Our crew met in Florida at a base called Avon Park.
It was all serious business, definitely not a lark.
We flew quite often, learning how to be a team,
We improved rapidly and were getting on the “beam”.
Gunners were Anstadt, Gouveia, Ahlborn and Hatkoff,
They were all in their positions soon after takeoff.
Harold Loveless was a whiz as our Radio Operator,
Bernard Lazier was in the nose our fine Navigator.
Trigher in the top turret was also our Engineer,
Duncombe manned the nose guns and was our Bombardier.
In the cockpit were Schoen and First Pilot Stallcup,
They worked well together and would seldom foul-up.

Near the end of our training Anstadt became ill,
He was replaced with Rich and he filled the bill.
This change in our crew caused us some delay,
We trained another month and then were on our way.
We moved to Savannah and received a new airplane.
Then on to New Hampshire and from there to Maine.
The next day Labrador at a place called Goose Bay.
Then headed on to Iceland for an overnight stay.
Iceland’s night was not dark, as the sun did not set,
So we moved on to Great Britain, in the war zone yet.
Our base was Nuthampstead, Group 398 of course,
Now we were a part of the mighty Eighth Air Force!

The Formations we flew required a crew of nine,
So one gunner stayed at base to wait for his time.
Targets were in Occupied Europe in various places,
They ranged from heavy industry to German Air Bases.
Squadron lead status came to Stallcup and Loveless,
That meant other crewmembers would get to fly less.
When Loveless and Stallcup had completed their tour,
Schoen became First Pilot and the crew could fly more.
In due time they safely completed their last missions
And soon returned home to more pleasant conditions.
We are grateful and Blessed to have survived WWII
May God Bless America and the Red, White and Blue!

By Harold K. Stallcup, Pilot, 601 Squadron.

Transcribed by Ruthanna Doerstler, wife of Wayne Doerstler, Engineer on the 602 Squadron Griffin crew.