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This B-25, Mitchell, was assigned to the 500th Squadron of the 345th Bomb Group. On June 15, 1945, after completing the run over Okaseki Airdrome, Formosa, the plane
was hit and immediately went in on a rice paddy exploding on impact. S/Sgt Walter
J. Bacher was buried at the Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery at Site E017 on January 28, 1949.
1/Lt GEYER, James J
Pilot Honolulu Memorial
2/Lt ROE, John W.
Co-Pilot Honolulu Memorial
2/Lt WORMAN, Robert E. Navigator
Honolulu Memorial
S/Sgt HARTMANN, Roy W.
Engineer Unknown
S/Sgt BACHER, Walter J. Radio
Operator Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery
HISTORY
OF THE
500TH BOMB SQUADRON (M)
The 500th Bomb Squadron ("Rough Raiders")
-- one of four squadrons of the 345th Bomb Group (M) -- was activated at Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina on 11 November,
1942. After training in the United States and Australia, combat operations of the 500th Bomb Squadron began in New Guinea
in June 1943. Shortly after flying a few combat missions against the Japanese at medium altitudes, the squadron's B-25
"Mitchell" bombers were converted to strafers and, for the remainder of its existence, the squadron flew low-level strafer-bombing
missions. From New Guinea, the squadron continued its combat operations "island hopping" northward, winding up against
the Japanese homeland itself in early August 1945.
The 500th Squadron used the following major
bases (not including staging bases) in its move northward: Port Moresby, New Guinea; Dobodura, New Guinea; Nadzab, New Guinea;
Biak, N.E.I.; Tacloban, Leyte. P.I.; San Marcelino, Luzon, P.I.; Clark Field, Luzon, P.I.; Ie Shima, Ryukyus Islands.
The 500th was deactivated at Ie Shima on 11 November, 1945.
During the three years of its existence
in World War II, the 500th contributed well to the following overall combat record of the 345th Bomb Group:
10,609 Sorties
58,562 Combat flying hours
6,340 Tons of bombs dropped
12,586,000 Rounds of ammunition expended
177 Planes lost
588 Personnel lost on flights
260 Japanese vessels destroyed
275 Japanese vessels damaged
260 Japanese planes destroyed on the ground
107 Japanese planes
destroyed in the air
COMMANDERS
OF THE
500TH BOMB SQUADRON
Charles M. Hagest
11 Nov 1942 to 29 Mar 1944
Keith E. Dougherty 29 Mar 1944 to 28 Aug 1944
Max H. Mortensen
28 Aug 1944 to 21 Feb 1945
Thomas R. Bazzel 21 Feb 1945 to 5 May 1945
Robert B. Canning
5 May 1945 to 11 Jul 1945
Robert F. Todd 11 Jul 1945 to 25 Oct 1945
William G. Paukovich 25
Oct 1945 to 11 Nov 1945
500th
Bombardment Squadron
The
500th Bombardment Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 345th Bombardment Wing, based at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 25 June 1959.
History
Established
as a B-25 Mitchell medium bomber group in late 1942; trained under Third Air Force in the southeast United States. Deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations
(PTO), in June 1943 being assigned to Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific Area. Engaged in combat operations initially during
the New Guinea Campaign, attacking enemy targets in New Guinea in support of General MacArthur's campaign,
using B-25s for low-level strafing attacks. B-25s were modified with extra fuel tanks to increase range with extra .50 caliber
machine guns installed in the noses of the aircraft. Squadron engaged in combat over New Guinea, the Bismark Archipelago, Northern Solomon Islands, the Southern Philippines and Leyte. Also flew long-distance attacks over Southeastern China and Formosa before
the Japanese Capitulation in August 1945. Squadron demobilized on Okinawa during the fall of 1945, inactivated on 19 December.
