Bazata, Raymond R., TSgt

The "Hundredth Bombardment Group" came into being "on paper" at Orlando Army Base, Florida on June 1st, 1942. It would not be until October 27, 1942 in Boise, Idaho, by "Special Order 300", that 230 enlisted men and 24 officers were transferred to the 100TH. The group was officially activated on November 14, 1942 when Col. Darr Alkire became the groups first Commanding Officer. In December, during their second phase training, the total strength of the Group was 37 crews, with ten men on each crew. At that time, Capt. John Egan was Operations Officer with Capt. William Veal-349th Bomb Squadron Commanding Officer (BS C.O.), Capt. Gale "Buck" Cleven-350th BS C.O., Capt. John "Jack" Kidd-351st BS C.O. and Capt. Robert Flesher-418th BS C.O.
The 100th Bomb Group trained at Walla Walla Washington, Wendover Field-Utah, Sioux City-Iowa, and Kearney-Nebraska. It was at Kearny on April 20th that all 37 original crews took off on a practice mission for Hamilton Field, California, a distance of almost 1300 miles with very poor results. Col. Alkire shouldered this responsibility and was relieved of command of the 100th BG and assigned weeks later as Commanding Officer of the 449th Bomb Group (B-24�??s), which would later fly with the 15th Air Force out of Italy.

On April 26, 1943 Colonel Howard Turner, assumed command of the Group and on May 1st the air echelon took off for Wendover Field, Utah for 20 days of advanced training in navigation, gunnery, bombing, and formation flying while aircraft combat modifications were being done at Ogden Utah. With training completed, 35 crews flew to England on May 25, 1943 and arrived at Station 139, Thorpe Abbotts, England on June 8, 1943. Three days later Col. Turner was assigned to the First Air Division and was replaced by Col. Harold Huglin who made the following changes; Maj. Egan to 418th BS C.O., Capt. Flesher to Air Exec, Capt. Kidd to Operations Officer, and Capt. Ollie Turner to 351st BS C.O. The 100th Bomb Group (H), flying the B-17 "Flying Fortress", would become combat operational beginning June 25, 1943. Any sense of adventure and bravado came to a halt on that first mission; three planes and 30 men were lost over Bremen. The average life of an 8th Air Force B-17 crewman in 1943 was eleven missions! On July 2, 1943, Col. Neil B. "Chick" Harding assumed command of the 100th BG with Col. Huglin being reassigned to 13th Combat Wing HQ. "Chick" would command the 100th until March 7, 1944, and by that time the group had already become legendary.

From June 25, 1943 until April 20, 1945 the 100th Bomb Group would never go off operational status due to losses. The 100th did not stand alone at Thorpe Abbotts. Throughout their stay they were assisted by support units: 1776 Ordnance Company, 18th Weather Detachment, 869th Chemical Company, 216th Finance Section, 592nd Postal Unit, 1285th Military Police, 2110 Fire Fighting Platoon, ll4lst Quartermaster Company, 83rd Service Group, 456th Sub-Depot, 412th Air Service Group, 838th Air Engineering Squadron, 662nd Air Material Squadron, American Red Cross, and Royal Air Force Detachment. Throughout its stay at Thorpe Abbotts, the Ground Echelon of the 100th was cited frequently for its excellent maintenance and preparation activity.

The 100th BG from June 1943 to January 1944 concentrated its efforts against airfields, submarine facilities and aircraft industries in France and Germany. During this time the Group was involved in the epic air battles over Regensburg-Aug.17, 1943 (for which it received it first Presidential Unit Citation) and Black Week-October 8-14, 1943 (Bremen, Munster, Marienburg and Schweinfurt-nicknamed "Black Thursday" because the 8th Air Force lost 60 bombers). It lead the bombing of Rujkan, Norway, which delayed the manufacture of heavy water for the German atomic bomb.

January through May 1944, the Group bombed enemy airfields, industries, marshalling yards, V-1 missile sites, including participation in the Allied campaign against enemy aircraft factories during Big Week, February 20-25, 1944. Participated in the first daylight raid against Berlin (March 4, 1944) and completed a series of attacks against Berlin March 6, 8, 1944 for which the 100th Bomb Group was awarded a second Presidential Unit Citation (also called the Distinguished Unit Citation). The Group also the loss of their beloved Col Harding who was relieved of command due to illness, and his replacement Colonel Robert H. Kelly (KIA) who was shot down on his first mission April 28, 1944 one week after taking command.

