<%@ Language=JavaScript %> 406th Night Leaflet Squadron - Bingham Crew

406th NLS
Bingham Crew

Backside of the picture

Photo Credit and Names: Robert Holmstrom

Standing, L-R: 
James E.    Bingham, Jr.      - Pilot         ASN 0689010      
William L.  Michael           - Copilot       ASN 0833955
James D.    Malloy            - Bombardier    ASN 0718004
Richard W.  Billings          - Navigator     ASN 02072336

Kneeling, L-R: 
Robert E.   Holmstrom         - TG            ASN 37588295
Richard E.  Ecker             - BTG           ASN 17051902
John T.     Reinhold, Jr.     - R.O.          ASN 37471839   
Paul S.     Kovach            - NTG           ASN 33672990
Everette L. Mitchell          - Engineer      ASN 34180886

ASNs so-colored above and below for EMs link to their NARA Enlistment Records.

The photo was probably taken prior to their overseas journey. Some crew members changed or were dropped and on 28 June 1945 the crew were ordered to the ZI in B24 44-50929, named as "Night-Knight" according to Tom Brittan's records. Marsena Parker-Butts replaced Michael as CP. He had been on the Canner Crew but they crashed during the move to Harrington from Cheddington. Passengers included the following:

Operational Orders #160,dtd 28Jun45 show the following names and information:

Harold H. 
Austin            ASN 16051587     MOS 750
Victor     Abel              ASN 17055212     MOS 911
Keith C.   Armstrong         ASN 36419002     MOS 911
Charles W. Elmstedt          ASN 31281390     MOS 747
Wallace W. Gilbaugh          ASN 33756781     MOS 555
Ralph      Levine            ASN 31281845     MOS 911
Robert H.  McDonald          ASN 35493271     MOS 686
Derald A.  Simonis           ASN 39325137     MOS 754
Ephraim K. Lawrence          ASN 35102948     MOS 911
Robert J.  O'Leary           ASN 32942963     MOS 685

Crew-Specific Data Sources:
Bingham Crew Personnel files
Bingham Passenger Personnel files

Universal Downloadable Data Sources:
406th NLS Air Crew Card Index
406th NLS Squadron RZI Card File
AAFRH-21 "AAF Aid to European Resistance"
Air Power History Article
Allied Leaflets Index
Aerospace Historian Article
"Carpetbaggers" by Parnell
Night Leaflet Squadrons Operations reports (Jun44-Jul45)
"They Flew by Night" editor Robert Fish

Serial Number Index of B24s
Station 179 Operations Log
(handwritten Apr44-Jul45)
Station 179 Operations Log (transcribed Sep44-Jul45)

Available on Request:
Group Mission Reports Jan-Sep44
(On disk $12ea - $10ea via Paypal)
"Secret Squadrons of the 8th" by Carty (leaflet squadron portion only)
"Chronology of SOE Operations with the Resistance In France During WWII" by Foot & Boxhall
"Spies,Supplies & Moonlit Skies Vols 1&2" by Ensminger
(On disk $12ea - $10ea via Paypal)
"Leaflet Operations during the 2nd WW" by James M. Erdmann

Redirect to: 
Crews   Main