458th Bombardment Group (H)
  Honoring those who served with the 458th BG during World War II.  
   
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- Crew 32 - Assigned October 25, 1943

- 1Lt Edward A. Sievers Crew (L-R)
Standing: Edward Sievers -P, Billy Driver - CP, Erwin Reynolds - E, John Slaughter - N, Ray Pfautz - B
Kneeling: Daniel Donahue - LWG, Calvin Sewell - RWG, Sgt. Boylan - RO, Harold Stalnaker - TG, James Stoneburner - BTG
(Photo: AFHRA)

- Crew 32 - Shot down April 8, 1944 (MACR #3785)
 Name

Pos 

Status 

Date 

Notes 
 1Lt Edward A. Sievers

 P

POW

8 Apr 1944

Brunswick
 2Lt Billy J. Driver

CP

POW

8 Apr 1944

Brunswick 
 2Lt John B Slaughter

N

 POW 

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 
 2Lt Ray F. Pfautz

B

 TRSF 

5 May 1944 

Transferred to 466 BG 
 T/Sgt Howard B. Levin

RO 

POW

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick
 S/Sgt Erwin G. Reynolds

TT/E 

 POW 

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 
 S/Sgt James O. Stoneburner

BTG 

 POW 

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 
 S/Sgt Calvin J. Sewell

WG 

 POW 

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 
 S/Sgt Daniel F.X. Donahue Jr.

WG 

POW

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 
 S/Sgt Harold L. Stalnaker

TG 

 POW 

8 Apr 1944 

Brunswick 

Crew 32 was originally assigned with 2Lt Clayton E, Stambaugh as first pilot.  For unknown reasons he was replaced by 2Lt Edward A. Sievers.  Likewise Sgt. Boylan, radio operator was replaced by T/Sgt Howard B. Levin, who joined the squadron at some point shortly after training.  Prior to his assignment to the 458th, he was a crewman in B-25's in the 75th Bombardment Squadron (42nd Bomb Group).

Ray Pfautz was transferred to the 466th Bombardment Group and it is not known if a permanent replacement was assigned as bombardier.  2Lt William R. Dayson, navigator on Crew 34, was assigned to fly as the bombardier on the April 8th mission to Brunswick.

MACR #3785: "Just before target was reached, Lt. Siever's aircraft was seen to salvo its bombs, peel off to the right, and drop down from 20,000 feet to about 16,000 feet.  He then crossed to the left of the formation, losing more altitude.  Ship was under control although #3 engine was smoking.  Three (3) parachutes were observed and there are some reports that enemy fighters were attacking when the plane was last seen."



- 8th Air Force Publicity Photo

- "Easter Parade in the E.T.O."
Sitting on bomb truck: Billy Driver - CP, John Slaughter - N, Edward Sievers - P
Standing:Howard Levin - RO
Working on machine gun: S/Sgt Daniel Donahue - WG, S/Sgt Erwin Reynolds - WG
(Photo: Chuck Booth)
The caption on the above photo reads: An Eighth AAF Liberator Station, England. All dressed up in the latest style electric-heated flying suits, armored vests and helmets, six members of the crew of their Liberator "Wabbit Twacks" sit on a nest of 500-pound "Easter Eggs" as they plan another visit to wish Hitler an unhappy holiday. Their initial visit to the Reich was an attack on Berlin." Sievers and his crew never got to make their Easter "delivery". They were shot down the day before Easter 1944.

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