AAR Message : B-24D "Boxcar Willie"; William Shanks - commanding 900 th (Heavy) Bombardment Group 925 th (Heavy) Bombardment Squadron Based at: San Giovanni Airfield, Italy 25 February, 1944-900th mission 19 Target: Regensberg, Germany Industry (aircraft factory) Boxcar Willie: 13; Latrine Queen: 1; Fubar: 1; uncredited missions: 1 Combat Box Formation; position 1 (high cell) Crew: (Missions Flown) Name [E/A Credited] (14) Pilot: 1Lt. William Shanks (13) Copilot: 2Lt. Hugh Bennick (13) Bombardier: 2Lt. Frank Sherwood [2½-109]; [2⅓-190] (14) Navigator: 1Lt. Clemens Fesmire [2⅓-109]; [1⅛ -190] (14) -ace- Engineer: MSgt. Tom Hughes [3 4 / 9-109]; [4⅞ -190]; [¼-Ju88C-6]; [½ -210] (13) Radioman: TSgt. Ripley Andrews (14) -ace- Ball Gun: Cpl. Eugene Shortcake Hamill [1¼-109]; [2¾ -190]; [1¾-110]; [1¾-Ju88C-6] (10) Left Waist: Sgt. Lewis Johnson [2 1 / 36-109]; [⅜ -190]; [1-110] (10) Right Waist: Cpl. Roland Fec [½ -109]; [2-190]; [¼-110] (14) -ace- Tail Gunner: Sgt. Oscar Shoup [3⅓ -109]; [ 11 / 24-190]; [1-110]; [½-Ju88C-6]; [½ -210] total - 39 11 / 36 e/a credited Substitute crew who have flown with Boxcar Willie crew (16) Copilot: Capt. Carter Heath - invalided stateside (1) Bombardier: 2Lt. Alan Hudson [1½-109] (2) Radioman: SSgt. Chris Ford [1-109] BOMBER AAR SUMMARY Did your Bomber abort before Bombing? -no Were your bombs dropped "On-Target"? - yes What was your "On-Target" bomb %? 30% Was your Bomber Destroyed? yes - bomb bay; fuel tank fire Number of Crew Lost - KIA / MIA / SW/SH? KIA-7; MIA-2 Total Enemy Aircraft spotted? 20 Total Driven off by Fighter Cover? 9 Total EAC Attacks? 7
Total EAC Claimed as Destroyed by B-24 Def. Fire? 4 Total EAC Credited as Destroyed by B-24 Def. Fire? ⅚ Zones Out of Formation @ 10K: 0 Damage to bomber-boxcar Willie: [total loss] wing fuel tank fire [500] nose compartment heat out [10] superficial: 4 *2 [8] Enemy Aircraft This Mission e/a encountered e/a escort engaged e/a claimed e/a credited TOTAL 20 9 4 ⅚ Fw-190 9 6 0 0 Me-109 8 3 3 ⅚ Me-110 3 0 1 0 Me-210 0 0 0 0 Ju88C6 0 0 0 0 Enemy fighters destroyed this mission: (claimed); [approved] Bombardier: 2Lt. Sherwood (⅓ - 109) [⅙ - 109] (½ - 109) [¼ - 109] Engineer: MSgt. Hughes (⅓ - 109) [⅙ - 109] (½- 109) [¼- 109] Ball Gunner: Cpl. Hamill (1-109) [DENIED] Right Waist: Cpl. Fec (1-109) [DENIED] Tail: Sgt. Shoup (⅓ - 109) [⅙ - 109] (1-110) [DENIED] Ammunition expended: 21 rounds After Action Highlights Zone 1 base 6 - takeoff without incident poor Zone 2 outbound 50% CC; no contrails GAF: none good escort 51 - no mechanical failures Zone 3 outbound hazy; no contrails GAF: light good escort 85 - no mechanical failures 5-1 = 4 [1 wave] 33 (light) (1) Fw190s (12H); (1) Me109 (12Lv) 325th FG - P-47s - (2+6) 1(0) Fw190 engaged by escort 109-ace (12Lv) nose (4+4)-1=7 (miss) claimed - ⅓; credited ⅙
