Category: Jewish Aviators

The Fall of Fortresses: Elmer Bendiner’s Flights of Memory: A Jewish B-17 Navigator over Europe: “This is all we can do for you now.” – July 30, 1943

…there had been not just one shell but eleven of them in the gas tanks
– eleven unexploded shells
where only one would have sufficed to blast us out of the sky
with no time for chutes.
It was as if the sea had been parted for us.
Even after thirty-five years so awesome an event leaves me shaken.
But before Bohn finished the story there would be both more and less to wonder at.
He spun it out.

Elmer Bendiner stands before the nose of Flying Fortress Tondelayo (B-17F 42-29896, squadron identification marking “FO * V“).  Photo from Silvertail Books. 

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Elmer Bendiner’s writing of The Fall of Fortresses during the late 1970s doubtless presented him with a literary quandary: How should an author structure his book so that it presents a picture of aerial combat that’s historically accurate in its recounting of history, events, and personalities, and at the same time is intellectually and emotionally compelling.  One way would be by recounting the events of each of his twenty-five missions, whether “routine” or singularly memorable, in chronological order, which could lend his book a rote, dry, repetitive air.  Another way would be by focusing on those particular missions or events – few in number – which by their significance and unusual nature left indelible impressions upon the author.  It’s by following the latter course that Bendiner created his memoir, and in this, three particular missions stand out: A mission to Kassel, Germany on July 30, 1943; a September 6, 1943 mission to Stuttgart, and on November 30, 1943, Bendiner’s final combat mission, to Bremen, Germany, on November 29, 1943.

It’s those three flights that – excerpted from his memoir – will be presented in this series of posts.  First, though, it’s time to introduce Elmer Bendiner’s crew.

The Crew of Tondelayo

To begin, here are the very few photographs of Bendiner’s fellow crew members that I know of.   The first two come from The Fall of Fortresses.

Here’s his pilot, 2 Lt. Bohn Edgar Fawkes, Jr.

And, his bombardier, 2 Lt. Robert Lawrence Hejny

From Ancestry.com, here’s the 1934 Austin (Texas) high school graduation portrait of “Larry”: T/Sgt. Lawrence Harris Reedman, the crew’s Flight Engineer

Having started with Fawkes and Hejny in Tondelayo’s “nose”, we’ll symbolically work our way back to Tondelayo’s “tail”:  And so, fittingly, here are some pictures of tail gunner T/Sgt. Michael Louis Arooth.  

This undated image of T/Sgt. Arooth is Army Air Force photograph 78761AC / A8882.  The date of the photo is unknown, but given that he’s wearing the Air Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, and particularly the Purple Heart (he was wounded on July 30 and injured on September 6), the picture was presumably taken at or near the end of his combat tour.

This picture of T/Sgt. Arooth is from the WW II Uncovered Facebook Page  (9/29/20) and shows the Sergeant making a radio broadcast, location unknown.  

Unfortunately, I don’t have the source of this image, but I’m certain the picture also shows T/Sgt. Arooth.  Given that Tondelayo is adorned with several swastikas denoting victory claims over German fighters (unlike in the picture with Elmer Bendiner, where it seems to bear none), the picture was obviously taken before the bomber’s loss on September 6, 1943, during the latter part of its service in the 527th Bomb Squadron.

At the U.S. Militaria Forum, here’s another picture of Sgt. Arooth, probably taken when he was training in the United States.

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If I have any criticism of The Fall of Fortresses, it’s this: Given that Bendiner’s personal records, diary, and letters, and doubtless photographs survived the war, it’s a pity that more of his personal photos weren’t included in the book.  Other than the pictures of Fawkes, Hejny, and the author, the memoir is entirely absent of images of the author’s family, the rest of his crew, B-17s, or Kimbolton.  It’s a pity.  What was G.P. Putnam’s Sons thinking???

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This photograph, Army Air Force picture C-71023AC / A11454 (it can be found at Fold3 and the American Air Museum in Britain, as UPL 41323), shows Tondelayo and (at least some of) Bendiner’s crew, at the 379th Bomb Group’s base in Kimbolton, England.

Fold3 contributor patootie63 has two entries at listing the names of the men in the photo.

One entry states: “Could be Carnal’ crew : Lt Walter Flower Carnal (pilot) was born on dec 1st, 1918 – passed away on july 28th, 2010 (POW on 14 oct 1943, flying aboard 42-3269 “Picadilly Willy”) Lt William S Davidson (copilot) POW Lt Morris Konier (navigator) POW 1 Lt Leslie M Gross (bombardier) KIA on oct 14th, 1943 T/Sgt Leonard Frederick Cruzan (radio) POW – was born on dec 16th, 1919 – passed away on june 30th, 2014 – Sgt Norbert Stephen Jost (engineer) was born on nov 19th, 1919 – passed away on july 8th, 2002 POW S/Sgt Donald S Sherman (ball turret gunner) was born on nov 29th, 1920 – passed away on june 1st, 1945 POW S/Sgt Nick G Rukavina (right waist gunner) KIA on oct 14th, 1943 S/Sgt Monico R Rodriquez (left waist gunner) POW S/Sgt Milton M Fisher (tail gunner) POW”

The above caption is hyperlinked to four men in the photo.  In center rear is Bohn Fawkes, while in front row second from left is S/Sgt. Monico Rodriquez, fourth from left is S/Sgt. Donald Sherman, and fifth from left is Sgt. Arooth.

(The above entry also states that the photo was taken on July 12, 1943.  Which makes sense, given that the bomber was lost in early September.)

And the other: “This is Fawkes’ crew : 2Lt Bohn E Fawkes Jr (pilot) 2 Lt Charles A Mauldin (co-pilot) born on sept 2nd, 1919 – passed away on feb 17th, 2007 2 Lt Elmer S Bendiner (navigator) 2 Lt Robert L Hejny (bombardier) born on jan 5th, 1920 – passed away on aug 5th, 1985 T/Sgt Frederick J Reinhard (radio operator) T/Sgt Lawrence H Reedman (engineer) T/Sgt Walter J Gray (ball turret gunner) S/Sgt Harry L Edwards (right waist gunner) S/Sgt John A Leary (left waist gunner) T/Sgt Michael Arooth (tail gunner)”

In Fold 3, the above caption is hyperlinked to three men in the photo.  Second from rear is Elmer Bendiner, in center rear is Bohn Fawkes, and at far right front is (again) Sgt. Arooth.  The above crew list also accompanies the photo as it appears at the American Air Museum in Britain.

So, in light of both of patootie63’s entries, we have identities in the crew photo for Elmer Bendiner, Bohn Fawkes, Michael Rodriquez, and Michael Arooth. However, based on the Fawkes’ crew list as presented in patootie63’s “second” entry (just above), which is repeated at the American Air Museum in England, and a reading of The Fall of Fortresses, the actual Fawkes’ crew – at least, those men with whom Bendiner flew his missions, and/or are mentioned or alluded to in his book – is listed below.  The men’s names are accompanied by their ranks, serial numbers, names of next of kin, wartime residential addresses, date of birth, and (alas) inevitably – this being the year 2024 – date of death.  This information is derived from a deep perusal of Ancestry.com, and, FindAGrave, the latter evident via the hyperlinks.  In this manner, I was able to find definitive information about all but three men: Radio Operator Frederick Reinhard, Ball Turret Gunner Walter Gray, and replacement Waist Gunner Henry J. Edwards.  

An observation: Remarkably, though two members of this crew (waist gunners Herring and Stockman) became POWs, and one man (Michael Arooth) was wounded and injured, every man listed below survived combat, and, survived the war.  The last surviving crew member was Charles Augustus Mauldin, who died at the age of eighty-seven in 2009.

Their Names

Pilot: Fawkes, Bohn Edgar, Jr., 2 Lt., 0-410814
Mr. and Mrs. Bohn Edgar (6/12/92-2/8/46) and Inez E. (1893-1959) Fawkes (parents)
2426 Irving St., Minneapolis, Mn.
Born Minneapolis, Mn. 9/2/19 – Died 2/17/07

Co-Pilot: Mauldin, Charles Augustus, 2 Lt., 0-794438
Mr. and Mrs. Charles “Charlie” (9/16/83-1/1/30) and Ethel Charity (Dutherage or Duthridge) (8/31/91-8/22/81) Mauldin (step-parents)
2310 6th Ave., Columbus, Ga.
Born in Mississippi; 5/5/22 – Died 6/1/09

Navigator: Bendiner, Elmer Stanley, 2 Lt., 0-797240
Mr. and Mrs. William (Wilhelm) [7/31/25] and Lillian (Schwartz) Bendiner (parents)
2664 Grand Concourse, Bronx, N.Y.
187 North Ocean Ave., Freeport, N.Y.
Bertram, Evelyn, Lawrence, Marvin and Milton Bendiner (brothers and sisters)
Born Scottsdale, Pa.; 2/11/16 – Died 9/16/01
Brooklyn Eagle 12/6/44

Bombardier: Hejny, Robert Lawrence, 2 Lt., 0-734342
Mrs. Dorothy Mae Webster (wife); Married 1/26/44 – Divorced 9/3/81
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Anton (3/19/87-1965) and Elizabeth M. (Spinler) (1901-1994) Hejny (parents); Barbara, Daniel, and Raymond (sister and brothers)
1808 East 7th St., St. Paul, Mn.
Born Pine City, Mn.; 1/5/20 – Died 8/5/85

Flight Engineer: Reedman, Lawrence Harris, T/Sgt., 18089373
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel “Sam” (4/7/89-5/21/74) and Sarah D. (Rosenthroh) (9/15/91-6/27/75) Reedman (parents)
Miss Lilian Charlotte Reedman (sister) (2/8/11-6/18/98)
2515 North Stanton St., El Paso, Tx.
Born St. Louis, Mo.; 2/12/17 – Died 3/29/08

Radio Operator: Reinhard, Frederick W. “Duke“, T/Sgt., 32338340
(Is this him?)
From New York, N.Y.
Born 1916

Gunner (Ball Turret): Gray, Walter J., T/Sgt. (33301215?)
(According to a memorial at Fold3, T/Sgt. Gray, was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1920.)

Gunner (Waist): Herring, George Edwin, Jr., S/Sgt., 19002595, Gunner (Waist)
POW – Stalag 9C (Baz Sulza)
From California
Born Oklahoma City, Ok., 12/9/19 – San Bernardino, Ca., 5/11/92

Gunner (Waist): Stockman, Herbert James, Jr., 16109833
POW –  Stalag 17B (Gneixendorf)
Mrs. Murial L. (Stoll) Stockman (wife), 1626 Evans, Detroit, Mi. – Divorced 7/9/46
Mr. and Mrs. James W. and Estella (Hopwood) Stockman (parents)
Born New Castle, Pa.; 2/29/16 – Died 1/18/00

Gunner (Tail): Arooth, Michael Louis, T/Sgt., 31128966
Mr. and Mrs. Salem and Dora Mary Arooth (parents); George, Louis, Peter, and Ruth (brothers and sister)
26 Lorenzo St., Springfield, Ma.
Born Springfield, Ma.; 7/31/19 – Died 2/15/90

Post 7/30/43, Herring and Stockman were presumably replaced by:

Edwards, Henry J., S/Sgt.

Leary, John Anthony, S/Sgt., 13028387
Mrs. George F. Lehman (aunt), 2111 66th Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.
Born Philadelphia, Pa.; 2/3/23 – Died 9/16/99
Separated from active service Feb. 2, 1944, at Tilton Gen. Hosp., Fort Dix, N.J.

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So, we’ll start with the mission of July 30, 1943, which was triply and dramatically significant. 

First, the B-17’s wings were struck by eleven 20mm cannon shells fired by attacking Me-109s or FW-190s, none of which, though effectively embedded in the plane’s fuel tanks, failed to explode.  (Otherwise Bendiner probably would not have survived to write his memoir, I wouldn’t be bringing you this set of blog posts, and you wouldn’t necessarily be visiting this blog.)  The very nature of the damage incurred by the plane, and the actual reason that the several cannon shells failed to detonate, was only revealed to Bendiner during a get-together with Bohn Fawkes in Tarrytown, New York, probably (given the year The Fall of Fortresses was published) in the late 1970s. 

(I once encountered a YouTube video about this incident, but the URL has since slipped through my pixels and spreadsheets.)    

Second, the B-17’s oxygen system was damaged during the fighter attack, eventuating in the plane’s radio operator, ball turret gunner, and both waist gunners experiencing anoxia, with the waist gunners parachuting from the aircraft. 

Third, tail gunner Michael Arooth was wounded and also anoxic, yet remained at his position and continued to defend the bomber.  This is the incident for which he received the Distinguished Service Cross, as issued in European Theater of Operations U.S. Army General Orders No. 61 of September 10, 1943.  Here the text of Arooth’s award citation, as found at Hall of Valor: The Military Medals Database:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Staff Sergeant Michael Arooth (ASN: 31128966), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Tail Gunner in a B-17 Heavy Bomber of the 527th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group (H), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 30 July 1943, against enemy ground targets in Germany. On that date, Sergeant Arooth’s B-17 was attacked by a large force of enemy fighters. During the course of these determined attacks, Sergeant Arooth destroyed three enemy airplanes and, while firing his guns, was wounded by an exploding cannon shell. His left gun was jammed by enemy fire, his oxygen supply line was broken, and the interphone system was inoperative. The pilot was forced to use violent evasive action, and several members of the crew, thinking the airplane was out of control, bailed out. When this occurred, Sergeant Arooth gave up his attempts to reach his emergency oxygen system, returned to his one remaining gun, and continued to fight off enemy attacks. Without oxygen, and with his leg shattered and bleeding, Sergeant Arooth, displaying extraordinary heroism and with complete disregard for his personal safety, remained at his post and defended his airplane and crew with his one good gun. When this gun jammed he skillfully repaired the malfunction, resumed firing, and destroyed his fourth airplane. The extraordinary heroism, coolness, and skill displayed by Sergeant Arooth on this occasion reflect high credit upon himself and the armed forces of the United States.

In the hands of a skilled writer, any of these events could serve as the basis for a chapter (or two), yet Bendiner seamlessly wove them together into a single story.  Or, chapter, to be precise.

As for myself, my first encounter with this chapter of Bendiner’s book sparked an interest in obtaining the Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) covering the loss of the plane’s waist gunners, whose full names are not given in Bendiner’s text, with one name is misspelled.  (“Herrin”, not the correct “Herring.)  I was at first puzzled a few decades ago when an inquiry to NARA revealed that there was no MACR pertaining to this event.  Only later did I learn that the time frame of the incident – the summer of 1943 – was coincident with the Army Air Force’s implementation of the use of these documents, this event bureaucratically “falling through the cracks”, as it were, accounting for the absence of a MACR.  However, the American Air Museum in Britain revealed that the events in this story occurred aboard Mystic, officially known as B-17F 42-5820.  As you can see from the crew list above, both Herring and Stockman survived as POWs.  They were apparently replaced by S/Sgts. Henry J. Edwards and John Anthony Leary.

Mystic did not finish the war.  The plane was lost during a mission to Gelsenkirchen on August 12, 1943, after having been transferred to the 526th Bomb Squadron as LF * C.  It was piloted by 2 Lt. Kurt W. Freund, with seven of its ten crewmen surviving.  Having crashed near Leinersdorf (11 km north of Ahrweiler) its loss is covered in MACRs 1359 and 2340, and, Luftgaukommando Report KU 21.  

So, here’s Elmer Bendiner’s chronicle the events of eighty-one years ago:

“This is all we can do for you now.”

The following morning we were up again in the cold predawn to find ourselves a broken family. Tondelayo was being fitted with new props. The colonel had commandeered our gunners for his lead ship – a tribute, of course. Bohn was to replace Mike in the tail position, as was the custom when the colonel took over. And since Dutch, the group navigator, would be riding with the colonel, I was fobbed off on a squadron lead.

Johnny was assigned as co-pilot with still another crew. We had been operational for almost two months and we had lost seventy-five percent of our original crews. Replacements were arriving, but as Arnold reminded Eaker, we had to salvage what we could. To some Johnny must have looked salvageable.

We do not know precisely what went on inside the cockpit of Johnny’s plane on the mission that day. Some said they saw the plane slip back and drop below the formation with one engine smoking, then blazing. Four chutes opened, they say. I was not there, because the plane on which I rode that day developed one of those mechanical symptoms that used to afflict us in Johnny’s time. Again the cockpit asked me for a heading home, and after five hours we made it back to Kimbolton for coffee and the anxious tally of our wild geese. They came in across a sweep of sky still brilliant in the late afternoon.

I look over my time sheet that has been so scrupulously kept by some company clerk, and I am incredulous. One day follows another in the list of battles. There should have been time to savor and digest our fears. If on a Wednesday one watches other men die and sees one’s own death foreshadowed, it does not seem fitting to watch a similar deadly dance on Thursday and again on Friday and again on Saturday. Such a schedule can make the most awesome event a dull routine and turn battle into a business. If some morning at my present age I saw my friend and neighbor killed or if I felt the whoosh of a bullet pass my head I should want some time to think and then to scream before I faced a similar ordeal. But in those days we were too young to scream and thoughts were easily put off by the exhilaration of death’s presence. Now I can see that death is pallid and often ugly, but I confess it did not seem so then. And so we went up morning after morning in that gentle July, and on the thirtieth of that month we came to a strange milestone on the road to Schweinfurt.

It was a return visit to Kassel. We had been in action for four days running. At 0530 we were gathered in the briefing room, its bustle and its tensions as homey as a country kitchen, so quickly does the shocking become familiar. I do not remember fatigue. I had slept soundly and waked to the usual electric glare. I had bolted the usual eggs which seemed to coat one’s teeth and tongue with fine sandpaper. I had scalded my throat with coffee and smiled at myself picking a poppy. Between a yawn and a sneeze I read our fate in chalk on the battle lineup.

I do not mean to say it was a routine like a ride in the subway betwixt sleep and waking, staring at faces and behinds that are different and yet the same day after day. It would distort the reality and stretch words out of joint to pretend that it could have been so dull. In a subway the imminence of death is conjectural, problematic. In the briefing room it was certain, fierce, palpable and stimulating.

We ten in Tondelayo circled over Yorkshire, warming ourselves in the sun at eleven thousand feet, above a gray expanse of cloud. We crossed Felixstowe heading southeast at 0730, according to the map that has grown old with me for thirty-five years.

We climbed to our bombing altitude, 24,000 feet, over the North Sea and hit the Belgian coast close to the Dutch border. Out the port-side window I could see the Scheldt winding into Holland, and out the starboard window lay Bruges. It was then that our own P-47s and the RAF Bostons waggled their wings and went home. It was 0801, I noted in my log. A scribble nearby I take to mean that there were fighters. They had swarmed up from Woensdrecht Airdrome. Actually some B-26s had preceded us in the hope of drawing them off. I do not know whether those bright-yellow-nosed spitting wonders had risen to the bait of the B-26s and then gone down to gas up in time for us. Perhaps they had wisely sent up only a few to greet our decoys and held the rest in reserve for the main show.

In any case there they were, buzzing up at us from an airfield right on course. This was ideal for the Luftwaffe, because almost all of the fighters’ flying time could be spent in combat. In the previous April the Luftwaffe had fitted auxiliary fuel tanks to its fighters, which gave them perhaps two hours of high-speed, high-altitude flying time. On the day we went to Kassel the German dispatchers displayed their ingenuity by having their fighter squadrons hedge-hop from station to station along our presumed course.

Some came from Lille and arrived in time to give us trouble east of Brussels at 0817. Others came up from an airfield near Poix, too late to catch us on the way in but in plenty of time to ambush us on the way out. Some came from Brittany and Normandy and refueled at Lille.

At 0836 we were south of the Ruhr. We had weathered three heavy fighter attacks. Most of them came in from the rear of the formation, often four abreast. We in the nose felt their presence and heard the ping of shrapnel, but it was Mike who saw most of the action on the way in. Being a tail gunner is a lonely job. “It’s a good spot for praying,” Mike had said once. “You’re on your knees all the time.” The only spot that’s worse is the ball turret, where the gunner is wrapped around his gun like an anchovy or a fetus in a womb too small.

The tail usually saw more action than the belly. “The fuckin’ Germans must think all tail gunners are stupid,” Mike used to say. They came in again and again, firing, turning bottoms up and slipping away.

From Gladbeck and Cologne swarms of FWs and MEs shot up and barreled through our formation. Near Remagen I noted the fall of two enemy fighters. I fired at those arrows in the sky, but I knew that I was merely making noise to let them know we were alive on the port side. Bob’s gun kept up a ceaseless chatter and the top turret pounded like a jackhammer inside my head. Then quite suddenly the fighters vanished and left us to our bomb run and the accompanying flak. We came up on Kassel from the south. I peered over Bob’s shoulder and saw the city. We were rocked by flak. Still the motors ground on. There could be no evasive action. We would fly unswervingly through a sky of angry black shell bursts.

The bomb-bay doors of the plane ahead of us swung open. I watched the bombs tumble out helter-skelter at first, then straightening to a purposive plunge. When ours were gone, lost in the black smoke far below, Bob called out that the doors were closed and Bohn banked Tondelayo sharply to starboard. As we headed north and then west for home the flak slackened off and the fighters came back. They had been gathering all morning. It had been one hour and eleven minutes since we had entered Europe, and the Germans had had time to assemble a massive fleet of fighters, gassed up and ready.

It must have been somewhere near Recklinghausen that disaster struck. Mike called in to say he was hit in his right hand and left leg. Then followed a jumble of static and for a while we couldn’t raise him at all. Tondelayo was being knocked about the sky. Actually Bohn was climbing, diving and making corkscrew patterns in a crazy choreography designed to unsettle the fighters, who were pressing in from all sides. I kept my mind on the zigzag line we were taking across Europe. When I tried to stand, my feet slipped from under me. I clung to my desk and the gun, waiting for the attack to subside. When at last Mike came on again his words were jumbled and he sounded as if he were calling from a painfully long distance.

We drove across Germany trying to keep up with the formation, which had a ragged look, with gaping holes where planes had been. I had seen two of the group go down. The formation was turning more to the south in a beeline out of Germany, when we became aware of an alteration in the sound of flight. When Larry in the top turret eased up and when Bob’s guns stopped momentarily, Tondelayo seemed unnaturally quiet. The roar from the waist was missing. No one sang out to claim a kill or warn of fighters coming in. Bob and I looked at each other across the tops of our masks and he opened up his mike, ripping into my headset, “Bombardier to waist gunners, bombardier to waist gunners. Come in, come in.” Silence. Tondelayo climbed and plunged. “Stockman, Herrin, come in, Goddammit. Come in. Do you read me? Duke, come in. Bombardier to radio. Duke, come in.”

Tondelayd’s motors whined. Then came Mike’s voice, vague, blurred, with an odd calm: “They’re gone. Gone.”

We were 25,000 feet above Germany and they were gone. One imagines a switchboard operator saying, “Sorry, sir. They’re gone.” At the time the word itself with its nonsensical associations filled my head and left no room for irony. They had gone four miles down to the patchwork of farms I could barely see. Fighters were swarming about us, coming in at three, four, seven and eight o’clock where our guns were silent. Now and then we thought we heard a long burst from the tail, but that was all.

