Warrell Crew – Assigned 753rd Squadron – August 25, 1944

The Warrell crew arrived at the 458th on August 25, 1944.  It is a bit surprising that records show that they flew their first mission only seven days later, and an AZON mission at that!  During the rest of the month of September the 458th was busy with ferrying gasoline to Patton’s 3rd Army in France.  Combat operations began again in October.

The crew flew four missions in October and only four in November.  On the November 21st mission to the oil refinery at Harburg, Warrell’s crew was flying a B-24J named Baby Shoes.  After the mission, the S2 section reported that: “Flak from Harburg-Hamburg was intense and fairly accurate being both of ________and barrage [sic].  On return, route formation was forced from briefed course by scattered batteries along the Kaiser Wilhelm Canal in the vicinity of Albersdorf whose fire was accurate.  Eighteen of our A/C suffered minor battle damage.”

One of those 18 aircraft was Baby Shoes.  Co-pilot F/O Vernon Theobald, was extremely lucky to live through this day.  He was grazed on the temple by a piece of flak and received the Purple Heart.  It was also on a mission in November (it may have been this same one, records are not clear) that S/Sgt Robert Shoff, flight engineer was hit with flak.  His injury occurred much lower down and in a more “delicate” location than did Theobald’s!  The co-pilot gave him morphine and administered first aid – another of the crew lucky to escape serious injury.

The crew finished out 1944 with only three missions in December, the last being the maximum effort to Schoneken on December 24th.  The next day they were off to Coombe House, a rest home in Dorset for a week.  They came back from leave to fly five missions in January, and started out February with four straight missions to Magdeburg in a nine day period.  The majority of the crew completed their combat tour in March.

Many crews came to think of one airplane as “their” plane.  Whether they flew the aircraft overseas or were assigned to fly it their first several missions, it was a plane they came to be familiar with.  For Warrell’s crew “their” aircraft was undoubtedly a B-24 nicknamed Time’s A Wastin!.  It was an olive drab painted Liberator that had come to the group at some point in the late spring of 1944 and flew its first mission on June 6th, D-Day.  By the time Warrell and crew arrived in August, the aircraft had taken several crews over enemy territory 21 times.  When the crew completed their tour they would have flown Time’s A Wastin! on 24 missions (including one recall where they were not credited with a sortie). 

Warrell’s crew remained intact throughout their tour with two exceptions.  Lt John Gallagher, the crew’s navigator, was transferred to the 755th Squadron on November 21, 1944 after flying several missions with Warrell’s crew.  He became the pilotage navigator on Lt Scott Hathorn’s lead crew and completed his missions with them in April 1945.

Sgt Charles E. Rhodes, gunner on the crew, was removed from flying status on November 17th and reduced to the grade of private.  He was reclassified as a Duty Soldier/Laborer.  Some records indicate that Sgt Joseph A. Romano, assigned on August 25, 1944 (the same day as Warrell), a gunner on the crew of Lt Robert E. Eidelsburg, took the place of Rhodes.

Nose art, both sides

(Photos: George Reynolds & Dave Ehnbuske)

Taxiing at Horsham.

(Photo: Karl Lake)

Friendly Fire March 17, 1945 – Accident Rpt 45-3-17-517

DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
While flying in formation enroute on combat mission the No. 1 engine of plane 42-110163 was badly damaged by 50 caliber fire from some airplane ahead. Investigation failed to determine from which airplane the shots came. It is believed some gunner was careless in firing his weapon.

RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended previous to test firing that all airplanes uncover, and all gunners fire in such a direction as to avoid hitting another friendly airplane.

/Signed/
Col Allen F. Herzberg
Lt Col James A. Hogg
Maj Walter W. Lavell

753d Bombardment Squadron (H)
Office of the Operations Officer

ACCIDENT REPORT
Mission of 17 March 1945 to Hanover. Forced to abort on DAL due to #1 Engine being shot out with 50 cal. Position in formation at time of accident #2 in third section, altitude 15,000’. Dropped bombs at jettison point and returned to base. 50 cal tracers came across nose at 45 degree angle, presumably from high right element of first or second section, unable to determine positively.

/Signed/
1Lt Howard T. Warrell

1Lt John E. Gallagher – Mission List

Mission List courtesy: Raymond Gallagher