857th/856th BS
Ladue Crew
Scanned from Special Orders #236, Station 179, dtd 13Dec44The crew arrived at Harrington from the 70th Replacement Depot on 13 December 1944. Training requirements and bad weather probably kept them from flying much as their first recorded flight is on the night of 20/21 February 1945. Only five combat missions are recorded in the Operations Log of Harrington for the crew. On 8 March 1945 the crew was transferred to the 856th BS and appear no more in available records. Ladue shows up in Special Orders for 24 March when he was ordered to TD with the 25th Bomb Group at Watton for a "Mosquito Transition Course" not to exceed seven days in length.
Os:
Richard R. Ladue - Pilot
Thomas Zinkend - Copilot
Dale R. Keirn - Navigator
Melvin P. Roberts - BombardierEMs:
James L. Benson - Engineer
Stephen Kudelko - Gunner
John A. Moran - Radio Operator
Edward J. Novak - Gunner
William E. Smith - Gunner
Francis Welch - Gunner
Combat Period: Dec 1944 - Mar 1945.Status: Replacement crew, final disposition unknown at present.