In the summer of 1944 oil installations became the major target. The Group also engaged in support and interdictory missions, hitting bridges and gun positions in preparation for the Normandy invasion in June 1944. On June 6, 1944 D-Day, the Group flew 3 missions in support of the ground troops. Later that month the 100th participated in the First Russian Shuttle Mission. Led by new Group C.O. Colonel Thomas S. Jeffrey.

July through September 1944 saw the 100th BG strike at enemy positions in St. Lo and Brest and concentrated on the oil refineries at Merseburg, Ruhland, Politz and Hamburg and fly a Second Russian Shuttle Mission along with two low level supply drops to the French Maquis. The 100th Bomb Group Received the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for attacking heavily defended German installations and for dropping supplies to the French Forces of the Interior.

In October through December 1944, the Century Bombers attacked transportation, oil refineries and ground defenses in the drive against the Siegfried Line. They were involved in the December 24, 1944 mission to attack communication centers and airfields in the Ardennes sector during the Battle of the Bulge. On February 2, 1945, Colonel Frederick J. Sutterlin took command of the 100th Bomb Group and would remain there until after the end of the War. On Feb 3, 1945 the 100th Bomb Group led the entire third Air Division on a mission to "Big B" Berlin. Leading the group was Major Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal flying his 52nd Mission.

January to April 1945, the Group concentrated on marshalling yards, bridges, factories, docks, oil refineries and ground support (including the airborne assault across the Rhine in March 1945). By March 1945 the Luftwaffe was a limited but effective force and used both ME 262 jet fighters and ramming techniques (April 7, 1945 Buchen mission) to try and thwart the 100th Bomb Group and the 8th Air Force�??s continual bombing. On April 20, 1945, the 100th Bomb Group flew its last combat mission to Oranienburg (Berlin) with no losses,

Statistical Summary:

First mission: June 25 1943
Last mission: April 20 1945
Total missions: 306
Total credit sorties: 8,630
Total bomb tonnage: 19,257
184 Missing Air Crew Reports
229 planes were Lost or Salvaged
785 men KIA/MIA and 894 POW
6 "Chowhound" missions in May 1945, dropping food to hungry Dutch citizens.

Campaign Credits:

1. Air Offensive, Europe (4 July 1942 - 5 June 1944
2. Normandy (6 June 1944 - 24 July 1944)
3. Northern France (25 July 1944 - 14 September 1944)
4. Rhineland (15 September 1944 - 21 March 1945)
5. Ardennes - Alsace (16 December 1944 - 25 January 1945)
6. Central Europe (22 March 1945 - 11 May 1945
Awards and Decorations:

Two Presidential Unit Citations
1. Regensburg, Germany - 17 August 17, 1943
2. Berlin, Germany-March 4, 6, 8, 1944

French Croix de Guerre with Palm-25 June �?? 31 December 1944

Although the 100th did not have the highest over-all loss rate of any group in the Eighth Air Force, it did have heavy losses during eight missions to Germany. Thus earning the nickname "The Bloody Hundredth".

Date
Aircraft Lost
August 17, 1943
Nine aircraft lost at Regensburg
October 8, 1943
Seven aircraft lost at Bremen
October 10, 1943
Twelve aircraft lost at Munster
March 6, 1944
Fifteen aircraft lost at Berlin
May 24, 1944
Nine aircraft lost at Berlin
July 29, 1944
Eight aircraft lost at Merseburg
September 11, 1944
Twelve aircraft lost at Ruhland
December 31, 1944
Twelve aircraft lost at Hamburg

Assigned 8th AAF: June 1943

VIII BC, 4 BW, 402 PCBW 6 Jun 1943 
VIII BC, 3 BD, 13 CBW 13 Sep 1943 
2 BD, 13 CBW 8 Jan 1944 
2 AD, 13 CBW 1 Jan 1945 

B-17F 
B-17G 
 

PODINGTON 2 Jun 1943 to 8 Jun 1943 
THORPE ABBOTTS 9 Jun 1943 to 11 Dec 1945 
 

Two Distinguished Unit Citations: 
17 Aug 1943; Regensburg 
4/6/8 Mar1944 Berlin 
 

Spectacular heavy loss at intervals throughout period of combat 

Activated 1 June 1942 at Orlando AB, Florida. Originally scheduled to be a B-24 group. Formation did not commence until late October 1942 at Gowan Field Idaho, thereafter the Group was transferred to Walla Walla AAb, Washington on 1 Nov 1942 and received their first B-17s for training. Then the group moved to Wendover field in Utah on the 30th of November 1942 until 28 December 1942 when they moved to Sioux City AAB, Iowa. At the end of January 1943 they moved again to Kearney AAFd Nebraska. the ground unit left Kearney on the 2 May 1943 and sailed on the Queen Elizabeth, arriving in Greenock on the 2nd of May 1943. the aircraft left Kearney on the 1st of May 1943 for advance training and processing at Wendover Field, Utah before taking the northern ferry route to England on the 21st of May 1943.
 

