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358th Gillespie Crew Glenn H. Gillespie, Pilot |
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GLENN H. GILLESPIE CREW - 358th BS
(Assigned 358BS: 17 August 1944)
Original Gillespie Crewmen
2Lt Glenn H. Gillespie (P)(KIA), 2Lt Francis D. Cassidy (CP)(KIA),
2Lt Richard F. Guthmann (N)(KIA), 2Lt Robert L. Pischke (B)(KIA)
S/Sgt James S. Henry (E)(KIA),
S/Sgt Alexander J. Krawiecki (R)(KIA),
Sgt Edward B. Rhodes (BTG)(KIA),
Sgt Michael G. DiMascola (WG/TG)(KIA),
Pvt Richard K. Baughman (WG)(1),
Sgt Richard J. Chaltraw (TG)(2)
Gillespie Crew seven combat missions:
234 (30 Aug 44), 237, 238, 239, 241, 243, 248 (28 September 44)
Final Mission: #248, 28 Sept 1943, to Magdeburg, Germany in B-17G #43-38186 (No name) (358BS) VK-I. The B-17 was on fire between the No 1 and 2 engines. The ball turret was demolished. When last seen, it was about 2,000 yards from the formation at 25,000 feet, partially under control. It peeled off to the right and went down in a steep dive. No parachutes were observed. It crashed south of Wolfenbuttel, Germany. All crewmen were killed. (MACR 9407). Lt's Gillespie, Ruthann, Pischke, Sgt's Rhodes, Pressentin and DiMascola are buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.
Crew Notes:
- Pvt Richard K. Baughman (WG) was removed from the crew before any combat missions were flown in accordance with the directive to have only one Waist Gunner on combat crews.
- Sgt Richard J. Chaltraw (TG) sixth and last mission was #243. He did not fly on the Gillespie Crew's last mission #248. Sgt Robert H. Pressentin (TG), a member of the Lt Samuel E. Rosser Crew, flew as a substitute Tail Gunner on mission #248 and was killed. He had flown eleven previous missions with the Lt Rosser Crew.