Missions & Crews of Lt. Roy Anderson,
100th and 70th BS(M),
October 1944-January 1945

Lt. Roy L. Anderson, my uncle (shown here sitting in the cockpit of a B-25H known as "Dutch" in mid-1944), was a brand-new combat B-25 pilot who flew with squadrons of the 42nd Bombardment Group (Medium), 13th Air Force, in the South and Southwest Pacific during 1944 and 1945. He did most of his combat flying while assigned to the 100th BS from June through late December 1944, after which he flew with the 70th BS until he finished his combat missions in January 1945 and rotated home in April 1945. During much of that time, Roy mostly flew as a 2LT co-pilot, often right seat to 1LT Donald Robertson, although he eventually earned his own 1LT bars and the experience to fly "left seat" (i.e., as a pilot and aircraft commander).

Provided here is what I've been able to ascertain about the specific missions that Roy flew on, as well as information about a couple of specific crews that he was a part of. (There were no fixed crews per se that always flew together, as most folks wanted to get home and therefore volunteered to fly on whatever missions the Operations Officer needed them for as part of his rotation. But my understanding is that there still was nonetheless a 'crew' that more often than not flew together as least in part.)

This web page also shows what might be possible in terms of research of World War II records given mostly luck, but also some persistence. In part this page documents how to do that research and what might be available for learning about your particular relative or friend who flew during the war, or a combat or training unit of interest to you.

Missions known to be flown by Roy Anderson:

All missions and flights listed below are while Roy was assigned to the 100th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), covering the period from October through December 1944, and with the 70th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), covering the period from late December 1944 through January 1945, all with the 42nd Bombardment Group (Medium). This record does not represent all missions and flights flown by Roy (he began combat flying on 19 June 1944 and finished combat flying on 20 January 1945), nor all those flown with the 100th BS and 70th BS, but just those for which I could find an Operations Order in the 100th BS archive that listed Roy on a plane's manifest or a Mission Report in the 70th BS listing Roy as pilot. (Not every mission had an operations order that were preserved in the 100th BS microfilm archive, and the archive for the 70th listed only pilot's names, which would have missed any mission that Roy flew as a co-pilot.)

The source for this information is AFHRA Microfilm Roll A0576, which archives the 100th BS(M) from May through December 1944, and AFHRA Microfilm Roll A0560, which archives the 70th BS(M) through May 1945.

In the listing of missions for the 100th BS, the typical order for listing crew members on an Operations Order is pilot (aircraft commander), co-pilot, navigator/bombardier, and the three enlisted gunners. If a fourth officer is listed, then likely a separate navigator and bombardier were assigned, or someone was along for training or as an observer. The target is listed where known. Mission numbers are squadron mission numbers, not Roy's personal combat mission numbers. In many cases there was more than one mission listed on an operations order, and it wasn't always possible to determine the specific mission a flight of planes was assigned to. I will add more information as it is uncovered from further review of the records.

In the listing of missions for the 70th BS, only the pilot's name was given in the Mission Report, and so the record here notes those missions that Roy was listed as pilot. Information given includes mission date, squadron mission number, target, the plane number for Roy's aircraft, and any additional notes I can give you.

Not every page in the microfilm record was clear and readable. Some names were only partially readable, so "best guess" attempts were made to match names to other apppearances in the same or other operation orders. (Those questionable names are marked with question marks.) Transcription errors are entirely my own responsibility.

