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LT  Eluid J. KNAPP

UNIT: 349th BOMB Sqdn POSITION: NAV

Lt Knapp was Navigator on Lt John Mcguire's Crew. 

SERIAL #: STATUS: CPT
MACR:

Comments1: 24 AUG 44 RUHLAND (X-FERRED TO S-2 AFTER CPT)

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

Knapp with James W..McGuire crew when it joined the 100th.

CREW

2nd Lt  James W. McGuire                P     KlA       28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)  
2nd Lt  Randell L. Bradley                CP     POW    28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
2nd Lt  John M. Jones                   BOM   POW    28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL) (flew as Navigator on this mission)
2nd Lt  Eluid J. Knapp                   NAV    CPT     24 AUG 44  RUHLAND     S-2 AFTER COMPLETION OF TOUR
 T/Sgt  Frank V. DeGeorge             TTE   POW    28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)  sn 12148386
 T/Sgt  Rodney McCaughin             ROG   KIA      28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
 S/Sgt  Joseph A. Eck                   TOG    KIA     28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
 S/Sgt  John R. Ribuffo                  BTG    KIA     28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
 S/Sgt  Alan R. Dill                         WG     KIA     28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
 S/Sgt  Donald E. Kuntz                 WG     KIA     28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)
 S/Sgt  John . Sabotka                   TG     KIA     28 APR 44  SOTTEVAST (NOBALL)

349th Sqdn. Crew joined group in March 1944.   See SPLASHER  SI  (p. 4  Spring  1975)  Also see   John  Miller  letter  17/3/81.
McGuire and Eck both buried  at Omaha Beach. 12th mission for crew except Eck who was on his 2nd misslon with this crew.  MACR #4238, Microfiche #1503, A/C #42-107056 "The Denver Doll".
MEMO: LT JAMES W. McGUIRE BURIED: AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY AT OMAHA BEACH GRAVE C-14-23

Jones was the bombardier of this crew but on 28/4/44 he Was flying as navigator. Navigator of this crew when it joined the 100th was Eluid J. Knapp who CPT in Aug. 1944. After completing his tour, Knapp was transferred to S2 (Intelligence). Phone call from Knapp OII 21/5/85...jb

Eyewitness:  "A/C #056 recieved a direct flak hit on the # 1 engine. Knocked engine back on wing catching the wing on fire. A/c peeled off into the second element disrupting it and gliding down into the clouds. Two (2) chutes seen. A/C hit at 1020 hours / 4932N and 0130W.
Lt. C.H. Cowan
Lt. R.W. Wright

From statements by John M. Jones and Randell L. Bradley after release from POW camp, it is apparent the A/C exploded before all crew members had sufficient time to bail out. Jones, the Bombardier, flew this mission as the Navigator and broke a leg upon landing.  On 02 May 1944, the seven KIAs in this  aircraft were buried in the "English Cementary in Cherbourg."  This aircraft and that of Col. Kelly and Capt William Lakin were shot down near Tamerville (three (3) miles north of Valognes)

List of Missions of T/Sgt Frank V. DeGeorge (mpf 2001)

1.     1/4/44  LUDWIGSHAVEN
2.     8/4/44  QUACKENBRUCH
3.   10/4/44  MALDEGEM
4.   11/4/44  ROSTOCK
5.   12/4/44  SCHKEUDITZ
6.   13/4/44  AUGSBURG
7.   19/4/44  LIPPSTADT
8.   20/4/44  MARQUENVILLE
9.   25/4/44  DIJON
10. 27/4/44  FLATTENANVILLE
11. 27/4/44  LeCULOT
12. 28/4/44  SOTTEVAST
***************************************************************************************************************
CREW

   Lt George S.Allen                P    CPT     9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                        sn# 0-753839
   Lt Orton H.Symer,Jr.           CP   CPT     9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                        sn# 0-819210   
   Lt Thomas J. Tracy           NAV   KIA     24/5/44 BERLIN (with Lt Clarke T. Johnson Crew)
   Lt William A.Stewart          BOM   CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                         sn# 0-759879
T/Sgt Robert A. Monroe       ROG   RFS   15/8/44  VENLO (after 30 missions)                         sn# 39313008          
T/SgtWiilliam M..Oberman     TTE    CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                          sn# 36635419   
S/Sgt Richmond L.Bessey      BTG   CPT    9/9/44  DUSSELDORF                                          sn# 31200232
Sgt Stanley Gottlieb              WG   RFS     Air Sickness (flew one mission) 
Sgt David Jacques                 WG   RFS     Was left in Base Hospital in Bangor Maine
S/Sgt Ray A. Matz                 WG   RFS     Assigned to Crew upon arrival to replace Jacques     sn# 33230747
S/Sgt Lester Jackson             TG   WIA     29/7/44 MERSEBURG   

349th Sqdn. Assigned in April 1944.  Appears as  Crew #12 on Combat Crew Roster of 11/8/44.

