Flags.form date 1945-04-01 is a Graz, Austria M/Y day but the form names Maribor RR/B, Yugoslavia; linked by targetAssociation loss sheet is filed under mission 194, report links to 193
Names and serials are the machine's reading of the typed form; a linked name is the man's record.
Statements, questionnaires and capture reports
Eyewitness statement, page 4 · 31 March 1945
CONFIDENTIAL STATEMENT 2 April 1945 On the mission to Maribar, Yugoslavia, 1 April 1945, I was flying number 3 position. The box leader, 003, was badly crippled by flak over the target and began losing altitude after the rally. The number 4 propellor was windmilling, gas was leaking from number 3 engine, and three bombs were hung up. About 10 minutes after we left the target the three bombs were jettisoned. We were losing altitude very fast and when we reached 8000 feet, 003 called and said they were going to bail out. We circled the area and my ball turret gunner reported 10 parachutes opened from the injured planc. 003 circled and crashed about 3 minutes after the crew bail- ed out. The coordinates where the crew bailed out are 45° 21' 15° 51' near the city of Vrginnost. The time was 1121. fillian Dameworth WILLIAM O. DAMEWORTH lst Lt, Air Corps Pilot, Ship #44-6326 GONFIDENTIAL 1941 Heart
STATEMENT 2 April 1945 On the mission to Maribor, Yugoslavia, I was flying #7 position. At the target we encountered very accurate flak. Airplane #44-8003 began streaming gasoline from #3 engine, and #4 propellor was windmilling. Three bombs hung up in his bomb- bay. Our box kept losing altigude until we were down to about 15,000 feet where 003 jettisoned his bombs. We went on down to 9000 feet and 003 called the formation to say he was going to bail out. They bailed out at the approximate position of 45:07 N 15:47 E, and the approximate time was 11:10. The formation circled, but having a camera aboard, I left them and came home. My tail gunner reported 10 chutes opened. John R.M.Cord JOHN R. MC CORD lst Lt, Air Corps Pilot, Ship # 44-6767 CONFIDENTIAL 19th that 3
Casualty questionnaire, page 6: Charles Gordon Miles · 31 March 1945
AFPPA-12 CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE 13473prs U 1. Your name Charles Gordon Miles Rank 1st Lt. Serial No. 0-2065593 483 B G Gerald B. 2. Organization 816 sqrGp Commander Unknom Rank Col. Sqn CO) McAllister Rank Lt. Col. (full name) (full name) 3. What year 1945 month April day 1st did you go down? 4. What was the mission, RR Bridge , target, Maribor, Yugoslavia_ target t ime, approx 1200 , altitude, 23500 route scheduled, Due North from Foggia, Italy, route flown Same 5. Where were you when you left formation? No. 1, low left box, over Casins, Yugo. 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". Saparate sheet 9. Where did your aircraft strike the ground? In German territory num Bihaue, Yuge 10. What members of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground? (Should cross check with 8 above and individual questionnaires) Nimme 11. Where were they in aircraft? 12. What was their condition? 13. When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already des- cribed above? 14. Please give any similar information on personnel of any other crew of which you have knowledge. Indicate source of information, None d-1. (Any additional information mey be writ ven on the back) 6-3862,AF
CREW LIST Sidney Lechansky lst Lt. 0-793133 Pilot Left plane last near Cazine, Yugo. Broke right leg landing and captured by Germians. Sent to German hospital in Zagreb, Yugo. Later sent to hospital in Bari, Italy after the War was Over. Returned to Halloran General, Long Island, New York. Clifford B. Thomas L 1st Lt. Co-Pilot Bailed out of bomb bay and avoided capture along with bombardier. Both returned together and arrived in Bari, Italy within three days. The >dore Anema 1st Lt. Mickey man Bailed outof waist door and later met with tail gunner, left waist gunner, engineer, and navigator. All five returned to Allied control on the 12th of April. Alvin Wilson 1st Lt. 0-678515 Bombardier Bailed out of bomb bay and returned with Co-Pilot. Charles G. Miles 1st Lt. 0-2065593 Navigator Bailed out of nose hatch and met the four other crew members described under Lt. Anema. s/Sgt Edwin F. Gilmore Right waist gunner Bailed from waist, captured and returned with pilot and radioman. T/Sgt Harold R. Biddix 34776513 Engineer Bailed from bomb bay, met and roturned with Mi Ickey man, navigator, and tail gunner. s/Sgt Warren o. Scheel 16093405 Left waist gunner Flack wound in left leg, bailed out of waist, met with other crew members on ground. He was taken to a Partisan hospital and later flown back to Bari in a Grasshopper. T/Sgt Sumner W. Riback. 31293676 Radioman Bailed out of bomb bay, captured and returned with pilot and right waist gunner. Sgt. Edward C. Doland 35236469 Tail gunner Bailed out of waist, met four other crew members on ground and returned with them.
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