387th Bomb Group
559th Bombardment Squadron
1942-45
My great-grandfather Marvin Neil Dugger served as a crew chief on a B-26 Marauder with the 9th Airforce in the European Theatre of Operations. He never talked about the war. Most notable among his awards were the silver service star, bronze service star, and the bronze star medal. We do not know what bomber he was chief of, but have heard that the pilot rarely flew without him. We would like to know more about his service history, and we will be extremely grateful for any information. Thanks for running this B26 website. - Logan Gardner
Bomb Group: 387th BG
Bomb Squadron: 557th BS
Years in service: 1941 - 45
The B-26 Marauder crashed on 25 November 1944. Weather was rain and sleet. Visibility was 5 miles. The date of the 24th is incorrect.
The crew were returning from a bombing mission of the Kaiserslautern ammunition dump.
The crew was composed of:
2nd LT William F. Ray - Pilot (Texas)
2nd LT Dennis O. Jones - Co-Pilot (New Jersey)
2nd LT William W. Padgett, Jr. - Navigator/Bombardier (Indiana)
2nd LT James L. Dubois - Navigator/Bombardier (Wisconsin)
S/SGT Raul Pompa - Engineer/Top Turret Gunner (Texas)
CPL Preston L. Prejean - Radio Operator (Louisiana)
S/SGT Wetzel C. Kimball - Tail Gunner (West Virginia)
The crew was with the 557th Bomb Squadron, 387th Bomb Group, 9th Air Force.
2nd LT Padgett, 2nd LT Dubois, CPL Prejean and S/SGT Kimball were killed in the crash. 2nd LT Ray, 2nd LT Jones and S/SGT Pompa were thrown from the airplane upon impact, and sustained injuries. S/SGT Pompa's injuries were the more serious of the three.
2nd LT Dubois and S/SGT Kimball were not regular members of the crew. 2nd LT Dubois, an experienced Navigator/Bombardier was aboard as this airplane was flying deputy lead in the formation. S/SGT Kimball was substituting for the regular Tail Gunner, CPL Wes Anderson, who was detailed on some assignment.
The airplane that crashed near La Neuville Housset was a Martin B-26 MarauderG1, Serial Number 43-34151, Fuselage Code KS A. The airplane had no nickname.
Persons deserving special recognition:
Father Joseph Houyoux
Cure of de Housset at La Neuville
31 Rue de Fleures
Paris, France
Father Houyoux led the rescue and recovery effort of the surviving and deceased crewmen. He also came to the United States to meet with the families of the deceased crewmen. Father Houyoux is also responsible for obtaining funds for the cross memorial for the crew in La Neuville Housset.
The Depercenaire family
La Neuville Housset, France
The Depercenaire family, without hesitation, opened their home to the crewmen. The surviving and deceased crewmen were gathered in their kitchen. The Depercenaire family provided a warm, dry shelter for the survivors and a place to collect the bodies. The family also sacrificed a number of their towels and sheets to treat the wounds of the survivors and to cover the bodies of the deceased.
Marie Noelle Poulet
La Neuville Housset, France
On 11 November 2001, Madame Poulet organized an official, governmental rededication ceremony of the cross memorial in La Neuville Housset. This remembrance of the crewmen by the people of France meant a great deal to their families. Thank you, Madame Poulet, for remembering us.
As a postscript, 2nd LT Ray outlived all his crew members. William Floyd Ray died on July, 2010, at the age of 88. I met Floyd. Floyd was a good man with fond memories of his crew, and he loved his airplane, the B-26 Marauder.
Raul Pompa 2
2. 437th 12th AAF Gp. CO was Maj. Carlile
3. North Africa
4. DOE 9 march 42 -1946
5. Engr/Turret Gunner
6. 18 June 43 in B26-B-4 41-31603 “Our Baby” on 12th Mission, took several passes from fighters over Oblia, Sardinia. German Pilot HTPM Karl Rammelt credited with shooting it down. Shot up bad, Lost #1, heavy vibration, full of smoke and fire. Legs not working well, full of flak. Ordered to hit the silk. Lost consciousness briefly after clearing ship. Tail Gunner S.Sgt Frank Riatto (KIA) roman candled by and slammed into rocky beach. Ordered at gunpoint to sit on top S.Sgt Riatto in an oxcart by Italian civilians. McClintock along with Pilot 1st. Lt. Roger Zeller, Co-Pilot 1st Lt. Albert G. Irish, Bombardier 2nd Lt. Sam D. White and Waist Gunner T.Sgt. Carl D. Piper held captive and interrogated until turned over to Germans in Rome on 23 June and then transferred to Stalag VII A. Zeller successfully escaped and returned to duty Oct 1943. The rest remained there until transferred to Stalag 17B. Liberated by GI's 3 May 45. With S/sgt Kurtenback, P.T. "Mel" Miluski in camp as well.
