2nd Bombardment Group

In the spring of 1943 the 5th Bomb Wing of the 12th Air Force grew with the addition of more B-17 groups. The 2nd Bombardment Group began to arrive in North Africa in April of 1943. The Rigor Mortis was assigned to the 2nd Bombardment Group, November 14, 1943 flew 17 missions with the 96th Bomb Squadron. There was 1 Early Return (ERT) and 1 mission with the 429th.

96th Bomb Squadron

Crews and Missions:

Ralph B Anderson Anthony A Aratari William Arm Everett J Bauman Stanley W Beerli Richard M Blomquist Louis M Boehm Andrew A Bonnell, Jr. Julius F Bridges Robert A Brienza Donald M Byrd Albert D Byrne John W Carney Robert R Cary Richard H Chapman Eugene H Chekemain Robert C J Ciampa Robert F Cleesattel Carl D Coleman Thurman W Comer William J Cook Kenneth C Cook Phillip L Cooper Cleo E Corley Samuel W Covert Michael A Croccia Earl L Danahey Thomas R Degan Charles T Dickson John D Egan Furman W Elgin Gordon Fann Franklin W Fitzgerald Gerald W Flynn Thomas W Forbes Carl R Foster Joseph W Fricke Ascension Gonzales Anthony S Gruchawka Eugene A Guay Edward W Haley Stephen J Hannon Marshall E Hanson Woodrow W Hartsock Merle L Hegg Fred S Huskins Arthur L Hyatt Leon J Hyde

Joseph M Jaffe Charles A Jones Stanley H Katz Harry Kornitsky Harold J Kronenberg Arthur A Krueger Herman S Lavine Virgil W Lazar Woodrow M Lundquist Henry Macias William E McNichol Robert A Menke Allyn C Moore Thomas M Moriarity Joseph P O'Connor Warren D Oates Fred W Penn Kenneth R Peters Russell W Phillips Turner W Pickrel Benjamin H Putchkoff Kendrick U Reeves Charles J Rheinheimer Oscar Rome Edward C Ross, Jr. John Rudowski Benjamin F Scheckels, Jr Edward E Schneider George J Seamans Adolph Sevruk Bennie P Shoemaker Anthony J Sikole Clarence W Southern Edward R Spriggs Robert B Stamps George W Stasik John D Stepp, Jr. Freeman D Storm Robert F Sykes Talmadge W Trevethan Harold A Troutman William L Tucker Mallory E Walker Milan G Walter Nemor Warr James E Warren James L Weaver Dale E Wilkinson Robert Willis

429th Bomb Squadron

The following alphabetized list of servicemen are listed in crew and squadron records as having flown on Rigor Mortis a mission on January 31, 1944 to Udine, Italy. They also had an early return on mission 137, January 30, 1944 that was to target Lavariano, Italy.

Junior L Anderson
Celestine J Antonio
Fred W Counts
Leslie P Gallagher
Shelbourne W Gholson
John J Kilgalen
Fredrick G Lavigne
John L Magyar
Marshall McKew
Terrence M Sullivan

Crew lists provided for by research at the national archives by Dick Drain.

This photo provided by Terry Sullivan, 10/15/2004. Photo taken in Texas before overseas deployment, Plane Unknown.

L.to R. Back Row: Shelbourne W. Gholson, Fred W. Counts, Fred J. Lavigne, Junior L. Anderson, Howard L. Rees, John L Magyar.
Front Row: Marchall McKew, Leslie Gallagher, Celestine J. Antonie, Terrence Michael Sullivan.

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Some of the men listed did not survive the war. We honor their memory. Others returned to the states. I would like to get in contact with any survivors, spouses, descendants or other family members. Thank You.

The book contains 291 photos of pictures, artifacts, strike photos and newspaper clippings presented in this oversized 8x10 inch format. Read details of missions and the stories of courage and teamwork.

Order Softcover $29.95
Softcover, 2020. ISBN: 9781714727803 8x10 in. 382 pages. 291 Black & White pictures of documents, photos and artifacts.

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Order Hardcover $49.95
Hardcover, 2020. ISBN: 9781714711666 8x10 in. 382 pages. 125 Color and 166 Black & White pictures of documents, photos and artifacts.