ON THE 100TH FIRST MISSION (BREMEN) 25 JUN 43. LT LOUIS GRATE, BOMBARDIER OF CREW #1 WAS REPLACED BY LT STANLEY O. MORRISON AND HE WAS KIA. THE REASON FOR THE EXCHANGE IS UNKNOWN; AN EXCHANGE OF PERSONNEL BETWEEN SQUADRONS, SUCH AS THIS, WAS RARELY SEEN. MORRISON'S SPOT ON CREW 29 WAS FILLED BY LT WILLIAM F. MOORE WHO BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43.

DAVID SOLOMON MOVED TO CREW #32, REPLACING HARRY CROSBY WHEN CROSBY BECAME GROUP NAVIGATOR. LT RUDOLPH GRUM REPLACED SOLOMON ON CREW #29 AND BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43.

ERNEST KIESSLING (THE ORIGINAL PILOT OF THIS CREW) WAS GROUNDED AFTER THREE OR FOUR MISSIONS FOR SURGERY AND LT JOHN STEPHENS TOOK OVER AS PILOT; LIKELY THIS IS WHEN LT HOYT L. SMITH BECAME THE CO-PILOT COMING FROM CREW #28. HE BECAME A POW ON 10 OCT 43 ALONG WITH STEPHENS.

T/SGT CARL E. BATTIN REPLACED S/SGT FRANK S. MAZARKA PRIOR TO THE CREWS OVERSEAS FLIGHT AND WAS TAKEN PRISONER ON 10 0CT 43.

AFTER SEVERE FLAK DAMAGE AND ATTACKS BY FIGHTERS THE PILOTS MADE A SUCCESSFUL BELLY LANDING. MAX DRUDGE WAS WOUNDED IN THE RIGHT WRIST AND HAND BY A 20-MM AND T/SGT BATTIN SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM, THE REMAINDER WERE NOT INJURED AND ALL BECAME POWS.

a. First Combat Mission for the 100th Bomb Group

b. Completed-bombs dropped

c. Abortive-returned without bombing

d. Abortive but counted as a completed mission-aircraft lost (3) including a plane with Stymie's regular crew bombardier, Stanley O. Morrison, Lafayette, Ind. (KIA)

e. "Stymie" and crew lost in action on 19th mission toward the tour requirement of 25 -all ten crewmembers POW.

An American on the trail of the story of his youth: In 1943, John F. Stephens was forced to make an emergency landing in the Bocholter area. Now, 43 years after this memorable experience, Stephens returned to Westmunsterland to locate the site where the crew of the Bomber type "Flying Fortress" involuntarily became acquainted with Bocholt. Until now his search has been without success. Stephens is hoping for help from the public. On October 10, 1943, a US Bomber had to make an emergency landing in the area near Bocholt "Where is the friendly interpreter?" Pilot John F. Stephens wants to get in contact with eyewitnesses of the event

Bocholt/Kreis Borken. It happened on October 10, 1943. On that Sunday an American bomber, Type B-17--"Flying Fortress", had to make an emergency landing in the Bocholter area. 'The ten man crew, including their leader, 20 year old Lt. John F. Stephens, were taken prisoners by the German Air force. Today, more than four decades after this event, this same John F. Stephens is a guest of the Bundesrepublic. He is trying to locate the place where in 1943, he had to make an emergency landing with his B-17, and hopes to find people he met at that time who remember the event. So far he has been unsuccessful. But, he is confident that with the help of BBV newspaper, he'll have more luck.

On October10, 1943, the order of the day for the, at that time, 20 year old U. S. Lt. , was to leave from Ipswich in Great Britain, and head towards Muenster, to bomb the railroad station and the tracks in that city. The "Flying Fortress" belonged to the 100th Bomber- group of the 8th Air Force. Stephens aircraft belonged to one of numer- ous groups, each consisting of sixteen bombers, who left Great Britain on that mission. Shortly before reaching their destination, the pilot indicated engine trouble.

