The below crew list shows some of the changes that took place between
the
Summer of 1944 and the loss of A-16 on 1 June 1945.
In the April 1944 497th Bomb Group Narrative history is
Special Orders 100
issued at Clovis Army Air Field, New Mexico.
The five officers in the original crew were at Clovis.
Three of the enlisted men also appear in this order.
However, there is nothing to indicate that they were part of a crew
at this time.
SSgt Russell Strong did not arrive at Pratt AAF
from Boca Raton until mid May 1944.
They departed Pratt on 11 October 1944 and
travelled by rail to Herington AAF.
There they picked up their B-29 and flew to Mather AAF, Sacramento.
Their next stops were Oahu and Kwajalein, reaching Saipan on 20 October
1944.
In March 1945 Captain Bartlett was transferred to 73rd Bomb Wing HQ
.
His place as Aircraft Commander was taken by Lt Franklin Crowe.
Earlier, in January 1945, two of the gunners were injured and hospitalized.
Cpl Krantz and Cpl Wilson were replaced by
Cpl George A Beck, Jr and Cpl George N Beck.
During the months of March through Mayl there was considerable shuffling
of crews.
On the day of this mission (1 June 1945 ) Cpl George N Beck was flying
on A-13.
Below the Crew Table is a photo of the original
Bartlett Crew taken on Saipan during December 1944.
American Maid would survive the War with different
Aircraft Commanders flying her
following Capt Bartlett's departure for Wing HQ.
The first set of orders is the one issued
at Clovis AAF in April 1944.
This is followed by one page of Special Orders 236
issued at Pratt AAF in August 1944.
This is a Movement Order and these crews were
with the Flight Echelon, flying their B-29 to Saipan.
