The same target as the one the day before was once again assigned to the 14th Combat Wing. Briefings were held at 0330 and 0500 for (36) aircrews. At 0720 hours, Group aircraft took off in heavy rain squalls and once again the heavy stationary front over Europe forced the Group to penetrate and reassemble on the eastern side of the weather. Most of the aircraft reformed with some having to climb to 28,000 feet to top the buildups, an altitude of 4000 to 7000 feet above the normal enroute and bombing altitudes. A total of (33) Group ships bombed, releasing (380) 500# bombs. One ship joined with a B-17 Group and bombed Ludwigshafen. Bombing results were estimated good for the PFF drop but later photos showed no hits on the MPI. One aircraft and crew were lost from the 577th in ship #607. Lieutenant D. P. Woods’ crew was last seen 1229 hours, position 4840N-0540E with #2 engine out and going into a spin just when the formation hit the weather front. Nothing more was known about the loss of this aircrew. A number of ships ran short of fuel due to the required climb over the weather and were forced to land at alternate bases enroute home. One crew from the 576th, ship #476 with Lieutenant Dugger’s crew landed at emergency strip A-12 on the Continent for refueling, returning later in the evening. Mission aircraft returned to base around 1550 hours with no fighters being encountered but flak over target causing damage to (6) B-24s.
On 6 September 1944, the British Air Ministry sent this letter to the Commanding General, US Strategic and Tactical Air Forces; it eventually was forwarded to the 392nd BG:
1. Sir, I am commanded by the Air Council to convey to you their warm appreciation of the part played by your Command in the defeat of the enemy's flying bomb campaign against this country.
2. The continuous and heavy bombing of the experimental stations, production plants, launching sites, storage depots and communications, which was carried out by your Command, often at heavy cost to crews and aircraft, not only imposed on the enemy a prolonged and unwelcome delay in the launching of his campaign, but effectively limited the scale of effort which he was able to achieve.
3. I am to request that the Air Council's congratulations may be conveyed to all concerned.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
Arthur Street
Permanent Under-Secretary of State
P 2/LT Woods, Don P. KIA CP 2/LT Newell, Roger V. KIA N 2/LT Batko, Edward L. POW NG S/SGT Farrar, Robert E. KIA EnG PVT Palumbo, Anthony P. EVD R/O S/SGT Yeates, Clyde K. POW WG SGT Bowyer, Dewey O. Jr. KIA WG SGT Krugh, Glenn L. KIA TG SGT Schmidt, Arthur N. KIA
MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: 1/Lt J.N. Baron, 577th Sqdn pilot, reported seeing the ship "with No. 2 engine out going into a spin at 1229, near 4840N - 0540E. May have been able to pull out of it when he feathered, wing dropped. Disappeared in cloud. Just when formation hit front." The MACR file does not contain any German reports on the downing of the plane.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: One surviving crew member, radio operator Sgt. Yeates, gave a brief account about the events his liberation from POW status, It was the crew's fifth combat mission, and their aircraft had taken considerable damage from AA fire in the target area. His report continued: "... I saw the pilot and Co-Pilot struggling with the controls. The ship was in a spin. Dewey Bowyer (was) in the top turret. No one seemed hurt. I was either hit with something or blacked out. I woke up about ten days later in (ST. XIIF?) hospital, Saarburg, France. Navigator Batko bailed out and was taken prisoner. I knew nothing about the fate of the other members until I got back to the States. The aircraft crashed near Nancy, France".
Engineer Pvt Anthony P. Palumbo successfully evaded capture with the help of Free Frenchmen. Upon his return to the 392nd BG on 9 Dec 1944, he said the plane went into the cloud in a dive, dropped about 13,000 feet, then pulled up for 30 seconds. This is when Palumbo bailed out. It is thought that Yeates also bailed out at this point. Then the plane dived, crashed, exploded and burned. Palumbo parachuted and landed behind German lines with a broken ankle. He was helped behind enemy lines until American troops overran, when he was sent to a hospital in France.
