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 360th Foley Crew
Norment Foley, Pilot
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NORMENT FOLEY CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 04 July 1944)

(Back L-R) T/Sgt Edward Snell (E), T/Sgt Vernelle V. Johnson (R),
Sgt Damon A."Butch" Gordley (WG), S/Sgt Charles R. "Chuck" Stewart (BTG)(TG),
S/Sgt Harrel Waltmire, Jr. (BTG), Sgt Carl W. Seitz (TG)(KIA)

(Front L-R) 1Lt Norment Foley, Jr. (P), 1Lt Robert A. "Bob" Rowe (CP)(TG/O),
1Lt James M. "Jim" Conklin, Jr. (N), 1Lt Robert I. 'Rocky" Littlefield (B)(N)

Ranks and grades at time of last combat mission

[photo courtesy of Robert A. Rowe]


NORMENT FOLEY CREW - 360th BS

(Front L-R) 1Lt Robert I. 'Rocky" Littlefield (B)(N), 1Lt Norment Foley, Jr. (P),
1Lt Robert A. "Bob" Rowe (CP)(TG/O), 1Lt James M. "Jim" Conklin, Jr. (N)

(Front L-R) T/Sgt Vernelle V. Johnson (R), Sgt Damon A."Butch" Gordley (WG),
S/Sgt Charles R. "Chuck" Stewart (BTG)(TG), Sgt Carl W. Seitz (TG)(KIA),
S/Sgt Harrel Waltmire, Jr. (BTG)


Thirty-seven dispatched (35 credited) combat missions of 1Lt Norment Foley, Jr.:
205 (17 July 1944), 206, 207, 210(A), 211, 212(AS), 214, 216, 217, 218, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 230, 234(AS), 235, 236, 237, 238, 240, 244, 245, 246, 247, 249, 250, 251(A), 252, 263, 255, 256, 259, 262 (25 Oct 1944)
(A) Non-credited abortive sortie -- (AS) Credited Abortive sortie - no bombs dropped
For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.

Crew Notes:

  • 1Lt Norment Foley, Jr. (P) - All missions flown as First Pilot. First Mission (205) flown with an experienced CoPilot. Mission 206 was flown with a 381st BG(H) formation but landed at Molesworth. 35 mission combat tour completed on 25 October 1944.
  • 1Lt Robert A. "Bob" Rowe (CP) - Flew on all of the 1Lt Foley missions (Except for missions 205, 230 & 259). Four missions flown with other Pilots: As CoPilot (205 & 263); As a Lead Crew Tail Gunner/Observer (257 & 264). 35 mission combat tour completed on 30 October 1944.
  • 1Lt James M. "Jim" Conklin, Jr. (N) - Flew on all of the 1Lt Foley missions (except for missions 227, 255, 256, 259 & 262. Three missions flown with other Pilots (213, 215 & 254). 35 mission combat tour completed on 14 October 1944.
  • 1Lt Robert I. "Rocky" Littlefield (B/N) - Flew on 22 missions with the 1Lt Foley Crew: As Bombardier - 205, 207, 211, 212, 214, 216, 224, 230, 232, 234, 235, 236, 237, 238, 240, 244, 245, 246, 247 & 253; as Navigator - 227 & 255. Flew on 13 missions with other Pilots: As Bombardier - 206, 210, 217, 218, 223; As Navigator - 225, 226, 228, 249, 250, 251, 262, 254. 35 mission combat tour completed on 11 October 1944 - mission 255.
  • T/Sgt Edward Snell (E) and T/Sgt Vernelle V. Johnson (R) - Flew on all of the 1Lt Foley missions. 35 mission combat tours completed on 25 Oct 1944.
  • S/Sgt Harrel A. Waltmire, Jr. (BTG) - Flew on 26 credited missions with the 1Lt Foley crew (All missions 223 through 262). Flew on 8 missions with other Pilots (217, 231, 263, 264, 265, 266, 267, 270) 35 mission combat tour completed on 9 November 1944.
  • Sgt Damon A. "Butch" Gordley (WG) - Flew on 14 credited missions with the 1Lt Foley crew - 205, 206, 207, 210(A), 211, 212(AS), 214, 216, 217, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227 & 230 18 August 1944. Flew on no additional 303rd BG(H) combat missions.
  • Sgt Carl W. Seitz (TG) - Flew on 3 missions with the 1Lt Foley crew (205, 206, 207). Was Killed in Action on mission 207 to Hollriegelsreth, Germany , 19 July 1944, in B-17G 43-37930 (No name) (360BS) PU-F. Was hit in the neck by a flak fragment in the target area. Body returned to Molesworth. Waist Gunner S/Sgt Charles R. Stewart became the crew's Tail Gunner on and following mission 214.
  • S/Sgt Charles R. "Chuck" Stewart (BTG)(TG) - Originally the 2nd Crew Waist Gunner but flew no missions as Waist Gunner when the crew size was changed from 10 to 9 men. Flew on all of the 1Lt Foley missions (except for 212): As Ball Turret Gunner - 205, 206, 207, 210(A), 211; As Tail Gunner - all other missions (214 through 262). Flew on one mission as Waist Gunner with another Pilot (269). 35 mission combat tour completed on 6 November 1944.
Landing on the European Continent: Mission 259, 18 October 1944 in B-17G 43-38653 (no name) (360 BS) PU-H to Cologne, Germany. Landed at Brussels, Belgium. Was one five 303rd BG(H) B-17s that landed on the European Continent when they became low on Gasoline.

[photo courtesy of Col. Walter K. Shayler - identification by Mark Forlow]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]