Faris' Crew

323rd Squadron

Pennsylvania 65000

Serial # 297984 OR

Back Row - Left to Right

T/Sgt. Robert L. Taylor, Engineer/Gunner; T/Sgt. Claude E. Harper, Radio Operator/Gunner; S/Sgt. Paul E. Vinecourt, Ball Turret Gunner; S/Sgt. Theodore Knapp, Waist Gunner; S/Sgt. Wm. Henry Wiegel, Waist Gunner; S/Sgt. Melvin F. Wagner, Tail Gunner.

Front Row - Left to Right

1st Lt. James E. Faris, Pilot; 1st Lt. Richard L. White, Co-pilot; 1st Lt. Norman L. Passeger, Navigator; Arcangelo Carlini, Bombardier (replaced by 2nd Lt. John F. Werner, Bombardier).

Photo contributed by

Faris' Crew Factoid - Provided by Mark Knapp, nephew of Theodore Knapp:

The crew received training in Alexandria, LA. They arrived in Bassingbourn 15 July 1944 and flew the "Mary Lou" for the first 23 missions. The plane was also borrowed and flown by another pilot when it landed on its belly while taking some airmen to Ireland on an R & R trip. This was the end of the "Mary Lou". Mark noted - according to Claude Harper (Radio Operator and Waist Gunner), whom he had the pleasure of speaking to on the phone, said the landing gear failed to deploy. 1st Lt. Faris borrowed the ship "Sherry's Cherries" from the 401st, which was subsequently shot down 2 November 1944 while on loan to the 323rd Squadron and on a flight to Merseburg, Germany, which was the crews next and final (24th) mission.

As you know, they used 9-man crews and two of the crew members in this picture were sent elsewhere. Wm. Wiegel was the extra man and reassigned when they arrived overseas. The Bombardier Arcangelo Carlini was on the first 8 missions but was hit by a jeep and sent back to the states and then later sent to the Pacific Theater. He was replaced by 1st Lt. John F. Werner. Paul E. Vinecourt, Theodore Knapp, and Marvin F. Wagner were KIA and the rest of the crew were POWs until the end of the war. Arcangelo Carlini later died in the Pacific Theater after his plane exploded after take-off.

Faris' Crew in front of Sherry's Cherries

(altered photo provided by Don Harper, son of T/Sgt. Claude Harper)