Clarence J. Goodberlet Crew

CLARENCE J. GOODBERLET CREW - 358th BS
(crew assigned 358BS: 14 Nov 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Clarence J. Goodberlet (P), 1Lt Charles A. Mott (B),
F/O Peter Mylonas (N), 2Lt Malcolm J. Magid (CP)

(Front L-R) T/Sgt William J. Cotter (E), T/Sgt Stephen M. Baloga, Jr. (R),
S/Sgt James M. Walling (BTG), S/Sgt Frederick W. Schultz (TG),
Sgt Matthew J. Karash (WG, Armorer)

[photo courtesy of Jim Walling]

CLARENCE J. GOODBERLET CREW - 358th BS
B-17G #42-97557 Mercy's Madhouse (358th BS) VK-X
(photo: 1 Dec 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Clarence J. Goodberlet (P), 1Lt Charles A. Mott (B),
F/O Peter Mylonas (N), 2Lt Malcolm J. Magid (CP)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Frederick W. Schultz (TG), S/Sgt James M. Walling (BTG),
Sgt Matthew J. Karash (WG, Armorer), T/Sgt William J. Cotter (E),
T/Sgt Stephen M. Baloga, Jr. (R)

Thirty-Seven dispatched (35 credited) missions flown by 1Lt Clarence J. Goodberlet:
277 (26 Nov 1944), 279, 280, 283, 284(A), 287, 288, 289, 290, 292, 293, 294, 298A, 299, 300, 301, 303, 305(A), 306, 309, 310, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 326, 328, 330, 332, 334, 336, 339, 340, 341 (20 March 1945). For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions. (A) Non-credited aborted missions - mechanical problems.

Twelve B-17Gs flown by 1Lt Clarence J. Goodberlet:

43-37590 Neva - The Silver Lady (358BS) VK-Q - Mission 284(A)
43-38554 Bouncing Betty III (358BS) VK-B - Missions 287, 292, 294, 300, 301, 316, 319, 320, 321, 322, 326, 330, 334, 336, 340, 341
43-38999 Emma (358BS) VK-F - Missions 288, 309, 332
42-102945 Sweet Pea (358BS) VK-M - Mission 293
43-38065 Princess Pat 2 (358BS) VK-J - Missions 303, 306
42-97546 Idaliza (360BS) PU-E - Missions 305, 339
41-8427 Henn's Revenge (358BS) VK-E - Mission 310
42-97949 (No name) (358BS) VK-D - Missions 277, 283, 298A
43-38530 (No name) (358BS) VK-G - Missions 279, 280, 299
43-38238 (No name) (358BS) VK-L - Missions 289, 317, 318
44-6316 (No name) (358BS) VK-C - Mission 290
43-38672 (No name) (360BS) PU-I - Mission 328

Crew Notes:

