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359th Tulloss Crew John W. Tulloss, Pilot |
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JOHN W. TULLOSS CREW - 359th BS
(Assigned 359BS: 11 April 1944 - photo: 19 June 1944)
JOHN W. TULLOSS CREW - 359th BS
(Assigned 359BS: 11 April 1944)
(Back L-R) Sgt Douglas J. Demarest (BTG), S/Sgt John Richard (WG), Sgt Charles Milton (R),
T/Sgt Charles R. Robinson (E), Sgt Gene D. Wright (WG), S/Sgt Julian J. O'Connor
(Front L-R)
2Lt William T. Hollingsworth (B),
2Lt Harold Scheer (N),
2Lt Walter H. London, Jr. (CP),
Capt John W. Tulloss (P)
(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission)
Thirty-Nine credited combat missions flown by Capt John W. Tulloss
As Crew 1st Pilot:
140 (21 April 1944),
142, 143, 146, 150, 151, 153, 154, 157, 158, 159, 160(Spare),
161, 162, 165, 167, 169, 170, 171, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178, 179, 180(AS), 181, 182, 183,
184, 185 (19 June 1944).
As Lead Crew CoPilot: 248 (28 Sept 1944), 250, 252.
As Lead Crew Pilot: 258, 277, 279, 307, 358 (11 April 1945)
(AS) Credited Abortive Sortie mission - no bombs dropped
(Spare) - Non-Credited spare B-17 flight - returned to Molesworth
when not required.
Crew Notes:
- Capt John W. Tulloss (P) - Mission #140 flown as a CoPilot with a combat
Orientation Pilot and crew. Next 31 missions (142 through 185) flown
as a 1st Pilot. 30 Mission combat tour completed on 19 June 1944 (Mission #185). 30
mission tour completed in 57 days - considered a 303rd BG(H) short time
record. Volunteered for a second combat tour. Flew three missions as a
Lead Crew CoPilot (248, 250, 252) and five missions as a Lead Crew Pilot
(258, 277, 279, 307, 358). Promoted from 1Lt to Captain while a Lead Crew Pilot.
Last mission, #358, on 11 April 1945.
- 2Lt Walter H. London, Jr. (CP) - Original CoPilot but did not fly with 1Lt
Tulloss on his first six missions as the Crew 1st Pilot (142, 143, 146, 150, 151,
153). Substitute CoPilots used on these missions. Flew 25 missions as
Lt Tulloss' CoPilot (154 through 185). Flew on 5 missions as CoPilot with
other Pilots (187, 189, 194, 195, 202). Flew on 2 missions as a 1st Pilot (196, 197). Total 31 credited
missions. Combat tour completed on 12 July 1944.
- 2Lt Harold Scheer (N)(POW) - Flew on one mission with Lt Tulloss (150)
after substitute Navigators had been used on three missions (142, 143, 146). Flew on
nine missions with other Pilots (264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 272, 274,
275) - six with Lt Andy R. Virag as Pilot. Became a POW on mission #275, 21 November 1944 to Merseburg, Germany in B-17G 44-6600 (No name) (359th BS) BN-B,
1Lt Andy R. Virag, Pilot. During the bomb run the right wing was hit and
the right aileron was knocked off by flak. After losing altitude and having difficulty maintaining
control the B-17 was hit by ME-109 German fighters after which Lt Virag ordered his crew to
bail out of the B-17. All nine crewmen parachuted safely and became POWs.
2Lt Scheer was a substitute crewman on this missions. The regular Navigator, 2Lt John C. Ryne,
had been killed on 24 August 1944 on another mission to Merseburg.
- 2Lt William T. Hollingsworth (B) - Flew on seven missions as crew
Bombardier (142, 143, 146, 150, 183, 184, 185). Flew 24 missions as crew (151 through
182). Combat tour completed on 23 June 1944.
- T/Sgt Charles R. Robinson (E), S/Sgt John Richard (WG) and S/Sgt Julian J.
O'Connor (TG). Dispatched on 31 missions with Lt Tulloss as Pilot.
Completed combat tours on 19 June 1944.
- Sgt Charles Milton (R) - Flew on one mission (146) with the Lt Tulloss
crew and was removed from combat status. Three substitute Radio Operators
used on five missions (142, 143, 150, 151, 153). T/Sgt Robert E. Montgomery (R) used on 16
missions (154 through 176) and S/Sgt Robert W. Hanson (R) used on 10
missions (177 through 185).
- Sgt Douglas J. Demarest (BTG) - Flew on two missions with Lt Tulloss (142,
143) and one mission (148) as Tail gunner with another Pilot. Was then
removed from combat status. Substitute BTGs used on other missions -
S/Sgt Crawford N. Jenkins on 10 missions and Pvt Charles E. Wernet on 9
missions.
- Sgt Gene D. Wright (WG) - Original crewman. Flew no missions with the Lt Tulloss Crew. Transferred to 358th BS and flew nine missions with six other Pilots - 6 as Engineer and one each as Waist Gunner and Togglier. Last mission (195) on 30 June 1944. Lt Tulloss flew with a second Waist gunner on 18 missions - S/Sgt Frank W. Kolenda on 15 of the missions (146 through 160, 177, 178, 179, 180, 182, 183). Other 13 missions flown with a single Waist Gunner.