. . ~ mtr'

,

DECLASSIFIED BY AUTHORITT OF NN~ DECLASSIFICATION PROJECT 785072,K.O. ~"YER, HARS, SEPTEMBER 10, 1982. I .

.

., ."

..

. .

,, ,

,.

..

,

.

.

,;

":;.1

'-"...

",

.'.\.'"-....

-....

;

..

,;J" ;'!'.,,

~." '>.

'. .~;

t.:~,.'

'.~

.-

;:

".

~.~'i

SPECIFY: Point of D.:.parll1rc:A.A"'ld, 'Gioia, It~~ Course ,Due .Nort;h,:~'

Tv.rget~~e~ort _T~;1je d i.!is,'ion ~M _ 'jEor tFacto17. Austria. .;~WEATHERCONDITIONS I.NC VI~:::BIW:'I'I AT TTh"E OF C:V.Sli fIR \':HEN Lf.Sl' HEPOHTED: '..~§

Weather .clear withsligbt haze. Vi~bUi'o/ 10 to 15 miles, not counl;1ntc1;00 snoke!);'

GIVE: (,) D~te 29 JI.a:r1944 Tim" 1152 '. r.oc:?tionM.0 42~ N. ~ 160 31' E. ,.:~Iof last kn01'm ~ hc:"cd;outs l)1' :'ds:;;i:nJ <..ircrD.f't, .:;t;,;<:.,:

(b) Spr::cify whuth<:;r: (X) Lll~t :;a~ilt d ( ) J.~,)t {:cmtacl.t..d bynadio:;"~( ) Frn;"I;C1 Duwn () SE:on-f.o' ~rr.shs ''or '.: ~!( ) rn.fortll<.tion Mt &.vr.ilubl(..!.t~

"Jt;~.~)~

,'81'a,$i~;~\~

AIRO.R/,P'i' AS LOST, Oi~ IS J3ET.IE\"ED'1'0 H!",'E. HEEN LOOT, AS A hE.'3tjLT OF:only one) , .

(X) En~II\y Aircrl:.ft ( ) Entiln; Anti-r-iNt'a1't ( ) Other circlJII\sl:.anc,cs'f'oUCrtis: Shi1) was cr.l;Di>!ad by fiakand finished by enemV'fiJrhte1"ll.

(Chc.ck

as

,fi''-.~

ENGINES .: Typ(,) !lodol & St:riu8~::lLl_(b) CP-302616 (cTQP-302L.96

AAF 5ericl. No .l.2~2Sldl

AN! Sori~.~ No '(a) ~-'i022'i8 .

(d) cp-~o~2C)6' __

INST1.LLED\Vl!:t.PONS:(Furnish bc..lov.)(,,;ce. 't'ypc" c.nd Seri:1l. (,.,)Brownina Sub JIG. .50 au f!2:?il70'3 (b) ~ Sub J.IG

(c) n " n ~~ (d) n u(~) ---!. R . n 220 ~_ (1") R n. (g) -n .' n . n 317854 (h) n ~

(i)' ,,- n n SO&.5 (j) . 2 nPr.n.sOi~'Nill..LISTED .BELCJ\';FiEPORT1::DJ,s: (x) B&ttl~ C<:'S\lf:..lty()

NUWJ'EF.OFPERSONSAOOItRDAIRCi:J.Fl":Crew:...JJL_ Pe.:;st':n6$r:>-L..Tot.~1~(St;...rt;,,i.Qgwith I!I)~.lot." furnish thu i'ollo"i.l..ng particulars; i.f IIlOr<.th:m 12poI'5<>nAw~r~ abo<.rri lii>t bi"tiJar pl..rt':'cl:1.lc:rs 'on s~par:..t~ Sh~1c..tUlrt d:tllch toth1$ fl)l'm)

N/WIf.n' FULL

p~ P~-;LL1,;.\I (~~~:.m... Fi~'S1,)'R"fD ?~lotJs.res. Rohrt C. I,

RTP ' Co-Pilot./bsi.Da:>kine. .Ra.v 1mgJ,

." ,Bombardier 1 :Ioon. Paul S.'

