857th/858th BS

Gaither/Pitts Crew

The Gaither crew arrived at Harrington on orders from the 70th Replacement Depot on 28 October 1944 along with other new crews assigned to the 857th BS as replacements for the original crews of the 850th who had completed their tours. Though the microfilm record is poor their data has been recovered from other records, showing the men to be:  

Os:
Cleon M. Gaither    ASN 0674750        - Pilot
Thomas E. Pitts     ASN 0829292        - Copilot
Cale B. Yates, Jr.  ASN 02065207       - Navigator
Robert B. Banach    ASN T-63339        - Bombardier

EMs:
Edward O. Fairman    ASN 37684732      - Engineer
Galvin B. Huddleston ASN 19099776      - Engineer
Harold D. Johnston   ASN 16021678      - Gunner
Joseph S. Maggio     ASN 38493270      - R.O.
Paul E. Orth         ASN 35002763      - Gunner
Charles R. Violette  ASN 15127544      - Gunner

They were still at Harrington in February of 1945, as the officers are noted for leave in that month. On 9 March 1945, they were transferred to the 858th BS but they do not show as being on-base when operations ceased on 9 July 1945.  With records being as scant as they are on microfilm, it is possible that the transfer of squadrons for them was cancelled, and that they departed for Bassingbourne with the 857th BS late in March of 1945. Though individuals of the crew may have flown combat missions, Calther's name is not recorded in the Operations log from 1 November 1944 through to the end of the war.  However, his copilot, Pitts, shows up in the Operations Log a number of times.

Combat Period: November 1944 to the end of the war.

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