1Lt Clarence J. Goodberlet (P) - All missions flown as First Pilot. Mission 277 flown with combat Orientation CoPilot 2Lt John A. Thompson. Completed 35 mission combat tour on 20 March 1945 (mission 341).
2Lt Malcolm M. Magid (CP) - Thirty credited missions flown with 1Lt Goodberlet (All missions except 277, 301, 309, 328, 341). Flew on five credited missions with other Pilots (277(Aborted), 302, 335, 347, 350, 301. Completed 35 mission combat tour on 3 April 1945 (Mission 350).
F/O / 2Lt Peter Mylonas (N) - Flew on 29 credited missions with 1Lt Goodberlet (all missions except 288, 305, 306, 310, 326, 330). Flew on six credited missions with other Pilots (298B, 304, 310, 311, 328, 330). Completed 35 mission combat tour on 20 March 1945 (Mission 341).
Lt Charles A. Mott (B) - Flew on 17 credited missions with 1Lt Goodberlet (277, 279, 280, 283, 284(A), 287, 289, 292, 293, 294, 298A, 299, 300, 319, 320, 326, 328, 330) and 18 credited missions with other Pilots: 1Lt Harry D. Gobrecht (288, 301, 318, 322); 2Lt Jerome Milman (331, 335, 342, 363); Other Pilots (289, 303, 304, 310, 311, 315, 323, 344, 348, 350). 1Lt Mott and seven other crewmen parachuted from B-17G 43-38065 Princess Pat 2 (358BS) VK-J, 1Lt Lawrence E. Poole (P) on mission 315, 15 February 1945. Lt Poole and T/Sgt Rayford Pullen (E) made a wheels-up landing at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK. Completed 35 mission combat tour on 20 April 1945 (Mission 363).
T/Sgt William J. Cotter (E) and S/Sgt James M. Walling (BTG) - Flew on all of the 1Lt Goodberlet thirty-five credited combat missions. Completed 35 mission combat tours on 20 March 1945 (Mission 341).
T/Sgt Stephen M. Baloga, Jr (R) - Flew on twenty-six 1Lt Goodberlet credited missions (All missions except 302, 317, 319, 321, 326). Flew with other Pilots on nine missions (338, 342, 350, 351, 352, 354, 355, 356, 357). Completed 35 mission combat tour on 10 April 1945 (Mission 357).
S/Sgt Frederick W. Schultz (TG) - Flew on all of the 1Lt Goodberlet missions except for mission 301, where a substitute Tail Gunner was used and with another Pilot on mission 311. Completed 35 mission combat tour on 20 March 1945 (Mission 341).
Sgt Matthew J. Karash (WG) - Flew on 14 credited missions with 1Lt Goodberlet (277, 279, 280, 283, 284(A), 287, 288, 289, 290, 292, 293, 298A, 299, 300, 301) and with another Pilot on one mission (282). Completed sixteen credited missions. Substitute Waist Gunners used on 10 credited missions (294, 303, 305(A), 306, 309, 310, 316, 317, 318, 319, 320). Use of the Waist Gunner was discontinued after mission 320 on 23 February 1945.

Significant Missions and Events:

Officer Roommates - The Goodberlet Crew shared a quonset hut named "Sad Shak" with officers of the Harry D. Gobrecht crew. It was located next to the quonset hut headquarters of the 358th BS Operations Unit.
12 January 1945 - Retribution Day - A snowstorm blanketed England on 11 and 12 January 1945 and 8th AF Bombers and fighters stood down due to the bad weather. Looking for something constructive to do on 12 January the officers of the Goodberlet and Gobrecht crews decided to get even with the occupants of the 358th BS Operations Unit hut for all of the early morning mission wake up calls. They built two large snowmen that blocked the front and rear entrances to the Operations Unit hut. They were soon joined by many other Squadron volunteers who wanted to get their share of the retribution. The completed snowmen did their jobs magnificently. It was only after a great deal of door pounding, yelling and threats that one of the snowmen was removed. It was a very satisfying and constructive day for the 358th BS flying crews.
Last mission of the 1Lt Goodberlet Crew - 20 March 1945 - Target was the submarine pens at Hamburg, Germany. Flak was very intense. As the target was left the Squadron was attacked by German ME-262 jet fighters. The stabilizer of the B-17 flying next to the Goodberlet B-17 was shot off. Two 303rd BG(H) B-17s were shot down. S/Sgt James M. Walling (BTG) put in a claim for downing one of the Jet fighters but the claim was not approved since many other gunners were firing at the fighter. Major Glynn F. Shumake, Commanding Officer 358th BS, flew as CoPilot on mission 341.
22 February 1945 - S/Sgt James M. Walling (BTG) had a surprise visit from his Cousin S/Sgt Glenn R. Walling, Engineer on the 359th BS 1Lt Warren F. Mauger Crew and both had a great visit not previously knowing that either was part of the 303rd BG(H). Not long after the visit S/Sgt James A. Walling completed his combat tour and returned home to the USA. He later learned that his cousin S/Sgt Glenn R. Walling was killed on the 303rd BG's last mission (#364) on 25 April 1945.

[photo courtesy of George T. Mackin]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]