"Headin' Home" Insisted In Heading Home...!

     The B-24 with serial number 42-50406 was received by the 719th Squadron on 26 May 1944 and assigned to Crew Chief T/Sgt. Adam Yellitz and his ground crew, S/Sgt. Howard Rogers and Cpl. Samuel Zwahler. Lt. Don Eaton's air crew became the plane's first flight crew. This combination of air and ground crews produced many stories of combat and of lengthy hours of care for this new B-24J. The ship was given the two digit combat number 5, and Eaton named her "Headin' Home" -- the ideal goal of the men of the 449th (and every other bomb or fighter squadron member in any war.) "Headin' Home" flew more than 96 sorties, with 78 consecutive flights without a turn back for mechanical reasons! A number of other crews also flew ship #5. She flew on the 2nd Presidential Unit Citation mission to Ploesti on 9 July '44, as well as many other tough targets.
     Eaton's crew completed their 50 missions in early August '44. Don Eaton transferred to 47th Wing Headquarters at Manduria, navigator Hal Strack, who became lead navigator with Eaton in the 719th, moved up to become the squadron navigator in February '45, flying additional lead missions with group and squadron lead crews. Eaton and Strack received DFC's and bombardier Chad Trivett received a Silver Star as lead bombardier in a group lead ship.
     Other crews took turns returning home in ship #5. Lt. Elie Williams earned a Silver Star flying "Headin' Home" on the 11 December '44 mission against the refinery at Moosbierbaum.
     The 449th was removed from the combat line on 28 April 1945. The next day, 29 April '45, all 60 of the 449th aircraft were flown to the Gioia depot. Carl Bridges of the 719th flew "Headin' Home" to the depot. From the depot another 15th Air Force crew subsequently flew her back across the Atlantic to her home in the USA.
     After the war, Don Eaton flew with the Air National Guard. He also served on the 449th reunion committees after formation of the Bomb Group Association in the early '80's. Don passed away in January 1993, and his wife LaReda in October 1994. In addition to their names and dates, their grave marker is inscribed with two other words -- "Headin' Home."
     Hal Strack made the Air Force a career, moving up the ranks through responsible positions and in the 90th Missile Wing, Warren AFB, received his Brigadier General "star" as commander. Hal spoke at a 449th Bomb Group Association Reunion memorial service -- a man with a strong heart, but limited endurance due to declining health.                                                                                                                                                               -- R. Downey

     On 5 July 1944, my crew flew the "Queen of Hearts" on a sortie to France. We flew with a substitute bombardier, 1st Lt. Richard Noel, who was substituted for Norman L. Kohmescher. That sortie was my crew's scheduled 50th sortie which we anticipated with relish and visions of returning home as a complete crew. "Little Joe" [Joseph J. Cusumano] our ball turret gunner, who wore a partial dental plate which he removed for all flights because it somehow interfered with wearing an oxygen mask, decided to "go formal" by wearing his dental plate on that sortie in anticipation of having his picture taken upon completing our 50th sortie. On that sortie -- which was routine or normal until we were on the bomb run between the IP and the target -- we were hit hard by flak shortly before bomb release, but were able to continue through bomb release and the rally. Our radio was knocked out and so was our intercom, our hydraulic system, oxygen system and much of the electrical system. Our radio operator/nose-turret gunner, Technical Sgt. James L. Tinder, was mortally wounded by a direct hit on the nose turret. Our bombardier, 1st Lt. Richard Noel, our ball turret gunner, Joseph J. Cosumano, and our navigator, Lt. Edward A. Rabbitt, were also wounded. The important thing about getting this story straight, however, is about the bravery of 1st Lt. Richard Noel, the bombardier. Lt. Noel was wounded by the same burst of flak that killed Sgt. Tinder, but chose to stay in the nose of the aircraft placing compressed bandages in the groin wound of Sgt. Tinder. With all of the damage we had suffered -- and in the hope of getting medical attention for Sgt. Tinder, Lt. Noel and Sgt. Cusumano -- I decided to attempt a landing at a B-25 base on the island of Corsica. We had no hydraulics, no brakes, no flaps and no communications. Using the Aladdin lamp, Lt. Sheldon Kling, the copilot, signaled our intentions to another crew in our formation which accompanied us to the landing field. We cranked the landing gear down, strapped parachutes to the waist gun mounts and fired red flares to let the tower know that we had wounded on board. It was planned that upon landing we would deploy the parachutes to help slow us down, and the crew members would move to the tail of the aircraft to use aerodynamic braking and to drag the tail skid, all to further slow the aircraft. Unfortunately, the left-chute shroud lines broke and the chute on the right pulled the aircraft to the right. As we neared the end of the runway the aircraft veered off the runway, the right wing struck a tree and the nose of the aircraft slammed into a small drainage ditch. Before landing I had advised Lt. Noel to clear the nose area, but he relayed a message to me that he preferred to remain in the nose section in the hope that he could sustain the life of Sgt. Tender until we could get him to a medical facility. I considered his request a courageous act, and agreed with his request. During the crash into the drainage ditch, Lt. Noel received additional injuries including a broken leg. When the aircraft was pulled from the ditch, Sgt. Tinder was found under the nose turret, which had separated from the aircraft. Following my return to Grotagglie, I recommended Lt. Noel for the Distinguished Flying Cross for his brave actions. He was evacuated through hospital channels, and I have never seen nor heard from him since he entered the ambulance on 5 July 1944 on Corsica. When we returned to our squadron area all of our personal possessions were intact having been preserved by our squadron mates. There were more than 400 flak holes in the aircraft, and the nose turret was completely separated from the aircraft. I believe the "Queen of Hearts" was Alfonse Hanley's airplane at the time of the crash on 5 July 1944.
                                                                 -- Floyd H. Haywood, Jr. Colonel, USAF (Ret.) 716th Squadron, Pilot

Driggers Crew And "Th' Inhoomin Critter"

This 718th Squadron crew flew on both of the 449th Presidential Unit Citation missions. They had to bail out of "Th' Inhoomin Critter" over Yugoslavia on the 9 July '44 mission. After bailing out, they took to the mountains of Yugoslavia. They subsequently evaded capture, and with the assistance of the Chetniks were returned to Italy on 10 August '44.

The photo to the right, with two of the local Chetniks, was taken during their sojourn in Yugoslavia. The aircrew (back row, L to R) are: Chambers, Spence, Henley, Johnson, Driggers, and Rice. Brubeck is at the right, next to the two Chetnik guides.

The MACR report lists the crew as all taken POW. However, Driggers' crew says this is "just not so!"

Some Photographs from "Maximum Effort"

Grottaglie Field	Headquarters Building At Grottaglie
Ludtke's Crew	B-24s of 449th Depart On A Mission
Surely, we hit the target today!	A refueling truck at Grottaglie
Completing the nose art on "Sleepy Time Gal"	Ridgeway's Crew
Ground Crew Support	Nose Damage to "Queen of Hearts"

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