856th BS
Thompson Crew

Front Row,L-R:
David C.   Groff         - Bombardier        ASN 0703485
Donald A.  St.Martin     - CoPilot           ASN 0886676
Abe M.     Thompson      - Pilot             ASN 0886677
William K. Clarke        - Navigator         ASN 0713125

Back Row,L-R:
Garrett C. Parnell,Jr.   - Gunner            ASN 38341096 (DNB))
Johnnie L. Page          - Gunner            ASN 34624298 (Orphaned)
Walter N.  Rohde,Jr.     - Gunner            ASN 39124073 (Orphaned) 
Robert J.  Osborne       - Gunner            ASN 12062003
Harold E.  Parvi         - Engineer          ASN 39200896
Louis W.   Meyer         - R.O.              ASN 32834449

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

The Thompson crew arrived at Harrington after flying eight missions at North Pickenham where they had first reported in July of 1944. Special Orders #120,dtd 16 August 1944 show the ten-man crew. Page and Rohde make their only appearance at Harrington in this set of orders and were probably orphaned and sent to a replacement depot. Parnell was later killed in November of 1944 on a combat return flight from Cheddington where the Lemke crew had been sent on Detached Service. His younger brother, Ben Parnell, later wrote the first comprehensive history of the group. See the Honor Roll page for details of the Lemke crew incident.