top-ace (4+1)-1+1+1=6 (miss) claimed - ⅓; credited ⅙ - 109-ace attacks (1+5)+1=6 (miss) - no collision tail-ace (passing shot) (6+6)-1-1+1+1=14 (hit) (4+3)+1+1=9 destroyed - fuselage/ cockpit/canopy ripped open (pilot killed) claimed - ⅓; credited ⅙ Zone 4 outbound 100% CC; no contrails GAF: light good escort 88 - no mechanical failures 6-1 = 5 [1 wave] 52 (light) - no contact Zone 5 outbound 100% CC; no contrails GAF: none good escort 64 - no mechanical failures Zone 6 outbound 100% CC; no contrails GAF: none good escort 13 - no mechanical failures Zone 7 outbound 50% CC; no contrails GAF: light good escort 28 - no mechanical failures 2-1 = 3 [0 waves] Zone 8 outbound 50% CC; no contrails GAF: moderate good escort 27 - no mechanical failures 1+1 = 2 [0 waves] Zone 9 outbound 50% CC; no contrails GAF: light good escort 18 - no mechanical failures 9-1 = 8 [2 waves] 15 (light) (3) Fw190s (12H); (12Lv); (3Lo); (1) Me109 (12Lv) 325th FG - P-47s (6+6) - fighter cover 3(2) all Fw190s engaged by escort Me109-flieger (12Lv) nose (4+3) =7 (miss) - claimed ½; credited ¼ top-ace (6+3)+1+1 =11 (hit) (4+6)+1+1= destroyed - rt. wing shredded (pilot bails) claimed ½; credited ¼ 26 (light) random event - 55 experte attack Zone 10 - Alps good; no contrails GAF: none no escort 80 - no mechanical failures Zone 11 outbound hazy; no contrails GAF: moderate fair escort 40 - no mechanical failures
9+1 = 10 [3 waves] 65 (moderate) (1) Fw190 (6Lv); (1) Me109 (12Lv) 82nd FG - P-38s (6+2) - fighter cover 2(0) both Fw190 and Me109 engaged by escort 36 (moderate) - no contact 64 (moderate) (3) Me110s (12Lv); (6Lo); (VC); (1) Me109 (12Lv) Me110-flieger (12Lv) nose (6+2)+1=9 (hit) (4+3)=FBOA Me110-flieger (6Lo) tail-ace (4+5)+1+1+1+2=14 (hit) (1+5)+1+1=destroyed - nose/fuselage destroyed (pilot bails) - 1- claimed; DENIED Me110-flieger (VC) ball-ace (6+5)+1+1+1+3=17 (hit) (2+1)+1+1=FCA Me109-experte (12Lv) top-ace (3+5)-2+1+1=8 (hit) (4+1)+1=FCA - Me110-flieger (12Lv) attacks (1+5)-1-2 (FBOA)=3 (miss) - no collision Me110-flieger (VC) attacks (3+3)-1-1 (FCA)=4 (miss) - no collision Me109-experte (12Lv) attacks (2+2)+2-1 (FCA)=5 (miss) - no collision 2nd attack Me109-experte (130Lv) nose (1+6)-2=5 (miss) rt. cheek (1+1)-2=0 (miss) top-ace (2+3)-2+1+1=5 (miss) - Me109-experte (130Lv) attacks (1+3)+2=6 (miss) - no collision tail-ace (passing shot) (6+1)-2-1+1+1=6 (miss) 3rd attack Me109-experte (9Lo) ball-ace (3+6)-2+1+1+1=10 (hit) (3+1)+1+1=FCA claimed - 1; DENIED rt. waist (6+5)-2+1=10 (hit) (6+5)= destroyed - tail control surfaces destroyed (pilot bails) claimed - 1; DENIED Zone 12 target zone hazy; no contrails GAF: moderate fair escort 13 - no mechanical failures 5+1+1 = 7 [1 wave] 44 (moderate) (3) Fw190s (3Lo); (12H); (12Lv) (1) Me109 (12Lv) 82nd FG - P-38s (3+6) - fighter cover 2(1) Fw190 (3Lo) and (12H) engaged by escort Fw190-vet. (12Lv) top-ace (6+6)+1+1=14 (hit) (4+3)+1=FBOA Me109-vet. (12Lv) nose (6+1)=7 (miss)
Fw190-vet. (12Lv) attacks (4+5)-2(FBOA)=7 (miss) - no collision Me109-vet. (12Lv) attacks (5+2)=7 (miss) - no collision tail-ace (passing shot) (2+2)-1+1+1=5 (miss) target approach hazy; no contrails slightly obscured light flak target egress hazy; no contrails slightly obscured medium flak lt. flak (4+2) - miss; (4+5) - miss; (6+4) - miss bombing (3+2)-2 = 3 on target (2+4) - 30% md. flak (2+5) - miss; (2+5) - miss; (4+4) - miss Zone 12 target zone hazy; no contrails GAF: moderate poor escort 46 - no mechanical failures 7+1+1 = 9 [2 waves] 52 (moderate) (1) Fw190 (12H); (3) Me109s (6H); (VD); (12Lv) 82nd FG - P-38s (4+2) - fighter cover 1(0) Me109 (6H) engaged by escort Fw190-ace (12H) nose (6+6)-1=11 (hit) (5+3)-1=FCA Me109-vet. (VD) top-ace (6+1)-2+1+1=7 (miss) - Fw190-ace (12H) attacks (5+6)+1=12 (hit) (5+5)=2 shell hits *2 = 4 hits (2+1)=ft. deck/top t. (1+1) compartment heat out (5+3)=nose (6+2) superficial (6+2)= nose (5+4) superficial (4+5)=bomb bay (4+4) wing fuel tank fire-unabated (bail out) Me109-vet. (VD) attacks (6+5)=11 (hit) (3+5)=1 shell hit *1+1 = 2 hits (5+1)=lt. wing (3+5) superficial (4+6)= superficial Me109-flieger (12Lv) attacks (3+6)-1=8 (miss) tail-ace (passing shot) (6+5)-1+1+1=12 (hits) (1+1)+1+1=FCA UNCONTROLLED BAILOUT ZONE 12 GERMANY Successfully bailed-out Copilot: 2Lt. Hugh Bennick (6) (6) rescued by underground Ball Gun: Cpl. Eugene Shortcake Hamill (6) (5) captured - POW Tail Gunner: Sgt. Oscar Shoup (6) (5) captured - POW KIA - went down with the plane Pilot: 1Lt. William Shanks (3) Bombardier: 2Lt. Frank Sherwood (4) Navigator: 1Lt. Clemens Fesmire (1) Engineer: MSgt. Tom Hughes (1)
Radioman: TSgt. Ripley Andrews (3) Left Waist: Sgt. Lewis Johnson (2) Right Waist: Cpl. Roland Fec (1) Respectfully submitted: 2Lt. Hugh Bennick, copilot B-24D "Boxcar Willie B-24J Olivia"; Jack O Doole - commanding 900 th (Heavy) Bombardment Group Based at: San Giovanni Airfield, Italy Crew: Pilot: 1Lt. Jack O Doole Copilot: 2Lt. Albert Gallup Bombardier: 2Lt. Maynard Brooker Navigator: 1Lt. John Slayton Engineer: MSgt. David Lane Radioman: TSgt. Joseph Tyler Ball Gunner: Cpl. Charles Buckner Left Waist: Sgt. Albert Barnes Right Waist: Cpl. Stuart Dunham Tail Gunner: Sgt. Abraham Fleming