Lucky Bastards’ Club

Lucky Bastards’ Club

 

This is a collection of Lucky Bastards Club certificates provided by members of the 447th. The certificates were issued to combat crewmen upon completion of their tour of duty. Surviving certificates vary greatly in the condition of the original, and the quality of the images provided.

Why are Lucky Bastards certificates important? For several reasons. Without doubt, they are valuable historical artifacts and have a certain charm — light-heartedly commemorating difficult and trying events.

But more importantly, they are a formal, official record of significant data, particularly the names given to aircraft by their crews. In several cases below, the certificates have established not only specific names that are not previously recorded, but also the dates those names were used. These certificates are widely accepted proof for the provenance of aircraft names.

 

Should you add yours to the collection? Absolutely! 

[Maybe?] 447th Members: Have you lost your Certificate? The 447th Bomb Group Association is now able to provide authentic reproductions of lost certificates to its qualified veterans or family members. See the Association’s PX for more details.

 

 

Joseph A. Adams

Ball Turret Gunner on Miss Undecided

 

Robert W. Adams

Pilot on Sweet Seventeen

 

August Altese

Navigator, Young crew, 708th

 

Osvaldo Angelocci

Lowry crew, 711th. Perhaps one of the earliest ever issued in the 447th

 

 

William Beste

Lakeman/Noonan crew, 708th

 

 

Roy Bogard

McMath crew, 711th

 

 

James O. Burke

Waist Gunner

 

Raymond Casserly

Navigator on Eagle’s Brood; Robert L. Warriner crew

 

Guy E. Chandler

Tail Gunner

 

Joseph C. Chehetar

Waist Gunner

 

Chris J. Christie

Radio Operator; Big Shorty

 

Wilbur L. Clark

Turret Gunner; Round Trip

 

Paul J. Collins

Bombardier; Jocko

 

Ellis Colvin

Aaberg/Moriarty crew, 711th. Navigator; Journey’s End

 

Alan Cook

Co-pilot Rohde crew, 711th. Umbriago

 

Edward Corker

Harms crew, 708th. Radio Operator; Bang Bang Lulu

 

Henry “Hank” Corrow

Tietjen crew, 708th

 

George Dannehl

Tail Gunner

 

Russell Davis

Navigator 710th

 

William J. Delange

 

Ripley W. Gage

Pilot

 

Raymond H. Garrant

Spot Jammer

 

John Hardie

Coleman crew, 709th

 

William Hecker

708th

 

Loran B. Heeb

Flight Engineer; Ol’ Scrapiron

 

Carl Herdic

Pilot, 708th

 

Leonard D. Hessenauer

Noonan and Zammett crews, 708th

 

Virgil H. Hill

Bombardier

 

Richard B. Hilsinger

Hawkins crew, 708th

 

George Hoidra

Folts crew, 708th

 

John S. Huff

William Brown crew, 709th

 

John Hughes

Engineer on Scrap Iron

 

James Hysong

Pilot, 708th

 

James P. Jennings

Co-Pilot on Lush Thrush

 

Leonard T. Johnson

Bomb/Nav on Lonesome Lads. 

Signed by his crew members Milton Hampton, Robert E. Johnson, Kenneth W. Wells, Abraham B. Lobel, Charles E. Lower, Paul Stanik and Arthur J. Schuppel.

 

Peter Karp

710th

 

John Kates

Henningsen crew, 710th

 

Jack Keller

Stevenson and Dahlgren crews, 711th

 

Harold Kiena

Hoffman crew, 710th / signed by the entire crew

 

Robert W. King

Tail gunner on Lil’ Eight Ball

 

Robert O. Knapp

Radio Operator

 

Lyndon F. Lakeman

Pilot

 

Jerry Lashin

Waist Gunner

 

John K. Lauer

Radio Operator on Hellsapoppin’

 

Gerald Leavitt

Pilot, 710th

 

C.W. LeGrand

Co-Pilot

 

Frank E Lehner

Pilot

 

Edward E. Leighty

Waist Gunner

 

Eugene Lewis

Co-Pilot; Devil’s Brat

 

Peter Linza

Beaty crew, 710th

 

Abe Lobel

Hampton crew, 710th

 

Robert F. Longwitz

Engineer

 

Leslie F. Lund

Pilot

 

Donald R. Marrison

Tailgunner on Lil Larry

 

Roy May

Skalitsky crew, 709th

 

James McBroom

Pilot, 710th

 

Donald McDermott

Pilot 710th

 

Charles Meshel

Phaneuf crew, 708th

 

Ralph Minker

Pilot, 709th

 

David O. Monroe

Farson crew, 709th

 

Thomas Moriarty

Copilot/Pilot, 711th

 

Earl E. Morrison

Radio Operator

 

Harold A. Motz

Navigator

 

Frederick W. Nedvins

Navigator

 

Leonard Nelson

Pattee crew, 710th

 

Kenneth Pebley

Right Waist

 

George W. Phillips

Pilot

 

Lauri Rautio

Mayhew crew, 708th

 

James C. Ray

Pilot

 

Roy A. Roesch

Turret Operator

 

Ernst “Bob” Rohde

Pilot, 711th

 

Carmen “Tony” Schiavoni

Nance crew, 709th

 

Isaac D. Shields

Navigator

30 Missions

 

50 Missions

 

William Shrum

Reece crew, 710th

 

Skip Simon

Waist Gunner

 

Donald L. Smith

James Ray crew, 709th

 

Robert Stevenson

Shute crew, 710th

 

Melvin Strunk

Mahl and Fagg crews, 709th


(Original in the collection of the Eisenhower Center in Abelene, Kansas)

 

Jackson L. Todd

Ball Turret Gunner, Eastman crew, 708th

 

Leonard H. Van Over

Togglier/Ball Turret Gunner

 

Elwyn Warfle

Bombardier

 

Thomas W. Watson

Tail Gunner on Lucky Stehley Boy

 

John G. White

Sandquist crew, 709th

 

John T. Williams

Polansky Crew, 708th

 

Rembert H. Wooldridge

Waist Gunner, Tuxedo Tomie

 

Ken T. Wright

Togglier

 

Phillip C. Zenoya

Pilot

 

 

 

 


If you have a Lucky Bastards’ Club certificate from the 447th and would like to add it to this collection, please contact webmaster@447bg.com