386BG, 553BS "OUR BABY"
26 Nov 43 transferred to service group
386BG, 552BS "SHERRY BRITTON"
30 Jul 44 to 22 Feb 45 transferred
Best Regards, Trevor
I am wondering if you have any easy resources where I could identify the locations and missions my grandfather Paul C. Bonifacino was on in WW2. He was a co-pilot.
R. Bonifacino
I am also attaching, as I have in the past, 2 photos taken by Marauderman Lt Bill Rose, 391st Bomb Group, as his aircraft was approaching Utah Beach on D-Day.
Mac McConnell
Unit | Target | Take Off Time | Bomb Release Time
1st Pathfinder Sqdn | Ouistreham 69 | 0345 hrs | 0520 hrs
322nd.Bomb Group | Ouistreham 69 | 0345 hrs | 0520 hrs
1st Pathfinder Sqdn | Bennerville | 0345 hrs | 0526 hrs
391st Bomb Group | Bennerville PFF B26 | 0345 hrs | 0517 hrs *
* did not drop its bombs
1st Pathfinder Sqdn | Ouistreham 74 | 0400 hrs | 0555 hrs
322nd Bomb Group | Ouistreham 74 | 0400 hrs | 0555 hrs
344th Bomb Group | Beau Guillot 20 | 0405 hrs | 0605 hrs
344th Bomb Group | La Madeleine 22 | 0355 hrs | 0608 hrs
344th Bomb Group | St Martin de Varreville 19 | 0410 hrs | 0609 hrs
387th Bomb Group | La Madeleine 36 | 0442 hrs | 0614 hrs
387th Bomb Group | Beau Guillot 23 | 0442 hrs | 0614 hrs
387th Bomb Group | Les Dunes de Varreville 104 | 0449 hrs | 0614 hrs
394th Bomb Group | St Martin de Varreville 19 | 0427 hrs | 0616 hrs
323rd Bomb Group | Beau Guillot 20 | 0400 hrs | 0616.5 hrs
323rd Bomb Group | La Madeleine 36 | 0425 hrs | 0617 hrs
323rd Bomb Group | St Martin de Varreville 101 | 0435 hrs | 0617.5 hrs
394th Bomb Group | La Madeleine 22 | 0427 hrs | 0617.5 hrs
394th Bomb Group | St Martin de Varreville 101 | 0427 hrs | 0618 hrs
397th Bomb Group | Les Dunes de Varreville 104 | 0407 hrs | 0619 hrs
397th Bomb Group | La Madeleine 36 | 0407 hrs | 0620 hrs
397th Bomb Group | Beau Guillot 23 | 0407 hrs | 0622 hrs
386th Bomb Group | Les Dunes de Varreville 104 | 0439 hrs | 0623 hrs
386th Bomb Group | La Madeleine | 0441 hrs | 0624 hrs
386th Bomb Group | St Martin de Varreville 101 | 0445 hrs | 0624 hrs
391st Bomb Group | Maisy 7 | 0445 hrs | 0625 hrs
391st Bomb Group | St Pierre du Mont | 0430 hrs | 0626 hrs
322nd Bomb Group | Montfarville 308 | 0500 hrs | 0627 hrs
Trevor Allen, Historian
B26.COM
Bomb Group: 17th
Bomb Squadron: 432nd
Comments: Hello, my name is Marka Peterson. I am Harry Holstun, Jr.’s granddaughter, his daughter Gloria Holstun Oates is my mother. I am trying to find more information on the dates and places of all the 40 missions my grandfather and his squadron completed in Africa. Thank you in advance.
Here is what I know for sure: 1943 U.S. Army Air Corps Crew. Full military name: Crew 10, 432nd Bomb Squadron, 17th Bomb Group, 12th Air Force. Martin B-26 Bomber-6 man crew, "My Sister Wouldn't But I Will". The crew - Jay W. Stevenson, Co-Pilot Baton Rouge, LA; Jim Schultz, Bombardier-Navigator, Hurst, TX; Lester Lund Elgin Ill, Crew Chief; J.L. Herenstein, Rushsylvania, Ohio Radio Operator and Gunner (two other crew members who I don't know their names). The crew completed 40 missions, never injured, slept in tents and helped push Rommel's German forces from North Africa. They moved around three bases in Algeria and Tunisia. The crew all survived the campaign and actually had a reunion in Dallas, Texas on July 5, 1970 with all but two of the men from the squadron. There was an article in The Dallas Morning News about it.