',-R rj}Hs,vil{ator -

~bi"""~~9;. -Gnnncr J "~J..u~r~~

RAn,~, .Rabert.y~ :I

Ni..xT O~ KIN~ hF"Wl.TION.:. ":"

§!cr~. .U!!L.@Wir.f.~':' _ ;~~,Vr. Joseph Jares.. '

. ,\"

'--~

\\': \"

, .'¥ ~. ...-

!j..,\/..

JOS$phJ.Bena.m.1l,.

,

.~

--------.-.- ---.

. --.-----.------~_.

... IDEN1\IFY BELOWTHOSE PFRSONS WHO Af(E BELIJ!:YTD~O IU,VE i./.s'r K.l~0\'iLl~D3EO~' I\Ifi-. '. ciiJ.4"'i" t.."lDCilECKAPPROPli.INF!(oniy- one)' Cb}.l~N Tn !N::;IC.:.r-.~:BASTS'F0H S::!'E:

'., .'. C ?r.c.:--,c-t.Jd Last . Sa...:

NMJ.EiIN F:UTL Hl.Ni SE"rtIAr. NO b:.' lil:"':i,) ~-;~Riltc1 Craoh F')rc(~il LandinR"""---" ~..._--

';'.. \;"Joh1'):Wr. Nance.' .caV'h.' . . . ~ . ,.

i';'.'>Strb oraNe. S' . -$~.- . ~=~~~'-:.:=J ~~- --=-."\:.. ~L~J;..1;.; ,.. ~ x......__.___

';., ".:: .~ . .f' #8..:'::'-:=~'~'.:~=:'~~::_:--=-=-=.=_'__.-----.

~. IF PERSONNELARE Bf,LIE"lfI:DTO :ih\T::SUf.-iJ:V£D,C~!E';1\OPE or 'f'HEFOLLOW:;.NG:(I) Parachutes wer<i U3bJ ( ) PerSt)r.s 6~"m v/e:.lkinn a'.vay from sce:l(} of crash( ) Any other reas<.'n (~pc,::i~.r) .

" ",

3. .A~'TJLCf~AS .J\NINCLOSURETO THIS f.E?ORT ,EI'l'JfER JU"1UJo.LPHO'l'OGnAPH, UAP, CHART,OR "SKETCH, SH(1.llNG APPROXIUA'l'E LOCA'f'l'CN \,,'HERE /JRCRAFTV,AS LAST SEEN.. .

~. "'. , . .

. . ~r. ATTPPH,,AS IN,9.LOSURE.S1'0 THIS fiEPOF:r,. EY1!.WI'b~ESSDESCRIPT~ONSOF CRASH,. . "ll'okCED T,..Ar~,"<OR O'fHERCIRCm.:ST/,.NCESPER'I';.nUNGTO MISSING AlRCRi.F'T.

Date of this R€p~rt:

."-1,

Irlr C.1rp8 ,776th Bo'ilbardroentSq(U)

--A..lncls:

Inel 1 - Sketchesor approxloca:tionor ..J ", . airc,'raft was last seen (, copies)

!ncl 2 -E:yeWitMBsRePort of Capt. Nance (8,90pies)fncl.3 -~ 'Witness Report or'Sgt.. Henhaus(8 Copies)Incl 4 -~e Witness Report or 2d Lt. ~chere~ '8 Cop:\es).... .. .'. "to

5ignB.tur.e fJfOfticer

'.",

j'.,

',0':~~~r--'.~ .

.1

'"1I1

.r

~,

SUBJEOT: Transmittal' of. Missing Ai't' Orew Report.

TO : Commanding orficer, H<!'k464th Bombardment Group (H)~ APO 520, u.s.' Army.

