<%@ Language=JavaScript %> 406th/858th BS - Fowke Crew

406th/858th BSs
Fowke Crew


 Photo courtesy of Raymond H. Bennett

 Pictured Aircraft: 42-40362  "T-Time"

The crew must have arrived at Harrington shortly before the reorganization of 13 August 1944, as they are listed as 406th BS members on the orders which renamed the group and squadron. Additionally, they did not fly combat missions until September of 1944, and then flew only four missions before the Group switched to gas-haul missions on 18 September of that year. Fowke is listed in the Ops Log for seven gas-haul flights, but these would have been a short crew without Dispatcher or Tail-gunner.

On 19 March 1945, the crew received orders from 8th AFHQ for a PCS move to the 14th AF in the Far East. Two other crews - McCormick and Dupree, received the same orders. The crew last appears in the Station 179 Operations log in March of 1945 after which they were re-assigned to the CBI Theater.

Full names have been recovered from other sources and appear to be:

Os:
William A.   Fowke, Jr.      - Pilot          ASN 0871654
Lorren R.    North           - Copilot        ASN 0771779
Edward R.    Zwissler        - Navigator      ASN 0722413
Charles W.   Blackman        - Bombardier     ASN T-3305

EMs:
 Milan M.     Ostoich         - Dispatcher     ASN 35147490
Francisco A. Guevara         - R.O.           ASN 38440194 
Eugene A.    Bowman          - Engineer       ASN 34765346
Edward A.    Ziolkowski      - Tail Gunner    ASN 33795955

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

Additional Crew Data Sources:
Fowke Crew Personnel Files
Fowke Crew MRs (4)

Group-Related Downloads:
 AAFRH-21 "AAF Aid to European Resistance"
 Allied Leaflets Index
 Ball Project Historical Report
 "Carpetbaggers" by Parnell
 Carpetbagger C47 Missions (Jul-Sep 44)
 "They Flew by Night" editor Robert Fish
 Serial Number Index of B24s
Station 179 Operations Log (handwritten Apr44-Jul45)
Station 179 Operations Log (transcribed Sep44-Jul45)
Available on Request:
 Group Mission Reports Jan-Sep44 (On disk $12ea - $10ea via Paypal)
 "Chronology of SOE Operations with the Resistance In France During WWII" by Foot & Boxhall
"Spies,Supplies & Moonlit Skies Vols 1&2" by Ensminger (On disk $12ea - $10ea via Paypal)

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