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  #1  
Old 19th January 2008, 16:37
David Layne
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John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

John E. Russell
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # O-885981
813th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Pursuit


It is my understanding that John E. Russell of the U.S.A.A.F. flew operationally with 97 Squadron R.A.F. in 1943. Was this a common practise for American airman to be seconded to an R.A.F. station?

John Russell was K.I.A. Nov.10th 1943 but not with 97 Squadron.

Following are the squadrons orbs listing 2nd Lt's Russell and Wright were both of these American?

3/4 September 1943 - Berlin

ED875R 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, Sgts J.P.Dow, B.W.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Marston. Up 2034 Down 0441. 1 x 4000lb, 6 x 500lb. Berlin bombed. Clear sky, some haze. 20,000’. Target identified by red TIs and bend in river. Bombed cluster of red TIs – in bomb sight. Fires and explosions seen among red markers.

5/6 September 1943 - Mannheim

JA711Y 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, Sgts L.W.Golden, J.R.Dow, H.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Marston. Up 1944 Down 0229. 1 x 4000lb, 9 x 500lb. Mannheim attacked. No cloud, visibility good. 16,500’. River, bridges and built up area identified visually. Bombed built up area with red TIs in bomb sight. Fires starting up as aircraft left target.

6/7 September 1943 - Munich

ED870T 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Marston. Up 2001 Down 0440. 1 x 4000lb, 7 x 500lb. Target Munich attacked. 18,000’. 6/10ths cloud. Red and yellow TIs in bomb sight when bombs released. Aircraft early on target, thick cloud – nothing seen to report.

15/16 September 1943 – Montlucon

EE176O 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, Sgts J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Marston. Up 2114 Down 0220. 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 4 x 1000lb, 3 x 500lb. Montlucon bombed. 5,000’. Moon light. 6/10ths broken cloud. Target identified by great column of black smoke and visually. Bombed on red TI – in bomb sight.

2/23 September 1943 - Hanover

ED953X 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, Sgts J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, R.H.Marston. Up 1903 Down 0006. 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 6 x 1000lb. Target Hanover bombed. No cloud, no moon, visibility good. 17,500’. Target identified by green TI markers which we bombed. Six large fires burning – visible 150 miles away on return.

23/24 September 1943 - Darmstadt

EE179T 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, Sgts J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Martson. Up 1920 Down 0106. 1 x 4000lb, 158 incs. Target Darmstadt attacked. 16,000’. Clear sky, slight haze. Target identified visually. Centre of built up area and flares in bomb sight at time of bombing. Large explosion seen at 2134 hours. Fires taking good hold.

27/28 September 1943 – Hanover

EE197T 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgt H.J.Lazenby, 2nd Lt R.Wright, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, Sgts J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, R.H.Marston. Up 1943 Down 0049. 2 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 6 x 1000lb. Target Hanover attacked. 20,500’. No moon, no cloud, visibility good. Two green TI markers in bomb sight at time of bombing. Large orange explosion seen at 2210 hours. Some fires were burning.


2/3 October 1943 - Munich

EE179T 2nd Lt J.E.Russell, Sgts H.J.Lazenby, Saunders, F/Sgt L.W.Golden, J.P.Dow, E.W.Bark, F/Sgt R.H.Marston. Up 1905 Down 0231. 6 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 3 x 1000lb. Target Munich attacked. 17,500’. Clear sky, vis good. Centre of cluster of green TIs in bomb sight at time of bombing. Own TIs seen to cascade and ignite. Many fires burning and incendiaries rapidly as aircraft left target.
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  #2  
Old 19th January 2008, 22:04
shooshoobaby shooshoobaby is offline
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

CP - Lt. John Russell was KIS 11/10/43
B - 17 # 42 - 5793 PC M " Stinky "
482d BG , 813th Sq.
Crashed shortly after Take - off from Thorpe - Abbotts
Crash Photo :
Fortresses of the Big Triangle First by Cliff Bishop Page 221
Mike
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  #3  
Old 19th January 2008, 22:31
David Layne
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

Many thanks, any chance of scanning the photo and putting it on here?
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  #4  
Old 20th January 2008, 11:42
David Layne
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

This really intrigues me. Any information that can be added will be greatly appreciated.

Here's another example, again from 97 Squadron. 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy



12/13 June 1943 Bochum – Bomb Load 4 x TIs, 1 x 4000lb, 8 x 500lb unless stated

EE107F 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy, Sgt M.Eardley, P/O G.F.Brantingham, Sgts A.Roche, W.A.Halsey, P.G.Nickerson, W.Hussey. Up 2312 Down 0420. Target Bochum bombed. Thin low cloud. Visibility good. 19,000’. No TIs visible at time of bombing. Bombs released on concentration of fires. No definite target marked. Own greens brought back.


16/17 June 1943 Cologne – Bomb Load 1 x 4000lb 12 SBC

EE107F 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy, Sgt M.Eardley, P/O G.F.Brantingham, Sgts A.Roche, W.A.Halsey, P.G.Nickerson, W.Hussey. Up 2232 Down 0253. Primary objective Cologne attacked. 20,000’. Full moon. 10/10ths cloud. Red markers with green stars in sight when load released. Nothing seen in the way of ground detail.

