S YACHT | ABORT - ENGINE RPMS |
09-Oct-44 | KOBLENZ | 131 | 7 | 42-95120 | M | J3 | 46 | HOOKEM COW / BETTY | |
17-Oct-44 | COLOGNE | 135 | 8 | 42-100366 | H | Z5 | 54 | MIZPAH | |
19-Oct-44 | MAINZ | 136 | 9 | 42-51199 | U | Z5 | 7 | UNKNOWN 023 | |
22-Oct-44 | HAMM | 137 | 10 | 44-40298 | E | Z5 | 5 | THE SHACK | |
04-Nov-44 | MISBURG | 141 | 11 | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | 43 | UNKNOWN 056 | |
05-Nov-44 | KARLSRUHE | 142 | 12 | 44-40298 | E | Z5 | 10 | THE SHACK | |
08-Nov-44 | RHEINE | 144 | 13 | 42-50640 | O | Z5 | 10 | BUGS BUNNY | |
10-Nov-44 | HANAU A/F | 146 | 14 | 42-50640 | O | Z5 | 12 | BUGS BUNNY | |
25-Nov-44 | BINGEN | 149 | 15 | 42-100366 | H | Z5 | 61 | MIZPAH | |
04-Dec-44 | BEBRA | 152 | 16 | 42-50456 | D | Z5 | 15 | DOROTHY KAY SPECIAL | |
11-Dec-44 | HANAU | 155 | 17 | 42-50640 | O | Z5 | 18 | BUGS BUNNY | |
12-Dec-44 | HANAU | 156 | 18 | 44-40298 | E | Z5 | 18 | THE SHACK | |
18-Dec-44 | KOBLENZ | REC | -- | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | -- | HELL'S ANGEL'S | RECALL DUTCH ISLE |
24-Dec-44 | SCHONECKEN | 157 | 19 | 44-40298 | E | Z5 | 19 | THE SHACK | |
27-Dec-44 | NEUNKIRCHEN | 159 | 20 | 42-95183 | U | Z5 | 65 | BRINEY MARLIN | |
02-Jan-45 | REMAGEN | 164 | 21 | 42-50640 | O | Z5 | 25 | BUGS BUNNY | |
03-Jan-45 | NEUNKIRCHEN | 165 | 22 | 42-110070 | K | Z5 | 50 | ELMER | |
08-Jan-45 | STADTKYLL | 167 | 23 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 80 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | LAND OFF LOCATION |
14-Jan-45 | HALLENDORF | 170 | 24 | 41-29305 | N | Z5 | 42 | I'LL BE BACK/HYPOCHONDRIAC | |
16-Jan-45 | MAGDEBURG | 171 | 25 | 41-28980 | V | J4 | 19 | UNKNOWN 009 | |
29-Jan-45 | MUNSTER | 175 | 26 | 42-95120 | M | Z5 | 65 | HOOKEM COW / BETTY | |
03-Feb-45 | MAGDEBURG | 177 | MSHL | -- | -- | -- | -- | MARSHALING CHIEF | |
06-Feb-45 | MAGDEBURG | 178 | 27 | 42-95108 | B | Z5 | 58 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
09-Feb-45 | MAGDEBURG | 179 | ABT | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | -- | UNKNOWN 056 | ABORT - #4 ENG |
16-Feb-45 | OSNABRUCK | 183 | 28 | 42-95108 | B | Z5 | 60 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
20-Feb-45 | NUREMBURG | REC | -- | 42-95108 | B | Z5 | -- | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | RECALL |
21-Feb-45 | NUREMBERG | 185 | 29 | 42-95108 | B | Z5 | 62 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
23-Feb-45 | GERA-REICHENBACH | 187 | 30 | 44-40126 | L | Z5 | 54 | SPITTEN KITTEN / SKY TRAMP | |
25-Feb-45 | SCHWABISCH-HALL | 189 | 31 | 42-51199 | A | Z5 | 28 | UNKNOWN 023 | |
27-Feb-45 | HALLE | 191 | 32 | 42-51179 | P | Z5 | 65 | DUSTY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE | |
01-Mar-45 | INGOLSTADT | 193 | 33 | 44-40126 | L | Z5 | 60 | SPITTEN KITTEN / SKY TRAMP | |
02-Mar-45 | MAGDEBURG | 194 | ASSY | 41-28697 | Z | Z5 | A67 | SPOTTED APE | ASSEMBLY CREW |
05-Mar-45 | HARBURG | 197 | 34 | 42-95120 | M | Z5 | 80 | HOOKEM COW / BETTY | |
08-Mar-45 | DILLENBURG | 199 | 35 | 42-50456 | D | Z5 | 42 | DOROTHY KAY SPECIAL |
B-24H-25-FO 42-95219 7V W Patchie
S/Sgt Charles G. Domek – Gunner
Posing with B-24JAZ-155-CO 44-40287 J4 J Bachelor’s Bedlam from the 753BS
Artwork in barracks
B-24J-5-FO 42-50912 J4 D The Travlin Bag
Domek and Cuculich with Princess Pat
(Photos: Charles Domek)