The John M. Hodges crew: 711th Squadron
Harvard AAB, October 1944
(As assigned Nov 8, 1943)
| Lt. James M. Hodges |
| Lt. Harry R. Pettit, Jr. |
| Lt. Arthur A. Durante |
| Lt. Jesse T. Smith, Jr. |
| Sgt. Donald M. Nevills |
| Sgt. Karl F. Joerger |
| Sgt. William T. Baker |
| Sgt. Raymond H. Rutledge, Jr. |
| Gunner Sgt. George E. Klaput |
| Sgt. Joseph H. Klaput |
| 8/43 | Moses Lake, WA |
| 08/43 – 11/43 | Harvard, NE |
| 11/43 | In Transit (Hodges flew with command staff, rest by sea) |
| 12/43 – 04/44 | 711th Squadron, Rattlesden, UK |
| Missions flown: varies by crew member | |
Flights with John M. Hodges listed as Pilot
These lists are NOT limited to officially credited Combat missions, and may include Aborts, returns and non-takeoff occurrences as well.
| 447th Mission (Date) | Target | Plane Number | Notes |
| #4 (04-Jan-44) | Kiel, Germany | 42-31108 | Not attack |
| #7 (11-Jan-44) | Brunswick, Germany | 42-31206 | Ret’d |
| #8 (14-Jan-44) | Grand Parc, France | 42-31206 | |
| #11 (29-Jan-44) | Frankfurt, Germany | 42-31204 | |
| #12 (30-Jan-44) | Brunswick, Germany | 42-31161 | Not attack |
| #15 (05-Feb-44) | Romilly-sur-Seine, France | 42-31144 | ABORT Personnel |
| #16 (06-Feb-44) | Evreux-Fauville, France | 42-97497 | |
| #18 (10-Feb-44) | Brunswick, Germany | 42-31206 | |
| #19 (13-Feb-44) | Pas de Calais, Marquenville, France | 42-37855 | |
| #20 (20-Feb-44) | Rostock, Germany | 42-31204 | |
| #25 (29-Feb-44) | Brunswick, Germany | 42-97501 | |
| #26 (03-Mar-44) | Berlin, Germany | 42-39882 | Not dispatched, could not find formation |
Due to losses, the Hodges crew flew only a few missions together. Following the loss of four members on February 28, the rest of the crew often filled in as replacements for other crews. Six were captured or interned. Only two completed their tour.
Although not listed as first pilot on the mission summaries currently available, Lt. Hodges continued to fly until April 13, when he and Smith were on board an aircraft that made a forced landing in Switzerland.
The Crew:
| Pilot | Lt. James M. Hodges | Interned 4/13/44 in Switzerland |
| Co-Pilot | Lt. Harry R. Pettit, Jr. | KIA 02/28/44 flying with Lt. Fouts |
| Navigator | Lt. Arthur A. Durante | POW 03/16/44 flying with Lt. Huckins |
| Bombardier | Lt. Jesse T. Smith, Jr. | Interned 4/13/44 in Switzerland |
| Engineer | Sgt. Donald M. Nevills | Reassigned to Leigh crew |
| Radio Operator | Sgt. Karl F. Joerger | KIA 02/28/44 flying with Lt. Fouts |
| Waist Gunner | Sgt. William T. Baker | POW 02/28/44 |
| Waist Gunner | Sgt. Raymond H. Rutledge, Jr. | POW 02/28/44 |
| Ball Turret Gunner | Sgt. George E. Klaput | Completed tour |
| Tail Gunner | Sgt. Joseph H. Klaput | POW 05/12/44 flying with Lt. Pettus |
Undated photo, unidentified aircraft
Left to right: Hodges, Pettit, Durante, Smith, Nevills and Joerger
not pictured: Baker, Ruttledge and the Klaput brothers.
George and Joe Klaput were the only twins ever to serve together on the same crew, not to mention in the same unit. Somehow they convinced the Army Air Force to set aside its policy forbidding brothers to serve together.
Harry Pettit, Co-pilot |
Harry Pettit, Co-pilot |
See also: Combat Diary of Joseph Klaput and the Durante Collection
Details of the crew’s experiences are included in Stub Warfle’s One Lucky Bastard
Combat Missions (previously compiled)
Due to losses, the Hodges crew flew only a few missions together. Following the loss of four members on February 28, the rest of the crew often filled in as replacements for other crews. Six were captured or interned. Only two completed their tour.
| No. | Date | Target | Aircraft (Hodges as 1st Pilot) |
Comments |
| 3 | 12/30/43 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | Flying with command pilot | |
| 4 | 01/04/44 | KIEL | 42-32108 | |
| 7 | 01/11/44 | BRUNSWICK | 42-32206 | |
| 8 | 01/14/44 | NOBALL NO. 107 GRAND PARC | 42-32206 | |
| 11 | 01/29/44 | FRANKFURT | 42-32204 | |
| 12 | 01/30/44 | BRUNSWICK | 42-32161 | |
| 13 | 02/03/44 | WILHELMSHAVEN | 42-32204 | |
| 15 | 02/05/44 | ROMILLY | 42-32144 | |
| 16 | 02/06/44 | EVREUX-FAUVILLE | 42-97497 “Tuxedo Tommy” | |
| 19 | 02/13/44 | NOBALL NO.S 110, 78 | 42-32155 | |
| 20 | 02/20/44 | TUTOW | 42-32204 | |
| 24 | 02/28/44 | NOBALL NO. 74 BOIS DE LA JUSTICE | Hodges didn’t fly this day. Pettit and Joerger killed, flying with Lt. Fouts. Baker and Rutledge in another plane, bailed out and were captured. | |
| 25 | 02/29/44 | BRUNSWICK | 42-97501 “Gum Chum” | |
| 26 | 03/03/44 | BERLIN – RECALL | 42-39882 | |
| 27 | 03/09/44 | BERLIN | ||
| 28 | 03/15/44 | BRUNSWICK | ||
| 29 | 03/16/44 | AUGSBURG | ||
| 30 | 03/15/44 | BRUNSWICK | ||
| 31 | 03/16/44 | AUGSBURG | Durante down with Huckins, captured |
Some photos/information provided by:
- Mr. Art Durante, Jr.
- Mr. Jack Keller
- Dante Pettit / Family of Harry Pettit
One Lucky Bastard; by Elwyn J. (Stub) Warfle