24/25 June 1943 Elberfeld – Bomb Load 5 x TI, 1x 4000lb, 6 x 1000lb unless stated

EE107F 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy, F/L D.Mackenzie (2nd Pilot), H.Eardley, P/O G.F.Brantingham, Sgts A.Roche, W.A.Halsey, P.G.Nickerson, W.Hussey. 1 x 4000lb 12 SBC. Up 2259 Down 0322. Primary target Cologne attacked. 10/10ths cloud. Ground visibility poor. 20,000’. Two red TI markers in bombsight when bombs released. Own results not observed. No indications of ground detail.

28/29 June 1943 Cologne – Bomb Load – 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 6 x 1000lb unless stated.

EE107F 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy, F/L D.Mackenzie (2nd Pilot), H.Eardley, P/O G.F.Brantingham, Sgts A.Roche, W.A.Halsey, P.G.Nickerson, W.Hussey. 1 x 4000lb 12 SBC. Up 2259 Down 0322. Primary target Cologne attacked. 10/10ths cloud. Ground visibility poor. 20,000’. Two red TI markers in bombsight when bombs released. Own results not observed. No indications of ground detail.


3/4 July 1943 Cologne – Bomb Load 4 x TI, 1 x 4000lb, 6 x 1000lb unless stated

EE107F 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy, M.Eardley, P/O G.F.Brantingham, Sgts A.Roche, W.A.Halsey, P.G.Nickerson, W.Hussey. 1 x 4000lb 12 SBC. Up 2242 Down 0322. Primary objective Cologne bombed. 19,500’. Hazy. No cloud. Red TI marker in bombsight when load released. Large reddish explosion seen at 0137. Fires and incendiaries seen burning.
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  #5  
Old 20th January 2008, 16:22
Tony Kambic Tony Kambic is offline
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

Maybe it's not the same person:

In my copy of Eighth AF Bomber Stories by Russell J. Zorn and Ian McLachlan, the co-pilot's name of B-17 42-5793 was Lt. John K. Russell. Russell Zorn was an 8th AF photographer assigned to document crashes (damage assessment ) in the UK during the war. He saved photographs and crew lists from every crash that he investigated, which is at least 45 between Nov. 1943 and June 1945.
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  #6  
Old 20th January 2008, 17:07
David Layne
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tony Kambic View Post
Maybe it's not the same person:

In my copy of Eighth AF Bomber Stories by Russell J. Zorn and Ian McLachlan, the co-pilot's name of B-17 42-5793 was Lt. John K. Russell. Russell Zorn was an 8th AF photographer assigned to document crashes (damage assessment ) in the UK during the war. He saved photographs and crew lists from every crash that he investigated, which is at least 45 between Nov. 1943 and June 1945.
Oh dear that's not good to see. From what I got elsewhere and as I posted at the beginning of the post could it be a typo?

John E. Russell
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # O-885981
813th Bomber Squadron, 482nd Bomber Group, Pursuit


It made sense as Russell's USAAF unit was a Pathfinder unit as was 97 Squadron. The time frame is right as is the proximity of two units to one another.

Is there anyway of checking if these people were USAAF personnel?

2nd Lt J.E.Russell 2nd Lt R.Wright 2nd Lt W.S.Treacy
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  #7  
Old 20th January 2008, 21:49
Tony Kambic Tony Kambic is offline
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

This is becoming more complicated. I re-read the story about the last flight of 42-5793. It was on a special mission to use the British developed H2S airborne radar system. The aircraft was flown to RAF Defford in March 1943 where it remained while the Brits trained the Americans on the use of the radar as well as installing it in the B-17. This aircraft was then assigned to the 482nd BG that was a specialist PFF (Pathfinder Force).

To complicate this all, in the text of the story, the writer has the name as co-pilot John J. Russell, that differs from the crew manifest I sent earlier from the rear of the book, John K Russell. The aircraft had #1 engine catch fire on takeoff and crashed near a village, killing 4 civlian construction workers on the ground as well as the crew of 13. Extra crewmen supported the H2S system.
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  #8  
Old 21st January 2008, 00:53
David Layne
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

So we have John Russell with the middle initial of either E, J, or K.

Does anyone who has more expertise than I, have access too USAAF records that can clarify this? Or perhaps point me in the right direction.
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  #9  
Old 21st January 2008, 20:08
shooshoobaby shooshoobaby is offline
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

David -
8th AF Roll Of Honor has John K. Russell.
ABMC has John E. Russell
Must be a Typo on the ROH - all other info Fits.
I Don't have a Scanner - maybe another Member could
send Photo from Bishop's Book.
Mike

Last edited by shooshoobaby; 21st January 2008 at 20:55.
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  #10  
Old 22nd January 2008, 00:44
David Layne
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Re: John E. Russell U.S.A.A.F.

From another site Hugh Halliday provided the following information.

I can now confirm that John Edmund Russell was an American citizen who enlisted in the RCAF in Montreal, 15 July 1941. He qualified as a pilot at No.4 SFTS, 7 November 1941 and after further training in Canada was posted overseas in June 1942. He was commissioned in the RCAF (12 May 1943) and was discharged from the RCAF (presumably on transfer to American forces) on 10 June 1943.

I can find no connection for W.S. Treacy to the RCAF, and the frequency of names like "R. Wright" in the record makes it difficult to make an RCAF connection.
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