Bob disentangled his headset and oxygen hose. He lurched past me. His face was neither sad nor scared. I realized that he was in a rage. He went up the stepway to the cockpit. We were still in formation. I put down my pencil, unplugged my oxygen hose and my headset. I chucked my helmet aside and clambered after him. Behind the cockpit Bohn pointed to a green oxygen bottle, into which I plugged my hose like the antenna of an insect. We ducked under the turret, which was rattling in uninterrupted air-shattering streams of fire that had the sound of panic. We passed through the bomb bay along the narrow steel catwalk, past the racks that had held the bombs, and into the radio compartment. Duke was gone. We went into the waist, where blasts of cold air bit into my face. Herrin and Stockman were gone. Their masks, still attached to the oxygen outlet, flapped against the metal wall. The door had been jettisoned. Through it we stared at windy space. As Tondelayo banked and rolled I could see the distant, detached world below. Then I saw Duke. He was sitting on the floor, one leg dangling beyond the open hatch. Bob and I pulled him in across the floor past the waist ports, where the wind howled as in an arctic blizzard, where one could see the silvery wings of our enemies curvetting and spitting sparks.

The floor of the fuselage was torn in spots, the metal peeled back. Multicolored cables were in shreds. We sat Duke up in the radio room and looked to see whether he was bleeding. He was untouched, but his eyes were dreamy and he wore a smile of absurd serenity.

There was no oxygen in the rear of the plane. Mike had seen the waist gunners as they jumped, driven by lack of oxygen to illusions of impending disaster. Mike had watched their chutes open. One of them had barely cleared the horizontal stabilizer. Mike himself did not know whether the plane was actually going down. In any case there was nothing he could do about it. His arm and leg were torn and, though he was not in pain, he was groggy. He must have felt the cold, because the wires that hooked his electric suit had been cut. With his good arm he had changed the belt of ammo in his gun and eased his nerves by firing. He recalls seeing a Messerschmitt. He waited until it was two hundred yards from us, just the point, he thought, where the German would open up and blast us out of the sky. Mike let go a stream of fire that caught the fighter. It turned yellow and red, nosed upward, then spun in.

Bob hooked Duke to an oxygen bottle and stayed to take care of Mike as best he could. I hurried down to the nose, told Bohn the situation and began to work out a heading home. We had to drop to an inhabitable altitude regardless of the dangers of straggling in enemy skies. I remember looking at my watch, the minute and second hands whirling as unconcernedly as if I were on a street corner waiting for Esther. I looked out the window and, without seeming to grasp the significance of the phenomenon, noted that the propeller on engine Number Four was rigidly stationary. It had been feathered, disconnected to keep it from tearing the engine out of the wing. Black smoke streamed behind it. I drew a course that would take us across Holland dodging the flak zones listed in my flight plans. I hoped the information was reliable. I did not know. I only pretended to know. The plane dropped closer to the land. When I identified the Willems Canal in Holland, I called the cockpit to correct our heading. Our formation was above and ahead. We were alone. Mike’s gun rattled, but I did not know whether he was firing at something or to keep himself awake. The top turret answered with a roar. But then came the blessed moment when I could tear off my tin hat and my mask and breathe real air. The plexiglass of the nose had several gaping holes. We had one man wounded. We were missing two others. But we were going home. We were going to drink something hot. We were going to sleep in a bed.

The ball-turret gunner, undoubtedly anoxic as were the others in the rear of the plane, could not easily raise his turret to extricate himself without hydraulic pressure, and that had been lost when the lines were severed. Curled up in Tondelayo’s steel ball, impotent, Leary had survived because he could not follow the waist gunners out of the plane. He was barely nineteen years old, the youngest in the crew. I do not know how he withstood that torture wrapped within himself, powerless amid bullets and explosions, oppressed by the realization that at any instant he might be spattered to a mass of ugly tissue, like a cat run over on the highway. That might happen to any man in the crew, but the rest of us had the illusion of motion, of elbow room to give us security. There was nothing that Leary could do about his fate. He was as powerless as a rivet in his ball turret. He had been reduced to a neuter.

We could have brought up the ball turret by hand and released him, but we needed his gun as we needed Mike’s. When we reached the North Sea and saw the gliding shapes of friendly P-47s we brought him up. I calculated an ETA and gave it to Bohn. His voice was as even as if we were sitting on our bunks. “Roger. Thank you, Benny.”

With flares rising like Roman candles we came to Kimbolton. We bumped to a halt on the grass where we had come before when our brakes were undependable. We were late, but we were home. Mike was not badly hurt, according to our cheerful obstetrician.

“Our waist gunners are gone,” we told the debriefing officer.

“Are what?”

“Are gone.”

“What?”

“Gone.”

This battle is distinguished by a postscript which was appended some thirty-five years after the event. Bohn and I were sitting on a porch in Tarrytown, New York, on a summer evening. We were rehashing the war as ex-warriors have done since civilization invented wars. We were not seeking to dress our memories in cinematic glories or dissolve them in an alcoholic haze as veterans do. We were seeking rather to collapse the wind out of nostalgia, to see the war plain. We were trying to mount our recollections on pins so that we could study them in various lights from various angles. We were seeking to approximate an objective account of what we had seen and done.

We were reconciling scrawls from our respective logs. For example, after a raid on Münster Bohn had written: “This will make a lot of Dutch Nazis.” He no longer remembered what that meant. And I had scribbled on that day the one word “Eindhoven.” I had forgotten why. We looked at a map and saw that Eindhoven was a Dutch town not far from the German border. At the ground speed of those antique planes we flew it would have been perhaps ten minutes from Münster.

Our memories fed each other. As we talked, the scrawls unlocked cobwebbed files in our minds until at last the two comments made sense. Münster had been cloud-covered, and our formation had turned away from the target. The bomb-bay doors of our group leader were open. So were ours. Suddenly the undercast rolled away, revealing a flat green and tawny countryside. I recognized the pattern of rivers and canals. When I saw the formation prepare to bomb I yelled into the intercom that we were over Holland. As I yelled the bombs fell, and I noted that we had hit Eindhoven. It was then that Bohn had summed up in his log the political consequences. (Incidentally, I have subsequently talked with several Dutchmen who graciously forgave us, but then, none of them was under our bombs at Eindhoven.)

In any case it was in this search of the past that we came to the Kassel raid and the disappearance of our waist gunners. Over Bohn’s face came a characteristically odd, slightly mischievous grin. “You remember,” said he, “that we were hit by twenty-millimeter shells.”

That was not a singular experience for us, I pointed out. But these had hit our gas tanks, he recalled. That did indeed stir something in the archives of my brain. Somewhere I had even made a note of shell holes in gas tanks. I reflected on the miracle of a 20-mm. shell piercing the fuel tank without touching off an explosion.

Now Bohn licked his chops so that I could see that a revelation was on the verge. It was not the case of an unexploded shell in a gas tank, he said. It was not so simple a miracle. At the time Bohn too had thought it was no more than that. On the morning following Kassel, while I slept late and missed my breakfast, Bohn had gone down to ask our crew chief for that shell, as a souvenir of unbelievable luck. Marsden told Bohn that there had been not just one shell but eleven of them in the gas tanks – eleven unexploded shells where only one would have sufficed to blast us out of the sky with no time for chutes. It was as if the sea had been parted for us. Even after thirty-five years so awesome an event leaves me shaken. But before Bohn finished the story there would be both more and less to wonder at. He spun it out.

Bohn was told that the shells had been sent to the armorers to be defused. The armorers told him that Intelligence had picked them up. They could not say why.

The professorial captain of intelligence confirmed the story. Eleven shells were in fact found in Tondelayo’s tanks. No, he could not give one to Bohn. Sorry, he could not say why.

Eventually the captain broke down. Perhaps it was difficult to refuse a man like Bohn the evidence of a highly personal miracle. Perhaps it was because this captain of intelligence had briefed so many who had not come back that he treasured the one before him as a fragile relic. Or perhaps he told Bohn the truth because it was too delicious to keep to himself. He swore Bohn to secrecy.

The armorers who opened each of those shells had found no explosive charge. They were as clean as a whistle and as harmless. Empty? Not quite, said the captain, tantalizing Bohn as Bohn tantalized me.

One was not empty. It contained a carefully rolled piece of paper. On it was a scrawl in Czech. The intelligence captain had scoured Kimbolton for a man who could read Czech. The captain dropped his voice to a whisper before he repeated the message. Bohn imitated that whisper, and it set us to marveling as if the revelation were fresh and potent, not thirty-five years old and on its way to being a legend. Translated, the note read: “This is all we can do for you now.”

Here’s the Book

Bendiner, Elmer S., The Fall of Fortresses, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, N.Y., 1980

Here’s Another Book

Freeman, Roger A., The B-17 Flying Fortress Story: Design – Production – History, Arms & Armour Press,  London, England, 1998

The Fall of Fortresses: Elmer Bendiner’s Flights of Memory: A Jewish B-17 Navigator over Europe in World War Two – Book Reviews

“…the anonymity of war is as terrible and profound
as that of chessmen tumbled into a box when the game is over.”

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Time moves forward, inexorably.  With it, the memory of the past flows along paths that sometimes meet, sometimes diverge.  On one – the course typical of men and nations – lies forgetfulness.  On the other, the memory of historical events may continue, but will be softened, if not altered, if not irrevocably distorted, by the shifting winds of politics, ideology, and sometimes the exuberant tides of irrationality that unexpectedly break upon – and even emerge from within – all civilizations.  And thus, whether by one man or many, the centrality, impact, and memory of historical events having the greatest and most transformative impact for any given generation, will not be so (can memory ever be so?) for later generations.  Regardless of an event’s magnitude, intensity, impact, or power.  

But, regardless of the fallibility of human memory and entirely independent of man himself, facts remain, irremovably cemented into the fabric of time.  

Certainly and obviously central to the twentieth century, and having indirect influence upon the events of this 21st century, have been the “Great War” and the Second World War, which some historians have considered to be the opening and closing phases of a single, much larger historical interval.  Inevitably, both of these awful conflicts have given rise to an incalculably vast body of literature, both fiction and non-fiction.  Naturally, many of these works were produced by veterans of these conflicts, either in the years immediately following their military service, or, several decades later, when they were better able to reflect upon the past as they entered retirement, by which time they’d gained perspective on their experiences, the memories of which were no longer as jagged or emotionally impactful as in their youth.

I’ve read many books of this nature, as I’m sure you have also. 

They vary in quality as much as all men vary: in perceptiveness, literary skill, recollection of facts, sentimentality, honesty, candor, and tact.  In that regard, below, quite randomly listed, are the titles of books penned by (and in a few cases about) Jewish aviators who served in the Allied air forces in the Second World War, some of whom I’ve mentioned or alluded to in prior posts.  I take for granted that an equal and perhaps greater number of titles covering the experiences of Jewish servicemen in the ground and naval forces could be found (I know of a few), but that’s beyond the scope of this post. 

In terms of this list of titles, immediately apparent is the fact that some were privately published, some released by vanity presses, and others by mainstream, well-established publishers.  (Notably, in light of the enormous technological and logistical changes in the nature of book publishing over the past few decades, the less-than-stellar reputation once accorded to vanity presses I think is truly no longer (un)merited.)  

Prisoners of War…

…In Europe

A Measure of Life, privately published, 2002
By Herman Lewis Cranman, (Herschel Eliezer Kranman), 1 Lt., 0-692478, Bombardier/Navigator, 34 missions
512th Bomb Squadron, 376th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
Shot down July 14, 1944 in B-24H 41-28920, piloted by 1 Lt. James H. White, 11 crew members … 10 survivors
Plane-in-Squadron identification 33 / D // Nickname “Big Marge”
Missing Air Crew Report # 6958, Luftgaukommando Report ME 1791
POW at Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan) and Stalag 7A (Moosburg)
Born Savannah, Georgia, March 14, 1924 – Died April 2, 2017
Mr. and Mrs. Philip (7/20/03-1/23/95) and Jeanne (Litman) (3/7/04-9/13/78) Cranman (parents)
406 East 50th St., Savannah, Ga.
Name not listed in American Jews in World War II

Goldfish – Silver Boot – The Story of a World War II Prisoner of War, Fortis Publishers, 2010
By Harvey Stanley Horn, F/O, T-131675, Navigator, 5 missions
772nd Bomb Squadron, 463rd Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
POW 3/20/34, Stalag 13D (Nuremberg)
Born Brooklyn, N.Y., 12/15/13
Mr. and Mrs. Louis and Esther Horn (parents), 1218 41st St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Also 82-15 Britton Ave., Elmhurst, N.Y.
Casualty List 4/26/45
Aircraft B-17G 44-6377, piloted by 1 Lt. John H., Lincoln, 10 crew members – all survived
Aircraft nickname “Pretty Baby’s Boys”
Missing Air Crew Report 13050
Name not listed in American Jews in World War II

Also see interview at The West Point Center for Oral History

The Eleventh Passenger, Vantage Press, 1996
By Joseph Millman, Sgt., 32222070, Ball Turret Gunner, Purple Heart, 2 missions
747th Bomb Squadron, 456th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force
Shot down February 17, 1944
Severely wounded; repatriated on SS Gripsholm in February, of 1945
POW at Stalag 9C (Bad Sulza)
Born in Poland, January 12, 1920
Mr. and Mrs. Jacob and Rose “Reizel” Millman (parents), 1164 47th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
Rhea, Reva, and Libby (sisters)
Name appeared in Casualty Lists on 4/22/44, 6/8/44, and 2/16/45; also in P.M. Daily 2/16/45
Aircraft: B-24H 42-52286, nickname “The Little Joker”
Piloted by 2 Lt. Harry W. Bessler; ten crew members – four survivors
Loss covered in Missing Air Crew Reports 3078 and 6330
… and Luftgaukommando Report ME 878
Name does not appear in American Jews in World War II (Like for so many other men…)

Joe Millman and his wife Bella, during the reunion of the 456th Bomb Group in June of 1996.  (My photo.)

Joe’s dog tag, in Luftgaukommando Report ME 878, via NARA.com

Herb P. Flyboy – The Journey from World War II Pilot to German POW, privately published, 2005
By Herbert Irwin Pearlman, 1 Lt., 0-824859, Bomber Pilot, Air Medal, three Oak Leaf Cluster, 26 missions
526th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force
Prisoner of War February 9, 1945
Born Bronx, N.Y., February 22, 1922
Mr. Albert N. Pearlman (father), 3236 Tibbett Ave., New York, N.Y.
Casualty List (Liberated POWs) June 13, 1945
Pilot of B-17G 44-6119, “LF * A”, “White Lightning”
Aircraft loss covered in MACR 12337 and Luftgaukommando Report KU 3677
Name found on page 403 of American Jews in World War II
Maxwell Field Class 44-C; assigned to 526th Bomb Squadron 10/28/44

His Silver Wings – I Came of Age during World War II, June R. Ehrlich, Vantage Press, 1993 (Paul Ehrlich)  Paul was the pilot of B-24J 42-50675 “X7 * F” / “Bold Venture III“, of the 788th Bomb Squadron, 466th Bomb Group, which crash-landed (itself) in England on December 25, 1944.  The entire crew survived, the incident being covered in MACR 11256.  This incident is the subject of the following video…

My Private War – Liberated Body, Captive Mind: A World War II POW’s Journey, Norman Bussel, Pegasus Books, 2008

Sitting It Out : a World War II POW Memoir, David K. Westheimer, Rice University Press, 1992

Fighter Pilot – Aleutians to Normandy to Stalag Luft I, Mozart Kaufman, M & A Kaufman Publishers, 1993

Where There’s A Will, There’s A Way (…And Where There’s A Way, There’s a Wayburne!), Ellis Wayburne (mentioned here), privately printed in October, 1995

Story of Jerome Jacobs – 364th Fighter Squadron Pilot, at ToFlyandFight.com 

From Records Group 242 in the National Archives, here’s a (actually, the) only record … other than Missing Air Crew Report 8797; there’s no Luftgaukommando Report covering the loss of Pappy’s Answer, his P-51B … attesting to Lt. Jacobs’ being a POW: It nominally documents his captivity in Oflag 64 in Altenburg, and Stalag 9A in Spangenberg.  As he related to me in an interview back in the 1990s, as a result of the chaos attendant to his capture during the Battle of Arnhem, and, his rapid transport from a front-line German hospital to various POW camps, he was never, actually, interrogated.   

…In Japan

They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Ralph M. Rentz, with Peter Hrisko, Michigan State University Press, 2003

Hi Ma, I’m Home, Irving S. Newman, privately printed, 1945

Back From the Living Dead – The Infamous Death March and 33 Months in a Japanese Prison, Major Bert Bank, privately published, 1945

Escape and Evasion!

Against The Wind, Cyril Rofe, Hodder & Stoughton, 1956

The Dark Side of the Sky – The Story of a Jewish Airman in Nazi Germany, Leo Cooper, 1998 (Harry Levy)

And Otherwise…

Terror in the Starboard Seat – 41 Trips Aboard a Mosquito – A True Story of 418 Squadron, Dave McIntosh, Stoddan, 1980 (Sid Seid)

The Invisible Battlefield?, Horace S. Turrell (at one time available on the ‘net but-alas-not-any-more), 1996

Combat Bombardier, Leonard Herman and Rob Morris, Xlibris, 2007

The Cold Blue Sky, Jack Novey, Howell Press, 1997

Navigating the Course – A Man’s Place in His Time, David Fanshel, Valley Meadow Press, 2010

Navigating the Course – All to the Good, David Fanshel, Valley Meadow Press, 2013

Jewboy vs The Luftwaffe, Philip M. Goldstein, privately published (Blurb), 2015

Of War and Weddings, Jerry Yellin, Sunstar Publishing Ltd., 1995

IMSHI – A Fighter Pilot’s Letters to His Mother, Messrs. W.H. Allen & Co. Ltd., April, 1943 (Captain Ernest Mitchelson Mason)

Heroes are Fools – Diary of a World War II Airman, Murray M. Crawcour, Gefen, 1989

In the Lion’s Mouth – Diary of a World War II Flyer, Robert N. Adlen, Emis Publishing Company, 1985 (Captain David Gandin)

Hiroshima & Nagasaki Revisited, Jacob Beser, Global Press, 1988

Fiction

The Prisoners of Combine D, Len Giovannitti
Von Ryan’s Express, David K. Westheimer
Song of the Young Sentry, David K. Westheimer
Face of a Hero, Louis Falstein (start here…)

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Within this genre, one of the best such works I’ve read, published some now forty-four years ago, is Elmer S. Bendiner’s The Fall of Fortresses, which was released by G.P. Putnam’s Sons in mid-1980.  (And now readily available on EBay, ABE Books, etc., and maybe even your local library!)

A B-17 Flying Fortress navigator in the 8th Air Force, Bendiner’s combat tour occurred during 1943, and ended with the completion of his (and most of his crew’s) 25th and last sortie during the 8th’s mission to Bremen, Germany, on November 29 1943.  As such, his experiences as a combat aviator in the USAAF paralleled the time period during which the 8th Air Force was, in terms of attrition and losses on a proportional basis, engaged in its most intense struggle against the Luftwaffe.

Though divided into chapters (15 of them), the fifteen have no headings or titles, and likewise aren’t subdivided into larger sections.  Essentially, the book is a continuously flowing block of text, only nominally broken by chapter numbers.

But, on a more subtle level, as you read Bendiner’s book it soon becomes apparent that there actually is a structure to the text.  First and sensibly, it’s chronologically arranged.  Second and in a very (very) general sense, the chapters alternate in emphasis, one chapter pertaining to the experiences and interactions of Bendiner and his crew during different missions or situations (sometimes on a very personal level), followed by a chapter covering theoretical and doctrinal aspects of strategic bombing in the USAAF and RAF, or to a lesser extent, military strategy and geopolitics.  The book really shines in a purely literary sense in Bendiner’s appropriate and measured use of metaphor and similie, “like” (!) in the quote that opens this blog post (!) which is reflective of his pre- and post-war background as an editor and news reporter, and, postwar authorship of three prior non-fiction books in the field of history.

A member of the 527th Bomb Squadron of the 379th Bomb Group and assigned to the crew of 2 Lt. Bohn E. Fawkes, Jr., Elmer Stanley Bendiner (ASN 0-797240) was born in Scottsdale, Pa., on February 11, 1916, and thus was in his late 20s during his combat tour.  He was born to Wilhelm “William” and Lillian (Schwartz) Bendiner, his parents eventually moving from Pennsylvania to 2664 Grand Concourse, which is located in the New York borough known as the Bronx.  (You’ve heard of the Bronx?!)  His brothers and sister were Bertram, Evelyn, Lawrence, Marvin and Milton.  Thus far, oddly, I’ve only found one reference to him in a wartime newspaper:  In the Brooklyn Eagle, on December 6, 1944, over a year after he completed his combat tour.  (This article will be presented in a future post.)  I attribute this to Bendiner having worked at the Eagle from 1939 to 1940.

Mr. Bendiner passed away on September 16, 2001.  I do not know his place of burial.

Like innumerable other American Jews who served in the United States’ armed forces in the Second World War – who were military casualties, and (or) decorated for military service – Elmer Bendiner’s name is quite absent from the 1947 Dial Press two-book publication American Jews in World War Two, perhaps reflective – in his case – of the fact that the National Jewish Welfare Board, in its quest to compile biographical information about Jews in the military, never contacted his family to begin with.  (Likewise, flight engineer Sgt. Lawrence Harris Reedman’s name is also absent from this compilation.)  This is indirectly reflected in The Fall of Fortresses, by the complete absence of such questions as the implications of being a Jewish POW in German captivity, or, how being a Jew affected (or truly did not at all affect) a servicemen’s relationships with his comrades.  From reading the lines, and more importantly reading “between the lines”, there was a genuine sense of solidarity among and between Tondelayo’s crew members, with the author maintaining friendships with at least some of these men – particularly pilot Bohn Fawkes – into the 1980s. 

However, Bendiner’s quietude about being a Jew through most of the book powerfully belies the deep significance of his identity and heritage, which though subdued is not absent.  Near the book’s end he adeptly and skillfully weaves this into a disillusioning and deflating realization – concerning (well, at least in late 1943; I don’t know about later) – the tenuousness of his assumption about being perceived and accepted as an American aviator (let alone an American, per se?) who has endured much and survived all, versus simply being seen as a Jew.  And with this, tangentially, the true nature of the German enemy he has been fighting comes into focus.  The literary effect is not maintained for long, but the effect is extremely powerful.  Interestingly, none of the book’s reviewers, regardless of their true and fulsome praise and admiration of The Fall of Fortresses, seemed to have picked up on this.      

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Here’s the 8th Air Force uniform (shoulder) insignia (from my collection)

This is the emblem of the 527th Bomb Squadron (from Rolyat Military Collectibles)

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“This” post presents the full text of four book reviews of The Fall of Fortresses which appeared coincident with the book’s 1980 publication.  Two are from The New York Times (when it was still an actual newspaper; it’s not been a newspaper for some years), one from The Washington Post (before it became the Bezos Daily Bugle), one from Time magazine (before it vanished into deserved irrelevancy), and, one from the Yonkers New York Herald Statesman.  These are preceded by Mr. Bendiner’s biography, as published in Contemporary Authors in 1980.

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The next two posts will present excerpts from The Fall of Fortresses pertaining to two remarkable experiences of Elmer Bendiner and his crew.   These will focus on events recounted in the book: 1) The inadvertent bail-out of two gunners during a combat mission on July 30, 1943 (both survived as POWs), when their aircraft was struck by several 20mm cannon shells fired from attacking Me-109 and FW-190s, which miraculously failed to explode … thus, Tondelayo and her crew survived, and 2), The ditching in the English Channel of Tondelayo on September 6, 1943, from which, through a combination of superb piloting skill and extraordinary luck, the entire crew survived.  This will be followed by another post, relating to Bendiner’s account of his dramatic but anti-climactic final mission of November 29, 1943, and – upon the realization that his combat tour was over – the impact and implications of a conversation which ensued with the 527th’s Public Relations officer.  

