349th Sqdn. Assigned in April 1944. Appears as Crew #12 on Combat Crew
Roster of 11/8/44.
Lt Eluid J. Knapp NAV (from the James W. McGuire Crew) was one of many
Navigators to fly with Lt Allen's Crew. He CPT his tour with the Allen
Crew on 24/8/44-RUHLAND. S/Sgt Wilbur F. Williams, TG (from Lt Herres
Crew) replaced Sgt Jackson after Jul 29, 1944. He CPT his tour on
9/9/44-DUSSELDORF with Allen Crew. After one mission, Sgt Gottlieb was
removed from flying status due to air sickness and replaced by S/Sgt John
Wargo (from Lt Becktoft Crew) and completed his missions on Jun 18,
1944-BRUNSBUTTELKOOG.
Upon completion of his tour, S/Sgt Ray Matz was replaced on the crew by
S/Sgt Joeseph Costanza (from Lt John Keys Crew). His first mission with
the crew was Aug 15, 1944 to Venlo and his last was Sept 9, 1944 to
Dusseldorf. Joe was from NYC and he fit in with the crew well. He almost
cried when we finished our tour, as he had more missions to go and dreaded
flying with a new Crew. He did complete his tour on Oct 4, 1944-NURNBURG,
Crew unknown.
We had several different Navigators (Tracy, Knapp, Holmes), we never
did get to know them well. Ray Matz was grounded around the end of July
due to combat fatigue. Bob Monroe was grounded after 30 missions for the
same reason. They both went home. The replacements were not billeted in
our hut so I didn't get to know them very well. We only spoke to one
another before we went on a mission, and then we were all busy cleaning
our guns, checking ammo and such. These chores were done in darkness…
courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman and son Mark (mpf 2002)
CREW (Pick up Crew)
"On June 7 1944 mission to Nantes, two engines and Tail Gunners oxygen
were knocked out over target. We landed at a RAF glider base, about 40
miles south of London. We threw ammo and guts of machine guns and radio
receivers our as radio man did not need to contact base. This was done to
maintain altitude.
On July 29, 1944 Merseburg mission, we led the low squadron that day
and had an engine knocked out on the bombing run. The Group did not drop
bombs on target area, as pathfinder ship could not locate target. Our
pilot radioed planes in our squadron to catch up with the main group,
since we only had 3 engines and could not keep up. Shortly after the
planes pulled away from us, we were hit by German Jets (ME262). You will
read jets did not come up until Aug 44. They came in directly behind our
tail and a little high. Our tail gunner (Jackson) had crawled into the
waist with a walk around bottle. His oxygen was knocked out and he was
wounded in the ankle. . .
The leader of the jets came in first and my guns would not fire as long
as they were aiming at any part of our own ship (fire cut-off cam in gun
sight). I held trigger down and as soon as the guns cleared our plane.
They began to fire, I gave him a few short bursts and he was gone. He flew
out of range to our left and a little high. He must of radioed his buddies
and told them our tail guns were not operating. Then they came at us one
at a time, directly behind the tail.
I gave each one a short burst, then I'd have to pick up the next
attacker. By the time Matz (WG) got back into the tail (filling in for
injured TG), they were gone. I always wondered why they never pressed the
attack further. Our pilot probably saved us by putting the plane in a
shallow dive and using evasive maneuvers. The Jets formed up again and
attacked the five planes that were flying with us. They knocked every one
of the five planes out of the sky and left. Because the pilot put the
plane in a dive, we picked up speed and caught up with another group
flying at a lower altitude…
We didn't stay with them as we could not keep up after he leveled off.
Flying by ourselves was very lonely. Pilot then asked me to fire the vari
pistol for fighter protection. I don't remember the color of the day as
colors were changed every mission. After firing a few shots at a few
minute intervals, 2 P-47's (our little friends as we called them) pulled
up along side and they circled around us until their gas supply ran low
and they had to leave. What a beautiful sight that was having the 47's
with us…
Since no bombs were dropped on the target area our bombardier dropped
his bombs on a target of opportunity on our way home. At the time of the
attack, our bombardier was in the waist giving first aid to tail gunner
Jackson"
Courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman (mpf 2002)
