Wilburn Crew - Assigned 754th Squadron - November 9, 1944

Standing: Bern Lehman - AG, Joe Straus - G, Van Taylor - AG, Jim Winslow - RO, Roy Fischer - G, Oscar Gaff - E,
Kneeling: Bob Henn - N, Chesleigh Wilburn - P, Dick Bateman - CP
(Photo: Bob Henn)
Flying at the End of Hostilities
Rank | Name | Serial # | MOS | Crew Pos / Job Title | Date | Status | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1Lt | Chesleigh D Wilburn | T62457 | 1024 | Pilot | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
2Lt | Richard E Bateman | 02063333 | 1024 | Co-pilot | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
2Lt | Robert A Henn | T63352 | 1034 | Navigator | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
T/Sgt | James B Winslow | 39134420 | 757 | Radio Operator | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
S/Sgt | Oscar E Gaff | 32940815 | 748 | Flight Engineer | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
Sgt | Roy J Fischer | 12226568 | 612 | Armorer-Gunner | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
Sgt | Joseph M Straus | 42058116 | 611 | Aerial Gunner | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
S/Sgt | Bernard A Lehmann | 17134513 | 611 | Aerial Gunner | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
S/Sgt | Van R Taylor | 34678161 | 612 | Armorer-Gunner | Jun-45 | FEH | Ferry A/C 42-50768 to States |
F/O Chesleigh D. “Tex” Wilburn and crew arrived at Horsham on November 9, 1944 and were assigned to the 753rd Squadron. F/O James Allison, the crew’s bombardier in training was not assigned with the crew. The crew’s first mission came a little over one month later on December 11, 1944 when they flew a B-24J named “Silver Chief” to the marshaling yards in Hanau, Germany.
The crew was able to get in 25 missions before the air war in Europe ended. All of these missions were flown to targets in Germany, and included two trips to Magedeburg, and one mission to Berlin on March 18, 1945. There is an unexplained two-week gap early on in the crew’s combat tour between January 14th to 29th. While the crew had only flown six missions by the 14th, it seems a bit early for them to have gone on a leave of some sort.
They finally did get a rest home leave on April 10, 1945 after flying their 25th (and what would turn out to be their final) combat mission. On April 25, 1945, the Eighth Air Force ceased operations in Europe and the war ended twelve days later.
Twelve of their 25 missions, were flown in a B-24J named Arise My Love and Come With Me. This Liberator would become a familiar aircraft to many Liberator and World War II enthusiasts after the war due to a set of color Public Relations photographs taken of Captain Howard Slaton’s crew of the 755th Squadron in the summer of 1944. At least one version of this photo has appeared in numerous publications on the Eighth Air Force since the war. The most recognizable version appears on this website's home page.
The crew was assigned to ferry this aircraft back to the States in June 1945. Lt John Kowalczuk, the bombardier from Lt Ralph Dooley’s crew, flew back with them and took several photos of the trip.
The crew was able to get in 25 missions before the air war in Europe ended. All of these missions were flown to targets in Germany, and included two trips to Magedeburg, and one mission to Berlin on March 18, 1945. There is an unexplained two-week gap early on in the crew’s combat tour between January 14th to 29th. While the crew had only flown six missions by the 14th, it seems a bit early for them to have gone on a leave of some sort.
They finally did get a rest home leave on April 10, 1945 after flying their 25th (and what would turn out to be their final) combat mission. On April 25, 1945, the Eighth Air Force ceased operations in Europe and the war ended twelve days later.
Twelve of their 25 missions, were flown in a B-24J named Arise My Love and Come With Me. This Liberator would become a familiar aircraft to many Liberator and World War II enthusiasts after the war due to a set of color Public Relations photographs taken of Captain Howard Slaton’s crew of the 755th Squadron in the summer of 1944. At least one version of this photo has appeared in numerous publications on the Eighth Air Force since the war. The most recognizable version appears on this website's home page.
The crew was assigned to ferry this aircraft back to the States in June 1945. Lt John Kowalczuk, the bombardier from Lt Ralph Dooley’s crew, flew back with them and took several photos of the trip.
F/O Chesleigh Wilburn Crew - Casper "Crew of the Week"