One of the four engines failed. Stephens had no other choice but to leave the group and turn west. he tried to hold his bomber at a low altitude, and was able to cross the German defense- line Wesel-Borken-Rheine with his plane. But soon thereafter, the situation became critical. The missiles of a German "Messerschmidt" hit the right wing of his B-17, which had burst into flames. John F. Stephens had to make an emergency landing. "In a meadow somewhere in the Bocholter area" is where John F. Stephens remembers the successful landing occurred. "There was a farm nearby". Some members of the ten-man crew attempted to flee. However, they were caught by German soldiers and locked in a barn. John F. Stephens, the pilot, was able to communicate with a German Air Force officer. "The first thing he did, was congratulate me for the clean landing", said Stephens. "They were surprised that I could land the aircraft so well with its burning wing. 'The American Lt. first asked for medical help for his two injured crew members.

Each 0f the Sergeants had a broken arm. Only one problem: The German officer did not speak English, the American Lt. , did not speak German. A twelve-thirteen year-old girl who was amongst the curious crowd, came to the rescue. She asked, in perfect English, if she could be of any help, and took the role of an interpreter. The American soldiers were first locked in a building close by, which looked to Stephens like an old schoolhouse. Later, they were taken to some sort of prison. The two injured Sergeants received medical attention in a hospital. A few days later, the Sergeants and officers were separated. The officers were transported via train to an air force base near Frankfurt, where they remained for a few days. They were then taken to an air force camp near Sagen, on the Oder (river), which was called "Stalag Tuft III. There Stephens and his crew were held prisoners until the end of 1944, when the Russians drew closer. The final prison camp where the American soldiers were held was located northeast of Munich. It was from here that they were released on April 29, 1945.

John F. Stephens, later a teacher, now retired, came to Bocholt with the intention of finding the site where his landing took place, and also the kind girl who acted as interpreter. "Today she would be in her mid 50's", according to Stephens. Inquiries at the city register were without success, but he seems convinced that his emergency landing took place in the Bocholter area. "Whoever saw our plane would not forget it. Both wings burnt themselves out without an explosion. There was a big white square painted on the tail of the B17 with a large 'D', and the number 23237 on it. " His request to the readers of the BBV: "Please contact the editor at 02871-955140 if you can remember this event of October 10, 1943. " He is anxious to get in contact with eyewitnesses and exchange some recollections. John F Stephens and his wife Gale will be vacationing in Holland until July 9. They will return immediately to Bocholt if someone comes forward in the meantime. After that, the couple will travel to Norway. The grandparents of Gale Stephens are of Norwegian descent, and emigrated to the U. S. A. at the end of the 19th century. "Maybe we will find some relatives in the Trondheim area", she hopes.

Now the BBV staff is looking for more information (O2871-955140). Who recalls details about the emergency landing of the "B-17 along the Rheder Chaussee? Who can remember another place near Bocholt where this event on October 10, 1943 could have taken place? John F. Stephens who at present time is vacationing in Holland, wants to come back to Bocholt the week after next, to look over the sites.

"B-17" across from the House Tenking

Yesterday we received telephone information from more than 30 BBV-readers Bocholt/Rhede. Is there a BBV-reader who can remember, that on Sunday, October 10, 1943 an American bomber "B 17 Flying Fortress" made an emergency landing between Bocholt and Rhede? It was supposed to be on a meadow along the Rheder Chaussee, close to the Ketteler farm across from the House Tenking. In the meantime we found some circumstantial evidence about it. The pilot of the plane, John F. Stephens, also thinks, that the incident almost 43 years ago, possibly took place on that site.

After yesterday's BBV publication about the emergency landing of the American plane in the fall of 1943, the phone in the editor's office didn't stop ringing. More than 30 readers reached for the phone and were sure, that they witnessed the landing of the "B 17". The calls pointed to the Honsel farm in Buengern, a meadow along the B 67 (high- way) close to the Lankerner School, to farms and surroundings in Mussum, Liedern, Barlo, and even Anholt and Werth. Always, the caller stressed, it was an American plane.

Some remembered the type "Flying Fortress" or the big "D" on a white background that was painted on the tail of the "B-17". It was also confirmed that one wing was burning but the bomber didn't explode.

The information given by the callers was alike exept for a minor detail: The date, October 10, 1943 could not be right. The records for that day indicate there were no bombings, crashes, or emergency landings in the area of Liedern-Werth, it is all documented in the Bocholter City Registrar's Office. The manager of the City Registrar's Office. Dr. Hans D. Oppel, confirmed that yesterday for the BBV.

