Latson's Crew with Colonel F.P. Hunter as Command - 603rd Squadron - 13 August 1944
Back Row (viewer's left to right):
probably Captain H.H. Latson Jr., Pilot / Co-pilot
Captain Carl J. Strickrott, Bombardier
Col. Frank P. Hunter, Commander
Capt. Harold L. Brown, Navigator
1st Lt. Anthony J. Jellen, Navigator
Front Row (viewer's left to right):
Rank Man 1, Position
Rank Man 2, Position
Rank Man 3, Position
T/Sgt. D.A. Vredenburg, Engineer
Rank Man 5, Position
The Loading List for 13 August 1944 was:
Col. Frank P. Hunter, Commander
Captain H.H. Latson Jr., Pilot / Co-pilot
Capt. Harold L. Brown, Navigator
1st Lt. Anthony J. Jellen, Navigator
Captain Carl J. Strickrott, Bombardier
T/Sgt. D.A. Vredenburg, Engineer
T/sgt. C.J. Fummeler, Radio
S/Sgt. A.C. Martorello, Ball turret
S/Sgt. J.L. Bourke, Waist gunner
S/Sgt. J.W. Harbit, Tail Gunner
Stoll's Crew with Colonel Hunter as Command - 603rd Squadron - 20 July 1944
Back Row (viewer's left to right):
Captain Carl J. Strickrott, Bombardier
Colonel Frank P. Hunter, Jr., Command Pilot
Captain Harold L. Brown, Navigator
1st Lt. Anthony J. Jellen, Navigator
1st Lt. Victor E. Stoll, Pilot
Front Row (viewer's left to right):
T/Sgt. Blair L. Holmes, Radio
T/Sgt. George L. Lynn, Engineer
2nd Lt. Frederick J. Kushera, Jr., Co-Pilot who flew as Tail Gunner / Observer
S/Sgt. Raymond L. Moore, Gunner
1st Lt. J.J. Eberhart, Mickey Operator
Comments:
Original Crew No. 63
398th Mission No. 53, Dessau, Germany, 20 July 1944
On this mission the Stoll crew flew Lead Aircraft, Lead Group
Aircraft flown: 42-97746 N7-T PFF aircraft
Aircraft in photo: probably 42-97746 N7-T PFF aircraft
Photo Date: 20 July 1944
Photo Location: Nuthampstead
Gross, Hunter, Miller, Gray, Strickrott, and Brown - 398th First Mission - 6 May 1944
Identified Men (viewer's left to right):
General William Gross, 1st Bombardment CO
Colonel Frank P. Hunter, 398th Group Commander
Captain Jean B. Miller, Assistant Group Operations
Major Judson F. Gray, 603rd Squadron Commander
Captain Carl J. Strickrott, 398th Group Bombardier
Captain Harold L. Brown, 398th Group Navigator
Comments:
398th Mission No. 1 Sottevast, France 6 May 1944
Aircraft in photo: unknown but could be Colonel Hunter's aircraft that day: 42-107231 N7-A with Captain Gene L. Douglas as pilot and Colonel Hunter as CA.
Photo Date: 6 May 1944
Photo Location: Nuthampstead
Miller, Hunter, Gross, Berryhill and Ground Crew - 398th First Mission - 6 May 1944
Front Row (viewer's left to right):
Captain Jean B. Miller, Assistant Group Operations, with hand in pocket
Colonel Frank P. Hunter, 398th CO, with flying boots
General William Gross, 1st Bombardment CO, speaking with Colonel Hunter
Colonel Earl J. Berryhill, 398th Group Excecutive Officer, with sunglasses
From a Harold Brown letter and telephone conversation about the 398th's first Mission
and also a Keith Anderson discussion:
"The photo was taken on 6th May 1944. We were
running late, almost an hour, due to transport and armament loading problems. A "stand
down" was discussed but we did get off, and by going directly to the departure point
we got into the bomber stream, only to find the target obscured! Brought the bombs
home... not our finest day. I do know that Colonel Hunter was upset, but blamed himself
more than others for any problems..... he was heard to say to General Gross who had
arrived on the scene with some Operations people from the 91st...... "relieve me
of my post"."