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Lt. Elmer Bendiner stands before the nose of his crew’s Flying Fortress Tondelayo (B-17F 42-29896, squadron identification marking “FO * V“), with nose art painted by Cpl. J.D. Hicks. The nose art and nickname were inspired by the femme fatale played by Hedy Lamarr in Richard Thorpe’s 1942 film White Cargo.  (Photo from Silvertail Books.)

Here’s the trailer of White Cargo, from The Old Hollywood Times.  You can view the full movie at ok.ru.

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Elmer Bendiner in 1980 in a photo by Paul Viani, from the book jacket. 
(My own worn-out copy, but hey, it gives you an idea!)

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And herewith, a biography, and five book reviews…

Elmer Bendiner’s biography, from the 1980 edition of Contemporary Authors.  He was 64 years old at the time.

PERSONAL: Born February 11, 1916, in Pittsburgh, Pa.; son of William (a businessman) and Lillian (Schwartz) Bendiner; married Esther Shapiro (an editorial assistant), October 4, 1941; children: Winnie (Mr. Paul G. Viani), Jessica.  Education: Attended City College (now City College of the City University of New York), 1932-35.  Politics: “Defies neat categorizing.”  Religion: “Defies neat categorizing.”  Home: 11 Park Ave., Tarrytown, N.Y. 10591.  Agent: Theron Raines, 475 Fifth Ave., New York, N.Y. 10016.

CAREER: Newark Ledger, Newark, N.J., reporter, 1938-39; Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn, N.Y., reporter, 1939-40; Flying Age, New York City, managing editor, 1945-46; Esquire, New York City, non-fiction editor, 1946-48; National Guardian, New York City, associate editor, 1948-58; Science and Medicine Publishing Co., New York City, editor, 1958-68; World Wide Medical News Service, New York City, editor, 1969-72; Hospital Practice, New York City, contributing editor, 1972 – Military service: U.S. Army Air Forces, navigator on B-17 bomber, 1941-45; served in Europe; became first lieutenant; received Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, and Purple Heart Medal.  Member: Authors Guild, Authors League of America.

WRITINGS: The Bowery Man, Nelson, 1962; A Time for Angels: The Tragicomic History of the League of Nations, Knopf, 1975; The Virgin Diplomats, Knopf, 1976; The Fall of Fortresses, Putnam, 1980.

Work anthologized in Man Alone, edited by Eric Josephson and Mary Josephson, Dell, 1962.  Also author of documentary film script, “Uptown.”  Contributor to Esquire, New York Times Magazine, Nation, and Strand.  Editor of Log of Navigation, 1944-45.

WORK IN PROGRESS: A history of Spain in the tenth century, “when Arabs and Jews collaborated in a cultural adventure that prefigured the Renaissance.”

SIDELIGHTS: In a New York Times review of The Fall of Fortresses, Elmer Bendiner’s history of American air battles during World War II, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt writes: “It is remarkable how [Bendiner] manages to combine in a single, nearly poetic, tone of voice, a view that combines the big picture with the personal one – how his narrative seamlessly encompasses the anecdotal and the historical, the strategic and the tactical, the thrill and the horror.”  Lehmann-Haupt concludes that The Fall of Fortresses is a “shining accomplishment.”

Bendiner told CA: “I look upon my work as journalism, uninhibited by an exclusive preoccupation with the contemporary.  If a story provides a clue to the grandeur and/or absurdity of our lives it seems newsworthy to me even though it occurred a thousand years ago.  Hence, I see a certain consistency in exploring the lives of homeless men on the Bowery, the performance of diplomats between the world wars, the efforts of 18th century Americans to seduce the rulers of Europe, the strange splendors of Spain a thousand years ago, or the work of doctors and nurses in the Arctic, in India, Japan, or Tanzania.”

Bendiner’s work has taken him to Europe, Central and South America, East Africa, Bangladesh, Thailand, New Guinea, the Philippines, Israel, Japan, and Canada.

BIOGRAPHICAL/CRITICAL SOURCES: New York Times, May 9, 1980.

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From The New York Times Book Review, May 25, 1980…

The War In the Air

THE FALL OF FORTRESSES
A Personal Account of the Most Daring – and Deadly – American Air Battles of World War II.
By Elmer Bendiner.
Illustrated. 258pp. New York:
G.P. Putnam’s Sons. $11.95.

BOMBER!
Famous Bomber Missions of World War II.
By Robert Jackson.
157pp. New York: St. Martin’s Press. $8.95.

By DREW MIDDLETON

EVEN after 35 years, World War II occupies such a prominent place in the American historic and literary imagination that we can be assured of a steady flow of new books about it. Indeed, so much has been written – good, bad and indifferent – that the reader approaches the latest books with a certain apprehension, since many of them, certainly much of the fiction, tend to be overwritten. But these two works of nonfiction, “The Fall of Fortresses” and “Bomber!” – which are complete and short – may start a fashion for briefer, sharper pictures of the war.

“The Fall of Fortresses,” in fact, is the best personal narrative by an airman that I have read since Richard Hillary’s “The Last Enemy.” Mr. Bendiner writes with clarity, compassion and a marvelous eye for the comic that so often lies just beneath the surface of war.

The Fortresses in his book are the B-17’s, the backbone of the United States Eighth Air Force in Britain. Mr. Bendiner was a navigator in a B-17, a position that enabled him to observe the rest of the crew, to watch the battle develop as the Forts pushed their way through the flak and the fighters into Germany and to reflect on the meaning, if there was any, of it all.

The centerpiece of “The Fall of Fortresses” is an account of the attack on Aug. 17, 1943, on the ball bearing works at Schweinfurt in the heart of Germany by 230 Forts of the First Bomb Wing. The German fighters and the American bombers fought one of the bloodiest air battles in history. The American losses incurred there and in an attack on the same day on Regensburg were 60 bombers, 600 men.

Yet the sight of the mass of bombers taking off roused Mr. Bendiner, who confesses nonetheless that his exultation was an “act of treason against the intellect, because I have seen dead men washed out of their turrets with a hose.”

But, he adds, if you desire an intellectual view of war, you must ask someone who has not seen it. Brilliant is the only adjective that fits his personal story of the raid, and to that story he adds the details about the battle that he has accumulated over the years. So we see not only the Forts pounding on toward the target, but the German fighter squadrons from all over western Europe assembled for the kill after the bombers turn westward to England and safety.

Mr. Bendiner survived the first Schweinfurt raid and returned on the second raid in October. Once again he provides a skillfully drawn, understated picture of the battle and the dreadful return trip lit by ‘the yellow flicker of burning B-17s.

Mr. Bendiner has also pondered the military reasons behind these and other raids, successful and unsuccessful. He tells how the American air generals won their battle for daylight bombing against the opposition of some of their own “ground generals” and the Royal Air Force. His description of what the air command did – and why – after attaining virtual Independence in combat winds through the book, giving it a substance that a narrative focused only on the fighting could not provide.

***

Heavy losses were not confined to the Americans. R.A.F. Bomber Command lost 95 bombers and 665 men over Nuremberg on the night of March 30-31, 1944. In “Bomber!” Robert Jackson describes this as the night fighters’ triumph, and so it was. “Bomber!” which deals with famous bombing missions of World War II, might have been just another rehash of familiar material. But with precise, controlled writing, Mr. Jackson has made a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the air war. Although he views the air war from a broader perspective than Mr. Bendiner, Mr. Jackson’s selection of missions – German, French, American and British – is so astute that the book never falters.

Mr. Jackson writes, for example, that the impact of the German bombing of Rotterdam in May 1940 was significant. The Luftwaffe had decided to delay or call off the attack, but the call back orders arrived too late, and the raid, Mr. Jackson says, “turned out to be a tragic blunder.” But, he continues, “this does not alter the fact that the Germans had conceived and executed it as a deliberate terror attack against a civilian target,” and it convinced the British that the time had come to launch their bombers, then pitifully few, against German industrial targets in the Ruhr.

“Bomber!” also tells of some unusual aircraft and airmen. One was the Jules Verne, a long-range bomber operated by the French Navy, which on the night of June 7, 1940, was the first Allied bomber to bomb Berlin! The Forts and the Lancasters came later, but at that date, with the French Army torn apart by the Germans, one lone aircraft carried on the fight and salvaged some honor for France.

Mr. Jackson is very good not only on the battles but on the innovations that gradually refined bombing techniques. Of course, as Elmer Bendiner reminds us, we, the Americans, were never as accurate as we believed, but accuracy did improve. The first steps toward improvement, however, were taken by the Luftwaffe, and Mr. Jackson gives a detailed account of Kampfgruppe 100, which was the first pathfinder force, and its effect on what Churchill called “the wizards’ war’’ waged by British and German science.

Mr. Jackson also clears away some legends that have grown around bombing missions. The raid by American B-25s on Tokyo, for example, led by then Lieut. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, was one of the most daring exploits of the war. At one time, however, it was fashionable to dismiss the attack as a gimmick inspired by the Roosevelt Administration to divert attention from the melancholy defeats in the Pacific.

“Bomber!” takes a different view. The bomb load was light and little material damage was done, but the raid profoundly affected the course of the Pacific war. The effect on the morale of the Japanese, who had been “flushed and made cocksure by their recent victories, was incalculable,” and shortly after the raid, Admiral Yamamotn, commander of the Combined Fleet, launched his ambitious plan to take Midway and bring the Americans to battle. He brought them to battle, all right, and the Japanese were decisively defeated. Jimmy Doolittle and his men left their mark on the war.

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From Time magazine, May 12, 1980…

After the Bombs

The Fall of Fortresses. By Elmer Bendiner. 258 pages. Putnam. $11.95.

The final oddity of World War II is that its survivors are still writing their memoirs. Why should some have waited so long? Perhaps the unique quality of that war was that its participants absorbed their experience like so many time-delayed capsules: some to be released while the war was in progress; others, only now, 35 years after the event. Elmer Bendiner, who flew as a navigator on the Flying Fortresses of the Eighth Air Force, offers no explanation for his delay. If he is obliged to confess to blanks in his memory, he makes use of logs, records and previous histories to tell us what it was like to take part in the two great raids against the ball-bearing factories at Schweinfurt. “If one wants an intellectual view of war one must ask someone who has not seen it,” he writes. He means, in his elegant book, to see the war plain, without heroics; his level, quiet tone of voice has an appropriately elegiac quality.

In 1943, when young Bendiner guided his B-17 to England, the Americans had yet to demonstrate that their plan for daylight precision bombing of German military and industrial targets would prove effective. He and his fellow airmen had no idea that their commanders had decided to accept a loss of 30 of every 100 airplanes flown in such missions. The truth was brought home early enough: within the first two months of operations, Bendiner’s group had lost three-quarters of its original crews. From the perspective of late middle age, Bendiner thinks less well of death than he did then. At the time, aerial combat was for him “a frenzy in which I heaved and sweated but could not stop because, shamefully, my guts loved what my head hated.” For precisely this reason, we send the young to war. “A hard day’s work,” Bendiner writes, “exploding something into nothing… Our superiors were pleased with us because we had dropped 422 tons of bombs and, according to the reconnaissance photos, only 333.4 tons had been wasted on homes, streets, public parks, zoos, department stores and air-raid shelters. This passed for precision.”

Empty Shells: By Aug. 17, the day of the first Schweinfurt raid, Bendiner well understood what air warfare entailed. His pilot, having aborted three missions due to “faults” in the engines, had been replaced. On a raid over Kassel, his crew had lost both waist gunners: their oxygen cut off, they had succumbed to illusions of disaster and jumped from the plane. On this same excursion, eleven explosive shells pierced the fuel tank of Bendiner’s Fortress. Only decades later did he discover why his plane was not instantly destroyed: ten of the shells had been empty and the eleventh contained a paper on which was written, in Czech: “This is all we can do for you now.” The assault on Schweinfurt, however, promised to be more than routine. The crews were assured that this “first fully strategic air mission of the war” would bring about Hitler’s collapse. To distract the Luftwaffe from the 230 Fortresses moving toward Schweinfurt, a diversionary force would be sent first against Regensburg. Of course, nothing worked as planned. The great raid, which cost the Americans 60 bombers and 600 men, failed to eliminate Germany’s capacity to produce ball bearings.

“And did we win or lose?” Bendiner asks. The occasion provided no immediate answer. Nor was one forthcoming two months later when, after losing his plane in the English Channel, Bendiner returned with another armada to do the same thing again with identical results: another 60 combers, another 600 men lost. The Schweinfurt raids did not shorten the war oy a day. They did, however, provoke from Bendiner one of the war’s most haunting images: that of a homeward route marked by a “trail of torches” – the only sign of animation on a darkened Continent was the yellow flicker of burning B-17s.

In time, Bendiner concluded that his commanders knew very well the raids could not end the war; their purpose was, at whatever cost in lives and airplanes, to prove forever the efficacy of air power. If that is so, Bendiner writes, “then Schweinfurt’s ghosts must ride with those of the Light Brigade at Balaklava – brave soldiery forever charging to their deaths in. gallant absurdity.”

PETER S. PRESCOTT

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From The New York Times, May 9, 1980…

Book Reviews
By Christopher Lehmann-Haupt

THE FALL OF FORTRESSES: A Personal Account of the Most Daring – and Deadly – American Air Battles of World War II. By Elmer Bendiner. 258 pages. Illustrated. Putnam. $11.95.

ELMER BENDINER’S “The Fall of Fortresses” – a memoir of navigating B-17 Flying Fortresses over Germany during World War II – could well have been as bitter and blackly humorous as Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22.” After all, the centerpieces of the book are two 1943 bombing raids on the ball-bearing factories of Schweinfurt, which can arguably be characterized as disastrous for the American Eighth Air Force. Owing to a combination of factors – among them, weather, an insufficient number of bombers, the lack of auxiliary gas tanks, and the failure of America intelligence and the success of its German counterpart – the two raids cost approximately 130 planes out of the 520 that set out on them and 1,150 of 5,300 crewmen, or a total loss of more than 20 percent.

Yet the two raids failed to cripple Germany’s ball-bearing production, and there remains to this day some question whether bearings are even a critical industrial item in the first place. So, as Mr. Bendiner concludes, “Schweinfurt’s ghosts” may be riding “with those of the Light Brigade at Balaklava – brave soldiers forever charging to their deaths in gallant absurdity.”

But Mr. Bendiner’s mood in “The Fall of Fortresses” does not match Yossarian’s in “Catch-22.” For one thing, he believes that on balance the air war was worth its sacrifices of human life. If the Allied bombing failed to “castrate” “the German machine,” and if it failed to vindicate the heirs of Billy Mitchell in their advocacy of strategic bombing, it did serve, in the words of Albert Speer, to open “a second front before the invasion of Europe” – that is, “the skies over Germany” – which in turn both relieved the pressure on Soviet military forces and helped the eventual land invasion by the Allies to succeed.

‘Our Cause Was Just’’

As for the moral dimension of the bombing offensive, which “some commentators,” as Mr. Bendiner puts it, now speak of “as a ‘children’s crusade,’ “ Mr. Bendiner insists, “We were not children fired with a vision – our own or that of others.” Instead, “We were merely young men accepting our times.” And, “Hitler was real and his victory had to be prevented.’’

“And if after the killing,” he writes, “discerning critics point out that the strategists were not pure in heart or particularly wise, and that therefore some of our victims died needlessly, where can we find absolution? Only in this: that our cause was just. This sets us apart from our enemies.’’

Finally, Mr. Bendiner did not altogether detest the experience of flying his 25 missions as a navigator of B-17s. Indeed, there were elements he rather enjoyed. Sure, he knew full well that Death himself was the 11th member of the crews he flew with. He had seen the scarlet streak along the fuselage of a neighboring plane that was the telltale sign that a gun-turret had been blown away and the gunner decapitated. He had seen dead men washed out of their turrets with a hose. And yet there was an exhilaration to being up there in the blue, isolated from the alarums of battle in the paradoxical silence of the droning engines. “I exulted in that parade” of Flying Fortresses. “I confess this is an act of treason against the intellect.” He sums it up, “But if one wants an intellectual view of war one must ask someone who has not seen it.”

Big and Small Picture

And yet he has also given us that intellectual view of war. In fact, it is remarkable how he manages to combine in a single, nearly poetic, tone of voice, a view that combines the big picture with the personal one – how his narrative seamlessly encompasses the anecdotal and the historical, the strategic and the tactical, the thrill and the horror. It is especially remarkable to someone like me, who came of conscious age against the background of World War II and who therefore believed so absolutely in the Allied cause that there was no room at all for questions of moral conduct. The only facet of the imagination that the war appealed to was the romantic one, and for me, playing my war games, as for Mr. Bendiner at his entrance into the Air Force, “blood and death were leitmotifs in a very classy production number.” It came as a shock to be told that there were finer moral issues raised by the war than the ones of defeat and victory, and that the Allies had violated them at Dresden and Hamburg (not to speak of Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

The beauty of “The Fall of Fortresses,” then, is that without ever stinting the moral and strategic questions that came after, it confirms the romantic dimension of the war – even so far as assuring us that not only in our fantasies, but also in reality, was there a thrill to riding up there in the wild blue yonder alone and seemingly impervious to death. It makes us feel that thrill. It also makes us feel “the anonymity of war,” “as terrible and profound as that of chessmen tumbled into a box when the game is over.” And finally, the horror. “The Fall of Fortresses” is a shining accomplishment.

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From The Washington Post, June 29, 1980…

Fall of the ‘Flying Coffin’
The Brief Campaign of The Bomber Tondelayo

THE FALL OF FORTRESSES.
By Elmer Bendiner.
(Putnam. 298 pp. $11.95)

By Stephen I. Petranek

Somewhere on the bottom of the English Channel, “wreathed in weeds,” the corroded, silted-in hulk of 34,000 pounds of a B-17F bomber named Tondelayo remains, a sepulcher vibrating and pulsing in the memory of the only navigator she ever knew, “Benny,” the last to leave her before she slipped beneath an angry sea on a September afternoon in 1943. JijL .

To Elmer Bendiner, tagged Benny by the crew, Tondelayo seems a not-yet-finally buried reminder of his own anger about having endured, perhaps needlessly, some of the most horrifying aerial battles of World War II, battles which the author, more than three decades later, found it necessary to reassess, question and in some ways condemn as misguided at best. There is also the guilt and wonder of having enjoyed death as an 11th crew member on his missions, the shame of knowing that bombs were acidentally dropped on allies and children and the never erasable memories of bodies and planes suddenly ripped to fragments.

Although Tondelayo did not survive the mandatory 25 missions required of her crew members before they could retire from combat, she did rather well for a sitting duck, seemingly parked in the skies over Europe at a modest 150 mph as Messerschmitts and Focke-Wulf-190s flying 400 mph spit 20 mm explosive shells through her skin time after time, mission after mission. Tondelayo finally fell prey not only to German fire but to the myth, not tested before World War II, that hundreds of strategic bombers flying in close disciplined formation were not only Flying Fortresses themselves, but a collective fortress capable of their own defense without constant fighter support,

Bendiner joined a mixed bag of nine other crew members in the belly of a bomber the Germans had called, in a slightly earlier version, a “flying coffin,” a bucket of rivets that even skilled Royal Air Force pilots had nicknamed a “flying target.”

But like other warriors at other times, this sensitive, charming, caring, even humble man named Bendiner got high on the close proximity of death in the flying coffin. “With death visible and audible, creating a taste in my mouth and a flatus in my belly, I was undeniably alive in battle… This was not the war of boredom and vermin we had read about in the tales of our fathers’ agony. This was a frenzy in which I heaved and sweated but could not stop because, shamefully, my guts loved what my head hated… I exulted in that parade of Fortresses forming for battle. I confess this as an act of treason against the intellect, because I have seen dead men washed out of their turrets with a hose. But if one wants an intellectual view of war one must ask someone who has not seen it.”

To some extent Bendiner would insist that survival in a bomber with an accepted casualty rate of 30 percent on some missions was luck. But except for Tondelayo’s first pilot, who, until he was removed from his position, tended to panic in bad circumstances, the crew seemed to be a balanced blend of the guts, outward casualness and determination necessary to survive.

Bendiner does not remember every crew member of Tondelayo, although the detail of his recollections of what mattered and his research into American and German records of his missions was as thorough as conceivably necessary. There was a bombardier who had washed out of pilot school and whose response to war was often repressed rage; a radio operator with “style” who was “the soul of urbanity”; a quietly expert copilot whose closeness to the Fortress was almost symbiotic, and a “street-wise Ulysses” tail-gunner.

There was, too, the luck that Bendiner thanked heaven for: 11 explosive 20 mm shells that didn’t explode were dug out of Tondelayo’s wing gas tank by intelligence experts who found inside one shell a note, written in Czech, that translated as, “This is all we can do for you now.”

There was also the luck of being in the right place at the right time. It was all too frequent that the plane next to Tondelayo was dismembered, sent spinning in wildly gyrating pieces to the earth, her last moments dutifully recorded in Bendiner’s log. “In the morning I had been over Germany watching Tondelayo’s sister plane through my port window. Along the fuselage to the tail ran a scarlet streak. It had taken me a moment to understand that there was no top turret and that the fuselage was painted with the blood of a gunner who manned it before it was blown away.”

The touchstone of the account of Tondelayo and her navigator is the two massive daylight assaults of Flying Fortresses launched on Schweinfurt, Germany, in August and October of 1943, assaults which war planners and politically motivated generals, concerned about demands that all bombers be sent against the Japanese, had determined would neatly end the war within a year by wiping out the Reich’s major ball-bearing plants. Without ball bearings, they too simply determined, German props could not spin and tank treads roll. Bendiner indicates, based on military reports, that the idea may first have been suggested by the Swedish minister’s son-in-law at a Washington cocktail party on Dec. 20, 1942. Albert Speer, interestingly enough, said years later that the damage the Reich suffered at Schweinfurt was in part offset by ball bearings produced in Sweden.

Either assault might have seriously undermined the German effort, had they been followed up within weeks by other bombing raids. But the horrifying losses of the American forces in the raids so devastated the fleet that follow-ups were impossible. At one point Bendiner notes that he never returned from any mission without at least, at the very least, some flak holes in the aircraft. He unintentionally seems to suggest that navigators might have been superfluous on the flights home from the targets. Returning bombers could simply follow the fires of shot-down fortresses: “All across Germany, Holland and Belgium the terrible landscape of burning planes unrolled beneath us. It seemed that we were littering Europe with our dead…”

In the first raid the losses were: “60 aircraft, 552 men missing, 21 brought back wounded, 8 brought back dead, 17 returned planes inoperable, many others heavily damaged.”

In the second assault on Schweinfurt in October, only three or four of the 18 planes in Bendiner’s bomber group returned to base the night of the raid. “Of 291 crews that crossed the Channel, 29 were lost before they reached the target, another 31 fell on the way home – 60 in all, 600 men missing out of a force of less than 3,000.”

The people who were running this European precision-bombing show were in many cases disciples of the court-martialed martyr Billy Mitchell who had insisted that such strategic, rather than troop-support, bombing would decide wars in the future. Bendiner tries desperately to find credence for strategic bombing, such as the Schweinfurt raids, and notes in a strange rationale that the missions, even if not directly successful as bombing raids, tied up so many Germans they created a second front – in the air – which kept the Germans from overrunning the Russians. But he is a lot less than certain:

“We were sent on a hazardous mission to destroy in a single day an objective that was Vulnerable only to repeated assaults for which we had not the strength. Those objectives could not wait for the arrival of more bombers, of the promised Mustangs, of belly tanks [which would have allowed fighters to escort bombers into Germany itself, because we had to dramatize the importance of air power in the European Theater for the benefit of the public and the Navy.

