Group History

Crew #13 - L. C. Vansteenis - Page 1

by Earl V. Benham

100th BG Photo Archives

CREW # 13

CAPT LOREN C. VAN STEENIS P CPT 7 MAY 44 BERLIN LT JACK OGG CP CPT 13 JUL 44 MUNICH LT HAROLD C. BECKER NAV KIA 7 MAY 44 BERLIN CAPT LESTER TORBETT BOM WIA 7 MAY 44 BERLIN SGT ARCHIE K. HOLLADAY TTE CPT 1 MAY 44 METZ, FR SGT EARL V. BENHAM ROG CPT 1 MAY 44 METZ, FR SGT ROBERT N. GOODMAN BTG CPT 24 MAY 44 BERLIN SGT EDWARD C. BUTCHINO WG CPT 9 MAR 45 FRANKFURT SGT JAMES L. YARNALL WG WIA 24 FEB 44 ROSTOCK SGT WALTER A. SCHNEIDER TG CPT 7 MAY 44 BERLIN SGT JOSEPH V. CLOTHIER WG CPT 7 MAY 44 BERLIN (Replaced Yarnall after 24 Feb 44) 350TH SQDN. CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 1OOTH ON 13 OCT 1943. FLEW "HARD LUCK" FOR FIRST SEVENTEEN MISSIONS. (A/C 42-3413)

jb..CORRESPONDANCE WITH EARL BENHAM 1980--SAYS "SEVEN OF CREW FINISHED TOUR. NAV (H.C. BECKER) WAS KIA ON 7 MAY 44 (BERLIN) AFTER I FINISHED TOUR AND BOM AND WG WERE GROUNDED DUE TO WOUNDS.

Information on Crew 13 (All following data courtesy of Mr. Earl Benham)

We formed our crew at Moses Lake, Washington. We trained together as a crew in the U.S.A. prior to flying our B-17 to England. We Joined the 100th Bomb Group in England on October 13, 1943. We were assigned Airplane B-17 Model F. # 413 The name of this airplane was "Hard Luck".. We flew this B-17 until given a new model B-17 G. We called this one"Hard Luck 2" Crew members at the time of our first combat flight, were the original from Moses Lake Washington. Except our co-pilot Jack Ogg who joined the crew at the 100th base, replacing our original Co-pilot Bertrand McNeil.

Starting with us on our first combat flight. Crew members:

Pilot -- Loren C Van Steenis.

Co-pilot -- Jack Ogg

Navigator (killed In Action) -- Harold C. Becke

Bombardier (Wounded in Action) -- Lester D. Torbett

Flight Engineer -- Archie K. Holladay

Radio Operator -- Earl Benham

Asst. Radio Operator & Ball Turret -- Robert N. Goodman

Armorer Gunner (wounded in action) -- James L. Yarnall

Asst. Engineer -- Edward C. Butchino

Tail Gunner & Formation Observer -- Walter A.Schneider

Jim Yarnall

was grounded because of wounds. Holladay and Benham finished their tours May 1st, 1944 with 28 combat missions each. Van Steenis finished on the next mission (May 7th 1944) with 28 combat missions. Schneider also finished on the May 7th mission with 28 combat missions.

On that flight tragedy struck, and the Navigator, Becker, was killed. The Bombardier Torbett was seriously wounded and grounded. Goodman finished his tour on May 24, 1944 with 28 Combat Missions. I am not certain when the rest of the crew finished. They were Jack Ogg, Edward Butchino, veteran crew members, all finished their missions and returned to the USA.

The crew was assigned the B-17F "Hard Luck" (23413 with fuselage letters ZR-J) She was delivered to the 100th on October 13th, 1943. This became one of the 100th's better-known planes. After setting an ETO record of 600 hours on her original engines (made by Studebaker) this venerable old ship was lost on the 14 Aug 1944 Ludwigshafen mission. All her crew (Donald Cielewich crew) bailed out and were taken prisoner, although it is thought some may have evaded. It was the 63rd combat mission for "Hard Luck"

A Group Lead

April 22, 1944: We were briefed to lead the Group. This time was to be a trip to Hamm, Germany -- Bombing altitude of 23,000 feet. We would carry ten 500 lb. demolition bombs.

We were leading most of the Eighth Air Force for this mission and had our Group Commander, Colonel Kelly with us. The Colonel was on his first mission with the group and was riding as observer in our plane. The Command pilot was our Squadron Commander, Major Bucky Elton.

Our co-pilot, Jack Ogg, rode in the tail, this bumped our regular tail gunner, S/Sgt Walter Schneider from the mission. Ogg was a young man of twenty-one and been our co-pilot since we joined the 100th.

There were no special problems on this flight, our fighter escort was good -- German fighters did not bother us. Flak over the target (Hamm) was extremely heavy, although I did not hear of anyone in our Group being seriously hurt.

We took off at 3 P.M. and landed at 9:30 P.M.-- a flight of six and one half hours. Our navigator performed a super job and I think he received special commendation for his efforts.

Colonel Kelly, our new Group Commander, tragically was killed one week later over the coast of France, as were most of the lead crew he was flying with. The target was V-weapon launching ramp at Sottevast.

The Day I Finished my Tour; with 28 Missions

May 1st, 1944 -- The impossible day, I finished the tour requirement of 28 missions. On this my final missions, we were briefed for an airfield near Metz, France.

Our escort was the best I had seen. We had P-38s, P-47s, and P-51s. Complete coverage to an from the target. In spite of this great protection four German fighters made a blazing attack, coming out of the sun and down through the formation. I could not understand how they were able to get through the tight escort undetected -- no damage to any of the planes near us that I heard off.

After hitting our target we headed for home, crossed the Channel safely and made our approach to land. The pilot asked the engineer and I if we would care to make a low pass over the field to celebrate competing our tours. (The flight engineer, T/Sgt Holladay and I had both finished) We both said, "land as safely as possible, no showing off." No need to temp fate anymore than was necessary. I have regretted slightly over the years we didn't put on a show of exuberance.

As we landed safely a fast thought entered my mind -- why did I make it through a tour when so many did not -- It was a great experience to feel it was over, no need to wonder why.

I remembered the initial briefing officer who had doubted any of us would complete the then required twenty-five missions -- I had completed twenty-eight combat missions. No credit to myself, I had a good crew and a lot of luck. It had been a long way from Moses Lake, Washington -- I called it "The fortunes of war," -- Unexplainable….

The last time I saw Van (Loen C. Van Steenis - crew pilot)

A man of cool nerves and logic. These were necessary attributes for combat flying. Van had the natural ability that helped bring our crew through our training and the combat tour. I flew all of my missions (28), except one with Van at the controls. He was with us from Moses Lake, Washington. Van was selected to fly non-combat for a General after he finished his tour. He asked me and the engineer ("Hap" Holladay) to go with him -- I gladly would have but the General had his engineer and radio man who stayed with him.

My only flight in England after completing my tour was to take Van to his new assignment. As we shook hands and said, "Hope to see you again." I thought, how little to say to a man who had taken us through so many rough missions. What could one say? It seemed impossible to say any more. Perhaps by then all of us had pushed emotions into the back of our minds. I don't even recall the field where we left him. No matter, I knew I would always remember him as a great pilot for our crew..

Harold C Becker