DeCow Crew – Assigned 753rd Squadron – April 20, 1945

Crew Photo Needed

Flying at the End of Hostilites

DeCowCrew
Rank Name Serial # Crew Pos / Job Title Date Status Comments
1Lt Wayne E DeCow 070967 Pilot 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
1Lt Austin W Frost 0714056 Co-pilot 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
2Lt Russell G Hibbard 02056592 Navigator 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
T/Sgt Russell E Miller 31378411 Flight Engineer 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
T/Sgt Frank E Chessman 39298528 Radio Operator 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
S/Sgt Rufus H Haerle 17037610 Flight Engineer 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
S/Sgt James A Mahan 39120139 Armorer-Gunner 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
S/Sgt Sigvald P Hustad 37565903 Armorer-Gunner 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG
Sgt John G Hansen, Jr 37665537 Armorer-Gunner 20-Apr-45 FEH Assigned from 453rd BG

Assigned to the 753rd Squadron at the end of the air war in Europe, there is very little information on the DeCow crew in the 458th records.  Having arrived in the ETO only five days prior to the Eighth Air Force’s cessation of bombing operations, they were able to fly the last mission of the war on April 25th.  Given their pay grades, and the fact that they flew combat so shortly after their arrival, they may have been an experienced crew having flown missions with the 453BG.

It is very possible that this crew was assigned to ferry a Liberator back to the United States.  See Ferry Crews.

Mission

SwingleMissioon
Date Target 458th Msn Pilot Msn Serial RCL Sqdn A/C Msn A/C Name Comments
25-Apr-45 BAD REICHENHALL 230 1 44-10602 E J4 49 TEN GUN DOTTIE LAST 8AF MISSION

B-24J-65-CF 44-10602 J3 A  Ten Gun Dottie

DeCow flew this aircraft on the crew’s sole mission with the group