36th BS

Fenster Crew

Back Row L-R:
Marvin L. Fenster, Pilot
Richard L. Warn, Copilot
Avery V. Yancey, Bombardier
Richard C. Davis, Navigator

Kneeling L-R:
James W. Hall, Dispatcher
Richard W. Thomas, Engineer
John C. Ringlesbach, Radio Operator
Darwin S. Gray, Tail Gunner

Not Shown:
Bernard J. Berglund - Gunner    (Orphaned)
George E. Strutz - Gunner       (Orphaned)

Though they were assigned to the 36th BS on 1 January 1944, neither flies combat missions with them.  Fate unknown, they probably did not make it to Harrington.

Status: Augmentation Crew, formed up as a crew at Pueblo in early October of 1943. Arrived at 2nd CCRC, UK, on 20 Nov 1943, assigned to AAF Station 120 for an indefinite period of training 7 Dec 1943.   Returned to 2nd CCRC 15 Dec 1943. Reported to Alconbury, Station 102 in late December 1943 as a ten-man crew. 

Picture Location: Harrington
Picture Date: Spring 1944

Claim to Fame: On the night of 7/8June 1944 this crew dropped four agents to the STATIONER 110B DZ.  The agents were Phillip Liewer, Robert Malouber, Violette Szabo, and Jean Guiet. Reportedly organized by Phillip Liewer (Hamlet also known as Maj Charles Staunton), their circuit "SALESMAN" was near Limoges. The drop became famous because the female courier, a young French widow named Violette Szabo (Corinne), was martyred at Ravensbruck after being trapped by the Gestapo a few days after being dropped.  In a long letter, dated 6 June 1998, Jean Guiet informed Thomas Ensminger that "We were dropped near the village of Sussac, about 50km to the SE of Limoges. I know there were two runs with two of us going out the hole on each run." Now living in the United States, Jean Guiet recently contacted the Air Force Academy to donate his papers.  A number of Jean's artifacts will eventually be on these pages.

Photo Credits Crew:  John C. Ringlesbach

Photo: Violette Szabo

Errata: Fenster never had a regular Copilot, his first CP, Lester L. Price, flew two missions and declared himself a medical. The record shows that he was indeed transferred to a medical unit soon after and never flew with the Carpetbaggers again.  Fenster's Copilots as a result of this were usually "newbie" pilots who wanted to get one or two missions in with an experienced pilot before taking their own crew into combat.

Combat Period: Feb-July 1944 30 Missions

Preferred Aircraft: B24-D 42-40538

Never named, it was received from Burtonwood on 28 January 1944, records from Alconbury or Tempsford of the plane's missions for February and March of 1944 have not yet been recovered.  However, since Fenster flew this plane almost exclusively for April-July of 1944, it is feasible to surmise that he flew it often in February and March.

Aircraft Details: Tom Brittan

 Additional Scans Courtesy of Peggie Stromberg and Ray McCall

Left: Fenster's first Copilot, Lester L. Price

Below: A rare candid shot of the Fenster crew waiting for a ride in to the morning debrief from a night's mission. Probably taken at Harrington, in the full picture a Wellington is off to the right side.  Enlarged and enhanced from a 4x2 print.

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