Bertil V. Bentzlin Crew

BERTIL V. BENTZLIN CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 20 Feb 45 - photo: 22 Feb 1945)

(Back L-R) Sgt John A. Sole (R),
2Lt Bertil V. Bentzlin (P), 2Lt Dewey E. Briley, Jr. (CP),
F/O Walter A. Andrzejczyk (N), Sgt Leonard B. Joneson (TG)

(Front L-R) Sgt Walter D. Rodgers (E), S/Sgt John C. Schieb (WG),
Sgt Clarence J. Henderson (BT), Sgt James R. Friery (TO)

Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission
Some the Enlisted men may have been promoted before they departed Molesworth

Twenty-one credited combat missions flown by 2Lt Bertil V. Bentzlin 333 (10 March 1945), 334, 336, 337, 338, 340, 344, 346, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 355, 356, 357, 359, 360, 361, 363 (20 April 1945). For mission dates, targets and mission folders see Combat Missions.

Nine B-17Gs flown by 1Lt Bertil V. Bentzlin on his 21 credited combat missions

42-97546 (P) Idaliza (360BS) PU-E - Missions 334, 349
44-6516 --- My Darling (360BS) PU-Q - Missions 336, 340, 356
42-102544 (P) Sack Time (360BS) PU-K - Mission 355
44-8647 (No name) (360BS) PU-M - Mission 333
43-38842 (No name) (360BS) PU-N - Mission 338
42-97860 (No name) (360BS) PU-L - Mission 337
43-38763 (No name) (427BS) GN-B - Mission 344
43-38532 (No name) (360BS) PU-G - Mission 346
44-6523 (No name) (360BS) PU-A - Missions 347, 348, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 357, 359, 360, 361, 363
(P) See Nose Art Photos

Crew Notes:

2Lt Bertil V. Bentzlin (P) - 21 credited missions flown. First mission flown as CoPilot with a combat orientation Pilot, David A. Schroll, previously CoPilot on the 1Lt Roy S. Statton crew. All other missions flown as First Pilot. Last missions flown on 20 April 1945 (Mission (363)
2Lt Dewey W. Briley, Jr. (CP) - 21 credited missions flown: 20 with 2Lt Bentzlin (All Bentzlin missions except mission 333); 1 with 1Lt Roy F. Statton (Mission 333). Last mission flown on 20 April 1945 (Mission 363).
F/O Walter A. Andrzejczyk (N) - 21 credited missions flown: 20 with 2Lt Bentzlin (All Bentzlin missions except mission 337; 1 with 1Lt John M. Armfield (Mission 332). Last mission flown on 20 April 1945 (Mission 363).
Sgt John C. Schieb (WG) - 3 credited missions flown with 2Lt Bentzlin (333, 334, 346 - 24 March 1945). Deleted from crew when Waist Gunner position was deleted from crew. Flew on no other 303rd BG(H) combat missions.
Sgt James R. Friery (TOG), Sgt Walter D. Rodgers (E), Sgt John A. Sole (R), Sgt Clarence J. Henderson (BTG) and Sgt Leonard B. Joneson (TG) - 21 credited missions flown (All with 2Lt Bentzlin) and no missions with other Pilots. Last missions flown on 20 April 1945 (Mission 363).

Voice Interpreter (VI) crewmen that flew with the 2Lt Bentzlin Crew

T/Sgt Iva L. Fegette (Mission 333) and Sgt Charles K. Morrill (Mission 344)

Substitute Navigator - Mission 337

F/O Harold S. Smith (358BS Navigator)(KIA). Member of 1Lt Lawrence E. Poole Crew. Was KIA on 15 March 1945 flying with the 2Lt Robert L. Murphy crew.

Mission Notes:

17 March 1945 (Mission 338) to Erfult, Germany in B-17G 43-38842 (No name) (360BS) PU-N. Landed at Airfield #B-54 on the continent with two other 360BS B-17s. Became low on Gasoline due to two bomb runs made on target.

20 April 1945 (Mission 363) to Truenbrietzen, Germany railroad marshalling yard. Rail target for the fifth consecutive 8th Air Force mission - the next to last 303rd BG(H) combat mission.. Mission 364 (on 25 April 1945) was the last mission flown by the 303rd BG(H) just prior to the 7 May 1945 German Surrender. Crew was unable to complete their 35 mission combat tour.

[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives - identification by Anne Bentzlin-Smith]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]