Target: Cuxhaven - 18 April 1944 - Mission #67

The briefed target assigned was an airfield southwest of Brandenburg near Berlin. At 1035 hours, (25) aircraft began take-offs with (1) having to abort the mission early due to mechanical difficulties. Weather enroute was again poor which complicated the bombing attack and precluded accurate visual bombing. The Primary could not be struck as a result. A force of (13) ships released on an unknown Target of Opportunity. (1) dropped on Bucholz and (10) aircraft bombed the port of Cuxhaven, just north of Bremerhaven, with good results on the dock area. In total, (958) 100# bombs were released on these targets. Enemy aircraft encountered against the Group was nil but flak was moderate and fairly accurate. The unit suffered the loss of (1) aircrew in #704 from the 577th, 1st Lieutenant D. E. Tiefenthal's, who were flying their 25th and last mission and had also been shot up on the disastrous Friedrichshafen raid. This aircraft was last seen at 5230N-1225E in the clouds and AA fire. The ship was observed to roll over on its back, begin a tight spin out of control with no chutes being observed. Of the aircraft returning, (8) had suffered damage from flak with all landing around 1745 hours.

MISSING AIR CREW REPORT SECTION

18 APRIL 1944 - TARGET: CUXHAVEN

MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #4053 AIRCRAFT: #42-52704 "SON OF SATAN" "P" 5th Mission

AIRCREW: TIEFENTHAL    *    SQUADRON: 577th

CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:

P   1/LT Tiefenthal, Dexter    POW
CP  2/LT Clifford, Richard R.  POW
N   2/LT Chichetto, Anthony F. KIA
B   2/LT Gordon, Archie M.     KIA
R/O T/S  Sichau, Walter R.     POW
EnG T/S  Wright, Anthony (NMI) POW
BT  S/S  Brown, Elmer (NMI)    KIA
WG  SGT  Sullivan, Edward Jr.  KIA
WG  S/S  Castor, James R.      KIA
TG  S/S  Roper, Donald W.      KIA

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Eye-witness accounts by three returning planes reported this aircraft at 1450 hours, position 52-3N;12-25E in the clouds which extended at least 500’ above the plane and being hit by AA fire, then spinning down and rolling over upside down. That report was all that was known. A German Report #KU1553 also reported this aircraft’s downing at 1450 hours at a position (9) kilometers north west of Brandenburg with (6) crewmen found dead, and (4) being captured.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: One surviving member’s account the bomb release time and the those who were killed in their stated that the plane went into a spin right near the bomb release time and the resultant centrifugal forces undoubtedly pinned those who were killed in their positions and unable to egress. Lt. Tiefenthal reflected in his casualty reporting that the bail out order was given three times, and following the last such signal, he, the Co-Pilot, Radio Operator and Engineer did manage to leave the aircraft through the bomb bay. In the German report, only deceased members Lts. Chichetto and Gordon; and Sgts. Sullivan and Roper could be identified on the scene. Mention was made also of (2) other "unknown" dead also found which turned out as Sgts. Castor and Brown.

BURIAL RECORDS: Brandenburg- Bnest (Chichetto and (2) others as "unknowns" from this crew who later were really Brown and Castor); and (3) in the County cemetery of Tieckow, these being Gordon, Roper and Sullivan. 2/Lt Gordon, S/Sgt Brown, Sgt Sullivan, S/Sgt Castor, and S/Sgt Roper are buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Section 79 Site 441-443. From accounts in the MACR, this crew was estimated to be flying their 23rd combat mission at time of missing status.

NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: Information recorded is: Tiefenthal (Mother, Lena of Allegan, Michigan); Clifford (Mother, Lillian R., Grovetown, Georgia); Chichetto (Mother, Helen, Boston, Massachusetts); Gordon (Wife, Helen M., Brooklyn, New York); Sichau (Wife, Ruth M., Cleveland, Ohio); Roper (Mother, Mrs. Nolan M., North Terre Haute, Indiana); Wright (Father, Harry T., Downsville, New York); Brown (Sister, Loraine Forque, Port Arthur, Texas); Castor (Sister, Goldie P. Daum, South Gate, California); and Sullivan (Mother, Aledia M., Lowell, Massachusetts). Data found on three prisoners taken by the Germans at time of capture recorded that Tiefenthal was from Michigan; Clifford from Grovetown, Georgia, and Wright from New York City.

CREW LOADING LIST - MISSION #67