"The Mareeba Butchers"
403rd Squadron Briefing Room

Patch of the 403rd SQ
Patch of the 403rd SQ


403rd SQ Tail Insignia
Courtesy Scott Burris of
http://www.heavybombers.com

Duty Stations

  From: To:
Melbourne, Australia

27 February 1942

14 March 1942
Laverton, Australia

14 March 1942

27 August 1942
Torrens Creek, Australia

27 August 1942

17 October 1942
Iron Range, Australia

17 October 1942

23 November 1942
Milne Bay, New Guinea

23 November 1942

21 January 1943
Mareeba, Australia

21 January 1943

11 May 1943
Port Moresby, New Guinea

11 May 1943

13 December 1943
Dobodura, New Guinea

13 December 1943

12 March 1944
Nadzab, New Guinea

12 March 1944

28 July 1944
Owi, Schouten Islands

28 July 1944

15 November 1944
Tacloban

15 November 1944

15 March 1945
Clark Field

15 March 1945

20 July 1945
Ie Shima

20 July 1945

post November 1945
Ft William McKinley, Luzon

?

?
Note on the name "Mareeba Butchers": this nickname came from a Tokyo Rose radio broadcast in which she claimed that the airmen flying out of Mareeba were guilty of intentionally killing innocent women and children. She called the men the "Mareeba Butchers" and the 403rd adopted the nickname as their own.

Commanding Officers

13th Reconnaissance
Maj. Russell A. Wilson

15 January 1941

12 August 1941
Maj. Carl T. Goldenberg

12 August 1941

18 January 1942
Maj. Thomas N. Charles

18 January 1942

22 May 1942

403rd BS
Maj. Thomas N. Charles

22 May 1942

 29 November 1942
Maj. Franklyn T. Green

5 December 1942

28 February 1943
Maj. Jay P. Rousek

1 March 1943

12 June 1943
Maj. William L. Welch

12 June 1943

1 October 1943
Maj. Charles B. Downer

1 October 1943

6 January 1944
Maj. Dorwin C. Wilson

6 January 1944

1 May 1944
Capt. Russell M. Bragg

1 May 1944

31 August 1944
Capt. Gustave R. Apai

1 September 1944

? January 1945
Maj. Leonard H. Clark

? January 1945

23 June 1945
Capt. Willis F. Bond

23 June 1945

c. September 1945

Interviews
Interview with Col. Ernest J. Wells, pilot
Interview with S/Sgt. "Frank" Franklin P. Hohmann (also of the 65th SQ)
Interview with Buck Sgt. Damon "Windy" Coppess
Interview with Flt. Officer Raymond A. Emanuelson, Jr.
Interview with Staff Sergeant "Miltie" J. Kent Milton
Interview with Colonel William L. "Bill" Welch
Interview with T/Sgt Loren C. "Red" Bates
Interview with 1st Lt. Ernest N. Morgan
Interview with Cpl. Leonard Gerloski

Pictures

Crew:
   5 unidentified crew pictures
   Col. Wells; unidentified crew
   Newspaper clipping about Sgt. David V. Gonzalez
   Andrew Stanko, Gunner, and John Gallahan, Pilot
   Crew 613 training in Massachusettes
   Burke and Greene of Crew 613
   Laverne Greene with B-24 #8585
   Laverne Greene (?) of Crew 613 on Wing Tank
   More Pictures of Crew 613:
      1  2  3  4  5  6  7
   Crew of Col. Ernest Wells
   Edmund E. Kubiak
   Crew of 'Geraldine' in front of the aircraft
   Irwin "Comp" Compton in New Guinea
   Sgt. Olin J. Edwards
   Series of Photos sent by Francis "Frank" Drab (as below)
   Theodore "Ted" Romanowski (original Pilot L.A. Young) in front of "Geraldine"
   Crew of Lt. Miniere
   Commanding Officer: Captain Russell M. Bragg and crew
   Slim Bonner Crew (in front of Satan's Sister)
   S/Sgt Clarence Everett

Aircraft:
   Gentleman Jim; Eager Beaver; Zombie
   Satan's Sister & Crew; Million Dollar Baby & David V. Gonzalez
   Joltin' Janie
   Unidentified B-24
   B-29, which flew Crew 613 partway back home, from Okinawa to Hawaii
   B-24 Pom Pom Express
   B-24 Big Chief Cockeye
   B-29 (?) Over Exposed
   Series of Photos sent by Francis "Frank" Drab (as above and below)
   Geraldine (see Theodore "Ted" Romanowski (original Pilot L.A. Young) in front of "Geraldine")
  
Miscellaneous:
   Dobodura, New Guinea:  Mess Hall, Mail Tent, Movie House, Day Room
   Dobodura, New Guinea:  Navigation Tent, Squadron Supply, Intelligence
   Dobodura, New Guinea: Enlisted Men's Showers, Officers' Showers, Water Supply
   403rd's Base in late 1945 , Ie Shima (aerial view)
   Nice scan of the Mareeba Butchers' patch (sent by Francis Drab of the 64th SQ)
   Series of Photos sent by Francis "Frank" Drab (as above)

Miscellaneous
List of 13th Reconnaissance/403rd SQ Crewmen who sailed on the S.S. Argentina

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