Lang - #12/2
Standing L-R: rditto, ? (B)*; Helton, Eldred H. (CP); Lang, Charles V. Jr. (P); Mohlman, Arthur W. (N)
Kneeling Middle L-R:Engelke, Wilfred A. (RO/LWG); Bosso, Guy V. (E/RWG); Reed, Lon N. Jr. (TT)
Seated Front L-R: Rutter, James M. (BG); Meeks, Arthur** (TG); Johansson, Hjalmar O. (NG)
*Arditto did not deploy to Italy with crew.
Helton was flying with Galvan's crew on 12/17/44.
**Tail gunner did not deploy due to illness (replaced by Norton, Harold R.).
Standing L-R: Mohlman, Arthur W. (N); Lang, Charles V. Jr. (P); Helton, Eldred H. (CP); Arditto, ? (B)
Kneeling L-R: Reed, Lon N. Jr. (TT); Bosso, Guy V. (E/RWG); Engelke, Wilfred A. (RO/LWG)
Sitting L-R: Johansson, Hjalmar O. (NG); Meeks, Arthur (TG); Rutter, James M. (BG)
This crew was shot down on their first mission - 17 December 1944.
Guy V. Bosso
Interview with Guy V. Bosso from April 1945
| AAF# | Type | Group | Sq | Sq# | Nickname |
| 42-51322 | B-24J | 461 | 767 | 66 | Unknown |
PILOT: 1st Lt. Charles V. Lang, Carrollton, AL, Married
MISSIONS: Unknown
LAST SIGHTED: 1200, Muglitz 49-47'N 16-56'E
DOWN: 1230
WHERE: Rytaik, Rybnik, Skrzischow. Guy Bosso says he bailed out over Adony, Hungary.
Aircraft left formation 150 miles NW of Budapest. Navigator, Arthur W. Mohlman, left formation 50 north of Lake Battaton. S/Sgt Robert F. Miller, tail gunner lead ship in formation, "#66 was 600-700 yards behind the formation at the time of the first attack." T/Sgt. H. N. Ryan, in bomber #60, "#66 went under our aircraft. All engines were going and no fighters were after him - then an FW-190 went down after #66." T/Sgt. Russell H. Ritchel, right waist, #63 in number 2 position, C Flight, first section. (767), "#66 pulled up along side of us from the rear with a fighter on his tail. Fire and smoke were coming from #3 engine." Cpl. Guy V. Bosso, right waist gunner, says Lang ordered him to check on the fuel leak in bomb bays. #66 peeled off to right and fell away. The enemy fighter on his tail burst into flames. #66 fell about 500 yards, blew up and fell in two pieces. Entire crew got out and 7 were captured about 3:45 PM. German reports note, Cpl. James M. Rutter, "Refuses to talk!" Crewmen will not even reveal type of aircraft they were flying. Lang and 3 others were picked up by Russians and returned to Fifteenth AF.
Then (12/30/44)
L-R: Elden A. (R/O), Hank Slonski(?) TG of the 743rd Squadron, 455th Bomb Group, Guy Bosso 461st.
Now
Hjalmar Johannson(left) and Guy Bosso (right) in 2000.
