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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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Crew Photos



Standing L to R:
1st Lt Elmer C. Jones, Radar; 1st Lt Charles D. Baldridge, Jr., Bomb; 1st Lt Thomas A. Bell, AC; 2nd Lt Richard D. Harrison, Pilot; 1st Lt Joseph F. Callaghan, Nav; Capt Holcomb, 314th Wing Radar Officer
Middle Row L to R:
Sgt Thomas F Smith, Jr., TG; S/Sgt David Schulman, Radio; S/Sgt Ralph W. Johnson, RG, S/Sgt David E. Potters LG; M/Sgt George W. Beaver, Jr., FE
Front Row L to R:
T/Sgt John J. Essig CFC; S/Sgt Edward Lally, Crew Chief; Sgt Walter Bodmer, Mechanic; Cpl Jack D. Donathan, Mechanic; unknown*

* Note: According to Crew 10's history Sgt Anthony J. Mangiaracina and Pfc Angelo P. Repucci are also indicated as part of ground crew; Mike Repucci looked at the above photo said the last man on the right in the front row - is NOT his father; therefore it is assumed that it is Sgt Anthony J. Mangiaracina, however there is no confirmation of this. If anyone knows if you can verify who the "unknown" person shown above, please email: updates@39th.org
Update

12 March 2006: Pfc Angelo P. Repucci MOS: 747, Airplane and Engine Mechanic, is the same person as M/Sgt Angelo P. Repucci, FE, Crew 6.

"What happened (per his paperwork) is that after the 5/19/45 crash he was assigned to Replacement Crew 21 on 6/5/45. On 6/7/45, after a training mission to Rota, he asked to be assigned to B-24's or grounded due to a "lack of confidence in B-29's". On 6/8/45 before another training mission he repeated his request to be grounded or reassigned. The Airplane Commander, 1st Lt Garvin R. Kowalke, cancelled the flight. On 6/23/45 a Board of Officers busted him to Private and reclassed him to the 747 MOS for "refusing to fly". He was discharged as a PFC in Nov '45. He appealed and on the basis of a letter from the pilot, (Kowalke) in which he says my dad did not refuse to fly, he was reinstated as a M/Sgt in October, 1948."
- Mike Repucci, son of M/Sgt Angelo P. Repucci, FE, Crew 6.

The B-29, s/n 44-69901, was manufactured by Boeing Aircraft, Wichita KS and delivered to the USAAF on 5 March 1945. It was sent to the Birmingham Modification Center AL and then to the Pacific Theater of Operations via Herrington AAF, KS and Mather AAF CA. The aircraft departed the US 10 April 1945 and returned 7 September 1945. It was placed in storage at Davis-Monthan AFB AZ on 6 December 1945, traveling via Mather AAF and Walker AAF KS. It remained in storage with the 4105th AAF Base Unit (later 3040th Aircraft Storage Squadron) at Davis-Monthan until 26 April 1954 when it was scrapped there as surplus.

This information comes from Department of Air Force, Air Force Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

Submitted by David E. Potters, LG P-10


60th Squadron Crew Index

Source: John Essig, David Potters, Mike Repucci