I have recently started researching my grandfather's experiences in the war. He was a radioman/gunner in the 386th/555th. He was shot down on 1/23/44 and spent the rest of the war in multiple POW camps (Luft 6, then 4, finally 3).
I was able to find the narrative of the mission he was on when he was shot down which was very nice to be able to read. I was really hoping to find the nose art of that particular plane, "XTERMINATOR".
I was trying to post to the guest book, and I can't seem to figure it out.
Thank you for this web page and all the information you have provided to the public.
Bob Esser
41-31618 386BG 555BS "XTERMINATOR"
23 Jan 44 attacked by Fw190, hit in right engine, engine caught fire, nosed out of formation under control, 3 chutes emerged, landing gear lowered, entered cloud, 1 chute out of nose wheel doors. Crashed one and a half miles W of Fort Phillipe NNW of Loom Plage 3 miles E of Gravelines, France. MARC 2077
Crew: F/O.s Barney W. Wasowicz; Harold R McClanahan; 2.Lt Matthew Gemery; S/Sgts Robert D Carpenter; Lewis G Fischer; Lester D Higgins. (all pow's)
-Trevor Allen
I opened one drawer which I guess I had never looked in before and found a collection of papers, photos, booklets, medals and a pistol - a German Luger. There were photos of planes, bombs and soldiers - very interesting things - but with no knowledge or context in which to really understand what I was looking at, I did get the feeling that, perhaps, I should not have been poking around in there. So I closed the drawer and put it out of my mind. Or so I thought.
I was afraid to ask my Dad about it but I could not get it out of my mind! So I asked my Mom. She was a very pleasant lady, a great Mom, but the piercing look she gave me and the stern, "don't go there", cured my curiosity.
My Dad and I never talked much about his war experience and as I got older I grew less interested given everything else that was going on in my life. Nonetheless, when the topic did come up in a group setting, often including discussions of someone named Mike and someone named Gibby, he became cold and distant, often walking away. I found that puzzling but once again my Mom would look at me and say, "don't go there".
So time moved on, I forgot about the 'drawer' of painful memories, and my Dad and I enjoyed life. He put up with my quirks, habits, beliefs and phobias and I put up with his. As I got older and wiser, the sources of my own personality quirks became quite clear to me, but I could not imagine why my father was the way he was - introverted, claustrophobic, alcohol dependent (although fully functional and never abusive), always had an army blanket in his car and on his bed, somewhat cold regarding building new loving relationships - but a great Dad anyway.
My Dad passed in 1996 at the age of 76 from lung cancer as a former very heavy smoker (another result of the war). For the last ten years or so of his life after Mom died, he moved in with my brother, John. Dad was really defeated when Mom died - she was his rock.
My brother and I moved on and around 2006 John retired and moved from New York to North Carolina. He came across a lot of Dad's stuff in boxes in his attic and moved them into my attic for safe keeping so he did not have to take it with him.
In 2010, it was time to clean out my attic. Opening my Dad's boxes was like opening a time capsule. His careers, awards and recognitions came storming out. The black and white photo albums of generations of people I never knew were fascinating - old high neck dresses, knickers, old cars, horse and buggies - wow!
Then I opened 'THE BOX' and it took my breath away. There were the photos, booklets, medals, pistol I had seen fifty-four years ago. I stared at the contents for a long time and then it hit me - there is a story somewhere in that box that I needed to know. I hope it is not too late to find it.
I laid out the contents of that box chronologically and spent the next four to five years connecting the dots. Much of what I compiled was written by others who were with my father along the way. However, a lot of it I wrote myself as only I would know the details from conversations with my Mom and my brother. Now with over 1000 pages in in 23 chapters, seven Appendices and an epilog, I know the whole story. I understand my Dad better now than I ever did when he was alive and I ache in never having been able to help him with his pain which is now so clear to me. Together, three young men, the best of friends, went of to war. Only one returned.
If it is of any interest to you and the B-26 group, my Dad's story is available on line. https://ahofmann531.wixsite.com/family-veterans/
There are several stories there for other veterans in my family. You see, after compiling my Dad's story, I could not stop. In fact, I have also compiled detailed stories for a P-47 Fighter Pilot and Armored Division soldier in the Guadalcanal Campaign for friends.
Sorry for the long winded email but I thought you might appreciate the background - a sadly too common story for children of veterans of WWII.
Be well,
Al Hofmann
Marauder Men, family and friends are invited to add content to the web site. Send scanned pictures 300dpi or mail pictures via post. Tell a story about your Marauderman and include as much information as you can.