Reactivated
in 1954 as part of Tactical Air Command. Equipped with B-26's and later with B-57'S. Trained to maintain combat proficiency
in locating, attacking, and destroying targets from all altitudes and under all conditions of weather and light including
deployment to Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia 16 July-21 October 1958. Inactivated on 25 June 1959 as part of the phaseout
of the B-57.
Stations
- Columbia Army Air Base, South Carolina, 8 September 1942
- Walterboro Army Airfield, South Carolina, 6 March-16 April 1943
- Jackson Airfield (7 Mile Drome), New Guinea, 5 June 1943
- Dobodura Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 1 January 1944
- Nadzab Airfield Complex, New Guinea, 23 February 1944
- Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 23 July 1944
- Dulag Airfield, Leyte, Netherlands East Indies
- Operated from Mokmer Airfield, Biak, 10 November 1944 Tacloban Airfield, Leyte, Philippines, 27 December 1944
- San Marcelino Airfield, Luzon, Philippines, 12 February 1945
- Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 10 May 1945
- Ie Shima Airfield, Louisiana, 27 July-1 December 1945
- Fort Lewis, Washington, 17-19 December 1945
- Langley AFB, Virginia, 19 July 1954-25 June 1959
This B-25 Mitchell, 41-30326,was
assigned to 448th Squadron, 321st Bomb Group, 57th Wing of the 12th Air Force.
On December 2, 1943, the bomber went down in flames after a direct flak hit to the gas tank.
2/Lt Richard Abbe and S/Sgt John Paschel were buried at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Section E208 on December
14, 1949.
2/Lt Paul I. Clark Pilot
POW
Maj. James P.”Jimmy” Bates Copilot POW
2/Lt Richard A. Abbe
Navigator Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery
Capt. Robert H. “Brownie” Brown Bombardier
S/Sgt Harold V. Terho
Engineer - Gunner
S/Sgt Henry F. Lewis
Radio- Gunner
S/Sgt John W. Paschel Gunner
Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery
2/Lt Abbe
and S/Sgt John W. Paschel were Killed In Action on 02 December 1943 during a Bombing Mission on a Road Bridge Northwest of
Chieti, Italy, Just 25 Miles North of the Front Lines. The Plane, Flying in the Lead Position, Took a Direct Flak Hit to the
Gas Tank, Exploded, and What Was Left, Went Down in Flames. The Pilot, 2/Lt. Clark and The Co-Pilot, Major Bates, Somehow
Survived, But Were Captured By The Enemy, And Held As Prisoners Of War. They Were Later Returned. 2/Lt. Richard A. Abbe and
S/Sgt. John W. Paschal Were Buried or Memorialized TOGETHER at ZACHARY TAYLOR NATIONAL CEMETERY.
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Thursday, 2 December 1943
USAAF
Chronology: MTO Tactical Operations (12th AF): B-25's, A-20's, and RAF light bombers
support ground forces in the Monte Trocchio area, and other B-25's, A-20's, and RAF and SAAF airplanes support ground forces
near Sant' Ambrogio; more B-25's hit bridge and approaches near Chieti; fighters strafe trucks and trains while fighter-bombers
blast gun positions along the US Fifth and British Eighth Army fronts, and hit harbors and shipping along the Yugoslav coast
at or near Omis, Drvenicki, Trogir, Vrbnik, and Ston.
HQ
321st BG War Diary: The first mission of the month was flown today, our planes taking
off to bomb the road bridge northwest Chieti about 25 miles north of the front lines. The formation was scattered due to the
lead ship being hit by flak just before the target. The east approach was believed to have been hit. Two of our planes failed
to return from this mission; both were shot down by flak at the target. Major Bates was pilot of the lead ship which was shot
down and Lt. Clark was his co-pilot with Captain Brown, group bombardier, as bombardier. The loss of these men is deeply felt
throughout the Group. It will be difficult to replace them. A second mission was flown today against the road bridge at Chieti
with better results. The east approach was hit and direct hits were made on the road to the west of the bridge. Numerous near
misses were made on the bridge itself.
