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Byron Leverne “Bud” Atkins, Update

January 25, 2023 7:00 AM / 2 Comments on Byron Leverne “Bud” Atkins, Update

New information from family, a new search on Ancestry.com, and new information from military records have provided me with some new and updated/corrected information regarding Byron Leverne (or Laverne) “Bud” Atkins, togglier on the 28 September 1944 mission of the James Joseph Brodie crew of the 545th Bomb Squadron of the 384th Bomb Group of the 8th Army Air Forces in WWII. 

To view my original post and other information about Byron Atkins, please see the links at the end of this post.

Byron “Bud” Atkins on far right with his father Verne Atkins, sister Dorothy Atkins Swinford, and nieces Charlotte and Phyllis
Photo courtesy of Betsy Hawkins, great-niece of Byron Atkins

Since I last wrote about Byron Atkins, I heard from his great-niece, Betsy Hawkins. Betsy sent me a family photo that includes Byron Leverne “Bud” Atkins (standing on the right) along with, left to right, his father Verne Atkins, sister Dorothy Atkins Swinford, and nieces (Dorothy’s daughters) Charlotte Ann Swinford (now Richardson), and Phyllis Louise Swinford (now Perkins).

Betsy, who is the daughter of Phyllis Louise Swinford, had been working with her Aunt Charlotte Swinford to locate any pictures and letters of Bud’s. She also noted that Charlotte was born before Bud shipped out, and provided Byron’s nickname of “Bud.”

Note on the spelling of Byron Atkins middle name

The spelling of Byron Atkins middle name was LaVerne on his birth certificate, with an “a” rather than an “e,” and the “V” captialized. However, by the time Byron filled out his draft registration card, he noted the spelling of his middle name as LeVerne with an “e,” typed into the Name section of the card, and signed as Le Verne.

His 384th Bomb Group Individual Sortie record uses the spelling Leverne. And his Find a Grave memorial uses LeVerne, although the stone inscription only includes his middle initial “L” rather than his full middle name.

Without intentionally spelling it one way or another, I have used both Laverne and Leverne spellings throughout articles in which I refer to him.  His personnel record with the 384th uses the Leverne spelling. I consider all the different spellings “correct” as in those days, people spelled their names differently at different times without thinking much about it, as did my grandfather, Lewis or Louis Chase, spelling it either way as if he assigned no importance to which was “correct” or preferred.

Family

Byron was the son of Verne Atkins (1894 – 1945) and Goldie Myrtle Jones (1902 – 1994). His older sister was Dorothy Evelyn Atkins Swinford (1920 – 2004).

Verne Atkins served in WWI with Company “L,” 51st Infantry, 6th Division as noted in the US Transport passenger list for the ship “Ceramic” out of the Port of New York.

Verne departed New York on 6 July 1918 and following his WWI service with the 51st Infantry, departed Brest France on 5 June 1919, arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey on 12 June 1919 on the WWI troop transport ship “Leviathan.” The arrival passenger list noted his rank as Private.

Much more family information is available in my original article, Byron L. Atkins.

Entry in to WWII Service

Draft Registration

On 29 December 1942, Byron Atkins registered for the WWII draft at Local Board No. 1 at the Boone County Armory Building in Lebanon, Indiana. He listed his place of residence as Lebanon, Boone County, Indiana. Byron’s Employer’s Name was Vern Atkins (his father) and place of employment was R. R. 2 (probably an abbreviation for Rural Route 2, the family farm) in Lebanon. He was 18 years old and born on 10 November 1924 in Gadsden, Indiana.

Vern Atkins (Byron’s father) of R. R. 2 of Lebanon, Indiana was the person who would always know his address.

Byron described himself as 5′ 10″ tall, 168 pounds, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. He noted no “other obvious physical characteristic that will aid in identification.”

Enlistment

On 17 June 1943, Byron enlisted in WWII at Indianapolis, Indiana and was inducted into military service as of this date. Byron’s enlistment record notes his residence as Boone County, Indiana, and that he was born in Indiana in 1924. According to his enlistment record, his civilian occupation was “sales clerk.”

WWII Combat Duty at Grafton Underwood, England

Byron Atkin’s 384th Bomb Group Individual Sortie record indicates that his duty was Ball Turret, one month’s pay was $140.40, and his home address was Mr. Verne Atkins, RR #2, Lebanon, Indiana.

Byron was credited with six combat missions, for which he earned an Air Medal, with the 384th Bomb Group, from his first on 9 September 1944 to his last on 28 September 1944.

