DeLancey's Crew - 601st Squadron - 15 November 1944
Back Row (viewer's left to right):
  1. 1st Lt. Lawrence DeLancey, Pilot
  2. 2nd Lt. Grady Cumby, Co-Pilot
  3. Overlaid Oval: S/Sgt. George E. Abbott, Waist Gunner (but was cross-trained as togglier and was killed in that position on 15 October 1944 when a German anti-aircraft shell creased the chin turret and filleted the nose and cockpit)
  4. 2nd Lt. Michael Patrick Ryan, Bombardier
  5. 1st Lt. Raymond J. Ledoux, Navigator

Front Row (viewer's left to right):

  1. Rank Man 1, Position
  2. probably S/Sgt. Albert Albro, Ball Turret
  3. Rank Man 3, Position
  4. Rank Man 4, Position

Missing from Photo:

  1. 1st Lt. Phillip H. Stahlman, Co-Pilot

Men in the front row are:

  1. T/Sgt. Benjamin H. Rickel, Engineer
  2. T/Sgt. Wendell Reed, Radio
  3. S/Sgt. Albert Albro, Ball Turret
  4. S/Sgt. Herbert D. Guild, Tail Gunner

However, it is not known which name is associated with each face. The T/Sgt's are Front Row No. 1 and No. 3 from left. The S/Sgt. are Front Row No. 2 and No. 4. Help is needed in identifying the front row.

Comments:

  1. The above photo was taken exactly a month after the mishap in which their colleague S/Sgt. George E. Abbott was killed in action.
  2. That mission was 398th Mission No. 97, Cologne, Germany, 15 October 1944
  3. On this mission the Delancey crew flew in the Lead/High/Low Group
  4. Aircraft flown on 15 October 1944 : 43-38172 3O-P Lovely Julie. It was salvaged at Nuthampstead 15th October 1944 and is not the aircraft in the photo.
  5. Aircraft in photo: Unknown
  6. Photo Date: 15 November 1944
  7. Photo Location: Nuthampstead
  8. Other Photo Reference No. A9179
  9. Information compiled by UK Friends of the 398th, with thanks to Phil Stahlman, Elaine Jurs and a big effort by Jon Bernard, especially in his efforts to narrow down who was who in the front row.
  10. S/Sgt. George E. Abbott was killed in action on 15 October 1944. His photo was overlaid on the 15 November 1944 Delancey crew photo to honor him. See the Remembrances Section article: It Was a Fortress Coming Home by Allen Ostrom.
  11. The togglier position was in the nose acting like a bombardier the whole mission. His role was not only to toggle the bombs (like a bombardier) but also to fire the chin turret guns. The navigator had his own (cheek) guns. Therefore, on this particular mission, it is felt that S/Sgt. George E. Abbott was in the nose the whole time of the mission and not in one of the waist gun positions.
  12. If you would like to add information about this photograph, please contact our Crew Pictures Coordinator. Please mention the title and photograph date.





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