Quick Search
360th Trojan Crew
Joseph E. Trojan, 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


JOSEPH E. "JAY" TROJAN CREW - 360th BS
(Lt Trojan assigned 359th BS: 22 July 1943)
(Upgraded from CoPilot, 1Lt John W. Farrar Crew, to Pilot: 22 March 1943)


1Lt Joseph E. Trojan (P)(POW), 1Lt Thomas S. Vaughn (CP)(KIA),
1Lt Parley W. Madsen, Jr.(358BS-N)(POW), 1Lt Jack W. Stewart (B)(POW)

S/Sgt Paul H. Prescott (E)(POW/DOW), S/Sgt Cecil E. Craft (R)(POW),
S/Sgt Joseph R. Sunderlin (BTG)(POW), S/Sgt Martin A. Semonick (WG)(POW),
S/Sgt Lincoln T. O'Connell (WG)(POW), S/Sgt Frank W. Bartlett (TG)(POW/WIA)

Crewmen on Lt Trojan's last combat mission on 29 May 1943

Twenty-one dispatched (17 credited) Combat missions flown by 1Lt Joseph E. Trojan:

Missions flown by Lt Trojan with his final mission crewmen:
  • Two Mission 39(A) & 40:1Lt Thomas S. Vaughn (CP); 1Lt Parley W. Madsen, Jr. (N)(358BS crewman); S/Sgt Martin A. Semonick (WG)
  • Three Missions 37, 39(A) & 40: S/Sgt Cecil E. Craft (R)
  • Four Missions 35, 37, 39(A) & 40: S/Sgt Paul H. Prescott (E)
  • Thirteen Missions 2(A),9,10,11,17,18,20,21,23,33(A),37,39(A) & 40: 1Lt Jack W. Stewart (B)
  • Thirteen Missions 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 33(A), 35, 37, 39(A) & 40: S/Sgt Joseph R. Sunderlin (BTG)
  • Fourteen Missions 9, 10, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28, 33(A), 35, 37, 39(A) & 40: S/Sgt Lincoln T. O'Connell (WG)
  • Fifteen Missions 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 33(A), 35, 37, 39(A) & 40: S/Sgt Frank W. Bartlett (TG).
For mission dates and targets see the missions list.

Crew Note:
1Lt Joseph E. Trojan (P) - CoPilot on the original 360th BS 1Lt John W. Farrar Crew - 14 credited missions. Upgraded from CoPilot to Pilot on orders dated 22 March 1943. First of three credited missions as Pilot on 15 April 1945. Final mission 29 May 1945.

Final Mission:
Mission #40, 29 May 1943, to St. Nazaire, France in original B-17F #41-24602 Yardbird (360BS) PU-A. Was disabled by flak in the target area and was subsequently hit by attacking FW-190s and ME-109s. Exploded with a burst of fire when it hit the ground near Pleubian, France. 1Lt Vaughn (CP) was Killed in Action. Other crewmen made parachute jumps and became POWs. S/Sgt Prescott (E) died of his wounds on 4 June 1943 while a POW in a German hospital at Paris-Clichy. He is buried in the Epinal American Cemetery near Vosges, France. S/Sgt Bartlett (WG) was badly wounded and was repatriated in 1944.


Nicky (DeVito) Desersa, S/Sgt Lincoln T. O'Connell and Helen (Gill) Powers at an event in 1945

[Researched by Historian Harry D. Gobrecht - O'Connell photo courtesy of Steve Andruszkewicz]