Crew 30 trained at Tonopah, Nevada in late 1943.  They flew the Southern Ferry Route to England in January 1944 along with the rest of the 458th Bombardment Group.  While the group flew its first combat mission on March 2, 1944, Crew 30's first mission came a little later than most crews in the group, on March 16, 1944.  Their aircraft was shot up over Abbeville, France on the way back, but they managed to land more or less intact back at Horsham St. Faith.

On March 28, 1944, after flying six missions, 2Lt John Jircitano was transferred to the 389th Bombardment Group as co-pilot on 1Lt Robert Lamb's lead Crew #20.  They were shot down on July 31, 1944 while flying lead with Major Andrew Low from the 453rd Bomb Group, on a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany.  Two men from their crew were killed in the plane, but Jircitano and Lamb, along with nine others managed to bail out safely.  They spent the rest of the war in German prison camps.

On April 2, 1944, while on leave in Norwich, S/Sgt Magnus McHargue was killed when he fell down a flight of stairs, breaking his neck.  He was buried at the American military cemetery in Cambridge on April 6, 1944.  His remains were returned home to Moultrie, Georgia at the request of his wife in May 1948.

Two members of Crew 30 were credited with confirmed enemy fighters destroyed, both in April 1944.  On April 11th the group flew a mission to the JU-88 aircraft factory and airfield at Oschersleben, Germany. S/Sgt Robert Crosby shot down a fighter from the top turret.  Two and a half weeks later, on April 29th the group flew a mission to Berlin to bomb Friedrichstrasse Station.  Navigator 2Lt James McQuaid, manning the nose turret, was credited with one enemy fighter destroyed. Group records note the dates of these "victories", but, unfortunately, no details.

Most of the crew completed their tour in August 1944.  1Lt David Manker was transferred at the end of August 1944 to a base in Southern England.  From there he and other crews flew gasoline over to France, living in tents and mud.  They flew these re-supply missions until the middle of December and then were returned to the States.