100th Bombardment Squadron Missions:

Microfilm
Frame #s
Date/
Target
Operations Order/
Mission Number
Plane #/
Type
Crew
Roy begins flying in the SW Pacific on 15 May 1944, first with the 390th Bombardment Squadron, and then the 100th BS, although initially for further training and familiarization. His first operational combat mission appears to have been on 19 June 1944. At this point I don't know any more about these missions, as records only listed pilot's name. Roy was flying as co-pilot for most of these missions, and therefore is not listed. He spent time in B-25H models (the one with the 75mm cannon) through September, and then the squadron transitions to primarily new J models.
1333 1 Oct 1944
Target Manado Town
(medium altitude)
OO #60
Mission 96
"093"
(B-25J)
Bishop, J.W., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Darling, N.R., 2LT
Sanford, H.D., T/Sgt
Bergmeyer, G.L., S/Sgt
McNabb, J.I., S/Sgt
1322 2 Oct 1944
Target Laha Runway #2
(medium altitude)
OO #61
Mission 97
"029"
(B-25J)
Henson, James B., Major
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Renfroe, Lawrence W., Capt.
Schaade, J.E., 1LT
Dreazy, Francis, S/Sgt
Tomberlin, J.H., Sgt
Bodrero, Glen L., S/Sgt
1316-1321 3 Oct 1944
Target Kaoe Runway #2
(medium altitude)
OO #62
Mission 99
"983"
(B-25J)
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Robertson, Donald C., 1LT
Ward, Jesse E., 2LT
Dreazy, Francis, S/Sgt
Tomberlin, J.H., Sgt
Bodrero, Glen L., Sgt
7 Oct 1944 - Roy gets R&R to Sydney, Australia, for 7 days.
Operations Order #60A (dated 4 October 1944, from Roy's personal records) list the following crew manifest: Plane# "076", Robertson, Donald C., 1st Lt (P), Anderson, Roy L., 2nd Lt (CP), Tolhurst, Harland R., 2nd Lt (B), Tomberlin, James M., S/Sgt (E), Dreasy [sic], Francis R., S/Sgt (R), Bodrero, Glen L., Sgt (G), Nussear, William C., 2nd Lt (X), Kuban, Frank Pvt. (X), Stegall, Ozro K., M/Sgt (CC). The route to be taken is Sansapor-Noemfoor-Horn Island-Townsville-Sydney. The order is stamped as arriving in Sydney on the 7th. A different crew, just finishing their R&R, flew the same plane back to Sansapor. Roy did not save the Operations Order for his trip back to Sansapor.
1204-1207 22 Oct 1944
Shipping Sweep
OO #80
Mission 126
"085"
(B-25J)
Robertson, Donald C., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Ward, Jesse E., 2LT
Tomberlin, James H., Sgt
Kuban, Frank, PFC
McCormack, Richard B., S/Sgt
1187-1188 25 Oct 1944
Target Piroe Town
(3 planes)
& nearby (3 planes)
OO #83
Mission 130
"979"
(B-25J)
Bishop, J.L., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Nussear, W.O., 1LT
Sanford, H.D., T/Sgt
Bergmeyer, G.L., S/Sgt
McNabb, J.I., S/Sgt
1658 1 Nov 1944 OO #87 "979"
(B-25J)
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Hepplewhite, R.T., 1LT
Burcham, R.L., 2LT
Taylor, H.E., Capt.
Miller, R.C., S/Sgt
Seifering, H.F., S/Sgt
Atwood, A.C., S/Sgt
1632 5 Nov 1944
Target Mifi Runway
(medium altitude)
OO #90
Mission 143
"983"
(B-25J)
Robertson, D. C., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Tolhurst, H.R., 2LT
Lambert, C.R., Pvt
Tisdell, H.E., S/Sgt
Hintz, N., Cpl
1592 9 Nov 1944
Target Amoerang
OO #94
Mission 148
"983"
(B-25J)
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Robertson, D.C., 1LT
Tolhurst, H.R., 2LT
Tomberlin, J.H., Sgt
Lambert, C., Pvt
Kuban, F., Pvt
1562 12 Nov 1944
Target Pegun Town,
Mapia Island
(medium altitude)
OO #96
Two Missions/
Same Crew:
Mission 153
