Cook Crew - Assigned 754th Squadron - June 25, 1944
(Photo: Don Finlayson)
Cook Crew Completed Tour
| Rank | Name | Serial # | Pos | Date | Status | Comments |
|
Capt
|
Warren G Cook
|
0696436
|
Pilot
|
10-May-45
|
CT |
Appointed Pilot Proficiency Board
|
|
1Lt
|
George A Grodt
|
0820738
|
Co-Pilot
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
2Lt
|
Donald E Finlayson
|
0707251
|
Navigator
|
10-Dec-45
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
F/O
|
James T Bradley
|
T124389
|
Bombardier
|
06-May-45
|
CT |
Rest Home Leave AAF 523
|
|
T/Sgt
|
Raymond J Metz
|
36588939
|
Radio Operator
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
T/Sgt
|
Maurice M Summerall
|
3454593
|
Flight Engineer
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
S/Sgt
|
Henry Arias
|
32622421
|
Aerial Gunner
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
S/Sgt
|
Jesse E Boston
|
39129674
|
Armorer-Gunner
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
S/Sgt
|
Charles R Ferrell
|
36574124
|
Aerial Gunner
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
|
S/Sgt
|
Walter M Austin, Jr
|
34828330
|
Aerial Gunner
|
10-Dec-44
|
CT |
Mission Load List
|
Missions
| Date | Target | 458th Msn | Pilot Msn | Serial | RCL | Sqdn | A/C Msn | A/C Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06-Jul-44 | KIEL | 85 | 1 | 42-52457 | Q | 7V | 37 | FINAL APPROACH | |
| 07-Jul-44 | LUTZKENDORF | 86 | 2 | 42-95163 | K | Z5 | 24 | DIXIE BELLE | |
| 08-Jul-44 | ANIZY, FRANCE | 87 | 3 | 42-100431 | B | J4 | 26 | BOMB-AH-DEAR | |
| 11-Jul-44 | MUNICH | 88 | 4 | 42-95108 | M | Z5 | 20 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | |
| 13-Jul-44 | SAARBRUCKEN | 90 | ABT | 41-28705 | W | Z5 | -- | YE OLDE HELLGATE | ABORT - LOST FORM IN CLOUDS |
| 16-Jul-44 | SAARBRUCKEN | 91 | 5 | 41-29305 | N | Z5 | 29 | I'LL BE BACK/HYPOCHONDRIAC | |
| 21-Jul-44 | MUNICH | 96 | ABT | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | -- | OLD DOC'S YACHT | ABORT - TRIM TABS FAILED |
| 25-Jul-44 | ST. LO AREA "B" | 98 | 6 | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | 28 | OLD DOC'S YACHT | |
| 28-Jul-44 | LEIPHEIM & CREEL A/F | SCR | -- | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | -- | OLD DOC'S YACHT | BRIEFED AND SCRUBBED |
| 31-Jul-44 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | 99 | ABT | 42-52441 | I | J3 | -- | LAST CARD LOUIE | ABORT - SPARE LATE T/O |
| 01-Aug-44 | T.O.s FRANCE | 100 | 7 | 42-95018 | J | Z5 | 30 | OLD DOC'S YACHT | |
| 02-Aug-44 | 3 NO BALLS | 101 | 8 | 41-29305 | N | Z5 | 33 | I'LL BE BACK/HYPOCHONDRIAC | |
| 05-Aug-44 | BRUNSWICK/WAGGUM | 105 | 9 | 44-40287 | J | J4 | 10 | BACHELOR'S BEDLAM | COMPOSITE w/466 |
| 06-Aug-44 | HAMBURG | 106 | 10 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 37 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 07-Aug-44 | GHENT | 107 | 11 | 42-110070 | E | Z5 | 25 | ELMER | |
| 08-Aug-44 | CLASTRES | 108 | 12 | 42-95163 | K | Z5 | 37 | DIXIE BELLE | |
| 11-Aug-44 | STRASBOURG | 110 | 13 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 40 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 12-Aug-44 | MOURMELON | 111 | 14 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 41 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 13-Aug-44 | LIEUREY | 112 | 15 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 42 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 15-Aug-44 | VECHTA | 114 | 16 | 42-51110 | P | Z5 | 34 | TOP O' THE MARK | |
| 16-Aug-44 | MAGDEBURG | 115 | ABT | 41-28709 | I | 7V | -- | LUCKY STRIKE | ABORT - COULD NOT KEEP FORM |
| 18-Aug-44 | WOIPPY | 116 | 17 | 42-95165 | S | Z5 | 30 | COOKIE | |
| 26-Aug-44 | DULMEN | 120 | 18 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 48 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 27-Aug-44 | FINOW | 121 | 19 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 49 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | MISSION CREDIT IN NOV |
| 09-Sep-44 | MAINZ | 124 | 20 | 44-40287 | J | J4 | 14 | BACHELOR'S BEDLAM | |
| 10-Sep-44 | ULM M/Y | 125 | 21 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 52 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 11-Sep-44 | MAGDEBURG | 126 | 22 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 53 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 21-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR05 | -- | 42-95108 | M | Z5 | T4 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | CARGO |