Morning Reports of the 384th Bombardment Group indicate the following for Byron Atkins:

  • On 5 AUGUST 1944, Corporal Byron Leverne “Bud” Atkins was assigned to the 545th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #157 dated 5 August 1944 as Flexible/Waist Gunner of the James Woodrow Chadwick crew.
  • I am not certain of his initial classification, but by the end of his service his MOS, military operational specialty, was 612 – Airplane Armorer/Gunner.
  • On 17 AUGUST 1944, Byron Atkins was promoted to Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #165.
  • On 20 September 1944, Byron Atkins was promoted to Staff Sergeant per AAF Station 106 Special Orders #186 dated 20 September 1944.
  • On 28 SEPTEMBER 1944, on Mission 201 to Magdeburg, Germany (Target was Industry, Steelworks), Byron Leverne Atkins, flying with the James Joseph Brodie crew, went from duty to MIA (Missing in Action). He was subsequently declared KIA (Killed in Action).

Byron’s mission record indicates he performed three different duties aboard the B-17, with three turns in the ball turret (9, 10, and 13 September 1944), one turn as waist gunner (25 September), and twice as togglier (21 and 28 September) with both of those occasions with the James Joseph Brodie crew.

Byron never flew with his original crew, the James Woodrow Chadwick crew. With two waist gunners assigned to the Chadwick crew, Louis Merfeld retained the position of lone waist gunner with the crew as the 384th did not place two waist gunners on the B-17 on combat missions at that time in the war.

Byron flew with the Donald Hulcher crew those three times as ball turret gunner, and flew as waist gunner with the Hulcher crew under Commander James Wesley Hines on one mission as the low group lead. George Marshall Hawkins of the Brodie crew was one of the navigators on that crew along with Fred Rubin, whom I witnessed sign the 384th Bomb Group’s wing panel many years ago. And of course, Byron’s other two missions were as togglier with the Brodie crew.

Byron lost his life at the young age of nineteen. He is buried next to his father, who died eleven months after his son of a broken neck and fractured skull in an automobile accident, at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon, Boone County, Indiana, in Plot 151-30.

Notes

Previous post, Byron L. Atkins

Byron “Bud” Atkin’s Personnel Record courtesy of the 384th Bomb Group

Byron Atkin’s Enlistment Record in the online National Archives

MOS means Military Occupational Specialty

Previous post, Assigned Military Operational Specialties of the Buslee and Brodie Crews

Previous post, Timeline for Brodie Crewmembers and Substitutes, 545th Bomb Squadron

Missing Air Crew Report 9366 for the Brodie crew on 28 September 1944 courtesy of the 384th Bomb Group

Missing Air Crew Report 9753 for the Buslee crew on 28 September 1944, courtesy of the 384th Bomb Group

Byron Atkins’ Find a Grave memorial

© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2023

Airmen of the Buslee and Brodie Crews of the 384th Bomb Group

June 30, 2021 7:00 AM / Leave a comment

I have been writing about the men of the 384th Bomb Group of the 8th Army Air Forces in WWII for many years, particularly those airmen who served on the John Oliver Buslee crew of the 544th Bomb Squadron and the James Joseph Brodie crew of the 545th Bomb Squadron. The 384th was a B-17 heavy bomber group based in Grafton Underwood, England during the war.

My connection with these two crews is my father, George Edwin Farrar, who was a waist gunner on the Buslee crew.

Both the Buslee and Brodie crew departed the states from their final combat crew training in Ardmore, Oklahoma at the same time. Both crews were assigned to the 384th Bomb Group within days of each other.

On 28 September 1944, the Buslee and Brodie crews participated in the 384th’s Mission 201 (which was the 8th Air Force’s numbered Mission 652).

On the mission, coming off the bomb run on the target, the B-17 42-31222, Lazy Daisy, piloted by James Joseph Brodie, collided with the unnamed B-17 43-37822 piloted by John Oliver Buslee with my father manning the machine guns in the waist.

All aboard Buslee’s aircraft were killed in the collision, ensuing explosion, and crash except for my father, the sole survivor of his fortress. Eight of my father’s bomber brothers perished on this one B-17 on this one day.

Three men survived aboard Brodie’s aircraft, and the remaining six perished, a total of fourteen killed in the collision of the two aircraft.

I have been researching the lives of these airmen for many years and am about to embark on another search for new information on each, so I thought it was time to recap what I have already learned and share links of what I have previously written about them.

Keep in mind, there are more than eighteen men (the number of airmen that made up the two crews on 28 September 1944) involved in this story. Each crew was originally made up of ten men, although neither crew ever flew missions with all ten aboard. All of their missions were flown with a crew of nine containing only one waist gunner instead of two, a change from earlier in the war.