Mission 154
"076"
(B-25J)
Hepplewhite, R.T., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Stodola, J.E., 2LT
Snyder, C.V., Cpl
Bowden, E.L., T/Sgt
O'Sullivan, T., Pvt
1546 13 Nov 1944
Target Pegun Island
(medium altitude)
OO #97
Two Missions/
Same Crew:
Mission 156
Mission 157
"977"
(B-25J)
Robertson, D.C., 1LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Turowski, Z.S., 1LT
Tomberlin, J.H., Sgt
Lambert, C.R., Pvt
Kuban, F., Pvt
1536-1537 14 Nov 1944
Target Pegun Island
(medium altitude)
OO #98
Two Missions/
Same Crew:
Mission 158
Mission 160
"983"
(B-25J)
Robertson, Donald C., 1LT
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Welch, John G., 1LT
Lambert, Clifford R., Pvt
Tomberlin, James H., Sgt
Kuban, Frank, Pvt
1533 15 Nov 1944
Support for troop invasion of Mapia Island (12 planes)
OO #99
Mission 161
"105"
(B-25J)
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Pitcher, George P., 1LT
Tolhurst, Harland R., 2LT
Estes, Clarence R., S/Sgt
Schriebman, S., T/Sgt
Holland, Aloysius F., S/Sgt
1473 19 Nov 1944
Namlea Township runway
("Old Namlea"; medium altitude)
OO #103
Mission 171
"085"
(B-25J)
Mahnke, H.W., 2LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Stem, R.H., 1LT
Tomberlin, J., Sgt
Lambert, C.R., Pvt
Kuban, F., Pvt
1441 23 Nov 1944
Ferry USO Personnel to Noemfoor
(Non-combat flight)
OO #107 "363"
(B-25D ??)
Abbott, W., 2LT
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Lambert, C.R., Pvt
1416-1417 26 Nov 1944
Halong seaplane base
(medium altitude)
OO #110
Mission 181
"131"
(B-25J)
Burnett, John J., Jr., 1LT
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Schaade, J., 1LT
Schriebman, Stanley, T/Sgt
Schaefer, C.J., S/Sgt
O'Sullivan, Thomas J., Pvt
1384 30 Nov 1944
3-plane training flight
(Non-combat flight)
OO #114 "105"
(B-25J)
Brabson, V.R., Lt. Col.
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Tomberlin, James H., Sgt
Lambert, Clifford R., Pvt
1931-1932 2 Dec 1944
Boro Boro Airdrome
OO #116
Mission 191
"977"
(B-25J)
Brown, Tom J., 1LT
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Stodola, Joseph E., 2LT
Carlson, R.G., S/Sgt
Messier, R.A., S/Sgt
Schaefer, C.J., S/Sgt
1922 6 Dec 1944
Galela runway
OO #119
Mission 192
"012"
(B-25J)
Smith, Robert D., Capt.
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Kahler, Kenneth W., S/Sgt
Carlson, Robert G., S/Sgt
Bejeski, Walter J., S/Sgt
1908 8 Dec 1944
Georoea supply area
OO #121
Mission 194
"131"
(B-25J)
Hendricks, Frank E., 2LT
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Ward, Jesse E., 2LT
Miller, Richard C., S/Sgt
Seifering, Henry F., S/Sgt
Cathers, Horace, S/Sgt
1896 9 Dec 1944
4-plane shipping sweep
OO #122
Either
Mission 195 or
Mission 198
(two separate flights of two)
"893"
(B-25J)
Smith, R.D., Capt.
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Burcham, R.L., 2LT
King, M.L., T/Sgt
McGuire, J.J., Sgt
Tisdell, H.F., S/Sgt
1842 17 Dec 1944
Shipping sweep
OO #130
Mission 204 (?)
"105"
(B-25J)
Anderson, R.L., 2LT
Miller, Kenneth, 1LT
Marks, Allan H., 2LT
Palubiski, Norman F., S/Sgt
Seehorn, Stanley L., S/Sgt
Gray, Wynne A., S/Sgt
1812 19 Dec 1944
Kairotoe Supply Area #3
OO #132
Mission 209
"085"
(B-25J)
Frick, Kenneth E., Capt.
Anderson, Roy L., 2LT
Stewart, William E., 2LT
Flagg, Edmund H., 1LT
McGuire, Jack J., Sgt
King, Murphy L., T/Sgt
Donovan, Jerome J., S/Sgt
20 Dec 1944 - Roy is transferred to the 70th Bomb. Squadron (Medium), which is also with the 42nd BG. (See Below.)

