The John G. Polansky crew: 708th Squadron
Rattlesden, June 28, 1944 (after 10th man was reassigned and before first combat mission.)
| Standing L-R: |
| Sgt Samuel L. Larson |
| Sgt Russell N. Kerr |
| S/Sgt Norbert Knueppel |
| Lt Herbert A. Glasscock |
| F/O Adam E. Janowski |
| Kneeling L-R: |
| Lt John G. Polansky |
| S/Sgt John T. Williams |
| Lt Louis Kovach |
| Sgt Arthur M. Wayrynen |
| 3/44-5/44 | OTU, Ardmore, Oklahoma |
| 5/21-5/28/44 | Kearny, Nebraska |
| 5/29-6/4/44 | In Transit by air |
| 6/20/44-10/22/44 | 708th Squadron, Rattlesden, UK Special Order No. 148 |
| Missions flown: 35 | |
Flights with John G. Polansky 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 |
| #104 (07-Jul-44) | Meresburg, Germany | 42-102632 | |
| #105 (08-Jul-44) | St.Andre De L’eure / Nogent, France | 42-102658 | |
| #106 (11-Jul-44) | Munich, Germany | 43-37774 | |
| #111 (18-Jul-44) | Cuxhaven, Germany | 43-37830 | AB Spare |
| #113 (20-Jul-44) | Merseburg, Germany | 43-37531 | Two T/O; Returned with Oxy system out |
| #114 (21-Jul-44) | Regensburg, Germany | 43-37774 | |
| #115 (24-Jul-44) | St. Lo, France | 43-37531 | |
| #116 (25-Jul-44) | St. Lo, France | 42-31185 | |
| #117 (27-Jul-44) | Ostend, Belgium | 42-102632 | |
| #119 (02-Aug-44) | St. Dennis, France | 42-32080 | ABORT #2 Eng |
| #120 (04-Aug-44) | Arras – Ostend, Belgium | 42-32080 | |
| #122 (07-Aug-44) | Anizy le Chateau, France | 42-32080 | |
| #123 (08-Aug-44) | Bretteville sur Laise, France | 42-32080 | |
| #127 (14-Aug-44) | Mannheim, Germany | 42-102658 | |
| #128 (15-Aug-44) | Handorf, Germany | 42-31185 | |
| #129 (16-Aug-44) | Rositz, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #130 (18-Aug-44) | St. Dizier, France | 42-32080 | |
| #131 (24-Aug-44) | Brux, Czechoslovakia | 42-32080 | |
| #132 (25-Aug-44) | Rechlin, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #134 (27-Aug-44) | Berlin, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #136 (01-Sep-44) | Mainz, Germany | 42-32081 | |
| #137 (03-Sep-44) | Brest, France | 43-37756 | |
| #138 (05-Sep-44) | Brest, France | 42-37854 | |
| #139 (08-Sep-44) | Mainz, Germany | 43-37797 | |
| #140 (09-Sep-44) | Besancon, France | 42-32080 | |
| #141 (10-Sep-44) | Giebelstadt, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #148 (25-Sep-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #149 (26-Sep-44) | Bremen, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #150 (27-Sep-44) | Ludwigshafen, Germany | 42-32080 | |
| #152 (02-Oct-44) | Kassel, Germany | 42-97400 | |
| #153 (03-Oct-44) | Giebelstadt, Germany | 42-97400 | |
| #157 (09-Oct-44) | Gustavsburg, Germany | 42-31185 | slated #531 |
| #158 (12-Oct-44) | Bremen, Germany | 43-37797 | |
| #159 (14-Oct-44) | Cologne, Germany | 44-6511 | Landed on Continent; returned Oct 15 |
| #161 (17-Oct-44) | Cologne, Germany | 42-31225 |
Make sure to see One Tour Three Views— the mission notes from Lt. Herbert Glasscock, Sgt. Russell Kerr and Sgt. Norbert Knueppel compiled and organized by David Wayrynen into a look at one crew’s tour at Rattlesden.
Left to Right: Russ Kerr, Art Wayrynen, Sam Larson and J.T. Williams on the flightline
Photo taken August, 1944 by Nor Knueppel
In front of Hut 8, Living Area 4. Front-right is Charles Edwards, 10th crewman, reassigned to another crew on arrival at Rattlesden (June, 1944)
Art, Sam and Russ on London Bridge (Photo taken by Nor, 3-day pass, July 1944)
Pilot John Polansky, Co-pilot Herb Glasscock beside 43-37797 Q (“Crew Picture Day, September 30, 1944)
Art Wayrynen beside 43-37797 Q (“Crew Picture Day, September 30, 1944)
Left to right, standing: Polansky, Glasscock, Janowski Kneeling: Wayrynen, Larson, Williams, Kerr Not pictured: Kovach and Knueppel (wounded)
Photo taken after last mission, October 17, 1944 (Unidentified 708th aircraft)
See the growing collection of Lucky Bastard’s Club certificates from the 447th BG.
