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This B-24 Liberator, 42-78608,
and crew were assigned to the 376th Bomb Group. On a mission to Szomebathely, Hungary, the aircraft fell out of
formation 15 miles SE of Maribor, Yugoslavia. The plane crashed and there were no survivors. On August 9, 1949 five members
of the crew were buried in Section E Site 98-99 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
1/Lt Beck, Donald E
S/Sgt Burbick, William
S/Sgt Rhyne, Marvin L
T/Sgt Ross, Edwin S
S/Sgt Banfield, Tunis G
This B-26 Marauder,
41-17793, and crew were assigned to the 438th Squadron of
the 319th Bomb Group. On July 15, 1949 the crew was buried in Section E Site 89 at the Zachary Taylor National
Cemetery.
1/Lt Dark, Glen L Jr
S/Sgt Holgate, Lawrence L
T/Sgt Lutie, Frank X
1/Lt Nix, Jack W, Pilot
2/Lt Rodman, Emmett L
S/Sgt Wolfe, Paul E
It
was shot down by fighters over El Aouina Air Field in Tunis on February 13th 1943.
Here's the
mission report: "Mission # 29, five planes, 120-lb. frags, target El Aouina Air Field in Tunis, results uncertain because
of bad weather and evasive action: twenty to thirty Me-109's shot down two B-26's, one of which crash landed within our lines
killing Sgt. Chism. The other plane with Lts. Rodman and Dark, and Sgts. Holgate. Lutie, and Wolfe were last seen heading
down followed by enemy fighters.
Lt
Allison was buried on September 15, 1944 in a field grave in Eberswalde
- NE Berlin - with eight others. Four
of the eight were B-17 crewmembers from two B-17's. T/Sgt Bauer from 42-102969, “Methuselah 989 Years,” while
Eden, Gardiner and Rodgers were from 42-97278, “Umbriago,” both bombers with the 367th Squadron of the 306th Bomb
Group. The "Umbriago" and “Methuselah 989 Years" went down at Uedersee (close to Eberswalde) and Brodowin due to German
fighters.
They
were exhumed on August 28, 1947 by Americans and buried at the US Cemetery Neuville, Belgium. On October 14, 1949 the remains were transferred to Section E Site 182-183 at the Zachary
Taylor National Cemetery, Louisville KY
T/Sgt Bauer, William J 42-102969
Sgt Eden, John V, 42-97278
1/Lt Ellison, John C 43-7182 P51 Mustang
Sgt Gardiner, William V 42-97278
S/Sgt Rodgers, Henry H 42-97278
Krahn, Jack Paul
Myerson, A.Mathow
Stewart, H. William
Whitaker,
A.Wilbur
Fresman, Martin Wesley
Wegener, Pilot 42-97278
Barr, Pilot 42-102969
Captain Mendenhall led a Ramrod to Brux, Czechoslovakia after Marshall returned
with fuel feed problems. Marshall got repaired and was off again only to be recalled by Stewart for an important briefing
for the next day's mission.
Rendezvous with First Division bombers was made at 1045 north of Ludwigslust. At 1145 nearly
40 Fw 190s with 109s flying top cover, jumped the B-17s near Muritz Lake.
The 357th Fighter Squadron caught
the trailing elements and McHugh and Monahan shot down two and one, respectively. The rest of the squadron chased several
long nose Fw 190s but could not close.
During the chase, the 357th strafed Schwartz airfield and Chapman was hit by
flak to become a POW. Lieutenant Cullerton destroyed seven on the ground, Juntilla got four and Haviland destroyed three before
they pulled away from the field.
Lt Ellison of the 354th Fighter Squadron was last seen following an Fw190
from JG300 into a formation of 306th Bomb Group B-17s. Lt. John Ellison was “hit by a Fw 190 near Eberswalde”.
He was 1/Lt
John Ellison, a P51 Mustang fighter pilot with the 354th Squadron of the 355th Fighter Group, shot down trying to chase two
fw190s away from a crippled B-17 Flying Fortress from the 367th Squadron of the 306th Bomb Group. Both the Missing Air Crew Report and the squadron history speak to Ellison last being seen diving on
tail of a Fw190 through a box of B-17s 'near Berlin'. It is entirely plausible that Ellison survived the dive and was picked
off on the deck. A fw190 pilot reported shooting down a P51 at 300 ft near Eberswalde.
The
village of Brodowin is 11 miles N.E. of Eberswalde on the south shore of the Parsteiner See. The Udersee is a small skinny
lake with the village of Finowfurt on it's south shore. Finowfurt is almost due west of Eberswalde some 6 miles.
Several more gaggles were spotted near the bombers
but broke when the group turned into them. Thompson and Vigna of the 358th Fighter Squadron Yellow flight caught
up with a Fw190 and a Me109, shooting down the 109 and damaging the 190, respectively south of Berlin near Ruhland. Each time
the P51s of the 355th reformed quickly to continue their escort duties and the Luftwaffe departed to search for easier prey.
At
1230 escort was broken off near Plauen and the group is down by 1430.
This B-24, 42-64438, “Snow Goose,” and crew were assigned to the 700th Squadron of the 445th
Bomb Group. The aircraft crashed on December 22, 1943 around 2:30 PM 1 kilometer
southwest of Bolsward, Holland, off the Province of Friesland, with no survivors. Those found at the crash site were buried
at the General Cemetery Bolsward. On September 21, 1949 five crewmembers of the
“Snow Goose” were buried in Section E Site 101-102 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.
2/Lt Clark, George J, Copilot
T/Sgt Entzminger, George H, Engineer
S/Sgt Folkner, Francis H, Gunner
1/Lt Nelson, Norman M, Pilot
2/Lt Silverman, Conrad, Navigator
2/Lt Bulger, Martin P. Jr, Bombardier Netherlands American Cemetery
S/Sgt Smith, Charles E, Radio Operator
S/Sgt King, James V, Gunner
S/Sgt Derd(z/s)enski, Walter, Gunner
S/Sgt Small, Asha P, Gunner Netherlands American Cemetery
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