Robert J. Nolan Crew

ROBERT J. NOLAN CREW - 358th BS
B-17F Jersey Bounce #41-24539 (VK-K)
(original crew assigned 358BS: 15 Sep 1942 - photo: Prestwick, Scotland,13 Oct 1942)

(Back L-R) Capt Robert J. Nolan (P), 1Lt Richard L. Kruse (CP),
1Lt Daniel A. McColl (N), 1Lt Richard R. Hopper (B),
1Lt Bergen P. Newell (358th Eng Officer)

(Front L-R) T/Sgt Roy J. Hively (FE), Sgt Archie L. Bryan,
Sgt Milton Hamill (RO), Sgt Edward L. DeMuth (asst RO),
Sgt Homer H. Corbin (gunner), M/Sgt Paul B. McDermott (passenger)

[photo from the 303rdBGA Archives]

B-17F #41-24539 Jersey Bounce 358BS (VK-K)
Following Mission #6, 12 December 1942, to Rouen, France

Capt Robert J. Nolan (P), 1Lt Richard L. Kruse (CP),
1Lt Daniel A. McColl (N), 1Lt Richard R. Hopper (B)

T/Sgt Roy J. Hively (E), Sgt Jesse R. Kinney (BT), Sgt Milton Hamill (R),
Sgt Samuel P. Maxwell (LWG), Sgt Edward L. DeMuth (TG), Sgt James P. Goff (RWG)

Twenty-nine Dispatched (25 credited) missions of Captain Robert J. Nolan:
1 (17 Nov 1942), 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13(A),14(A),16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22(A), 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 38(LC), 39, 40(LC), 41(LC) (11 June 1943). (A) Non-Credited aborted mission -- (LC) Flown as a Lead Crew. For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.

Crew Notes:
Original Air Echelon Members of the Captain Nolan Crew:

Captain Robert J. Nolan (P) - Assigned 358BS 15 Sept 1942. Flew on 25 Credited missions - three as a Lead Crew Pilot (38, 40, 41). Was 358th BS Adjutant on 5 Jan 1943. 25 mission combat tour completed on 11 June 1943 (#41). Became Commanding Officer 338th BS, 96th BG(H) Snetterton Heath, Air Executive 96th BG & Commanding Officer in May 1945 as a Lt. Colonel. Number of combat missions flown with the 98th BG(H) is unknown.
1Lt Richard L. Kruse (CP) - Assigned 358th BS 23 July 1942. Flew on 27 credited combat missions: As Capt Nolan Crew CoPilot (19 missions -1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13(A),14(A), 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22(A), 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 37, 39). As CoPilot with other Pilot (1 mission (40); Upgraded from Co Pilot to Pilot on orders dated 4 July 1944. Dispatched on seven (five credited) missions as First Pilot (48(A), 49, 50, 51(A), 52, 53, 54) with 1Lt John W. Hendry as CoPilot. 25 mission combat tour completed on 26 July 1943.
1Lt Daniel A. McColl (N) - Assigned 358th BS 30 Sept 1942. Flew on 11 combat missions: With Capt Nolan Crew (4 missions - 1, 3, 6, 23): With four Pilots (7 missions 26, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35). Was wounded on mission #6, 12 Dec 1943 from shell fragments that hit the nose of the B-17. Was Killed in Action on mission #35, 14 May 1943 to Kiel, Germany, in B-17F #42-5243 FDR's Potato Peeler Kids (359BS) BN-P with the 359th BS Capt Ross C. Bales Crew (10 KIA). Was last seen going down in a spin and crashing at sea. 1Lt McColl's name is listed on the Wall of Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery.
1Lt Richard R. Hopper (B) - Assigned 358th BS 25 July 1942 - Flew on all 25 of the Capt Nolan Crew credited missions. Was wounded on mission #6, 12 Dec 1942 from shell fragments that hit the B-17's nose. Twenty-five mission combat tour completed on 11 June 1943 (#41).
Sgt Roy J. Hively (E), T/Sgt Milton Hamill (R) - Assigned 358th BS 15 Sept 1942. Flew on all of the Capt Nolan 25 Credited missions. Combat tours completed on 11 June 1943 (#41). T/Sgt Hamill flew on mission #10 with another Pilot.
Sgt Homer H. Corbin (WG) - Assigned 358th BS 15 Sept 1942. Flew on three Combat missions: Capt Nolan Crew (1 mission #1); With other pilots (2 missions - 29, 31). Last mission on 17 April 1942. May have been injured on his third mission. Returned to flying about 2 months later and finally decided he had enough.
Sgt Edward L. DeMuth (TG) - Assigned 358th BS 15 Sept 1942. Flew on 12 combat missions: with Capt Nolan (11 missions - 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23); With another Pilot (1 mission - 4). Last mission on 13 March 1943. Reason for relief from combat duty is unknown.
Sgt Archie L. Bryan (Gunner) - Assigned 358th BS on 6 July 1942. Flew no 303rd BG(H) combat missions after his arrival at Molesworth. Reassignment duty unknown.