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Mission
Report # 163, 2 December 1943
1.
321st Bombardment
Group (M), 447th & 448th Squadrons.
2.
At 0840 23 B-25s took off to bomb road bridge NW of Chieti. One returned early.
20 dropped 113x500 lb. bombs with 1/10 and .025 second fusing at 0940 hrs. from 8500/9500 ft. 20 returned at 1030. Two lost
due to flak. One parachute seen. Axis of attack 287°.
3.
Lead ship was hit by flak and exploded on bomb run, forcing formation to scatter.
No hits on bridge but hits believed made on E approach.
4.
Flak--------Heavy, intense, very accurate, tracking, within radius of 4/5 miles
of
target. Positions noted 1000 yards N of target and 1000 yards NE in field. Flak loss intense to N and
E of target. One report that after flak burst, spiral trail of smoke developed. 8 A/C holed.
Ground----Ship appeared to be B-25 on ground N of Ripatta at 41° 54’ N, 15° 14’
E.
Enroute and return---4/10 cumulus at 4000 feet.
Target------------------CAVU.
Flight leaders-------Major Bates, Lts. Clark and Beeson.
Number of sorties—22
Photos taken.
FRANCIS R. PEMBERTON,
Major, Air Corps,
448th BS Mission Summary:
(Ops Order 162/mission 161) Group Mission # 163: Mission # 126 (163): At 08:40 twenty
three B-25’s off to bomb road bridge NW CHIETI, Italy. One returned early. 20 dropped 113 x 500 bombs at 09:40 from
5,500 – 9,500 feet. Twenty returned at 10:30. Two planes lost due to flak. Lead ship hit by flak and exploded on bomb
run, forcing formation to scatter. No hits on bridge but some on E approach. Flak: Heavy, intense and very accurate. 8 A/C
hit. Weather: 4/10th cumulus at 4,000 feet enroute.
CAVU at target. No E fighters. F/L: Major Bates and Lt. Clark (lost)
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Eyewitness Accounts: Feeley,
Walter C., Jr., 2Lt, bombardier, navigator, 448th BS
448th Bombardment Squadron
(M) AAF
321st Bombardment Group
(M) AAF
APO 520, US Army
We (42-64514) started in on the bomb run - flak increasing very strong and accurate for about (4) minutes
- we were doing evasive action and I happened to glance at the lead ship in the lead element to see if they were dropping
their bombs - I saw the lead ship hit as the bomb bays had just opened - the plane instantly burst into flames - and slid
off to the left and crashed in front of the primary target Chieti bridge.
Walter C., Feeley Jr.
2nd Lt., Air Corps
Eyewitness Accounts: Joli,
William H., 2Lt, pilot, 448th BS
448th Bombardment Squadron
(M) AAF
321st Bombardment Group
(M) AAF
APO 520, US Army
On
the 2nd of December, 1943, during a combat mission
in which our objective was a road bridge at Chieti, I observed the following -- My position in the formation was 1st Flight, 1st Element, number three ship, placing me (42-64521) on the left wing of ship # 41-30326.
At approximately 0930, just before our point of release, ship # 41-30326 suddenly burst into a great
sheet of flames. It held its position momentarily and then veered off towards me. In order to avoid a collision it was necessary
for me to pull my ship up sharply. The ship then passed underneath me and the heat from it was felt in my ship. The stricken
ship was last seen in a steep diving turn enveloped in flames. Evidently the ship received a direct hit in its left wing gas
tanks, spreading ignited gas over the entire ship and surrounding air. There was a small concussion from the exploding gasoline,
but no parts were seen to disintegrate from the ship. From what I observed, it is my opinion that it was impossible for any
of the crew members to escape because of the intense heat, and altitude of the ship when last seen.
WILLIAM
H. JOLI,
2nd Lieut., Air Corps,
Pilot.
