Howard C. Lacker Crew

42-97860 (No name) (360BS) PU-L - Three missions 315, 316, 327
42-38842 (No name) (360BS) PU-N - Mission 317
42-97281 Queenie (427BS) GN-Q - Mission 318
44-6523 (No name) (360BS) PU-A - Two missions 319, 342
44-6516 My Darling (360BS) PU-Q - Mission 324
44-6517 Old Cock (360BS) PU-F - Mission 325
42-97546 (P) Idaliza (360BS) PU-E - Mission 326
43-38672 (No name) (360BS) PU-I - Two missions 333, 342
44-8318 (No name) (360BS) PU-P - Mission 347
44-6006 (No name) (358BS) VK-D - Mission 349
44-8647 (No name) (360BS) PU-M - Nine missions 330, 334, 336, 337, 340, 350, 351, 352, 353
(P) See Nose Art Photos.

Crew Notes:

2Lt Howard C. Lacker (P)(KIA) - Completed 24 dispatched (23 credited) missions: As Copilot with other Pilots: With 1Lt Frank Juns (6 missions - 330, 333, 334, 336, 338, 340), With other Pilots (3 missions - 315, 317, 337); As First Pilot (15 missions - 316, 318(A), 319, 324, 325, 326, 327, 342, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353). KIA on 6 April 1945 (Mission 353).
2Lt Ralph L. Johnson (CP) - Completed 21 credited combat missions: As CoPilot with 2Lt Lacker (2 missions - 318, 319); As CoPilot with other Pilots (6 missions - 316, 317, 324, 340, 347, 354, 356); As Lead Crew TailGunner/Observer (12 missions - 325, 326, 329, 330, 333, 334, 336, 342, 344, 346, 353, 357. Last mission flown on 10 April 1945 (Mission 357).
2Lt James B. O'Neil (N)(KIA) - Completed 24 dispatched (23 credited) missions; 22 with 2Lt Lacker (All Lacker missions except 337); With 1Lt Jon M. Armfield (Mission 337). KIA on 6 April 1945 (Mission 353).
2Lt Billy L. Runnels (B) - Completed 14 dispatched (13 credited) combat missions: With 2Lt Lacker (10 credited missions - 315, 316, 317, 318(A), 319, 324, 325, 326, 327, 330, 333). Substitute Bombardiers used on other 2Lt Runnels missions; With other Pilots - 1Lt John M. Armfield (336, 337), With 2Lt Samuel W. Smith (352). Last mission flown on 05 April 1945 (Mission 352).
S/Sgt Francis E. Bratcher (E)(KIA), T/Sgt Lane Forester (R)(KIA), Sgt Robert R. Reynolds (BTG)(KIA) and Sgt Louis V. Garbarino (TG)(KIA) - Flew on 23 dispatched (22 credited) missions - All with 2Lt Lacker. Stood down on one 2Lt Lacker mission (337). All KIA on 6 April 1945 (Mission 353).
S/Sgt Clarence Mooneyham, Jr. (WG/TOG)(KIA) - Flew on 18 dispatched (17 credited) missions - all with 2Lt Lacker: As Waist Gunner - 5 credited missions (315, 316, 317, 318(A), 319, 327); As Togglier - 12 credited missions (334, 336, 338, 340, 342, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353). KIA on 6 April 1945 (Mission 353). The 2Lt Lacker crew flew without a Waist Gunner on 15 missions (324, 325, 326, 330, 333, 336, 337, 338, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353). Used a substitute Waist Gunner on 3 missions (334, 337, 342)

Special Passengers on seven missions

Voice Interpreters (VI) - Missions 325, 330, 338, 340, 352. Radio Control Measure Operator (RCM) - Mission 347. Y Radio Operator (YRO)(KIA) - Mission 353. Sgt Oscar F. Bonner (YRO) KIA on 6 April 1945 (Mission 353).

(KIA) - 06 April 1945 on mission #353 to Leipzig, Germany. The Lacker Crew in B-17G #44-8647 (no name) (360BS) PU-M, was involved in a mid-air collision with the 2Lt Melvin Alderman Crew in B-17G #43-38958 Green Hill Belle (427BS) GN-H just before reaching the target.

Johnson and Runnels were not with the Lacker crew on the 06 April 1945 mission. Replacement crewmen were: Alexander T. Kacus (CP-KIA) and Oscar F. Bonner, Jr. (WG-KIA).

The dense contrails appeared to contribute directly to the collision. There were no parachutes observed leaving either B-17. Both aircraft crashed at Loessnitz, Germany, approximately 50 km south of Leipzig. #43-38958, piloted by 2Lt Melvin Alderman, exploded in the air after the collision and broke up into small parts--some were on fire. All eight crewmen were killed. F/O Thomas, 2Lt Weinberg, and Sgt Prieto are buried in Ardennes American Cemetery near Liege, Belgium.

The tail assembly broke and the No. 3 engine caved in with the propeller off on #44-8647, piloted by 2Lt Howard C. Lacker. Other crews spotted the aircraft going down in a flat spin. It appeared that the engines had been out because the propellers turned slowly. Also killed in the crash were 2Lt Alexander Kacus, 2Lt James B. O'Neil, S/Sgt Clarence Mooneyham, S/Sgt Francis E. Bratcher, T/Sgt Lane Foster, Sgt Robert R. Reynolds, Sgt Louis V. Garbarino, Jr., Sgt Oscar F. Bonner. 2Lt O'Neil, S/Sgt Mooneyham, S/Sgt Bratcher and Sgt Garbarino are buried in Ardennes American Cemetery near Liege, Belgium. Click here for crash site photos.

(1) See the 360th Juns Crew photo
** Buried in Ardennes American Cemetery near Liege, Belgium.

Six members of the two crews are buried in a common grave at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville, KY.
Alderman Crew: 2Lt Melvin Alderman and 2Lt Roman M. Ley
Lacker Crew: 2Lt Howard C. Lacker, Sgt Oscar F. Bonner, Jr., T/Sgt Lane Foster, Sgt Robert R. Reynolds

World War II Memories
by 2nd Lt. Billy L. Runnels

0-2073412, Bombardier (1035)
8th Air Force, 1st Division
303rd Bomb Group (H), 360th Squadron
AAF STA 107, APO 557
Howard C. Lacker Crew

Introduction

I still remember the firm nudge on my shoulder and soft voice saying "Lieutenant, it is time." The date February 15, 1945, hour 5:00AM, place 303rd Bomb Group, Molesworth, England. The cool damp barracks atmosphere made crawling out of the sack less than desirable. But, it was time and I responded as did fellow crew members 2nd Lt. Howard C. Lacker (pilot), 2nd Lt. Ralph Johnson (co-pilot), and 2nd Lt. Jim O'Neil (navigator). A similar wake up call was also given to crew members S/SGT. Francis Bratcher (engineer), T/SGT. Lane Foster (radio), SGT. Louis Garbarino (tail gunner), Sgt. Robert Reynolds (ball turret), and S/SGT. Clarence Mooneyham Jr. (waist gunner) in their barracks. This day would test our skills and commitment in the unfriendly skies over Germany. Assigned target, "Military Objectives", Dresden, Germany. . . . continued . . .

[photo courtesy of Kenneth Reynolds, identification by Billy L. Runnels]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]