Codes

2nd Lt. James C. Adair

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James C. Adair Crew (left to right)
Ben Goddard (NAV), Conley Culpepper (WG), Mike Dalgarn (TG), Barney Meley (ROG), Jim Hendrix (BTG)
Jim Horny (TTE), Elmer Wesala (CP), James Adair (P), Milton Brucker (BOM) 
2ND LT JAMES C. ADAIR - SN# 0-765896 P CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
2ND LT ELMER G. WESALA - SN# 0-771179 CP CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
2ND LT BENJAMIN J. GODDARD - SN# 0-2060501 NAV CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
2ND LT MILTON J. BRUCKER - SN# 0-777429 BOM CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
CPL GLENN J. BABCOCK - SN# 17118150 WG NOC 25/2/45 Removed to reduce crew to nine.
CPL DEWITT P. MELEY - SN# 13106958 ROG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
CPL JAMES H. HORNY - SN# 38461218 TTE CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
CPL CONLEY E. CULPEPPER - SN# 38508301 WG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
CPL JAMES E. HENDRIX - SN# 39297502 BTG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY
CPL DAVID M. DALGARN - SN# 17006218 TG CPT 25/2/45 MUNICH, MY

349th Sqdn. This crew joined the 100th Gp on 23/9/44. Flew overseas B-17G 43-38480 This Aircraft was assigned to the 493rd Bomb Group at Debach and was lost on Sept 30, 1944. Lt Adair flew 20 of their missions in "532" which they nicknamed "Little Sweetheart" and was later called "Kleen Sweep" by Hal Switzer's Crew.

Missions of 1st Lt James Adair
Nbr Date Target A/C Comments
01 12/10/44 Bremen 681 Grumblin Gremlin III FW 190 parts Factory
02 15/10/44 Cologne 011 The Reluctant Dragon Marshalling Yards
03 19/10/44 Ludwigshaven 987 The Little Skipper RR Yds, Bomb Bay doors stuck open,
#3 eng. Burned out
04 22/10/44 Munster 215 The Grumblin Gremlin RR Yds
NC 25/10/44 Heligoland 211 no name Recalled after assembly
05 26/10/44 Hanover 535 no name Tank and Gun factory
06 02/11/44 Merseburg 987 The Little Skipper Oil
07 05/11/44 Ludwigshaven 986 Once In A While Chem. Plant, Chaff Ship, Landed at ?
because of strong winds
08 06/11/44 Neumunster 295 White Cargo Marshalling Yards
09 16/11/44 Langerwehe (Aachen) 313 Lil Butch Landed with 120 Gal of gas
10 21/11/44 Osnabruck 535 no name RR Yds
11 26/11/44 Hamm 073 That's All Brother RR Yds
12 02/12/44 Koblenz 681 Grumblin Gremlin III Recalled after passing sortie line
13 04/12/44 Friedburg 987 The Little Skipper RR Yds
14 05/12/44 Berlin 987 The Little Skipper Tank & Gun factory, Hendrix and Horny
passed out from anoxia
15 12/12/44 Darmstadt 532 Little Sweetheart . RR Yds, 2nd Element Lead
16 18/12/44 Mainz 532 Little Sweetheart Brought Bombs Back
17 24/12/44 Biblis 532 Little Sweetheart Airfield Plastered
18 25/12/44 Kaiserlautern 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
19 28/12/44 Koblenz 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
20 29/12/44 Frankfurt 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds No 3 in Low Element
21 30/12/44 Kassel 230 no name Aborted-No1 Eng burned out
22 03/01/45 Fulda 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
23 05/01/45 Frankfurt 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Element Lead
24 07/01/45 Cologne 532 Little Sweetheart Drove over primary, hit Limburg
25 20/01/45 Heilbronn 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Deputy Lead
26 21/01/45 Mannheim 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Lead
27 29/01/45 Kassel 532 Little Sweetheart 2nd Element Lead
28 09/02/45 Weimar 532 Little Sweetheart Arm Plant, 2nd Element Lead
29 14/02/45 Chemnitz 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds, Low Element Lead
30 15/02/45 Cottbus 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
31 20/02/45 Nurnburg 532 Little Sweetheart no comment
32 21/02/45 Nurnburg 532 Little Sweetheart no comment
33 23/02/45 Trenchtlingen 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds
34 24/02/45 Bremen 532 Little Sweetheart RR Bridge
35 25/02/45 Munich 532 Little Sweetheart RR Yds. FINIS

Lt Adair's Medals:
Air Medal with 5 Oak Leaf Cluster
ETO Ribbon with one Battle Star

NOTES from Lt Jim Adair's Pilot Log Book:
Assignment and Training of the Crew were in Sioux City Iowa from 6/44 to 9/44. Crew members were previously trained for their positions at various bases. Milton Brucker came from a Bombardier training base in Texas. In September 1944, the crew was sent to Lincoln, Nebraska to pick up a new B-17G. From Lincoln the Crew flew to Syracuse, N. Y. to fuel, then onward to Grenier field, New Hampshire. From there, departed for Presque Newfoundland. Had to return to Grenier Field after detecting a faulty fuel Pump. Waited 8 Days for a replacement to come in. Finally left September 12th for Goose Bay, Newfoundland (5 hour, 40 minute flight). Stayed overnight, left September 14th, flying to Meeks Field in Iceland (8 hr Flight). Stayed at Meeks Field overnight (nothing but C rations for Food). Left Iceland September 16th, heading for Wales (5 hours 40 minutes).

The takeoff from Iceland was extremely hazardous due to the strong cross winds and boulders along side of the runway, Very Scary!!! Had to take off at 70mph substantially less than usual take off speed because of strong cross winds and boulders alongside the runway. Pilot told the control tower of the dangers in that particular runway hoping there might be a better choice for future takeoffs. Arrived in Wales 5 1/2 hours later, left the new plane in Wales and boarded a train for Thorpe Abbotts Air Base. Beginning October 5, 1944, Practice missions 30 minutes to 3 1/2hrs in length were scheduled.

First Bombing Mission was 10/12/44 to Bremen, Germany, Flying time 6 hrs 20 minutes. Bombing raids usually had 27-36 Planes from the 100th flying in formation plus other Groups from England making 1200 planes total on a mission. Target in Bremen was FW 190 parts factory. Battle of Bulge had 3000 plus planes from the Eighth Air Force flying that Mission. The only encounter our crew had with a German fighter plane (ME 262) WAS WHEN A German fighter pilot flew through our formation undetected due to heavy contrails. He flew close enough to our plane for us to see his face. Our gunners shot at him but he was probably flying 120 miles an hour faster and vanished in an instant.

The Pilots log went through censors and some of the data was deleted. Censoring was done before V-E Day and at a time when our 35 Missions were already completed.

My Worst Three Missions were:
No1. Bremen: WE discovered there was real flak out there and realized we could get killed!!!!

No 6 Merseburg: A refinery was heavily protected by flak guns brought in by rail. I witnessed one of our planes go down in flames

No 35 Munich: This was our last mission. Heavy Flak trailed us just 200 feet to one side during a long bomb run. A plane just above us caught fire on #2 engine. The bombardier jumped out immediately--afraid of an explosion. The pilot of his plane made it back to base. The Bombardier ended up a POW (it was actually to have been his last scheduled mission).

My Crew felt very fortunate to complete 35 Missions without a casualty. However, in the future age and illness took their toll.

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