Lt Eluid J.Knapp  NAV (from the James W. McGuire Crew) was one of many Navigators to fly with Lt Allen's Crew.  He  CPT his 
tour with the Allen Crew on 24/8/44-RUHLAND.   S/Sgt Wilbur F.Williams, TG  (from Lt Herres Crew) replaced Sgt Jackson after Jul 29, 1944.  He CPT his tour on 9/9/44-DUSSELDORF with Allen Crew.  After one mission, Sgt Gottlieb was removed from flying staus due to air sickness and replaced by S/Sgt John Wargo (from Lt Becktoft Crew) and completed his missions on Jun 18, 1944-BRUNSBUTTELKOOG.
Upon completion of his tour, S/Sgt Ray Matz was replaced on the crew by S/Sgt Joeseph Costanza (from Lt John Keys Crew).  His first mission with the crew was Aug 15, 1944 to Venlo and his last was Sept 9, 1944 to Dusseldorf. Joe was from NYC and he fit in with the crew well.  He almost cried when we finished our tour, as he had more missions to go and dreaded flying with a new Crew.  He did complete his tour on Oc 4, 1944-NURNBURG, Crew unknow.  We had several different Navigators (Tracy, Knapp, Holmes), we never did get to know them well.  Ray Matz was grounded around the end of July due to combat fatigue.  Bob Monroe was grounded after 30 missions for the same reason.  They both went home.  The replacements were not billeted in our hut so I didn't get to know them very well.  We only spoke to one another before we went on a mission, and then we were all busy cleaning our guns, checking ammo and such.  These chores were done in darkness… courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman and son Mark  (mpf 2002)     

CREW  (Pick up Crew)

LT G. S. ALLEN             PILOT 
LT O. H. SYMER            CO-PILOT
LT A. I. HOLMES           NAVIGATOR         (from Lt Lawrence Townsend Crew)
LT W.A. STEWART         BOMBARDIER
T/SGT R.A. MONORE     RADIO OPERATOR
T/SGT W. M. OBERMAN   FLIGHT ENGINEER
S/SGT R. L. BESSEY       BALL TURRET GUNNER
S/SGT R. PATRICK         WAIST GUNNER  (flying spare gunner, from Lt Cowan Crew)
S/SGT J. P. WARGO       WAIST GUNNER  (Replacement for Sgt Gottlieb) 
S/SGT L. E. JACKSON     TAIL GUNNER     (original Crew member)


Missions Flown by S/Sgt William Oberman (mpf 2002)

      DATE             TARGET                  BOMB LOAD

1.    25/05/44       BRUSSELS                38-100 LBS
2.    27/05/44       STRASSBOURG         38-100 LBS
3.    28/05/44       MAGDEBURG            12-500 LBS
4.    29/05/44       LEIPZIG                   12-500 LBS
5.    31/05/44       OSNABRUCK             6-1000 LBS
6.    02/06/44       PARIS                      12-500 LBS
7.    04/06/44       BOLOUGNE               12-500 LBS
8.    05/06/44       BOLOUGNE               12-500 LBS
9.    06/06/44       D-DAY                      12-500 LBS
10.  07/06/44       NANTES                    2-2000 LBS
11.  18/06/44       BRUNSBUTTELKOOG   10-500 LBS
12.  19/06/44       CORME ECLUSE          10-500 LBS
13.  20/06/44       FALLERSLEBEN           2-2000 LBS
14.  21/06/44       RUHLAND                  10-500 LBS
15.  26/06/44       DROHOBYCZ              10-500 LBS
16.  03/07/44       ARAD                        10-500 LBS
17.  05/07/44       BEZIERS                    5-1000 LBS
18.  07/07/44       BOHLEN                    10-500 LBS
19.  18/07/44       KIEL                         10-500 LBS
20.  19/07/44       SCHWEINFURT           10-500 LBS
21.  21/07/44       LUDWIGSBURG           10-500 LBS
22.  24/07/44       ST LO                       38-100 LBS
23.  25/07/44       ST LO                       38-100 LBS
24.  28/07/44       MERSEBURG               10-500 LBS
25.  29/07/44       MERSEBURG               20-250 LBS
26.  03/08/44       TROYES                    6-1000 LBS
27.  06/08/44       BERLIN                      10-500 LBS
28.  11/08/44       VILLACOUBLAY           38-100 LBS
29.  13/08/44       NANTES                     36-100 LBS
30.  15/08/44       VENLO                       36-100 LBS
31.  24/08/44       RUHLAND                   
32.  27/08/44       BERLIN (RECALL)
33.  30/08/44       BREMEN        
34.  08/09/44       MAINZ                        
35.  09/09/44       DUSSELDORF 