Although two tips proved to be very interesting, they pointed to the meadow along the Rheder Chaussee. Both callers are very sure, that on October 10, 1943 a "B 17" made an emergency landing there. One of them remembers that it was on a Sunday. The plane supposedly was facing toward the House Tenking. Two members of the crew ran in the direction of the Winkelhauser Mountains, but were soon captured. The caller said, that after a while 8 American flyers were led off across the Hardt and Neu St. , "all tall boys". They were locked up in the old school house in Neu St. ln that point the account of the two callers differ, The second caller is sure. that the US fliers were taken to Bocholt.

John F. Stephens, who was informed yesterday afternoon by phone from the BBV, reacted with a spontaneous cry of enthusiasm; "That's smashing". It could have been along the Rheder Chaussee, he surmised. Yes, there were 8 of them who were led off. Two members of the ten men crew were injured and transported to a hospital.

With the support from our readers, the former aircraft commander John F. Stephens from Pennsylvania, USA, is at the end of his search. As reported, after a mission to Muenster, he was forced to make a belly landing by German fighter planes, right before the Holland border. Stephens was searching for eyewitnesses and the landing site. Photos prove, that the B 17 nearly undamaged came to a stop before a forest in Holthausen.

Velen-Ransdorf. Searched for--found! Today there is corn planted on this field, the meadow and the tall trees are gone. It looked quite different 43 years ago. Then it was October 10, 1943, a sunny Sunday, when a B-17 of the U. S. fleet crashed on a meadow between the farm Schulze-Weddeling, and the Koetterhaus camp. Virtually undamaged, the four-engine bomber, also called, the "Flying Fortress", lay in front of large oak trees, not far from the B525 (Highway). Eight men jumped out of the plane--uninjured. but, two of the ten men crew were hurt. Amongst the uninjured was the pilot, Lt. John F. Stephens. This week, 43 years later, Stephens came to BZ for help. The article about the - emergency landing and the search for eyewitnesses drew a flood of phone calls. There were many clues.

At the end, pictures finally proved where on the meadow the air- craft was put down. Lt. Stephens can be happy: He remembered a young girl who spoke with the crew in perfect English. She also was found. The events of this day were reconstructed from statements of eyewitnesses and from a book which was kindly recommended from the homeland researcher Adalbert Friedrich from Raesfeld. Stymie is mentioned in the book, 'Muenster October 10, 1943" (Aschendorff) by Ian Hawkins. Radio operator Carl Battin remembers: "During the short time we were over Muenster we were hit by the anti-aircraft artillery. Our pilot Lt. John Stephens reduced the altitude at once and tried to reach the Canal in a lower level flight. We were very heavily attacked by German fighter planes. The enemy was chasing us from all directions and forced us to make a belly landing. Our front rifleman was hit with a 20-mm in his right hand and I had a broken arm. the rest of the crew was not hurt. We were soon taken prisoners. " So far the presentation from the American view point. The source is wrong in one point: "Stymie" made the emergency landing in Aalten- Holland. In conversation with the BZ the former bomber pilot confirmed, that those 2 men belonged to his crew and it had to be his aircraft that slithered over the meadow in Holthausen, took down fences and then stopped. In his conversation he also mentioned the black D and the numbers 23237 on the white square painted on the tail. They are identical with the pictures made available to us. At that time Franz-Josef Liesner pushed the shutter release button on his little Agfa-Fox. Today he is the principal at the Hauptschule of Suedlohn. More pictures were added from the families Effink-Tenk and Schulze-Weddeling. Liesner, at that time 16 years old, remembers: "People came from all over. It was quite sensational. " The children took all kinds of things from the plane. One of the first persons at the B-17, "Flying Fortress" was Helmut Schulze, at that time 12 years old.

"At first, we were not afraid, but then, all of a sudden a few Negroes came out, we never saw one before, then we ran. " Still today when plowing, we find pieces of the aircraft, says the farmer. He himself picked up some ammunition and kept it. The girl, which the bomber pilot remembers, is probably Anni I ( Buetterhoff, born Osterhalt. She was attending a Middle-School and was 14 years old. Anni Buetterhoff: "The first question the flyers ~ asked was: Here Holland?". They asked me where they were, after I asked them "Can I help you?" She knew that two flyers were taken prisoner in the evening at the railroad station in Suedlohn, they had had a beer in the stations restaurant beforehand.

