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 358th Paullin Crew
James R. Paullin, Pilot
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JAMES R. PAULLIN CREW - 358th BS
B-17G Sweet Pea #42-102945 (VK-M)
(crew assigned 358BS: 14 July 1944 - photo: 21 July 1944)

(Back L - R) 1Lt Robert A. Simmons (B)(4), 2Lt William E. Hinton (CP)(2),
1Lt James R. Paullin (P)(1), 2Lt John W. Hunt, Jr. (B)(3)

(Front L - R) S/Sgt Woodley O. Butler (TG)(3), Sgt Henry Geyer (WG)(7).
S/Sgt Thomas J. Woodward (WG)(6), S/Sgt Stanley H. Biostek (BTG)(3),
T/Sgt Henry R. Thomas (R)(5), T/Sgt James P. Johnson (E)(3)

Paullin Crew Dispatched Combat Missions:
211 (04 July 1944), 212, 213, 216, 217, 218, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 228, 230, 231, 232, 233, 235, 237, 238, 243, 245, 246, 249, 250, 251, 254, 255, 258, 261, 264, 265, 266, 267 (3 Nov 1944)

Crew Notes:

  1. 1Lt James R. Paullin (P) Flew on missions 211, 212, 213 as CoPilot with experienced Pilots
  2. 2Lt William E. Hinton (CP) - Did not fly with the Lt Paullin crew on missions 211, 212, 213 and 221. Flew on missions 211, 212, 213, 239 as CoPilot with other Pilots
  3. 2Lt John W. Hunt, Jr (N), T/Sgt James P. Johnson (E), S/Sgt Stanley H. Biostek (BTG) S/Sgt Woodley O. Butler (TG) - Flew on all of the Lt Paullin Crew missions
  4. 1Lt Robert A. Simmons (B) - Flew on nineteen missions (211 through 238) with the Lt Paullin Crew. Substitute Bombardiers were used on fourteen missions (243 through 267). Flew with other Pilots on fifteen missions (245, 246, 247, 248, 252, 263, 265, 267, 270, 271, 272, 274, 275, 276, 277). On mission 248, 28 Sept 1944 to Magdeburg, Germany, in B-17G #43-38176 Bouncing Betty II (358BS) VK-B, 1Lt Walter J. Mayer, Pilot, [MACR 10586] -- The B-17 was attacked by German fighters badly damaging the B-17. Crew Bailed out over friendly territory near Witz, Luxembourg. Three crewmen were injured and hospitalized. One crewman was KIA and the others returned to Molesworth. See 1Lt Walter J. Mayer photo page for further details.
  5. T/Sgt Henry R. Thomas (R) - Did not fly with the Lt Paullin crew on mission 246. Substitute Radio Operator used. Flew on mission #273 with another Pilot.
  6. S/Sgt Thomas J. Woodward (WG) - Did not fly with his crew on missions 251, 254, 255. Flew on missions 271, 273, 275, 277, 278 with the 1Lt Walter J. Mayer Crew.
  7. Sgt Henry Geyer (WG) - Deleted from the Lt Paullin crew when the 2nd Waist Gunner was eliminated from all combat crews. Flew no missions with the Lt Paullin Crew. Flew on mission #364, 25 April 1945 as Tail Gunner with the 1Lt Jerome Milman crew.
[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives]
[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]