Front Row (L to R): Joe Foster (B); Don Zumwalt (TG); Don Schwartz (FE). Second Row: Ed Kwit (NG); unknown. Back Row: Unknown; Unknown; Ed Schnurstein (TTG); Sheldon Silverman (RO); Bruce Bryan (P). *Not shown is Bob Sundfor (CP)
- BRYAN, Bruce R., Pilot – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- SUNDFOR, Robert D, Co-Pilot
- FRIEDBERG, William M., Navigator – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- FOSTER, Joe B, Bombardier – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- KWIT, Edward, Nose Gunner – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- SCHNURSTEIN, EDward J., Jr, Top Turret – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- HEYLMUN, Robert A, Ball Turret – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- ZUMWALT, Donald D, Tail Gunner – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- SCHWARTZ, Donald W., Rt Waist – Ft/Eng – POW 29 Aug 44 Bryan
- PATTERSON, Gordon B, Lt Waist
716th Squadron
John A. Silverstein (changed his name after the war to John (Jack) Steele) was C.O. from June ‘43 to July ’44. He was followed by Charles E. Harton from July ‘44 to November ’44. Harton had served as the acting C.O. for the 719th squadron while Swan was in the hospital recovering from wounds during May ‘44 to July ‘44. Lloyd M. Bentsen (who became a U.S. Senator from Texas, U. S. Treasurer after the war, and U.S. Vice Presidential Candidate) was the C.O. from November ‘44 until February ’45. Robert Johnson took over from mid-‘45 to V.E. Day in May ’45.
MACR 8331
42-95269
Picked up at Lincoln, Nebraska and flown overseas in June ‘44 by Bryan’s crew with a call sign of EQ99 for that flight … hence the phonetic name of “Easy Queen” was adopted as the aircraft name. The crew painted the name on in Dakar, Africa, en route to Italy. She was downed over the Ferrara railroad bridge on 29 August ‘44 with Bryan’s crew aboard and Bill Bolt as CP. All 11 men taken German POW. MACR 8331.
Pictures of Easy Queen
