COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2nd Lt Vermont O.Anderson P KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
2nd Lt William G.Sherling CP POW 30/l11/44 Merseburg
F/O Norman Klasner NAV KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
2nd Lt Herbert D.Olsen BOM POW 30/l11/44 Merseburg
Cpl Dudley C.Runnels,Jr. TTE POW 30/l11/44 Merseburg
Cpl Stanley W.Labuz ROG KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
Cpl Nathan L.Sanderson BTG KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
Cpl Frank Lusenko WG KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
Cpl Bert E.Lickliter TG KIA 30/l11/44 Merseburg
349th Sqdn. Crew,as above, joined 100th Group on 20 Oct 1944 and was on it's fourth mission.
'MACR #10831 (micro fiche # 3984 ). Flying A/C #43 38211.
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #43-38211 was hit just after bombs away. The right wing burst into flames and the aircraft fell off on it's right side, spinning down into the ground. This aircraft was almost competely in flames when it fell from the formation. Two (2) chutes were observered." The aircraft received a direct flak burst and went down in a tight spin at 1320 hours, 26,625 ft in the Merseburg area. It was seen to crash and explode among a group of large smoke stacks.
LIST OF MISSIONS FOR 2ND LT VERMONT ANDERSON: mpf 2001
1. 16/11/44 AACHEN
2. 26/11/44 HAMM
3. 29/11/44 HAMM
4. 30/11/44 MERSEBURG (FLAK)
MEMO 2:
Vermont Ole Anderson was born on January 16, 1918 in Hennepin County, Minnesota. His mother's name was Hilma Anderson. The US Census 1920 lists her as living in Minneapolis Ward 4, Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota as a widow with her family.
No records have been located as to Anderson's early life, or entry into the military. But judging from rank, assignments, and training, he must have enlisted in 1942. He was accepted for pilot training. After completing this program, he transitioned to multi-engine aircraft. He was given a crew for crew training purposes. This crew went overseas to England in October, 1944. They flew 4 missions, including the fatal one. Records also show he married Betty Helene Bayer in Hennipin County on August 23, 1941.
On November 30, 1944, the crew was tasked to bomb the oil refinery located at Merseberg, Germany. Over the target area, the aircraft was hit by flak. The right wing caught fire. The aircraft fell from formation to the right side, and entered a spin. It then crashed into an area of tall smokestacks. Three of the crew survived to become POWs. The dead were buried locally, and retrieved at war's end, then moved to other cemeteries. At present, Lt Anderson lies in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium in Plot C, Row 6, Grave 53.
Lt Vermont O. Anderson was performing duty as First Pilot on B-17G # 43-38211, unnamed, assigned to the 349th Bomb Squadron.
Missing Air Crew Report 10831 was issued, and covers this loss. Crew rosters show the crew consisted of:
2 Lt Vermont O. Anderson p
2 Lt William G. Sherling c-p
F/O Norman Klasner nav
2 Lt Herbert D. Olsen bomb
Cpl Dudley C. Runnels, Jr. eng/tt gun
Cpl Stanley W. Labuz r/o
Cpl Nathan L. Sanderson btg
Cpl Frank Lusenko wg
Cpl Bert E. Lickliter tail gun
Lts. Sherling and Olsen plus Cpl Runnels survived.
