hitchcock Crew

Material for this profile provided by Mr. Joseph Gentner, Mr. Steve Borcherding and Mr. Michael Berry

 - 8/43 Moses Lake, WA
08/43 - 11/43 Harvard, NE
11/43 In Transit (by air)
11/43 - 04/44 708th Squadron, Rattlesden, UK
Missions flown: 30
   

Pilot: Lt. William Hitchcock
Copilot: Lt. Edwin Chapin
Navigator: Lt. Joseph Gentner
Bombardier: Lt. William Fisher
Engineer: Sgt. Fred W. Shoksnyder 
Radio Operator: Sgt. John C. Pritchett 
Ball Turret Gunner: Sgt. Charles H. Sanner 
Waist Gunner: Sgt. James G. Sykes 
Waist Gunner: Sgt. Walter Sechrest 
Tail Gunner: Sgt. Frederick Herudek

Photo from Shields' History: 447th Bomb Group
probably taken at Harvard in Oct or Nov 1943.

Standing, L-R: 
Sgt Walter Sechrest, WG
Lt Edwin Chapin, CP
Lt Joseph D. Gentner, N
Sgt Walter Herudek, TG
Sgt John C.Pritchett, ROG
Capt William Hitchcock, P
Sgt Fred W. Shoksnyder, ENG

Kneeling, L-R:
Lt. William Fisher, B
Cpl Lawrence Berry, ground crew
SSgt James G. Sykes, WG
S/Sgt Harvey May, Jr., ground crew
Sgt Charles H. Sanner, BTG
Ground crew unknown

The following list shows missions on which Lt. William Hitchcock is listed as first pilot, and may not reflect all missions flown by members of the Hitchcock crew.

  No.  Date Target Aircraft  Comments                         
1 3 12/31/43   COGNAC   42-31207    
2 5 01/05/44  MERIGNAC  42-31155  
3 8 01/14/44  NOBALL NO. 107 GRAND PARC  42-31207  
4 11 01/29/44 FRANKFURT  42-31207  
5 13 02/03/44  WILHELMSHAVEN  42-31207  
6 17 02/08/44 WEISBADEN  42-38039  
7 20 02/20/44 TUTOW  42-31724  
8 21 02/21/44  DIEPHOLZ  42-38039  
9 25 02/29/44 BRUNSWICK  42-38039  
10 26 03/03/44  BERLIN - RECALL  42-38039  
11 27 03/04/44 BERLIN - RECALL  42-38039  
12 28 03/06/44 BERLIN    42-38039  
13 29 03/08/44  BERLIN   42-38039   
14 31 03/11/44 MUNSTER  42-38039  
15 32 03/13/44 NOBALL NO. 74 BOIS DE LA JUSTICE  42-38039  
16 33 03/15/44 BRUNSWICK  42-38039 This aircraft was damaged on this mission, subsequently 
transferred to the 388th BG, and lost during April 1944
17 35 03/18/44 MUNICH  42-31095  
18 37 03/22/44 BERLIN 42-37854  
19 39 03/26/44 NOBALL NO. 93 LA SORELLERIE 42-32081  
20 42 03/31/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN 368 ?  
21 45 04/10/44 DIEST SCHAFFEN 42-107020  
22 46 04/11/44 ARNIMSWALDE 42-107020  
23 47 04/13/44 AUGSBURG 42-107020  
24 48 04/18/44 ORANIENBURG RATHNOW 42-107020  
25 49 04/19/44 LIPSTADT WERL 42-107020  
26 50 04/20/44 NOBALL 42-107020  
27 51 04/22/44 HAMM 42-107020  
28 52 04/24/44 FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 42-107020  
29 55 04/27/44 LE CULOT 42-107020  
30 56 04/29/44 BERLIN 42-107020