Staff Sargent Donald L. Hoose is standing second from the right in back. Pilot Skinner is probably one of the men kneeling in the front row. Dad said the crew called him (Skinner) the "Old Man" (he was about 21 or 22 at the time!).
Aircraft believed to be "KAREN B". This plane was named after Skinner's 6 yr. old daughter. Cindy French: "I understand there were many other Karen B's that followed this one. Dad flew with his crew to England in Janurary, 1944 in this Karen B."
Cindy Hoose French - 6 Dec 2006: I have a list of the 9 man crew of the Karen B II: 1st Lt. Paul Skinner (Pilot - Living); Capt. Jimmy H. Vallee Jr. (Co-Pilot - Deceased); 2nd Lt. John Higgins (Navigator - Decreased); 2nd Lt. Rupert Taylor (Bombardier -(Deceased); T/Sgt. Ernest W. Werstler (Top Turret - Living); T/Sgt. Marion L. Ferguson (Radio Operator - Living); S/Sgt. Roy A. Wendt (Ball Turret Gunner - Unknown); S/Sgt. Louis D. Traveller (R Wrist Gunner - Deceased); S/Sgt. Donald L. Hoose (L Waist Gunner - Living) and F/O Louis M. Dxirbik (Tail Gunner - Deceased). Over Christmas my sisters will be talking with Dad to see if he can match up any of the names in this list with the men in the photo. More to come...
Location
:
Deopham Green Airfield, Station 142, Norfolk, England