BURIAL RECORDS: U.S. National Overseas Cemetery records show that Sgt. Schmidt and Sgt. Bowyer are interred in the LORRAINE CEMETERY at St. Avoid, France, east of Metz. Sgt. Schmidt is in grave G-15-21 and Sgt Bowyer is in grave B-17-60. No other record exists in this MACR on the recovery/re-burials of any other deceased crew member.
NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: The next-of-kin information as to family members is not available in this MACR, however, the emergency home address of these crew members, as given by each at the time, is as follows: Woods (PO. Box 156, Mitchelville, Tennessee); Newell (Sloatsburg, New York); Batko (862d N. Hermitage Aye, Chicago, Illinois); Palumbo (230 Jefferson Street, Newark, NJ); Yeates (Route #1, Logan, Utah); Schmidt (80 Atlantic Avenue, Winfield Park, Linden, New Jersey); Farrar (Maple Street, Conway, Massachusetts); Bowyer (10369 Crocuslawn, Detroit, Michigan); Krugh (RFD #1, Dixon, Ohio).
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 194 |
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P Richeson, W.H. 1st Lt. CP Wiley, D.A. 2nd Lt. N Frey, J.J. 1st Lt. B Claytor, D.D. 1st Lt. E Urban, J.J. T/Sgt. R Danner, E.W. S/Sgt. RW Dosier, C.A. S/Sgt. LW Montgomery, H. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Albert, W.W. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 131 |
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P Meehan, J.L. 2nd Lt. CP Carey, H.V. 2nd Lt. N McAfee, S.P. F/O B Herzig, H. 2nd Lt. E Cohen, N.J. T/Sgt. R Candido, C.D. T/Sgt. RW Logan, M.H. S/Sgt. LW Conner, P.P. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Lange, D.H. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 650 |
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P Scharf, C.D. 2nd Lt. CP Call, F.B. 2nd Lt. N Garland, S.M. 2nd Lt. B Thomas, J.B. 2nd Lt. E Michalski, R. T/Sgt. R Bonanno, J.C. T/Sgt. RW Rigas, C. S/Sgt. LW Oakes, E.L. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Lienemann, W.C. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 639 |
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P Martin, R.C. Jr. 1st Lt. CP Hilbert, H.S. 2nd Lt. N Freeman, G.L. 2nd Lt. B Wear, H.E. 1st Lt. E Blees, K.H. T/Sgt. R Thiel, J.G. T/Sgt. RW Cannon, M.H. S/Sgt. LW Minton, D.C. S/Sgt. BT Sherman, I.G. S/Sgt. TG Roberts, M.E. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 659 |
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P Johnson, R.D. 2nd Lt. CP Ellis, J.F. 2nd Lt. N Hildebrand, L.C. 2nd Lt. B Mountain, J.G. 2nd Lt. E Stolins, E.A. S/Sgt. R Holmes, E.L. S/Sgt. RW Strate, P.C. Sgt. LW Gordon, G.P. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Cochran, G.D. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 432 |
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P Hart, W. 2nd Lt. CP Crawford, D.A. 2nd Lt. N Berger, G. 2nd Lt. B Griesbaum, L.A. Sgt. E Shields, V.E. S/Sgt. R Young, W.S. Sgt. RW Stern, J. S/Sgt. LW Genna, N.J. Sgt. BT - - TG Clemmer, C.J. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 476 |
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P Dugger, F.R. 2nd Lt. CP Henrickson, J.L. 2nd Lt. N Edmond, R.E. 2nd Lt. B McInvale, A.L. Sgt. E Jones, J.R. T/Sgt. R Chenail, G.E. S/Sgt. RW Blackham, W.R. S/Sgt. LW DeKeyser, H.A. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Schumaker, D. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 991 |
