| 1st Lt Wiliam H.
Fletcher |
P |
POW |
21/2/44Burnswick |
| 2nd Lt Richard M. Roper |
CP |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| 2nd Lt George
A. Browning |
NAV |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| 2nd Lt Howard
D. Venzie |
BOM |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| T/Sgt James H. Whitton |
TTE |
Injured in crash after about 7 missions |
| T/Sgt George A. Reid |
ROG |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| S/Sgt Pietro J. Giaquinto |
BTG |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| S/Sgt John J. Seman |
RWG |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| S/Sgt Alexander Sosik |
LWG |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
| S/Sgt David V. Robb, Jr. |
TG |
POW |
21/2/44Brunswick |
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MACR #276l Micro fiche #924A/C #42 37796 |
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350th Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined 100th Group in early
Oct. 1943 |
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Awards and Decorations:
- ETO ribbon with One Battle Star for
"Air Offensive Europe"
- Air Medal (presented November 24, 1943)
- OLC to Air
Medal-Dec 30, 1943
- OLC to Air
Medal-Feb 21, 1944
- OLC to Air
Medal-Mar 4, 1944 not presented
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On 21/2/44, T/Sgt Leo T. Callahan, from the "Original" crew of
B. DeMarco, was aboard in place of Sgt. James Whitton and became a POW. See p. 184 MIGHTY EIGHTH
WAR DIARY for picture and story of 21/2/44Also
letter from Fletcher's nephew, Joseph M. Lee (1983) --PRESENT ADDRESS IS 3
SYCAMORE STATION, DECATUR, GA 30030 PHONE (404) 373-1336. . paul west (Nov
1993) |
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On 4/12/43 Fletcher was flying with the crew of Martian
Tashjian newly arrived) to check them out on local landmarks and
procedure. Sgt. Whitton & Reid
were also on the flight. There was a landing crash on the field and
Fletcher, Whitton & Reid received injuries. However, it is believed that Whitton
did not fly further combat duty. The flight was in Fletcher's A/C 42 39791, Fletcher's Castoria, which
was totally destroyed. Fletcher's Castoria II was B-17G 42-31220 (Boeing
built) survived the war. See: "THEY NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD" p. 103/104 |
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MISSIONS FLOWN BY WILLIAM H. FLETCHER |
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| WILHEMSHAVEN |
3-Nov-43 |
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| GELSENKIRCHEN |
5-Nov-43 |
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| DUREN |
7-Nov-43 |
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| BREMEN |
13-Nov-43 |
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| RJUKEN, NORWAY |
16-Nov-43 |
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| PARIS, FRANCE |
26-Nov-43 |
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| BREMEN |
29-Nov-43 |
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| KIEL |
13-Dec-43 |
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| BREMEN |
20-Dec-43 |
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| MUNSTER |
22-Dec-43 |
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| PARIS, FRANCE |
31-Dec-43 |
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| KIEL |
4-Jan-44 |
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| CROSSBOW |
21-Jan-44 |
(NoBall - Bois D' Esquerdes) |
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| FRANKFURT |
24-Jan-44 |
(Recall) |
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| FRANKFURT |
29-Jan-44 |
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| BRUNSWICK |
30-Jan-44 |
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| WILHENSHAVEN |
2-Feb-44 |
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| CROSSBOW |
13-Feb-44 |
(NoBall - Livossart : Bois Rempre) |
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| ARNIMSWALDE |
20-Feb-44 |
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| BRUNSWICK |
21-Feb-44 |
(MIA ) |
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OPERATIONAL NARRATIVE, FEB 21, 1944
TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY
General Narrative - 100th "A" Group: 19 aircraft took off
this base; the first at 0915 hours, the last at 0929 hours. the Group
assembled over the base by 0950 hours in good formation.
Fighter support - P-38s, P-47s, P-51s - was good. Flak
light and inaccurate.
Aircraft Not Attacking: 19 aircraft were airborne from this
base; 16 aircraft were dispatched and attacked the target. Aircraft
#42-31256 turned back 18 miles south of Comer from 23, 000 feet. #42-38011
turned back at 1223 from 23, 000 feet. Aircraft #42-37796 is missing in
action. No further particulars are available at this time.
General Narrative - 100th "B" Group: 21 aircraft took off
from this base, the first at 0930 hours. By 0958 hours we had assembled on
good formation over the base. We flew low position in the 13th "B" Combat
Wing. Our formation was good throughout the mission. Flak was meager and
inaccurate. Fighter support was very good. Other than the fact that we did
not bomb the primary target, there was nothing unusual during our
flight.
Aircraft Not Attacking:21 aircraft departed this base in formation. 19 aircraft were
dispatched. #42-30088 turned back at 1330 hours from 21, 000 feet, #42-3107
at 1300 hours from 21, 500 feet. All aircraft of this Group formation
returned to base. |
| ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE:
An initial rendezvous was made due to faulty equipment,
namely failure of the fluxgate compass, in the lead ship of "A" Group. The
100th "A" Group left England 10 minutes late and picked up the 100th "B"
Group approximately a the coast. The 13th "B" Combat Wing then joined a
wing immediately ahead of it and proceeded along the briefed route, 12
minutes behind schedule. At 1344 hours the lead wing turned to the South
leaving our course. As we could not proceed along to our target and we did
no know their target we decided to bomb and airfield and withdraw with
this wing. the airfield at 31. 51N, 08 25E was bombed on APCE from an
indicate altitude of 22, 800 feet.
