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T/Sgt R.G. Scharch
303rd Bomb Group,
358th BS - VK
Missions from
Molesworth, England 22 Jun 43 - 25 Feb 44
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By Stacy Scharch
Technical Sergeant
R.G. Scharch
Ball Turret Gunner
and Radioman
Rogan and Gamble Crew
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
U.S. Army Air Force
8th Air Force, 1st
Air Division, 41st Combat Wing, 303rd Bomb Group,
358th Bomb Squadron
USAAF Station 107 -
Molesworth, England
Patches
  
Distinguished Flying
Cross
"Heroism or
extraordinary achievement while participating in
aerial flight."
Awarded for
completion of a combat tour of 25 missions prior to
D-Day and
thereafter upon recommendation and
approval for those displaying great courage,
skill and devotion to duty on specific or series of
combat missions.
Air Medal
"Meritorious
achievement while participating in an aerial
flight."
Three Oak Leaf
Clusters
"Exceptionally
meritorious conduct in the performance of
outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous
actions."
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Pursued Air
Corps cadet
training with aspirations of becoming a
pilot, but became a crew member on a Boeing B-17
Flying Fortress as a Ball Turret Gunner and
Radioman.
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Enlisted
at age 21
in U.S. Army
Air Corps as a private at Milwaukee, WI on
31 Mar 1942.
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Served on
active duty from June 1942 to October
1944
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Ball
Turret Gunner on most, if not all,
missions and occasionally as 'first
radio operator' on test flights after
their planes were serviced.
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The
"Hell's Angels" were the first B-17
group to complete 25 combat missions in
June 1943, going on to fly more than 300
combat missions, more than any other
group.
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One of few
crew members who flew most of their missions
with the Rogan Crew through 12 August 1943,
then on the Gamble
Crew.
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Credited
with destroying (1) Messerschmitt Bf 109
German enemy fighter.
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Flew on
four missions as part of lead and
high crew near the end of his combat
tour.
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Awards
received, Distinguished Flying Cross,
Air Medal and (3) Oak Leaf Clusters
Rich said,
"Some of the waist gunners got frost-bitten
because the earlier "Forts" didn't yet have
glass over their gun ports."
His combat
rotation started two missions before the
rest of his crew, and ended earlier.
"I requested two more missions - but my
commander said, 'one more'. I didn't
want to go home alone," he said. So
Scharch flew on one additional sortie for a
total of 26 combat missions.
He could have stopped at 25, but wanted to
finish with his crew. That's the kind
of guy he was. |
22 Jun 43 -
25 Feb 44
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Rich's
Mission
No. |
BG
Mission
No. |
Mission Date |
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Bomb Group's Target |
Aircraft Type / Tail No. /
Name (image) |
Notes: |
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1 |
43 |
22-Jun-1943 |
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Synthetic Rubber Plant, Huls,
Germany |
B-17F #42-3192 (No Name) |
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2 |
43A |
23-Jun-1943 |
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Airdrome, Villocoublay,
France
(Mission
Recalled) |
B-17F #42-3192 (No Name) |
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3 |
44 |
25-Jun-1943 |
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Shipyards/Submarine Buildings
at Hamburg, Germany |
B-17F #42-3192 (No Name) |
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4 |
47 |
29-Jun-1943 |
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Aircraft Factory at
Villacoublay, France |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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5 |
48 |
4-Jul-1943 |
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Gnome Rhone Aircraft Works,
Le Mans, France |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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6 |
49 |
10-Jul-1943 |
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Rebeyville & Poix Airfields,
France |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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7 |
52 |
24-Jul-1943 |
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Nordisk Magnesium/Aluminum
Factory, Heroya, Norway |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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8 |
54 |
26-Jul-1943 |
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Nuehof Power Station,
Hamburg, Germany |
B-17F #42-3192 (No Name) |
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9 |
56 |
30-Jul-1943 |
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Fiesler Aircraft Works,
Uschlag, Germany |
B-17F #42-5081 Luscious Lady |
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10 |
57 |
12-Aug-1943 |
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Geisenberg Benzine &
Hydrogenation Synthetic Oil Refinery at Gelsenkirchen, Germany |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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11 |
59 |
16-Aug-1943 |
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LeBourget Airdrome, Paris,
France |
B-17F #42-3064 Star Dust |
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12 |
60 |
17-Aug-1943 |
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V.K.F. Ball Bearing Works #1,
Schweinfurt, Germany |
B-17F #42-3002 The Old Squaw |
1 |
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13 |
61 |
19-Aug-1943 |
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Airdrome & Storehouses at
Gilze-Rijen, Holland |
B-17F #41-24562 Sky Wolf |
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14 |
65 |
31-Aug-1943 |
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Amiens-Gilsy Airdrome,
Amiens, France |
B-17F #41-24577 Hell's Angels |
2, 9 |
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15 |
67 |
6-Sep-1943 |
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Robert Bosch A.G. Factory,
Stuttgart, Germany |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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16 |
70 |
16-Sep-1943 |
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Supply Ship in Loire River at
Nantes, France |
B-17F #42-3064 Star Dust |
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17 |
71 |
23-Sep-1943 |
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Submarine Supply Ship in
Loire River, Nantes, France |
B-17F #42-29664 Jersey
Bounce, Jr. |
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18 |
72 |
27-Sep-1943 |
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Port Area, Emden, Germany |
B-17F #42-5341 Vicious Virgin |
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19 |
79 |
20-Oct-1943 |
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Center of City, Duren,
Germany |
B-17F #41-24562 Sky Wolf |
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20 |
83 |
26-Nov-1943 |
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City area of Bremen, Germany |
B-17F #41-24562 Sky Wolf |
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21 |
90 |
20-Dec-1943 |
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City area of Bremen, Germany |
B-17F #41-24562 Sky Wolf |
3 |
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22 |
93 |
30-Dec-1943 |
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I.G. Farben Chemical Works,
Ludwigshafen, Germany |
B-17F #42-5341 Vicious Virgin |
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23 |
101 |
29-Jan-1944 |
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City area, Frankfurt, Germany
(PFF Bombing) |
B-17G #42-31574 Ole George |
4 |
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24 |
103 |
3-Feb-1944 |
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Group B - U-Boat Facilities
at Wilhelmshaven, Germany (PFF) |
B-17G #42-31574 Ole George |
5 |
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25 |
106 |
6-Feb-1944 |
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Dijon/Lonvic Airdrome, Dijon,
France |
B-17G #42-31583 Clover Leaf |
6 |
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26 |
113 |
25-Feb-1944 |
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Group A - Messerschmitt A/C
Factory, Augsburg, Germany |
B-17G #42-31574 Ole George |
7, 8 |
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