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Eyewitness Accounts: Cook,
Bailey C., Lt Col, pilot, Operations Officer, HQ 321st BG
HEADQUARTERS 321st BOMBARDMENT
GROUP (M) AAF
A P O 5 2 0
Office of the Operations Officer
U.
S. Army,
Dec.
7, 1943
SUBJECT:
Conclusions as to use of parachute.
TO
: Whom it may concern.
1.
As a result of interrogation of personnel participating in combat mission of morning of Dec. 2, 1943, it is to be concluded
that a parachute was seen to be used by a member of one of the two aircraft lost on this mission.
2.
It is not possible to state definitely from which of the two aircraft the jump was mad, due to conflicting reports of eye-witnesses.
BAILEY
C. COOK,
Lt.
Colonel, Air Corps,
Eyewitness Accounts: Bates,
James P. "Jimmy", Maj, pilot, Commander, 448th BS
INDIVIDUAL CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
(Some time after liberation from POW)
Lt. Clark bailed out before myself. The plane was wildly spinning to earth and we each experienced
difficulty leaving through the top hatch.
ABBE, Richard A., 2nd Lt., 0-793082, Navigator:
Bailed out - parachute aflame - according to German Officer - near Chieti, Italy. The information that I received on Abbe
was that his body was found, badly burned, apart from the wreckage, and that his rip cord was pulled but his chute was burned
up.
BROWN, Robert H., Captain, 0-727308, Bombardier: Body found charred in wreckage - Source German Reporting
Officer.
TERHO, Harold V., S/Sgt, 37292739, Engineer: Charred body found in wreckage - Source German Reporting
Officer.
HENRY, Lewis F., S/Sgt, 35330507, Radio Operator: Charred body found in wreckage - Source German Reporting
Officer.
PASCHAL, John W., S/Sgt, 13066066, Gunner: Charred body found in wreckage - Source German Reporting
Officer.
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Eyewitness Accounts: Clark,
Paul I., 2Lt, pilot, 448th BS
INDIVIDUAL CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
(Some time after liberation from POW)
Maj James P. Bates escaped the same as I - through hatch directly overhead. As far as I know the following
were in the plane when it crashed - Brown - Terho - Henry - Paschal. Brown in nose - rest in rear. The nature of the accident
prohibited my seeing any of the crew, except the co-pilot, following the explosion.
ABBE, Richard A., 2nd Lt., 0-793082, Navigator:
German officer informed me that the body of Lt. Abbe was found with a Burnt parachute away from the plane. I assumed he jumped
and his chute was burned so as to be ineffective. This information came to me while in a German hospital the same day as the
crash.
BROWN,
Robert H., Captain, 0-727308, Bombardier: Capt. Brown apparently couldn’t reach an escape hatch and crashed with the
plane. According to a German Officer, Killed in plane - Wreckage of plane contained 3 or 4 bodies.
TERHO, Harold V., S/Sgt, 37292739, Engineer: My assumption is that Terho crashed with the plane. The
anti-aircraft shell exploded in the rear and may have thrown him out. He was tail gunner. I believe the 3 men in the rear
were killed by the explosion.
HENRY, Lewis F., S/Sgt, 35330507, Radio Operator: I believe Henry was killed by the explosion.
PASCHAL, John W., S/Sgt, 13066066, Gunner: I believe Paschal was killed by the explosion.
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This C47, 43-48602, was assigned to the 91st Reconnaissance Squadron (91RS) of the
311th Reconnaissance Wing (311RW). The plane was enroute from Asuncion, Paraguay to Montevideo, Uruguay when it
crashed on December 3, 1945, 10 miles southeast of Carlos Pellegrini, Argentina in the wild Argentina-Brazil-Uruguay border
country (MACR 16004). The C47 was operated by the United States Air Force with 5 crew members and 9 passengers. All 14 occupants died in
the crash. On May 10, 1948, nine people were buried in the Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery Section E003-006.