An unidentified airdrome was bombed with good results.
Photos show bombs hit in buildings along railroad that passes airdrome.
Bomb burst indicate severe damage to both railroad and runways of the
airdrome. Crew believe the airport to be located near Vechta.
No fighters attacked either "A" or "B" Groups though some
enemy aircraft were seen engaged by our escort. Flak encountered was light
to medium and inaccurate at Osnalbruck, Enschedi and Rheine.
At 1347 hours out aircraft #796 straggled from formation
but followed us over target and continued behind our formation until 1430
hours when we were at 5230N and 0515E. It had one engine feathered and
another smoking. There were lots of friendly fighters about when this
aircraft disappeared in the undercast. Members of this crew were: Lt's W H Fletcher, R M Roper, G A
Browning, HD Venzie, T/Sgt's G A Reid, L T Callahan, S/Sgt's P J Giaquinto,
J J Seman, A Sosik, D V Robb. . |
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Letter to William Fletcher's Mother from the wife of Lt.
Stewart McClain who was killed in action 25 February 1944 Regensburg, at which time Lt. William Fletcher was
already a POW.
304 E. Second Street
Tuscumbia, Alabama
March 29, 1944
Dear Mrs. Fletcher (Mother of Lt William H. Fletcher)
You are probably wondering who I am. I am the wife of one
of the Pilots that your Son, Bill, received training with and who also
went across at the same time as Bill. I sent you a Christmas Card last
Christmas with a note inside but don't know if you ever received it.
My husband was Stewart McClain. All the fellows called him
Mac. I don't know if Bill ever spoke of him or not. In fact I received a
letter from him some weeks ago telling me all about your good cooking of
chicken. , chop suey, etc. , and inviting Mac and me over to see you after
the war. Mac, my husband was reported missing in action as of February
25th, over Germany. I received the official notice this week. It was such
a shock to me. He was on his 22nd mission and would have been home soon. I
believe in my heart he is safe, but the suspense of not knowing is awful.
I pray God will watch over and take care of him and all the other boys. I
know He will answer those prayers. Mac and Bill had the same room over in
England and had a pin-up collection of pictures together. Bill's ship was
named 'Fletcher's Castoria, ' and Mac's was 'Mismalovin. ' They have been
together ever since being in England.
I don't know if Bill is missing in action or not one of the
other boys on my husband's crew wrote me that Fletcher and crew sent a
radio message to 'Mismalovin. ' my husband's ship, just before leaving the
formation on the raid of 2-21-44, I believe it was or maybe it was
2-23-44, I have forgotten just now. Anyway the message was, "Ship under
control and no injury. " If you have not received an official telegram the
Government that he is missing, then he is not. I just thought that if he
was, this message might help you some. I know it would mean everything to
me just not to hear from someone who had received a message of some kind
from my husband before he left the formation. Three is always a good
possibility that if the ship is under control they make it back to the
base or to Switzerland or another country. Do write be about Bill. Have
you heard from him recently? I wrote to him asking if he knew anything
about Mac, but he never answered it. I hope he is o. k. As I said, if you
have not received a message, then he is o. k.
Your son is a fine boy. Mac and I both think his is tops.
He was one of the best pilots in the while Group. When we were in
Washington state, Bill was with us lots. He was in Oregon with Mac to.
They left from Maine last September.
I hope you will have time to write me sometime. I would
like very much to meet you for I know you are a wonderful person from
all that Bill has told me about you.
I hope and pray to God that our boys are safe and the war
will be over soon and they can come back to us. That will be the happiest
day of my life.
Sincerely,
Josephine G.
McClain
P. S. My husband and I both are from Gadsden, Ala. |
Letter From Lt. William Fletcher to Dorothy Fletcher (His
sister-in-law)William H. Fletcher
0798998
350th Bomb Squadron
100th Bomb Group (H)
APO 634 % Postmaster
New York, New York
25-Oct-43
Dearest Dot.
Hey Sweetheart. Your letter of Sept. 27, finally reached me today
and sure was glad to hear from you. This is the fourth base I've been on
since we landed over here so my mail has a hard time catching up with me.
It seems this is to be our permanent station so maybe things will
straighten out, hope. Hope so.
We've been working pretty hard since we joined this outfit
but can't complain about things. This is the best field I've seen over
here bar none. The food is good, we have good quarters and the men are
swell fellows. They have had us flying practice missions almost everyday
getting us ready for the real thing. We were alerted for a trip to Germany
last night but it was scrubbed so I still have my first one to make. Sure
will be glad to get started on them for I want to finish and get back
home. It will probably take some time to get 25 missions in now as the
weather is pretty bad. I'm in hope tho' that I'll finish by spring at the
latest so then I can have a June wedding. I'm not worried about getting
back but I don't want to waste so much time.
