Reese's 457th Bomb Group Page

This page is made up of pictures of other people and other events which made up the everyday life in the 457th bomb group during the fall, winter and spring of 1944 and 1945.

Just click on the thumbnail picture to display a larger version.

 

This picture was taken of Col. Rogner, our Commanding Officer, as he addresses the 457th on the occassion of a celebration of V-E Day. He is standing on the balcony of the control tower. The 457th Bomb Group was disbanded shortly after this celebration. This picture was sent to me by Edward Rogner, Col Rogner's son.
This is another picture of Col. Rogner as he enters the cockpit of a trainer plane. Col Rogner replaced Col Luper as Group Commanding Officer after Col Luper was shot down on a raid to Politz. Both commanders, after surviving the war, died in military aircraft accidents shortly after World War II. This picture was also sent to me by Edward Rogner, Col Rogner's son.
Still another picture of our C.O. entering his plane at the start of another mission. When the colonel flew he always led the group in the first plane of the lead squadron.
This is a view of the interior of the 457th Bomb Group Officers mess. This was about a quarter mile from the 751st squadron compound and was where we ate all our meals while we were on the base. Note the poster on the right wall at the far end of the mess hall. Then look at the next thumbnail.
One of the posters of a 'Petty Girl'. If you look carefully at the picture of the officer's mess directly above, you will see this poster on the right hand wall at the far end of the mess hall.
This is a view of the enlisted men's mess. Note the parachute silk on the ceiling. All enlisted men ate their meals here.
This is a view from the bar end of the Officers Club. At the far end is the fireplace with the group logo directly over. This picture was taken shortly after the group arrived in England. As each mission was completed a comet with the name of the mission on it was placed on the wall above the fireplace. Within two years there were over 200 comet's on that wall. Note the steel coal stoves with their stovepipes through the roof.
This is a picture taken by Robert Hollobush, a crew chief in the 748th squadron, and sent to me by his son Richard. It's a picture of the thatched roof house located near the entrance to the 457th compound in Glatton. It's just as I remember it.
This is the Fitzhugh crew. 748th Squadron. Taken at Avon Park in 1944. Crew members are standing: Richard Fitzhugh - pilot, Art Gennari - copilot, E. T. Naversen - navigator, John Schwall - bombardier. kneeling: Hardy Bell - engineer, Howard Prather - waist gunner, Ivory Phillips - ball turret gunner , Wesley McDonald - waist gunner, George Cole - tail gunner, Howard Larsen - radioman. (this picture courtesy of Kenneth Naversen)
Four of Fitzhugh's crew: Bell, Mc Donald, Larsen and Phillips ready to go on a two day pass. Note the typical huts in the background and it looks like someone has hung out their wash on a makeshift clothes line. The tents in between the Quonset huts were usually occupied by the permanent field personnel. (Picture courtesy of Ken Naversen)
This is the high squadron lead crew of the Nov. 2nd, 1944 raid on Merseberg that I describe in my "Mission to Merseberg" story. Standing: K. Rohde (copilot who flew tail gunner on this mission), Richard Fitzhugh - pilot, William Meng - 2nd navigator, Lt. Mueller - high squadron commander, John Schwall - bombardier. Kneeling: Wesley McDonald - waist gunner, George Cole - tail gunner, Felecismo Basuil - radar operator, Howard Larsen -waist gunner. (This picture courtesy of Kenneth Naversen)
This is a picture sent to me by Mike Leveillard whose father in law was Harvey G. Henkel, waist gunner on this plane. The plane is serial no 44-8557 with the 748th Squadron, and while flying a mission to Friesing, Germany on 4/18/1945, was hit by flak and crash landed. All the crew bailed out successfully except Sgt. John T. Miller who holds the unenviable distinction of being the last member of a flight crew from the 457th to die in combat. The plane was also the last one lost in combat by the 457th. The crew is --- standing: R. Truba - bombardier, C. Winters - navigator, J. Taylor - copilot, W. Thistle - pilot --- Kneeling: L. Smith - tail gunner, L. Domato - radioman, J. Taylor - Ball turret, J. Miller - flight engineer, Harvey G. Henkel - right waist gunner kneeling on the right.
On Sept 24, 1944 aircraft #42-32079, Delayed Lady II, piloted by Carl Gooch was shot down near the Dutch coast on a mission to Osnabruck. Two crewmen lost their lives when the top turret was blown off by flak , four evaded and three were POW's. One killed was radio operator Wilbur M. Parker. He was burried in Haarlem, Neatherlands but later returned to U.S. and is interred in Boston, MA. Over his grave in Holland was one prop from the planes propeller used as a grave marker. (note errors) This inscribed prop is pictured here and is presently owned by Harold Jansen of Holland. The picture was sent to me by Dan Bradley.
This is an aerial view of Glatton field taken in 1943. In the foreground is the Conington Castle and the Conington Chapel. In the background you can see that the field runways and taxi ramps are mostly completed but the living area has not really been started.
This is the crew of S/N 43-37826, fondly called "Wild Hare". The crew in this picture from left to right are: Benny J. Bigley, James W. Ford, Floyd N. Henderson (Hink), Leo Lawler, Thomas E. Brines, Charles P. Keith, Rudolfh G. Warner III, (seated) Robert E Hall, and Delbert S Schawb. This picture was sent to me by Don Henderson who's uncle was "Hink" Henderson - waist gunner.