Replacement Crewmen:

1Lt William J. Anderson (N) - Flew on 26 credited combat missions: With the Capt Nolan Crew (18 credited missions - 12, 13(A), 14(A), 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22(A), 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 38(LC), 39, 40(LC); With for other Pilots (8 missions - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11). Was a member of the original 358th BS Joseph E. Haas Crew. 25 mission combat tour completed on 29 May 1943 (#40).
Sgt Jesse R. Kinney (BTG) - Assigned 358th BS 6 July 1942. Was an original Crewman on the Lt Oran T. O'Connor crew. Flew on 6 combat missions: With Capt Nolan (4 missions - 5, 6, 9, 12); With 1Lt Joseph E. Haas (2 missions - 1, 2). Sgt Kinney's feet were frozen on mission #13, 2 Feb 1943, due to a short in his electric flying shoes - his last combat mission.
S/Sgt Frank M. Matthews (BTG) - Flew on 25 credited combat missions: With Capt Nolan (10 missions - 27, 29, 33, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 38(LC), 39, 40(LC), 41(LC); With 7 other Pilots (15 missions - 28, 42, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68). 25 mission combat tour completed on 7 Sept 1943 (#68). S/Sgt Mathews volunteered for a second combat tour and flew 35 additional missions with the 463rd Bomb Group. He was shot down over Yugoslavia and evaded capture, returning to combat duty. He was shot down again on 21 February 1945 and became a POW for the duration of the war.
S/Sgt Samuel P. Maxwell (WG) - Original member of the Lt George J. Oxrider Crew. Flew on 25 credited combat missions: With Capt Nolan (1 mission -6); With 1Lt George J. Oxrider (17 credited missions - 1, 5, 8, 11,15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22(A), 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 33). With 2Lt Robert S. O'Connor (5 credited missions as Ball Turret Gunner -34, 35, 38, 39, 40); With two other Pilots (2 missions - 4, 10). 25 mission combat tour completed on 29 May 1943 (#40).
S/Sgt James P. Goff (WG) - Flew on 25 credited combat missions: With Capt Nolan (20 credited missions - 5, 6, 9, 14(A), 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22(A), 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 38(LC), 40(LC), 41(LC); With other Pilots (5 missions - 11(LC), 42, 43, 44, 45(LC)). 25 mission combat tour completed on 26 June 1943 (#45).
S/Sgt Lawrence N. Isham (WG) - Flew on 25 credited combat missions: With Capt Nolan (15 credited missions - 12, 13(A), 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22(A), 23, 25, 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 40(LC), 41(LC) ); With 1Lt Jack C. Timken as Radio Operator (6 missions - 42, 43, 43A, 45, 47). 25 mission combat tour completed on 29 June 1943 (#47).
S/Sgt Emile V. Bitter, Jr. (TG) - Flew on 25 credited combat missions: With Capt Nolan (11 missions - 1, 12, 13(A), 22(A), 26, 27, 29, 33, 34, 35(A), 36, 37, 38(LC), 39); With 1Lt Robert S. O'Connor (7 missions - As Tail Gunner (5, 6, 7), As BTG (41), As Togglier (43, 44, 47). 25 mission combat tour completed on 29 June 1943 (#47)

Aircraft Flown on Capt Nolan Missions:

B-17F 41-24539 Jersey Bounce (358BS) VK-K (11 missions - 1, 3, 5, 6, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
B-17F 42-29664 Jersey Bounce, Jr. (358BS) VK-C (7 missions - 27, 33, 34, 36, 37, 38, 41)
B-17F 41-24558 Hunga Dunga (358BS) VK-F (3 aborted missions -13, 14, 22). The Capt Nolan crew flew this B-17 from the USA to Molesworth arriving on 24 October 1942.
B-17F 42-5432 The Hunting Club (358BS) VK-B ( 2 missions - 23, 29)
B-17F 42-29573 Two Beauts (358BS) VK-H (2 missions - 25, 26)
B-17F 41-24606 Werewolf (358BS) VK-H (1 mission - 9)
B-17F 41-24561 The Duchess (359BS) BN-T (1 aborted mission - 35)
B-17F 42-29955 Mr Five by Five (427 BS) GN-I (1 mission - 39)
B-17F 42-5792 The Mugger (358BS) (1 mission - 40)

[photo courtesy of Margaret Wise]
[Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]