How are your travels coming these days? You sure are
getting around a lot now. Wish I were there to go around with you. If and
when I get back to the states tho' I'm not going to move around any more
than I have to.
Sweetheart, I have something to say and this is as good a
time as any. You know there are a lot of things that could happen over
here and tho' I'm not expecting any thing to happen, I want to be
prepared. Should word come through there that I am missing in action don't
take it too hard for that doesn't mean much. At the worse, I can only be a
prisoner in Germany and will still get home at the end of the war. And too
if I go down, it maybe in occupied territory and there's a damn good
chance of getting back in that case. There are some of the boys coming
back from over there every day for there are ways and means of getting
out, It may take five months to get out but it can be done. Don't give up
until you've had definite proof that I've been killed. You know how hard a
job that will be so there's no need to worry. And too, I have to get back
for a June Wedding, remember.
If the worse does happen tho', I want you to know that
you're my favorite girl. Honest, you're damn swell, and I think the world
of you. They don't come any better than you I don't care who they are. I
only hope Gloria turns out to be as sweet and lovable as your are.
Have to close for now but I'll be writing regularly so
don't worry. Hope you will write again soon and give me the news. Just the
kid brother who is thinking of you.
Bill
P. S.
Have heard that two of my
friends who went thru cadets, Sebring, and their planes are down in
Germany already. They came over with me and at that special school with
me. They were both from Atlanta. |
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Letter from Mrs W. A. Dicus, Aunt of George A. Browning --
Navigator ; the Fletcher Crew. .
Clinton, South
Carolina
17th March 1944
My Dear Mrs.
Fletcher'
After my chat with you over phone Saturday I'm afraid I
didn't make things quite clear to you in regard to the message we had
received from the wife of the Bombardier of our boys ship, so I am
sending this copy of her letter for you to see.
Would like to make this clear to you too, George Alfred
Browning who is the Navigator on the ship which your son Bill is pilot of,
is not my son but a nephew whom I had raised since the death of his
parents when he was only two. Of course he couldn't be dearer to me if her
were my very own, for this is the only house he has ever known and he
loves me like a Mother.
This letter was written to George's sister, Mrs. Taylor,
who is living here with her small son while her husband is overseas.
The news that you gave us together with the news Mrs. Venzie
gives in her letter certainly gives us lots of hope and I feel quite
sure we will be hearing something official now soon.
In George's letters he often spoke of Bill and what a
wonderful pilot he was etc.
Mrs. Fletcher you asked for a copy of the crew of the ship.
I found in reading over this letter of George's (or Alfred, as we call
him) where he gives the list he had quite a bit to say about the ship and
Bill too so I decided just to send it on to you also - It is a letter he
had written before X-mas to my daughter, May Dicus. You can return it
sometime.
Any further news you may have I'd certainly appreciate your
passing it on and I assure you I will do likewise.
I noticed in the Augusta paper that you have two other sons
besides Bill. Are they in the service too?I have a son with the Marines in the Southwest Pacific and another
son in the Naval Air Corps.
Trusting we will have other good news in few days now.
Cordially,
Niatlie Browning
Dicus (Mrs. W. A. Dicus)
15 Cleveland St.
Clinton, South
Carolina |
Military Police -
Amsterdam Jurisdiction
Post at Halfweg (The Netherlands) Nr 145
Official reportOf
a landing of an American airplane having taken place on 21 February 1944,
at Haarlemerliede and?? Spaarnwoude On Monday 21 February 1944 at
approximately 3. 00 PM the Military policy post at Halfway was notified by
telephone that an English airplane supposedly made an emergency landing in
the Houtrakpolcer. The crew, after leaving the aircraft presumably set it
on fire.
After obtaining a authorization I, Anko Casemier??, Sgt
Major belonging to the aforementioned military police post, immediately
left for the area, a parcel of gazing land located at a distance of
approximately 250 meters South-west?? of "The Ringweg" a public highway in
the municipality of Haarlemmerliede and Sparnwoude. This land belongs to a
farmer by the name of Cornelis van der Kroom who resides at #3 of the
aforementioned Ringweg.
At the location I found a four-engine American bomber of
the type Boeing Fortress II with the serial number D237796-T. The fuselage
of the plane was already partially burned out. The crew was no longer in
the area and probably had dispersed in the polder land. The German
military authorities which had appeared on the scene in the mean time had
taken over the further responsibilities of guarding and safeguarding (the
plane). The crash landing caused hardly any damage to the area and there
were no personal accidents.
Of this incident I, sergeant major made and signed this
official report under oath of office and submitted same to my Post
Commander for the purpose of having it mailed to the Head of the local
Civil Defense at Haarlemmerliede and Spaarnwoude.
Case closed at Halfweg on 22 February 1944.
Signed illegibly
Authenticated: The Mayor, Local Civil Defense
Signed illegibly |
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