Schweitzer, Richard
W T/Sgt
Leopold, Theodore H
PFC
Gilcher, Zake W
1/LT
Kellogg, David S
CPL
King, Earl S Jr, 1/LT
Michelsen, Orville A
1/LT
Nunemaker, William B 1/LT
Roberson, James R,
SGT
Klein, Reuben
1/LT
The 311th began its existence in February 1944, at Bolling Field, Washington D.C. and operated in the
United States for its entire active period. Subordinate units, however, between February 1944 and August 1945, deployed to
diverse areas of the world such as Africa, the Middle East, the China Burma India Theater, Mexico, Canada, Alaska, and the
Caribbean. The 91st Reconnaissance Squadron mainly flew missions to South America in timeframe when C-47 crashed. After World War II, the 311th transferred to the Strategic Air Command and in March 1946 became its primary
reconnaissance organization being designated as a division two years later.
91st Strategic
Reconnaissance Squadron
U.S. civilian and military leaders were concerned with Nazi Germany’s preoccupation with
South and Central America. In order to prepare for possible hostilities in our own backyard, the military planners needed
accurate charts and maps of all of these regions. Millions of square miles were virtually unexplored and uncharted. The 91st
was given the tremendous task of getting this job done through aerial photography.
The 91st flew throughout South and Central America and the Caribbean. Staging from Ramey Field,
Puerto Rico, aircraft and crews were sent on “TDYs” all over the northern portions of South American continent
and Central America.
This C47, 42-23492, and crew were assigned to the 44th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 316th
Troop Carrier Group. The plane was shot down on July 10, 1943 and crashed 3 miles inland from the Gulf of Gela near Vittoria.
There were no survivors. On June 24, 1949, the four crewmembers were buried at the Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery Section
E80.
Sgt Leonard, John M Radio
Operator
Capt Lichliter, Lawrence D Pilot
F/O Powlowski, Harry R Copilot
T/Sgt Thornburg, Olin J,
As the 316th approached Sicily, the crews sighted numerous ant-aircraft bursts at Ponte
Olivo, Gela, and Licata. Some crews also reported that ground fire was light and inaccurate, and appeared to be erratic and
spasmodic. Gela, itself, was on fire and around it was a perimeter of light anti-aircraft fire.
Although assumed to be a “milk run,” two aircraft from the 44th Squadron were
shot down. The plane piloted by Captain Lawrence D. Lichliter, a/c 42-23492, exploded in mid-air killing the entire crew,
FO Harry R. Pawlowski (CP), T/Sgt Olin J. Thornburg (CC), and John M. Leonard (RO). It was later surmised that the plane was
hit by ground fire in one of the parapacks which was carrying ammunition or explosives.
The Facts – 1943
The German and Italian forces were beaten in North Africa and the high brass agreed to invade the soft
underbelly of Europe by attacking the island of Sicily, that could be used to attack Italy itself and try to bring the Italians
on allied side. (which happened in September 1943).
D-Day for operation was
set for 10 July 1943. A total of 226 C-47s and C-53s loaden with paratroopers of the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, B
Company 307th Airborne Engineers, 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, the 3rd Battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
plus several miscellaneous units (like navy liasion teams) took off from fields in Tunisia for their flight to the dropzones
in southern Sicily, the dropzones were located east of the village of Gela in the Gela plain. There was a strong western wind
and the paratroopers were landing even many miles beyond the actual dropzone. As soon as the men landed they went to their
targets, set up road blocks and attacked the enemy where ever they could.
A total of eight [8] planes were shot down by the Germans and Italians. The remains of the crews were
first buried in temporary American cemeteries at Comiso airport, at Gela or at Licata and were later reburied at the American
Cemetery Paestum/Mount Soprano, before the men finally found their last resting place either in the Sicily-Rome cemetery at
Nettuno [south of Rome] or they were repatriated and were buried in a cemetery in the United States.
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