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P Larson, R.D. 2nd Lt. CP Hawn, I. F/O N Biles, W.R. 2nd Lt. B Sullivan, P.A. 2nd Lt. E Dearborn, H.W. T/Sgt. R Peterson, J.V. T/Sgt. RW Benadum, T.E. S/Sgt. LW Hetzer, R.L. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Cuthbert, J.K. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 576th Sqdn. A/C 409 |
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P Smith, K.A. 1st Lt. CP McFarland, J.D. 2nd Lt. N Levin, W. 1st Lt. NG Parrish, J.I. S/Sgt. E Glover, B.E. Sgt. R Isebrands, T.E. S/Sgt. RW Ellis, C. S/Sgt. LW Woerth, J.B. Sgt. BT - - TG Nichols, L.E. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 758 |
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P Comeau, E.L. 2nd Lt. CP Davis, W.R. 2nd Lt. N Neuman, W.E. 2nd Lt. B - - E Scalet, J. T/Sgt. R Haney, P.W. S/Sgt. RW Kearns, H.H. Sgt. LW Jasinski, R. Sgt. BT - - TG Krause, H.L. Sgt. NT Pendergraft, J.C. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 040 |
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P Petty, R.A. 1st Lt. CP Crowe, W.Q. 2nd Lt. N Page, C.R. 2nd Lt. B Wickett, C.J. 2nd Lt. E McGrew, C.C. T/Sgt. R Guion, W.A. S/Sgt. RW Dondero, E.G. S/Sgt. LW Holder, O.E. S/Sgt. BT - - TG McCormick, W.L. S/Sgt. Radar Smith, E.L. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 607 |
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P Woods, D.P. 2nd Lt. CP Newell, R.V. 2nd Lt. N Batko, E.L. 2nd Lt. B - - E Palumbo, A.P. Pvt. R Yeates, C.K. S/Sgt. RW Schmidt, A.N. Sgt. LW - - BT - - TG Krugh, G.L. Sgt. TT Bowyer, D.O. Sgt. NG Farrar, R.E. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 169 |
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P Whitteaker, W.E. 1st Lt. CP Cook, L.B. 1st Lt. N Kaswan, J. F/O B Allegretti, E.E. 2nd Lt. E Holmes, G.T. T/Sgt. R McGivney, P.J. T/Sgt. RW Rinderer, R. S/Sgt. LW Surbaugh, E.R. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Emery, R.G. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 164 |
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P Barron, J.N. 1st Lt. CP Lach, B.F. 2nd Lt. N Attinson, C. 2nd Lt. B Feltman, D.S. 2nd Lt. E Slater, D.L. T/Sgt. R Osborne, R.C. Pvt. RW Salvato, T.W. S/Sgt. LW Garner, H.S. T/Sgt. BT - - TG Demar, S. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 415 |
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P Buecheler, J.E. 2nd Lt. CP Wardell, J.R. 2nd Lt. N Luttrell, W.T. F/O B - - E Potts, B.F. S/Sgt. R Cooper, J.P. T/Sgt. RW Richards, R.H. Sgt. LW Kimball, B.A. S/Sgt. BT Jurgens, H.F. Sgt. TG Longacre, H.N. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 788 |
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P Kuster, K.D. 1st Lt. CP Sage, C.E. 1st Lt. MV Kennedy, J.L. 2nd Lt. N Smith, P.J. 1st Lt. B Kelly, C.F. 1st Lt. E Phillabaum, R.J. T/Sgt. R Syverson, C.D. S/Sgt. RW Dickman, H. S/Sgt. LW Collins, W.P. S/Sgt. NG Beneson, M. 1st Lt. TG Denton, W. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 223 |
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P Walker, D.L. 1st Lt. CP Nunziato, D.J. 2nd Lt. N Bedore, C.P. 2nd Lt. B Buente, V.O. 2nd Lt. E Gusciora, A.A. Sgt. R Young, J.W. Sgt. RW Bradford, T.M. Sgt. LW Maloukis, S.J. Sgt. BT - - TG Ballas, P.T. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 577th Sqdn. A/C 012 |
