| |
Ralph D. Horne Crew (left to right)
Standing: Ralph D. Horne, Jr., Douglas L. Hiley,
John M. McGrath, Jack T. Evans
Kneeling: Lawrence C.
Wiley, Robert L. Fosdick, Shelly M. Hall, Jr.,
Joseph G. Staron, Jr., Carlee G. Hunt
Joseph Perinsky, Jr. not
pictured. --
Photo courtesy of John M. McGrath |
| 2nd Lt |
Ralph D. Horne, Jr. |
P |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| 2nd Lt |
John M. McGrath |
CP |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| 2nd Lt |
Douglas L. Hiley |
NAV |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| 2nd Lt |
Jack T. Evans |
BOM |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Robert L. Fosdick |
TTE |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Lawrence C. Wiley |
ROG |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Carlee G. Hunt |
BTG |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Joseph Perinsky, Jr. |
RWG |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Shelly M. Hall, Jr. |
LWG |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
| S/Sgt |
Joseph G. Staron, Jr. |
TG |
POW |
19-May-44 |
Berlin |
349th Sqdn. Crew joined the 100th 9 Mar 44.
Little specific information to the loss of this a/c is available. The
following is quoted from a letter from Birger Hansen of Copenhagen,
Denmark to this writer in March 1984:..jb
An unknown a/c was observed under control and apparently in no serious
trouble at 1508 hours near 5420N 1200E heading for Sweden. The a/c had passed Lolland Island just shortly before
it was hit by FW 190s. The pilot managed to ditch the a/c 8 km south of
Glacno Island, and the crew successfully paddled ashore in the dinghies. Standard ditching procedures were used with all but
the pilot and co-pilot in the radio room. There were no injuries from the
combat action or the ditching except for a slight scratch on Sgt Joseph G.
Staron's head. Lt's Horne and Evans and T/Sgt's Willey and Fosdick were
taken POWs in Nyrup town on the 20th May at 0900 hours and the rest of the
crewmembers became POWs in Snedinge town the same day at 1000 hours. The crew was on their 21st
mission.
From 1st > Lt John M. Mc Grath, CP (November 2003)
"I would like to correct and add to the
bio of my crew under 349th SQ- crews. Ralph and I were both 1st
lieutenants when we were shot down. It was also our 20th mission. We were
hit by FW190's from 12 o'clock high. The number 3 and 4 engines were hit
and lost all power. We tried to feather the two props but to no avail.
That's why we looked like we were in no serious trouble.
As we dropped
out of formation we were attacked from the rear. The tail section was
severely damaged. How Joe Staron escaped with a scratch is a miracle. As I
glanced out my side window the FW190 was overtaking us and was no more
than 20 yards off our right wing. He must have been wounded; no sane pilot
would come that close and slow. He continued slowly to pass us and
continued in a slow left turn in front of us where the bombardier and
navigator finished him. We were losing altitude fast and our navigator
said with our rate of decent we would never reach the channel, but we
might reach Sweden. We opted for Sweden but never made it. We ditched as
stated, were captured in Denmark and spent the rest of the war in various
German POW camps"..........1st Lt John M. Mc Grath, CP
MISSION LIST OF 1st Lt JOHN M. McGRATH, CP
|
NBR |
DATE |
TARGET |
|
01 |
19/03/44 |
MARQUISE, MIMMOYEQUES (NOBALL) |
|
02 |
22/03/44 |
BERLIN |
|
03 |
28/03/44 |
CHATEAUDUN |
|
04 |
8/04/44 |
QUACKENBRUCK |
|
05 |
10/04/44 |
MALDEGEM (RHEIMS) |
|
06 |
11/04/44 |
ROSTOCK |
|
07 |
12/04/44 |
LEIPZIG |
|
08 |
13/04/44 |
AUGSBURG |
|
09 |
19/04/44 |
LIPPSTADT |
|
10 |
20/04/44 |
FLOTTEMANVILLE |
|
11 |
22/04/44 |
HAMM |
|
12 |
24/04/44 |
NECKARSULM |
|
13 |
26/04/44 |
BRUNSWICK |
|
14 |
27/04/44 |
FLOTTEMANVILLE (NOBALL) |
|
15 |
27/04/44 |
LeCULOT |
|
16 |
1/05/44 |
WIZERNES (NOBALL) |
|
17 |
1/05/44 |
SAARGUEMINES |
|
18 |
7/05/44 |
BERLIN |
|
19 |
9/05/44 |
COUVRON |
|
20 |
19/05/44 |
BERLIN (SHOT DOWN) |
|
-end-
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