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LT  Ralph H. WHITCOMB

UNIT: 350th BOMB Sqdn POSITION: P 

 Ralph H. Whitcomb crew at Gulfport Field: Standing, L - R; Richard K. Rolle, Howard W. Nicol, Ralph H. Whitcomb, and Oliver K. Spears, Kneeling; Albert G. Delgado, George A. Pults, Henry D. McLafferty, Arthur D. Stemen, Roch E. Courreges and Clarence W. Stonesifer. In front is their Flying Mascot, "C-1." Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives)

SERIAL #: O-771183 STATUS: KIA
MACR: 11357 CR: 11357

Comments1: 31 DEC 44 HAMBURG (EAC)

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

2nd Lt Ralph H.Whitcomb         P    KIA              31 DEC 44  HAMBURG
2nd Lt Howard W.Nicol            CP   KIA              31 DEC 44  HAMBURG     
2nd Lt Richard K.Rolle             NAV  POW/WIA    31 DEC 44  HAMBURG
   Sgt George A.Pults        TOG/NG  KIA             31 DEC 44  HAMBURG
   Cpl  Henry D. McLafferty     TTE    RFS             Suffered frostbite of hands on early mission
   Sgt Arthur D.Stemen         ROG    KIA             31 DEC 44  HAMBURG
   Sgt Clarence W.Stonesifer    WG   KIA             31 DEC 44  HAMBURG  (later became TTE when McLafferty got frostbite)
   Sgt Albert G.Delgado          BTG   WIA/POW    31 DEC 44  HAMBURG
   Sgt Roch E.Courreges         TG     WIA/POW   31 DEC 44  HAMBURG

350th Bomb Squadron, joined the 100th BG on 28/10/44. 

This was the 7th mission for this crew. S/Sgt Clayton Smith from Lt Hansen Crew, was a replacement for Henry D.McLafferty on the crew.  He flew as WG and Sgt Stonesifer moved from WG to TTE.  

Mission List:
Dec 4, 1944. GIESSEN, FRIEDBURG (S.T.)
Dec 5, 1944  BERLIN, TANK WORKS
Dec 6, 1944. Practice Mission
Dec 8, 1944. Practice Mission 
Dec 18, 1944. MAINZ, MY PFF
Dec 24, 1944. BIBLIS, BABENHAUSEN, KAISERLAUTERN
Dec 29, 1944  FRANKFURT, MY
Dec 30, 1944  KASSEL, MY
Dec 31, 1944   HAMBURG, OIL REFINERY- Shot Down! 

DATE: 31 December 1944          350th Sqdn.           A/C #43-38535  LN-O

MISSION: Hamburg                                      MACR #11357,Micro-fiche 4178


2nd Lt Ralph H.Whitcomb         P    KIA
2nd 1t Howard W.Nicol            CP   KIA
2nd Lt Richard K.Rolle             NAV  POW/WIA
   Sgt George A.Pults             NG     KIA
   Sgt Arthur D.Stemen         ROG    KIA
   Sgt Clarence W.Stonesifer   TTE   KIA
   Sgt Albert G.Delgado          BTG   WIA/POW
 S/Sgt Clayton J.Smith            WG   WIA/POW  (from Lt Ed Hansen Crew)
   Sgt Roch E.Courreges         TG     WIA/POW

EYEWITNESS:  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."

Report by Roch Courreges:  "When I left the plane I was forced to by flames sweep-ing 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."

Lt Whitcomb, Lt Nicol, Sgt Pults, Sgt Stonesifer and Sgt Stemen were all buried in a community cemetary in Hetzwege

MEMO 2:


			

             
            

         

         
KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION: 
  
         

  

    TARGET:
			Hamburg
    DATE: 
			1944-12-31
     
  

  

    AIRCRAFT:
	(43-38535)
    CAUSE:
			EAC
     
  



			


			

            
BURIAL INFORMATION

            

  

    PLOT:
			D
    ROW:
			27
     
  

  

    GRAVE:
			7
    CEMETERY:
			Ardennes, Neuville-en-Cond, Belgium
     
  



			
			
            

			
 
            
           
PHOTOS:

           
                 
Ralph H. Whitcomb crew at Gulfport Field (left to right)
Standing: Richard K. Rolle, Howard W. Nicol, Ralph H. Whitcomb, and Oliver K. Spears
Kneeling: Albert G. Delgado, George A. Pults, Henry D. McLafferty, Arthur D. Stemen, Roch E. Courreges and Clarence W. Stonesifer.  In front is their Flying Mascot, "C-1." 
                 
Decenber Flight record for Sgt Roch Courreges, Tail gunner on Lt Whitcomb Crew. POW . Photo Courtesy of Great nephew Roch Courreges. 
                 
Ralph H. Whitcomb   350th   P   Oregon   KIA   31 Dec 44   Hamburg   Ralph H. Whitcomb Crew   (100th Photo Archives)
Article on Ralph Whitcomb (courtesy of Laura Shivers)
Article on Ralph Whitcomb (courtesy of Laura Shivers)
Article on Ralph Whitcomb (courtesy of Laura Shivers)
Article on Ralph Whitcomb (courtesy of Laura Shivers)
                 
           
 

       
SERVED IN: 

				
Crew 1
Crew 2
			
	
        
		
        ID:
			5491