Quick Search
 360th Holdcroft Crew
Lloyd L. Holdcroft, Pilot
 Home About Us Contact Us Donate Newsletters 8th AFHS Links FAQ Facebook Search
 Personnel Aircraft Nose Art B-17 Thunderbird Ground Support Uniforms Journals More Info
 Mission Reports Combat Crews Individual Photos Photos POW KIA MACR Overseas Graves TAPS


LLOYD L. HOLDCROFT CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 16 Nov 1943 - photo: 26 Nov 1943)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Lloyd L. Holdcroft (P)(POW),
1Lt Clyde W. Bradley, Jr. (CP)(POW), T/Sgt John A. DeMarco (E)(POW),
1Lt Charles M. Pace (N)(POW), 1Lt Milton S. Riley (B)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Lloyd F. Kern (BT)(POW), S/Sgt Robert A. Krumholz (TG)(POW),
S/Sgt Walter C. Slusser (WG)(POW), S/Sgt Walter L. Hustus (WG)(POW),
T/Sgt Walter G. Francis, Jr. (R)(POW)

Twenty-nine dispatched (28 credited) combat missions flown by 1Lt Lloyd L. Holdcroft:
89 (16 Dec 1943), 92, 93, 95 (Aborted), 96, 97, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 107, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 121, 122, 123, 124, 131, 132, 124, 135, 136 (18 April 1944).
Non Credited Aborted mission 95 - #4 engine failure. Turned back near Frisian Islands.
For mission dates, targets and Mission Folders see Combat Missions.

Fifteen B-17s flown by 1Lt Lloyd L. Holdcroft on his 29 dispatched combat missions:

  • B-17F 42-5788 AOG Not in Stock (360BS) PU-H - Missions 89, 101
  • B-17F 42-2973 (P) Iza Vailable (360BS) PU-G - Missions 93, 100, 103, 105, 107, 112, 114, 123
  • B-17F 42-5054 (P) Belle of San Joaquin (360BS) PU-I - Mission 95 (Aborted)
  • B-17F 42-3158 (P) Max (427BS) GN-Y - Mission 122
  • B-17G 42-37927 (No name) (358BS) VK-P - Mission 92
  • B-17G 42-31340 (P) Miss Liberty (360BS) PU-D - Mission 97
  • B-17G 42-31652 (No name) (360BS) PU-A - Mission 98
  • B-17G 42-37841 Banshee (360BS) PU-P - Mission 102
  • B-17G 42-38168 (P) Dear Mom (360BS) PU-M - Mission 113
  • B-17G 42-31055 (P) Aloha (360BS) PU-J - Mission 115
  • B-17G 42-38204 (No name) 360BS - PU-H - Missions 116, 117
  • B-17G 42-31483 (P) Bonnie "B" (359BS) BN-P - Mission 118
  • B-17G 42-97546 (P) Idaliza (360BS) PU-E - Missions 121, 134
  • B-17G 42-97590 Virgin Mary (360BS) PU-A - Mission 124
  • B-17G 42-97552 The Road Back (360BS) PU-O - Missions 131, 132, 135, 136
    (P) See Nose Art Photos
Crew Notes - Regular crewmen
  • 1Lt Lloyd L. Holdcroft (P)(POW)- 29 dispatched (28 credited) missions flown: All as First Pilot. POW on 18 April 1944 (Mission 136).

  • 1Lt Clyde W. Bradley, Jr. (CP)(POW) - 29 dispatched (28 credited) missions flown: 27 credited missions with 1Lt Holdcroft (All Holdcroft missions except mission 100 where substitute CoPilot Lt John M. Chapman was used); With Lt Earl M. Thomas (Mission 109). POW on 18 April 1944 (Mission 136).

  • 2Lt Milton S. Riley (B/N) - 32 dispatched and credited missions flown: 2 missions with 1Lt Holdcroft as Bombardier (89, 92). 30 missions with other Pilots: 9 With Lt George E. Underwood as Bombardier (93, 94, 95, 98, 99, 101, 102, 103, 106). Transferred from 360BS to 359BS with 21 missions - With 2Lt Russel W. Meyer as Navigator (151), With 1Lt Robert H. Halpin as Navigator (155, 158, 164), With 1Lt Richard K. Marsh as Navigator (165), With Lt Robert L. Cunningham - As Bombardier (167, 169, 170, 172, 174, 175, 176, 177, 183, 185, As Navigator (179, 180, 181, 186). With 2Lt Clinton A. Moser as Bombardier (187), With 1Lt George R. Sirany as Bombardier.(194). Completed combat tour on 29 June 1944 (Mission 194)

  • 2Lt Charles M. Pace (N)(POW), T/Sgt John A. DeMarco (E)(POW), S/Sgt Walter G. Francis, Jr. (R)(POW), S/Sgt Lloyd F. Kern (BTG)(POW), S/Sgt Walter C. Slusser (LWG)(POW), S/Sgt Walter L. Hustus (RWG)(POW), S/Sgt Robert A. Krumholz (TG)(POW) 29 dispatched (18 credited) missions flown - All 1Lt Holdcroft missions. With other Pilots - no missions. All became POWs on 18 April 1944 (Mission 136).
Crew Note - Substitute Crewman
  • 1Lt John B. O'Donnell (B)(POW) - 27 dispatched (26 credited) missions flown: 25 credited missions with 1Lt Holdcroft - All Holcroft missions except first three (89, 92, 93); With 1Lt George E. Underwood (Mission 109). Became a POW on 18 April `1944 (Mission 136).
Mission Note:

18 April 1944, Mission 136, to Oranienburg Germany in B-17F 42-97552 The Road Back (360BS) PU-O. B-17 was last seen just before making a turn after the target. Two engines were hit by flak and allowed to windmill. It continued on a straight course after the target and left the formation. The crew flew for one and one-half hours before crash landing after throwing out all non-essential items. At one point a German ME-109 flew alongside, recognized that the B-17 could offer little resistance, saluted, and flew away. The B-17 crashed near Soltau, Germany, 65 km north of Hanover (Between Hamburg and Hanover) in a narrow field on a wheels up "Belly" landing. The B-17 was set on fire to prevent the enemy from using the parts. The entire crew survived the crash and divided into three groups to attempt to avoid capture. All became POWs after their unsuccessful evasion attempts. The original crewmen were on the last mission of their 25 mission combat tour (Missing Aircrew Report 4009).

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