447th Badge447th Bomb Group
USAAF Station 126 - Rattlesden
Crew Profiles: Hopla
to 11/43 Harvard AAB, Nebraska 
11/43 In transit to England
Hopla by air, rest of crew by ship
11/43 708th Sqdn, Rattlesden
Missions flown: 30
Photos on this page kindly provided by Mr. Russell Chase

Standing, L-R:
Sgt. Russell Chase, ROG
Sgt. Thomas Price, WG
Sgt. Wilie Fant, TG
Sgt. Robert Shumate, WG
Sgt. Wayne Fargurburg, BTG
Sgt. William Sutfin, ENG

Kneeling, L-R:
Lt. Fred Kleps, N
Lt. Charles Hopla, P
Lt. Charles Goff, CP
Lt. Thomas Fitzgerald, B

More photos below
Combat Missions
No. Date Target Aircraft
1 12/24/1943  NOBALL NO. 50  42-31096 
2 1/4/1944  KIEL 42-31095 Ground Pounder
3 1/29/1944  FRANKFURT 42-31095 Ground Pounder
4 1/30/1944  BRUNSWICK 42-31095 Ground Pounder
5 2/3/1944  WILHELMSHAVEN 42-31156 Big Stoop
6 2/4/1944  FRANKFURT 42-31095 Ground Pounder
7 2/6/1944  EVREUX-FAUVILLE 42-31165
8 2/20/1944  TUTOW 42-31095 Ground Pounder
9 2/21/1944  DIEPHOLZ 42-31095 Ground Pounder
10 2/24/1944  ROSTOCK 42-39874 Wichita Witch (709th A/C)
11 2/25/1944 REGENSBURG 42-31104
12 3/6/1944 BERLIN 42-31095 Ground Pounder
13 3/8/1944 BERLIN 42-31104
14 3/11/1944  MUNSTER 42-31095 Ground Pounder
15 3/13/1944  NOBALL NO. 74  42-31095 Ground Pounder
16 3/15/1944  BRUNSWICK 42-31095 Ground Pounder
17 3/22/1944  BERLIN 42-31127
18 3/23/1944  BRUNSWICK 42-31185 Satchel Lass
19 03/28/44  CHARTRES 42-31185 Satchel Lass
20 04/01/44  LUDWIGSHAFEN No. 673
21 04/10/44  DIEST SCHAFFEN 42-31095 Ground Pounder
22 04/18/44  ORANIENBURG RATHNOW 42-31095 Ground Pounder
23 04/19/44  LIPSTADT WERL 42-31095 Ground Pounder
24 04/20/44  NOBALL 42-31095 Ground Pounder
25 04/22/44  HAMM 42-31095 Ground Pounder
26 04/24/44  FRIEDRICHSHAFEN 42-102421
04/29/44  BERLIN F. Kleps KIA, flying as replacement Nav with Dowler on 42-102421
27 05/07/44  BERLIN 42-31095 Ground Pounder
28 05/08/44  BERLIN 42-31154 Shack Happy
29 05/09/44  LAON/ATHIES A/D 42-31095 Ground Pounder
30 05/11/44  MALINES 42-31095 Ground Pounder

  

Photos taken at Harvard in October or November 1943

Photos above taken at Rattlesden during 1944