Crews and Ground Support Men of the 456th
Page 1
Its not possible to show photos of every crew or list the name of every man that flew or worked with the 456th (yet!!), but this collection is presented as a simple cross section of these men, their spirits and determination evident and enduring. And don't think for a minute it was just the flight crews - without the ground support and command staff, the 456th would never have gotten airborne. Photos will be added on a continuing basis and not removed, so these pages will get sizable - as it should be. Be sure to go on to the additional pages by clicking the button at the bottom of this page to see more.
Please send me your scanned photos of crews and men of the 456th for inclusion here.
See the list of personnel transferred from the 376th Bomb Group LIBERANDOS here.
If you are looking for information on obtaining personnel records and medals, check the Records page.
We have posted a database of names of unknown status 456th members. Your help in providing any information on any of these men would be sincerely appreciated. Please see the list here: Unknowns (beware it is a very sizable file to download to your browser).
Note that there are numerous highlighted links underlined in blue on these pages, and each takes you to another section where you will find more information or photos on an individual, a crew, an aircraft or event. Feel free to click away!
Many crews in front of the "Short Snorter" - not all flew this ship, but many did.
Back: Melvin E. Wagoner, Gerald Kogelschatz, Raymond L. Becker, Clarence E. Knopf (see story) Front: Roy L. Firestone (more), Richard E. Mrugacz, Robert W. Martin (more), Harold T. Igoe, Charles E. McComas (more)
Back: Owens, Voss, Hilton Front: Pingel, Jacobsen, Clough, Nick, Ford, Dawson. Two more photos of the Voss crew on Crews Page 8.
The following is the list of the crew in the picture above who also flew the Short Snorter: This crew flew the lead plane in over 20 missions with Colonel Steed aboard. Left to Right -- Standing: Tipsword, Ball gunner (S/Sgt); McKay, Navigator (1st Lt.); Fogler, Pilot (Capt.); Friday, Co-Pilot (1st Lt); Lamorgia, Old Navigator (1st Lt., now S-2 Officer); and Sheehan, Radioman (T/Sgt.) Left to Right -- Kneeling: Peters, Engineer (S/Sgt.); Shockley, Top-Turret Gunner (S/Sgt.); Johnson, New Bombardier (old one had appendicitis; Capt.); Selle, Nose Gunner (S/Sgt.); and Saulsberry, Tail Gunner (S/Sgt.) (Photo and info provided by Tom Sheehan, son of Thomas A. Sheehan, Radio Operator)
Back row: T. V. Curtis, F. H. Sherwood, J. E. Jackson, Raymond C. Murphy. Front row: Paul Thomas, John Waak, Leonard Drozdwski, Walter Macieweiz, J. Clayton Deal (Harry Olson not pictured)
This photo provided by G. S. Scandale. His grandfather, ball turret gunner Sgt. Nick Scandale, is front row far right. The rest are Pilot Tom A Delany, Nav Orlando L Sarsfield, Bombardier James L Moodie, Right Waist William F Olzak, Engineer Chester Gulzynski, Radio Danny E Kohl, Nose Gunner Joe J Baker, Tail Gunner Eugene P Fitzhugh
John P. McHugh, Jr, in front of the well-known "Short Snorter" of the 744th Bomb Squadron (kneeling, 2nd from right). Crew mates unknown at this time - can you help with identification of them? For more on John McHugh, Jr, see here.
What is a "Short Snorter"? Click HERE and find out!
Another photo of the B-24 Short Snorter in the 456th Photo Album here.
Flight crew of the "Phoney Express II"
Click here to hear SOUNDS of the times: Music and more
Created 3/24/98 RJF Last Edited 09/23/2004 RJF
