406th/858th/856th BSs
Heaberlin Crew

Arriving at Harrington on 2 June 1944 as a replacement crew for the 406th BS, they were a ten-man crew quickly reduced to eight but we know not who the orphans were due to the very bad condition of the microfilm for that day. They probably went through the same Operational Training Unit (OTU) experiences as did the 850th BS. The dog's name was reportedly "Inky".

Standing, L-R:
Elmer M.     Heaberlin     - Pilot         ASN 0696366
Dorr W.      Stock,Jr.     - Copilot       ASN 0821105
Eugene       Latter        - Navigator     ASN 0712851
James J.     Gladden       - Bombardier    ASN 0706841

Kneeling, L-R:
Alvin C.     York          - Engineer      ASN 34729475
Gorman M.    Smith         - Tailgunner    ASN 38307556
Billy D.     Blakley       - Dispatcher    ASN 18127203
Charles B.   Peterson      - R.O.          ASN 17114400

ASNs so-colored for EMs link to their NARA Enlistment Records.
They flew their first mission as a crew on the night of 13/14 July to the STATIONER 175 Drop Zone. It was a success, 8 packages and 12 containers, distributing 8 bundles of (32,000 leaflets) nickels on the return trip.

By the end of September 1944 they had accumulated 27 combat missions, still not enough to return to the Z.I.. A short crew, minus the Bombardier, Dispatcher and TG probably flew the seven gas-haul missions the crew is listed for in the Late Period Log. Sometime in late 1944 they were transferred to the 856th BS and once again flew Carpetbagger missions, completing a 31 December 1944 mission to Denmark. Their last appearance in the Operations Log occurs for the night of 22/23 March 1945.

While the 858th enjoyed a hiatus before going into the night-bombing phase, the crew was among the first to enjoy the usual 8th AF "Rest Home" experience. Special Orders #200 dtd 5Nov44 sent them to Station 503 Roke Manor on 5 Nov '44 for a seven-day leave and the EMs going to Station 524 for the same period to euphemistically "carry out the orders of the C.O.".

Preferred Aircraft: B24D 42-63773

Agents carried/inserted:
MR 1372    DZ Salesman 15    (4) No Drop
MR 1651    DZ Hugh 3D        (5) Part of OSS OG Team Patrick
MR 1757    DZ Messenger 35   (2) No Drop
MR 1790A   DZ Citronelle 2   (2) Unidentified
MR 1902    DZ Bob 172        (6) Jedburgh Team Desmond +3 of OG Team Christopher
MR 2015    DZ Bob 280A       (3) No Drop
MR 2049    DZ Bob 172        (2) Part of OG Team Adrian (3 did not jump)

Identified Leaflet Drops:
 MR 1313    USF-128s
MR 1607    USF-133s
MR 1651    USD-131s

Additional Crew Data Sources:
 Heaberlin Crew Personnel Files
 Heaberlin Crew Mission Reports

Group-Related Downloads:
 AAFRH-21 "AAF Aid to European Resistance"
 Allied Leaflets Index
 "Carpetbaggers" by Parnell
 "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)
 "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)

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