“If that is a fair reading of our commander’s thought processes, then Schweinfurt’s ghosts must ride with those of the Light Brigade at Balaklava – brave soldiers forever charging to their deaths in gallant absurdity.”

The reviewer is deputy editor of The Washington Post Magazine.

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From the Yonkers New York Herald-Statesman, October 26, 1980…

Book reflects war memories

By PHYLLIS RIFFEL

Total strangers have called long distance to talk with author Elmer Bendiner of Tarrytown about his memoir of World War II. And it’s not because they also flew on the Flying Fortresses of the Eighth Air Force – some are infantrymen, others have never been in the service and some were born after the war.

“I guess it’s gone home to a lot of people,” said the 64-year-old former navigator. “War is a powerful seducer.” He contends that everyone fights his own war, in his own way, but there is a common denominator in the devasting experience of any war. “The book stirs up a lot of memories.”

“The Fall of Fortresses,” published by Putnam in May, is a personal recollection of the events leading up to two raids on ball-bearing factories in Scbweinfurt, Germany, in 1943. Some 130 airplanes of the 520 that were sent on the fateful missions were lost and 1,150 of the 5,300 crewmen killed in the attempt to demonstrate the validity of daylight precision bombing as a means of bringing the war to a quick end.

Bendiner has blended bis own feelings about the war – then and now – with the actual details of the two raids on Schweinfurt and others of the 25 missions he flew in a vivid first-person account. He talks of how he came to be a navigator, his interaction with members of the crew, his impressions of wartime England, in a manner that makes the reader feel as though the action in the 258-page book took place only yesterday.

A natural question is why did he wait 35 years to write this sensitive, thoughtful chronicle of a young man thrust into war? And wasn’t it-difficult to recall all the factors and emotions that marked his life in those days, even for one with a skilled memory?

After Bendiner completed his missions – for which he received the Purple Heart, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with three oak-leaf clusters – the native of Pennsylvania was assigned to be a navigation instructor in Ireland. He had a leave in the United States before his next assignment.

It was on the long sea voyage home to see his wife, Esther, and his new-born first child, that Bendiner wrote a novel based on his experiences. “‘I was never satisfied with it,” he said, and the manuscript was put on the shelf.’’ He kept his navigator’s log, which contained many personal asides as well as the official records of action and flight on ‘Tondelayo,” the B-17 he flew over Germany in.

Together with the expressive letters he wrote to his wife during that era, which she retained, these documents formed the nucleus of material for the book.

The catalyst lor writing the volume actually was an idea for another book which be proposed to an agent. “I wanted to write an historical book about the year 1800 – it’s a fascinating year in American history,” he said. The contact liked the idea but asked Bendiner If he could come up with something a little closer to modem tinges. He said, “I knew then that at last I was going to do this,” (the “Fail of Fortresses”).

It took a couple of years to put everything down on paper as Bendiner, a free-lance writer for the last 10 years worked on the memoir in conjunction with other projects. He visited with bis co-pilot four or five times and rehashed past events, and Interviewed retired Gen Mo Preston, commanding officer of his squadron, to check out bis impressions of what transpired at the base at Kimbolton, England. Preston was a colonel in 1943 and Bendiner knew him by rank alone, and the CO only knew biro by his number back then.

Candid about the thrill inherent in warfare and the anonymity of battle, in his book Bendiner ponders the motivation of the military commanders in World War II and the loss of life – both military and civilian – in the struggle for victory.

In the 1970s Bendiner was based in Switzerland to establish and edit an international news service for a string of medical newspapers. While living abroad for four years, he also wrote a history of the League of Nations, titled “A Time for Angels.” He and his wife traveled from Africa to the Arctic and from Bangladesh to Budapest with numerous stops between. When in Germany, he acknowledges he had an “uncomfortable feeling when I would see Germans my age. I wondered what they were doing during the war”

Chosen as a Book-of-the-Month alternate, by two aviation book clubs and being published in England shortly, the “The Fall of Fortresses” Is not just an exercise in which one man puts together bis thoughts on the ramifications of war on bis own life. Rather it describes an era in history in broad terms meshed with personal reflections.

Upon their return to the United States, the Bendiners settled in Woodstock, N.Y., where he wrote a book on the diplomacy of the American Revolution – “The Virgin Diplomats” – prior to his current book. The couple moved to Tarrytown three years ago and find it convenient to New York City and enjoy the historical nature of the area.

A slight, wiry man with piercing blue eyes, Bendiner said he is writing a story of how Arabs and Jews together enlightened the otherwise sombre middle ages from their comer in Spain and Portugal.” In his study, which has a sweeping view of the Palisades, he also continues work on the biographical history of medicine. Mrs. Bendiner works with her husband in the typing and editing chores.

Raised in a small Appalachian town in a family whose members either had an ambition to write or assumed that they probably would in any case,” Bendiner describes his achievements in college as mediocre. He left in his senior year to work as a reporter on newspapers, in and around New York, until 1940 when he was employed by an agency seeking to rescue Jewish refugees from Germany. In 1941, shortly after his marriage, Pearl Harbor was attacked and he enlisted, confident that he would be drafted in due time anyway.

In the period since his days In the Air Force, Bendiner has been a magazine managing editor, a political writer for the National Guardian, and a book reviewer and author. It is fortunate for the reading public that his account of air battles in World War II managed to surface in the midst of all his other endeavors.

PHYLLIS RIFFEL is Lifestyles Editor of The Daily News, Tarrytown.

Oh, yes…  References, references, references!

Here’s the Book

Bendiner, Elmer S., The Fall of Fortresses, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, N.Y., 1980

Here’s another book!

Contemporary Authors, Volumes 89-92, Gales Research Company, Detroit, Mi., 1980

And otherwise?

Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani (daughter of photographer Paul Viani), at…

… The Laundromat Project

1 Lt. Nathan Margolies: March 19 and March 24, 1945

“Because he was concerned to make sure of everyone’s
safety before bailing out himself.” 

A review of the history of the WW II Allied air campaign against the Axis, specifically in terms of missions conducted by aircraft manned by multiple crew members – here we’re largely talking about bombardment aircraft, though such aircraft certainly could be used for photo or weather reconnaissance, or, electronic warfare – reveals a consistent theme in the context of aircraft losses; a theme perhaps second nature and long taken-for-granted.  This is revealed for the United States Army Air Force within Missing Air Crew Reports, in R.W. Chorley’s series of books covering Royal Air Force Bomber Command and, in a myriad of other references.  In essence, it wasn’t at all unusual for the pilot (and co-pilot, as well) of a bomber to lose their lives in their final efforts to keep a damaged aircraft under some semblance of control in order to grant their fellow crewmen the chance for a safe bailout.  There are many Missing Air Crew Report Casualty Questionnaires that are explicit in the descriptions of such events.  A comprehensive review of these documents, or, a systematic tabulation of loss records in Chorley’s books, might enable a researcher to actually quantify just how often many otherwise uninjured pilots – who otherwise might have survived – gave their lives in such circumstances. 

One such aviator was First Lieutenant Nathan Margolies (0-806295).  The son of Moses and Rose (Blatt) Margolies, he was born in Brooklyn on July 6, 1915, and resided with his parents at 8301 Bay Parkway, in that rather well known New York borough.  The recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart, his name can be found on page 387 of American Jews in World War II.  His name appeared in a Casualty List released on April 19, 1945, and can also be found upon the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines, while a commemorative matzeva bearing his name is present at Section MF, Plot 46-D-12, at Arlington National Cemetery.  His name also appears in Robert Dorr’s 7th Bombardment Group / Wing 1918-1995 (page 248) and in Chick Marrs Quinn’s The Aluminum Trail (page 389). 

As indicated from this commemorative information and the latter two books – and as you’ll see from this post – he did not survive the war. 

This is him…

A member of the 9th Bomb Squadron of the 10th Air Force’s 7th Bomb Group, Lt. Margolies was reportedly wounded by anti-aircraft fire on March 19, 1945.  Thus, his inclusion in “this” series of blog posts concerning Jewish military casualties on March 19, 1945.  However…  

…he was killed during a combat mission five days later, on March 24, 1945, while in command of B-24L Liberator 44-49607 (tail number 28) during a mission from Pandaveswar, in West Bengal, India, to “Bridge Q633″ on the Burma-Siam Railway. 

______________________________

The insignia of the 10th Air Force.

This example of the 9th Bomb Squadron insignia was found at Etsy.  Though the gray rays in the upper half of the insignia resemble searchlight beams – as if pinpointing enemy aircraft at night – in reality, they simply form the Roman numeral “IX”, representing the number “9”.  As in 9th Squadron.

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From Edward M. Young’s B-24 Liberator Units of the CBI (Osprey Combat Aircraft 87), this profile, by Mark Styling, is a representative image of the markings carried by 9th Bomb Squadron B-24s slightly before the general time-frame of the Margolies crews’ missions.  This plane, B-24J 44-40857, RANGOON RANGLER, shows the squadron’s black & white checkerboard rudder with a horizontal fin band, and, plane-in-squadron number.  RANGOON RANGLER survived the war with many combat missions and other sorties, and postwar was turned over to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC).  There’s no record of the Margolies crews’ 44-49607 having a nickname.  

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The names and eventual fates of Lt. Margolies’ crew members on the March 24 mission are listed below:

Co-Pilot – Chaffee, Arthur Richard, 1 Lt., 0-755518, Seattle, Wa. – Survived
Navigator – Scranton, Edwin Ely, 1 Lt., 0-685742, Alliance, Oh.  (See here, here, and here) – KIA
Bombardier – Meridith, James M., 1 Lt., 0-889303, Wichita, Ks. – Survived
Flight Engineer – Sadloski, Stanley P., T/Sgt., 11010475, Hartford, Ct. – Survived
Radio Operator – Nelson, James F., T/Sgt., 32086547, Brooklyn, N.Y. – Survived
Gunner – Reed, Edward, S/Sgt., 11090457, Fall River, Ma. – KIA
Gunner – Cunningham, John E., S/Sgt., 14147628, Atlanta, Ga. – KIA
Gunner – Moriarty, Leo, S/Sgt., 32185901, Ware, Ma. – Survived
Gunner – Herald, Kenneth William, S/Sgt., 39559281, Pomona, Ca. – Survived

Unlike most (most; not all) MACRs, the eyewitness statements in MACR 13435 describing 28’s loss were not recounted by crew members of other planes in the 9th’s formation.  Rather, they were reported by two of Lt. Margolies’ six surviving crew members: bombardier Lt. Meredith and gunner Sgt. Herald.  The MACR also includes Casualty Questionnaires filed by T/Sgt. Sadloski for his four fallen fellow crew members.  Through these records, it’s possible to reconstruct what transpired over India that day, seventy-nine years ago.  

First, as described by Lt. Meredith…

Were flying indicated altitude of 2500’.  We were one hour and forty minutes out from the field when the oil pressure started dropping off on #1 engine [left outer engine, as viewed from above] very fast.  Lt. Margolies told me to go down in the nose and salvo the bombs which I immediately did.  When I crawled back up to the flight deck the engineer was salvoing the bomb bay [fuel] tank.  The pilot could only get the engine partly feathered causing a terrific drag on the left side.  We were losing about a thousand feet a minute so the pilot yelled “bail out”.  I buckled on my chute and went out the right front bomb bay.  I saw only one other parachute beside my own and did not see the plane crash.

…and then, S/Sgt. Herald: 

At 11:15 it was reported that number one engine had bad oil pressure and Lt. Margolies proceeded to feather it.  Due to some mechanical failure, the prop would not feather, which caused an excess of drag on our left wing forcing us to lose altitude even after out bombs and gas tank were dropped.  Our pilot fought it but to no avail.  The first order was to prepare for a ditching and as soon as that was given another order was to put on chutes, and there came the bail out order.  The waist windows had been broken out, so as soon as we were told to bail out, I went through the right waist and hit the ground very soon after my chute opened.  The altitude we went out at was about 700 ft.  I hit the trees and soon joined out co-pilot and radio operator. 

As indicated above, the bomber was already flying at the low altitude of 2,500 feet (remarkably low by the standards of the 8th or 15th Air Forces, but perhaps typical for a 10th Air Force mission of this nature…?) when mechanical failure – a drop in oil pressure – was encountered in the number 1 engine.  (Interestingly, the header page of the MACR attributes the aircraft loss to carburetor icing, but I don’t how know (or if) such a problem could contribute to low oil pressure.  Especially at low altitude.  Especially in the climate of India and Burma!)  Regardless, Lt. Margolies’ first command was for the crew to prepare for ditching.  Immediately afterwards came an order to bail out, in light of the plane’s very rapid loss of altitude and the danger inherent to ditching a B-24 with very limited control and very little time for preparation.  (Not that ditching a B-24 was easy under optimal circumstances, to begin with.) 

Six crewmen left the plane:  Lt. Margolies’ officers, and, Sergeants Nelson, Cunningham, and Herald.  

Of the six, the parachutes of Lt. Scranton and Sgt. Cunningham were either deployed too low and too late, or, failed to open.  

Four crewmen remained in the aircraft: Lt. Margolies, and Sergeants Sadloski, Reed, and Moriarty.

Of these men, Lt. Margolies, severely injured in the ditching, was unable to escape the sinking aircraft.  Sgt. Reed managed to leave the wreck, but he did not survive.

Thus, from a crew of ten, six returned.  Of the four who did not survive, only Sergeant Reed’s body was recovered to eventually have a place of burial. 

Photos of the fallen appear below.  They, and several images of Lt. Margolies, as well, have been contributed to the mens’ biographical profiles at FindAGrave by Mr. Walter N. Webb (cousin of Lt. Scranton) about whom you can read more here.

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2 Lt. Edwin F. Scranton, Navigator

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S/Sgt. John E. Cunningham, Gunner

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S/Sgt. Edward Reed, Gunner

Sgt. Reed was also “an amateur artist and wood carver and played the guitar.”  This is his water-color self-portrait.

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But wait (!) there’s even more…(!!)…

In the early 2000s, Mr. Walter N. Webb, who had been researching the histories of 7th Bomb Group crews lost in WW II – with a focus on his cousin, Lt. Scranton – posted the results of his investigation at the website of the 7th Bomb Group (“7th Bombardment Group (H)”), which in 2024 is no longer “up and running”.  The title of his work was: “A Special Tribute to the Margolies Crew – Photos and research by Walt Webb”.

Mr. Webb’s post includes speculation about the location where B-24 28 and her crew – both the survivors and those killed – came to earth, and, photos of the Margolies crew (and another 9th BS crew, that of 1 Lt. John F. Albert), the above-mentioned photographs of Lieutenants Margolies and Scranton, and, Sergeants Cunningham and Reed, two Google Earth images simulating the probable final course of 28, and finally, a symbolic memorial ceremony that he arranged in honor of Lieutenants Margolies and Scranton, and Sgt. Cunningham, that took place at Arlington National Cemetery on May 26, 2005. 

Well, to quote from Mr. Webb’s post…

I’ve been researching a 9th Squadron crew, four of whom were killed in a March 24, 1945, air accident en route to Thailand.  Three of those men still are missing in the Ganges Delta region along with their B-24. One of them was a cousin I never really knew (Lt. Edwin E. Scranton).  These photos are about this crew, the last two photos are of the Arlington ceremony that I arranged for the families of the three MIAs.

I was able to download Google Earth and use it in an unusual way–to simulate the Margolies B-24 final descent route across the Ganges Delta (Mar. 24, 1945) and to visualize what the pilots saw as they crossed these islands at altitudes of 1,000 feet and below.  Google Earth allows you to “fly” to any point on a 3D globe, drop to any altitude, tilt to get an oblique view, and even rotate around the target!  The earth coverage comes from satellite imagery.  The detail varies; major cities have the highest resolution.  Since I saved the entire descent path, all I have to do to revisit is to press the “Tour” button and then watch as the path automatically runs!

I’ve used information in Mr. Webb’s post, specifically his two Google Earth maps,  to build “this” post a little further, in terms of mapping and illustrating the final flight of 28 and her four fallen airmen.  

This map, included in MACR 13435, shows the last witnessed location of 28: Over the Bay of Bengal, just a few miles south of the coast of modern day Bangladesh.  Note that the map is only a snippet cut from the much larger “Army / Air” 1:1,000,000 map: “NF-45”, which you’ll see with just a quick mouse scroll down.  

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Based on the MACR map, the map below, at a vastly smaller scale, shows the aircraft’s last reported position in the wider geographic context of the Bay of Bengal, India, Bangladesh, and Burma.  It’s designated by the miniscule, almost-invisible (and really tiny) red oval in the center of the map.

Going to a larger scale, here’s 28’s last reported position in the context of the Ganges-Brahamputra Delta.

A tiny section of map NF-45 in MACR 13435 is shown above.  Below, via the University of Texas, is a complete version of a later edition of the same map – “NF-45-12” (“Putney Island, Pakistan; India”) – spliced via photoshop with the adjoining map to the north, “NF-45-8” (“Khula, Pakistan; India”).  These two adjoining maps, at 1:250,000 scale, were compiled in 1955 from the 1923-1942, and, 1924 Surveys of India, and are October, 1959 editions prepared by the Army Map Service and printed by the Corps of Engineers.  For the purposes of this post, this photoshopped Army composite map illustrates the setting of 28’s loss in a detailed context, and clarifies a Google Earth image from Mr. Webb, which follows…    

And so, more from Mr. Webb:

[Two] photos are … sample scenes from the simulation, both overviews in tilt mode.  I also have views from the lower heights actually flown by the crippled aircraft along its final path.

[The first scene …  (not illustrated here!) looks S to N across the bailout island where 6 of the crew jumped.]  Scranton and Cunningham (chutes didn’t open) fell under the plane’s path, while the 4 on chutes probably drifted a bit to the NNE, thus shown displaced slightly in that direction.  Cunningham delayed his jump and so is separated from the rest.  (A British air-sea rescue eyewitness recalled seeing the parachutes hanging in the trees “in a perfectly straight line.”)  Thirteen miles to the N, the 3 distant targets represent the general area where I believe the plane actually may have ditched with 4 on board  (Margolies and Reed perished; only Reed was recovered.)

[This] scene … (image below!) shows approximately where the 3 crew MIAs may be located.  Although the B-24 may have ditched somewhere along that stretch of the river, it’s uncertain whether the submerged wreckage still is there, lodged in the mud (the B-24 broke into 3 sections), or has drifted farther downstream.

Using Mr. Webb’s Google Earth map as a basis, here are the probable locations of Cunningham’s and Scranton’s bailout and 28’s crash, shown on Maps NF-45-12 and NF-45-8 (you can see where I spliced them by the difference in the intensity of shading), as respectively indicated by the blue circles.

A much, much closer view.  Assuming that the crash location is correct, the aircraft came down in the vicinity of or in the Jamuna River.

This air photo view of the plane’s probable crash location is at the same scale as the NF-45 composite maps above….

…while this air photo is a very (very (very)) close view of this branch of the Jamuna River. 

Between 2011 and 2013, the missing men and plane were the subject of discussion at Wikimapia, under the heading “crash site, invisible“.  

There, this message appears: “B-24 Liberator piloted by Lt. Nathan Margolies crashed here after others bailed out(but not all survived).  They were on their way to bomb a bridge on the infamous Burma-Siam Railway on 24 March 1945.  Still missing are Pilot Margolies, Navigator Lt. Edwin E. Scranton, and a Gunner S/Sgt. John E. Cunningham.  Navigator’s cousin still is searching for remains of both aircraft and personnel.  Contact wwebb24@verizon.net. The plane took off from Pandaveswar, West Bengal, India.

Coordinates: 21°55’11″N 89°10’22″E”

This inquiry generated three comments – by Bangladesh citizens “TurboProp”, “asisdutta_jc”, and “ershadahmed”, which are presented verbatim below:

TurboProp (2011)
CALLING OFFICERS OF BANGLADESH NAVY OR COAST GUARD TO COMMENT ON THIS. THERE ARE 2 ESTABLISHMENTS–ONE WITHIN THE MARKED AREA, ONE LITTLE UPSTREAM.  MAY BE THESE PEOPLE WILL HAVE SOME IDEA
13 years ago

asisdutta_jc (2012)
Condoled by SDutta: +919593000434
12 years ago

ershadahmed (2014)
Inaccessible and isolated mangrove remains inundated.  Officers of Bangladesh Navy or Forest Deptt should try to locate the spot and help them finding.  Its two years already, the request has been made by the US air force persons to Bangladesh Navy. Engr. Ershad Ahmed +(88-02)-01711548879 9 (cell)
10 years ago

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And, two pictures from time ago.

As mentioned above, Mr. Webb’s post from the early 2000s at the 7th Bomb Group’s website includes a photo of Lt. Margolies crew, and, a photo of the crew of 1 Lt. John F. Albert.  These photos, and several other images of 9th Bomb Squadron crews, can be found in the historical records of the 9th Bomb Squadron for March, 1945.

This image shows the Margolies crew in front of B-24 squadron number 33 prior to takeoff on February 5, 1945.  The mission was to bomb the pair of bridges at Kanchanaburi, Thailand.  The crew had to abort and return.  

The men are:

Back row, left to right:

1 Lt. James M. Meredith
S/Sgt. Edward Reed
T/Sgt. James F. Nelson
S/Sgt. John E. Cunningham
S/Sgt. Kenneth W. Herald
S/Sgt. Leo Moriarty
Cpl. John L. Sulgrove

Front row, left to right:

1 Lt. Arthur R. Chaffee
Lieutenant Margolies
T/Sgt. Stanley P. Sadloski
1 Lt. Edwin E. Scranton

This photo was also taken on February 5, 1945, and is significant in showing 44-49607, with, “…a hand-painted “28”, an indicator of its recent arrival to the squadron.” 

The men are, left to right:

1 Lt. Donald P. Funk – Co-Pilot
2 Lt. Owen H. Brownfield – Bombardier
T/Sgt. Arthur L. Burdette – Flight Engineer
1 Lt. Bernard D. Kahn – Navigator
1 Lt. John F. Albert – Pilot
T/Sgt. Lyle L. Vralsted – Radio Operator
S/Sgt. H.Q. Smith – Gunner
S/Sgt. Gordon Greenberg – Gunner
S/Sgt. Paul R. Hon – Gunner

Almost seventy-nine years have transpired since the loss of “28” and her four crew members.  Given the passage of time, let alone the very nature of the terrain and climate where the 44-49607 came to earth (and actually, sea) it must be accepted that the missing men and their plane will never be found.  Still, a measure of memory, even if belated, is better than no memory at all.  

Some Books

Dorr, Robert F., 7th Bombardment Group / Wing 1918-1995, Turner Publishing Company, Paducah, Ky., 1996

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947

Quinn, Chick Marrs, The Aluminum Trail – How & Where They Died – China-Burma-India World War II 1942-1945, Chick Marrs Quinn, 1989

Rust, Kenn C, Tenth Air Force Story, Historical Aviation Album, Temple City, Ca., 1980

Young, Edward M., B-24 Liberator Units of the CBI, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, England, 2011

And otherwise…

I want to express my thanks to the Air Force Historical Research Agency for the Albert and Margolies crew photos: “Thanks very much!”

AFHRA Microfilm Roll A0538

Soldiers from New York: Jewish Soldiers in The New York Times, in World War Two: March 19, 1945 (In the Air… – …Twice Down, Twice Returned)

Every man’s life is a tapestry of stories, the majority mundane, some startling and dramatic; some traumatic and transformative; and a few – on rare occasion – inspiring by the very magnitude of their impact.  Such were the wartime experiences of First Lieutenant Bernard William Bail (0-807964), who served as a radar navigator in the 66th Bomb Squadron of the 8th Air Force’s 44th Bomb Group.