70th Bombardment Squadron Missions

Date: 24 December 1944
Mission # 291, Goeroea Bay (Halmaheras) Personnel & Supply Area #2
Plane # "884" (a B-25J)
Details: Roy was pilot of the 3rd plane in the First Flight; Total of 8 planes in 3 flights divided as 3/3/2

Date: 1 January 1945
Mission # 303, Kairatoe Personnel & Supply Area, minimum altititude
Plane # "144" (a B-25G)
Details: Roy was pilot of the 2nd plane in the Second Flight; total of 8 planes in two flights of 4 planes each. On this mission, three planes from the first flight were lost, crashing into a mountainside on the way home, which claimed 17 crewmen, including the squadron commander. Roy obviously witnessed this loss and my dad recalls him telling the family about it later.
Remarks from the Mission Report: "After the bomb run the planes rendezvoused at Laoet Island and proceeded NE(?) on the return flight. Three planes of the first element and four planes of the second element joined and the three planes led by Lt. Col. Brabson started on the return flight. The fourth plane in the first element missed the formation and returned alone. At approximately 1100 at 3 30'S - 129 15'E the planes turned on a heading of 20 degrees and started across Ceram. The lead element's altitude was between 5000' and 6000' and the second flight at 8000'. The first flight was winding through 7/10 towering cumulus as they approached Mt. Binaija which was apparently not seen because of the clouds. The flight leader of the second flight saw them go around a cloud and head in to the ridge west of Mt. Binaija Peak at 1110. They apparently did not have space to avoid hitting the ridge and the three planes crashed and burned."

Date: 4 January 1945
Mission # 307, Tanamou Airdrome Personnel & Supply Area, minimum altitude
Plane # "884" (a B-25J)
Details: Roy was pilot of the 4th plane in the Second Flight; total of 8 planes in two flights of 4 planes each.

Date: 6 January 1945
Mission # 308, Mapanget Personnel & Supply Area, minimum altitude
Plane # "364" (a B-25D)
Details: Roy was pilot of the 2nd plane in the First Flight; total of 8 planes in two flights of 4 planes each.

Date: 7 January 1945
Mission # 310, Report weather and check runway headings of all airdromes in the area
Plane # "829" (a B-25D)
Details: Roy piloted the only plane on this mission! The enemy airdromes visited were Sidate, Langoon, Tanamou, and Mapanget. Took off at 0450I and landed at 1110I. Also dropped six 500 lb. G.P. bombs on Kabarei Village at 1010I.

Date: 11 January 1945
Mission # 314, Kendari Personnel & Supply Area, including a stop at Moratai on the way back to Sansapor.
Plane # "106" (a B-25G)
Details: Roy was the pilot of the 2nd plane in the Second Flight; total of 6 planes in two flights of 3 planes each.
Remarks from the Mission Report: "Ship #106 retired from target area when engine started smoking, running rough, showing excess pressure. Pilot discovered, too late, that it was probably due to acceleration after long cruising."

Date: 13 January 1945
Mission # 316, Night heckler mission to Namlea Airdrome, using three planes, each taking off 2 hours apart
Plane # "884" (a B-25J)
Details: Roy piloted the 3rd plane to take off, at 0210I.
Remarks from the Mission Report: "Lt Anderson #884 airborne at 0210I, and almost immediately the tower called and told Lt. Anderson to return to base. He landed at 0235I." Weather was the problem, which the two earlier planes had to struggle with as noted in the mission report, so I assume it was further concern for weather conditions that directed Roy's flight to be scrubbed.