Scheduled for occupational duties in Germany, but plans changed on September 1945. The group was assigned to the 1 AD, on 12 August 1945 but reassigned to the 3 AD on the 28th of September 1945. The aircraft were flown to the United States or transferred to continental units from October to December 1945, and the squadrons were inactivated. The remaining personnel sailed on the Lake Chamlain on the 12th of December and arrived in New York on the 20th of December 1945. The group inactivated at Camp Kilmer in New Jersey on the 21st of
December 1945. 

CHOW HOUND

Piccadilly Lily

Black Week (October 8-14, 1943)
Bremen - 8 Oct 1943

350TH BOMB SQUADRON

CAPT. BERNARD A. DeMARCO P POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
F/O JAMES P. THAYER CP POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
1ST LT JOHN W. DOWNS NAV POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT FRANCIS C. HARPER BOM POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
CPL THORNTON STRINGFELLOW ROG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
T/SGT BENJAMIN J. BARR TTE POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT ALBERT M. FREITAS BTG POW 28 APR 44 SOTTEVAST WITH LT. LAKIN/COL KELLY
CPL LEO T. CALLAHAN WG POW 21 FEB 44 BRUNSWICK WITH LT. FLETCHER
S/SGT HARRY C. CALHOUN WG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT LEON A. CASTRO TG -- -- APPOINTED AVIATION CADET
350TH SQDN. THIS IS AN "ORIGINAL" 100TH CREW.

LEON CASTRO HAD BEEN SHIPPED BACK TO THE STATES FOR CADET TRAINING PRIOR TO 8 OCT 43; HE WAS REPLACED BY JEROME FERROGGIARO FROM THE N. H. SCOTT CREW. ALBERT FREITAS AND LEO CALLAHAN WERE RECOVERING FROM WOUNDS RECIEVED ON THE 6 SEP 43 (STUTTGART) MISSION AND WERE REPLACED BY WILLIAM J. WILLIAMS OF CAPT MARK CARNELL'S CREW AND WILLIAM R. WOODBURY, A REPLACEMENT GUNNER.

GALE W. (BUCKY) CLEVEN, 350TH CO, FLEW AS COMMAND PILOT ON OCTOBER 8, 1943.

A/C 42-3233 "OUR BABY" LN-R

Flak and Fighters over target. This ship leading the 350th. Hit by flak & fighters and forced to leave formation. three men injured, all eleven (11) bailed out and landed near Essen, Germany. Taken to Frankfurt for interrogartion. Downs (Lt John W. Downs) says bailed out near Oldenburg. Cleven (Maj. Gale W. Cleven) says bail out near Osnabruck.


2ND LT HERBERT G. NASH, JR P KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT ROBERT E. SPEAS CP KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT JOHN P. HART NAV POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT VERNON N. HOGSETT BOM POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT THOMAS B. DILTS ROG KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT PATRICK J. NEILON TTE KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
SGT THADDEUS L. KIRKPATRICK BTG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
SGT STANLEY NOWAKOWSKI WG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
SGT GEORGE D. SNYDER WG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT JOW BOST TG KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN

On October 8, 1943 Lt Kramer Crew flew: 42-3433 "LENA" LN-W (RETURNED EARLY)

2ND LT ROBERT P. KRAMER P KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
2ND LT EDWARD F. CONNELLY, JR. CP POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
2ND LT HUGH S. GEIGER, JR NAV POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
2ND LT THOMAS B. CASEY, JR. BOM POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
T/SGT DEAN O. TODD TTE POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
T/SGT JAMES A. WATKINS ROG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT DONALD M. GLAZE BTG KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT GEORGE A. WHITE RWG KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT FRED B. MOORE LWG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT HARVEY F. JAMES TG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER


