Hudson, W. C.

The Wesley C. Hudson crew: 711th Squadron

With 42-31088 Heaven Can Wait at Rattlesden, early 1944

(As assigned Nov 8, 1943)

Lt Wesley C. Hudson
Lt Willard B. Corley
Lt Norman Bishusky
Lt Joseph C. Hendrix
S/Sgt Edward J. Kelly
S/Sgt Donald M. Jungenberg
Sgt Leo A. St. Laurent
Pvt Burton L. Wilson
Sgt Charles E. Gorman
Sgt James E. Penwell

 

Flights with Wesley C. Hudson 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
#2 (30-Dec-43) Ludwigshafen, Germany 42-31184 Not attack
#3 (31-Dec-43) Cognac, France 42-31088  
#4 (04-Jan-44) Kiel, Germany 42-31124  
#6 (07-Jan-44) Ludwigshafen, Germany 42-31145 Ret’d / No Takeoff in #882 / Eng trouble
#7 (11-Jan-44) Brunswick, Germany 42-37842  
#10 (24-Jan-44) Frankfurt, Germany 42-31127  
#11 (29-Jan-44) Frankfurt, Germany 42-39886  
#14 (04-Feb-44) Frankfurt, Germany 42-39882 Replaced Keller #206
#18 (10-Feb-44) Brunswick, Germany 42-38052  
#19 (13-Feb-44) Pas de Calais, Marquenville, France 42-38052 (replaced Hopla in 095)
#20 (20-Feb-44) Rostock, Germany 42-38052  
#21 (21-Feb-44) Diepholz, Germany 42-31724 slated #052
#23 (25-Feb-44) Regensburg, Germany 42-38052  
#24 (28-Feb-44) Bois de la Justice, France 42-38052  
#26 (03-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany 42-38052 ABORT heating fail
#27 (04-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany 42-38052 ABORT not enough gas
#28 (06-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany 42-31719  
#29 (08-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany 42-37864 ABORT Oxy fail
#30 (09-Mar-44) Berlin, Germany 42-38052 Landed at Hales Worth
#33 (15-Mar-44) Brunswick, Germany 42-38052  
#34 (16-Mar-44) Augsburg, Germany 42-97497  
#35 (18-Mar-44) Munich, Germany 42-38052  
#36 (20-Mar-44) Frankfurt, Germany 42-38052  
#40 (27-Mar-44) Merignac, Chartes, France 42-39865 Crashed on Lavendon Green Farm (sp?)

 

The Hudson crew was aboard 42-38085 that crashed near Bullswood Lane, Cockfield shortly after takeoff for the mission on 27 March 1944. 

Wes Hudson Pilot KIA
Willard Corley Co-Pilot KIA
Norman Bishusky Navigator KIA
Joe Hendrix Bombardier KIA
John Cunningham Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner KIA
Don Jungenbeg Radio Operator KIA
Chas Gorman Ball Turret Gunner KIA
Leo St Laurent Waist Gunner KIA
John Bodenhoffer Waist Gunner KIA
Jim Penwell Tail Gunner KIA

 

Russell Chase, of the Hopla crew, has provided the following account.

Our crew (Hopla) exited the plane at the end of the runway. We were blocking traffic, so the exchange (with the Hudson crew) took seconds. We were to fly Spare plane, Spare crew that day.

Hoppy, Charles, Tom and Fred were immediately picked up by a Jeep. Bill and Willy walked in to briefing Bldg. Bob, Tom Price, Wayne and myself remained with our equipment, for a truck.

While they were rearranging our gear, I watched Hudson takeoff all the way through the explosion. It happened so fast I finally got Shumates attention as the wings, now tinsel, sprinkled to the ground. Since we just exited the plane, we speculated explosion occurred from smoking on takeoff, from the exhaust of superchargers. That was March 27, 1944.

That was a huge explosion considering not only explosives, but add full load of bombs, full tanks of aviation gas, etc. The locals’ thought the plane was over their farms because plane parts landed everywhere, which mislead the investigators. We were never questioned. Hudson began a turn to the right, but never executed the turn.

Base security was tight so we were not allowed near the crash sight.

In 1992 we attended the 50th year anniversary, and in the lounge, in the control tower, was a picture of Hudson’s crew. I remarked, out loud, whatever happened to Hudson’s crew and immediately drew a crowd. Tom Eastman, pilot we all knew well, became Capt of 708 Security and reported 2 German parachutes were located on the base. They suspect explosives were placed in the wheelwells. When wheels retracted the explosives detonated. The remainder of the crowd present were members of the band, who also serve as backup Security force. They reported each were assigned a B17 to guard all night, with orders to shoot without warning. One was shot, and killed, they report, who had no ID. The band was on duty every night for 3 weeks, as confirmed by all, approximately 10 present, who remembered their nights of duty.

I saw the War Dept report, which is not accurate, and understandable. If the word SABOTAGE were to leak to the masses, some would never fly again.

 

 

 

Leo A. St. Laurent

 

 

 


Some photos/information provided by:

  • Russell Chase

Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database