COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2ND LT ERNEST ZAPF P CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 0-689434
2ND LT WILLIAM D. LAWSON CP CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 0-758585
2ND LT RAYMOND F. VAUGHN NAV CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 0-703670
2ND LT SYLVESTER W. DITTBENNER BOM POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG SN 0-733031 (WITH R. J. SCHOMP CREW)
S/SGT JACK RODEMICH ROG CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 35547157
S/SGT CURTIS R. KOGER TTE CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 13119824
SGT FRANK A. LoBELLO BTG CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 32733515
SGT GLENN E. ANDERSON RWG CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 17131216
S/SGT CHESTER J. GORLINSKI LWG CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 36734423
SGT RALPH D. KREITZER TG CPT 12 JUL 44 MUNICH SN 35635693
351ST SQDN.. CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 17 MAR 1944
This Crew was the Second Crew to fly missions in Piccadilly Lilly II.
Lt Dittbenner was taken off the crew to become a Lead Bombardier after flying an undetermined amount of missions, he was replaced on the Crew by Lt Herbert R. Greenberg (shot down with Lt L.G. Lacy Crew 28 May 44) from Lt Richard H. Helmick's Crew. Replaced on the Crew by 2nd Lt Fred "Fearless Freddie" Chapin.
Lt Chapin went onto become a Lead Bombardier. According to Lt Zapf, Lt Chapin was give an choice in the States "Court Martial or Combat"? Seems that Lt Chapin was an instructor in the States and the reason he was being court marshaled was because he refused to be transferred to Instructor duty again, this was not a hard choice for him to make.
Mission list of Lt Ernest Zapf (mpf 2002)
DATE TARGET
1. 08/04/44 QUACKENBRUCK, GER
2. 10/04/44 RHEIMS, FR
3. 11/04/44 ROSTOCK, GER
4. 12/04/44 LEIPZIG, GER
5. 13/04/44 AUGSBURG, GER
6. 18/04/44 BERLIN, GER
7. 22/04/44 HAMM, GER
8. 23/04/44 FRIEDRICKSHAFEN, GER
9. 28/04/44 SOTTEVAST, FR
10. 01/05/44 NO-BALL, FR
11. 09/05/44 COUVRON, FR
12. 11/05/44 LIEGE, BEL
13. 12/05/44 BRUX, CZECH.
14. 13/05/44 OSNABRUCK, GER
15. 19/05/44 BERLIN, GER
16. 24/05/44 BERLIN, GER
17. 25/05/44 BRUSSELS, BEL
18. 27/05/44 STRASSBOURG, FR
19. 28/05/44 MAGDEBURG, GER
20. 29/05/44 LEIPZIG, GER
21. 31/05/44 ONSABRUCK, GER
22. 02/06/44 BOULOGNE, FR
23. 04/06/44 BOULOGNE, FR
24. 05/06/44 BOULOGNE, FR
25. 06/06/44 COAST OF FR, D-DAY
26. 07/06/44 NANTES, FR
27. 14/06/44 LeCULOT, FR
28. 18/06/44 BRUNSBUTTLEKOOG, GER
29. 24/06/44 GRAND COURONNE, FR
30. 25/06/44 MAQUIS SUPPLY DROP, FR
31. 06/07/44 NO-BALL, FR
32. 07/07/44 BOHLEN, GER
33. 08/07/44 BOURTH LeLENTE, FR
34. 11/07/44 MUNICH, GER
35. 12/07/44 MUNICH, GER
From Telephone conversation with Lt Zapf (Sept 2002).
After completion of tour myself and Lt Vaughn (who had only completed 30 missions at this time due too illness) signed up for another 35 missions. We were shipped back too the States for a Month of R&R before being reassigned back to the ETO. By the time I returned (Lt Vaughn stayed Stateside), Paris had been liberated and instead of being sent back to Thorpe Abbotts for combat duty, I was reassigned to Paris to ferry high ranking officers around the continent and too England. I was joined in this endeavour by Lt Glen Rake and Lt Carroll Woldt whom had both just completed their tour of duty (ironic is the fact that all three pilots completed their tours over Munich (Zapf and Rake on 12 Jul 44 and Woldt on 11 Jul 44...mpf). Glen procured a P-51 Mustang for his own personal use while in Paris (claims to have flown it under the Eiffel Tower...mpf)
A/C flown PICCADILLY LILLY II
From the Diary of Sgt Gorlinski" who passed away Dec. 24, 1971
>
> Pilot - 2nd Lt. Ernest Zapf 0-689434 - Portland, Oregon
> Co-Pilot - 2nd Lt. William Lawson 0-758585 - New Rochelle, N.Y.