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…the insignia of the 66th Bomb Squadron (via US Wars Patches)…

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The son of Abraham (3/10/87-7/6/68) and Lillian “Lily” (Miller) (11/3/95-9/28/89) Bail and brother of Private Paul Bail of 2330 South 6th St., in Philadelphia, he was born in that city on November 18, 1920.  For the purposes of emergency correspondence, his official contact in the United States was his uncle, Dr. Harry Bail, his who resided at 2547 North 33rd St. in the same city. 

The recipient of the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters and Purple Heart, his name appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Record on May 4 and 3, 1945, respectively.  Though his name can be found on page 509 of American Jews in World War II, oddly, absolutely nothing about him ever appeared in wartime issues of The Jewish Exponent, which was (and is) published in that Pennsylvania city. 

As the radar navigator aboard the 66th Bomb Squadron’s un-nicknamed B-24J Liberator 42-51907 (QK * B+) during the 44th Bomb Group’s March 19, 1945 mission to an Me-262 factory at Neuberg, Germany, Lieutenant Bail was one of the aircraft’s three eventual survivors – from its crew of eleven – after the plane, piloted by 1 Lt. Robert J. Podojil, was shot down by German fighters in the vicinity of Stuttgart, an event covered in Missing Air Crew Report 13574.  The very sparse outline of this story is alluded to in the following article from the Philadelphia Inquirer of May 4, 1945.  The article also makes reference to Lt. Bail having previously bailed out over the English Channel, about which much (…much…(much!)) more follows further “down” this post. 

The text of the article:

Flier Freed From Nazis Survived 3 Plane Crashes

Luck of First Lieutenant Bernard W. Bail, 24-year-old Philadelphia squadron leader, was still running strong March 19 when anti-aircraft fire brought down his B-24 bomber over Germany – his third plunge since D-Day.

“I’m on my way back to my outfit after a month and a day in a German prison camp,” he wrote in a letter received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Bail, of 2330 S. 6th St.

A slight wound – its nature was not disclosed – has won him a Purple Heart to go along with his Air medal, Presidential Citation and other decorations that 16 months overseas service with the Eighth Air Force have earned for him.

Lieutenant Bail, then a bombardier, lost his first plane June 6, 1944, over the English Channel.  On the way into the Continent, his pilot was killed by flak.  The co-pilot took over finished the bombing run, but lost his leg in another shower of fire.

Lieutenant Bail, with the rest of the crew, bailed out, landed in the Channel, and were picked up 13 hours later by a Coast Guard cutter.

Last January Lieutenant Bail’s second plane was peppered with heavy fire in a bombing mission over the retreating Germans.  On its return trip the plane crashed in Western France.

Lieutenant Bail, who has been in the Air Forces for almost three years, is a graduate of South Philadelphia High School and West Chester State Teacher’s College.  A brother, private Paul, 27, was wounded in North Africa and returned to this country.

Here’s the article itself, accompanied by two advertisements that give a random “flavor” of the era…

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Though Dr. Bail passed away in 2021, his personal website – Bernard W. Bail M.D. – is fortunately still very much “up and running”.  His curriculum vitae includes some images and documents from his wartime service, including the Western Union telegrams informing his uncle of his missing in action status, and then, his imminent return to the United States (dated April 4 and May 17, respectively). 

Here they are:   

Here’s the crew of 42-51907…

Pilot – Podojil, Robert J., 1 Lt. 
Co-Pilot – Ritter, Frederick M., 2 Lt. 
Navigator – Chase, Dudley S., 2 Lt. 
Radar Navigator – Bail, Bernard W., 1 Lt. – Survived (11/18/20-1/26/21)
Bombardier – Crane, Walter W., 2 Lt. 
Flight Engineer – Reichenbach, Theodore H., T/Sgt. 
Radio Operator- Veitch, Max F., T/Sgt. – Survived (9/23/24-12/4/08)
Gunner (Nose) – Clark, William N., Jr., S/Sgt. (See also…)
Gunner (Right Waist) – West, John W., S/Sgt.
Gunner (Left Waist) – Mosevich, Walter F., S/Sgt. – Survived
Gunner (Tail) – Schmitz, Norbert J., S/Sgt. – Died of wounds while POW (See here and here)

An uploaded to Ancestry by Kasie Podojil on August 22, 2023, this photo shows the Podojil crew.  The men aren’t identified, but I’m certain that Lt. Podojil is one of the men in the front row.  Not being a regular member of the crew, Lt. Bail wouldn’t be in the picture.  Close examination of the data block and three digits on the forward fuselage reveal that this plane is B-24J 42-50807, which is solidly confirmed via Aviation Archeology. 

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Given the time-frame, though it might be assumed that there’d be an abundance of information about the loss of QK * B+, but strangely there is not.  No Luftgaukommando Report – if there even was one – for this incident survives, and, Jan Safarik’s compilation of Luftwaffe fighter victories against B-24s has no entries for this date.  In the missing Air Crew Report, observations by other airmen in the 66th are equally enigmatic.  The report states: “Very little is known as to exactly what happened to this crew.  On this mission six aircraft were originally carried as “not yet returned”, five of which have returned to base.  All five of these returned aircraft had left the formation after bombing and landed on the Continent, having run short of gas.  At 1503 hours this crew was heard from at a point approximately ten (10 miles southwest of Stuttgart and fifty-five (55) miles east of bombline, at which time the pilot thought he would be able to make it to friendly territory.  At this time he was observed to have two (2) feathered engines.  No further word was heard over VHR and no additional information has been received at this headquarters.” 

Documents in the MACR – a statement made by Sgt. Mosevich in Miami on August 31, 1945, and, Casualty Questionnaires completed by the three survivors – yield a reconstruction of what befell 42-51907 and her crew:  The plane’s #3 engine suffered a loss of power prior to reaching Neuberg due to a loss of oil pressure, with the #1 failing for the same reason after the bomb run.  Lagging behind and unable to maintain formation with the rest of the 44th, Lt. Podojil ordered his crew to jettison the plane’s machine guns, ammunition, and other equipment.  The defenseless bomber was then shot down by German fighters in an attack that must have been as sudden as it was overwhelming, this eventuating in four airmen abandoning the bomber from 15,000.  As Sgt. Mosevich stated in his Casualty Questionnaire form for Lt. Podojil, “The fighter planes attacked us very suddenly, it all seemed to be over in a few seconds.”  In his summary Casualty Questionnaire, he wrote that Sgt. Veitch opened the bomb bay doors through which Veitch and Bail jumped, while Mosevich himself jumped out the port waist window.  How Sgt. Schmitz escaped the plane is not mentioned; I’d assume through the jettisonable lower tail hatch.    

Despite what is reported from other sources (see below…) Sgt. Mosevich saw only three other parachutes in mid-air, and recalled that Clark, Crane, and West didn’t have their parachutes attached when he left the plane.  

The conclusion to be drawn from the MACR is that – with the exception of Sgt. Schmitz – none of the seven other crewmen were able to escape the aircraft. 

This parallel’s Lt. Bail’s statement in 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties: “On my 25th mission our plane was jumped by a couple of ME 109s.  The entire crew, with the exception of four of us, was killed over Germany near Stuttgart.  The tail gunner, S/Sgt. N.J. Schmitz, sustained a leg injury that necessitated amputation of his leg, which I witnessed.  I, myself, was wounded in my head and neck.  The young tail gunner [Schmitz] later died of gangrene.  I was present at his burial in the little town of Goppingen.”

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Here’s Lt. Bail’s reply to Major W.R Reed of the Air Corps’ Notification Branch, concerning the latter’s inquiry of June, 1945, pertaining to Lt. Ritter (co-pilot) and Sgt. Clark (nose gunner):

Tuesday – Sept 1945

Dear Major Reed,
     I have received your letter asking about Lts. Ritter, Chase, and Crane and Sgts. Reichenbach, West and Clark.
     I have written to various depts. already the fact that all of the above men are dead.
     The mission was on March 19, 1945 to Ingolstadt; we were attacked on the way back by the Luftwaffe.
     The men listed above were unable to get out of the plane, which went down, burning; so it is sure all of them died.
     I have written fully to other departments as I’ve said.  Should you want further information, I shall be glad to answer any questions you may have.
Sincerely
Bernard W. Bail

Lt. Bail’s letter, as it appears in the MACR:

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Accompanying Sgt. Mosevich’s Casualty Questionnaire forms in the MACR is this very brief summary of his escape from 42-51907:

Additional Inf:
     We were flying on two engines and we had abandoned our guns and ammunition.  Our fighter escort hadn’t arrived.  German fighters attacked suddenly.  When I bailed out the plane seemed to be starting into a spin.  As I floated down I saw a column of smoke coming from the ground.
     The action happened to fast that I didn’t get a chance to survey the conditions in the plane as I bailed out a few seconds after the plane was attacked.
     If I can be of further help please let me know but I have no more information.  Any more, would be pure guess work.
Yours truly,
Walter Mosevich

Sgt. Mosevich’s note, as it appears in the MACR:

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The FindAGrave biographical profile for Sgt. West is very extensive, and includes an account of the loss of QK * B+ written by Max F. Veitch (long after he war, I guess, and I suppose uploaded in 2018 by Donald Winters?) which corroborates the information in the MACR.

Mr. Veitch wrote: “We became a lead crew and were on our 18th mission when we were shot down over Germany.  We were flying B+ a PFF ship (#42-51907).  We had an 11-man crew on board.  We were on the bomb run when we lost our #3 engine.  After dropping our bombs on the target, we lost our #1 engine and had to leave the formation as we were losing altitude rapidly.

“We called for fighter support, but none came.  Our pilot ordered us to get rid of all the excess weight that we could.  We headed back towards our lines.  I was in the bomb bay throwing out all the excess stuff that I could, when I felt a large explosion and heat coming toward me from the rear of the ship.  I grabbed my chest chute to dive out as the ship started down.  I was able to get only one side hooked, but it carried me down okay.

“As I was floating down, I saw three German Me 109s following the ship down.  I did not see it crash.  I also saw only three other chutes going down on the other side of a river.  I did not know who got out until that night when the German civilians got us together and took us to a town and put us in a small jail cell.

“Our tail gunner’s leg [Schmitz] was shot up from his foot to his knee.  Mosevich, our waist gunner, was shot in the arm and I was hit below the eye and in the hand.  The ‘G’ Navigator, Lt. Bail, had minor injuries.

“After about a week in that jail cell with only a loaf of bread and some water, two German soldiers came and escorted us to the railroad station in Stuggart.  We got on a train and were taken to the town of Goppengen where there were four German hospitals.  Sgt. Schmitz was operated on April 1 , [two weeks later!] 1945 and died shortly afterwards.  He was buried in a cemetery near the hospital.

“We were liberated on 21 April 1945 by the 44th infantry.  Sgt. Mosevich died a few years ago.  As a side note, our navigator, Lt. James Haney, was in the 44th base hospital at that time and did not fly with us on this mission.  Lt. Dudley Chase was his replacement.  It was the first time for Lt. Bail to fly with our crew also.”

The FindAGrave profile also includes the following statement by a Willi Wagner, a civilian lumberjack from Neubaerenthal, which is described as being from “AGRC [American Graves Registration Command] case #4785, Evacuation #1F-1750”.

“On 19 March 1945 while working in the Hagenschiess forest, I observed an American bomber pursued and fired on by three German fighter planes.  Thereupon the planes disappeared.  Several minutes later, however, the bomber returned flying upside down at an altitude of approximately 40 meters only.  As far as I could see a piece of the right wing with one motor had broken off.  When the plane was just over the road leading from Wurmberg to Pforzheim-east I saw one crewmember falling out of the plane.  On visiting the place where he crashed I discovered one deceased American whose parachute had failed to open.   The plane itself continued its flight for approximately 2,000 meters and then crashed into the so-called ‘Hartheimer Rain.’  I heard a strong detonation and saw a dark smoke cloud at the place concerned.

“On the next day I found the charred remains of five or six bodies of the place of crash.  The crewmember who had fallen out of the bomber was buried at the spot where he had crashed by Rudolf Sigricht, former postman and two other men from Neubaerenthal three or four days later as I have learned.

“Nothing is known to me with regard to the burial of the five or six bodies found among the plane wreckage.

“In June 1945 the deceased American who fell out of the plane was disinterred, examined and evacuated on a truck most probably to Pforzheim by a French team.  I believe no identification was possible.”

Rob Fisk, a navigator who flew thirty missions with Howard Hinshaw’s crew, believes that Dudley Chase was killed by German civilians.  Fisk’s son, Bradley Fisk, wrote: “Dudley Chase and my father were good friends at Shipdham.  They had adjacent bunks in the same Quonset hut.  Mrs. Chase would occasionally send cookies.  To keep her son honest she would frost them with a D for Dudley or an R for Robert.  Around the time my father rotated home, he received word that Dudley Chase had been shot down.  Parachutes were seen, and my father held out hope for his friend.  However, after Dad came home, he heard that when that section of Germany was occupied by the Allies, the locals pointed out the location of the graves of several Allied airmen.  One of these turned out to be Dudley Chase…  Dad had heard that Chase had landed safely near another crewmember but that they had separated for safety.  My Mom and Dad were told at Cambridge cemetery [during a 1983 visit] that Chase was captured and killed by civilians.  His body was exhumed after the war and Dad was told that he bore the marks of multiple pitchfork wounds.”

Based on this compilation of information, I believe that there was no war crime:  A search of NARA’s database reveals no name index card in Records Group 153 (Records of the Office of the Judge Advocate General) for Dudley Chase.  Similarly, none of the three survivors mentioned encountering Sergeant Chase after bailing out.    

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Here’s the map in MACR 13574 showing the last reported position of QK * B+: Somewhere southwest of Stuttgart…

…which corresponds to somewhere between Sindelfingen and Boblingen.

Though the MACR isn’t specific on the point, a clue to the location of QK * B+’s loss lies in lumberjack Wagner’s mention that the bomber crashed into the ‘Hartheimer Rain.’  The closest linguistic match for this phrase is “Hardheimer Hain”, the location of which corresponds to an area between Sindelfingen and Boblingen, as illustrated in this view from MapCarta.  (It’s not on Oogle Maps.)

Here’s how the location appears on an Apple Map…

This v e r y large scale map view (note the 750 foot scale in the upper left!) reveals that this location is in a presently forested area…

…while this air photo view of the same locale – at the same scale – suggests (best as I can tell) that this area became the site of a (long since dismantled) Nike missile installation (?) from the first (?!) Cold War.

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Thus for March 19, 1945, Lt. Bail’s 25th and final mission.

Much more happened to him on June 5, 1944, one day before D-Day.

On that June Monday, as a Second Lieutenant, Lt. Bail parachuted from the badly damaged B-24H 41-28690 (Missouri Sue / “QK * B“) piloted by Captain Louis A. Mazure, during a mission against German coastal defenses near Wimereux, France.  Eleven of the aircraft’s twelve crew members survived – Captain Mazure having been instantly killed by flak – among them Lt. Col Leon R. Vance, Jr., Deputy Group Commander of the 489th Bomb Group, who received the Medal of Honor (the only such award to go to an 8th Air Force B-24 crewmen) for his actions that day, and one of the fourteen 8th Air Force airmen to have received that award.  Lt. Col. Vance has received six “Remembrances” at the National WW II Memorial.   

This photo of the Colonel (a few years before he was a Colonel) is from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.  The image probably dates from 1939, the year he graduated from West Point, given that he’s wearing lieutenant’s bars and infantry collar devices.  

This undated portrait of the Colonel is from the Air Force Historical Support Division.  He’s now in the Air Corps, as evident by his collar devices.

While there’s no Missing Air Crew Report covering this incident – there didn’t need to be; none of the eleven survivors were missing for more than 48 hours, and Capt. Mazure’s fate was immediately known – there’s much information about the event due to its historical significance.  Rather than recapitulate and repeat each and every detail through my own write-up, this information is presented below, in the way of: 1) An excerpt from Roger Freeman’s 1970 The Mighty Eighth, 2) A transcript of Lt. Col Vance’s 1945 Medal of Honor citation from Wikipedia, 3) A transcript of a 1944 article from The Gary [Indiana] Post-Tribune found at Captain Mazure’s FindAGrave biographical profile, and, 4) The full (and actual) story of the incident from Will Lundy’s 2004 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties.  The latter two sources are particularly revealing. 

There appear to be at first subtle, but then – on contemplation – subtle (?) differences, in terms of the specific chain of events and individual actions that occurred aboard Missouri Sue, that emerge when comparing the Colonel’s Award Citation, to the accounts of the mission as reported in the 1944 newspaper article about Captain Mazure, and, the story in 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties, the latter based on reports by Missouri Sue’s bombardier, navigator, radar navigator (Lt. Bail), radio operator, and left waist gunner. 

For your consideration, I’ve highlighted these incongruities in dark brown text, like this.

The bomber’s crew comprised:

Command Pilot – Vance, Leon R., Jr., Lt. Col. 0-022050 – Severely wounded (See here and here)
Pilot – Mazure, Louis A., Capt. – Killed in Action
Co-Pilot – Carper, Earl L., 2 Lt. (Is this him…?…(1918-1980)) – Bailed out over English Channel; Rescued
Navigator – Kilgore, John R., 2 Lt. – Injured on landing
Radar Navigator – Bail, Bernard W., 2 Lt.
Bombardier – Segal, Milton, 2 Lt. – Concussion
Bombardier – Glickman, Nathaniel, 2 Lt.  (4/18/22-11/15/12)
Flight Engineer – Hoppie, Earl L., T/Sgt. (7/25/22-12/13/90)
Radio Operator – Skufca, Quentin F., T/Sgt. – Severely wounded (5/16-24-1/18/14)
Gunner (Right Waist) – Evans, Davis J., Jr., S/Sgt. – Wounded
Gunner (Left Waist) – Secrist, Harry E., S/Sgt. – Wounded (9/26/15-2/14/01)
Gunner (Tail) – Sallis, Wiley A., S/Sgt. – Wounded

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Let’s start with The Mighty Eighth (page 144):

On the eve of D-Day when the heavies were pounding coastal defences between the Cherbourg peninsula and the Pas de Calais, the 489th Group was bracketed by flak again.  The lead aircraft took a burst near the right side of the cockpit, killing the co-pilot and practically severing the right foot of the air commander, Lt. Col. Leon R. Vance, who was standing on the flight platform between the pilot’s seats.  Despite this injury Vance ordered the bomber to be kept on its bomb run for fortifications near Wimereaux.  The ailing Liberator, hit in three engines, managed to reach the English coast where Vance ordered the crew to bale out.  Told there was an injured man in the rear, who could not jump, Vance remained alone in the wreckage of the cockpit and by some miraculous effort succeeded in the difficult task of ditching a B-24.  An explosion as the aircraft settled beneath the waves, blew him clear severing his mutilated foot.  Clinging to a piece of wreckage he managed to inflate his life jacket and began to search for the wounded man he believed aboard.  Failing to find anyone he began swimming and was picked up 50 minutes later by a rescue craft.  Vance survived the extraordinary episode.  By the irony of fate, his air evacuation C-54 to the US in late July disappeared without trace on the Iceland-Newfoundland leg.  Leon Vance’s unquestionable courage, skill and self-sacrifice brought him the only Medal of Honor to go to a Liberator crewmen engaged on operations from the UK.

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Next is Lt. Col. Vance’s Medal of Honor citation, dated January 4, 1945:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on 5 June 1944, when he led a Heavy Bombardment Group, in an attack against defended enemy coastal positions in the vicinity of Wimereaux, France.  Approaching the target, his aircraft was hit repeatedly by antiaircraft fire which seriously crippled the ship, killed the pilot, and wounded several members of the crew, including Lt. Col. Vance, whose right foot was practically severed.  In spite of his injury, and with 3 engines lost to the flak, he led his formation over the target, bombing it successfully.  After applying a tourniquet to his leg with the aid of the radar operator, Lt. Col. Vance, realizing that the ship was approaching a stall altitude with the 1 remaining engine failing, struggled to a semi-upright position beside the copilot and took over control of the ship.  Cutting the power and feathering the last engine he put the aircraft in glide sufficiently steep to maintain his airspeed.  Gradually losing altitude, he at last reached the English coast, whereupon he ordered all members of the crew to bail out as he knew they would all safely make land.  But he received a message over the interphone system which led him to believe 1 of the crew members was unable to jump due to injuries; so he made the decision to ditch the ship in the channel, thereby giving this man a chance for life.  To add further to the danger of ditching the ship in his crippled condition, there was a 500-pound bomb hung up in the bomb bay.  Unable to climb into the seat vacated by the copilot, since his foot, hanging on to his leg by a few tendons, had become lodged behind the copilot’s seat, he nevertheless made a successful ditching while lying on the floor using only aileron and elevators for control and the side window of the cockpit for visual reference.  On coming to rest in the water the aircraft commenced to sink rapidly with Lt. Col. Vance pinned in the cockpit by the upper turret which had crashed in during the landing.  As it was settling beneath the waves an explosion occurred which threw Lt. Col. Vance clear of the wreckage.  After clinging to a piece of floating wreckage until he could muster enough strength to inflate his life vest he began searching for the crewmember whom he believed to be aboard.  Failing to find anyone he began swimming and was found approximately 50 minutes later by an Air-Sea Rescue craft.  By his extraordinary flying skill and gallant leadership, despite his grave injury, Lt. Col. Vance led his formation to a successful bombing of the assigned target and returned the crew to a point where they could bail out with safety.  His gallant and valorous decision to ditch the aircraft in order to give the crewmember he believed to be aboard a chance for life exemplifies the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.

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Here’s the story as it was reported in The Gary Post-Tribune sixteen days later, in a tribute to Captain Mazure:

Capt. Louis Mazure Dies at Controls of B-24 in Epic Story of Heroism
Gary Flier Hit by Flak Over French Target, Co-Pilot “Pushes” Crippled Plane to Coast

Friday, July 21, 1944

This portrait of Captain Mazure (as a lieutenant) is from his FindAGrave biographical profile, via Elizabeth Rhodes.

Capt. Louis A. Mazure, Froebel high school and Gary college graduate and 28-year-old son of Mrs. Helen Mazure, 110 East 43rd, had been identified today as the pilot of a Liberator bomber who alone among the ship’s complement lost has life June 2 when the plane was riddled with flak and shorn of all its power as it prepared to drop its bombs over a pre-invasion target on the French coast.

The crippled ship was glided all the way back to the English coast by Mazure’s 26-year-old co-pilot, Lieut. Earl L. Carper of 7108 Ingleside, Chicago, under direction of a colonel command pilot whose left foot had been blown off by a shell burst over the target.

Out of deference to the Gary captain’s kin, who had not yet been notified of his death, his name was omitted from an official account of the almost incredible incident released at an 8th air force Liberator station in England a few days after the tragedy.

Family Given Clew

Publication of a fragment of the graphic story in a Chicago newspaper, which named Carper as the co-pilot, gave the Mazure family the clew which led to identification of the Gary captain as the skipper of the ill-fated craft who died at the controls just as his bombardier, Lieut. Milton Segal of Brooklyn, took over the ship for the final run over the target.

In one of his letters home, written in late May, Mazure, who normally piloted Flying Fortress bombers, disclosed he had recently been flying “different types” of four-engine craft, and listed Carper and Segal among the members of his newest crew.

The captain’s brother, Anthony, who lives at 28 Ruth street, Hammond, interviewed the co-pilot’s mother, Mrs. Howard E. Carper, in Chicago, and thereafter said he was convinced that Captain Louis, who had written May 23 that he expected to be back in Gary “soon,” was the pilot of the “Lib” that made history by its motorless escape flight across the English channel.

