MISSING AIR CREW REPORT #13717 A/C #43-38992

This crew, with Robert C. Fletcher as pilot, joined the 100th GP on 4/3/45. He was LWA on 18/3/45 and apparently Baldwin took over as P. Francis Beedle had been the CP on the crew of R. C. Ellis. Howard Weber was not a member of the original crew. Eyewitness report had following to say: "A/C #992 was unable to release bombs over target and retained them until formation reached 5417-0600E on return route. Bombs were then released. The A/C appeared to be undamaged and continued on with the formation to 5405-0620E at 1850 hours when wheels were lowered and pilot called over VHF saying he was low on gas and would try to get back alone. The A/C peeled off and down toward the undercast. When the formation reached 5250-0300E at 1952 hours, a VHF message from A/C 992 was received saying that 80 gallons of gas per engine was left and the A/C was an estimated 15 minutes from land. Nothing further was heard. Other pilots suggest that cloud conditions were favorable for icing and that A/C may have been lost due to ice picked up in passing through clouds." Actually, icing was not the problem as Kermit Jones explains. "We were returning from Kiel when it was discovered we were running out of gas so we headed for Belgium. While enroute, and over the first Frisian Island off the Peninsula of Holland, at an altitude of 5000 feet, we were hit by flak which destroyed two engines and set the ship on fire." According to Jones, he, Goodwin and Wright bailed out but the others did not and the A/C exploded upon hitting the ground. Jones adds that, "Sgt. Goodwin landed on the island (Texel) and shed his chute and flying boots. These were later shown to us by the Germans with a comment that Sgt. Goodwin was dead. The Germans at the same time showed us the seven pairs of twisted and burned dog tags of remaining members of the crew with a statement that they were all dead." Of considerable interest in connection with the loss of this crew is a letter from "The Mayor of Texel" dated 11 Feb.1946 and apparently directed to someone who had inquired about the burial of Sgt Barron. -- "In answer to your letter of 5 February, we can assure you that the grave of Sgt. Ogden N. Barron indeed is known. The plane was shot down on April 3.1945 at 20 hours (8 p.m.) and fell near Horntge in the southern part of Textel Island. The plane had possibly a crew of seven men. Two persons, their names not known, (they were Jones & Weber) were taken prisoner by the Germans. The bodies of two persons, namely, Sgt Ogden W. Barron number 420C0553 and Sgt. Randolph Goodwin, number 39855835 were identified. These two people died instantly when the plane struck the ground. Also, two others occupants who tried to leave the plane by parachute were killed instantly on account of the Plane being too close to the ground. Their names are not known. The possibly seventh occupant has never been found, either he fell into the sea or was obliterated under the plane when it fell down. The bodies of the four crew members were buried on April 10/1945 in the Allied cemetery of the town Den Burg at Textel Island. The funeral services were somewhat delayed on account of a general uprising amongst the people with many things abnormal for a few days. The graves were marked with a wooden cross. On Dec.7,1945 the American Graves Registration Command recovered the bodies of the American boys and reburied them in the American cemetery "Margraten" in the province of Limburg."

In two quite touching letters written by one A. van Dienst, an official of Den Burg, to the mother of John Buckley 30/5/46 and 25/11/46) he attempts to solace Mrs. Buckley and, at the same time, explain the difficulties met with in identifying the airmen who perished in the crash. -- "parts of different bodies were found, namely two bodies and four pair of hands, partly burnt, found in or near the plane. These were buried in one coffin at 10 April in the war cemetery of Den Burg about 20 meters from my house." van Dienst then proposes the possibility that some human remains, if not consumed by fire, might still be in "parts of the plane that are pushed deep into the ground". He further promises to attempt to interest the American Graves Registration in digging up the buried aircraft to search for any remains. In the letter of 25/11/46, van Dienst writes Mrs. Buckley that Graves Registration had further examined the wreckage and had been able to identify remains of William E. Baldwin, Francis G. Beedle, Sgt Alfred Mantopoli and Kenneth Wright. Thus we know that F/O John Buckley and Sgt Leslie O. Davis were the two unidentified crewmen "buried in one coffin" on 10 April 1945. van Dienst concludes his letter to Mrs. Buckley by saying that the cross marking this grave reads "Unknown American Flyers " but the rear side of the cross now says, "Probably, F/O John H. Buckley and Sgt Leslie O. Davis".

Location: Watermolenweg (Southern part of Texel island, The Netherlands) Date: 30th October 2005 Monument initiative: Jan Kikkert (Den Hoorn, Texel) Information supplied by: Bram van Dijk (Oosterend, Texel) Monument text: Wilhelm Bakker (Den Hoorn, Texel) Photographer: Annette Nieuwenhuis-van Koutrik (Den Burg, Texel) Pictures provided by: Jan Nieuwenhuis (Den Burg, Texel) There are more photos in the Cemetery Section (Memorials)