Samuel Skousen and Arthur Benko

[knusel]

Good evening Gentlemen,

was Samuel Skousen the B-24 pilot of all missions in which Arthur Benko scored kills ?

Cheers,

Michael

[knusel]

Some good Benko info:
https://airforce.togetherweserved.co...erson&ID=97387
Michael

[knusel]

Is it true that this photo shows Samuel Skousen in the cockpit
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...photo=75332425
as indicated in the caption ?
Or is it rather a totally idfferent guy ?

Michael

[RSwank]

There is another photo, taken at about the same time which identifies all the men.

https://www.fold3.com/image/160130083
https://www.fold3.com/image/160130084

It is on fold3 (free to view after registration). The men in the plane in the photo you show have apparently come down to stand with the group in the fold3 photo. Actually, looking carefully at the photos, it appears more likely to me that the man in the cockpit in the photo you have linked to looks more like Major Burnett as identified in the fold3 photo. It appears to me that the man in the cockpit photo has a mustache like Burnett. Skousen appears to be clean shaven as identified in the fold3 photo. Benko has also changed his headgear. There were obviously several photos taken.


Now this photo seems to have Burnett on the left end of the front row and Skousen and Benko in the plane, but note Benko is wearing a cap not the helmet and goggles shown in the photo you linked.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...photo=96864791



Note that the photo shows Benko with 16 kills. If you read some of the newspapers printed at the time, Benko was credited with 16. I have read that some of these were planes shot up on the ground and were apparently discounted post war.

[knusel]

Good evening RSwank,

I've found a Benko article in Avions #198 written by Christophe Cony.
It confirms your interpretation of the persons in the cockpit, respectively.
Can you tell me how many of Benko's kills were discounted ?

Cheers,

Michael

[RSwank]

Since newspapers articles such as this (written when he went missing) credit him with 16:

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/1747...rbenkomissing/

it would appear that at least 7 were discounted to give his final 9 total. I am not sure if there were a couple more somewhere as this link to a book on Air Force gunners credits him with 9 in the air and 9 on the ground.

https://books.google.com/books?id=_6...gunner&f=false

[knusel]

Good evening RSwank,

do you know if the other gunners of Skousen's crew shot anything down ?

Michael

[knusel]

Is it true trat the B-24 was better than the B-17 in most apects except ruggedness?