Held Private License

A former employee of the Gary works electrical maintenance department, Mazure was one of the first CPT graduates turned out by Gary college and the Calumet air service, and had held a private pilot’s license for about two years up to the time of his induction as any army aviation cadet in August 1941.

He won his wings March 18th, 1942, at Mather Field, Calif., and before embarking for overseas served as a gunnery instructor on multi-engine bombers at Las Vegas, NM.  He was promoted to first lieutenant April 17th last year, and to a captaincy early this spring.

He received the air medal and presidential citation for his participation in the first U.S. bomber raid upon the Ploesti oil fields in Romania, and is believed to have logged more than 25 combat missions up to the time he last wrote his mother, May 23.

Ranked as First Chief

He was a squadron operations officer during the early part of his service in England, and was ranked as a flight commander at the time of his death.

A copy of the official version of Captain Mazure’s last flight and of the epic trans-channel escape of the Liberator and its crew after the pilot died from a flak wound in the temple, was obtained by the pilot’s brother from Mrs. Carper.

It disclosed that the crippled bomber finally was “ditched” in the channel just off the English coast channel by the wounded command pilot after everyone had bailed out over English soil at his orders.

Five of the crew were wounded, but Mazure was the only fatality.  The other six men were shaken and bruised, but otherwise uninjured.

“As the Liberator started on its bomb run over coastal France,” said the unidentified author of the official account, “it was subjected to a continuous hail of heavy flak and suffered repeated hits.”

“‘I don’t know at what point each engine got it,’ related Lieutenant Carper, ‘because bursts were getting us right along.’

“Good Boy,” His Last Words

“The bombardier, Lieutenant Segal, was not wearing his flak helmet when the first burst hit the nose of the ship.  He left his bombsight for a second to get it, then returned to his position.  As he bent over his sight a second burst caught the nose, knocking Segal’s helmet from his head.  This time he did not attempt to retrieve it.  Over the interphone he informed the pilot (Mazure) that he was ready to take control for the final run.  “I’ve got the ship,” he said.  “Good boy” replied the pilot.  Those were his last words, for a piece of flak struck him in the temple and killed him instantly.

“With the pilot dead, the Liberator continued over the target and the bombs were released.

“Meanwhile the entire ship was in an uproar.  At approximately the same time the pilot was killed, the command pilot (still unidentified officially) received a hit which blew off his left foot above the ankle.  Lieut B.W. Bail of Philadelphia ripped off his heavy gloves when he saw that the foot had been blown off.  From the first aid kit he removed bandages, a tourniquet and sulpha.

“Quickly applying the tourniquet to the colonel’s knee, he sprinkled sulpha over the wound and bandaged the bleeding stump.  Medical men afterwards credited this action with saving the wounded officer’s life.

4 Others Wounded

“Amid all this confusion, four other crew members had been wounded, the nose of the plane shattered and gasoline was flowing about in streams causing an extreme fire hazard.

“Carper had little chance to see what else was going on in the ship.  He took over as the pilot slumped over the controls and when he heard ‘Bombs away!” swung the nose of the ship toward England.  At this point the command pilot, who had managed to pull himself to his feet, braced himself between the pilots’ seats and leaned over and pulled the throttles, then pushed them back.

“‘No power,” he told Carper.  “Cut all the switches.”

“This Carper did, and they began the long glide back to the British coast.

Dropped 5,000 Feet

“ ‘We dropped 5,000 feet in what seemed a second,’ related Carper.  ‘A B-24 isn’t much of a glider, but we got back over England.  The colonel (command pilot) was the bravest guy I ever saw.  When we got over land, he told all the crew to bail out and then wanted me to try to ditch it.’

“Carper, who had watched the ship lose more and more altitude, wanted the command pilot to bail out but he refused and, instead, ordered Carper to ‘hit the silk’.

“The co-pilot jumped over land, but as they had turned the nose again after the rest of the crew had bailed out, he landed in the channel.  The command pilot sat on the edge of the seat and pulled back on the controls, which was all he could do to ‘ditch’ the big ship.  The Liberator landed on the water and he was thrown clear.  

“In an example of physical stamina that defies explanation, the injured man swam three miles, spending 45 minutes in the icy water, before he was picked up by a rescue boat.

“Meanwhile the other crew members who had bailed out were having plenty of trouble.  Carper became entangled in the shroud lines of his chute and had to struggle desperately to keep afloat.  It was due only to the alertness of a Spitfire pilot who saw the Liberator as it turned back to sea and kept circling it until it crashed that a rescue ship sped out and picked him up in 25 minutes.

“Segal, the bombardier, had jumped over land, but when he pulled the ripcord nothing happened.  Frantically he ripped open the canvas and pulled the silk out by hand, the chute finally blossoming above him.

“Another crew member landed in a minefield and the fact that he broke a leg in the fall and could not move probably saved his life, since a rescue party discovered that he lay within a yard of an antipersonnel mine that would have exploded had he touched it.

“The remainder of the crew made their jumps without incident, although Lieut. Nathaniel Glickman, New York City, wounded in the forehead and arm by flak fragments, complained bitterly because the wind carried him half a mile away from a WAAF camp that he had expected to land in.”

Captain Mazure’s body was not recovered, the crippled Liberator carrying it to the bottom of the channel as it sank after the crash landing.

Other injured crew members were Staff Sergts. Harry E. Secrist, Newark, O., David E. Evans, Jr., Massilon, O., and Wiley A. Sallis, Smithville, Miss.

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Finally, this complete account of Missouri Sue’s last mission is from Will Lundy’s 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties.  This is comprised of statements – made in the 1980s or 1990s? – by Nathaniel Glickman (bombardier), John R. Kilgore (navigator), Bernard W. Bail (radar navigator), Quentin F. Skufca (radio operator), and Harry E. Secrist (left waist gunner).

Captain Mazure was piloting this aircraft, flying lead for the 489th BG and the 2nd Division. The primary target was reported to be coastal installations at Boulogne-sur-Mer but actually was a V1 Site, Wimereaux, North Boulogne.

Briefing was scheduled for 0400, even though Colonel Vance evidently had been held up and was late.  So the briefing continued with the information that the bombing would be from 22,500 feet and the bomb load would be 10,500 pound GPs.  Stepping away from the map, the officer addressed the bombardiers and stressed the point that should they for any reason fail to drop the bombs on the first run, they were to jettison the load over the English Channel and return to their bases.  No second run was to be made over the target.

The meteorologist added that there would be broken clouds over the coast and should be clear sailing in and out.  Intelligence reported that we could anticipate flak at the French coast and that no enemy fighters were expected so there would be no fighter escort.

Col. Vance arrived at 0830, apologized for his delay, and asked Capt. Mazure to review the information we had received at the briefing.  When he had finished with the flight plan, Lt. Glickman informed him of the instructions regarding the bomb run and the specific order not to make a second run over the target.

Takeoff was at 0900; the mission was rather routine as Lt. Bail, radar-navigator, guided the formation via his radar “Mickey” toward the Pas de Calais sector of French Coast.  As they approached the IP, control of the aircraft was turned over to Lt. Segal, bombardier, for the bomb run.  Lt. Glickman called out the target and then watched for signs of flak and enemy fighters.  There appeared to be flak off to the starboard side but it was of little consequence.

As the target was approached, Lt. Segal ordered the bomb bay doors to be opened, steadied down and then called out “Bombs Away.”  Nothing happened!  Every bomb was still hanging in the bays.  The other aircraft in the formation awaiting our drop, failed to release theirs, too.  Either there had been a malfunction in the bombsight, or the arming release switch on the bombardier’s panel had not been activated.  So nothing happened due, apparently, to some faulty equipment, and no bombs were dropped by any of the aircraft in our formation.

Lt. Glickman added that “We turned off the target and at that time I notified our pilot, Mazure, that we were to head back over the Channel and jettison our bombs according to the briefing instructions.  But Col. Vance countermanded my orders and directed that we make a second run, informing us that he was in command of this flight.”

Departing the immediate area, they flew south, circled and flew parallel to the coastline, at the same altitude and airspeed, but as the enemy gunners had zeroed in on them, the first flak burst exploded off their port wing.  The pilot, Mazure, was killed when shrapnel sliced in under his helmet, and struck him in the head.  Lt. Carper, the co-pilot, immediately took over the controls.  When the next blast hit, it tore through the flight deck, hit Col. Vance (who was standing between the dead pilot and Lt. Carper) and nearly severed his right foot so that it was hanging by a shred.

Lt. Bail gave this report, “Our bomb bay doors were still open and I could see that a couple of bombs were still hung up.  About this same time, the co-pilot Carper, cut off all four engines and switches, fearing that the plane would catch fire and blow up.  He quickly turned our ship for England in a shallow glide.  I then began calling the various members of the crew on interphone and was relieved to learn that no others were badly injured.

“As soon as possible, I managed to get Colonel Vance down to my seat, took off my belt and wound it around his thigh as a makeshift tourniquet to reduce the spurting blood.”

Lt. Glickman continued, “At this same instant my nose turret took a series of bursts that shattered the Plexiglas and cut open my forehead, as well as hitting the base of my spine.  Our plane continued to be hit as we stayed on the bomb run.  My primary concern was the possibility of our bomb bays being hit before the bombs were released.

“The starboard outer engine (#1) had been hit and the propeller was now snapped with the three blades drooping downwards.  The top turret had most of the Plexiglass blown off, part of the right rudder and rudder elevator also had been hit.  Concerned about the previous inability to release our bombs and now approaching the prior drop point again, I called out that I would drop the bombs using my turret release switch that would bypass the bombardier’s panel.  The other bombers following us in our formation unloaded at the same time that I did.

“After I released our bombs, my turret took another hit which not only cut my left hand but blasted off another large portion of the turret Plexiglass.  Looking at my pilotage map I advised Carper of our position and gave him the return heading to England.  The celestial navigator had his equipment, his desk table and charts destroyed and with Bail aiding Vance, I had maps with which to aid the pilot.

“We continued to get hit; the radio room took flak which severely wounded Sgt. Skufca.”  On the flight deck and behind the two pilots and Col. Vance were the two stations for the PFF navigators: Lts. Bail and Kilgore.  John Kilgore added these comments, “As we left the south coast of England, the Germans began to jam my ‘G’ set, as usual, so I looked over at Bail to see if his “Mickey” was operating, but he shrugged his shoulders, ‘No.’  This had been the same conditions as from the other two previous missions.  We turned at our I.P. (Initial Point) and headed north, and as we approached the target, Glickman said he could see our target through the broken clouds.  I assumed that Segal was on the target with his sight.

“At ‘Bombs Away,’ nothing happened!  Vance did order a second run on the target.  Why we didn’t take some sort of evasive action or change in altitude is still a mystery to me.  The second run was uneventful until the bombs were released.  Even then, I don’t recall hearing the crump of ack-ack.  But I do recall, and very vividly, the left side of the plane pressing inwardly against my right arm.  The flak jackets jumped off the flight deck floor, my instrument panel going dead, the sight glasses of the fuel transfer system disintegrating, and raw high-octane gasoline streaming onto the flight deck.  Hoppie, our engineer, literally ‘slithered’ out of the top turret, grabbing what I thought was a flight jacket and trying to stem the flow of gasoline with one hand, turning off the fuel transfer valves with the other.

“About this time Glickman came over the intercom announcing that he had been hit in the head and blood was streaming down over his face so that he could not see.  One of the waist gunners, Secrist, came over the intercom that Skufca had been hit badly in the legs.  As he was calling no one in particular, I answered by telling him of our situation on the flight deck, and asked him and Evans to see about Sallis, our tail gunner, and to assist Skufca out of the plane when the time came.”

“Apparently we had experienced two to three hits or misses – there was no direct hit, for if there were, none of us would be here.  The plane seemed to be ‘sailing’ along on an even keel.  At no time were there any sudden diving, stalling or yawing motions.  I turned to Bail and told him to turn on the I.F.F. (Identification, Friend or Foe) switch was directly above his head, and had a red safety cover over it.  As we had left the formation, and we were approaching the English Coast, we must be identified.

“I got up from my seat and looked into the cockpit area, found Mazure slumped in his harness and his instrument panel was covered in blood.  Carper was in the co-pilot position, doing what all good co-pilots do, trying to keep the plane flying.  I then jumped down into the ‘well’ of the flight deck along side of Hoppie – not that I could assist him in any way, but to be first in line.  Hoppie didn’t need any help as he was a true professional and knew his job well.

“As we were standing there looking down at the water, the doors began to close.  Hoppie grabbed the manual crank to open them again, and I reconnected my intercom, yelled for someone not to close them again.  Apparently the message got through as the doors were never closed again.”  Glickman added, “As we headed towards England, the plane took one last blast that cut the gas lines and forced Carper to cut all the switches to prevent any fire and stopped all three remaining engines as well as the power to my nose turret.  With that action and starting the no-power glide towards England, I heard the bailout bell and someone calling us to bail out.”

S/Sgt. Harry Secrist, left waist gunner, added his recollections of what took place in the rear of the aircraft: “Skuf was hit while still in his radio room and fell out of it into the waist area ahead of us.  He was badly injured and could not stand.  Gasoline was spraying all over us in the waist and Skuf was lying on the waist floor in all of that gasoline.  So I grabbed a spare parachute and put it under his head.  As I stood up, another large burst of flak came through the side of the waist and passed between Skuf and me.  It made a hole in the right side about ten inches wide, then made several holes on the left side where it went out.

“All of the tail assembly was intact, but the left rudder and vertical stabilizer had a lot of holes in them.  Dave opened the hatch door in the floor and was sweeping some of the gasoline out with his foot.

“When we got near the coast of England, I threw the left waist gun out of the window and turned to get Wiley and Dave to help me lift Skuf to the waist window where he could bail out.  But when I turned back from the window, Wiley had Skuf and was going into the bomb bay where they eventually bailed out.  Dave went out the right window and I went out the left.  I fell about a half mile, it seemed, to get rid of the gasoline on me.  We were all soaked with it and wondered about the static electricity when the chutes opened.  I think I was the only one of us who bailed out of the rear area to land in a minefield.

“After I opened my chute, I was about a thousand feet above a large cloud and when I came out of the cloud, there was a barrage balloon under it. I missed it by about 100 feet.  Then, when I got below the balloon, I was drifting toward the cable, but missed it, too, by about 50 feet.  As I got closer to the ground, I saw men running along a dirt road toward me, then came down about 60 to 70 feet from the edge of the cliff next to the Channel, and just a few feet from a fence that ran parallel to the cliff.  My parachute fell across this fence and some barbed wire between the fence and the edge of this cliff.  This barbed wire was about eight feet high.

After releasing my parachute harness and standing up, I started to walk down to the road.  I had taken only a few steps when I understood what the British Sergeant was yelling to me.  He was shouting for me to stand still as there were land mines everywhere.  Help was on the way with maps to guide me through this field!

After spending a most interesting overnight at this remote cannon emplacement unit, Harry Secrist was driven to the huge British airbase at Manston where he was united with Sgts. Evans and Sallis.  None of them were injured in their parachuting.

Lt. Bail continued his recollections. “As our plane neared the English coast, still gliding without power and rapidly descending, I directed the crew to start bailing out.  When only Colonel Vance and I remained, I told Col. Vance that we must now jump as there was no way to land that damaged plane, especially with those bombs hung up in the bay, armed and ready to explode on impact.  Not being a doctor then, I was not fully aware that the Colonel was in shock.  When the Colonel shook his head and said he wouldn’t jump, I knew that there was no way I could drag him to the bomb bay, and assist him out.  I knew, too, that the plane was losing altitude fast, and we didn’t have much time.  I checked his tourniquet, shook his hand and made my plunge through the open bay.

“We bailed out between Ramsgate and Dover in Kent, most of the earlier ones out landing near the water, but on land.  I, being the last to parachute, came down a bit further inland, but not too far away from them.  Lt. Kilgore broke one leg in two places when he hit the ground.

______________________________

This map shows the English Channel / North Sea between Calais and Dover.  Ramsgate is northeast of Dover, on the British coast.

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Lt. Glickman continued, “I was the last man to bail out inasmuch as I was trapped in the nose turret after it had been shattered by flak and the power to turn it in position for me to fall backward had been cut off.  I was forced to break my way out although I was wounded and hit in several places.  The Air Force Telex indicated that I was blinded by blood and was led to the bomb bay simply was not true.

“When the bailout bell rang, you can imagine the mass exodus!  But now I crawled to the nose wheel area, snapped on my chest chute, and because my legs were useless, crawled through the tunnel under the flight deck to the bomb bay catwalk.  The only men I saw on board at that time on the flight deck were Col. Vance and the dead pilot, Captain Mazure.  In fact, I had to push the bombardier, Milton Segal off the catwalk before I rolled off the catwalk myself.

“I withheld opening of my chute for a time until I was sure no other aircraft was in the vicinity, and also I was very close to the Channel, with the breeze bringing me back over land.  I was lucky in that I landed on the lawn of the Royal Marine Hospital at Deal, on the cliffs of Dover.”

Lt. Bail continued, “When I visited Col. Vance in the hospital, he told me that he had worked himself forward, crawled into the co-pilot’s seat, and turned the aircraft away from that populated area and back out to sea.  Captain Mazure’s body was still in the pilot’s seat so he was forced to get into the co-pilot’s position.  When the ship hit water, the bombs exploded and destroyed the aircraft, somehow not killing the Colonel.  Finding himself still alive and conscious, the Colonel began swimming toward the shore, injured leg and all, until rescued by a ship in that vicinity.  “Later at the hospital, the Colonel told me that he was eager to get back into combat, and would as soon as he recovered.  Most unfortunately, the Colonel was killed when he was being returned to the States and his airplane was lost at sea.  After the war, I was invited to attend the ceremonies when the Colonel’s widow was presented with his Medal of Honor.”

On the 19th of March, 1945, Lt. Bail, with another crew, was shot down over Germany and became a POW.

Lt. Nathaniel Glickman added, “A number of years ago I attended a reunion of our Second Division at the Air Force Academy.  There, I met a co-pilot of one of the Wing crews on our flight who related the following story, which added a new bit of drama to the end of this flight.  He had witnessed the damage to our plane and had counted the number of our crew that had bailed out.  Our plane was still airborne and headed inland, but as you know, was losing altitude.  Someone had contacted the authorities, which, in turn, were concerned that the plane might crash into a built up area and allegedly, gave orders to them to shoot it down.  Just as they turned to follow those instructions, our plane began its very slow turn to the left back towards the Channel where both Segal and I bailed out.  The order, of course, was canceled, when it was noted that the plane was still under control and attempting to turn.  You can imagine my feelings when I heard this story!”

“I, too, visited Col. Vance at his hospital as soon as I was able to get around with a cane.  He informed me that he had submitted my name for the Silver Star which I was informed a month later had been approved.  However, the medal was not given to me until this past May (1986) at a formal dress parade at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

“I returned to combat within a month.  I had a sergeant carry the bombsight to the ship and I limped along with a cane during my first few flights.  Later, I was listed as Pilotage Navigator/Bombardier and 66th Squadron’s Lead Bombardier, and completed 19 more missions.”

Only Lts. Bail and Glickman and the two waist gunners flew additional operational missions!  T/Sgt. Skufca was sent to Station 93 Hospital near Oxford for treatment of his shattered ankle and leg wounds.  Skin grafts were necessary, so he remained there for several months.  Eventually he was moved to Station #318 near Norwich while his severed Achilles tendon healed.  On December 18, 1944, he was evacuated to the U.S. for further grafts and treatment.  He never walked normally again.

This mission was the subject of a lengthy article called “Sometimes I Can’t Believe It” in True magazine.  The author was Carl B. Wall.  Wall describes MISSOURI SUE as “a plain, businesslike aircraft…no fancy lettering on its sides…no pictures of pretty girls.”  Wall also tells a story about Vance’s recovery after losing his foot: “During one of the depressed stages, he was crutching along a London street when an eight-year-old boy yelled at him: ‘You’ll never miss it, Yank!’  The kid’s mother came up to me and apologized, says Vance.  Then she explained that he had lost his own foot in the blitz and was getting along fine with an artificial one.  That was the biggest boost I got. Felt a devil of a lot better after that.”

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Dr. Bail’s curriculum vitae includes two images of his fellow crew members.  While unfortunately the pictures are absent of captions, it’s still possible to identify three men in the photos.  Given that none of his fellow crewmen – with the exception of Lieutenant Glickman and Sergeants Evans and Secrist – continued to fly combat missions after the flight of June 5, 1944, and that Lt. Bail was new to the Podojil crew on March 19, 1945, it can be assumed that this was Lt. Bail’s original crew, and therefore the men who were aboard Missouri Sue on June 5, 1944.

In the picture below, Lt. Bail is third from left, Lt. Segal second from left, and I think (by comparing photos) that Lt. Mazure is at far left.  Therefore, the officer on the right is probably Lt. Carper.

This image shows nine members of Lt. Bail’s crew; was the photo taken by the tenth men – whoever he was?  Lt. Bail is second from right, and Lt. Segal probably third from right, smoking a cigarette.

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Of the two other Jewish crewmen aboard Missouri Sue, the name of one appeared in American Jews in World War II, and the other, not.

2 Lt. Nathaniel Glickman (0-751902), son of Mrs. Getrude Glickman, was born on April 18, 1922, and resided at 225 East Moshulu Parkway in Brooklyn.  The recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, and Purple Heart, his name appears on page 323 of the above volume.  He passed away on November 15, 2012.

Like very many other American Jewish servicemen who were casualties, or, received military awards, the name of 2 Lt. Milton Segal (0-685854) was not recorded in American Jews in World War II.  However, he was mentioned in passing in the Brooklyn Eagle on August 4, 1943, and, July 14 and November 15 of 1944.  Born in Manhattan on October 7, 1915, he was the son of Solomon and Mollie Segal, and the brother of Fritzi, Joseph, Renee, and Rhonda, the family residing at 8729 14th Avenue in Brooklyn. 

To my surprise, I discovered (via FultonHistory) that by early 1945 he’d become a convalescent patient at the Army Air Force Hospital in Florence, Kentucky (southwest of Cincinnati).  This is revealed in articles published in The Boone County Recorder and Walton Advertiser of March, 1945, which describe an appearance and speech by Lt. Segal and Lt. Leonard A. Charpentier at a Red Cross rally in Florence on February 28, 1945. 

This suggests that although he was not visibly – directly – injured by flak during the downing of Missouri Sue, the concussion from the flak burst that blew the helmet from his head resulted in a long-term injury, the effects of which weren’t immediately apparent after the mission of June 5.  As recorded by Lt. Glickman in his 1986 communication, like most of the crew of June 5, Segal never flew another combat mission.  

Here are the articles from the Recorder:

LARGE CROWRDS ATTEND RALLY
OF RED CROSS HELP AT FLORENCE SCHOOL WEDNESDAY NIGHT, FEBRUARY 28 – FLYERS HEARD ON PROGRAM.

March 1, 1945

Office of Chairman, Boone County, ARC, Feb. 28 – A large crowd is expected to attend the Red Cross rally to be held Wednesday night, February 28, at 7:30 in the Florence school house.  There is no admissions charge, and an interesting program has been planned.

The Boone County school band will furnish music, and a War movie will be shown.

Lt. Milton Segal and Lt. Leonard A. Charpentier, convalescents at the AAF Hospital, Ft. Thomas, will talk about their personal experiences with the Red Cross.  Lt. Segal was a navigator on a B-24 Liberator Bomber, and served with the Eighth Air Force in England.  Lt. Christopher was a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot and served with the Twelfth Air Force in Italy.

