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Crew 22 - Assigned October 7, 1944 |
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1Lt Wilfred F. Tooman Crew (L-R) |
Standing: Bob Levy - N, Bob Swift - B, John Woodford - CP, Wilfred Tooman - P
Kneeling: Raymond Wilson - RO, Victor Oullette - BTG, Orlando Sanchez - WG, Julius Valenzano - WG, James Fryer - TT/E, Ernest Karrels - TG
(Photo: Bob Swift)
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Crew 22 - Transferred to 388th BG August 11, 1944 |
| Name |
Pos |
Status |
Date |
Notes |
| Capt Wilfred F. Tooman |
P |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| 1Lt John A. Woodford |
CP |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| 2Lt Robert J. Levy |
N |
RFS |
February 1944 |
Removed from Flying Status |
| 2Lt Robert N. Swift |
B |
POW |
6 Mar 1944 |
Berlin |
| T/Sgt James Fryer |
TT/E |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| T/Sgt Raymond Wilson |
RO |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| S/Sgt Victor Oullette |
BTG |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| S/Sgt Orlando Sanchez |
WG |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| S/Sgt Julius Valenzano |
NTG |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
| S/Sgt Ernest Karrels |
TG |
TRNSF |
11 Aug 1944 |
Transfer to 388th BG |
After arriving in England, Robert Levy was removed from flying status and Robert Swift was moved to a different crew, as Tooman was assigned to be a lead crew. Robert Swift's third mission was flown as bombardier with Crew 35 - Asst. Ops. Officer Captain Jack L. Bogusch flew as command pilot - on the March 6th raid on Berlin. The crew was shot down with four men KIA and the rest POWs - Swift among them. 1Lt Robert W. Dix (Squadron Navigator) took the place of Levy and later 2Lt Glenn R. Hargis (originally on John Jones Crew) was assigned to Tooman's crew as bombardier.
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Crew 22 - Summer 1944 |
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Capt. Wilfred "Pappy" Tooman Crew (L-R) |
Standing: Wilfred Tooman - P, Ground Crew, John Woodford - CP, Robert Dix - N, Glenn Hargis - B
Kneeling: Orlando Sanchez - WG, Jim Fryer TT/E, Raymond Wilson - RO, Julius Valenzano - WG, Ernest Karrels - TG, Victor Oulette - BTG
(Photo: Mike Bailey)
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Robert Dix examines a flak hole in Bomb-Ah-Dear 42-100431 |
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General Release article (Photo: Harold Armstrong) |
AN EIGHTH AAF LIBERATOR STATION – 1ST LT. WILFRED F. TOOMAN HAS COMPLETED 78 COMBAT MISSIONS AND IS STILL GOING STRONG. THE 28-YEAR-OLD LIBERATOR PILOT FROM CARNEGIE, OKLAHOMA HAS FLOWN 14 MISSIONSOVER EUROPE. THE FIRST 64 WERE IN THE PACIFIC.
LIEUTENANT TOOMAN SAW MOST OF THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC DURING NINE MONTHS IN WHICH HE FLEW AS AERIAL CAMERAMAN ON 64 SCHEDULED PHOTO RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS IN FLYING FORTRESSES. HE HAS 13 CLUSTERS ON HIS AIR MEDAL.
LEAVING THE UNITED STATES SEVEN DAYS AFTER THE JAPANESE ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR, TOOMAN FLEW AS AN ENLISTED MAN ON A FORTRESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 9, 1942. DURING THIS TIME HE OPERATED OUT OF HONOLULU, THE FIJI ISLANDS, NEW CALEDONIA, AND AUSTRALIA. AMONG THE ACTIONS HE PHOTOGRAPHED FROM THE AIR WERE THE BATTLE OF MACASSAR STRAITS AND CAMPAIGNS IN NEW GUINEA.
RETURNING TO THE U.S., TOOMAN APPLIED SUCCESSFULLY FOR PILOT TRAINING AND WAS GRADUATED FROM THE ADVANCED FLYING SCHOOL AT MARFA, TEXAS.
SINCE STARTING HIS EUROPEAN TOUR, TOOMAN HAS FLOWN THREE TIMES AGAINST BERLIN, AS WELL AS AGAINST OTHER TARGETS DEEP IN THE REICH AT BRUNSWICK, LEIPZIG, OSNABRUCK, AND LEIPHEIM. |
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