Petz Crew Gunners: Not identified in photo

Front Row (L to R): Sgt Hobbart Davis (TG); Sgt George Evans (WG); Sgt Jack Caswell (WG); Cpl Byron Booth (BG).
Standing (L to R): T/Sgt Henry Spence, Jr. (FE); Steven Petz (P); Lt. Joseph Payson (CP); Lt. George Skidmore (N); Lt. Jay Van Sickle (B); Wendell Ploeger (RO)

  • PETZ, Steven, Pilot
  • PAYSON , Joseph C., Co-Pilot
  • SKIDMORE, George B., Navigator
  • VAN SICKLE, Jay T., Bombardier
  • SPENCE, Henry L., Engineer
  • PLOEGER, Wendell E., Radio/Op.
  • BOOTH, Byron, Ball Gunner
  • CASWELL, John M., (Jack), Waist Gunner
  • DAVIS, Hobbard D, Tail Gunner
  • EVANS, George, Waist Gunner

718th Squadron

718logoWilliam Nosker was the original C.O. from July ‘43 until April ‘44 when he was transferred to the 47th Wing Headquarters as Assistant Operations Officer. Nosker was killed when the 376th Bomb Group B-24 that he was aboard crashed on takeoff on 15 August ‘44. Rexford Tompkins, the original Operations Officer for the 718th, became the C.O. in April ‘44 and remained so until September ’44. Charles Jordan finished out the war as the 718th C. O. from September ‘44 through May ’45.

Hot Rock

Hot Rock

Hot Rock

An original cadre ship acquired 22 October ’43 and assigned to Petz’s crew who flew her overseas in December ’43. Ground crewmen were Murphy and J. Menard. “Hot Rock” completed at least forty missions with at least three enemy fighters to her credit. After several combat missions, she developed some odd flying characteristics. After repeated write-ups by various crews, she was sent to the Gioia maintenance depot in June 44 where a bullet was found lodged in the wing root, thus accounting for the “out of trim” flying attitude. “Hot Rock” was repaired and reassigned to another 15th Air Force bomb group. She lasted out the war and was salvaged on 3 June ’45 after being flown back to the U.S. by another 15th Air Force bomb group crew ̐ one of the very few original cadre ships to last out the war.

41-29218

An original cadre ship acquired 22 October ‘43 and assigned to Petz’s crew who flew her overseas in December ‘43. Ground crewmen were Murphy and J. Menard. “Hot Rock” completed at least forty missions with at least three enemy fighters to her credit. After several combat missions, she developed some odd flying characteristics. After repeated write-ups by various crews, she was sent to the Gioia maintenance depot in June 44 where a bullet was found lodged in the wing root, thus accounting for the “out of trim” flying attitude. “Hot Rock” was repaired and reassigned to another 15th Air Force bomb group. She lasted out the war and was salvaged on 3 June ’45 after being flown back to the U.S. by another 15th Air Force bomb group crew – one of the very few original cadre ships to last out the war.

Pictures of Hot Rock

HotRock1

Hotrock2

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