Crew 18, 60th Squadron - 39th Bomb Group (VH)

Photo Courtesy of Richard E. Vanden Heuvel

Kneeling L to R:
S/Sgt	William H. Post	Radio Operator
M/Sgt	Edwin L. Savage	Flight Engineer
Sgt	John J. Sheehan	Right Gunner
S/Sgt	Claude W. Alger*	Left Gunner
T/Sgt	Stewart L. Hinds	CFC Gunner
S/Sgt	Richard E. Vanden Heuvel	Tail Gunner
Standing L to R:
1st Lt	Frank M. Jackson	Radar Observer
2nd Lt	Glenn E. Haas	Bombardier
1st Lt	Frederick W. Wright	Navigator
1st Lt	William James Dess	Pilot
Capt	Wetsel D. Waggoner	Airplane Commander
* "Bud" Alger was also assigned to P-5 as left gunner

To learn more about the members of this crew - click on their name above

	Crew 18 Honor Roll
M/Sgt Edwin L. Savage	Flight Engineer	7 April 1996
Sgt John J. Sheehan	Right Gunner	September 1998
1st Lt Frederick W. Wright	Navigator	1999
1st Lt Glenn E. Haas	Bombardier	3 August 2003
Capt Wetsel D. Waggoner	Airplane Commander	8 November 2004
1st Lt William J. Dess	Pilot	22 May 2015

Crew 18 was formed and trained at the Rattlesnake Bomber Base in beautiful Pyote, Texas. We were with the 6th Bomb Group (VH) out of Grand Island, Nebraska and were scheduled for Tinian Island.

We were reassigned to the 39th Bomb Group (VH) as a replacement crew. The enlisted men of Crew 18 were assigned to a Quonset Hut with Crews 1 & 2. Our crew replaced Crew 9. They were reported "Lost in Action" 15 April 1945.

The crew had 21 missions, a partial list can be viewed here

Richard Vanden Heuvel lives in Denver, CO; The status or whereabouts of William H. Post and Stuart L. Hinds is unknown at this time (May 2015)

No other contacts or information is available for this crew. Anyone with information on this crew please email updates@39th.org.

Update:

31 May 2015 - Added William J. Dess to Crew Honor Roll and added to the Final Flight Honor Roll section. Thank you to Nancy Dess for updating us about her father.

18 May 2004 - Michael Waggoner, son of Airplane Commander, Wetsel Waggoner, provided us with a profile and some photos of his father.

22 April 2004 - William Dess contacted us and provided a profile about himself and helped put us in touch with the family of his Airplane Commander, Wetsel Waggoner.

19 December 2001- Glenn Haas provided us with a little bit about himself and his service, to view click here

01 October 2001 - Thanks to Richard Vanden Heuvel for the crew photo & roster, previous photo had missing crew members and informing us of the passing of Frederick Wright, Navigator, in 1999.

13 June 2001 - Added missing ranks and first names found in GO 25 Battle Participation Award Order Section III - Dated: 16 August 1945.

60th Squadron Crew Index