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1st Lt. William C. Kasdorf
720th Squadron
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Rest Camp, December 1944
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CREW INFORMATION
Capt. HARRY AMDUR - Pilot
1st Lt. ALFRED B. ROLLINS JR. - Co-Pilot
1st Lt. WILLIAM C. KASDORF - Navigator
1st Lt. ENOCH S. CODY
1st Lt. STANLEY B. PURWINIS
T/SGT. HARRY W. ASHWORTH
T/SGT. WAYNE E. FISK - Radio Operator
T/SGT. JOHN A. SFORZA - Ball Turret
S/SGT. OWEN M. BOLIN - Tail Gunner
S/SGT. RANKIN B. CARTER
S/SGT. NILS I. PEARSON - Assistant Engineer
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TRAINING
April 15, 1944 - Crew formed WESTOVER FIELD, MASS.
July 5, 1944 - Assigned LANGLEY FIELD, VA.
Aug. 14, 1944 - Left for overseas.
Aug. 14, 1944 - DOW FIELD, BANGOR, MAINE.
Aug. 14, to Sept. 3, 1944 - GANDER, NEWFOUNDLAND.
Sept. 3&4,1944 - LAGENS, AZORES - 7 hr 40 min
Sept, 4&5,1944 - MARRAKECH, FRENCH MORROCO - 6hr 30min
Sept. 5&6,1944 - TUNIS, TUNISIA - 5 hr 55 min
Sept. 6 to 9,1944 - GIOIA d COLIE, ITALY - 3 hr 15 min
Sept. 9,1944 to April 27, 1945, MANDURIA, ITALY
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ASSIGNED 720TH SQUADRON
Sept. 18,1944 - Crews 1st mission - BUDAPEST, HUNGARY.
Oct. 16, 1944 - 1st mission Stan flew with crew.
Oct. 31, 1944 - Single ship mission - PODGORICA, YUGO.
Nov. 3, 1944 - Single ship mission - MOOSBIERBAUM, AUSTRIA.
Nov. 15,1944 - Single ship mission - INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA.
Dec. 18 to 23,1944 - Rest camp - ROME.
Dec.25,1944 - Target INNSBRUK, made 360 over target, lost 2 engines, emergency landing FALCONARA.
April 27,1944 to May 6,1945 - NAPLES, ITALY.
May 6 to 15,1945 - S.S. MARIPOSA, MATSON LINER.
May 15&16,1945 - CAMP MILES STANDISH, BOSTON, MASS
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COMBAT MISSIONS
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Left to Right:
1st Lt. William Kasdorf - Duffy on his lap
2nd Lt. Alfred Rollins
2nd Lt. John Sforza
Cpl. Nils Pearson
S/Sgt. Wayne Fisk
Cpl. Owen Bolin
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Left to Right: Bill Kasdorf, Al Rollins & Hank Amdur
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1 April 1945
Bill Kasdorf receives the Distinguished Flying Cross from Brigadier General Hugo Rush
for flying a lone wolf raid against communications in Innsbruck, Austria on 15 November 1944.
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Bill Kasdorf & Hank Amdur
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Bill Kasdorf & Al Rollins
Rest Camp, December 1944
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Bill Kasdorf & Al Rollins
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Left to Right: Nils Pearson Al Rollins & Bill Kasdorf
450th Re-Union, Virginia
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William C. Kasdorf, 1st Lt. and Navigator for the 720th
squadron of the 450th Bomb Group passed on April 21, 2009 after
having lived a great life. He was 85.
Bill served in Manduria from September 1944 – April 1945,
flying 35 sorties and 50 missions. He
was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a 15 November 1944 lone wolf
mission to Innsbruck, Austria and also received the E20 Ribbon with 7 Battle
Stars and the DFC with Air Ribbon with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Bill never forgot his time in the 720th and in
later years kept a framed picture of a B24 Liberator flying above the clouds
hanging above his desk. And while never
talking about what he did during the war, he would always amaze his daughters
and grandchildren by casually pointing out the various constellations and stars
in the night sky.
After the war, Bill returned home to Milwaukee, attended
college, married, had 2 daughters and played golf as often as he could. He also worked 39 years for Wisconsin
Electric Power as an Electrical Draftsman.
In retirement, Bill and his wife Marjorie traveled cross
country often and to England, Ireland and the Scandinavian countries. Eventually they settled in Hillsboro,
Wisconsin to be near their youngest daughter and grandchildren. It was here that Bill started raising a herd
of Scottish Highlander cattle as a hobby, naming the heifers (who have red
coats) after famous redheads. He had a
Lucy, a Maureen, a Bette, etc.
William Kasdorf is survived by 2 daughters, 5 grandchildren
and 2 great-grandchildren who will miss him every day.
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Link To William's Navigation Logs & Flak Maps
Link To William's Documents & Orders
Link To Aircraft Pictures
Link To Base Pictures
Link To Rest Camp Pictures
Link To Target Pictures
Link To Crew Information
Information courtesy of Barbara Kasdorf Janks, daughter of William Kasdorf
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