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39th Bomb Group (VH)
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"City of Vincennes"
"Many Happy Returns"

B-29 # 44-69986
5

Photo Courtesy of Richard E. Vanden Heuvel

Kneeling L to R:
S/Sgt William H. Post Radio Operator  
M/Sgt Edwin L. Savage Flight Engineer
Sgt John J. Sheehan Right Gunner 
S/Sgt Claude W. Alger* Left Gunner 
T/Sgt Stewart L. Hinds CFC Gunner
S/Sgt Richard E. Vanden Heuvel Tail Gunner
Standing L to R:
1st Lt Frank M. Jackson  Radar Observer
2nd Lt Glenn E. Haas  Bombardier
1st Lt Frederick W. Wright Navigator
1st Lt William James Dess Pilot
Capt Wetsel D. Waggoner  Airplane Commander
* "Bud" Alger was also assigned to P-5 as left gunner

To learn more about the members of this crew - click on their name above

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 Crew 18 
Honor Roll 
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M/Sgt Edwin L. Savage
Flight Engineer
7 April 1996
Sgt John J. Sheehan
Right Gunner
September 1998
1st Lt Frederick W. Wright
Navigator
1999
1st Lt Glenn E. Haas
Bombardier
3 August 2003
Capt Wetsel D. Waggoner
Airplane Commander
8 November 2004
1st Lt William J. Dess
Pilot
22 May 2015

Crew 18 was formed and trained at the Rattlesnake Bomber Base in beautiful Pyote, Texas. We were with the 6th Bomb Group (VH) out of Grand Island, Nebraska and were scheduled for Tinian Island.

We were reassigned to the 39th Bomb Group (VH) as a replacement crew. The enlisted men of Crew 18 were assigned to a Quonset Hut with Crews 1 & 2. Our crew replaced Crew 9. They were reported "Lost in Action" 15 April 1945.

  The crew had 21 missions, a partial list can be viewed here

Richard Vanden Heuvel lives in Denver, CO; The status or whereabouts of William H. Post and Stuart L. Hinds is unknown at this time (May 2015)

No other contacts or information is available for this crew. Anyone with information on this crew please email updates@39th.org.



Update:

31 May 2015
- Added William J. Dess to Crew Honor Roll and added to the Final Flight Honor Roll section. Thank you to Nancy Dess for updating us about her father.

18 May 2004
- Michael Waggoner, son of Airplane Commander, Wetsel Waggoner, provided us with a profile and some photos of his father.

22 April 2004 -
William Dess contacted us and provided a profile about himself and helped put us in touch with the family of his Airplane Commander, Wetsel Waggoner.

19 December 2001-
Glenn Haas provided us with a little bit about himself and his service, to view click here

01 October 2001
- Thanks to Richard Vanden Heuvel for the crew photo & roster, previous photo had missing crew members and informing us of the passing of Frederick Wright, Navigator, in 1999.

13 June 2001
- Added missing ranks and first names found in GO 25 Battle Participation Award Order Section III - Dated: 16 August 1945.


60th Squadron Crew Index
Sources: "History of the 39th Bomb Group"; General Order 25 Section III; Richard Vanden Heuvel, TG; Glenn E. Haas, Bomb; William Dess, Pilot, Michael Waggoner, son