Individual Flight Records of Russell Cramer (1944 - 1945)

Source: Special Thanks To Russell Cramer

In his words:

My story is that I was a member of the 417th
Bomb Sqdn. 25th Bomb. Gp. as a radar operator from late 1942 in The
Carribean until we were returned to the U.S. in April of 1944. We were
stationed at various times at Borinquen Field P.R. Vernam Field Jamaca,
Camaguay Cuba,and Losey Field P.R. We flew anti-submarine and convoy
coverage missions in B-18 and B 25 aircraft. We were retuned to the U.S. to
Alamogordo N.M. and disbanded and sent to various bases and groups to
support the B-29 effort. Herb (Herbert Lingafelt) and I and several others were sent to the
246th. Base Unit. at Pratt. I only met him at that time as we were in
different Sqdn.'s in the 25th Gp. Assignment to the 246th. was in May of
1944.We worked as in flight radar instructors. I was in the post theater
when the plane crashed in front of the hangar. I had flown on the Oct,7th
and Herb took the next days flight which was the fatal Cannon Crew flight.
We were told later that they were caught in prop turbulance from aircraft
ahead ,while they were changing position, and they were flipped over and
could not recover.