One week after the mid-air collision between the Lazy Daisy and Lead Banana, a File Notice dated October 5, 1944 reported the death of four men.  One of them, Robert D. Crumpton, had previously been reported dead on the September 30, 1944 Telegram Form.  Another, Gerald Andersen, had previously been reported dead on the October 1, 1944 Telegram Form.  The other two were identified by Identification and Ration cards from September 23, 1944, 545 Sqd., 384 Group:

• Sgt. Robert W. Wagner, 32381177
• T/Sgt. James E. Flynn, 16126771

The only problem with this identification, though, was that neither Wagner nor Flynn were aboard the Lazy Daisy or Lead Banana on September 28, 1944.  Neither one flew that day at all.  Wagner was an Engineer/Top Turret Gunner with the 545th at the time, but missed that day’s mission.  Flynn was a Radio Operator/Gunner with the 545th, but had completed his tour in May 1944 and returned home.

For a time, it seems that this mis-identification probably added to the confusion of determining the fate of the men on board.

In determination of the fate of the two crews, eighteen total men, this report does not change any information previously reported except to add the names of two men who were not involved in the mid-air collision.  The actual count remains at thirteen (13) recovered dead, with only seven (7) identified, and three (3) P.O.W.s.

Buslee Crew List:

• Pilot – John Oliver Buslee
• Co-Pilot – David Franklin Albrecht
• Navigator – William Alvin Henson II    Reported dead on September 30, 1944 Telegram Form
• Bombardier – Robert Sumner Stearns    Reported dead on September 30, 1944 Telegram Form
• Radio Operator/Gunner – Sebastiano Joseph Peluso
• Engineer/Top Turret Gunner – Lenard Leroy Bryant
• Ball Turret Gunner – George Francis McMann, Jr.    Reported dead on October 1, 1944 Telegram Form
• Tail Gunner – Gerald Lee Andersen    Reported dead on October 1, 1944 Telegram Form
• Waist Gunner – George Edwin Farrar (my dad)    Reported P.O.W. on October 1, 1944 Telegram Form

Brodie Crew List:

• Pilot – James Joseph Brodie
• Co-Pilot – Lloyd Oliver Vevle
• Navigator – George Marshall Hawkins, Jr.
• Togglier – Byron Laverne Atkins
• Radio Operator/Gunner – Donald William Dooley    Reported dead on October 1, 1944 Telegram Form
• Engineer/Top Turret Gunner – Robert Doyle Crumpton    Reported dead on September 30, 1944 Telegram Form
• Ball Turret Gunner – Gordon Eugene Hetu    Reported dead on September 30, 1944 Telegram Form
• Tail Gunner – Wilfred Frank Miller    Reported P.O.W. on October 4, 1944 Telegram Form
• Waist Gunner – Harry Allen Liniger    Reported P.O.W. on October 4, 1944 Telegram Form

This information can be found on pages 17 and 19 of MACR9753.  MACR stands for Missing Air Crew Report.

© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014