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MACR PILOT: 2Lt  Bernard L.  Painter  - O-926819
MACR: 13572 FICHE : 04952

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: SE  
INTENDED DESTINATION: Ruhland    
MISSION TYPE:Operational    

WEATHER & VISIBILITY AT TIME OF LAST REPORT
CONDITION: 1 -2/10 cloud cover    

GIVE
DATE: 1945-03-21 TIME: 09:40 LOCATION: 5115 - 1300E

SPECIFY:

Last Sighted

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

OTHER REASON FOR LOSS:

Attacked by ME 262's

AIRCRAFT: 44-3613
TYPE: B-17 SERIES: G  
     
     

ENGINES:
MODEL: R-1820-97    
A: 4141854
B: SW-029020
C: SW-015037
D: SW-029591
    

INSTALLED WEAPONS:
A: 132064
B: 1320716
C: 1321295
D: 1326682		 E: 1157863
F: 1321441
G: 1326625
H: 1135703		 I: 1138432
J: 1133997
K: 1320589
L: 1320887

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 Bernard L.  Painter 2Lt O-926819
CP Charles W. Higginbotham 2Lt O-829352
NAV (N) Daniel Marin 2Lt T-134724
BOM (B) Herbert Singer SSgt 32573869
RAD Arthur B MacNeil SSgt 33745022
ENG Virgil S. Downing SSgt 34614908
BAL Wallace R. Matzdorf Sgt 36842250
WG (W) Emil E. Havelka Sgt 38561238
WG (W)
TG (T) Donald A. Becker Sgt 15400756

PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT

David C. Hutchinson 1Lt O-773881
Last sighted
   

PERSONNEL WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SURVIVED

REASON: Persons seen walking away from crash OTHER:  

EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH

Report: 
100A was attacked by five ME 262's at 0940 hours 5153 - 1314E. A/C 44-8615, which was straggling with another A/C two miles behind the formation, was observed to be hit in the left wing, which exploded and went down in a tight spin. Three chutes were seen, two of which were  reported to be on fire. (D. C. Hutchinson)
   
   
Report: 

      

    





  
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PREPARING OFFICER


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


DATE PREPARED:
  1945-03-26


  



TRANSCRIBER NOTES



    
    REPORT: 
Following from Bernard L. Painter, the sole survivor from this crew in July 1945; We were scheduled to bomb Ruhland, Germany on March 21, 1945. Fifteen (15) minutes before the target we lost N0#1 engine due to a mechanical failure (Supercharger). We were forced ot leave the formation and to salvo our bombs.  We accomplished this and were rejoining the formation when attacked by several ME 262 Jet Fighter planes. Although our gunners were firing at them constantly, they were able to shoot out #2 engine and set it on fire, foul the controls rendering them useless and scored several hits in the nose section, setting it on fire. I immediately gave the order to abandon ship and went below to aid the men in the nose, but was unable to accomplish this because of the fire and was forced to bail out at approximately 18,000 feet.  I opened my chute immediately in an effort to drift toward the Russian lines.  I counted five (5) chutes below me and I can presume they were crew members from the rear of the ship who jumped when we were at 22,500 and made a delayed jump. I have had no contact with the crew since that time.  I have written all of the next of kin and given them what I could of the above details.  I will also try to call on many of them personally.  I would appreciate any information you receive concerning the missing men forwarded to me and I will do likewise with any received through other airmen."

It is Lt. Painter's believe that those  surviving parachute jump were killed by the Germans on the ground. There are several confirmed reports of such incidences occuring in the later part of the war.    Pw