| 1st Lt |
Ronald W. Braley |
P |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| 2nd Lt |
Walter Trenchard |
CP |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| 2nd Lt |
John E. Fawcett |
NAV |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| 1st Lt |
Thomas D. Carlton |
BOM |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
|
T/Sgt |
James R. Bair |
ROG |
KIA |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| T/Sgt |
Joseph E. McGuire |
TTE |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| S/Sgt |
Donald G. Ruggles |
BTG |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| S/Sgt |
Charles C. Grissom |
WG |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| S/Sgt |
Elmo E. White |
WG |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
| S/Sgt |
Phil W. Ong |
TG |
POW |
17-Aug-43 |
Regensburg |
350th Sqdn.. Original 100th Crew #16 A/C #42-30070 "TWEEDLE O' TWILL" MACR
#679.
Heavy attacks
by enemy aircraft started uncontrollable fires in the No# 1 engine and
tail section, forcing the crew with the exception of James R. Blair, to
bail out near Tauberschofsheim. This is a suburb of Wurzburh and is about
125 miles short of the target. All nine were taken prisoner by the
Germans. Bair was wounded very early but stuck to his gun and was killed
shortly before bail out. His body identified in wreckage of A/C by Sgt.
Grissom from belt buckle and Catholic medal. Grissom believed a 20 mm had
hit him in chest. Trenchard fractured an ankle, Ong suffered a fractured
vertebrae and White was wounded in the back by flak.
Missions of Lt Braley Crew:
| # |
DATE |
TARGET |
A/C |
A/C NAME |
| 1. |
25/06/1943
|
Bremen |
25878 |
BadgerBeauty |
| |
25/06/1943
|
LeMans |
23232 |
Flak Happy |
| 2. |
28/06/1943
|
St Nazaire "Flak City" |
230068 |
Phartzac(original) |
| 3. |
29/06/1943
|
LeMans |
23232 |
Flak Happy |
| 4. |
04/07/1943
|
LaPallice
|
25867 |
Alice from Dallas |
| 5. |
10/07/1943
|
LeBourget |
230070 |
Tweedle-O-Twill |
| 6. |
14/07/1943
|
LeBourget |
230035 |
Torchy/Pasadena Nena |
| 7. |
17/07/1943
|
Hamburg |
230358
|
Phartzac (replacement for original) |
| 8. |
24/07/1943
|
Trondheim |
230335 |
Sans Finis |
| 9. |
26/07/1943
|
Hanover |
23233 |
Our Baby |
| 10. |
28/07/1943
|
Oschersleben |
23232 |
Flak Happy |
| 11. |
29/07/1943
|
Warnemunde |
230070 |
Tweedle-O-Twill |
| 12. |
12/08/1943
|
Wesseling |
230070 |
Tweedle-O-Twill |
| 13. |
15/08/1943
|
Merville &Lille |
230047
|
SweaterGirl |
| 14. |
17/08/1943
|
Regensburg |
230070 |
Tweedle-O-Twill (shot down) |
AUGUST 17, 1943 REGENSBURG: Just after entering enemy held territory, a
two squadrons of Me-109's and FW-109's headed for the last and low Group,
the 100th BG. There first pass was aimed at the low squadron led by Maj.
Gale "Buck" Cleven and his 6 aircraft from the 350th Bomb Squadron. Lt
Braley was flying in the #5 position of the Low Squadron, very vulnerable.
The first pass knocked out 3 planes of the low squadron including Lt
Braley's. RIDDLED BY 2OMM SHELLS AND THE NUMBER #1 ENGINE AND TAIL SECTION
ON FIRE, THE CREW, EXCEPT FOR T/SGT BAIR, BAILED OUT NEAR TAUBERSCHOFSHEIM.
THIS IS A SUBURB OF WURZBURG AND IS ABOUT 125 MILES SHORT OF THE TARGET. ALL
NINE WERE TAKEN PRISONER BY THE GERMANS. Lt Braley's aircraft came under constant fighter attack from Holland toward target. Near Wurtzburg,
Ger. Left formation with #1 engine in flames and fire spreading to tail
section. All bailed out except Bair who was dead in radio room. He had been
wounded very early but stuck to his gun and was killed shortly before bail
out. His body identified in wreckage of A/C by Sgt. Grissom from belt buckle
and Catholic medal. Grissom believed a 20 mm had hit him in chest.
Right after crossing into Holland, fighter attacks began and Sgt Jason
Bair was wounded. He fought valiantly on, continuing to man his 50 cal
machine gun in the radio room until another round of 20mm shells exploded in
and around the radio room. At this point he was hit in the chest and killed
instantly. One crewman would report later: "The radio room was shot up with
cannon shells…When a cannon shell split the radio room door, the shell could
hardly have missed him". The radio room was hit with multiple 20mm rounds so
any one of them could have been the final blow.
Other injuries sustained by Crew on August 17, 1943-Regensburg
Trenchard - broken ankle
Grissom - fractured vertebrae
Ong - flak in lower back
White - bullet wound through leg.
A/C struck ground near Tauberbishopheim, Ger. Ship flying off right wing
of Crew #11 (Claytor) was really in Purple Heart Corner.
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-end-
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