Russell N. Kerr
Elsewhere on the 447th BG website (or soon to be added):
- Nearly 200 photos from the collection of Art Wayrynen
- Art Wayrynen’s annotated Pictorial History of the 447th Bomb Group and Short Snorter
- Flying log of Lt. Herbert A. Glasscock, combat Diaries of Nor Knueppel and Russ Kerr
- Oral History: Transcripts of memories of J.T. Williams, Nor Knueppel and Russ Kerr
- Silk flying scarf signed by whole crew
Profile: Pilot-Cadet Arthur M. Wayrynen
Combat Missions (previously compiled)
| No. | Date | Target | Aircraft | Comments |
| 101 | 06/29/44 | BOHLEN | Unknown | Orientation mission for Kerr, Larson, Polansky |
| 102 | 07/06/44 | BERCK A/F (p) | Unknown | Orientation mission for rest of crew |
| 104 | 07/07/44 | MERSEBURG | 42-102632 (Due Back) | |
| 105 | 07/08/44 | ST. ANDRE DE L’EURE / NOGENT M/Y | 42-102658 (Blanco Diablo) | |
| 106 | 07/11/44 | MUNICH | 43-37774 | EM promoted one grade on 12 July Special Order No. 165 |
| 110 | 07/16/44 | STUTTGART | 43-37531 (Quien Sabe) | |
| 111 | 07/18/44 | CUXHAVEN | N/A | Co-pilot Glasscock flew as replacement on airborne spare, returned to base |
| 113 | 07/20/44 | MERSEBURG | 43-37531 (Quien Sabe) | |
| 114 | 07/21/44 | REGENSBURG | 43-37774 | |
| 115 | 07/24/44 | ST. LO AREA | 43-37531 (Quien Sabe) | |
| 116 | 07/25/44 | ST. LO AREA | 42-31185 (Satchel Lass) | |
| 117 | 07/27/44 | OSTEND | 42-102632 (Due Back) | |
| 119 | 08/02/44 | ST. DENNIS | 42-32080 (Too Tired) | Previously named Virginia Helen, was initially renamed Virgins from Hell by the crew following this mission; they were instructed by Air Exec to remove the name, and subsequently named it Too Tired in honor of comic character Li’l Abner. |
| 122 | 08/07/44 | ANIZY LE CHATEAU (p) | 42-32080 * | |
| 123 | 08/08/44 | BRETTEVILLE (p) | 42-32080 * | |
| 3-day pass | ||||
| 127 | 08/14/44 | MANNHEIM | 42-102658 (Blanco Diablo) | Too Tired had been damaged by flak on prior mission |
| 128 | 08/15/44 | HANDORF A/F | 42-31185 (Satchel Lass) | |
| 129 | 08/16/44 | ROSITZ | 42-32080 * | F/O Adam Janowski promoted to 2Lt. |
| 130 | 08/18/44 | ST. DIZIER A/F (p) | 42-32080 * | |
| 131 | 08/24/44 | BRUX | 42-32080 * | |
| 134 | 08/28/44 | BERLIN | 42-32080 * | |
| 136 | 09/01/44 | MAINZ | 42-32080 * | A/C seriously damaged by flak, no injuries |
| 137 | 09/03/44 | BREST (p) | 43-37756 (Milk Wagon) | |
| 138 | 09/05/44 | BREST (p) | 42-32854 | |
| 139 | 09/08/44 | MAINZ | 43-37797 (American Beauty) | |
| 140 | 09/09/44 | GRASSY | 42-32080 * | |
| 141 | 09/10/44 | GILBERSTADT | 42-32080 * | |
| 7-day pass | Special Order No. 219 | |||
| 148 | 09/25/44 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | 42-32080 * | Polansky, Glasscock and Kovach promoted to 1Lt. |
| 149 | 09/26/44 | BREMEN | 42-32080 * | |
| 150 | 09/27/44 | LUDWIGSHAFEN | 42-32080 * | Navigator Kovach seriously wounded (flak); 107 flak holes in A/C |
| 151 | 09/28/44 | MERSEBURG | N/A | Crew flew with unknown replacement pilot this day only; bombardier Janowski wounded (flak) |
| 152 | 10/02/44 | KASSEL (p) | 42-97400 (Fuddy Duddy) | |
| 153 | 10/03/44 | GILBERSTADT | 42-97400 (Fuddy Duddy) | |
| 157 | 10/09/44 | GUSTAVSBURG | 42-31185 (Satchel Lass) | (Some records indicate this A/C had been salvaged prior to this date) |
| 158 | 10/12/44 | BREMEN | 43-37797 (American Beauty) | |
| 159 | 10/14/44 | COLOGNE | 44-6511 | Flak damage, runaway prop, engine fire; forced landing at Lille, France; R.O. Knueppel wounded; damage repaired and flew home following day. |
| 161 | 10/17/44 | COLOGNE | 42-31225 (Scheherazade) [709th A/C] |
Some questions on who flew, except for notations in co-pilot’s log that this was 35th and last mission for “P, CP and EM.” Diaries and notes of several others confirm this as last mission for the crew. Kovach and Knueppel did not fly this mission. George Hoidra, flying his first Combat Orientation mission, was replacement navigator. |
Some photos/information provided by:
- The collection of David Wayrynen
Some information and/or images sourced from the American Air Museum database