PA469 A Ground Officer's View of the Marauder War in Europe Alonzo Richardson Alonzo Richardson
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A Ground Officer's View of the Marauder War in Europe
Alonzo Richardson


"Clark's Little Pill," named for Major Clark Cordill, its original pilot, was a bitter dose for the enemy.

The "Pill" first became famous when it completed fifty missions to become the first Marauder in the ETO to accomplish such a feat. As the battle scarred bomber continued to rack up the missions, she was spoken of in news dispatches as "A Queen among Marauders" for always she -led a flight or a box.

When "Clark's Little Pill" rolled up to the. hardstand at the completion of her 150th mission, piloted by Lt. Conley, she added the final touch of prestige to her impressive record. Here are a few statistics:

    Bombs dropped on Nazi targets: 260 tons; number of hours of flying time: 738 hours; total distance travelled:approximately 140,000 miles, or a distance equivalent to five times around the world.
A tribute to her maker and to her crew chief, T/Sgt. Melvin M. Mumbower, is the way in which the plane has recovered from serious battle damage to fly again. Only the brakes and ailerons remain of the original ship. Engines have been changed three times and other, parts and accessories replaced. An 88mm shell once lodged in the right engine nacelle, but failed to explode. The plane has one single engine return and two emergency landings, but not a member of its crew has ever been injured in the plane.

On Christmas Day, 1944, "Clark's Little Pill" was lost to enemy action while on her 156th mission, The crew cleared the plane before it exploded.

The original crew of the "Pill" was:

    Major Clark Cordill
    Lt. William J. Clark
    T/Sgt. Arnold J. Fladland
    S/Sgt. Jose L. Gonzales
    S/Sgt. Frank A. Hay

NOTE: These are all in our NOSEART section. Click the Thumbnails
    (1)
    100TH MISSION
    JUNE 8, 1944
    RICHMAN, MOESLE
    CAVENAUGH-CREWCHIEF
    BATTLE DAMAGE
    AUGUST 10, 1944
    123 MISSIONS
    (2)
    100TH MISSION
    JUNE 21, 1944
    WILLIAMS, CORDIA
    DUFFIN
    SAFARZ-CREWCHIEF
    MISSING
    JULY 8, 1944
    105 MISSIONS
    (3)
    100TH MISSION
    JULY 25, 1944
    BORDEN-SOBCZAK, MINSKY
    WINTERFELD-CREWCHIEF
    151 MISSIONS
    RETIRED
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