850th/857th BSs
Jaxtheimer Crew

The Jaxtheimer crew are shown above as a 10-man crew at Mountain Home, Idaho in the spring of 1944. Picture and fingerprints courtesy of the National Archives staff. Jaxtheimer was a former Master Sergeant who had applied for and received a commission at the beginning of hostilities.

Back Row,L-R:
Richard E. Hubbard     - Engineer     ASN 20907581
Emerson M. Harris      - Copilot      ASN 0819093
Robert E.  Shiles      - Bombardier   ASN 0698926
Jack E.    Nichols     - Navigator    ASN 0703293
William A. Jaxtheimer  - Pilot        ASN 0693785
David T.   Forrest     - R.O.         ASN 31271816

Front Row, L-R:
James M.   Combs       - Gunner       ASN 15323039
Ernest J.  Teixera     - Gunner       ASN 31292497     (Orphaned)
Charles W. Sandusky    - Gunner       ASN 35793549     (Orphaned)
Chester U. Clifford    - Gunner       ASN 32079440

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

Texeira and Sandusky were released at Cheddington and according to notes from John Walker's copy of the squadron history, returned to Eye to fly with the Tannenberg and Spiegel crews, respectively (both 849th BS).

The Jaxtheimer crew are shown above as an 8-man crew at Station 179 in the spring of 1944. Names have been confirmed by Bette Harris, widow of Emerson Harris, as:

Back, L-R:
Nichols
Shiles
Jaxtheimer
Harris

Front, L-R:
Forrest
Combs
Hubbard
Clifford

The crew quite possibly holds the record for most agents inserted (23) from Harrington.

MR 0800    01/02 Jul '44    DZ Fireman 12    (1)    SOE-F Alexander Campbell (Clément)
MR 1382    02/03 Aug '44    DZ Salesman 15   (5)    Part of OSS OG Team PERCY RED
MR 1479    06/07 Aug '44    DZ Hamish 1E     (3)    Jedburgh Team IVOR
MR 1579    11/12 Aug '44    DZ Peter 83      (2)    Unidentified
MR 1649    14/15 Aug '44    DZ Hugh 3D       (4)    Part of OSS OG Team PATRICK
MR 1730    17/18 Aug '44    DZ Donkeyman 73C (1)    SOE-F Roger Veillard (Vulcain)
MR 1778    27/28 Aug '44    DZ Bob 279       (1)    No Drop
MR 1895    04/05 Sep '44    DZ Bob 172       (5)    Part of OSS OG Team CHRISTOPHER
MR 2050    09/10 Sep '44    DZ Bob 172       (5)    Part of OSS OG Team ADRIAN

On the night of 6/7 August 1944 (DZ Hamish 1E),MR 1479 the crew inserted Jed Team IVOR. The drop was too low and one member (Goddard) was killed outright. The French people erected a monument at the site.

Left,L-R:
Lewis F. Goddard (Oregon)
J.H. Cox (Monmouth)
Y. Dantec (Selune)
at Harrington preparing for their jump.

Right: French monument to the IVOR Team.

 

Additional Crew Data sources:
Jaxtheimer Crew Personnel files
Jaxtheimer Crew Mission Reports

Group-Related Downloads:
AAFRH-21 "AAF Aid to European Resistance"
Allied Leaflets Index
"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)

Redirect to: Crews  Main  Agents