And neither crew flew as all original members on every mission. Substitutes were more common on missions for the Buslee crew, but both crews flew with substitute airmen on the fatal mission of 28 September 1944. My histories of the men of the Buslee and Brodie crews include both original members and those who were substituting for them on that final mission.

Including original crew members and substitute crew members on 28 September 1944 for both crews, plus two key witnesses to the collision, the number of airmen whose family history I research is twenty-nine, thirty including Lloyd Vevle’s twin brother, Floyd.

In the list below, I’m listing all of the airmen by position in the B-17 and noting who were original crew members, who were crew substitutions, and who were key witnesses to the mid-air collision. I’m also including very brief biographical information (birth, death, and burial data), links to each airman’s personnel record on the 384th Bomb Group’s website, and links to histories I’ve previously written about them.

This post will also be available as a permanent page which will be updated with additional links to posts of any new findings from my research.

The Pilots

John Oliver Buslee, pilot of the 544th Bomb Squadron

James Joseph Brodie, pilot of the 545th Bomb Squadron

  • Born 14 November 1917
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 26
  • Buried Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands, Plot J, Row 13, Grave 4
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • James Joseph Brodie

The Co-pilots

David Franklin Albrecht, assigned Buslee crew co-pilot

  • Born 1 March 1922
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 22
  • Buried Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands, Plot C, Row 2, Grave 11
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • David Franklin Albrecht

Lloyd Oliver Vevle, assigned Brodie crew co-pilot

  • Born 9 December 1922
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 21
  • Buried Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium, Plot C, Row 37, Grave 20
  • Lloyd’s twin brother Floyd Martin Vevle (Born 9 December 1922 – Died 14 January 1945, age 22) of the 390th Bomb Group is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at  the Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Henri-Chapelle, Belgium.
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • Lloyd Oliver Vevle
  • Floyd Martin Vevle
  • The Vevle Twins

The Navigators

Chester Anthony Rybarczyk, assigned Buslee crew navigator

William Alvin Henson II, Sammons crew navigator, but navigator of the Buslee crew on 28 September 1944

George Marshall Hawkins, Jr., assigned Brodie crew navigator

The Bombardiers

Marvin Fryden, assigned Buslee crew bombardier

James Buford Davis, Jung crew bombardier & Buslee crew replacement bombardier after Fryden’s death

Robert Sumner Stearns, Durdin crew bombardier, but bombardier of the Buslee crew on 28 September 1944

  • Born 25 August 1923
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 21
  • Buried Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, USA, Section B, Site 302
  • Memorial marker at Family/Home Cemetery at Juniper Haven Cemetery, Prineville, Crook County, Oregon, USA
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • Robert Sumner Stearns

William Douglas Barnes, Jr., assigned Brodie crew bombardier

Byron Leverne Atkins, Chadwick crew flexible (waist) gunner, but togglier of the Brodie crew on 28 September 1944

The Radio Operators/Gunners

Sebastiano Joseph Peluso, assigned Buslee crew radio operator

William Edson Taylor, assigned Brodie crew radio operator

Donald William Dooley, Headquarters, but radio operator of the Brodie crew on 28 September 1944

The Engineers/Top Turret Gunners

Clarence Burdell Seeley, assigned Buslee crew engineer

Robert Doyle Crumpton, assigned Brodie crew engineer

  • Born 27 July 1920
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 24
  • Buried Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands, Plot E, Row 19, Grave 22
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • Robert Doyle Crumpton

The Ball Turret Gunners

Erwin Vernon Foster, assigned Buslee crew ball turret gunner

George Francis McMann, Jr., Gilbert crew ball turret gunner, but ball turret gunner of the Buslee crew on 28 September 1944

  • Born 26 September 1924
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 20, two days past his 20th birthday
  • Buried Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, Margraten, Eijsden-Margraten Municipality, Limburg, Netherlands, Plot N, Row 22, Grave 4
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • George Francis McMann, Jr.

