Hodge Crew – Assigned 754th Squadron – December 19, 1944

The Hodge Crew arrived at Horsham St Faith on December 19, 1944, assigned from the 70th Replacement Depot.  They were placed in the 754BS.  They would be cooling their heels for more than a month before they flew their first mission.

On January 31, 1945, the 458BG was assigned as its Primary Target, a factory near Brunswick, Germany that manufactured parts for oil plants.  The group put up 29 aircraft, including the Hodge Crew.  The mission was recalled due to weather.  The next mission that Hodge flew was also recalled due to weather.  It wasn’t until the February 14th attack on Magdeburg, that the crew got credit for the first of the 35 required missions to be sent home.  They flew five additional missions in February, one of which, the Berlin raid on the 26th, from which they were forced to abort.  According to records, the crew, flying Old Doc’s Yacht, had a fire on the flight deck, and aborted “over the field”.

In March the crew flew a total of eight missions, all but one in a B-24J-95-CO 42-100366 named Mizpah.  The crew’s 19th and last mission of the war was to Zwiesel, Germany to bomb a railroad bridge on April 20, 1945.  Five days later, the Eighth Air Force flew its final combat mission of World War II.  Hodge and most of the crew were scheduled to participate, but navigator, Lt Walter Sopronik became ill during the flight to the Continent and the crew were forced to abort.  Lt Harold C. Hoefel, the crew’s bombardier, flew this last mission with Lt John R. Sherwood and crew.

The crew were transferred to the 755BS on May 17, 1945.  It is possible, since they had not finished a combat tour, that they were held on the base in order to fly a Liberator back to the States in June.

Mizpah was an original 754BS aircraft, having started its combat career on the group’s first mission, March 2, 1944.  Hodge and crew flew 13 of their 19 combat missions in this aircraft. By war’s end it had amassed 81 combat missions.  It was ferried back to the States by the Sherwood Crew.

(Courtesy: Mark Styling)

Skeet Shooting – January 9, 1945

All crew members receive intensive training in gunnery throughout their tour of operations.  Skeet plays an important part in this program, as it gives valuable training in “Leading” and “Tracking”.  Today they see a clay disc through their sights: tomorrow it will be an FW190.

On the left is F/O Walter Sopronik receiving instructions from Capt Lester F. Heath, the 458BG Gunnery Officer.  On the right are two of the crew’s gunners Sgt James R. Holben who is preparing to shoot, and Sgt George H. Stewart awaiting his turn.

Hodge Crew 1944

Individual Issue Record

Flight gear issued to F/O Louis R. Hodge