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Piskin Crew (AZON 08) - Assigned 753rd Squadron - 26 May 1944 |
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F/O Arnold A. Piskin Crew (L-R) |
Standing: Verle Erickson - WG, Joe Feldman - N, Norm Hull - NTG, Don Shannon - E/TTG, Joe Zanella - CP
Kneeling: Roy Thomas - TG, Henry Sonnenfeld - B, Arnold Piskin - P, Joe Schroeder - BTG/WG, Bill Bothwell - RO
(Photo: Joe Scroeder)
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Piskin Crew - Completed Tour |
| Name |
Pos |
Status |
Date |
Notes |
| 1Lt Arnold A. Piskin |
P |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| 1Lt Giordano Zanella |
CP |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| F/O Joseph M. Feldman |
N |
CT |
30 Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC / Trsf to 389th BG |
| 1Lt Henry R. Sonnenfeld |
B |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| T/Sgt Donald R. Shannon |
E |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| T/Sgt William W. Bothwell |
RO |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| S/Sgt Norman L. Hull |
NTG |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| S/Sgt Joseph B. Schroeder |
BTG |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| S/Sgt Verle C. Erickson |
WG |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
| S/Sgt Roy W. Thomas |
TG |
CT |
Dec 1944 |
Awarded DFC |
The Piskin 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 June, August, and September 1944.
The B-24 they flew over from the States was 44-40273 "Howling Banshee".
This crew was together throughout their entire tour and finished the required number of combat missions at approximately the same time in December 1944. All of the crew were sent to the Casual Pool 70th Replacement Depot in January 1945 except for F/O Joseph M. Feldman, navigator. He was transferred to the 389th Bomb Group at Hethel on December 30, 1944.
Members of Arnold Piskin's family have created an incredible website at www.howlingbanshee.com. Don Shannon, the crew's engineer and top turret gunner kept a very detailed diary during the war and it can be seen in its entirety at the Howling Banshee site. It has been invaluable in certain areas of my research on crews and aircraft in the 458th. A tour of that amazing website is highly recommended.
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Piskin Crew Missions |
|
DATE |
TARGET |
PILOT |
458th Msn # |
Pilot Msn# |
Cmd Pilot |
LD |
Serial |
RCL |
Sqdn |
A/C Msn # |
A/C Name |
MIA |
Notes |
|
14-Jun-1944 |
5 TARGETS |
PISKIN |
AZ 6 |
1 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
1 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
|
|
15-Jun-1944 |
3 RAILWAY BRIDGES |
PISKIN |
AZ 7 |
2 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
2 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
|
|
20-Jun-1944 |
NOBALL FRANCE |
PISKIN |
-- |
NTO |
|
|
42-95008 |
R |
J3 |
-- |
UNKNOWN 035 |
|
NO TAKE OFF |
|
7-Jul-1944 |
LUTZKENDORF |
PISKIN |
86 |
3 |
|
|
44-40285 |
H |
J4 |
4 |
TABLE STUFF |
|
|
|
11-Jul-1944 |
MUNICH |
PISKIN |
88 |
ABT |
|
|
42-100431 |
B |
J4 |
-- |
BOMB-AH-DEAR |
|
ABORT |
|
13-Jul-1944 |
SAARBRUCKEN |
PISKIN |
90 |
4 |
|
|
41-28682 |
I |
Z5 |
44 |
UNKNOWN 003 |
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16-Jul-1944 |
SAARBRUCKEN |
PISKIN |
91 |
5 |
|
|
42-95118 |
E |
7V |
9 |
ALFRED V |
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20-Jul-1944 |
EISENACH |
PISKIN |
95 |
6 |
|
|
44-40273 |
? |
J4 |
3 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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25-Jul-1944 |
ST. LO AREA "B" |
PISKIN |
98 |
7 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
5 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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28-Jul-1944 |
LEIPHEIM & CREEL |
PISKIN |
-- |
-- |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
-- |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
SCRUBBED |
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31-Jul-1944 |
LUDWIGSHAFEN |
PISKIN |
99 |
8 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
6 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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1-Aug-1944 |
T.O.s FRANCE |
PISKIN |
100 |
9 |
|
|
42-100431 |
B |
J4 |
30 |
BOMB-AH-DEAR |
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5-Aug-1944 |
BRUNSWICK/WAGGUM |
PISKIN |
105 |
10 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
10 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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6-Aug-1944 |
HAMBURG |
PISKIN |
106 |
11 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
11 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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8-Aug-1944 |
CLASTRES |
PISKIN |
108 |
12 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
12 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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9-Aug-1944 |
SAARBRUCKEN |
PISKIN |
109 |
13 |
|
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44-40273 |
Y |
J4 |
13 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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14-Aug-1944 |
DOLE/TAVAUX |
PISKIN |
113 |
14 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
15 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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15-Aug-1944 |
VECHTA |
PISKIN |
114 |
15 |
|
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FROM PILOT'S LOG |
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17-Aug-1944 |
LE FOULONS RR BRG |
PISKIN |
AZ 11 |
16 |
|
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|
|
|
|
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FROM PILOT'S LOG |
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18-Aug-1944 |
WOIPPY |
PISKIN |
116 |
17 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
16 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
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24-Aug-1944 |
HANNOVER |
PISKIN |
117 |
ABT |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
-- |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
|
ABORT |
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25-Aug-1944 |
MOERDIJK, NETHLND |
PISKIN |
AZ 12 |
18 |
|
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FROM PILOT'S LOG |
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26-Aug-1944 |
MOERDIJK, NETHLND |
