Leonard E. Jokerst Crew

LEONARD E. JOKERST CREW - 360th BS
B-17F #42-29754 Shangri-La Lil 360BS (PU-B)
(crew assigned 360BS: 25 July 1943 - photo: 12 Aug 1943)

(Back L-R) T/Sgt Alphonse B. Serwa (E)(*), 2Lt Robert N. DeFeis (B)(*)
Capt Willard H. Bergeron (CP)(*), 1Lt Leonard E. Jokerst (P)(KIS)

(Front L-R) T/Sgt Leroy Cline (R)(*), S/Sgt Norman A. Hemmings (BTG)(*),
S/Sgt Vernon R. Appleton (TG)(*), S/Sgt George W. Wilson (WG)(*), S/Sgt William H. Stephen (WG)(KIS)

The 1Lt Jokerst crew had no original assigned Navigator
Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission

(*) Became a member of the Capt Willard H. Bergeron Crew
(KIS) - Killed in Service - 23 Oct 1943, Crashed on a local night training flight

Sixteen credited combat missions flown by 1Lt Leonard E. Jokerst:
58 (15 Aug 1943), 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 (20 Oct 1943)
For mission dates, targets and mission folders see Combat Missions.

Seven B-17Fs flown by 1Lt Leonard E. Jokerst on his 16 credited combat missions:

42-29574 ---- Shangri-La Lil (360BS) PU-B - Missions 58, 59
42-29931 (P) Satan's Workshop (360BS) PU-L - Mission 76
42-5434 (P) Lady Luck (360BS) PU-J - Missions 60, 68
42-5483 ---- Red Ass (360BS) PU-F - Missions 63, 64, 65
42-5854 (P) Alley Oop (360BS) PU-C - Missions 71, 75, 78
42-5482 (P) Cat-O-Nine Tails (359BS) BN-W - Mission 72
42-5859 ---- (No name) (360BS) PU-M - Mission 77
(P) See Nose Art Photos

Crew Notes:

1Lt Leonard E. Jokerst (P)(KIS) - 16 credited combat missions flown. First mission as CoPilot with Combat Orientation Pilot Lt Arthur C. Way. Killed on a 23 Oct 1943 local night training flight.
Capt Willard R. Bergeron (CP/P) - 42 dispatched (41 credited) combat missions flown:
- With 360th BS - One with 1Lt Arthur C. Way as an observer (58)); Eleven with 1Lt Jokerst as CoPIlot (59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 75). Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on orders dated 10 Oct 1943. Flew on twelve dispatched (11 credited) missions as First Pilot (78, 79, 82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 101, 102, 103, 104 (Aborted), 105) and 4 credited missions as a Lead Crew Pilot (93, 95,104, 118, 122). Promoted from 1Lt to Captain following mission 105 on 2 May 1944. Completed his 25 mission combat tour on 18 March 1944 (Mission 122) and returned to the USA.
- With 358th BS - Volunteered for a second combat tour and returned to Molesworth. Was assigned to the 358th BS as a Lead Crewman. Flew 5 missions as a Lead Crew CoPilot - With Capt Lynch (237), With Capt Rosser (243), With LtCol Lyle (244), with Maj Mackin (280) and with LtCol Snyder (344) Flew 7 missions as a Lead Crew Pilot (249, 250, 260, 264, 272, 316, 356). Final 41st credited missions on 15 April 1945 (Mission 360) as Deputy Lead Crew CoPilot with 1Lt William L. McKimmie as Pilot. Was appointed 358th BS Operations Officer on 19 December 1944. Was appointed 358th BS Acting Commanding Officer on 30 March 1945.
2Lt Robert N. DeFeis (B) - Flew on 28 dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 16 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All Jokerst missions except #79 where a substitute Bombardier was used); 13 dispatched (12 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (78, 79, 82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 95, 101, 102, 103, 104 (A), 105); 1 credited mission with Lt Lloyd L. Holdcroft (93). Combat tour completed on 5 Feb 1944 (Mission 105).
T/Sgt Alphonse B. Serwa (E) - Flew on 28 dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 13 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All Jokerst missions except #66 where a substitute Engineer was used); 11 dispatched (10 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (82, 83, 92, 93, 95, 101, 102, 102, 104(A), 105, 122); 4 credited missions with Lt Hershel R. DeWall (107, 109, 112, 115). Combat tour completed on 18 March 1944 (Mission 122).
T/Sgt LeRoy Cline (R) - Flew on 28 dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 16 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All of 1Lt Jokerst missions); 12 dispatched (11 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 93, 95, 101, 102, 103, 104(A), 105), Completed combat tour on 5 Feb 1944 (Mission 105).
S/Sgt Norman A. Hemmings (BTG) - Flew on 29 dispatched (28 credited) combat missions: 10 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (58, 59, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 79). Substitute Ball Turret Gunners used on 6 missions - T/Sgt A.S. Stevens (71, 72), S/Sgt Arthur B. Ayers (75, 76, 77, 78, 79); 12 dispatched (11 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 93, 95, 101, 102, 104(A), 105); 7 credited missions with other Pilots (109, 113, 115, 117, 120, 121, 122). Completed combat tour on 18 March 1944 (Mission 122).
S/Sgt George W. Wilson (LWG) - Flew on 28 dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 16 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All of 1Lt Jokerst missions); 12 dispatched (11 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 93, 95, 101, 102, 103, 104(A), 105). Completed combat tour on 5 Feb 1944 (Mission 105).
S/Sgt William H. Stephen (RWG)(KIS) - Flew on 16 credited combat missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All of 1Lt Jokerst missions). Was Killed on 23 October 1943 on a local night training flight, 1Lt Jokerst Pilot.
S/Sgt Vernon R. Appleton (TG) - Flew on 28 dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 15 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All of 1Lt Jokerst missions except #79 where a substitute Tail Gunner was used; 13 dispatched (12 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (79, 82, 83, 85, 88, 92, 93, 95, 101, 102, 103,104(A), 105). Completed combat tour on 5 Feb 1944 (Mission 105).

Substitute Crewmen used by 1Lt Leonard E. Jokerst crew

1Lt James B. Noland (N) - Flew on 28 Dispatched (27 credited) combat missions: 13 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (All of 1Lt Jokerst missions except 58, 59, 60); 9 dispatched (8 credited) missions with 1Lt Bergeron (82, 83, 85, 92, 101, 102, 103, 104(A), 105); 6 credited missions with other Pilots (95, 107, 115, 117, 118, 119). Completed combat tour on 8 March 1944 (Mission 119).
S/Sgt Wallace L. Tharp (E)(WIA)(POW) - Flew on 11 credited combat missions: 3 credited missions with 1Lt Jokerst (66, 68, 69); 8 credited missions with other Pilots (61, 62, 78, 84, 85, 91, 92, 119). Became a POW on 8 March 1944 (Mission 119), 2Lt Leo B. McGrath (Pilot) flying as Left Waist Gunner.

Mission Note:

23 October 1943, Local night training flight, in B-17F 42-29930 Miss Patricia (360BS) PU-I. Crashed shortly after take-off at Keyston, cause unknown. Eight crewmen were killed. Crewmen on the fatal flight were: 1Lt L.E. Jokerst (P), 2Lt T.M. Jackson (CP (*), S/Sgt W.H. Stephen (E)(*), Cpl S.B. Morse (R), Sgt E.A. Chuhran (Pho), Sgt R.L. Long (Gunner)(*), Sgt H.R. Sherman (Gunner) and Pvt R.V. Morgan (Passenger).
(*) Four crewmen who are buried in the Cambridge American Cemetery, England

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