1. " Transmit tad herem th a:f-e the nssing Air Crew Reports on combat crewsassigned to this Squadron missing in action as of. 29 May 1?44, near Atzgerdort,Austria: ' "

,

2. Subject persDriIlel are "battle casualties as defined by: paragx:aph,2, Section II Circul8,r #10, NATOUSA,dated 24 Januxary 1944.

3. Battle Casualty Report. forwarded your Headquarters 29. Me.y1944.

J;/:' ~ ..

, , .' , "J 'QIJtiU,

OlIN W. lIORRIS, "

Major, ;A:4-Corp..,~"

"" ,

. . - - . .

776th BOMBARDMENl'SQUADRON(H)Office of. the Commanding Officer

APO 5ro U.s. AI'fJ1Y"

,"

-'.-

'/','

2nd Lt. (1024) ROBERTC. JARESF/O ' (1024) RAY(m) SIMPKINSF(O (1035) PAUL S. MOORE200 Lt. (1034) WILLIAM:M. GIRARDEAUJR.s/sgt. (748)' Elton W.Ankr.eys/sgt.. (757) Robert M. BallietSgt. (748) ThomasR. MonacelliSgt. (6U) Kenneth G. MoorePtc. (612) Joseph J. MaerSgt. (612) Benard W. AtkinBon

~"

~,.,;..~.

3. Inc1:

Incl J,. -Vissing Air Crew Report w/4 Inc1s. (7 c;opi-es)

:.

'.

. '

JWM/sjh

1 June 1944.

MIAMIAMIAMIAMIAMIAMIAMIAMIAW

: :..."'~'

, .:

, .

!\;/';

.... -, '.

t

~; ;~,~~:,;,.f..t'~

1,0

. .

;'-.',':)

:'.

'':.'"

'. ..,

~2~~'~- ~!. ";. .

;:<, J..

";.

.,.,., ..., ., ....'.' :"., .~

'. "'~~';,..... .' 'T ~,

" I!!JE4b'''Tio."

, ,

~ .....

'.

. .

"

,', :. ~

',.

.' L~,c/ - I"

f.':';

,;,.:r'::;:

., ':;~!,.,;':

. .

OJ...

."..~

..',-~, ~:'

:...

<It.-.'.,_ "" ...~ :,"":"""~"'"

" '._ :~_';'J- ';.--.

--.: '" ",. ,...,,~~';~..;..~- '::;::,.,.A;

....

- . ...

-.2I!I!!!1!1-

I 'WaSflying tail gun position in ship 402 about 1500 yards in

front of the formation that was hit by flak and fighters and could see

about 12 fighters attack the straggling four-ship to"'lllation. The

only ship I saw 'WaSknocked out was a silver plane, U\a.(dngs of which

I could not make out and its stabilizer was torn off and spinning down.

The plane dropped into a spin into a valley through which a river was

runrdng. I couldn't see whether or not the plane burst into :flames after

crashing but I think the plane hit the river between the two v8JJ.eys.

During the entire scane ot the action I could not see a:ny parach~es

blossom from any at the planes that were hit. The last bit or information

that I can otter is that the terrain in which the ship that was hit crasheC1'. .1.

was veri mountainous and in all probabilities there were no troop c.oncentrati~',;:,'~:';~:

in the immediate or surrounding area.

Yartin H. Neuhaus,Sergeant, ASN_Tail Gunner, B-24 Plane #402, .

776th BombSq-464th BombGp (H). .

APO 520, US Armr.

..

..

.!.-(.d.x~j'.~:t,.~';~

. .J~.il> ;

. 'I~~

-~!h.!!M!lLI -

Red Char1~y,Ship #~,J4, feathered ~TQ.3 prop slid out to the riggt.

Fighters attacked'f1~m six oclock in trial. I observed the tail

turret gunner firing away. That was the only fire that I observed~ '

from that ship.

