Crew 36 – Assigned 753rd Squadron – October 29, 1943

The Kovich Crew was a part of the 753rd Squadron and trained in Tonopah with the rest of the group.  They made their way to England via the Southern Ferry Route in January 1944.

For seven of their nine missions with pilot Andrew Kovich, the crew flew B-24H 41-29733 Rhapsody In Junk. They took off in this aircraft on the February 25th diversionary mission to the Dutch Coast and followed that up on March 5, 1944, with their first combat mission to Bordeaux, France.  Their second combat mission was the next day, March 6th, the first successful American daylight raid on Berlin. The crew had several mechanical and equipment difficulties that forced them to turn back shortly after crossing the coast of Holland.  Flying a different B-24 this day, ship #276, they lost #2 and #4 superchargers and could not keep up with the formation. Number four prop also ran away.  In addition to the interphone system in the nose not working, two of the crew’s rheostats for their heated suits also malfunctioned.  Even though they turned back early, the crew was credited with a sortie (mission).

On March 8th they were on their way to Berlin once again, for their third mission. This time they dropped their bombs on the southeast side of the town of Erkner with the rest of the group. Four more missions, including one abort, flown in Rhapsody In Junk followed to finish out the month of March.  On the April 8, 1944 mission to Brunswick, once again flying Rhapsody In Junk, according to group reports, Andrew Kovich, “experienced sinus trouble and became unconscious at altitude.”  The crew once again turned back early, landing about three hours ahead of the rest of the group.

This was to be Andrew Kovich’s last mission.  After a period of evaluation,  a medical board removed him from flying status and he was shipped home in June.  Taking over as first pilot was another “Andrew”, 2Lt Lloyd Andrew, pilot of Crew 35.  On the March 6th Berlin raid, Capt Jack Bogusch, the 753rd Squadron Operations Officer, had taken Andrew’s crew over Berlin while their pilot remained on the ground due to illness.  They were one of five 458th Liberators that failed to return.  Lloyd Andrew was left without a crew and flew only one combat mission during March.  On April 9th, with Kovich grounded, he flew his second combat mission, and his first as the new pilot of Crew 36

The crew flew missions to Hamm, Leipheim, Berlin, and three to Brunswick all in Germany; and a number of missions to targets in France in an effort by the Eighth Air Force to soften up the coastal areas for the impending invasion of the Continent.  Rhapsody In Junk still seemed to be the crew’s “favorite” as they flew this aircraft eleven more times between April 9th and May 19th.  On June 8th and 14th the crew took part in two AZON missions that the 753rd Squadron was flying, only one of which counted as a sortie.  The exact date is unknown, but most of the crew, having flown eight or nine missions with Kovich in March, must have completed their 30-mission tour at some point in mid-July 1944 leaving Lloyd Andrew to fly with various crews until completing his tour in early August.

S/Sgt Raymond Lytle, listed as the crew’s nose turret gunner, was credited with an enemy aircraft destroyed on the May 8, 1944 raid on Brunswick.

Missions – Lloyd Andrew as Pilot

Crew 36 Pilot & Co-pilot

Lloyd Andrew (left) and Frank Rizzo in front of the 753rd Squadron area

(Photos: Anne Zimmer)

Andrew Crew prepare for mission April 27, 1944

“A 458BG crew arrive at Rhapsody In Junk for their second mission of the day on 28 April. [actually 27 April]
More hours of daylight enabled the 8AF to do this on a number of occasions during the following weeks.
Tanks are being topped off – a B-24 took 2814 US gallons.”

Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger Freeman, Pg.229

B-24J-100-CO 42-100408  J4  Lady Luck / The Beast

Robert Maloney and Capt Leland Griffith, 753BS Ops Officer

(Photos: William Rizzo & Scott Fifer)

Outside Control Tower

Standing (L-R): Frank Rizzo, Robert Mudgett, Robert Maloney, Harold David, Unidentified
Kneeling: Unidentified

Frank Rizzo, Robert Maloney, Harold David

Photos: Anne Zimmer

Ready for a mission

Lloyd Andrew (left) and Stephen Davidson, pilot Crew 37 in front of Wabbit Twacks, March 1944

Photo: Anne Zimmer

B-24H-10-DT 41-28733  J4  P  Rhapsody In Junk

Believed to have been painted near S/Sgt Gus Musulas’ Ball Turret position on Rhapsody In Junk

Photos: George Reynolds