447th Bomb Group Association
altman Crew
Information courtesy of Chris Ames, son of Jay W. Ames
Altman crew,
710th
Rattlesden, undated
Standing L-R:
Lt Jay W. Ames
Sgt Charles H.
Aldridge
Lt Herbert S. Altman
Lt Frank T. Hocking
Sgt Marvin H.
Handley
Lt L W. McFarland
Kneeling L-R:
Sgt Malcom C.
Campman
Sgt Rex L. Jones
Sgt John J. Dow
Sgt William M.
Simington
Station 126, Rattlesden AAF, Suffolk, EnglandAltman Crew
Operational Missions
447th BG
| Mission no. | Target | Date | Duration |
| 72 | Konigsburg, Oil depot, Germany | 28 May, 1944 | 8:30 |
| 74 | St. Pol-Siracourt, Gun emplacements, France | 30 May, 1944 | 4:45 |
| 75 | Hamm, Marshalling Yards, Germany | 31 May, 1944 | 6:45 |
| 79 | Wissant, three 150mm Coastal guns, France | 4 June, 1944 | 5:00 |
| 82 or 83? | D-Day, Targets north of Caen, France | 6 June, 1944 | 7:00 |
| 84 | D-Day, Argentan, France | 6 June, 1944 | 6:30 |
| 85 | Nantes, France | 7 June, 1944 | 9:30 |
| 87 | Le Touquet, Airfield, France | 11 June, 1944 | 5:15 |
| 88 | Conches, Railroad targets, France | 12 June, 1944 | 6:00 |
| 91 | Misburg, Oil refinery, Germany | 18 June, 1944 | 8:00 |
| 94 | Berlin, Germany – Ames wounded by flak | 21 June, 1944 | 9:30 |
| 106 | Munich – Landed in Dubendorf, Switzerland | 11 July 1944 | 4:45 |
On 11 July 1944, as they took off on a mission to Munich in aircraft 42-102651, Piccadilly Ann II, the crew included bombardier replacement James Walker Davidson from Ohio and tail gunner Fritz Jost from South Dakota. During the mission, they were hit by flak and subsequently landed at Dubendorf, Switzerland. Landing time was 1223 hours. The 10 member crew and aircraft were interned. The following picture is of the Piccadilly Ann II on the ground at Dubendorf.
F/O McFarland and navigator, 2nd Lt. Frank T.
Hockings escaped back to England.
Picadilly Ann II
Jay W. Ames was the bombadier of the Altman crew in the 710th BS. The first 11 mission on his Operational Missions card were flown with the Altman crew. Jay was wounded on 21 June 44 (his 11th mission) did not fly with Altman after that date.
The following files have to do with Lt. Ames service with the 447th.
Special Orders: Jan. 06 1944, Jan. 12 1944, Mar. 27 1944, May 12 1944
Operational Missions: Nov. 02 1944
Operational Orders: April 19, 1944