"On June 7 1944 mission to Nantes, two engines and Tail Gunners oxygen were knocked out over target. We landed at a RAF glider base, about 40 miles south of London.  We threw ammo and guts of machine guns and radio receivers our as radio man did not need to contact to contact base.  This was done to maintain altitude... 

On July 29, 1944 Merseburg mission, we led the low squadron that day and had an engine knocked out on the bombing run.  The Group did not drop bombs on target area as pathfinder ship could not locate target.  Our pilot radioed planes in our squadron t catch up with the main group, since we only had 3 engines and could not keep up.  Shortly after, the planes pulled away from us, we were hit by German Jets (ME262). You will read jets did not come up until Aug 44.  The came in directly behind our tail and a little high.  Our tail gunner (Jackson)  had crawled into the waist with a walk around bottle. His oxygen was knocked our and he was wounded in the ankle...

The leader of the jets came in first and my guns would not fire as long as they were aiming at any part of our own ship  (fire cut-off cam in gun sight).  I held trigger down and as soon as the guns cleared our plane.  They began to fire, I gave him a few short bursts and he was gone.  He flew out of range to our left and a little high.  He must of radioed his buddies and told them our tail guns were not operating.  Then they came at us one at a time, directly behind the tail.  I gave each one a short burst, then I'd have to pick up the next attacker.  By the time Matz (WG) got back into the tail (filling in for injured TG), they were gone.  I always wondered why they never pressed the attack further.  Our pilot probably saved us by putting the plane in a shallow dive and using evasive maneuvers.  The Jets formed up again and attacked the five planes that were flying with us.  They knocked every one of the five planes out of the sky and left.  Because the pilot put the plane in a dive, we picked up speed and caught up with another group flying at a lower altitude…

We didn't stay with them as we could not keep up after he leveled off. Flying by ourselves was very lonely.  Pilot then asked me to fire the vari pistol for fighter protection.  I don't remember the color of the day as colors were changed every mission.  After firing a few shots at a few minute intervals, 2 P-47's (our little friends as we called them) pulled up along side and they circled around us until their gas supply ran low and they had to leave.  What a beautiful sight that was having the 47's with us…

Since no bombs were dropped on the target area our bombardier dropped his bombs on a target of opportunity on our way home.  At the time of the attack, our bombardier was in the waist giving first aid to tail gunner Jackson… " 
                                                                                                                              courtesy of S/Sgt William Oberman (mpf 2002)


LT E.J. KNAPP MISSONS WITH LT GEORGE ALLEN CREW
 
7/21/1944
A/C: 107211
TARGET: REGENSBURG
 
7/24/1944
A/C:   97393
TARGET:  ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
 
7/25/1944
A/C:  97393
TARGET: ST LO (GND SUPPORT)
 
7/28/1944
A/C:  97834
TARGET: MERSEBURG
 
7/29/1944
A/:;  97834
TARGET: MERSEBURG
 
8/2/1944
A/C: 97834
TARGET: TERGNIER/LAFERE
 
8/6/1944
A/C: 97834
TARGET: BERLIN
 
8/11/1944
A/C: 6306
TARGET: VILLACOUBLAY
 
8/13/1944
A/C: 37823
TARGET: NANTES - GASSICOURT
 
8/15/1944
A/C: 37823
TARGET: VENLO
 
8/24/1944
A/C: 37823
TARGET: RUHLAND (OIL)
 

LT J.H. PERTERS FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS 8/30, 9/8, 9/9/1944

Lt B.L. KING FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS 5/29, 31,/1944

LT A.F. RINGHOFFER FLEW AS NAVIGATOR ON MISSIONS FROM 6/21-7/19/ 1944

MEMO 2:

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION:

TARGET: DATE:  
AIRCRAFT: CAUSE:  

BURIAL INFORMATION

PLOT: ROW:  
GRAVE: CEMETERY:  
ID: 2850