Hershel R. DeWall Crew

HERSHEL R. DeWALL CREW - 360th BS
(360BS crew formed: 06 February 1944 - photo: 2 March 1944)

(Back L-R) S/Sgt Paul J. Davis (TG), Sgt Charles J. Bonn (R)(POW),
2Lt John M. Chapman (CP), 1Lt Hershel R. DeWall (P)(1), 1Lt Sylvester J. Becker (N)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Szymon A. Friedman (LWG), S/Sgt Arthur B. Ayers (BTG),
S/Sgt Lawrence C. Pierson (Tog), S/Sgt Harry V. Hosso (RWG)(POW), T/Sgt Alphonse B. Serwa (E)

Crew Organization:
Lt DeWall had been upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on 2 January 1944. The 1Lt Hershel R. DeWall "Make up" crew, formed for mission #106, 6 February 1944, was dissolved following mission #115, 2 March 1944, when Lt DeWall completed his combat mission tour. Crewmen then completed their missions with other crews.

The following crewmen were substitutes for the crewmen named below the crew photo: 1Lt James B. Noland (N) - mission #106, T/Sgt Louis H. Breitenbach (Eng) - mission #106, T/Sgt Walter G. Francis (Rad) - Mission #106. S/Sgt Elmer L. Peterson (Tog) - missions #112 & 113, S/Sgt Jack E. Green (Eng)(POW)- missions #113 & 114.

The DeWall Crewmen named under the photo originated from many different 360th BS Crews:

1Lt Hershel R. DeWall (P) -to 360BS 7/1/43 - Robert W. Cogswell Crew (21 previous credited missions)
2Lt John M. Chapman, Jr. (CP)(POW) - To 360BS 11/20/43 - With William C. Heller Crew (6 previous credited missions)
1Lt Sylvester J. Becker (N) - To 360BS 9/5/43 Pharis C. Brinkley Crew (Dispatched on 23 previous missions)
S/Sgt Lawrence C. Pierson (Tog) - to 360BS 3/20/43 George V. Stallings Crew (Dispatched 23 previous missions)
T/Sgt Alphonse B. Serwa (Eng) - To 360BS 7/25/43 Leonard E. Jokerst Crew (Dispatched on 24 previous missions)
T/Sgt Charles E. Bonn (Rad)(POW) - To 360BNS 6/24/43 William T. Baker Crew (Dispatched on 17 previous missions)
S/Sgt Szymon A. Friedman (LWG) - To 360BS 7/29/43 - With Benajah Burkitt Crew (2 Previous credited missions)
S/Sgt Harry V. Hosso (RWG)(POW) - to 360BS 10/27/43 - with 2Lt Finis A. Brumbeloe Crew (3 previous credited missions)
S/Sgt Paul J. Davis (TG) - To 360BS 7/1/43 Robert W. Cogswell Crew (Dispatched on 15 previous missions)

Crew Note:
(POW) Five of the crewmen who had flown with Lt DeWall crew became POWs after being hit by ME-109s on Mission #119, 8 March 1944 to Erkner, Germany in B-17G #42-31471 Doolittle's Destroyers (360BS) PU-E. 1Lt Leo B. McGrath, Pilot; 2Lt John M. Chapman, Jr.(CP); S/Sgt Jack E. Green (Eng), S/Sgt Harry V. Hosso (RWG) and S/Sgt Charles J. Bonn (Rad). S/Sgt Bonn parachuted with a badly injured leg and was placed in a inadequate hospital with a brutal German Doctor who wanted to amputate his leg. He persuaded a more friendly French Doctor to treat and save his leg. Following recuperation he was sent to Stalag 17.

(1) 1Lt Hershel R. DeWall, prior to obtaining his crew on 6 February 1944, had flown with five different Pilots: Robert W. Cogswell (8 credited missions), Carl J. Fyler (2 Credited Missions), Willard H. Bergeron (8 Credited missions) plus one mission with John F. Coppom, John R. Morrin and Earl N. Thomas

[photo courtesy of Col. Walter K. Shayler]
[Researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]