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 358th Determan Crew
Alvin G. Determan, Pilot
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ALVIN G. DETERMAN CREW - 358th BS
B-17G #42-97298 The Floose 358BS (VK-H)
(crew assigned 358BS: 21 April 1944 - photo: May 1944)

(Back L-R) 2Lt Alvin G. Determan (P)(POW), 2Lt Ervin J. Pfahler (CP)(KIA)#,
2Lt Jackson Palmer, Jr. (N)(KIA)#, 1Lt Lamar E. Ledbetter (B)(KIS)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Milton C. Hendrickson (E)(KIA)#, S/Sgt Robert H. Asman (R)(POW),
Sgt Manuel Vasquez (BTG)(KIA), Sgt Acel E. Livingston (WG)(KIA),
Sgt Wayne E. Cope (TG)(POW), Sgt Albert R. Carroccia (WG)(KIA)




ALVIN G. DETERMAN CREW - 358th BS
(crew assigned 358BS: 21 April 1944 - photo: USA Training)

(Back L-R) S/Sgt Milton C. Hendrickson (E)(KIA)#, Sgt Acel E. Livingston (WG)(KIA),
S/Sgt Robert H. Asman (R)(POW), Sgt Wayne E. Cope (TG)(POW),
Sgt Albert R. Carroccia (WG)(KIA), Sgt Manuel Vasquez (BTG)(KIA)

(Front L-R) 2Lt Alvin G. Determan (P)(POW), 2Lt Ervin J. Pfahler (CP)(KIA)#,
2Lt Jackson Palmer, Jr. (N)(KIA)#, 1Lt Lamar E. Ledbetter (B)(KIS)


# Buried in Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands

Twelve credited combat missions flown by 2Lt Alvin G. Determan that were flown in nine different B-17Gs:

Mission 145 - 30 Apr 1944 - Lyon/Bron, Fr - 42-31224 Hell in the Heavens (358BS) VK-F
Mission 148 - 07 May 1944 - Sottevast, Fr - 42-97787 (No name) (358BS) VK-M
Mission 150 - 04 May 1944 - Berlin, Ger (No drop) - 42-97622 Paper Dollie (358BS) VK-K
Mission 151 - 11 May 1944 - Saarbrucken, Ger - 42-32037 (No name) (358BS) VK-F
Mission 152 - 12 May 1944 - Merseburg, Ger - 42-97085 (No name) (358BS) VK-B
Mission 154 - 13 May 1944 - Stettin, Ger - 42-97298 The Floose (358BS) VK-H
Mission 155 - 19 May 1944 - Berlin, Ger - 42-31224 Hell in the Heavens (358BS) VK-F
Mission 158 - 23 May 1944 - Saarbrucken, Ger - 42-97622 Paper Dollie (358BS) VK-K
Mission 159 - 24 May 1944 - Berlin, Ger - 42-97291 Myasis Dragon (359BS) BN-W
Mission 160 - 25 May 1944 - Blainville, Fr - 42-97298 The Floose (358BS) VK-H
Mission 161 - 27 May 1944 - Manheim, Ger - 43-38154 (No name) - (358BS) VK-E
Mission 163 - 28 May 1944 - Rotha, Ger - 42-107028 (No name) (358BS) VK-I
All crewmen flew on all of the above missions with the following exceptions:
  • 2Lt Alvin G. Determan (P)(POW) - Flew as CoPilot on two missions (148 & 150). Other missions as First Pilot

  • 2Lt Ervin J. Pfahler (CP)(KIA) - Stood down on mission 145. Mission 150 flown with 2Lt Frank Maxey (P). Substitute CoPilot, 2Lt R.A. Knight, used with the 2Lt Determan Crew on two missions (145, 150).

  • 1Lt Lamar E. Ledbetter (B)(KIS) - Stood down on mission 160 & 163. Substitute Bombardiers used on three missions- 2Lt Lowell L. Rickey (160), 2Lt James A. McCamy (161, 163). 1Lt Ledbetter flew 19 credited missions with other Pilots: Regular crews (161, 164, 171, 176, 177); Lead Crews (175, 182, 192(Abort), 193, 195, 200, 207, 209, 211, 214, 227, 228, 231, 235, 236). Completed combat tour (28 credited missions) on 5 Sept 1944 (Mission 236). LtCol Ledbetter was Killed in Service on 20 February 1963 on a B-47 training flight with the 343rd BS, 98th Bomb Wing, stationed at Lincoln AFB, NE.

  • S/Sgt Milton C. Hendrickson (E)(KIA) - Stood down on mission 150. Substitute Engineer - Sgt Leonard R. Vodicka.

  • Sgt Acel E. Livingston (WG)(KIA) - Stood down on missions 151, 152, 154. Substitute Waist Gunner - S/Sgt Edward R. Barteau.

  • Sgt Albert R. Carroccia (WG)(KIA) -Flew as Tail Gunner on mission 145. Substitute Waist Gunner - Sgt James E. Eubank - Flew on all twelve 2Lt Determan missions

  • Sgt Wayne E. Cope (TG)(POW) - Stood down on mission 145.

  • 2Lt Jackson Palmer, Jr. (N)(KIA), S/Sgt Robert H. Asman (R)(POW) and Sgt Manuel Vasquez (BTG)(KIA) - Flew on all twelve 2Lt Determan missions.
Mission 163 - 28 May 1944 to Rotha, Germany:
B-17G 42-107028 (No name) received a direct flak hit close to the No. 4 engine at 1425 hours in the vicinity of Leipzig. The right wing immediately caught fire. The B-17 slid under the formation, the right wing came off, it rolled over on its back and the tail came off at the rear entrance door. The B-17 crashed near Leipzig. 2Lt Determan, Sgt Asman and Sgt Cope were able to parachute and were captured by German soldiers. The other seven crewmen were KIA. Lt Determan was told by the German officer that captured him, "If you were English, I would have shot you." He parachuted with only one of his two 'chute snaps attached (Missing Aircrew Report 5340)

[top photo courtesy of Robert F. Determan, nephew of Alvin G. Determan]
[second photo courtesy of Randy Bond, nephew of Acel Livingston]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]