Comments:
398th Mission No. 1 Sottevast, France 6 May 1944
Aircraft in photo: unknown, only propeller is in view
Photo Date: 6 May 1944. While the photo is labeled 7-5-44 First Mission (7 May 1944), extensive research and input from Harold L. Brown, 398th Group Navigator at the time indicates that 7 May 1944 was the date the photo wask place after their return and after the pilots went to briefing.
Photo Location: Nuthampstead
processed. The 398th's first mission was 6 May 1944 to Sottevast. Keith Anderson who flew on the 6 May mission indicates that the above event too
Colonel Hunter flew on the 398th's first mission to Sottevast, France on 6 May. However, the 398th did not drop their bombs due to bad weather, as clouds obstructed the target.
398th DFC Awards Presentation at Nuthampstead
Awards: late November to early December
1944
Willis Frazier Presentation plus 4 Others
Colonel Frank P. Hunter, 398th Bomb Group Commander presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain Willis E. Frazier.
Presenters (viewer's left to right):
Captain Willis E. Frazier, 12-5-1944
Major Jean B. Miller, retrieving medals from the cardboard box
Major Tracy J. Peterson, holding 2 black DFC boxes to pass to Colonel Hunter
Colonel Frank P. Hunter (shaking hands)
Exemplary Leadership Colonel Frank P. Hunter
By Roanoke Rapids Herald
Special to the Roanoke Rapids Herald, North Carolina. February 15, 1945
AN EIGHTH
AIR FORCE BOMBER STATION, ENGLAND
Colonel Frank P. Hunter, Jr., 321 Hamilton St., Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, who
has been declared “missing in action” over Germany, has earned an Oak Leaf Cluster
to his Distinguished Flying Cross for “extraordinary achievement” while serving as
Air Commander of a bombardment formation of B-17 Flying Fortresses on a mission over
Germany on January 23, 1945.
The citation accompanying the award read in part
“On this
date Colonel Hunter assembled the formation above the briefed altitude because of
heavy cloud cover in the assembly area. Skillfully maintaining formation integrity,
this officer directed the flight to the target area where adverse weather conditions
were encountered.”
“Displaying unremitting determination and exemplary leadership,
this officer maneuvered the formation and commenced the bomb run. The aircraft in
which he was flying was then hit by a burst of anti-aircraft and failed to return
from the mission. The courage, coolness and devotion to duty displayed by Colonel
Hunter on this occasion reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces
of the United States.”
Colonel Hunter was commanding officer of the 398th Bomb Group
(H). He was graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1933. His wife,
Mrs. Maria Long Hunter, also is from Roanoke Rapids.
ID: O-019083
Entered the Service From: Virginia
Rank: Colonel
Service: U.S. Army
Air Forces, Headquarters,
398th Bomber Group, Heavy
Died: Tuesday, January 23, 1945
Buried at: Ardennes American
Cemetery
Location: Neupre (Neuville-en-Condroz), Belgium
Plot: D Row: 11 Grave: 35
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf
Clusters
CONFIDENTIAL
Headquarters 1st Bombardment Division
Office of the Commanding General
APO 557
GENERAL ORDERS
No. 375
Award of Distinguished Flying Cross
1. Under the provisions of the Army Regulations 600-45, 22 September 1943, as amended and pursuant to authority contained in letter, HQ Eighth Air Force, File 200.6 23 September 1944, subject, “Awards and Decorations”, the DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS is awarded to the following named officer.
FRANK P. HUNTER, JR. 0-19083, Colonel, Air Corps, United States Army. For extraordinary achievement while serving as Air Commander of a Combat Bombardment Wing composed of B-17 aircraft on two bombing missions over enemy occupied territory. On both of these occasions Colonel Hunter demonstrated consummate flying skill and exemplary leadership in attacking installations of vital importance to the enemy. On 15 June, 1944, he directed the formation to the designated target where bombs were released and outstanding results obtained. Colonel Hunter led the Wing on 1 August, 1944, to the assigned objective with a high degree of proficiency. Upon reaching the target area the airplane in which he was flying was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire. He continued on the bombing run and although haze and clouds made sighting the target difficult, bombs were dropped with accuracy. The courage, coolness and superior airmanship displayed by Colonel Hunter on this occasion reflect the highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States. Entered the military service from North Carolina.