Ludwine Hilian also tried to remember. The witness who lives in Dortmund told us, that children and grown ups fell upon the plane and took whatever was not nailed down. One flyer was pinned in the rear. All witnesses agreed in their explanation, that German soldiers arrived immediately. They came on motorcycles. The flyers were put in a barn after the injured were taken care of. Close to the landing spot, about 500 m away, there was what they called a fake airport. Maybe that was the fighter plane base which was mentioned by radio operator Battin. It is possible that the crew spotted the dummies.

Hubert Schulze-'Weddeling still remembers what happened in the late evening: "There were no more empty milk cans left on the surrounding farms. The farmers emptied the tanks of the aircraft. " At this time the former bomber pilot is still in Holland. Together with his wife Gale, he'll take a close look at the landing site in the following weeks. He is very anxious to meet with the eyewitnesses.

Velen-Ramsdorf. The meeting this time after different circum- stances, more than 4 decades later, was very heartfelt. High School English was pulled from memory, pictures were taken, people kissed and hugged. This uncommon scene occurred at a meeting at the Schulze- Weddeling farm. The past came alive. All the pieces they remembered from that sunny Sunday, Oct. , 10, 1943, fit together like a puzzle. The reason: US Bomber Pilot John F. Stephens, who in 1943 was forced to make an emergency landing, when German fighter Planes, and anti- aircraft artillery attacked him while on an attack mission at Muenster, met with eyewitnesses from that time. The pilot of the B 17 " Flying Fortress" was at that time 22 years old, asked the BZ for help in finding the landing site of his aircraft. Numerous hints from our readers, notes from diaries, and pictures of the 4 engine plane finally proved, that the "Flying Fortress" with the nickname "Stymie", came to a stop not far from the B525 (highway) between Suedlohn and Velen, only a few yards in front of large oak trees. As the pictures show, Stephens put the aircraft down with virtually no damage.

D Stephens, who together with his wife Gale is on a European trip, also remembers a young girl who shortly after the landing helped to cross the language barrier. Anni Buetterhoff, who was the interpreter at that time, got a big kiss as a welcome. " I'm happy to meet you after all those years".

The commander of the B 17 explained, that after their captivity, the entire crew returned to the USA in 1945. He is still in contact with some of the 10 man crew.

One of the eyewitnesses, who was somewhat involved in the event, was Bernhard Busch. While waiting for a train in the late evening hours to go back to his post, he took the two American flyers prisoner, who tried to cross the border to Holland after the landing. At that time lance corporal told us, he got 5 days leave as a bonus. Elisabeth Thesing also remembers details: "Two of the American flyers- were injured, they were taken care of right away. They brought pillows from the Koetterhaus Camp. You could see, both were in a lot of pain. "The other 6 flyers:- were immediately locked in a barn after the German Military men arrived on motor cycles.

On the very same spot, which looks different today than at the time of the landing, Stephens found little pieces of the plane. Stephens: "I just cain't believe it". The teacher since retired was very moved when he saw ammunition and a piece of a tank which belonged to his plane. Hubert Schulze-Weddeling, who kept those parts: "Please be careful those parts are still sharp. "

The reconstruction of the events from that day showed that the American flyers were probably taken to the school of Holtnausen.

Stephens said, it was already dark 'When German air force officers came and congratulated him for the "clean landing". The witnesses recalled, that in discussions between the anti- aircraft soldiers and Jabo Pilots, they each wanted credit for the crash of the Stymie.

Like Stephens explains, the prisoners were only in Holthausen a few hours. "We were transported to an air force base in Frankfurt". After that they were put in an air force camp in Sagan on the Oder. , lt was called "Stalag III". "The time in prison, during which the Russians came constantly closer, was the hardest for us. " Other- wise the prisoners were treated quite fairly by the Germans. The last stop before the trip back home, was a camp near Munich. The former enemies listened with interest and commented on some details. They all felt the same: There should never be another war. One event in particular captivated the listeners: "When I climbed out of the left exit of the aircraft, I touched the ground and squeezed a handful of dirt in my fist", that was proof for him that he got out of the plane alive.

After a hearty good bye, a thank you for the hospitality, and with the hope to see each other again, they parted. John and Gale Stephens accepted an invitation for a short visit to the Oedinger Schuetzenfest.

The couple is staying a few more days in Holland. After that, both of them are traveling to Norway, since the grandparents of Gale Stephens are of Norwegian descent and immigrated to the USA. There she wants to look for her roots.