36th/856th BSs
Ellis Crew

Back Row,L-R:
Neil G.      Ellis         - Pilot        ASN 0668055
Glen L.      Stanislaus    - Copilot      ASN 0689997
Eugene       Polinsky      - Navigator    ASN 0692070
Herbert      Goff          - Bombardier   ASN 0747585

Kneeling,L-R:
Ray L.       Green         - Engineer     ASN 39834947
Raymond A.   Orwasky       - R.O.         ASN 35746651
Pedro        Pereda        - Tail Gunner  ASN 36706837
Cecil M.     Waters        - Dispatcher   ASN 18189969

Not Shown:
Salvatore A. Luciano       - Gunner       ASN 11130075 (Orphaned)
Roy C.       Koons         - Engineer     ASN 13135663 (KIA)
Louis J.     Hartman       - Bombardier   ASN 0752671

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

Errata: Goff did not have a regular crew and flew with a number of 36th BS pilots. Koons was killed when flying with the Pratt crew as a sub.

Picture: Harrington,Spring 1944

Close Calls: Though suffering no mission casualties as a crew they had a number of close calls, the following extracts are from their mission reports:

MR 0287 - "A/C almost clipped tail at Compeigne"
MR 0724 - "Friendly fire, heavy A.A., twenty miles due south of London"
MR 0767 - "Came in on 3 engines because of loss of oil pressure on #2 engine"
MR 0887 - "At 0204 a 4-engine single-fin plane, either a Sterling or FW200,crossed our course at 90 degrees"

Among other things, the MRs of this crew give a rare mention of the "Buncher" beacons, used for navigation inside the UK.  On his Captain's Report of MR 0791 Ellis stated that "Letter not as briefed, Base Buncher beacon flashed '9M9' should have been '9L9'."

Status: Augmentation Crew - ferried B24J 42-99988 to the UK on the Southern Route, leaving Morrison Field, Florida in mid-December 1943. The plane shows up at Harrington late in the war and was photographed with the West Crew.

Combat Period: April-August 1944 35 Missions

Preferred Aircraft: B24D 42-40992 "Red Ball Express"

Flown from 15 Feb 44 to the end of the war, it was an Ex-93rd BG plane whose custody was given to the 36th/856th BS for the duration. Returned to the Zone of the Interior on 9 July 1945, piloted by Donald Heran.