Chester W Paulson Crew
This photo is actually of the Hedges Crew. Lt Hedges is standing far left.
Lt Paulson is standing next to him. This Crew flew together on "the Wishbone until around 24 May 1944.
It was then that Lt Hedges was reassigned with some of this crew to fly with new personnel in order to
bring them up to speed faster. For the rest of May Lt Paulson flew with the Group Commander Col. Mo
Preston. He performed many tasks while the Colonel evaluated him for promotion to Pilot of the remaining
Crew on "The Wish Bone" Lt Paulson flew this aircraft until his tour of duty was up except for this mission on the "Swamp Fire".
Pictured above is the Hedges Crew
Top Row- Left to Right
Clay W Hedges - Pilot
Chester W Paulson - Co- Pilot
Walter Mueller - Nav
Thomas A Carruth - Bom
Owen M Davis - RO/G
Bottom Row- Left to Right
Jack Edwards - TT/G
Laurence J Jastinski - WG
Richard E Cleary - BTG
Robert C Soulies - WG
Mayford (Mike) B Barry - TG
Crew Boarding for This Mission on Swamp Fire
*Underlined Highlight indicates former Crewmen of the Hedges Crew
Mission Number: 146 & 147 for the 379th flown on 6/19/1944
Target City: Zudausques , France
Target: Military Installation
Lt Paulson and his Crew flew two missions this day:
1. The morning mission was on board aircraft # 42-32024 "Swamp Fire" to bomb Military Installations. 464 B-17s are dispatched against airfields in the Bordeaux area: 92 hit Cormes Ecluse, 84 hit Bordeaux/Merignac, 39 hit Cazaux, 34 hit Landes-de-Bussac, 12 hit Cabanac and 3 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 11 damaged; 3 airmen are WIA and 59 MIA; escort is provided by 88 P-38s and 261 P-51s; 4 P-38s and 6 P-51s are lost (all pilots MIA)..
2. The afternoon mission was on aircraft #42-38057 "Flak Rabbit" to bomb Military Installations they comprised a formation of 216 of 391 B-17s and 294 of 312 B-24s hit 35 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 B-24 damaged beyond repair and 65 B-17s and 22 B-24s damaged; 2 airmen are WIA and 10 MIA. Escort is provided by 196 P-38s, 122 P-47s and 48 P-51s; 1 P-38 is damaged beyond repair; 1 P-38 group, after completing escort duty, dive-bombs and strafes transportation targets in NE France, destroying a locomotive and 3 barges
Douglas W Riddell Staff Sergeant Nose Gunner/Togglier
Wallace C Buttrey Lieutenant Co-Pilot
Chester W Paulson Lieutenant Pilot
William J Mcaloon Jr. Lieutenant Bombardier
Owen M Davis Tech Sergeant Radio Operator/Gunner
Jack (NMI) Edwards Tech Sergeant Engineer/Top Turret Gunner
Richard E Cleary Staff Sergeant Ball Turret Gunner
Laurence J Jastinski Staff Sergeant Waist Gunner
Mayford B Barry Staff Sergeant Tail Gunner