788th/859th BSs
Wills Crew

Shown here probably at Wendover AAB, Utah in late autumn of 1943, only the Bombardier, the Tail Gunner and the RO have been identified. The crew names are from our copy of the Flight Echelon orders of the overseas journey, they were:

Os: (standing)
Harry D.   Wills          - Pilot        ASN 0804441
John J.    Schweighauser  - Copilot      ASN 0809051    
Edwin C.   Elledge        - Navigator    ASN 0688009  
Stanley E. Floreth        - Bombardier   ASN 0685790

EMs: (kneeling)
Donald E.  Moreo          - Engineer     ASN 35333641   
Raymond L. McGowen        - R.O.         ASN 18102601  *
Edwin W.   Reed           - Engineer     ASN 17041056  (Orphaned)
Richard A. Gilbert        - Engineer     ASN 17100561  (Orphaned)
Merrill K. Witt           - Gunner       ASN 14103911
Bruno M.   Bieluwka       - Gunner       ASN 16144796  **

Note that EMs are listed by their MOS, which may or may not reflect their actual combat stations at the time of this picture. At Station 179 Moreo seems to have been the Engineer, Witt the Tailgunner, and Bieluwka the Dispatcher, McGowen remaining as RO.

Picture Credit:  Jackie Furr, daughter of John Schweighauser.
Errata: The only crew to be pictured before a weather-shrouded plane.
Status: Original 788th BS crew, the number of missions flown before they came to Harrington is unknown. They logged 28 missions at Harrington before returning to the Zone of the Interior in late August of 1944.

Preferred Aircraft: B24H 42-51208 H