____________________

AAF Patients Heard at Meet

March 8, 1945

OF RED CROSS HELD AT FLORENCE WEDNESDAY NIGHT – QUOTA OF $6,800.00 IS SET FOR BOONE COUNTRY

“The Red Cross was in touch with me constantly,” said Lt. Leonard A. Charpentier, when he spoke at the Red Cross Rally Wednesday night, February 28 in the Florence school house.

Lt. Charpentier was a pilot of a P-47 Thunderbolt, stationed in Italy and was shot down in German territory.  The first person he saw when he regained consciousness was a Red Cross worker ready to serve him in any way.   He said, “The Red Cross hasn’t missed a job – they are everywhere helping the service men in many ways.  Naturally, such service must have organization and organization needs funds.  I hope your Drive is a complete success.  It has been a pleasure to speak for the Red Cross, which has done so much for me.”

Lt. Milton Segal, Navigator on a B-24 Bomber, stationed in England, told how the Red Cross stood by him, when he was shot down over the English Channel.  He mentioned the coffee and food the workers always had ready for the men, no matter at what hour they started on a mission.  He emphasized the morale value of the Red Cross to Service men.  He said, “It really makes you feel the folks at home are backing you up.”

He told about the rest camps and clubs maintained by the Red Cross, and said the only place a soldier could really sleep in London was at the Red Cross club.  He told about the good American food and company of American people, and emphasized how important those things are to a soldier overseas.

He stated that he was glad to be able to speak for the Red Cross.  It is a wonderful organization – it can go where no other group can go, and it forms the link with home so essential to a Service Man’s peace of mind.  Both officers had been entertained at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Heiser.

Lt. Charpentier was 1 Lt. Leonard A. Charpentier, a Thunderbolt pilot in the 86th Fighter Squadron of the 79th Fighter Group, who was seriously wounded, and then captured, when he was shot down by flak on August 29, 1944, near Valence, France in aircraft 42-26376.  The incident is covered in MACR 8384.  Subsequent to WW II he had a long career as a physician.

Via the Army Air Forces Collection, here’s Lt. Segal as he appeared in Bombs Away, the graduation book for Bombardier Class 43-10 at Childress, Texas.  This portrait also appeared (albeit as a miniscule half-tone image) in the Brooklyn Eagle on August 4, 1943. 

A survey of documents and books pertaining to the Allied air forces of WW II reveals several instances where the crews of multi-place – typically, bomber – aircraft included three Jewish aviators (there’s one with four), and many, many more instances – I won’t even bother to tabulate the total number – with two.    

Of these, the case of Missouri Sue is only one example.  

About Lt. Segal’s postwar life I have no knowledge.

______________________________

Missing Air Crew Report 15544 (a post-war “filler” MACR), which covers the July 26, 1944, loss of C-54 42-107470, on which Lt. Col. Vance was a passenger, is a very bare-bones document, by nature due to the absence of information of what befell the plane, its crew, and passengers.  The report lists the crew and passengers by surname, the aircraft have been commanded by Robert W. Funkhouser with the other civilians probably comprising his crew.  Catherine Price was the aircraft’s flight nurse.  Though the document lists the point of departure as Newfoundland and the destination as Meeks Field, this is an obvious error.  As described at Aviation Safety, “The Douglas Skymaster departed the U.K., flying American service personnel back home.  Intermediate stops were planned at Keflavík, Iceland and Stephenville, Canada.  Last radio contact with the flight was three hours after takeoff from Keflavík, when over the North Atlantic Ocean off Greenland.  The aircraft did not arrive at Stephenville and was declared missing.  No trace of the plane was ever found.”

Though nothing about the loss of the C-54 will ever be known among men, I do find it of significance that there’s no record of a distress call from the aircraft (assuming one was broadcast) having been received by airfields or monitoring stations in Iceland, Greenland, Canada, or the United States.  This would suggest a sudden and catastrophic event that permitted neither opportunity nor time to relay a “Mayday” call.  A thorough discussion of the possible reasons for the plane’s loss can be found in the IDPF for passenger PFC Robert C. Bowman, the document suggesting that the loss of this aircraft was under investigation as recently as 2008.  

______________________________

Via Ancestry.com, here’s Bernard Bail’s 1942 graduation portrait from West Chester State Teacher’s College, in Westchester, Pennsylvania, now known as Westchester University…

…while this image, via his curriculum vitae, is his 1952 graduation portrait from Temple University’s School of Medicine.  

One last photo: Dr. Bail later in life, also from his website.

Three Books

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947

Freeman, Roger, The Mighty Eighth – Units, Men and Machines (A History of the US 8th Army Air Force), Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, N.Y., 1970

Lundy, Will, 44th Bomb Group Roll of Honor and Casualties, 1987, 2004 (via Green Harbor Publications)

The Militant Pacifist: Captain Seymour M. Malakoff, United States Army Force … October 24, 1916 – June 6, 1944

July 30, 2023 – nearly one year ago – marked the appearance at this blog of a post about WW II Army Air Force Captain Seymour M. Malakoff, a 9th Air Force C-47 pilot (see The Invisible Airmen – The Invisible Jews: Captain Seymour M. Malakoff and the Crew of C-47 “Butchski II”, 1944).  The impetus for the post was an article published in The New York Times on February 4, 1944, which, typical of news items about soldiers in most any military conflict, presented biographical and anecdotal profiles about each member of the Captain’s crew, concluding upon a theme of steady resolution in pursuit of a larger military endeavor.  All well and true; all well and good.  Curiously though, inescapable in the hindsight of eighty years passing – and I’m certain evident even in 1944 – a singular quality of Capt. Malakoff’s crew remained unaddressed, undiscussed, and unmentioned by the Times, even in the most guarded, oblique, and passing manner:  This was the fact that – whether by chance, or, an anonymous decision arising at a higher level of command – four of the five members of the Malakoff crew, including the Captain himself, were Jews.  

Given the nature and context of the Second World War in terms of the physical survival and future of the Jewish people, and especially, contemplated from the vantage of 2024, the silence about this aspect of the Malakoff crew might be deemed remarkable.  Yet, given the nature and ethos of the article’s venue – this was The New York Times after all – and the tenor of the times (temporal times, that is) in terms of the ambivalent self-perception and even the physical security of the Jews of the United States in the somewhat Brokawishly and Spielbergianly romanticized 1940s – even during the Second World War! – the yawning silence about this aspect of the Malakoff crew in both the general and Jewish press was not – in retrospect – all that remarkable.  To the extent that the article was noticed, it seemed that only the famed (or, infamous, depending on how you look at him) radio personality Walter Winchell drew attention to the story, but, despite his prominence, even his comments were passing and truncated.

(But, getting “off-topic”, I must ask:  In light of the forces arrayed against the Jewish people globally and particularly throughout the – willfully? – dessicating “West” since October 7, 2023 (and to be honest, insidiously commencing decades earlier, amidst the ephemeral currents of post-WW II complacency, prosperity, and self-delusion), it’s not just the Times that remains unchanged (barring a new ownership, it seems congenitally incapable of change), but the times, as well.)   

Anyway, getting back “on-topic”…

Captain Malakoff did not survive the Second World War.  He and his entire crew – co-pilot, navigator, radio operator, and crew chief – were killed on D-Day, June 6, 1944, when their C-47 was shot down by anti-aircraft fire.  (The crew’s entire “stick” of paratroopers managed to successfully parachute from their plane, C-47A 43-30735 (otherwise known as “CK * P” / chalk # 37 / “Butchski II“.)  They are all buried within the continental United States.  As can be seen from the original blog post, the crew of June 6, as covered in Missing Air Crew Report 8409, was not the Captain’s crew as reported in the Times.  That crews seems (?) to have been broken up and its members allocated to other crews in the 75th Troop Carrier Squadron some time between the February publication of the Times article and the June invasion of France.

The Captain’s original crew members all survived the war.  The sole casualty among them was crew chief S/Sgt. David Lifschutz, whose C-47 was shot down during a resupply mission to Bastogne, Belgium, on December 26, 1944.  Captured, he returned in mid-1945 after liberation from a POW camp.

And yet, with this, Captain Malakoff’s story does not end.  

Not long after creating the post, I was happily surprised to have received the following message from Nancy Plevin, Captain Malakoff’s niece:

“This was just sent to me. Seymour Malakoff was my uncle – my mother’s brother.  I learned some things from this blog.”

And so, from Nancy, I in turn learned more about Captain Malakoff.  She sent me several wonderful images of her uncle, scanned to a remarkably high standard.  These images appear in this post, and and I want to express my appreciation to her for her help.  Thus: “Thanks, Nancy!”…  

And more: In May of this year, I received a message from Robert Tucker, co-pilot 2 Lt. Thomas A. Tucker’s nephew.  Robert’s communication transformed his uncle from a nominal “name and serial number” to a person with a true identity.  Robert, who’s long been researching the history of the Malakoff crew, wrote, “Through my research and books I came across the book DDay Plus 60 years by Jerry McLaughlin and reached out to him and he put me in contact with S/Sgt Walsh’s family and this story just took off.   Bottom line I was able to track down Malakoffs family (Ms Plevins) and at the time had the opportunity to actually speak with Seymour’s sister who was still living was still living at the time.  She was 92 yrs old and sharp as a tack!  She was able to fill in some of the blanks and told me my uncle was a replacement pilot 3 days before the invasion.  The original co pilot [Lt. James Philip Wilt] came down with appendicitis so my uncle got the call.   This is just some of the information I have uncovered and too much to list here.”   

Robert’s photos of his uncleare included here as well.  Thanks, Robert!

Now, on to the photos…

As revealed by the Gosport Tubes connected to his earphones, and to a lesser extent by his fluffy white scarf, this photo of Seymour Malakoff was almost certainly taken during the Primary or Basic stage of his pilot training.  I don’t know the names of the flying schools he attended during those two early stages of flight training, but I learned that he graduated from Advanced at Randolph Field, Texas (see the New York University document below) on May 20, 1942, upon which he received his wings and commission as a second lieutenant. 

This one’s about as candid as candid can be:  Here Captain (or then Lieutenant?) Malakoff at the controls of a C-47, time, place, altitude, and destination unknown. 

Identical in style and format to the image of Capt. Paul Dahl’s crew in the earlier post, this image shows Captain Malakoff, at center rear, with other C-47 crewmen.  Though the mens’ names don’t appear on the back of the original print, the airman at lower right seems – looks like – certainly appears to be – S/Sgt. Robert Donald “Donny” Walsh, Capt. Malakoff’s radio operator on the D-Day mission.  If so (and I think this is so), then with the exception of the Captain standing at rear left (there was no other Army Air Force Captain aboard Capt. Malakoff’s plane on June 6), the other crewmen might well be flight engineer Sgt. Paul B. Jacoway at lower left, and, probably navigator Edward Gaul standing at right.

This image of S/Sgt. Walsh, by researcher Matt M, appears in the sergeant’s biographical profile at FindAGrave.  S/Sgt. Walsh was buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Lemay, Mo. (Section OPS3, Grave 2307E) on July 2, 1949.  He was 23 years old on June 6, 1944.  If you examine the portrait very closely, you’ll see Sgt. Walsh’s signature at lower right: “Love, Don”. 

Here are Robert’s two photographs of his uncle.  Note that in the first photo – below – Thomas A. Tucker is identically attired to Seymour Malakoff in the top picture: He’s wearing a flight helmet with Gosport Tubes and has a fluffy scarf around his collar.  The Gosport Tubes reveal that this portrait was taken while he was an aviation cadet…

…as does this image; the giveaways being the winged propeller cap insignia and collar devices with a similar design.  Given Robert’s statement about his uncle joining the Malakoff crew only three days before D-Day, and, the very different facial features of the man in the upper right of the Malakoff crew photo, that man is probably navigator 1 Lt. Eugene E. Gaul.

A resident of Buffalo, Lt. Tucker’s name appeared in a list of Batavia-area military casualties published in The Daily News (of Batavia) on July 25, 1944, which I discovered through FultonHistory.com.  The list appears within the “This End of the State” column, at upper right…

…and here it is close-up, with Lt. Tucker’s name surrounded by a blue box.  He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo in 1948.    

Along with a very short article in the Forverts on June 29, 1944, Captain Malakoff was the subject of a commemorative biography published by the New York University School of Law some time after the war’s end.  A transcript of the biography follows these images.  Note that the NYU essay includes excerpts of the Times’ article of February 4, 1944.  

Class of 1941

SEYMOUR M. MALAKOFF

was born in New York City on October 24, 1916.  After the usual preparatory education in the schools of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he attended Pennsylvania’s State College and the Washington Square College of New York University. He graduated from the New York University School of Law in June 1941 with honors and received his LL.B. degree.

He joined the Army Air Corps in August of 1941 and was successively stationed at Camps Upton, Wheeler, and Pine Bluff.  He received his wings and his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Air Corps at Randolph Field and then proceeded to Camp Lubbock, Texas, for advanced training.  He then became an instructor in the technique of flying formations and served at Camps Wisconsin, Louisville, Kentucky, and the Sedalia Army Air Base.  He then proceeded overseas and was stationed in Great Britain as an Air Corps Troop Carrier pilot, with the rank of Captain and as operations officer of the 75th Troop Carrier Squadron of the 435th Air Group.  His was the lead-off plane of the troop carriers on the operation to invade Normandy, France, on “D” Day, June 6, 1944.

The New York Times ran the following article:

At a United States Troop Carrier Station in Britain – All the twin-engined transport planes on this station look alike in their war paint – but one is really different.  Its two chief points of difference are the white lettered name ‘Butchski’ on the nose and the fact that its entire crew of five are all from New York.

When the invasion starts and the Troop-Carrier Command begins shuttling combat soldiers from bases to actual fighting fronts ‘Butchski’ will become an “overseas branch of the Bronx Express,” according to its crew.  The skipper is quiet, youthful-looking Capt. Seymour M. Malakoff.  The plane is named for his nine year old brother, James, whose nickname is ‘Butchski’”. 

He was killed in action on June 6, 1944, while participating in the invasion of France.  In recognition of his achievements as a combat carrier pilot, he received a Presidential Citation, the Purple Heart Medal and the Air Medal.

The lady below, standing next to the Captain’s matzeva at the Normandy American Cemetery, St.-Laurent-sur-Mer, France, is a member of a French family who have voluntarily taken on the tasking of tending his grave.  With the exception of “Laurence”, who I learned about from Nancy, I don’t know their names.  The picture says much, without the use of words.

One more thing:  I know little about Seymour M. Malakoff – the person; the individual; the man – other than what is presented in these two posts.  But, one thing is remembered by Nancy: “I … am struck by the fact that Seymour enlisted before Pearl Harbor.  I had never thought about that, and it’s especially interesting in light of my mother telling me that Seymour was a pacifist so entering the war was very difficult for him, but he believed it was his duty.”

Acknowledgements

I’d like to express my appreciation to Nancy Plevin and Robert Tucker for contacting me, and, so generously providing me with such compelling and nicely scanned photos.

Here’s Three Books

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947

Gardner, Ian, and Day, Roger, Tonight We Die as Men: The Untold Story of Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment from Toccoa to D-Day, Osprey, Oxford, England, 2010 (see pages 153-155)

Rust, Kenn C., The 9th Air Force in World War II, Aero Publishers, Inc., Fallbrook, Ca., 1970

Soldiers from New York: Jewish Soldiers in The New York Times, in World War Two: November 26, 1944 – II – Revenge of the Tiger (1 Lt. William S. Lyons, 355th FG) [Doubly updated post!]

Update – October 13, 2024

It’s now mid-October of 2024, and time once again to ( … drum roll … ) update this post. Reason being, I’ve recently come across three new videos about Bill Lyons and his experiences as a fighter pilot in the Second World War.  The videos are: 1) Greg’s “P-51 Mustang Out-Turned by Fw 190 D-9? Yes, This Happened But…”, 2) Zack’s “Interview with Bill Lyons, WWII Fighter Pilot, 357th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group”, and 3) Jeff Simon’s “DOGFIGHT OVER GERMANY! WWII Hero Bill Lyons’ Untold Stories of Valor in the P-51 Mustang”.  The videos themselves, and links to their creators’ YouTube channels are presented below. 

Thus far I’ve only been able to view Greg’s video about P-51 versus FW-190D-9 combat, and of course, it’s fascinating and professionally done.  Typical of Greg’s military aviation videos, he approaches topics from multiple vantage points: Those of technology (WW II technology, of course), engineering, aerodynamics, and the influence and implications of these three factors – whether for Allied or Axis aircraft – on military tactics. 

I do look forward to viewing the other two videos.   

* * * * *

Update – June 8, 2024

Covering the experiences of William S. Lyons as a P-51 fighter pilot in the 8th Air Force, this post – created in October of 2018 – has now been updated.  It includes a half-hour-long interview of Bill from Flight Line Media’s YouTube channel, which can be viewed (just scroll down a little) under the heading “Video”.  It’s a great interview; moving, sensitively carried out, and professionally done.  Notably, Bill mentions his cousin Sylvan Feld, about whom you can find information at the “bottom” of this post, along with comments about Sylvan’s brother Monroe, who – as a member of the 450th Bomb Group – was shot down and taken prisoner during a mission to Hungary in 1945.  Enjoy.

______________________________

“God gives luck to somebody, but He needs such a lot of help from you!”

Lieutenant William Stanley Lyons, Steeple Morden, England, mid-August, 1944

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“Tiger’s Revenge” – Aerial Victory at Magdeburg, Germany, February 9, 1945 (Digital art by Ronnie Olsthoorn; see more below.)

__________________________________________________

As recounted in the previous post, Sunday, November 26, 1944 is notable for the severe losses incurred by the Eighth Air Force – principally the 445th and 491st Bomb Groups. – during its mission to rail viaducts, marshaling yards and oil installations in western Germany. 

However, there’s another aspect of that day which – though it would not assuage the grief of those families whose sons were lost in combat – provides, in a purely military context, a measure of recompense for that day’s losses: The significant number of aerial victories attained by fighter pilots of the Eighth Air Force in combat with the Luftwaffe. 

According to USAF Historical Study No. 85 (USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II) for November 26, Eighth Air Force fighter pilots were credited with 122 aerial victories, while elsewhere in Europe the 9th, 12th, and 15th Air Forces were credited with 13 enemy planes destroyed, and in the Southwest Pacific, 6 aerial victories were credited to fighter pilots of the 5th and 13th Air Forces. 

Thus, on November 26, 1944, there were 141 confirmed aerial victories of USAAF fighter groups across all theatres of war.  These are listed by Fighter Groups (and other units) below:

Europe

For the Eighth Air Force, total aerial victories by Group were:

78th Fighter Group – 9 victories (by 6 pilots)
339th Fighter Group – 28 victories (by 17 pilots; the highest scoring USAAF Fighter Group on November 26)
353rd Fighter Group – 3 victories (by 3 pilots)
355th Fighter Group – 21 victories (by 13 pilots)
356th Fighter Group – 22 victories (by 17 pilots)
359th Fighter Group – 1 victory
361st Fighter Group – 23 victories (by 18 pilots)
364th Fighter Group – 9 victories (by 7 pilots)
479th Fighter Group – 1 victory

And also:

2nd Air Division – 4 victories (by 2 pilots)
2nd Bombardment Division – 1 victory

Nine Air Force fighter units (one Group and one Fighter Squadron) were credited with the following aerial victories:

354th Fighter Group – 3 victories (by 1 pilot)

422nd Night Fighter Squadron – 1 victory (1 victory each credited to both pilot and radar operator)

In the Twelfth Air Force:

324th Fighter Group – 1 victory

And, in the Fifteenth Air Force:

14th Fighter Group – 8 victories (by 8 pilots)

Southwest Pacific

In the Fifth Air Force:

35th Fighter Group – 2 victories (by 2 pilots)
49th Fighter Group – 3 victories (by 3 pilots)

And, in the Thirteenth Air Force:

18th Fighter Group – 1 victory

______________________________

Among the Eighth Air Force fighter pilots who shot down German aircraft on November 26, 1944, was First Lieutenant William (“Bill”) Stanley Lyons (0-822214) of the 355th Fighter Group’s 357th Fighter Squadron, who later – on February 9, 1945 – shot down another German fighter for his second aerial victory, ultimately completing 63 combat missions over Europe.  As reported in a letter published by the Brooklyn Eagle on December 28, 1944, under the heading “Over There”:

____________________

Here’s the emblem of the 357th Fighter Squadron.  This image, of a painted-leather original jacket patch from WW II, was found at PicClick.  (I edited the original photo for clarity.)

____________________

Diving from 15,000 feet to tree-top level, 1st Lt. William S. Lyons, of 6733 Ridge Boulevard, Mustang pilot, recently shot down a Messerschmitt 109 to tally his first victory over the Luftwaffe.

“Anybody who thinks the Luftwaffe is a thing of the past should have seen those 200 German fighters we tangled with,” said the lieutenant, recalling the aerial battle over Hanover, during which his group destroyed 22 enemy planes.

“There were about three big formations.  When we first saw them they were preparing to attack the Liberators which our group was escorting.  We intercepted the first wave and kept them off for a while, but there were so many Germans that they finally got to the bombers and hit them pretty hard.

“I managed to get behind one Me-109.  I hit him in the fuselage a few times and smoke began streaming out of the plane.  He tried to turn very tightly and I put another good burst into him.  His wing-tip scraped the ground and he cart-wheeled and crashed.”

The 20-year-old flyer, a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, was employed in a defense plant before entering the service in 1942.

Akin to a significant number of American Jewish servicemen who participated in combat during the Second World War, Bill’s name never appeared in the 1947 publication American Jews in World War II.   Regardless, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and eight Oak Leaf Clusters. 

Born on June 20, 1924, Bill’s parents were Edward Immanuel and Ethel (Goldstein) Lyons; his wartime residence was 6733 Ridge Boulevard, in Brooklyn. 

With the passage of time, notably commencing in the early 2000s, Bill’s story has become easily; readily; immediately accessible. 

Here are websites where you can learn more about his experiences, and, view images and artistic depictions of his “personal” P-51, Tiger’s Revenge…

Interviews

Audio

At Hyperscale, you can listen to Bill’s 10-minute account – recorded in 2006 – of his aerial victory during the Magdeburg mission of February 9, 1945.

Video(s)

Conducted on August 9, 2023, and uploaded to Flight Line Media on May 19, 2024, here is Flight Line Media’s interview of Bill, directed by Andrew Horton, videographer Caleb Stopa, and editor, Shawn Zhen.

* * * * * * * * * *

“The Jewish P-51 Fighter Pilot who Fought the Nazis | #7”

At: Flight Line Media, May 19, 2024. 

* * * * *

“P-51 Mustang Out-Turned by Fw 190 D-9? Yes, This Happened But…”

At: Greg’s Airplanes and Automobiles, June 30, 2024.

* * * * *

“Interview with Bill Lyons, WWII Fighter Pilot, 357th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group”

At: “Oral Histories With Combat Veterans of America“, March 25, 2024.

 

* * * * *

“DOGFIGHT OVER GERMANY! WWII Hero Bill Lyons’ Untold Stories of Valor in the P-51 Mustang”

At: Social Flight, August 23, 2024.

* * * * * * * * * *

At the West Point Center for Oral History, you can view a two-hour interview of Bill as he recounts his experiences during the Second World War, in an interview entitled “A Mustang Over Europe”.  Of particular interest is Bill’s presentation and description of two portraits taken during his service in the 357th Fighter Squadron (one of which forms the “header” image for this post), which can be viewed at HistoryNet.

The Texas Flying Legends Museum has a four-minute-long video of Bill’s flight in a two-Seat P-51D, piloted by TFLM pilot Mark Murphy, on September 7, 2013.  The aircraft (actually P-51D 45-11586 / NL51PE) appears in the markings of aircraft 44-13551, Little Horse, of the 353rd Fighter Squadron, 354th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force.