2ND LT WILLIAM H. MCDONALD P POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT JOHN L. JAMES, JR. CP POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT CARL L. SPICER NAV EVA 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
2ND LT FRANK P. MCGLINCHEY BOM POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
T/SGT FRED PRIBISH ROG POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
T/SGT CHARLES S. ASHBAUGH TTE POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN SN# 33292542
S/SGT ROSS W. DETILLION BTG POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT DOUGLAS H. AGEE LWG KIA 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT VICTOR P. INTOCCIA RWG POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN
S/SGT PAUL G. SEARS TG POW 10 OCT 43 BREMEN SN# 15337608


October 8, 1943 this Crew flew 42-30047 "SWEATER GIRL" LN-Q

2ND LT CHARLES D WALTS P POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER SN# O-796466
2ND LT JEROME H. WALLACE CP KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
2ND LT LOUIS H. OSS NAV POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
2ND LT RICHARD C. DODSON BOM KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
T/SGT TRAVIS L BRUMBEAU ROG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT CLYDEM. WALKER TTE KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
SGT HENRY A. GRATZFELD BTG KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
S/SGT THOMAS F. MURPHY RWG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
SGT FRANK E. . FETHERSTONE
(SPELLED FETHERSTEN ACCORDING TO WATTS �?? 1/2001) LWG KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
SGT WILLIAM O. HIGGINBOTHAM TG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER


ON OCTOBER 8, 1943, THIS CREW FLEW 42-30170 "HOT SPIT" XR-G

2ND LT EDWARD G. STORK P POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 0-798606
2ND LT JOHN S. MINERICH, JR CP POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 0-681162
2ND LT JOHN J. GIBBONS NAV KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 0-747157
2ND LT ARTHUR C. TWITCHELL JR. BOM POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 0-673968
T/SGT STEFAN C. PALMER ROG KIA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 11091522
T/SGT LAURENCE WILLEY TTE POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 32359864
S/SGT PAUL M. CAVENY BTG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 16073771
S/SGT GORDON W. SHIELDS RWG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 32491477
S/SGT DOUGLAS L. BROWN LWG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 32532820
S/SGT IRA G. TURNER TG POW 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER sn# 13117331

ON OCTOBER 8, 1943 CREW FLEW 42-5864 "PICCADILLY LILY" EP-A

CAPT ALVIN L. BARKER COM PILOT KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
CAPT. THOMAS E. MURPHY P KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
2ND LT MARSHALL F. LEE CP KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
2ND LT CHARLES C. SARABUN NAV POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
2ND LT FLOYD C. PETERSON BOM POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
T/SGT JOHN J. EHLEN TTE POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
S/SGT ELDER D. DICKERSON WG KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
T/SGT DERRELL C. PIEL ROG KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
S/SGT REED A. HUFFORD BTG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
S/SGT AARON A. DAVID WG KIA 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--
S/SGT GERALD O. ROBINSON TG POW 08 OCT 43 BREMEN--

SOON AFTER BOMB RELEASE THE PICCADILLY LILY WAS HIT BY FLAK NEAR THE NAVIGATORS STATION CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FLIGHT DECK AREA AS WELL. THIS SHELL OR OTHERS STARTED A FIRE IN THE #3 ENGINE AND DESTROYED THE

SHIPS OXYGEN SYSTEM. WITNESSES INDICATE THE LILY ENTERED A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND EXPLODED WITH ONLY FOUR CHUTES OBSERVED.

A/C 42-6087 LD-Z "ROYAL FLUSH" 418TH BS * (see note below)

LT ROBERT ROSENTHAL P -- -- FLEW 52 MISSIONS (SEE NOTES BELOW)
LT WINIFRED LEWIS CP CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
LT RONALD C. BAILEY NAV CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
LT CLIFFORD MILBURN BOM CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT MICHAEL BOCCUZZI ROG CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT CLARENCE C. HALL TTE CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT RAY H. ROBINSON BTG CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
SGT LOREN DARLING WG SWA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER
SGT JOHN SHAFFER WG SWA 10 OCT 43 MUNSTER RETURNED TO STATES
SGT WILLIAM DeBLASIO TG CPT 8 MAR 44 BERLIN
*Interesting note: This crew flew Royal Flush on this mission and the following day to Munster. Their assigned plane, Rosie�??s Riveters 230758 LD-W was damaged on the October 8th mission to Bremen. This Crew�??s first three missions with the 100th BG were Bremen, Marienburg and Munster, three of the toughest and longest of the Air War. On the Munster mission on October 10, 1943, this would be the ONLY 100BG crew to return to Thorpe Abbotts