The 483rd Bomb Group Archive

Aircraft

44-8384

816thlost with the 483rd, 13 November 1944
Type
B-17G-60-VE (Lockheed/Vega)
Assigned to the 483rd
30 October 1944
Loss
MACR 9882 · mission 122, 13 November 1944
Sources
Association page · American Air Museum · b17flyingfortress.de

Loss and incident records

History

Dates and events from Dave Osborne's B-17 Master Log, as published by b17flyingfortress.de; wording condensed to the facts.

Photographs and loss sheets

These pictures stay on the sites that hold them and are shown here by link only, until their owners say they may be copied.

Statements

Casualty questionnaire, page 11: U , Harold L · 13 November 1944
File No. 882
AFPPA- 11-
INDIVIDUAL CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
Name of crew member:
U , Harold L.
Rank:
lst/ Lt.
Serial number:
0-810837
Position: Crew (Bomber)
Pildt
Did he bail out I do not know.
Where?
Bailouts occured app. 25 miles N.E. of Bileca, Yugoslavia.
If not, why not? I know of no reason why he didn't. He was ready to go.
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane: He ordered
me to jump. I asked him if he was coming and he said that he was.
Was he injured? No.
Where was he when last seen? Getting out of his seatto follow me out.
Any hearsay information: Tec. Sgt. Charles Kupitz visited the wrecksge.
He reported little fire danage and no signs of a body. Lack of
(uel .ccounts for this. Some A=3 bags were not even hurned.
Sourne: Tec. Sgt. Charled Kupitz. (Engineer of the plane, )
Any explanation of his fate based in part or wholly on supposition; I have always
had impression that I saw Culpepper come out of nose hatch.
Due to excitment this may have been imagination. If he did jump
perhaps chute didn't open. His body could have landed in rock
crevices and perhaps never be found. Many such crevices existed
Total number of missions of above crew member: I believe it was his I3nth.
Dates and destinations if possible: I do not know. Suggest that records of
483rd. Bomb Group, 8i6th. Bomb Squadron be checked.
(over)
6-3851, AF

National Archives, MACR 9882, page 11 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Casualty questionnaire, page 13: William A. Pond · 13 November 1944
A FDDA - is
CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
1. Your name William A. Pond
Rank 2nd, It. Serial No. 0-821206
2. Organization 483B.Gp Commander P. Barton Rank Cal Sqn CO I Dougles Bank Major
(full name)
(full name)
3. What year
I944
month November day I3
did you go down?
4. What was the mission, Redar (Night) target, Rleckhemmer
, target
time, about 6200 ,altitude, 27000
of Eudapest , route flown As briefed
route scheduled, East
5. Where were you when you left formation? No Formation Lone wolf flight
6. Did you bail out?
Yes
7. Did other members of crew bail out? Yes
8. Tell all you know about when, where, how each person in your aircraft for whom no
individual questionnaire is attached bailed out. A crew list is attached. Please
give facts. If you don't know, say: "No Knowledge". All E.M. went out the
waist door. All officers out nose hatch. Maybe the pilot didn't
9. Where did your aircraft strike the ground? App. 25 miles N.L. of Bilees, Yuge.
10. What members of your clew were in the sircraft when it struck the ground? (Should
cross check with 8 above and individual questionnaires) None Maybe the
pilot, doubt it.
11.
Where wore they in aircraft? No bodies were found in the wreckage.
12. What was their condition? XXXXXXX
13.
When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already des-
cribed above? XXXXX
14. Please give any similar information on personnel of any other crew of which you
have knowledge. Indicate source of information.
(Any additional information may be written on the back)
lover)
6-3862.AF

National Archives, MACR 9882, page 13 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Eyewitness statement, page 15 · 13 November 1944
9882
HEADQUARTERS
Chanute Field
Chanute Field, Illinois
SUBJECT: Interrogation of Former Prisoners of War
TO:
Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25,D.C.
Attn: Personal Affairs Branch, Room 4315 Munition:
Building.
1. In compliance with your TWX AFPRS 3909, 28 Sep 45 the
following information is submitted:
816 Sqdn
483 Bomb Gr
Harold Culpepper
a.
Name of casualty
5 Wing 15 AF
.
b. Rank lst Lt.
C. Crew position
Pilot
.
.
d. Date last seen 13 Nov 1944
. Place las" seu.
Southeast Yugoslovia
.
f.
Circumstances of loss of aircraft Engines Stopped
.
E.
Known information (eye witness only)
Pilot was still in his position when I made my jump. He had on
his parachute. Plane crashed into the side of a mountain and burst
into flames. (Position 1830 E 4340 N.) The pilots chute or body
were never found.
h. Hearsay information (all other information about
above named casualty, with estimate of reliability)
Co-pilot said the pilot was getting out of his seat when the
co-pilot left the plane
(Note: Reverse side may be used if more space is needed
in giving any information requested above. )
/SILT,AC Eugene Stength
Rank and Name of reporter
Eugene L. Strength lst Lt AC
0-1998979
SOON A
ASN
Unit
CC: çG, AFTRC
0-199 8979
3502nd AAFBU
30: Sub Comd Hq
Incl #1, TC Ltr 39-18, 23 Oct 45
1535 Chanute Field, Ill. 11-30-45 200

National Archives, MACR 9882, page 15 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Eyewitness statement, page 4 · 13 November 1944
CONFIDENTIAI
-2-
Statement (Cont')
By this time engines two and three were overspeeding from
lack of gasoline and we were below 12000 feet and loosing altitude
at a rate of about 700 feet per minute. The ship was nearly un-
manageable. The pilot ordered everyone into parachutes. The pilot
needed some help with his 'chute, so he went down into the nose and
the bombardier aided him.
Returning to his seat the pilot gave the order to bail out.
As I was dropping down to the nose catwalk, I saw the pilot getting
out of his seat to follow me. At this time the altimeter showed
about 9000 feet.
I went out the nose hatch. The time, we estimated later,
must have been about 0615, 13 November 44. The ship continued to
fiv straight in a slight descent for maybe two or three minutes
after I left. Men were stell leaving the waist.
Approximately four miles from where I jumped the plane did
a slow bank to the left. (At thispoint it is possible for the pilot
to have jumped without having been seen by anyone of us.) The bank
continued beyordd 360° and then her nose d'ppped and the plane struck
the side of a mountain. There was no regular explosion but flames
burst out immediately. (The eng neer was the only crew member who
had the opportunity to visit the wreck. He reported her totally
destroyed).
The story beyond this point was thoroughly covered in in-
terrogation at Air Force Headquarters. The remaining part is con-
sidered highly secret material and I (and every crewman) signed a
sworn statement to maintain this secrecy.
WILLIAM A. POND
2ud Lt, Air Corps
Co-Pilot

National Archives, MACR 9882, page 4 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Know something about this aircraft?

If this record is wrong or missing something, a middle name, the right squadron, who is who in a photograph, what he said about a day, tell us. Nothing you send is shown without your say-so.