Rufus W. Grisham, Jr. Crew (original) (raw)

| | | 358th Grisham CrewRufus W. Grisham, Jr., Pilot | | ------------------------------------------ | ---------------------------------------------- |

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RUFUS W. GRISHAM, JR. CREW - 358th BS
(crew assigned 358BS: 17 Aug 1944 - photo: 25 Aug 1944)

(Back L-R) 1Lt Rufus W. Grisham, Jr. (P), 1Lt William H. Cox (CP),
1Lt Nicholas J. Celich (B), 1Lt Gale E. Hartel (N)

(Front L-R) S/Sgt Arnold A. Willis (TG), T/Sgt Harry R. Post (R),
S/Sgt Gerhard W. Loessin, Jr. (BT), S/Sgt Ben M. Buie (WG),
T/Sgt Edwin P. Scheuermann (E)

(Ranks and Grades at time of last combat mission.)

Thirty-six dispatched (35 credited) combat missions flown by 1Lt Rufus W. Grisham, Jr.:
233 (27 Aug 44), 234, 235, 238, 240, 245, 249, 250(A), 251, 252, 254, 255, 257, 258, 259, 260, 262, 264, 270, 271, 272, 274, 276, 277, 279, 280, 281, 286, 289, 291, 294, 296, 296, 297, 298A, 298B (7 Jan 45). (A) Non-credited aborted mission - B17 had a broken oil line. For Mission dates, targets and Mission Reports, see Combat Missions.

Missions Note:
All members of the 1Lt Grisham crew, except for 1Lt Gale E. Hartel, completed their 35 mission combat tours on 7 January 1945 (Mission 298B). 1Lt Hartel completed his 35 mission combat tour on 8 January 1945 (Mission 299)

Fourteen different B-17Gs flown by 1Lt Grisham on his 36 dispatched combat missions:

Favorite B-17G - Princess Pat 2 (358BS) VK-J:
Flown by members of the 1Lt Grisham crew on 15 of their 36 dispatched combat missions. Was always in top mechanical condition and ready to fly thanks to the Crew Chief M/Sgt Thomas K. Harrelson, Jr. and his ground crewmen. Was lost on 15 February 1945, Mission 315. Was badly damaged on mission to Dresden, Germany, 1Lt Lawrence C. Poole, Pilot. With two engines feathered and gas supply near zero 1Lt Poole ordered his crew to bail out over England. 1Lt Poole, with his Flight Engineer, T/Sgt Rayford Pullen, made an emergency belly landing at RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, England. The B-17 was later salvaged.

Crew Notes:

Seventeen substitute Crewmen used by the 1Lt Rufus W. Grisham, Jr. Crew

[photo courtesy of George T. Mackin] [Researched by Harry D. Gobrecht, 303rdBGA Historian Emeritus]

Mission in 1944 Earns DFC for Grisham in 2002
© 2002 Hell's Angels Newsletter - by Eddie Deerfield

US Congressman Larry Combest congratulates 303rd BG Pilot Rufus W. Grisham after presenting him with the Distinguished Flying Cross at a ceremony in Lubbock, TX.

Let's put a reverse twist on an old saying, and make it "You can't see the trees because of the forest." Maybe this rationale would help explain the surge in awards for World War II veterans more than a half century after their heroic actions. Heroism was so much the norm in aerial combat against the German Luftwaffe and flak batteries that individual acts of great courage were often over- looked - like trees lost in a forest of heroic acts.

Take the case of 303rd Bomb Group pilot Rufus W. Grisham. His World War II Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded in 2002. Here's the text of the citation:

First Lieutenant Rufus W. Grisham distinguished himself by extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot, 358th Bombardment Squadron, 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy), Molesworth, England, on 27 December 1944. During this period, Lieutenant Grisham's B-17 aircraft participated in "The Battle of the Bulge" by completing a combat bombing mission over the marshalling yards at Euskirchen, Germany. Lieutenant Grisham's aircraft encountered intense anti-aircraft fire that caused a complete loss of the number four engine, loss of three-quarters power of the number one and number two engines, and complete loss of the left tire on the landing gear. Despite these crippling effects to his aircraft, Lieutenant Grisham's superb airmanship, and quick thinking not only managed to miraculously fly his aircraft back to home station, but he saved the lives of all eight of his crewmen. The professional competence, aerial skill, and devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Grisham reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army Air Corps.

For bringing the heavily damaged B-17 and his crew safely back to Molesworth in December, 1944, Grisham was awarded the DFC in 2002, more than 58 years after the event. During the 364 missions that the 303rd Bomb Group flew from 1942 to 1945, there were scores if not hundreds of examples of the brand of heroism so capably displayed by Rufus Grisham. Too often, individual acts of courage in those tempestuous times went unrecognized.

Grisham credits Bill Cox, his co-pilot on the Euskirchen mission, with organizing the documentation which generated the award.

"There was an article in the Hell's Angels Newsletter telling us that the time limits had been waived for awards and decorations for WWII veterans," said Grisham. "Bill Cox called me to discuss this and wanted my permission to write a recommendation for a mission we flew to Euskirchen on Dec. 27, 1944. He told me he had all the documents and could contact all the senior officers that would be involved. I told Bill I had no objections and to proceed if he thought it might be approved." Bill Cox is a US Air Force career officer who retired as a colonel with 10,000 flying hours to his credit.

"Bill thought we had a good chance for approval," Grisham said, "but warned me that it would take at least two years. Actually, it took two years and one month. Bill got the package put together in January, 2000 and I immediately sent it on to my Congressman, Larry Combest, in Washing ton. The first step requires his approval. After the Congressman approved the request, I don't know where it went, but finally it came before a Board in the awards and decorations section at Randolph AFB in San Antonio.

"I got a call from the Congressman's office that the DFC would be presented to me in his Lubbock, Texas office on February 21, 2002. I was certainly honored and pleased to accept this award and particularly because the recommendations came from members of my crew."

What did it take to finally gain the recognition Rufus Grisham should have received in 1944? In addition to the testimony of Bill Cox. supporting documents came from 303rd group and squadron officers and crew members. George T. Mackin, 358th Squadron commander, presented a "Narrative of Mission" describing in detail the damage to Grisham's B-17 and his "distinguished and professional piloting" and concern for his crew. Engineer and top turret gunner Edwin Scheuermann praised his pilot's skill "under the most nerve-racking conditions." All told, there were 27 pages of documentation.