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P Nehring, E.H. 2nd Lt. CP Trigilio, G.J. F/O N Farrar, R.B. 2nd Lt. B Scott, W.J. 1st Lt. E McJunkin, F.R. T/Sgt. R Dobson, H.J. T/Sgt. RW Koegen, F.J. S/Sgt. LW Thomas, W.J. S/Sgt. BT Bleickhardt, F.G. Sgt. TG Kent, C.L. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 121 |
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P Jones, H.E. 2nd Lt. CP Cicora, A.F. 2nd Lt. N Oppenheim, A.M. 2nd Lt. B Berezovsky, A. T/Sgt. E Doolittle, D.R. T/Sgt. R Hairston, R.T. S/Sgt. RW Gustavson, R.I. S/Sgt. LW Ralston, G.J. S/Sgt. BT Matracia, A.A. S/Sgt. TG Lockhart, K.T. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 446 |
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P Shelley, J.H. 1st Lt. CP Scarpino, P. 2nd Lt. N Maroun, N.P. 2nd Lt. B Chinchilla, F.P. 2nd Lt. E Kane, F.M. T/Sgt. R Smith, P.E. Pvt. RW Hollenbeck, C.E. S/Sgt. LW Stewart, S.R. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Brown, H.C. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 548 (no mission credit) |
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P Stephens, L.M. 1st Lt. CP Riddleberger, W.I. III 2nd Lt. N Wimer, F.P. 2nd Lt. B Smith, C.E. F/O E Soda, M.J. T/Sgt. R Wright, G. T/Sgt. RW Johnson, P.D. S/Sgt. LW Serrette, R.L. S/Sgt. Radar Belsky, M. Sgt. TG Boyce, E.L. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 293 |
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P Fogarty, D.M. 1st Lt. CP Walker, R.S. 1st Lt. N Peters, J.L. F/O B Westbrook, J.W. Capt. E Ellingson, H.E. T/Sgt. R Whittington, T. T/Sgt. RW Brent, L.H. S/Sgt. LW Willey, J.R. S/Sgt. BT Gajewski, R.B. 2nd Lt. TG Kosinski, F.H. Pvt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 477 |
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P Bell, W.M. 1st Lt. CP Pope, C.H. 2nd Lt. N Cole, R.W. 2nd Lt. B Snoden, C.A. 2nd Lt. E Morse, J.H. T/Sgt. R Gordon, C.J. T/Sgt. RW Case, R.F. S/Sgt. LW Onstot, P.O. Sgt. BT - - TG Divers, C.B. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 368 |
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P Maris, J.R. 1st Lt. CP Holmes, F. Jr. 2nd Lt. N Silverman, H.I. 1st Lt. B Taylor, J.W. 1st Lt. E Fitzgerald, M.B. T/Sgt. R Trinkle, C.E. T/Sgt. RW Legendre, V.J. S/Sgt. LW Young, H.M. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Miller, M. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 313 |
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P Sturm, W.A. 1st Lt. CP Jurczyn, B.J. 2nd Lt. N Rawlings, J.L. 2nd Lt. B Neetz, R.E. F/O E LaChance, D.E. S/Sgt. R Brown, J.C. S/Sgt. RW Lingle, J.A.H. Sgt. LW McCormick, J.E. Sgt. BT - - TG Huff, R.H. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 966 |
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P Tays, R.H. Jr. 2nd Lt. CP Ferguson, T.B. F/O N Holzinger, J.J. 2nd Lt. B Sorensen, A.C. 2nd Lt. E King, C.C. Sgt. R Berger, J.T. Sgt. RW Turner, M.E. Sgt. LW Coury, G.A. Sgt. BT - - TG Fetterhoff, E.E. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 578th Sqdn. A/C 241 |