| 23-Sep-44 | HSF to ST DIZIER | TR07 | -- | 41-28712 | D | 44BG | T4 | TUFFY | TRUCKIN' MISSION |
| 25-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR08-1 | -- | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | T1 | NO NAME or NAME UNKNOWN | 1ST FLIGHT - CARGO |
| 25-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR08-2 | -- | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | T2 | NO NAME or NAME UNKNOWN | 2ND FLIGHT - CARGO |
| 27-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR10 | -- | 42-52296 | E | T4 | NOT 458TH SHIP - HETHEL | 1ST FLIGHT | |
| 27-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR10 | -- | 42-52296 | E | T5 | NOT 458TH SHIP - HETHEL | 2ND FLIGHT | |
| 28-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR11 | -- | 42-52296 | E | T6 | NOT 458TH SHIP - HETHEL | TRUCKIN' MISSION | |
| 29-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR12 | -- | 42-95108 | M | 754 | T10 | ENVY OF 'EM ALL II | 2ND FLIGHT |
| 29-Sep-44 | HSF to LILLE | TR12 | -- | 42-52296 | E | T7 | NOT 458TH SHIP - HETHEL | 1ST FLIGHT | |
| 05-Oct-44 | PADERBORN | 128 | 23 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 55 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 06-Oct-44 | WENZENDORF | 129 | 24 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 56 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 07-Oct-44 | MAGDEBURG | 130 | 25 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 57 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 09-Oct-44 | KOBLENZ | 131 | 26 | 42-50456 | D | Z5 | 3 | DOROTHY KAY SPECIAL | |
| 17-Oct-44 | COLOGNE | 135 | 27 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 61 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 26-Oct-44 | MINDEN | 138 | 28 | 42-51196 | Q | J3 | 6 | THE GYPSY QUEEN | |
| 30-Oct-44 | HARBURG | 139 | 29 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 64 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 02-Nov-44 | BIELEFELD | 140 | 30 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 65 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 08-Nov-44 | RHEINE | 144 | 31 | 42-51179 | P | Z5 | 46 | DUSTY'S DOUBLE TROUBLE | |
| 09-Nov-44 | METZ AREA | 145 | ANA | 44-40298 | E | Z5 | 11 | THE SHACK | POSSIBLE ANA |
| 16-Nov-44 | ESCHWEILER | 147 | 32 | 42-50456 | D | Z5 | 12 | DOROTHY KAY SPECIAL | |
| 21-Nov-44 | HARBURG | 148 | 33 | 42-110059 | T | Z5 | 46 | UNKNOWN 056 | |
| 30-Nov-44 | HOMBURG | 151 | 34 | -- | -- | -- | -- | No FC - Sqdn Rec's | |
| 04-Dec-44 | BEBRA | 152 | 35 | 41-29596 | R | Z5 | 72 | HELL'S ANGEL'S | |
| 10-Dec-44 | BINGEN | 154 | 36 | 44-40126 | L | Z5 | 30 | SPITTEN KITTEN / SKY TRAMP | |
| 25-Dec-44 | PRONSFELD | 158 | ASSY | 41-28697 | Z | Z5 | A38 | SPOTTED APE | ASSEMBLY CREW |
1Lt Donald E. Finlayson - Navigator
Lt. Finlayson's mission to Munich, July 11, 1944
Mission number four was on aircraft #108 [Envy of 'em All, II], attacking Marshalling Yards, duration 8:20 hours. You probably are aware that the 8th decided to train bombardiers (normally manning the nose turret) in navigation, for obvious reasons. On this particular mission, Jimmie [Bradley] sat at the navigators "desk" (ha! ha!) and I got into the nose turret. As you know, "follow-aircraft" had the bombardier toggle when he sighted the lead ship drop its bombs. Having been to gunnery school in Fort Meyers, FL, between Basic Navigation School and Advanced Navigation School (both in Monroe, LA) it was assumed I knew how to fire .50 caliber machine guns. (Let alone "toggle"!!) Well, try as I might, I could not "charge" the gun. I kept pulling back on the crank [handle] to no effect. My mind raced with the knowledge we were on a combat mission over enemy territory (might we be attacked by the Luftwaffe?) and my failure in the nose turret made me increasingly flustered, frightened, flailing, etc.
Unbeknownst to me, the hose from my oxygen mask became disconnected from the connection to the aircraft's supply, and I passed out. Fortunately for me, Cookie just about then had a, "Is everybody all okay?" call over the intercom. No reply from the unconscious Finlayson; Jimmie hand-cranked the nose turret, pulled me from it, and applied 100% oxygen. Whether all these years since this near-death, I have been a little crazy, I leave to others to judge!!"
2Lt Don Finlayson's mission list
