Quick Search
 360th Yarnall Crew
Winfield L. Yarnall, 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


WINFIELD L. YARNALL CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 22 June 1944)

(Back L-R) 2Lt Harry B. Britter (B)(KIA), 1Lt Winfield L. Yarnall (P)(KIA),
2Lt Louis A. Bertich (CP)(KIA), 2Lt Isaac N. Sanford (N)(KIA)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Rubin Taxon (BTG)(KIA), S/Sgt Dominick Di Salvo (WG)(KIA),
Sgt Leo D. McGovern (WG), T/Sgt Anthony Fidares (Eng)(KIA),
S/Sgt Melvin Birenbach (TG)(POW), T/Sgt Albert W. Baker (Rad)(KIA)


WINFIELD L. YARNALL CREW - 360th BS
(crew assigned 360BS: 22 June 1944 - photo: May 1944 at Hunter Field, GA)

(Back L-R) S/Sgt Rubin Taxon (BTG)(KIA), S/Sgt Dominick Di Salvo (WG)(KIA),
Sgt Leo D. McGovern (WG), T/Sgt Anthony Fidares (Eng)(KIA),
S/Sgt Melvin Birenbach (TG)(POW), T/Sgt Albert W. Baker (Rad)(KIA)

(Front L-R) 2Lt Harry B. Britter (B)(KIA), 2Lt Isaac N. Sanford (N)(KIA),
2Lt Louis A. Bertich (CP)(KIA), 1Lt Winfield L. Yarnall (P)(KIA)
- view the crew signatures on the photo back -

(KIA-POW) 27 August 1944, mission #233 to Esbjerg, Denmark, in B-17G #43-37629 No name (360th BS) PU-A. The aircraft was flying in the No.1 position, low Squadron, Low Group. It received a direct flak hit in the fuselage just back of the wings in the target area. It immediately broke in half and fell away in two pieces. The tail Gunner, S/Sgt M. Birenbach, managed to escape fdrom the stricken B-17 and became a POW.

Crew Note: Sgt Leo D. McGovern (WG) was deleted from the crew shortly after their arrival at Molesworth when the crew size was reduced from ten to nine men. He flew no combat missions with the 303rd BG(H).

[crew photo courtesy of Col. Walter K. Shayler - training photo courtesy of Joan Abrams]
[Researched by 303rdBGA Historian Harry D. Gobrecht]