Target: Saarbrucken - 13 July 1944 - Mission #131

General briefings for (28) aircrews were held between 0130 and 0230 hours with the route being changed just before the crews were briefed. Assembly weather over England was poor with heavy turbulent clouds and icing conditions prevailing. The mission was to be PFF led and at 0536 hours, all crews began take-offs. Considerable difficulty was encountered in assembling the formation and (2) ships were lost through crash landings due to extreme icing of the aircraft. One aircrew piloted by First Lieutenant N. J. Hunt of the 579th in ship #103 crashed near Skegness killing (8) crew members. The lone survivor was Staff Sergeant Osment. Also from the 579th in aircraft #558, First Lieutenant H. A. White had to crash land his B-24 at White Channel with (2) of his men bailing out. This mission for Lieutenant White was the third time in just a little over one month that his crew had been forced to either bailout of or crash land their crippled aircraft. Bombing was conducted over a 10/10th cloud cover, a total of (276) 500# GPs being released by the (24) ships going over the target. Results were not observed and mission aircraft returned to base around 1250 hours with (3) having battle damage from flak. No fighters were encountered.

MISSING AIR CREW REPORT SECTION

13 JULY 1944 - TARGET: SAARBRUCKEN

MISSING A1RCREW REPORT: #07840 AIRCRAFT: #42-50758 "YMCA FLYING SERVICE II" "Bar-C" o/a 30th Mission

AIRCREW: WHITE    *    SQUADRON: 579th

CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:

P   l/LT  White, Harry A. Jr. LANDED AT WENDLING
CP  2/LT  Connor, J.A.        LANDED AT   WENDLING
N   2/LT  Forde, William I.   KIA - bailed out over The Wash during Assembly.
B   2/LT  Green, Harry J.     KIA - bailed out over The Wash during Assembly.
R/O T/SGT Barnes, Glenn M.    LANDED AT WENDLING
EnG T/SGT Reynolds, James J.  LANDED AT WENDLING
WG  S/SGT Dunbar, Robert J.   LANDED AT WENDLING
WG  S/SGT Bell, R.N.          LANDED AT WENDLING
TG  S/SGT Ellers, M (NMI)     LANDED AT WENDLING

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: An after-action report filed by the Group based upon debriefing interrogation of Lt. White, the Pilot, (signed by Captain Grage, Assistant S-2) related: that the White aircraft, while assembling with the Group formation over the Wash and due to icing, the ship went into a spin at about 11,000 feet. It continued that the Pilot then gave the bail out warning signal, and both Lt. Forde and Lt. Green bailed out... "the pilot was then able to get the plane out of the spin and the remainder of the crew stayed with the ship and landed safely. The Radio Operator T/Sgt. Barnes gave an S.O.S. in the clear to Station D6L. The incident occurred at 0700 hours, 13 July 1944, at approximately 53-10N; 00-58E ....Lt Forde is believed to have been wearing his Mae West, whereas Lt. Green is believed to be wearing none". The above was the extent of an official report filed in the MACR.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEMBER FATES: One crew member reporting on the possible fate of Lt. Green, the Bombardier, stated he had last seen Green in the bomb bay pulling the pins from bombs shortly after take-off. On Lt. Forde, the same member reported his last seeing Forde after take-off going from the flight deck to the ship’s nose. The account continued by adding that it was a supposition only, but that he believed the two men had bailed out of the nose wheel door exit while the wing of the plane was pointed earthward (in the spin) and both may have hit one of the aircraft propellers when leaving. This individual completed his statement by noting that a body was found in the water the next day, and identified by Major Keilman, Squadron CO and Captain Holman, but that he, the informant, did not know whether it was the body of Lt. Green, or Lt. Forde at the time, but several days later it was heard that both crew member’s bodies had been found.

BURIAL RECORDS: Lt. Forde is interred in the U.S. National Cemetery at CAMBRIDGE (Grave F-1 -39) and he was awarded the Air Medal with (2) Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart. No record exists on the re-interment of Lt. Green. (Note: It is speculated that the Family of Lt. Green had his remains returned to the States for re-burial at some later time).

CASUALTIES NOT LISTED IN MACR

1/LT Hunt, Norman J. (P) 579th          KIA
1/LT Roetzel, Peter B. (CP) 579th       KIA
2/LT Hession, William J. (N) 579th      KIA
T/S McKinzie, Walter L. Jr. (EnG) 579th KIA
T/S Wilkinson, Harold C. (R/O) 579th    KIA
S/S Carrington, William E. (LW) 579th   KIA
S/S McEwan, Daniel L. (BT) 579th        KIA
S/S Jackson, Leonard A. (TG) 579th      KIA

Lt. Hunt’s aircrew was flying B-24J Model #42-95103, Call Letter "Bar V", nicknamed "BERLIN BITCH" on this Group mission to Saarbrucken, Germany, this date. During formation assembly over the U.K., the crew experienced severe aircraft icing and subsequently spun in and crashed at Wrangle Common, Lincolnshire. One crew member, S/Sgt. Mark (NMI) Osment managed to bailout safely from this stricken plane with all others perishing in this tragic mishap.

In the February 1991 edition of the 392nd BGMA News, left waist gunner S/Sgt Osment provided these details: "Takeoff was at 5:30 a.m. in rain and heavy overcast. We had icing conditions for awhile but the ice left and the aircraft resumed normal flight. A few minutes later, however, the ice reappeared and this time the aircraft, including the propellers ran away and the aircraft was out of control. At this time I attempted to leave through the waist window but was caught half in and half out and was semi-conscious from striking the side of the aircraft. A few seconds later I was thrown clear, pulled the ripcord and then lost consciousness. I regained consciousness on the ground. I remember talking to 2 children and members of the British Home Guard. I was placed on an ironing board and was transported to an RAF hospital. I later learned that no one else survived the crash.

According to the article, "The bombs aboard the aircraft did not explode, but gave the local authorities many anxious moments as the crashed aircraft burned fiercely. Finally, however, the fire died out, the bombs were disposed of, and the crash site bulldozed in."

2/Lt Roetzel is interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Section 12 Site 942 while S/Sgt Carrington is interred in St. Augustine National Cemetery, Section D Site 139. 1/Lt Hunt, 2/Lt Hession, T/Sgt McKinzie, and T/Sgt Wilkinson are interred at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Section 82 Site 53.

CREW LOADING LIST - MISSION #131

CA on PFF ships: Lt. Col. W.A. Polking and Capt. G. Taylor