433rd Troop Carrier Group B-17 Crew

[Steve Birdsall]

This photo was taken in New Guinea after a particularly eventful mission in an old B-17 armed transport named Cap’n & The Kids.

So far I have only been able to identify six of the seven men. Standing left to right (as you look at the photo) are the pilots, Maj. Abe J. Beck and F/O Ralph Deardorff. Then an unknown man, possibly the radio operator T/Sgt Robert Midgley from New York, or the engineer, T/Sgt Donald Sanford from Minnesota. The fourth man is radio gunner S/Sgt William Mathis.

Top turret gunner Pvt Brian Marcorelle is in the front row at the left, assistant radio operator Sgt Joseph Hanvey next to him and finally the left nose gunner, T/Sgt Robert McCullough.

Can anybody identify the seventh crew member?

[edwest]

It may be Sgt. A.C. Crossen. Can you identify the mission? Location?




Ed

[Steve Birdsall]

The mission was flown 2 March 1944. Thanks to Rolland Swank I'm now reasonably certain that the man in question is Donald Sanford.

[Steve Birdsall]

I've just heard from Dean C. Sanford, who confirms that his late father, Donald Sanford, is the man standing third from the left in the crew photo.

Joseph Hanvey was my grandpa. He later retired as a Chief Master Sgt. I attended a Veterans Day parade today and as I saw all the veterans from years past, I was reminded once again of Grandpa and the stories he used to tell. It was bitter sweet as I smiled thinking of him and sad that he is gone now. I miss my Grandpa, he was the coolest guy I've ever known. I've never seen this picture before, thanks for posting it.