36th BS

Choper Crew

Back Row L-R:
Grady L. Herron        - Engineer
John R. O'Neil         - Radio Operator
James M. Davidson      - Dispatcher
Nicholas J. Agneta     - Tail Gunner

Front Row L-R:
Albert E. Engel        - Copilot
Emanuel Choper         - Pilot
John H. Singleton      - Bombardier 
Charles W. McGuire     - Navigator
 
Not shown:
Clifford F. Dehee   ASN 37239515   (Orphaned)
Edward T. Davis     ASN 13154744   (Orphaned)

Picture Location: Harrington
Picture Date: Spring 1944

Status: Augmentation crew, arrived at Alconbury 16 Dec 43.

Photo Credit: 801st/492nd BG Assoc.

Errata: Following a successful tour of 34 missions Choper and McGuire came back to Harrington after a summer leave and participated in an O.S.S. evaluation trip that took them to Italy, Egypt, India, Ceylon, and Burma in "Playmate".

Preferred Aircraft: B24-D 42-40501

Former Anti-Submarine (479th ASG) aircraft, it was received from Burtonwood Air Depot on 30 Dec 1943.  The Choper crew actually flew quite a number of planes but early in May of '44 they began flying this plane more often than any other (6).  On the morning of 29 May 1944 a bad landing was made, shearing off landing lights and running off the runway with a flat tire and a collapsed nose wheel. The Watch Log reporter indicated that the caravan crews said the plane actually landed sideways and only partially on the runway. The plane remained in it's crash position for a few days and was eventually removed and set aside until mid-July when it was salvaged.  Other planes flown by the crew for the April-July period of 1944 were:

506 R - 1     "Fightin' Sam"
538 K - 3    
618 E - 1     "Air Tramp"
768 N - 1     "Shoot Fritz, You're Faded"
775 L - 2
784 A - 2
786 G - 2
968 Q - 1     "Birmingham Express"
980 B - 1     "Missouri Mauler" and "Playmate"

Aircraft Details Credit: Tom Brittan

 

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