It stopped on the second attack of the GeIman fighters., The

ship started to go off to the right in a steep dive, the Navigator

and myself observed seven chutes open, thf' ship went into inverted

. :.

"

flight, but straightened out a.bout 1,000 feet from the ground whenwe both observed another chute open. The ship leveled off and startedto' gain a little altitude and seemed to be, under contolv.'hen she

crashed into a ~llside. ThBre, is nO~j~~_~hat he pillt~ ~ co-pilot

never got out. I seen t~e plane hit ,,~und, d ~7Sc5:rt/oflames.

STAMF SCHERER, '

2nd Lt. Air Corps, ',,;::;;;iiiiiiIIIt 'Flying as ObsEj1"Ver'.on~')'B-24H Plane #275. '.,: \ ,

777th Bomb Sq";464thBomb Gp on,..,:;'APO sro, u.s. A~.' ,':"

. ;.-;~'i'j

:'?:1~~

'. ~~-:;~7".~'r~:~T~j~'~

Cd.$Q4/1 /1;1 ~J. h7 q/~M

CO~," Qn~!r &e/- ~;-.,/

/ / r~c;ev~4 youJ-. 1t!!./;t~1- ;n r ~c.J#;'~ h C<?r~a/f

I~ f&.r ~ 4 /" ~h 17 7' c.1"e"~ /'?? e"""7.6~# J e:1~q/ eA ~J c::./

J,/qnA.s iO". SUb~,' //,'~ ,'" ~J. ~t!?A'#I#1 dbou/ /Ae.rni'.1Sion 0;-, e.r"A;~~ 11;' ...e"7;1 ~,.".

~, Tr.c,o qf!" /he,.,., /YIOt71-e~ ~u/ s. " ,..c~, 7:/2:; o.r't

anq" HooJ-~,., fttenntt:,/;' t?, J?7f' _ I !7tJ7 d~7'? l-e~;1/1 e./ ~,A/??e.. /d /T-4/y. / hove ,held Ct'.1I-#t! J'~~cA--rc S'''-''cc-

relqh?,H.,; fi /he. f ~~J ".<, /A~ e rrec.;;l /AeI~ ,LJq/he.;{!foJ,e,.-) .M, .s/~;I /6'/J-6 ?~.;- hOJ 1-e.;lUHI~,/ ft /.Ac.

.s/o/c; ~r:lt!~ .L>e;~ ~e/c/ ,,'.1) e; r;eJ-~q~ ,Po..~. Gt:;-."

t/n/'./ df1o-V£ d~U. ./t: 1111's In-t0n#e:;/;o., iJ -;;J- .5:J-e. o;lh~J,. r~~J"OH /

~~'il. p~ 9 /ad' l"~ 8've. 1'/ ~Q-/ t:;J / uhe/~s~n~,A-==..p. . , ' . -L' _J _I ~,-u /c/ /J ~ a Yf/O'..( ..4 ~ ~ ;/,.~ e

'UI""b().ft:.. 0,- ,T" ...~/ . ,r;J . - .. ~ - ~I .r ~~~ ~ d'.. \AIi"//.IO~ M' C;;'rQ)-d'~q" 1:.'

. 1$./ Lf. fi.c A.d..s. enQ.if;~;J~.;

z. / INOU/tl ,.$e. ,ykcl h 17'// ;lh-t t?U.;£ q/

i:t / uJeJ, .s"/ t::4,.,. ec::/f '" /At! /-,n rz".. _<l/"D" /,$

/0 eo//t!c::/ doh d'Y1 h1t1!' .s/I ,t4. wA,. e4J

"0// (;If"h7;'

Cre ;/Ae; eJ G eel I-t,,';I;, e: OJ-"

JA,;e.} I- t:.pt1J..I e</ OJ po. J.1.I. ,";:..f.I'#/ n?(;1,,/4J /q/e....