603rd Squadron Leaders

Three sets of tables has been compiled to provide a listing of who the squadron leaders were, what functions they performed and when. The tables are:

  1. 603rd Squadron Air Echelon
  2. 603rd Squadron Ground Echelon
  3. 603rd Flight Commanders

See also:

  1. 398th Bomb Group Leaders

NOTE: UNDER CONSTRUCTION - Nov 2009

Sources

The data have been extracted from a variety of sources including:

  1. 398th Remembrances Publication - page 8
  2. 398th Mawell Records
  3. 398th Bomb Group Statistical Reports
  4. Squadron Reports to the 1st Bombardment Division
  5. Veterans' Recollections

 

 

603rd Squadron Air Echelon
Date Squadron Commanding Officer Squadron Operations Officer Squadron Assistant Operations Officer Squadron Navigation Squadron Bombardier
1-Mar-1943 Captain Judson. F. Gray Robert Siegel - - -
10-Jul-1943 Captain Judson. F. Gray Lt. Meyer C. Wagner, Jr. - - -
1-Sep-1943 Captain Judson. F. Gray Lt. Meyer C. Wagner, Jr. - - -
1-Dec-1943 Major Judson. F. Gray Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. - - -
31-Jan-1944 Major Judson. F. Gray Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. - - -
31-Mar-1944 Major Judson. F. Gray Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Captain Gordon F. Davidson Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
24-May-1944 Major Judson F. Gray (KIA) Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Captain Gordon F. Davidson (KIA) Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
26-May-1944 Major Robert K. Simeral Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. 1st Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
5-Jun-1944 Major Robert K. Simeral Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Lt. Robert W. Kaufman 2nd Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
23-Jun-1944 Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. 1st Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
30-Jun-1944 Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. 1st Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
2-Jul-1944 Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. 1st Lt. William F. Scott 1st Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
8-Aug-1944 Captain M.C. Wagner, Jr. (MIA)
Captain James G. Davidson, Jr.		 Davidson to 603rd CO
Vacant		 William F. Scott 1st Lt. Vonnerlin Wernecke (MIA)
Vacant		 Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
21-Aug-1944 Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. Captain Harvey H. Latson William F. Scott 1st Lt. L.W. Sundheim Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
late Aug or early Sept. Davidson tranferred to States Captain Harvey H. Latson William F. Scott 1st Lt. L.W. Sundheim Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
1-Sep-1944 Captain Harvey H. Latson Captain William F. Scott 1st Lt. L.W. Sundheim Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
2-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Captain Harvey H. Latson Captain William F. Scott 1st Lt. L.W. Sundheim Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
17-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Captain Harvey H. Latson completed tour. Captain William F. Scott 1st Lt. L.W. Sundheim completed tour. Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
24-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Vacant Captain William F. Scott 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
27-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Captain Kearie L. Berry, Jr. Captain William F. Scott 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
27-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Captain Kearie L. Berry, Jr. Captain  William F. Scott to Assistant Group Operations.
Captain Talma A. Scott		 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
30-Sep-1944 Major Jean B. Miller Captain Kearie L. Berry, Jr. Captain Talma A. Scott 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr.
15-Oct-1944 Major Jean B. Miller 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich Captain Carlton C. Moore, Jr. (KIA)
23-Jan-1944 Major Jean B. Miller 1st Lt. William J. Beatovich (KIA)
26-Feb-1945 Major Jean B. Miller Dave Bishop
23-Mar-1945 Major Jean B. Miller Dave Bishop
18-Apr-1945 Dave Bishop

603rd Squadron Air Echelon (continued)
Date Squadron Gunnery Officer      
31-Mar-1944
24-May-1944
26-May-1944
5-Jun-1944
23-Jun-1944
30-Jun-1944
2-Jul-1944 1st Lt. William F. Scott      
8-Aug-1944 William F. Scott      
21-Aug-1944 William F. Scott      
late Aug or early Sept. William F. Scott      
1-Sep-1944 Captain William F. Scott      
2-Sep-1944 Captain William F. Scott      
17-Sep-1944 Captain William F. Scott      
24-Sep-1944 Captain William F. Scott      
27-Sep-1944 Captain William F. Scott      
27-Sep-1944 Captain  William F. Scott to Assistant Group Operations.      
30-Sep-1944 Vacant      


603rd Squadron Air Echelon
  1. The Squadron Air Echelon includes men that held both combat leadership positions in additon to major squadron management functions.
  2. Dates other than the end of the month tend to be the date of the actual change. End of month data tends to come from various end of month reports and the actual change may have happened earlier in the month.
  3. Rank changes sometimes coincide with the date shown.
  4. Table cells without entires may have been held by:
    1. the person named above in that column, or
    2. the person named below in that column.
  5. Table entries with a hyphen (-) indicate this position did not exist for the indicated time period.
  6. After March 31, 1944, the data was generally extracted from Lt. David M. Hall's Monthly Reports to the 1st Bombardment Division.
  7. The Lt. Hall monthly reports have only been analyzed in detail through September 1944.
  8. It is believed that the 2 July appointment of 1st Lt. William F. Scott was the creation of a new position.