PISKIN |
AZ 13 |
19 |
|
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FROM PILOT'S LOG |
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1-Sep-1944 |
RAVENSTEIN, HOL |
PISKIN |
AZ 14 |
20 |
|
|
44-40201 |
N |
J4 |
14 |
SILVER CHIEF |
|
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8-Sep-1944 |
KARLSRUHE |
PISKIN |
122 |
ASSY |
ROBESON |
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41-28697 |
Z |
Z5 |
-- |
SPOTTED APE |
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ASSEMBLY CREW |
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18-Sep-1944 |
ST QUENTIN, FR |
PISKIN |
-- |
TR1 |
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TRUCKIN MISSION |
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19-Sep-1944 |
CARTRES A/F |
PISKIN |
-- |
TR2 |
|
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TRUCKIN MISSION |
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5-Oct-1944 |
PADERBORN |
PISKIN |
127 |
21 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
18 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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9-Oct-1944 |
KOBLENZ |
PISKIN |
130 |
22 |
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
21 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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14-Oct-1944 |
COLOGNE |
PISKIN |
132 |
23 |
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42-50449 |
W |
J4 |
4 |
HEAVENLY HIDEAWAY |
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19-Oct-1944 |
MAINZ |
PISKIN |
135 |
24 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
24 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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26-Oct-1944 |
MINDEN |
PISKIN |
137 |
25 |
|
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44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
25 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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2-Nov-1944 |
BIELEFELD |
PISKIN |
139 |
26 |
|
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44-40201 |
N |
J4 |
21 |
SILVER CHIEF |
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5-Nov-1944 |
KARLSRUHE |
PISKIN |
141 |
27 |
|
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44-40134 |
R |
J4 |
28 |
UNKNOWN 039 |
|
BALL TURRET |
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9-Nov-1944 |
METZ AREA |
PISKIN |
144 |
28 |
|
|
44-40273 |
T |
J4 |
28 |
HOWLING BANSHEE |
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21-Nov-1944 |
HARBURG |
PISKIN |
147 |
29 |
|
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44-40201 |
N |
J4 |
27 |
SILVER CHIEF |
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26-Nov-1944 |
BIELEFELD |
PISKIN |
149 |
30 |
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PILOT'S LOG |
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30-Nov-1944 |
HOMBURG |
PISKIN |
151 |
31 |
|
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PILOT'S LOG |
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24-Dec-1944 |
SCHONECKEN |
PISKIN |
157 |
32 |
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42-50449 |
W |
J4 |
22 |
HEAVENLY HIDEAWAY |
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25-Dec-1944 |
PRONSFELD |
PISKIN |
158 |
33 |
|
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42-50575 |
O |
J3 |
15 |
UNKNOWN 020 |
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27-Dec-1944 |
NEUNKIRCHEN |
PISKIN |
159 |
34 |
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44-40277 |
P |
J4 |
22 |
MISS USED |
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28-Dec-1944 |
ST. WENDEL |
PISKIN |
160 |
35 |
|
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44-40277 |
P |
J4 |
23 |
MISS USED |
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Mission list compiled from 458th records, Pilot's log, and Joe Schroeder
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Piskin Crew - Fall 1944 |
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1Lt Arnold A. Piskin Crew (L-R) |
Standing: Henry Sonnenfeld, Joe Schroeder, Bill Bothwell, Arnold Piskin, Joe Feldman, Joe Zanella
Kneeling: Roy Thomas, Norm Hull, Don Shannon, Verle Erickson
(Photo: Anne Zimmer)
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B-24J 44-40273 T J4 "Howling Banshee" |
Photo courtesy: George Reynolds
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England 1944 |
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Piskin crew and "Howling Banshee" (L-R) |
Standing: Henry Sonnenfeld, Joe Feldman, Arnold Piskin, Joe Zanella, Norm Hull
Kneeling: Roy Thomas, Don Shannon, Joe Schroeder, Bill Bothwell, Verle Erickson
(Photo: Joe Schroeder)
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Fastest B-24J in the ETO |
"Howling Banshee" with new tail attached
On November 14, 1944, the "Howling Banshee" (40273-T) met with misfortune when her squadron mate "Table Stuff" (40285-H) ran into her during a taxiing accident and chewed up the entire tail section with its props. Although both aircraft were damaged to such an extent that they were initially considered write-offs, the "Howling Banshee" was spared after the tail section of another damaged aircraft, "Shack Time" (40275-L), was attached to her forward half. All three of these aircraft were original AZON ships.
Lt. Dick Ayers of the 3rd Strategic Air Depot at RAF Watton decided that the two aircraft sections could successfully be joined together. The task was carried out at the aircraft's home base of Horsham St. Faith as the two sections were too large to be transported to Watton. It took a team of twelve men just 29 days to complete the work, successfully joining the two halves together at the center of the bomb bay doors.
Aircraft inspectors found that less than one quarter of the variations allowed at the factory had been used in completing the procedure. Following completion of the work, the "Howling Banshee" was flight tested by Capt. Henry Miller, and not only did it fly perfectly, it cruised at 10 mph faster than the average B-24, thus making it, "one of the fastest B-24J's in the ETO."
Courtesy: Joe Schroeder
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December 1944 - Awarded the DFC |
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Piskin enlisted men (L-R) |
Back row: Don Shannon, Roy Thomas, Bill Bothwell, Verle Erickson
Front row: Norm Hull, Joe Shroeder
(Photo: Joe Schroeder)
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