Arthur J. Tarvid Crew

ARTHUR J. TARVID CREW - 359th BS
(crew assigned 359BS: 11 Dec 1944 - photo: 29 Dec 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Arthur J. Tarvid (P), 2Lt Gale M. Webber (B),
F/O Louis C. Grandwilliams (CP), 1Lt Glenn V. Hudson (N)

(Front L-R) T/Sgt Carmen W. Root (R), S/Sgt Richard D. Dimick (TG),
Sgt Gale F. Muchmore (BT), T/Sgt Maurice L. Jenkins (E), S/Sgt Dale H. Carlson (WG)

(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission)

Thirty-Seven Credited combat missions flown by 1Lt Arthur J. Tarvid:
296 (AS) (3 Jan 45), 297, 298B, 299, 300(A), 303, 304, 306, 310, 311, 312(AS), 313, 315, 316, 317, 318, 319, 322, 323, 325, 330, 333, 335, 337, 342, 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 356, 357, 358, 360 (15 Apr 45). (A) Non-Credit Aborted mission -- (AS) Credited Abortive Sortie - no bombs dropped. For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.

Favorite aircraft flown:

B-17G #42-107206 Old Black Magic 359th BS (BN-R) - Assigned 359th BS 23 Apr 1944 Flew on 123 credited combat missions, one of the longest flying B-17s. Most missions flown by any 359th BS B-17G. Crash Landing on Belgian airfield on 25 April 1945 on one operating engine - 2Lt M.F. Damon, Pilot. B-17 was salvaged. Flown by the 1Lt Tarvid crew on ten missions: 296, 297, 298B, 299, 300, 303, 306, 310, 311 & 312.
B-17G #43-38891 Blues in the Night 359th BS (BN-B) - Assigned 359th BS 19 Oct 1944 Flew on 30 credited combat missions. Suffered a landing accident on 9 April 1945 while on a slow-time flight at Molesworth in bad weather. Hit a tree when fling too low, skidded for several hundred yards before coming to a stop and immediately burst into flames. Crew escaped with minor injuries and the B-17 was salvaged. Flown by the 1Lt Tarvid crew on 14 of the Blues in the Night 30 missions - 323, 325, 333, 335, 336, 337, 342, 343, 344, 346, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352. Eleven other Pilots used on the other 16 missions.

Gale Webber and Lou Grandwilliams
[courtesy of Lou Grandwilliams]

Crew Notes:

1Lt Arthur J. Tarvid (P) - Mission #296 flown as CoPilot with other members of the Tarvid Crew. Pilot was 2Lt Harold L. Fravel. All other missions flown as First Pilot. 37 mission combat tour completed on 15 April 1945 - mission 360.
F/O Louis C. Grandwilliams (CP) - Stood down on mission #296. Flew on all other 1Lt Tarvid missions except for missions 344, 351, 358, 360. Flew as CoPilot on missions 331 & 332 with 2Lt Eugene Haynes as Pilot. 35 mission combat tour completed on 10 April 1945 - mission 357.
1Lt Glenn V. Hudson (N) - Flew on 24 of the 1Lt Tarvid credited missions through mission 337. Flew on 10 missions with other Pilots - 320, 324, 331, 332, 344, 346, 348, 349, 352, 356. Was transferred to 427th BS on 19 April 1945 and was scheduled to fly his last mission 35 on 25 April 1945 with 1Lt Warren E. Mauger (P). 2Lt George E. Knox (N) contacted 1Lt Hudson asking if he could fly on the 25 April 1945 mission in 1Lt Hudson's place because his father was ill in the USA and he wanted to get home quickly. After 1Lt Hudson contacted the Squadron Operations Officer 2Lt Knox was given permission to fly on the 25 April 1945 mission to Pilsen, Czechoslovakia with the 1Lt Mauger crew. The 1Lt Mauger crew was shot down and 2Lt Knox became a POW but three other crewmen were KIA. 1Lt Hudson's most unusual combat experience was not going on what proved to be the last 303rd BG(H) combat mission, not being shot down on what would have been his 35th mission. Lt Hudson's 34th and last mission was completed on 11 April 1945 - Mission 356. 1Lt Hudson and his wife Laverne were killed in an automobile accident on 19 September 2004.
2Lt Gale M. Webber (BN) - Flew on 22 missions with the 1Lt Tarvid Crew: Eleven as Bombardier: 296, 297, 298B, 299, 300(A), 304, 306, 310, 316, 318, 319, 322. Nine as Navigator 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 356. Flew on 15 missions with other Pilots: Four as Bombardier - 311, 312, 313, 317. Eleven as Navigator - 290, 325, 326, 330, 331, 332, 333, 335, 336, 349, 347. 35 mission combat tour completed on 9 April 1945 - mission 356.
T/Sgt Maurice L. Jenkins (E) - Flew on all of the 33 1Lt Tarvid missions through mission 352 except for mission 299 where he stood down. Flew on three missions with other Pilots - 331, 332 & 347. 35 mission combat tour completed on 5 April 1945 - mission 352.
T/Sgt Carmen W. Root (R) - Flew on all of the 32 credited 1Lt Tarvid missions through mission 351. Flew on three missions with other Pilots - 331, 332, 347. 35 mission combat tour completed on 4 April 1945 - mission 351.
Sgt Gale F. Muchmore (BT) - Flew on 18 credited missions with 1Lt Tarvid - Missions 296 through 323 on 25 February 1945. Suffered a non-combat injury and was not able to fly on any additional missions. Substitute Ball Turret Gunners were utilized by the 1Lt Tarvid crew on their other missions.
S/Sgt Dale H. Carlson (WG/Tog) - Flew as Waist Gunner on the 1Lt Tarvid first 16 missions - 296 through 319 and then on missions 325 & 337. Flew as Togglier on 13 1lt Tarvid missions - 330, 333, 335, 336, 342, 343, 344, 345, 348, 349, 350, 351 & 352. Flew with other pilots on four missions: As Waist Gunner - 290 & 331; As Togglier - 332 & 347. 35 mission combat tour completed on 5 April 1945 - mission 352. 1Lt Tarvid crew flew with out a waist Gunner on 15 missions - 322, 323, 335, 336, 343, 344, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 356, 357, 358 & 360.
S/Sgt Richard D. Dimick (TG) - Flew on all of the 32 1Lt Tarvid credited missions - 296 through 350. Flew on three missions with other Pilots - 290, 331 & 332. 35 mission combat tour completed on 3 April 1945 - mission 350.

Aborted mission - #300, 10 Jan 1945:
Had a sheared prop shortly after take-off and landed at the 379th BG(H) airfield at Kimbolton.

[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]