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This is a short excerpt from The Cowboy’s book "A year in the Life of a
Cowboy" as well as notes from the many interviews I had with Owen D. Roane"
This depicts the loss of Richard King’s crew at what the 100th
refers to as "Over Paris" What happened is still debated by those on the
mission and historians studying it. Cowboy having been the co-pilot on the
King Crew in the states before being given a crew of his own called this one
of the saddest day in his life. This some fifty-five years later in a
conversation with this writer. This is what he observed or as he always said,
"What I think I saw." ..pw
August (1943) finally ended with a flight Mulan les Meureaux to bomb an
aircraft repair depot. The flight was canceled as we neared the outskirts of
Paris. Clouds again covered the target area and since it was occupied
territory there would be no random dropping of bombs. We returned home with
our deadly cargo. This same load was carried back to France on September 2nd
with the same results. The target his time was called Kerlin-Bastard. There
was much speculation on how it got its name. Finally this bomb load we had
been hauling around was released on the 3rd or September. We were
leading the 2nd element of the high squadron so we had a good view
of the rest of the Group.
Various stories have evolved concerning what actually occurred on this
mission. Our primary target was the Renault Works in Paris, but again the
weather was not cooperative. We headed for the secondary target, Beaumont Le
Roger Airfield some sixty miles west of the primary. During the bomb run we
were attacked by fighters all the while being hammered by flak. The 2nd
Element of the lead squadron consisted of Victor Fienup as leader with Richard
(King) and Charles Floyd as his wingmen. I saw King’s ship hit by flak and
start burning furiously amidships and fire was also enveloping his right wing.
As this was my crew and my pilot back in training, I knew the crew well and
prayed they all would survive. As the plane continued to burn, however, it
veered into the tail of Floyd’ plane causing Floyd to pitch up into the plane
flown by Fienup. A large explosion occurred and then I saw the planes of King
and Floyd break up immediately. Fienup’s plane went down just moments later.
Peter Theodore, our Gunnery Officer went down with the Floyd Crew. Though
not required to fly combat missions he thought he should have experience in
the subject he was teaching. Although he had flow several missions this time
he was KIA along with seven others in the Floyd Crew…
With those two crews down, our crew would be alone in the hut. Captain Veal
(Squadron Commander) sent us to London on a two day pass while the personal
effects of the two crews were removed…
At our reunion on Dayton, Ohio in 1985, I saw a man that I thought was
dead. Edward Hovde, the bombardier on King’s Crew was standing in the lobby of
the hotel. When we could talk I asked him what had happened as we had seen
their ship explode. He said he was not really sure but regained consciousness
while lying on part of their aircrafts wing. He was able to pull his ripcord
in time to cushion his fall. He told me that he must have had his left hand on
his left knee when the explosion occurred as they were both severed and
bleeding profusely. He was immediately picked up-by the Germans and taken to
the hospital where he spent about three months in recovery before being
repatriated to the States.
Ed (Hovde) told me that Anderson (navigator on the King Crew) had bailed
out and was taken prisoner. Andy (Anderson) came to the 100th
reunion in Long Beach, CA and three of us spent quite some time reliving the
incident. They told me that Herber Hoggie and Jim Sides made it out of the
plane some way and were taken prisoner. They told me that Barney Sutton was
not with them over Paris but had returned to the States for pilot training.
I was aware of this already as Barney came by to visit me at the ranch in
Valley View, TX, but our renewed friendship sadly was not to be lasting as
Barney died a few short months after our visit.
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