Raymond E Cottman

ppos,
Basic: Ltr. Hq, AAP, Wash, DC dtd 23 Aug 45. Subj: T/Sgt. Charles
C. Brakin, concerning whereabouts or T/Sgt. Raymond Es. Cottman
Ist Ind.
RS3AJ/hh
HQ AAF REDISTRIBUTION STATION #3, Santa Monica, Calif., 21 September 1945.
TO: Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Washington 25, D. C.
Statement of T/Sgt. Charles C. Brakke, 19124568, forwarded herewith
in compliance with basic communication.
FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER:
CHARLES B. HAMMOND
Captain, Air Corps
1 Incl:
Adjutant
in
Statement (In Quad.)
:
-2-

State of California
)
#
County of Los Angeles)
Staff Sergeant Allen L. Brooks, 38608033, being first duly
eworn deposes and says.
That I have been requested by the Judge Advoeate of AAF Re-
distribution Station #3, Santa Monica, California to make a statement
concerning the whereabouts of Technical Sergeant Raymond E, Cottman.
On 22 March 1945 Sergeant Cottman and myself embarked on a
bombing mission, the target being Ruhland, Germany. I was acting as
Bombardier on the said mission and was in the nose position manning
nose gua of the aircraft in which we were flying.
After dropping our bombs and getting out of the flak sone w9
received about three fighter strikes; that as a result of these attacks
the No. 2 and No. 3 engine were knocked out and there WS.8 a fire in both
the No, 2 and No. 3 engines. That I was unable to see Tochnical Sergeant
Cottman and I do not know his condition as a resalt of the enemy action
mentioned above.
I did not see him bail out as I bailed out through the Bomb-
bardiers esorpe hatch and I have no personal knowledge of his bailing
out of the aforesaid aircraft. That the aircraft, after I bailed out
made a complete circle to the right and exploded and crashed.
The Engineer, T/ögt. Charles C. Brakke informed mé that he
saw T/Sgt. Raymond E. Cottman, who was acting as a radio operator,
bail out and that was the last that Sgt. Brakke saw of T/Sgt. Cottmar.
s/Sgt. Morris M, Nafus I learned, landed near where I/Sgt.
Cottman landed, and while Sgt. Nafus was being carried from the field
in an injured condition by nembers of the German army, he saw the said
I/Sgt. Cottman lying in a pool of blood on the field and from his obm
servation he believed that Sgt. Cottuan was dead.
I have talked to the said s/agt. Morris M. Nafus since Come
ing back to the United States and I believe that he is still stationed
a.t the McCloskey General Hospital, Temple Texas.
allen L.Brooks
ÁLLEN L. BROOKS,
Thansmith
LOVOGE
s/sgt., 38608033
Sabsoribed I nd sworn to before x
this 17th day of September 1945,
FRANK MISKOVSKY, Capt, AC, Judge Advocate

CONFIDENTIAL
STAPTRMENT
CONFIDENTIAL
30 August 1945
I have bean asked to make a report on any information concerning
the whereabouts of Technical Sergeant Raymond E. Cottman.
Ca Varch 22, 1945, over Ruhland, Germany, we were attacked by
enemy P ircraft and forged to abandon our bomber. As far as I know,
I'm the only member of our crew who saw Sargeant Cottman after our
trouble, After hitting the ground, I was soon taken by civilians and
loter taken charge of by German soldiers, Due to injuries I had to be
carried past Sergeant Cottman. I would judge he landed two hundred
yards from me.
Sergeant Cottman's flying clothes and equipment were renoved ard
gone. I noticed he was in his O.D.'s and that one combat boot was on.
He was lying on his face. The only injuries I noticed was that his
trousers were saturated with blood from his waist line to the pear of
his knees. I asked the German soldiers if he was dead and they said
he was. lant was the last time I saw him.
My belief is that he was shot by civilians. Sergeant Cottman
must have remeved his clothing and was attempting to put his G.I.
shoes on. I'm sure the Germans wolldn't have done that.
One of the other crew members, Staff Sergeant Stuart Oberg, was
also injured and was placed in the same prison hospital with me. I
was later told by him that German civilians had started to shoot him
but were stopped by German soldiers, which is another reason I believe
Sergeant Cottman was shot by civilians.
Not long ago, I was visited here by Staff Sergeant Allen L.
Brooks, also one of our crew. He told me that while he was interro-
gated by the Germans they told him several times that Sergeant
Cottman was killed and buried March 22.
I have received letters from most of the rew and we all believe
Sergeant Cottman is dead, so our pilot, lst Lieutenant Thomas W.
Cobb, has written his parents and told them what we, the orew,
believe. In this length of time he shoul^ have been heard from.
If he was escaping he would have reached authorities by now or our
troops would have found him.
Here's hoping this information will help and that proper action
will be taken.
manrice n. nofus
CONFIDENI
Staff Sergeant Maurice N. Nafus
COFIDENTIAL

AFPPA- 11
INDIVIDUAL CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
13253
Q
Name of crew member: COTTMAN Raymond E.
Rank:
T/Sgt.
Serial number:
12052225
Position: Crew (Bomber)
RG.
7
MAR A.M.
Did he bail out? I do not knos.
Where?
--
If not, why not? -
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane: --
Was he injured? -
Where was he when last seen?
--
Any hearsay information:
It has been thought by the orew that Raymond
c. Cottman was either shot while in his parachute, or killed on the
ground by German civilians.
Source:
General consenus of opinion of the orew. (fack E forEREYS)
Any explanation of his fate based in part or wholly on supposition: This'I can't
answer with any degree of accuracy.
Total number of missions of above crew member:
--
--
Dates and destinations if possible:
6-3861, AF