Date: 14 January 1945
Mission # 317, Buluan airfield (Mindanao), minimum altitude, including a stop at Moratai on the way there (direct return to Sansapor after the mission).
Plane # "336" (a B-25D)
Details: Roy was the pilot of the 3rd plane in the Second Flight; total of 6 planes in two flights of 3 planes each.

Date: 20 January 1945
Mission # 322, Shipping sweep of Fox 1, 2, 3, George 1, 2, 3, 4, How 1, 2, and Minipa Island.
Plane # "154" (either a B-25G or J)
Details: Roy was the pilot of the 2nd plane in this flight of only 2 planes. The flight was requested to return early to look for plane "336," which was overdue. They searched an area 40 miles west of Batanta Island and back to Sansapor, with negative results.
SPECIAL NOTE: This appears to be Roy's final mission. No other mission reports list Roy as a pilot, and his individual flight records change in the coding associated with subsequent flights to suggest that he flew administrative flights only after this day.

NOTE About Other 70th BS Missions: Looking at Roy's individual flight records while with the 70th BS, and comparing them to missions listed in the microfilm record, it would appear that Roy may have flown as co-pilot for three more missions on the following dates: December 23 and December 26, 1944, and January 3, 1945. It also looks like he flew on an administrative flight on December 31, 1944.

ALSO NOTE: It appears, as saved in the 70th BS history archive, that Roy actually received his first Air Medal (General Order 34, Hq FEAF, dated 5 January 1945) in a ceremony on 19 February 1945.

Crews:

Five of the six-man crew of B-25H known as "Dutch," in September 1944. Crew members pictured are
[standing, back row] Roy Anderson, co-pilot; Francis Dreazy, radio-gunner; and Donald Robertson, pilot ("Dutch" was named by him);

[kneeling, front row] Glen Bodrero, armorer-tail gunner; and James Tomberlin, flight enginner-gunner.
Not shown is the sixth crew member, James Schaade, the crew's bombardier/navigator-cannoneer, who is taking this picture. [Roy, Dreazy, Bodrero, and Tomberlin trained as a replacement crew in South Carolina and came out to the Pacific together. Tomberlin is also in the later crew picture below. The identity of Bodrero was confirmed in a letter I received on 30 March 2006 from Glen's brother, Darrell Bodrero. Glen was listed MIA on March 10, 1945. Francis Dreazy's identity in the picture has been confirmed by his sister and niece, who I talked to on May 10, 2006. Finally, the identification of James Schaade was confirmed on June 5 & 6, 2006, by George and Kim Schaade, Jim's sons.] [Picture courtesy of Donald C. Robertson, Jr]
Another picture of five of the six-man B-25H crew of "Dutch," in September 1944. This picture is being taken by Robertson, the pilot. Crew members pictured are
[standing, back row] Francis Dreazy, radio-gunner; James Schaade, bombardier/navigator-cannoneer; and Roy Anderson, co-pilot;

[kneeling, front row] James Tomberlin, flight enginner-gunner; and Glen Bodrero, armorer-tail gunner.
[Picture courtesy of Donald C. Robertson, Jr]
A later B-25 crew. Roy (back row, left) is still flying as co-pilot for Robertson and with Tomberlin still as the flight engineer. This picture dates to October/November 1944, when Roy and the 100th BS were now flying B-25J airplanes. The crew personnel pictured are as follows:
[standing, left to right] 2Lt Roy L. Anderson, co-pilot; 2Lt Jesse E. Ward, navigator-bombardier; and 1Lt Donald C. Robertson, pilot;

[kneeling, left to right] Pvt Frank Kuban, armorer-tail gunner; Pvt Clifford Lambert, radio-gunner; and Sgt James H. Tomberlin, flight engineer-gunner.
(These names have been confirmed by Robertson's son, Donald C. Robertson, Jr., on 3 January 2006, who has the exact same picture with names written on the back.)

Any remaining errors and inaccuracies are most certainly mine, and will be corrected whenever possible.

Resources:

The following resources may help others in their research.

Kevin Anderson
Dubuque, Iowa
Last updated 22 March 2014

Contact me with comments.