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 Charles H.
Thompson Crew and "Slightly Dangerous" (left to right)
Standing: D. Leech (TG), C. Nessel (RWG), J.
Stern (ROG), J. Cook (BTG), F. Cahall (LWG), D. Derby (TTE)
Kneeling: E. Jones (NAV), R. McEuen (CP), C.
Thompson (P), W. Sprow (BOM)
Photo courtesy of S/Sgt Jack Stern - August 2006
|
| 2ND LT |
CHARLES H. THOMPSON |
P |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| 2ND LT |
ROSS McEUEN |
CP |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
|
2ND LT |
EDWARD R. JONES |
NAV |
KIA |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| 2ND LT |
WILLIAM J. SPROW, JR |
BOM |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| S/SGT |
JACK STERN |
ROG |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| S/SGT |
RICHARD E. DERBY |
TTE |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| S/SGT |
JESSE W. COOK, JR |
BTG |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
|
S/SGT |
CHARLES L. NESSEL |
RWG |
KIA |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
|
S/SGT |
FLOYD M. CAHALL |
LWG |
KIA |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
| S/SGT |
DONALD E. LEECH |
TG |
POW |
10-Oct-43 |
MUNSTER |
351ST SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH IN AUGUST 1943, A VERY EARLY
REPLACEMENT CREW. THEY WERE
FLYING THEIR FIFTH MISSION ON 10 OCT 43. A/C #42-30374 "SLIGHTLY
DANGEROUS" MACR # 1023,
Micro-fiche #339This crew was on its fifth mission. Apparently after
reaching the I. P. this A/C received a head-on attack by enemy a/c and
Edward Jones was severely wounded by a 20mm. Almost simultaneously there
was a direct flak hit in the waist and both waist gunners killed or
severely wounded. Bail out order given but evidently not all got our before
ship exploded. Lt. Sprow shoved Lt. Jones out of nose escape hatch after
pulling his rip cord. Several men blown out when plane exploded and their
chutes opened. One crewman later reported as follows: "The Germans threw
his body (Jones') into a truck transporting us to a jail. He was all shot
up and he was white. I presume he had bled to death." The 100th
BG Foundation received the following note from Jack Stern on 1 Aug 2006:
On the crew of Charles H. Thompson you have Donald Leech listed as tail
gunner. Actually he was the left waist gunner and Floyd M. Cahall was the
tail gunner. You have me listed as Sgt. actually all enlisted men were
S/Sgt, so as for more details when our plane reached the I.P. our number 4
engine burst into flames.
We dropped out of formation and dropped our bombs. Our number one engine
burst into flames whereupon our pilot Lt Charles H. Thompson sounded the
abort signal. Seeing the ball turret gunner still rotating and he would not
hear the signal, I grabbed a handfull of casings and my chest chute. I threw
the casings on the turret and when he looked up at me, I put on my chest
chute and pointed at it and indicated bail out.
I returned to my gun to give him cover and saw him bail out of the waist
door. I had not seen the tail gunner and started to throw casings at his
position when I saw both waist gunners lying on the floor, and non
responsive. A FW-109 seeing us all alone and on fire closed in for a easy
kill. I fired first and saw him go down. There was a loud noise and I
blacked out. When I came to, I found myself swaying in the air. Our plane
had exploded and the force of the explosion had opened my chute. I was
immediately surrounded by German soldiers when I landed.
I was reunited with Richard E. Derby and Jesse W. Cook and sent to Stalag
17. We spent 20 months there and were on a 300 mile death march at the end
of the war. I would appreciate it if you would send me a corrected listing.
S/Sgt. Jack Stern |
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