The Larned crew was one of ten crews specially trained in the AZON project.  They came to the 753rd Squadron as a group in May 1944 and participated in several AZON missions in May and June 1944.

Their tenure in the 458th was short.  Two AZON crews along with members of a third, were transferred to the 388th Bombardment Group (H) at Knettishall in July 1944.  The combat records and status of the crew with this group is unknown.  Three gunners of Larned's crew, Sgt's Valenzuela, Simpson, and Johnson, remained with the 753rd Squadron and successfully completed their combat tours in December 1944 and were rotated back to the States in January 1945.

The status of S/Sgt Richard F. Eberfeld, radio operator; and Sgt Samuel J. Simpson, gunner, is unknown. Eberfeld evidently stayed with the 458th as his name appears in the group records in April 1945, but his activities between June 1944 and that time are not known.

Going to the 388th along with the officers and flight engineer of this crew were four gunners from Captain Maurice E. Speer's crew (AZON Crew 09): Sgt Daniel A. Depasquale, Sgt Oliver F. Kirkendall, Sgt Bernard Maleski, and Sgt Cataldo Scatmacchia.

Larned's crew was credited with four combat sorties while with the 458th, all AZON missions, and all flown in B-24 44-40281 "A Dog's Life", which the crew flew over from the States..

                                                                                                 Missions compiled from 458th group records

2Lt George D. Legh-Page on right

Photo courtesy: John Legh-Page