461st plaque

461st Bombardment Group (H)

764th Crews 765th Crews 766th Crews 767th Crews

 Aldredge - #67 Alkire  Arents - #64-1  Austin - 4/16-4  Ballinger - #4/16-7  Bogner - #80R  Bowyer - #79-0  Boyer - #77-1  Bush - #61  Cameron - #79-2  Capalbo  Card - #70-3  Clarke - #73R  Connor - #2/11  Crinkley - #6233  Crume - #62-1  Delana - #72-2  Diggs - #71  Fisher - #78  Frazier - #8/31  Galvan - #78-2  George - #61-2  Hailey - #79  Hamer - #5/7-4  Hansen - #12/12  Harrison - #81R  Heald - #71 Henry - #63R  Herbert - #70-2  Hettinger - #1/19  Horn - #66-1  Huchzermeier - #7831  Huggard - #75  Hutton - #4/16-5  Jones - #68R  Kane - #63-1  Krahn - #77  Kuestersteffen - #83-?  Lang - #12/2  Langley - #82-  Luebke - #7/27  Maroney - #73  McGinnis - #109  Mertz - #65R  Miller - #74R  Millikin - #72-1  Moore - #4276  Morgan - #78  Muller - #77-0  Nelson - #76  Newton - #7/23  Olson - #7/27-2  Phillips - #76R  Podwolsky - #63-2  Rawchuck - #69-1  Riley - #68  Rosecrans - #7/271  Roswurm - #70-1  Rush - #75-1  Ryan - #71R  Schultz - #73  Silvis - #4/8  Steinberg - #2/7  Stockton - #71-1  Strong - #64  Swinehart - #61-1  Torres - #65  Trohman - #74  Trommershausser  Vogel - #12/2-1  Walsh - #76-1  Walters - #63  Warren - #69  Wiley - #12/17  Willing - #61-  Woodard - #60  Wright - #72  Yauger - #78-3  Zumsteg - #62

Capalbo

MACR #10651

Capalbo crew

Courtesy of Dan Robinson

Standing L-R: Capalbo, Frederick B. (P); McLean (CP); Behling, Gordon C. (B); Hamilton, Jeff L., Jr. (N)

Kneeling L-R: Squires, Edgar A. (TTG); Villars, John A. (LWG); Koontz, Roger A. (TG); Hughes, Frederick W. (RWG); Graffeo, Accuraio A. (BTG); McGuire, Richard (NTG)

Capalbo, Frederick B., Pilot

Rundbaken, William C., Co-pilot

Hamilton, Jeff L., Jr., Navigator

Behling, Gordon C., Bombardier

Squires, Edgar A., Top Turret Gunner

Villars, John A., Left Waist Gunner

McGuire, Richard, Nose Turret Gunner

Hughes, Frederick W., Right Waist Gunner

Koontz, Roger A., Tail Gunner

Graffeo, Accuraio A., Ball Turret Gunner

AAF# Type Group Sq Sq# Nickname
42-51319 B-24J 461 767 69 Unknown

PILOT:    2nd Lt. Frederick B. Capalbo, Greenwich, CT, Single

MISSIONS:    Perhaps 1st, was left waist gunner, John A Villars first.  Co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William C. Rundbaken had 33 missions

LAST SIGHTED:    1200, Muglitz Capt Miller's Flight

DOWN:    1200

WHERE:    Prevov, CZ Cockery, CZ Preavvie, CZ

#69 left formation 10-15 minutes from IP

#69 was 1,000 yards behind formation when enemy fighters struck.  S/Sgt. Robert F. Miller, tail gunner on lead ship, "#69 was attacked by a single FW-190 which succeeded in knocking out number three engine, forcing the ship down toward the undercast."  Bomb bays on fire from leaking gasoline.  Capalbo handed Rundbaken a screwdriver, so he could loosen throttle stops for more speed.  Cpl. John A. Villars was on the flight deck setting the radar interpreter when the fighters attacked.  He was mortally wounded or knocked unconscious.  Co-pilot Rundbaken, with no oxygen mask and in spite of the flames opened the bomb bay doors.  He was badly burned and was overcome by the heat and lack of oxygen.  Rundbaken collapsed on the catwalk of the forward bomb bay.  Pilot, Capalbo, threw Rundbaken out the bomb bay, but his chute was too badly burned to have saved him.  The nose gunner, Cpl. Richard McGuire was out of his turret and on the flight deck with the radio man.  Bomber exploded.  3 men died in this action - Rundbaken, McGuire, Villars.  Frederick Hughes evaded capture and was covered by a Czech family until the end of the war.

Fred Capalbo

Courtesy of Jan Mahr

Lt. Frederick B. Capalbo

Frederick Hughes Escape Statement