850th/857th BSs
Darby Crew

Standing, L-R:
James O.    Feemster       - Engineer        ASN 34099427
Joseph      O'Sullivan     - Bombardier      ASN 0685016
Phillip J.  Guilfoil       - Copilot         ASN 0819261
James A.    Darby          - Pilot           ASN 0666249
Robert M.   Johnson        - Navigator       ASN 0700014
Sheldon E.  Cannon         - Nose Gunner     ASN 37460142 (Orphaned)

Kneeling, L-R:
Oren M.     McMillion      - Engineer        ASN 17050515     
Frank G.    Zern           - R.O.            ASN 36052500
Stanley W.  Gooder         - TG              ASN 32136224
Mitchell C. McDonald       - BTG             ASN 34451247 (Orphaned)      

ASNs so-colored for EMs link to their NARA Enlistment Records.

According to notes left in a copy of the Squadron History by John Walker, an 850th Line Chief, the two orphans were returned to the 490th BG, with Cannon reported to have flown with the Fogelberg crew out of Eye, UK.

Picture and names credit: The Robert M. Johnson family.

Combat Period: May-Sep 1944

Status: Original 490th BG crew, arrived at Harrington at the end of May 1944. Zern was removed from flight duty in mid-July for medical reasons; later in the year, he shows up on orders out of Cheddington (Station 113) with the 406th NLS. He was replaced with subs from broken crews following his departure. After Dickerson replaced Willard Smith with Darby as Operations Officer, the remainder of the crew finished out their tours with Smith.

Preferred Aircraft: B24J 42-50600 "The Wolf Wagon". The aircraft had arrived at Nutts Corner, Ireland in mid-June of 1944 and had been named by the flyover crew; at Harrington it carried no name.

Missions from July 1944 (All French targets) Mission Reports.

Agents Inserted/Carried:
MR 0819    01/02Jul44     No Drop
MR 1106    17/18Jul44     Robert G. Bruhl        (SOE)
MR 1327    29/30Jul44     W. Daniels & G. Songy  (SOE)
MR 1418    04/05Aug44     Part of OSS Percy Red  (OSS)
MR 1469    06/07Aug44     No Drop
MR 1523    09/10Aug44     Jed Team ALEC & SAS Person
MR 1798    26/27Aug44     No Drop

Leaflets Carried/Dropped:
USF77
USF78
USF128
USF131
ZF9

Below: Robert M. Johnson Oct '44



Additional Crew Data sources:
Darby Crew Personnel Files
Darby Crew Mission Reports
Darby's C47 Mission Report
Robert M. Johnson Collection

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