856th BS
Heran Crew
The crew are pictured above at Topeka,KS before overseas departure.
Standing,L-R:
Donald F. Heran - Pilot
ASN 0829208
Donald A. Fischer - Bombardier
ASN 0785264
William T. Wright - Copilot
ASN 0830769
Clayton S. Berger - Navigator
ASN 02068516
Kneeling,L-R:
J.C. McBrayer -
Gunner ASN 38347242 *
Donald J. McHale - R.O.
ASN
36162699
Calvin D. Johnson - Gunner
ASN 36761446
Archie W. Vernon - Gunner
ASN
37708929
Alfred W. Nowaczyk - Engineer
ASN 33789037
Edward L. Schmitten - Gunner
ASN 39723726
* McBrayer's ASN is invalid at NARA
ASNs so-colored for EMs link to their NARA Enlistment Records.
Of course they're smiling, they're going home!!! Donald and Donna Heran have identified the following in the picture, taken early July 1945 at Harrington:
Back
Row,L-R:
Unidentified
Unidentified
Calvin D. Johnson
- Tailgunner ASN 36761446
Unidentified
J.C. McBrayer
- Dispatcher ASN 38347242
Middle Row,L-R:
Horace D. Smith - Crew Chief ASN
14049214
Unidentified
Archie W. Vernon - Gunner ASN
37708929
Two unidentified - barracks caps
Two unidentified - fatigue caps
Front
Row,L-R:
Edward L. Schmitten
- Gunner ASN
39723726
William T. Wright
- Copilot ASN 0830769
Donald A. Fischer
- Bombardier ASN 0785264
Donald F. Heran
- Pilot ASN
0829208
Donald J. McHale
- R.O.
ASN
36162699
Not in the Picture/Unidentified:
Clayton S. Berger
- Navigator
ASN 02068516
Alfred W. Nowaszyk
- Engineer ASN 33789037
The following passenger names were listed on "Operations Order # 7, Par 13, Hqs,
856th BS (H), AAF 179, APO 557, 28 June 1945," and are likely to be among the
unidentified passengers in the photo:
Sgt. Augustin B. Babcock
Passenger ASN
17020739
Sgt. John C. Carter,Jr.
Passenger ASN
34162512
Sgt. Eugene E. Hankinson
Passenger ASN
15019624
Cpl. Henry Kaplan
Passenger ASN
33252167
Sgt. Ivan J. Kent
Passenger ASN
32421574
Sgt. Frederick C. Lauer
Passenger ASN
33072745
S/Sgt. Walter C. McCollum Passenger
ASN
14027016
Sgt. Thomas G. Morrow,Jr. Passenger
ASN
13047361
Sgt. Otto M. Schurman
Passenger ASN
16155968
ASNs so-colored for EMs link to their NARA Enlistment Records.
Status: Late arrivals, probably in January of 1945, they flew the most dangerous of missions; to Denmark and Norway in miserable winter weather. The above picture is an "RZI" (Return to the Zone of the Interior) photo shot on the day of departure from Harrington - 9 July 1945, and includes ground crew and passengers. There is a third picture, without names: Heran 8-man crew.
Picture Location: Harrington,July 1945
Photo and Name Credits: Donna Heran
Preferred Aircraft: B24D 42-40992 "The Red Ball Express"
Ops Log Occurances: 20/21Feb45-09Jul45
Nineteen entries (3 scrubs)
Additional Crew Data Sources:
Heran Crew Personnel
Files
Group-Related Downloads:
"Carpetbaggers" by Parnell
"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)