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P Rudd, C.R. 1st Lt. CP Benson, R.J. 2nd Lt. N Dawson, J.B. 2nd Lt. B Spencer, W.A. 2nd Lt. E Maynard, C.R. T/Sgt. R Clapp, R.E.E. Jr. T/Sgt. RW Dobson, O.F. S/Sgt. LW Hoganson, H.G. S/Sgt. NT Modlin, R.E. S/Sgt. TG Place, R.K. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 279 (no mission credit) |
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P Haines, F.W. 2nd Lt. CP Porter, L.M. 2nd Lt. N Berg, B.D. 2nd Lt. B Jacobson, C. 2nd Lt. E Higgs, O.C. T/Sgt. R Cozza, D. T/Sgt. RW Lentz, B.J. S/Sgt. LW Farris, A.J. S/Sgt. Radar Williams, O.L. S/Sgt. TG Liston, L.M. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 615 |
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P White, E.J. F/O CP Whalen, J.M. F/O N Long, W.S. 2nd Lt. B Alexander, R.W. 2nd Lt. E Hayden, R. T/Sgt. R McAllaster, R.W. T/Sgt. RW Egler, M.G. S/Sgt. LW Sabolish, G. S/Sgt. NG Shelton, O.W. 1st Lt. TG Ziehm, R.W. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 195 |
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P Neundorf, C.A. 1st Lt. CP Washington, E.K. 2nd Lt. N Abrams, E.J. 2nd Lt. B Pipitone, S.R. F/O E Moore, P.L. T/Sgt. R Toniatti, L.A. S/Sgt. RW Blalock, E.L. S/Sgt. LW Sullivan, J.K. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Xander, C.H. S/Sgt. PN Solomon, A.A. 2nd Lt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 495 |
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P Porter, H.K. 2nd Lt. CP Bolstridge, C. 2nd Lt. N Behr, A.J. F/O NG Traina, S. S/Sgt. E DeSario, J.L. T/Sgt. R Nero, R.A. T/Sgt. RW Placht, E.J. S/Sgt. LW Amato, J.J. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Zollinger, P.D. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 697 |
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P Gerow, J.A. 2nd Lt. CP Vallarelli, F.J. 2nd Lt. N Grandon, D.P. 2nd Lt. B Sulkowski, J.T. 2nd Lt. E Kieras, E.J. S/Sgt. R Baker, M. S/Sgt. RW Brink, B.E. S/Sgt. LW Ely, L.E. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Hebert, N.B. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 150 |
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CA Stauder, J.B. Capt. P Gonseth, F. Capt. CP Bate, H.C. 2nd Lt. N Jones, J.H. Capt. B Connery, M.J. 1st Lt. E Jennings, H.C. T/Sgt. R Kirkpatrick, H.L. T/Sgt. RW Driver, D.M. S/Sgt. LW Whalen, J.S. S/Sgt. BT Feller, N.L. S/Sgt. TG - - NV Conrad, J.B. 1st Lt. PN Waldo, L.C. 2nd Lt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 523 |
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P Bell, J.W. 2nd Lt. CP Guegold, R.L. 2nd Lt. N Forbes, D.R. 2nd Lt. B Wilson, H.W. 2nd Lt. E Radzikowski, L.S. T/Sgt. R Southwell, E.E. S/Sgt. RW Noltkamper, A.A. T/Sgt. LW Zwolinski, V.W. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Geron, H.E. Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 647 |
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P Joynt, A.E. 2nd Lt. CP Taylor, E.J. 2nd Lt. N Phipps, H.H. 2nd Lt. B Forsberg, B.F. 2nd Lt. E Smith, R.A. T/Sgt. R Apple, O.L. S/Sgt. RW Hester, C.L. S/Sgt. LW Floyd, L.G. S/Sgt. BT - - TG Vavra, C.E. S/Sgt. |
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8 Sep 1944 579th Sqdn. A/C 238 |
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P Kwash, R.H. 2nd Lt. CP Gulacsik, A. 2nd Lt. N Coy, E.T. 2nd Lt. B Lassins, E.G. 2nd Lt. E Yarber, H.W. S/Sgt. R McKim, L.D. S/Sgt. RW Denter, W.S. Sgt. LW Callahan, E.M. Sgt. BT - - TG Sandusky, D.L. Sgt. |