Standing: Joe Straus, Jim Winslow, Roy Fischer, Van Taylor, Oscar Gaff, Bern Lehman
Kneeling: Jim Allison (bombardier), Chesleigh "Tex" Wilburn, Bob Henn, Dick Bateman
(Photo: 2ADA Journal - Bob Henn)
Missions
Date | Target | 458th Msn | Pilot Msn | Serial | RCL | Sqdn | A/C Msn | A/C Name | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
11-Dec-44 | HANAU | 155 | 1 | 44-40201 | N | J4 | 32 | SILVER CHIEF | |
24-Dec-44 | SCHONECKEN | 157 | 2 | 42-110141 | U | J4 | 31 | BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN | |
28-Dec-44 | ST. WENDEL | 160 | 3 | 44-40134 | R | J4 | 37 | UNKNOWN 039 | |
08-Jan-45 | STADTKYLL | 167 | 4 | 42-50449 | W | J4 | 32 | HEAVENLY HIDEAWAY | |
10-Jan-45 | SCHONBERG | 168 | 5 | 42-110141 | U | J4 | 33 | BREEZY LADY / MARIE / SUPERMAN | |
14-Jan-45 | HALLENDORF | 170 | 6 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 23 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
29-Jan-45 | MUNSTER | 175 | 7 | 44-40118 | S | J4 | 31 | WE'LL GET BY | |
03-Feb-45 | MAGDEBURG | 177 | 8 | 42-100408 | I | J4 | 33 | LADY LUCK / THE BEAST | |
06-Feb-45 | MAGDEBURG | 178 | 9 | 42-100408 | I | J4 | 34 | LADY LUCK / THE BEAST | |
11-Feb-45 | DULMEN | 180 | 10 | 42-100408 | I | J4 | 37 | LADY LUCK / THE BEAST | |
17-Feb-45 | ASCHAFFENBURG M/Y | REC | -- | 41-28980 | V | J4 | -- | UNKNOWN 009 | RECALL - WEATHER |
21-Feb-45 | NUREMBERG | 185 | 11 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 29 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
22-Feb-45 | PEINE-HILDESHEIM | 186 | NTO | 42-95120 | M | Z5 | -- | HOOKEM COW / BETTY | NO TAKE OFF |
23-Feb-45 | GERA-REICHENBACH | 187 | 12 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 30 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
25-Feb-45 | SCHWABISCH-HALL | 189 | 13 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 32 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
28-Feb-45 | BIELEFELD | 192 | 14 | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | 65 | UNKNOWN 056 | |
01-Mar-45 | INGOLSTADT | 193 | 15 | 42-51514 | B | 7V | 17 | BIG CHIEF LIL' BEAVER | |
08-Mar-45 | DILLENBURG | 199 | 16 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 36 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
12-Mar-45 | FRIEDBURG | 202 | 17 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 38 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
18-Mar-45 | BERLIN | 206 | 18 | 42-95108 | B | Z5 | 68 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
22-Mar-45 | KITZINGEN | 210 | 19 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 41 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
24-Mar-45 | NORDHORN | 212 | 20 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 43 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
31-Mar-45 | BRUNSWICK | 216 | 21 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 46 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
05-Apr-45 | PLAUEN | 218 | 22 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 48 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
07-Apr-45 | KRUMMEL | 220 | 23 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 49 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME | |
08-Apr-45 | UNTERSCHLAUERSBACH | 221 | 24 | 44-40287 | J | J4 | 62 | BACHELOR'S BEDLAM | |
10-Apr-45 | RECHLIN/LARZ | 223 | 25 | 42-50768 | Y | J4 | 51 | ARISE MY LOVE AND COME WITH ME |
B-24J-5-FO 42-50768 J4 Y "Arise My Love and Come With Me"

Arise My Love and Come With Me (foreground) in formation. Wilburn and crew flew this aircraft on nearly half of their combat flights.
(Photo: Jim Hartswick)
Ferry Crew - June 1945
Preparing to depart Horsham St Faith for the States
Click for larger image
Back Row: Unknown, "Tex" Wilburn, Unknown, John Kowalczuk (Dooley Crew-B), Bob Henn, Unknown, Unknown
Middle Row: Oscar Gaff - far left, Leroy Fischer - 2nd from right
Front Row: Joe Straus - far left, Unknown, Unknown, Van Taylor, Bern Lehman, Dick Bateman
(Photo: Jim Leddy)
Wilburn Crew at Gander Airbase in Newfoundland

Almost Home!
Back Row: Bob Henn, Oscar Gaff, Van Taylor, Unknown, Unknown, "Tex" Wilburn, Dick Bateman, Unknown
Middle Row: Leroy Fischer - far right
Front Row: Bern Lehman, Unknown, Jim Winslow, Joe Strauss
(Photo: Tony North)
Bob Henn, "Tex" Wilburn, Dick Bateman
Van Taylor (2nd Left) and "Tex" Wilburn (center)
Bob Henn
Click each photo for a larger image.
(Courtesy: Michael Kowalczuk)