Gordon Eugene Hetu, assigned Brodie crew ball turret gunner

  • Born 26 September 1925
  • Died 28 September 1944, age 19, two days past his 19th birthday
  • Buried Oakland Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Novi, Oakland County, Michigan, USA
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • Gordon Eugene Hetu

The Tail Gunners

Eugene Daniel Lucynski, assigned Buslee crew tail gunner

  • Born 22 December 1919
  • Died 14 April 1981, age 61
  • Burial information unknown, but parents (Gustave and Dominica Lucynski) are buried All Saints Church Cemetery, Flint, Genesee County, Michigan, USA
  • Also known as Eugene D. or Dan Lucyn
  • 384th BG Personnel Record
  • Eugene D. Lucynski

Gerald Lee Andersen, Carnes crew tail gunner, but tail gunner of the Buslee crew on 28 September 1944

Wilfred Frank Miller, assigned Brodie crew tail gunner

The Flexible (Waist) Gunners

Lenard Leroy Bryant, assigned Buslee crew waist gunner, reassigned to top turret gunner after 5 August 1944 mission

George Edwin Farrar, assigned Buslee crew waist gunner

Leonard Wood Opie, assigned Brodie crew waist gunner

Harry Allen Liniger, assigned Brodie crew waist gunner

Witnesses to the 28 September 1944 Mid-air Collision

Wallace Arnold Storey, Gross crew co-pilot

Robert McKinley Mitchell, Jr., Allred crew ball turret gunner

Thank you to Fred Preller, webmaster of 384thBombGroup.com, and his volunteer researchers for providing and sharing information of the Group.

© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2021

The Boys

April 26, 2017 7:00 AM / Leave a comment

On September 28, 1944, the Lead Banana, manned by the Buslee crew, and the Lazy Daisy, manned by the Brodie crew collided after coming off the target at Magdeburg, Germany. Neither crew of the 384th Bomb Group was the original crew as assigned.

That day, the Buslee crew was made up of five original crew members and four fill-ins. The Brodie crew was made up of seven original members and two fill-ins.

These are the two crews as they were that day:

The Buslee crew aboard Lead Banana, 544th Bomb Squad

PILOT John Oliver Buslee, original Buslee crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

John Oliver Buslee

CO-PILOT David Franklin Albrecht, original Buslee crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

David Franklin Albrecht

NAVIGATOR William Alvin Henson II, Gerald Sammons crew, KIA 9/28/1944

William Alvin Henson II

BOMBARDIER Robert Sumner Stearns, Larkin Durden crew, KIA 9/28/1944

(Possibly) Robert Sumner Stearns

RADIO OPERATOR Sebastiano Joseph Peluso, original Buslee crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

Sebastiano Joseph Peluso

ENGINEER/TOP TURRET GUNNER Lenard Leroy Bryant, original Buslee crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

Lenard Leroy Bryant

BALL TURRET GUNNER George Francis McMann, Jr., Stanley Gilbert crew, KIA 9/28/1944

George McMann

TAIL GUNNER Gerald Lee Andersen, Joe Ross Carnes crew, KIA 9/28/1944

Gerald Lee Andersen

FLEXIBLE GUNNER George Edwin Farrar, original Buslee crew member, POW Stalag Luft IV

George Edwin Farrar

 

The Brodie crew aboard Lazy Daisy, 545th Bomb Squad

PILOT James Joseph Brodie, original Brodie crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

James Joseph Brodie

CO-PILOT Lloyd Oliver Vevle, original Brodie crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

Lloyd Oliver Vevlve

NAVIGATOR George Marshall Hawkins, Jr., original Brodie crew member, POW Obermassfeld Hospital #1249 (served Stalag 9-C)

No photo available

TOGGLIER Byron Leverne Atkins, James Chadwick crew, KIA 9/28/1944

No photo available

RADIO OPERATOR Donald William Dooley, from Group Headquarters, KIA 9/28/1944

Donald William Dooley

ENGINEER/TOP TURRET GUNNER Robert Doyle Crumpton, original Brodie crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

Robert Doyle Crumpton

BALL TURRET GUNNER Gordon Eugene Hetu, original Brodie crew member, KIA 9/28/1944

Gordon Eugene Hetu
Photo courtesy of Anne Fisher via Ancestry.com

TAIL GUNNER Wilfred Frank Miller, original Brodie crew member, POW Stalag Luft IV

No photo available

FLEXIBLE GUNNER Harry Allen Liniger, original Brodie crew member, POW Stalag Luft IV

Harry Allen Liniger

Fourteen out of the eighteen boys aboard the two B-17’s were lost that day. Not only did they leave behind grieving parents and siblings, but they also left behind at least five wives and three children.

I have connected with many children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews of these boys. If I have not connected with you yet, and you are related to any of them, please comment or e-mail me. If anyone can provide pictures of those I don’t have yet, that would be greatly appreciated. They all deserve to be honored for their service and their fight for our freedom.

Sortie reports provided by the 384th Bomb Group.

© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2017