LaJeunesse Crew – Assigned 753rd Squadron – November 9, 1944

Standing: John Ackerman – B, Joe Shea – N, Bob LaJeunesse – P, Carroll Galloway – CP

Kneeling: Al Volk – TTG, Gerald Waggoner – TG, Joseph Stachnik – RO, Wayne Falkestien – NTG, Clarence Carter – E

John Ackerman was removed from the crew before leaving the States.

(Photo: Bob LaJeunesse)

Flying at the End of Hostilities

Rank	Name	Serial #	Crew Position	Date	Status	Comments
1Lt	Robert J LaJeunesse	822472	Pilot	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
1Lt	Carroll I Galloway	2058155	Co-pilot	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
F/O	Joseph R Shea	T128794	Navigator	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
Lt	John Ackerman		Bombardier	Sep-44	UNK	Not assigned w/crew
S/Sgt	Joseph H Stachnik	36867051	Radio Operator	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
T/Sgt	Clarence E Carter	7000367	Flight Engineer	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
S/Sgt	Wayne T Falkenstien	17064924	Armorer-Gunner	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
S/Sgt	Harry R Fernandez	39541799	Aerial Gunner	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
S/Sgt	Albert J Volk	33710475	Aerial Gunner	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List
S/Sgt	Gerald E Wagoner	34889849	Aerial Gunner	25-Apr-45	FEH	Mission Load List

The LaJeunesse Crew arrived at Horsham in November 1944 and had completed 30 missions in 5 months, ending their combat flying on April 25, 1945 – the last operational combat mission flown by the 458th Bomb Group. Not quite completing a 35-mission tour, they were assigned to ferry a Liberator back to the U.S. in June 1945.

[More content coming soon]

Missions

Date	Target	458th Msn	Pilot Msn	Serial	RCL	Sqdn	A/C Msn	A/C Name	Comments
11-Dec-44	HANAU	155	1	42-50449	W	J4	21	HEAVENLY HIDEAWAY
24-Dec-44	SCHONECKEN	157	2	42-50555	A	J4	7	BABY SHOES
28-Dec-44	ST. WENDEL	160	3	42-50768	Y	J4	20	ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME
30-Dec-44	NEUWIED	161	4	44-40277	P	J4	29	MISS USED
03-Jan-45	NEUNKIRCHEN	165	5	44-40277	P	J4	32	MISS USED
08-Jan-45	STADTKYLL	167	ABT	44-40277	P	J4	--	MISS USED	ABORT - #2 ENG
10-Jan-45	SCHONBERG	168	6	42-110163	M	J4	47	TIME'S A WASTIN
13-Jan-45	KAISERLAUTERN	169	7	42-110141	U	J4	34	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
16-Jan-45	MAGDEBURG	171	8	42-50912	D	J4	3	THE TRAVLIN' BAG
29-Jan-45	MUNSTER	175	9	42-110141	U	J4	36	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
31-Jan-45	BRUNSWICK	176	MSHL	--	--	--	--		MARSHALING CHIEF- 753RD
06-Feb-45	MAGDEBURG	178	10	42-110141	U	J4	38	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
09-Feb-45	MAGDEBURG	179	11	42-110141	U	J4	39	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
17-Feb-45	ASCHAFFENBURG M/Y	REC	--	44-40285	H	J4	--	TABLE STUFF	RECALL - 5220N 0247E WEATHER
19-Feb-45	MESCHADE	184	12	42-50912	D	J4	12	THE TRAVLIN' BAG
21-Feb-45	NUREMBERG	185	13	44-40285	H	J4	63	TABLE STUFF
23-Feb-45	GERA-REICHENBACH	187	14	42-110141	U	J4	42	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
25-Feb-45	SCHWABISCH-HALL	189	15	42-110141	U	J4	44	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
28-Feb-45	BIELEFELD	192	16	44-40134	R	J4	54	UNKNOWN 039
01-Mar-45	INGOLSTADT	193	17	44-40134	R	J4	55	UNKNOWN 039
08-Mar-45	DILLENBURG	199	18	42-110141	U	J4	45	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
12-Mar-45	FRIEDBURG	202	19	42-110141	U	J4	48	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
18-Mar-45	BERLIN	206	20	44-40126	K	Z5	69	SPITTEN KITTEN / SKY TRAMP	TYPO (RCL s/b L)
31-Mar-45	BRUNSWICK	216	21	42-110141	U	J4	50	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
05-Apr-45	PLAUEN	218	22	42-110141	U	J4	52	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
06-Apr-45	HALLE	219	23	42-110141	U	J4	53	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
08-Apr-45	UNTERSCHLAUERSBACH	221	24	42-110163	M	J4	81	TIME'S A WASTIN
09-Apr-45	LECHFELD	222	25	42-51200	F	J4	11	STINKY
11-Apr-45	REGENSBURG	224	26	42-110141	U	J4	56	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
14-Apr-45	POINTE DE GRAVE	225	27	42-110141	U	J4	57	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
15-Apr-45	ROYAN AREA	226	28	42-110141	U	J4	58	BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN
19-Apr-45	ZWIESEL	SCR	--	42-50608	W	J4	--	FILTHY McNAUGHTY	SCRUBBED
20-Apr-45	ZWIESEL	229	29	44-40273	T	J4	56	HOWLING BANSHEE
25-Apr-45	BAD REICHENHALL	230	30	44-40287	J	J4	68	BACHELOR'S BEDLAM

June 1945

Standing: Joe Shea – N, Robert LaJeunesse – P, Carroll Galloway – CP
Middle Row: (#4) Joseph Stachnik – RO

Front Row: (#2) Al Volk – Gunner, (#3) Wayne Falkenstien – Gunner; (#5) Sgt Wayne A. Dame

Unidentified men, believed to be in this photo: T/Sgt Clarence E Carter (E), S/Sgt Harry R Fernandez (G), S/Sgt Gerald E Waggoner (G), S/Sgt Rufus H Haerle, S/Sgt Edward F McCarthy, M/Sgt Joseph G Dibble, S/Sgt Arthur G Burhans, Cpl John L Connors, Pfc Robert J Peltier, Sgt Warren E Courtney, Sgt Wayne A Dame, S/Sgt Frank A McCrory and Cpl John H Madison.

If you can identify anyone, please contact me.

Mighty Eighth Museum – Memorial Garden

Commemorative plaque to the LaJeunesse Crew donated by Eric Volk