 

 

 

603rd Squadron Ground Echelon
Date Squadron Executive Officer Squadron Adjutant Squadron Assistant Adjutant Intelligence Officer Cryptographic Office
1 Sep 1943 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak Captain Edgar W. Duham
31 Jan 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak Lt. David M. Hall
1 Jan 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak Captain Edgar W. Duham
31 Mar 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak
25 Jul 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak Frank G. Kinozler
1 Sep 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Lt. George E. Rusinak Frank G. Kinozler 1st Lt. Albert A. Grossman
15 Sep 1944 Captain Joseph S. Shapiro Captain George E. Rusinak Frank G. Kinozler 1st Lt. Albert A. Grossman

 

603rd Squadron Ground Echelon (continued)
Date Communications Officer Engineering Officer Armament Officer Bombsight Maintenance Officer Ordnance Officer
1 Sep 1943 Lt. Arthur Kenny Lt. Carl H. Hogrefe Lt. Howard J. Scholl - Lt. Warren N. Boggess
31 Jan 1944 Lt. Arthur Kenny Captain Carl H. Hogrefe Lt. Howard J. Scholl - Vacant
1 Jan 1944 Lt. Arthur Kenny Captain Carl H. Hogrefe Position does not exist Lt. Howard J. Scholl Lt. George T. Stanton
31 Mar 1944 Lt. Arthur Kenny Captain Carl H. Hogrefe
25 Jul 1944

 

603rd Squadron Ground Echelon (continued)
Date Squadron Medical Officer Squadron Transportation and Supply Officer Mess Officer    
1 Sep 1943
31 Jan 1944
1 Jan 1944
31 Mar 1944 Captain Lew B. Hunter
25 Jul 1944   2nd Lt. Irwin Conen Frank G. Kinozler    

 

Squadron Ground Echelon
  1. The Squadron Ground Echelon includes men that held both combat leadership positions in additon to major squadron management functions.
  2. Dates other than the end of the month tend to be the date of the actual change. End of month data tends to come from various end of month reports and the actual change may have happened earlier in the month.
  3. Rank changes sometimes coincide with the date shown.
  4. Ttable cells without entires may have been held by:
    1. the person named above in that column, or
    2. the person named below in that column.
  5. Table entries with a hyphen (-) indicate this position did not exist for the indicated time period.
  6. After March 31, 1944, the data was generally extracted from Lt. David M. Hall's Monthly Reports to the 1st Bombardment Division.
  7. The Lt. Hall monthly reports have only been analyzed in detail through September 1944.

 

 

 

603rd Flight Commanders
Date Flight Commander Flight Commander Flight Commander Flight Commander Flight Commander
31 Mar 1944 Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. 1st Lt. Unite L. Brodin 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. 1st Lt. Kirland C. Krueger
30 Apr 1944 Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. Captain Unite L. Brodin 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. Captain Kirland C. Krueger
24 May 1944 Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. Captain Unite L. Brodin (KIA) 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. Captain Kirland C. Krueger
30 May 1944 Captain James G. Davidson, Jr. Vacant 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. Captain Kirland C. Krueger
23 Jun 1944 Vacant Vacant 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. Lost track of Krueger in late June. [DJ]
1 Jul 1944 1st Lt. Victor F. Stoll 1st Lt. Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr.
10 Jul 1944 1st Lt. Victor F. Stoll 1st Lt. Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins Captain Harvey H. Latson, Jr.
19 Jul 1944 1st Lt. Victor F. Stoll 1st Lt. Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins Captain Harvey H. Latson, Jr. 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
29 Jul 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins Captain Harvey H. Latson, Jr. 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
8 Aug 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert L. Hopkins (MIA) Captain Harvey H. Latson, Jr. 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
10 Aug 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert W. Kaufman Captain Harvey H. Latson, Jr. 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
21 Aug 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan 1st Lt. Robert W. Kaufman Captain Latson to Operations Officer 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
28 Aug 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan Captain Robert W. Kaufman Vacant 1st. Lt. Jack C. Novak
30 Aug 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan Captain Robert W. Kaufman Vacant Captain Jack C. Novak
1 Sep 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan Captain Robert W. Kaufman 1st Lt. William J. Durtschi Novak Tour Ends
13 Sep 1944 Captain Lt. Victor F. Stoll Captain Stephen F. Cullinan Captain Robert W. Kaufman Durtschi Tour Ends Vacant
17 Sep 1944 Stoll Tour Ends Cullinan Tour Ends Captain Robert W. Kaufman Vacant Vacant
27 Sep 1944 1st Lt. C.E. Khourie 1st Lt. M.W. Magnan Captain Robert W. Kaufman 2nd Lt. V.F. Moore 2nd Lt. K.S. Hastings

 

603rd Flight Commanders
  1. Flight Commanders generally flew lead for either the squadron or the group. When they did, another pilot, generally flew with them as CA (Commander of Aircraft). The CA was generally but not always, the Squadron CO, the Squadron Operations Officer, or the Group CO.
  2. After March 31, 1944, the data was generally extracted from Lt. David M. Hall's Monthly Reports to the 1st Bombardment Division. There was no table layout of the information; there were just sentences that a particular pilot was now a Flight Commander. Initial entries for 31 March 1944 were developed by working backwards.
  3. The Lt. Hall monthly reports have only been analyzed in detail through September 1944.
  4. 1st Lt. Harvey H. Latson, Jr. as an initial Flight Commander is a guess. It is based on this July 10, 1944 statement: "Harvey H. Latson, Jr. was promoted from First Lieutenant to Captain. He is a West Point graduate and one of the Flight Commanders." This suggested he had previously been a Flight Commander.
  5. 1st Lt./Captain Kirland C. Krueger as an intial Flight Commander is also a guess. He is not mentioned as such by Lt. Hall in the Monthly Reports, but Lt. Hall did note that Lt. Krueger was promoted to Captain on April 13, 1944. Thus he had a higher rank than some of the other Flight Commanders at that time. Thus it is assumed he was one of the 603rd's initial Flight Commanders.