> Navigator - 2nd Lt. Raymond Vaughn 0-703670 - Portland, Oregon
> Bombardier - 2nd Lt. Sylvester Dittbenner 0-333031 - Minnesota
> Engineer - S/Sgt. Curtis Koger 13119824 - Roanoke, Virginia
> Radio Operator - S/Sgt. Jack Rodemich 35547157 - Toledo, Ohio
> Asst. R.O. - S/Sgt. Glenn Anderson 17131216 - Omaha, Nebraska
> Armorer - S/Sgt. Ralph Kreitzer 35635693 - Dayton, Ohio
> Gunner - S/Sgt. Frank LoBello 32733515 - Angola, N.Y.
> Asst. Eng - S/Sgt. Chester Gorlinski 36734423 - Chicago, IL
> It also lists 2nd Lt. Fred Chapin and a fellow only mentioned as Greenberg, both being Bombardiers.
CREW
2ND LT ROBERT J. SCHOMP P POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
2ND LT HENRY C. PREHER CP POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
2ND LT ROBERT W. CULWELL NAV POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
F/O GEORGE F. CLASSE BOM NOC
S/SGT JOHN P. HUNTER ROG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL) (WIA)
S/SGT EDMUND J. RADKE TTE POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
SGT JOSEPH ROSOLINO BTG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
SGT ELMER F. FLOOD WG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
SGT WAYNE R. HOGAN WG NOC
SGT ARTHUR J. MALANEY TG POW 29 JUL 44 MERSEBURG (OIL)
351st Sqdn.. Crew, as a bove, joined the 100th on 12 Apr 1944.
On the Merseburg mission of 29 Jul 44, Classe was replaced by Lt. Sylvester Dittbenner from the crew of Ernest Zapf; he became a POW. Hogan was probably removed from the crew when the reduction to a nine man crew was initiated in August 1944.
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #067 was hit by flak, jut after bombs away, which punctured both wings. N0 #2 engine caught fire and the fire spread along the entire left wing. Pilot peeled off to left and appeared to put the ship under AFEC control. Nine chutes were counted coming from the aircraft. Ship flying steady when last see."
MACR indicates S/Sgt John P. Hunter was shot in the leg/hip area by German civilians after his parachute landing. A German report, vague and likely fictitious, states the airman was hospitalized with "wound with bullet in it, left thigh." Duration of treatment 4 to 6 weeks, and normal progress of treatment."
MACR #7814, Microfiche #2861 A/C #42-102667
Subj: Re: TAPS REPORT Ernie Zapf
Date: 12/22/2002 3:39:24 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: Tdavis262
To: webmaster@100thbg.com
CC: MPFaley
I'm the one who submitted it on 14 December, but Ernie did pass away on Friday the 13...I'll never forget it. Fortunately, another veteran B-17 pilot from the 91st BG and I saw Ernie on Thursday, and he was in great form - popping off jokes and kidding the other pilot and me. His daughters told us that after we left, he laid down and never arose again.
He was a great guy, and extremely proud to have served with the 100th BG!
Most sincerely,
Thomas L. Davis
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CURTIS R. KOGER, 86
BORN 04 AUGUST 1920
DIED 22 DECEMBER 2006 IN NORFOLK, VA 23502
KREITZER, Ralph D. age 87, of Dayton passed away on Monday, February 14, 2011 at his residence after a courageous battle. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roy and Anna M. (Riley) Kreitzer and a brother, Chalmer Kreitzer. Ralph is survived by his loving wife of 66 years, Ula J. (Lyday) Kreitzer; two sons, Donald Kreitzer, of IN, James and wife, Rise Kreitzer, of Springboro; four daughters, Juanita and husband, Dennis Yazell, of Dayton, Wilma and husband, Karl Schroeder, of Clayton, Barbara and husband, David Eller, of PA, Susan and husband, Samuel Frey, of CO; "Adopted" son, Gary and wife, Diane Kempton, of Dayton: three sisters, Mary Ballard, of Dayton, Jean Bowman, of Eaton, Meriam Overholser; two brothers, John and wife, Kate Kreitzer,of Miamisburg and his twin brother, Ray and wife, Esther Kreitzer, of Phillipsburg; 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. He retired from Wright-Patterson AFB after 39 years of serving his government. Ralph was a lifelong and active member of Mack Memorial Church of the Brethren and was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force serving with the 8th Air Force, 100th Bomb Group. He was also a member of American Legion Post 82 in Ft. Wayne, IN. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 18, 2011, at the TOBIAS FUNERAL HOME-BEAVERCREEK CHAPEL, 3970 Dayton-Xenia Road at Grange Hall Road. The Reverend Mike Hostetter officiating. Interment will follow in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, February 17, 2011. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Hospice of Dayton or the Living Memorial Fund at Mack Memorial Church. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.tobiasfuneralhome.com/
MEMO 2:
