The story of the We Weary Warriors crew of the 489th begins in February 26th 1944. As near as any records can tell, this seems to be on or about the date the crew first met and become one crew.

1st Lt. Donald Shickel – Pilot – Nicknamed “The Whip or Skipper”

Don apparently settled down in Fayetteville, New York. Don also was also the pilot on this groups training on B 29s following their war activity. Don passed away in 1986. He is one of the few members of the 489th to receive The Distinguished Flying Cross for the group’s mission on 8/11/44. On this mission The Warriors plane was badly damaged and Harold Haight was injured. Don along with Co-Pilot Dorriety struggled to the plane back to Halesworth. See the Wonnerth diary for more on this date.

2nd Lt. Robert M, Dorriety – Co Pilot

After WWII Robert settled back in Alabama. Robert passed away in January of 2000. Robert is survived by two sons and a daughter. Robert remained the co-pilot when the group returned to the states for their B29 training.

2nd Lt.Walt Hardin – Bombardier

Walt settled back in Georgia after the war and practiced law for 55 years. He still lives in Georgia and is the only living member of the We Weary Warriors I have been able to find to date. Walt also remained on as the bombardier when the group returned to the states for B29 training.

Staff Sargent John Wonnerth – Left Waist Gunner

John and Tom Yonchak went to gunnery school together and were apparently close during the war (my father has many pictures of John and refers to him as Flashhound because of his propensity to pose for the camera). After the war John returned to his native Cleveland, Ohio where he became a police officer. John passed away in 1989.

Staff Sargent Thomas Yonchak – Right Waist Gunner – Nicknamed “Yaney”.

After the war Tom returned to Farrell Pa. His father Mitro (Peter) died at age 73 in 1947. Tom went on to college at Pitt for 2 years and finished his college education at The University of Notre Dame with a law degree. He settled in Cleveland Ohio shortly after his marriage in 1959 to his wife off 44 years, Catherine. Tom has 3 sons and 2 daughters. He died in January of 2004 of a rare form of blood cancer (MDS). Tom was also part of the B29 group.

Staff Sargent Harold Haight – Tail Gunner – Known as “Junior”

Not much is know about Harold other then he was seriously wounded on Friday 11 August 1944 in a bomb run on Saarbrucken. Harold did return to active service with The Warriors on October 12th 1944 and finished the rest of the tour with them. He did not re-up for the B29 training.

Flight Officer Hugh Briggs – Navigator

Hugh apparently returned to his native California after the war. His last known address was in Beverly Hills. Hugh also remained as part of the crew for the B29 training.

Tech Sergeant James Stangel – Flight Engineer

Known by my father as “Papa Jim”. Not much is known about Jim as none of his relatives could be located James did not remain as part of the group when they entered B29 training

Flight Officer George Hauslaib – Rear Navigator

It is believed that George joined the group during PFF training from Sept 7, 1944 to October 11, 1944. His first mission with the group is believed to have been October 12th 1944 when the crew became a lead crew for the first time. George did not join the crew for the B29 training.

Staff Sergeant Robert Henry – Gunner

No information available on Robert at this time.

Tech SergeantNick Schermer– Radio Operator

No information at this time.

Immediately after the war many of this group returned to train on The B29 in AZ. Several did not including Wonnerth, Stengel, Hauslaib, and Haight. The new member of the crew which I have no information on were: