RECORDS

Database Search

You are in the database section of the website.

Select a record category from RECORDS above. When you have selected a category, you will see search options for that category above the record list. 

Most fields require at least three characters. When you submit your query, the search engine will return all records that contain your search term.

Note that when searching for an aircraft serial number, you must enter the full serial number without the leading "4" and without a dash in the Aircraft SN search field. For example, you would enter 42-37772 as 237772.

The Personnel name field searches both last and first names, so if you enter the search term, "Russ", the search engine will return both Russell Abel and James Russell.

You narrow the search by entering more characters into the search field. For example, "Russ" returns many hits. "Russell" returns fewer hits. The same principle applies to all queries.

The POW and KIA categories are list only and are not searchable.

MACR PILOT: 2Lt  Ralph H.  Whitcomb  - O-771183
MACR: 11357 FICHE : 04178

ORGANIZATION
LOCATION: AAF Station #139 COMMAND: VIII AF GROUP: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
SQUADRON: 350th BS DETACHMENT:  
     

DETAIL
DEPARTURE:AAF Station #139 INITIAL COURSE: E  
INTENDED DESTINATION: Hamburg    
MISSION TYPE:Operational    

WEATHER & VISIBILITY AT TIME OF LAST REPORT
CONDITION: CAVU    

GIVE
DATE: 1944-12-31 TIME: 12:00 LOCATION: 5330N - 0855E

SPECIFY:

Last Sighted

CONFIRMED OR BELIEVED REASON FOR LOSS
LOSS DUE TO : Enemy aircraft

OTHER REASON FOR LOSS:

AIRCRAFT: 43-38538
TYPE: B-17 SERIES: G  
     
     

ENGINES:
MODEL: R-1820-97    
A: SW-025402
B: SW-026307
C: SW-025849
D: SW-026431
    

INSTALLED WEAPONS:
A: 1217475
B: 1215572
C: 1217059
D: 1217342		 E: 1216731
F: 1215598
G: 1217371
H: 1217469		 I: 1217504
J: 1217103
K: 1217371
L: 1217562

PERSONS BELOW ARE LISTED AS:
CASUALTY TYPE: Battle casualty  
NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD:    
CREW: 9 PASS: 0 TOTAL: 9

PERSONNEL:

POSITION NAME RANK SERIAL
P1
P2 Ralph H.  Whitcomb 2Lt O-771183
CP Howard W. Nicol 2Lt O-827918
NAV (N) Richard K. Rolle 2Lt O-2065624
BOM (B) George A. Pults Sgt 39418676
RAD Arthur D. Stemen Sgt 35823160
ENG Clarence W. Stonesifer Sgt 39419395
BAL Albert G. Delgado Sgt 38358952
WG (W) Clayton J. Smith SSgt 35771780
WG (W)
TG (T) Roch E. Courreges Sgt 39702746

PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT

Jack L. Gay 1Lt O-553483
Last sighted
Gerald F. Kane 1Lt O-774687
Last sighted    

PERSONNEL WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SURVIVED

REASON: Unknown OTHER:  

EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH

Report: 
"A/C 43-38535 was attacked by E/A at 5330N - 0855E at 1200 hours. The entire right wing began to burn and the A/C circled for two minutes under control before spinning down enveloped in flames. No chutes were seen."  (Lts Jack L. Gay and Gerald F. Kane)
   
   
Second Witness: No Data  
Report: 

      

    





  
DESCRIPTION OF SEARCH EFFORT

  

    

      DETAIL:No search made.
      

  







PREPARING OFFICER


PREPARED BY: GEORGE D. ALLEN  Capt Air Corps Assistant Adjutant  


DATE PREPARED:
  1945-01-06


  



TRANSCRIBER NOTES



    
    REPORT: 
Report by Roch Courreges:  
"When I left the plane I was forced to by flames sweeping from Radio room and around ball turret. I checked the Radioman (Arthur Stemen but he was too serious and I was to weak to throw him out. I believe he may have been shot in the heart and he may have been dead. I had snapped my oxygen hose loose and had a wound over my eye and I was so weak I had to crawl to waist door and fall out head forward. It is my opinion that the remaining men  (Whitcomb, Nicol, Pults, Stemen and Stonesifer) never left the plane. On my way down I saw the right wing leave the plane and the plane was a mass of flames."

Report by Richard Rolle: 
"Our scheduled route was over Baltic, passing north of Hamburg and then approaching target from the northeast. Actual route in  was south of the briefed route along northern coast of Germany necessitating a swing into the north before bomb run. Target time was about 45 minutes  after briefing time. Ship was hit by fighters (FW l90s) at about 1148 at 5330N - 0925E. Caught fire (Right wing and inside of nose) and started to go down in spin about  2 minutes later. Interphone was shot out. I believe ship blew up since I  was either blown out or thrown out by the spin. After opening my chute,  I saw only a burning wing and smaller parts of plane falling and no other chutes. I landed near the town of Rotenburg 5307N & 0929E. In hospital in Rotenburg I learned that Sgt. Roch Courreges (Tail gunner) Sgt.Albert Delgado (Ball Turret) and Sgt.Clayton Smith (Waist gunner were also in hospital. Delgado informed me later that Steren had been killed in the plane.  I believe Lt. Whitcomb, Lt. Nicol, Sgt. Stonesifer and Sgt. Pults were unable  to get out of the ship because of the spin and the flames. One man whom I could not identify was lying unconscious near the escape hatch."