Historical Accounts

LoHud (Long Island Hudson?- Part of the USA Today Network?) features a news item of August 31, 2014: “Honor Flight to fly WWII Vets to D.C. Memorials”, by Richard Liebson, about Bill’s 2014 visit to the National World War II Memorial, U.S. Marine Corps War (Iwo Jima) Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery.  The visit was organized by Hudson Valley Honor Flight.  The article includes eight photos, showing Bill, Bill and his wife Carol, and Frank Kimler of Hudson Valley Honor Flight.

As mentioned above, HistoryNet has Bill’s own well-written account of the November 26, 1944 Misburg mission (“Mustang Pilot’s Mission: A Day in the Life”) derived from a January 15, 2013 article in Aviation History Magazine. 

The 12 O’Clock High Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces Discussion Forum includes a discussion about Bill’s aerial Victory of February 9, 1945.  A question:  Could the German plane actually have been long-nose FW-190D (“Dora”) rather than an Me-109?   

At the Library of Congress Veterans History Project, here’s the Biographical Entry for Bill Lyons.

Bill’s Mustang: P-51D-5-NT (Dallas built) 44-11342, “OS * F”, “Tiger’s Revenge”

Bill was assigned his own P-51 on November 29, 1944, after the completion of 129 hours of combat time.  The plane bore the nicknames Tiger’s Revenge and Elaine on its port and starboard cowlings, respectively, the former being a double entendre:  “Tiger” was Bill’s nickname within the 357th Fighter Squadron, while the phrase “Tiger’s Revenge” denoted vengeance on behalf of Bill’s cousin, Major Sylvan Feld, who was killed in France in the summer of 1944.    

Tiger’s Revenge was lost on April 16, 1945, during a strafing attack on Eferding Airdrome, Austria, while being piloted by Captain Joseph E. Lake, of Delaware County, Indiana. 

(Captain Lake was killed.  According to his WW II Honoree Record (created by Martha A. Harris) his fate was only fully determined in 1949.  He was buried at Elm Ridge Memorial Park, Muncie, Indiana, on May 25 of that year.  Information about him can also be found at WW2 Aircraft.Net.  The loss of Captain Lake and Tiger’s Revenge is an example – even in mid-1945 – of an ETO USAAF combat loss for which there is no Missing Aircrew Report.)

Nine beautifully rendered in-flight depictions of Tiger’s Revenge, seen from various vantage points, can be viewed at Sim Outhouse / SOH Combat Flight Center, under the heading “P-51D Tiger’s Revenge”.  In light of copyright concerns, and, uncertainty about the artist’s identity (John Terrell?), rather than display the images “here”, you can view them directly at SIM-Outhouse. 

A color profile of Tiger’s Revenge (by Nick King) can be viewed at Peter Randall’s Little Friends website, the profile being accompanied by two photographs of the actual airplane, all of which you can find at the Little Friends search page.  Readily notable is the immaculate, shiny appearance of the fuselage, testimony to the conscientiousness of the fighter’s ground crew. 

And, yet more…

Some years ago, I had the good fortune to meet and interview Bill “in person”.  The result was a fascinating, enlightening, and moving conversation of about six hours duration, concerning his wartime, pre-war, and post-war experiences. 

You can listen to excerpts from the interview – cumulatively somewhat over an hour long – below.  The excerpts have been subdivided into three sections, with explanatory text and images below each section.   

Akin to the interviews with Irving Newman, Lawrence Levinson, and Phil Goldstein, in my prior blog posts, the interview addresses sociological and psychological aspects of military service, and, philosophical issues, as well as (but of course) military technology and combat.  Likewise, some parts of this interview cover topics perhaps not addressed elsewhere.  (The intermittent vwhirrr – vwhirrr – vwhirrr – (and more vwhirrs!) – sound is from the micro-cassette recorder which was used to record the interview.  (Remember audiotape?!))

Section I

00:00 – 11:08: Bill’s youth in Brooklyn, and the genealogical background of his family; his desire – from adolescence – to become a fighter pilot.  His knowledge, during the 1930s, of events in Europe; the probability of war.
11:22 – 15:40: The relative degrees danger of different types of combat missions (specifically, strafing versus escort). 
15:22 – 22:01: Variations in performance of different aircraft of the same type and model (for example, “P-51D versus P-51D”), and, the quality of aircraft maintenance.  Preparation for combat missions. 

Section II

00:10 – 02:08: Psychologically and sociologically adapting oneself to combat flying, in terms of the individual and the group.
02:24 – 03:17: The personalities of fighter pilots; Bill’s opinion of the 1986 movie Top Gun.
03:35 – 08:49: Given that he was flying combat missions over the Third Reich, Bill’s thoughts about the implications of being captured, and, identified as a Jew.  The concept of courage – what is it?  Human behavior in extreme situations.  “God gives luck to somebody, but He needs such a lot of help from you!”

Commentary and Digression…

A number of Jewish fighter pilots became POWs of the Germans (and a few, of the Japanese) during the Second World War. 

A few names are given below.

Royal Air Force – No. 65 Squadron

Waterman, Philip Fay, Flight Lieutenant, J/15023
Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; 1919
Mr. M. Waterman (father), Leah and Matthew (sister and brother), 2912 West 31st Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Shot Down January 3, 1944
Aircraft: Spitfire IX, MA847
POW at Stalag Luft III; German POW # 1372
Canadian Jews in World War, Part II, p. 133
Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume III, p. 11

This example of the No. 65 Squadron crest is from Air Force Collectables, where, dating from the mid-1980s, it’s described as, “RAF Patch 65 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Patch Shadow For 229 OCU Operational Conversion Unit Tornado F 2 F 3 1986 RAF Chivenor Applique embroidered on twill cut edge 108mm by 77mm four and one quarter inches by three inches.“

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Royal Air Force – No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron

Maranz, Nathaniel, Flight Lieutenant, 86617
Born New York, N.Y., January 12, 1919
Dr. Jacob M. and Mrs. Amelia (Schimmel) Maranz (parents), 102 East Fourth St., New York, N.Y.
Shot down by Me-109 of JG 2 or JG 26, on June 21, 1941.  Gunshot wounds in both legs; burned foot.  Picked up by German Air-Sea Rescue.
Aircraft: Hurricane II, Z3461
(Also, shot down and parachuted over England on April 6, 1941; Suffered burns.)
POW at Stalag Luft III, Sagan, Germany; German POW # 1372
Columbia University School of Pharmacy Graduate, Class of 1939
Changed surname to “Marans” by 1957
Died July 29, 2002, at Belvedre Tiburon, California
Jewish Post (Indianapolis) 6/27/41, 7/25/41
Jewish Chronicle 8/1/41, 8/8/41
Long Island Daily Press 9/2/41
New York Sun 3/19/41
New York Times 7/18/41, 9/2/41, 9/3/41
P.M. 8/20/41
Schenectady Gazette 6/24/41
The Knickerbocker News 9/2/41
The Times Record (Troy, N.Y.) 7/18/41
Utica Daily Press 7/18/41
We Will Remember Them, Volume I, p. 214
Behind The Wire, Record # 263
Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume I, p. 121

This photo of Nathaniel Maranz is from the Columbia University Yearbook of 1939.

This example of the emblem of RAF No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron was found at the Etsy store TheMilitaryPlace.  It’s a very nice contemporary reproduction of the insignia.  

____________________

South African Air Force – No. 1 Squadron (“The Billy Boys”)

Wayburne, Ellis, Captain, 47508V
Born November 16, 1916
Mr. and Mrs. Meier Gerson and Sonia (Blank) Wayburne [Waigowsky] (parents)
Cyril, Gert, Harry, Issy, Laura, Lea, Mary, and Rose (brothers and sisters)
20 Beelaerts St., Troyeville, Johannesburg, Guateng, South Africa
Shot down September 23, 1944
Aircraft: Spitfire IX, MA313
POW at Stalag Luft II, Sagan, and Stalag IIIA (Luckenwalde)
Eagles Victorious, p. 307
85 Years of South African Air Force, pp. 300, 307
The Story of No. 1 Squadron S.A.A.F., Sometime Known as the Billy Boys, p. 424

Marcia Myerson (wife)…

…made Aliyah to Eretz Israel in 1970

This picture of Ellis Wayburne (possibly taken while he was a student pilot) is from The Billy Boys.  It also appears in his autobiography.

Here’s a representative view of a No. 1 Squadron South African Air Force Spitfire, as such aircraft would have appeared in Italy from 1944 through the war’s end.  According to military history enthusiast / modeler / author William S. Marshall, in SAAF WW2 Nose Art (which focuses on markings carried by Hurricanes and Spitfires of Number 1 Squadron) the plane is finished in, …”RAF Ocean Grey /RAF Dark Green with RAF Medium Sea Grey undersides in the typical day fighter scheme used in Italy during 1944/45.”  This particular aircraft is Spitfire Mk VIII JF322, as flown by Lt. Hilton Ackerman.  The illustration, by P.J. van Schalkwyk, is from Winston Brent’s 85 Years of South African Air Force.  Unfortunately, I’ve no idea of the identification letter or nose art (if any?) of Ellis Wayburne’s MA313.      

Here’s the emblem of Number 1 Squadron SAAF, as it appeared on the engine cowlings of the Squadron’s Spitfires.  The example presented here appears in SAAF WW2 Nose Art.

____________________

United States Army Air Force

Korotkin, Louis, 2 Lt., 0-749567, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, 10 combat missions
10th Air Force, 80th Fighter Group, 459th Fighter Squadron (The “Twin Tail Dragons”)
Born Brooklyn, New York, June 5, 1919
Mrs. Angelina J. (Sanicola) Korotkin (wife), 97-29 91st St., Ozone Park, N.Y.
Mr. Isidore Bronstein (father), 91-07 101st Ave., Ozone Park, N.Y.
Shot down February 3, 1944; Evaded until February 8, when captured by Japanese patrol; Liberated 4/28/45
Aircraft: P-38H, 42-66981; MACR 2089
POW at Burma #5; Moulmein & Rangoon Jail
Graduated Williams Field, Arizona, 6/22/43
Long Island Daily Press 5/28/45
The Leader-Observer 5/31/45
The Record (Richmond Hill, N.Y.) 5/31/45, 3/1/44, 5/28/45
American Jews in World War Two, p. 366

_____

Here’s a low-resolution photo of Louis Korotkin in Propwash – Class 43-F – Sequoia Field – Visalia, Calif., from Army Air Forces Collection.  This is the only image of Louis Korotkin that seems to exist on (or, via) the Internet.  

_____

Here’s the squadron insignia of the 459th Fighter Squadron, which – given that the unit was equipped with P-38s – quite appropriately depicts the twin engines and central “gondola” of the Lightning as lightning-shooting snakes.

____________________

Willner, Edward A., 2 Lt., 0-671824, Air Medal, Purple Heart
10th Air Force, 311th Fighter Group, 530th Fighter Squadron
Mrs. Lillian (Greenberg) Willner (wife), 2646 Tuxedo St., Detroit, Mi.
Mr. C.R. Willner (father) , Westwoods, Ca.
Shot down November 27, 1943
Aircraft: P-51A, 43-6265; MACR 1213
POW at Burma #5; Moulmein & Rangoon Jail
The Jewish News (Detroit) 6/29/45, 7/6/45
American Jews in World War Two – Not listed

Here are two versions of the squadron insignia of the 530th FS.

This image is via Military Aviation Artifacts…

…while this image is from the cover of the book 530th Fighter Squadron – 1942-?, the squadron’s wartime-printed history, once available (alas, no longer: it’s been purchased, but a few pages are still on display!) from Flying Tiger Antiques.

____________________

Wood, Henry Irving, 1 Lt., 0-789035, Air Medal, Purple Heart
14th Air Force, 23rd Fighter Group, 75th Fighter Squadron
Born 1918
Mrs. Josephine (Hughes) Wood (mother), 2217 Herschell St., Jacksonville, Fl.
Shot down October 1, 1943
Aircraft: P-40K, 42-46250; MACR 759
POW at Shanghai POW Camp, Kiangwan, China
Craig Field, Alabama, Class 42-D
Jacksonville Commentator 10/21/43, 11/5/43
American Jews in World War Two, p. 86

Lt. Wood’s portrait is from the United States National Archives collection: “Photographic Prints of Air Cadets and Officers, Air Crew, and Notables in the History of Aviation – NARA RG 18-PU”. (In this case, Box 102.)

This example of the 75th Fighter Squadron insignia is from Flying Tiger Antiques.

____________________

Back to the interview…!

09:06 – 09:41: Did Bill ever discuss the above topic – being a Jewish aviator, flying over Germany – with anyone else?  (No.)  Did he know any other Jewish airmen in the 357th Fighter Squadron?  (Yes.)  One: Lieutenant Jack H. Dressler.
09:38 – 18:27: An encounter with antisemitism (the comments of “Lieutenant X”). 

Commentary and Digression…

The historical records of the 357th Fighter Squadron revealed that Bill’s memory of Lieutenant X’s surname – deleted for the purpose of this blog post – was dead-on accurate.  The man passed away in the mid-1950s.  In any event, the Latin expression: “Res ipsa loquitur,” – “The thing speaks for itself,” is as pertinent as it is sufficient.

As I listened to Bill “then”, and once again while creating this post, I was reminded of Len Giovannitti’s 1957 novel The Prisoners of Combine D, a novel about a group of American prisoners of war in Germany from late 1944 through the war’s end in May, 1945.  Inspired and loosely based upon Giovannitti’s experiences as a POW in Stalag Luft III, a central plot element involves the identification and attempted segregation of Jewish POWs in the camp … which event actually transpired in Stalag Luft I and Stalag 9B (Bad Orb), but not Sagan.  Jewish POWs were not segregated at the latter camp, probably due to a combination of the intervention and policies of the senior allied officers, and, the timing of the forced march of all POWs from that camp, which commenced on the evening of January 27, 1945.

The cover of Bantam Books’ 1959 paperback edition of the novel appears below.  Though the cover artist is unknown and the art itself undramatic, albeit directly relevant to the story, this illustration is – ironically – vastly better than the uninspired, monochrome composition by the strangely over-rated Ben Shahn, which graces the dust jacket of the book’s (hardback) first edition.

The novel’s central characters (Bendel, Fernandez, Kitchener, Lawton, Storch, and Zuckerman) represent individuals of a variety of social, and ethnic backgrounds, while in a literary sense, all are generally “three dimensional” in terms of representing distinct individuals with different personalities. 

The novel pays absolutely no attention to aerial combat, and very little attention to pre-war events, life in the United States, postwar plans, or life – in “general” – elsewhere and elsewhen.  In effect and intention, the novel’s entire “world” – in terms of both time, space, and thought – is confined to the immediacy of the POW camp, and, the psychological impact of being a prisoner of war. 

Not evident – perhaps intentionally so, given the tenor of the 1950s? – from the blurb on the rear cover, the central character turns out to be “Hyman Zuckerman” (I would think refreshingly unrelated to Philip Roth’s “Nathan Zuckerman”!) who is almost certainly a fictional representation of Giovannitti himself. 

As for his military service, Len Giovannitti (ASN 0-811621) was a navigator in the 742nd Bomb Squadron of the 455th Bomb Group, and was one of the seven survivors from B-24H 41-29261 – Gargantua – piloted by 1 Lt. Ralph D. Sensenbrenner, which was shot down during the 15th Air Force’s mission to Vienna on June 26, 1944, his 50th mission.  The plane’s loss is covered in MACR 6404 and Luftgaukommando Report ME 1492. 

The image below shows Giovannitti’s “Angaben über Gefangennahme von Feindlichen Luftwaffenangehörigen” (“Information about capture of enemy air force personnel”) form, from the Luftgaukommando Report.  

In Giovannitti’s semi-autobiographical novel, The Nature of the Beast (1977), the protagonist is named Dante Ebreo.  The name is strikingly symbolic, seemingly derived from “Dante” – as in the name of the renowned poet “Durante degli Alighieri”, author of The Divine Comedy, combined with “Ebreo” – the Italian word for “Jew”.  Within the book, Giovannitti devotes one chapter to his – or is it “Dante Ebreo’s”? – experiences during the Second World War.  Here, he recounts his final mission in great detail (even naming his pilot “Sensebrenner” ), concluding with a few paragraphs which summarize the profound impact of his war experiences in general – and captivity in Germany, in particular – upon his life, within the overall arc of Dante Ebreo’s – or is it Len Giovannitt’s? – story.

Early in the novel, in the context of the fate of the camp’s Jewish POWs, Zuckerman expresses the following thoughts to his friend, Edward Lawton:

Zuckerman: I used to think a pogrom might happen in New York
and I’d get killed.
And now it’s my yardstick, you might say.
Lawton:  How do you mean?
Zuckerman:  I measure people against it.
I say to myself, if a pogrom really did happen
and …(if) people like me were threatened with death,
what would he do, my friend?
Would he fight for me or would he turn away,
a little sick maybe, but turn away.
It’s not really fair, I guess,
because a pogrom would be after me and I’d have to fight,
but I want to know who’s with me and who’s against me
and who’s just going to watch and be sick.

Given Giovannitti’s literary skill, it would have been invaluable if he’d re-visited his wartime experiences in non-fiction format, as did David K. Westheimer, author of Song of the Young Sentry (and Von Ryan’s Express), in his 1992 book Sitting It Out – A World War II POW Memoir.  Unfortunately for history, that book never came to be.  As Len Giovannitti confided to me some years back, a little over three decades after the completion of Prisoners, he no longer had any desire to “re-visit” his Second World War experiences, whether as fiction or fact.  Perhaps his novel – the writing of which spanned four years – was enough.  

Alas.  It would have been interesting… 

Born in April of 1920, Len Giovannitti was a writer and producer / director of television documentaries.  He died in March, 1992.  Like Bill Lyons, his name never appeared in American Jews in World War II.

Perhaps more about Len Giovannitti in a future post.  But in the meantime, here’s a portrait of Len Giovannitti from the jacket of his semi autobiographical novel, The Nature of the Beast.  The image presumably dates from the mid-1970s, given that book’s 1997 publication date.  

______________________________

And so, back to the interview with Bill Lyons…

Section III

00:06 – 0:37: What happened to Jack Dressler?

Commentary…

…as for “Dressler”, Bill’s memory was remarkably accurate: 

“Dressler” was 2 Lt. Jacob (“Jack”) Harry Dressler (0-824608), from 81-21 20th Avenue, in New York.  The son of Morris and Anna (Braunfeld) Dressler (parents), his siblings were Jack, Miriam, and Paul. 

As recorded in the historical records of the 357th Fighter Squadron for March 15, 1945, “Lieutenant Dressler on this mission ran short of gas and was last seen heading toward the Russian lines.  He wasn’t heard for two weeks and was given up as missing in action.  Then on the 30th of March the report came in that he was safe and was on his way back to the squadron.”  (See below.)  The historical records of the 357th Fighter Squadron contain no information about his experiences in Russia, simply noting that he returned by April. 

He was flying P-51D 44-14314 (OS * L), intriguingly nicknamed Sexless Stella / One More Time (what inspired that moniker?!).  (This information is from Peter Randall’s Little Friends.)  There is no MACR for this incident.  The plane was one of at least eleven 8th and 15th Air Force P-51s that landed in the Soviet Union, or behind Soviet lines, between 1944 and 1945, based on data compiled by Martin Kyburz, of Swiss Mustangs.    

Jack Dressler’s name appears on page 299 of American Jews in World War II, with the notation that he received the Air Medal, likely indicating that he completed between 5 and 10 combat missions.  Born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 25, 1923, he died on November 2, 2017.  His portrait, from Legacy, appears below:

00:51 – 02:17: Bill’s attitude towards the Germans, as “people”, and, as opponents in aerial combat. 
02:44 – 07:58: Bill’s interactions with British civilians.  Impressions of Steeple Morden and Letchworth.  Dating a German-Jewish refugee girl – “Elsa” – in Letchworth.
08:11 – 17:38: Shooting down an Me-109 over Magdeburg, Germany, on February 9, 1945.

Commentary…

Here’s the Encounter Report for Bill’s aerial victory:

…and here is Ronnie Olsthoorn’s depiction of Bill’s victory, which appeared in 2007 at Hyperscale, which is accompanied by Bill’s account (audio) of this event. 

Created in 2005, the original work was presented to Bill at the 355th Fighter Group reunion in October of 2005, with A-2 size signed prints (signed by Ronnie Olsthoorn and Bill) then being made available at Digital Aviation Art.  The signed prints have since sold out, but Giclee (fine art digital inkjet prints) seem (?) to still be available through Mr. Olsthoorn’s site. 

Several qualities contribute to the striking nature of this artwork:  The image is characterized by its unusual perspective – the action is viewed front the front of the aircraft, not the side; the complementary use of light (bright horizon) versus dark (shadows, earth tones, and darkened sky tones towards the top of the image); the degree of detail (details of the data block on the fuselage of the P-51 are visible); and the compositional relationship of the P-51 (foreground) and Me-109 (background). 

“Moroney” is 1 Lt. Edward J. Moroney, Jr. (ASN 0-806496) who attained three confirmed victories while flying in the 357th Fighter Squadron (one on November 2, and two on November 26).  He was from Highland Park, Il., and was killed in the crash of F-84E 50-1209 on June 8, 1951, one of eight F-84E Thunderjets that crashed near Richmond, Indiana, that day.  He is buried at Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery, Lake County, Il.  The news article below, from the Rome Daily Sentinel (New York) of June 11 (via Thomas M. Tryniski’s FultonHistory website)  lists the pilots involved in the accident, as well as their addresses and next of kin:

New York State Digital library

17:38 – 22:48: Shooting down an Me-109 on November 26, 1944.

Commentary…

Here is the encounter report for this aerial victory…

…and here’s a picture of Bill, taken shortly after his return from this mission.  As described by Bill in The West Point Center for Oral History video (1:58:30 – 1:59:35), the picture was taken by Bill’s crew chief using the gun camera from Bill’s Mustang (behind), which had been temporarily removed from the fighter’s wing to capture the image.

“Fred Haviland” is Capt. Fred R. Haviland, Jr., who attained six aerial victories in the 357th Fighter Squadron.

23:10 – 25:53: Encounter with an Me-262 on March 3, 1945.

Commentary and Digression…

Here’s Bill’s Encounter Report for this mission…

Since the (above) digital image – from microfilm – is extremely difficult to read, an image of a transcribed version of this Encounter Report appears below…

…while here is a (400 dpi) scan from Bill’s flight log, covering missions from March 2 through March 19, which mentions the encounter with the Me-262.  “Escort to Magdeburg.  – Fight with jets.  –  Damaged one Me-262. – Damn near had him.  – Boresight off, fired with tanks.”  

While some visitors to this post will doubtless be immediately familiar with the Messerschmitt 262 – and thus need no introduction to the aircraft – for those unfamiliar with WW II military aviation, a depiction of the plane is displayed below, for representative purposes.  Notably, this illustration does not depict the specific Me-262 which Bill pursued on March 3, the unit and markings of which are unknown.  Rather, it’s simply a very good; quite evocative picture: the “box art” for Airfix’s 1/72 scale Me-262A-1A (kit A03088), and shows a Schwalbe of KG(J) 54 attacking B-17s of the 351st Bomb Squadron of the 100th Bomb Group on March 18, 1945. 

The B-17 on the right is 1 Lt. Rollie C. King’s 43-37521, (EP * K – Heavenly Daze / Skyway Chariot) not so coincidentally the subject of Airfix’s 1/72 kit A08017, the box art of which is shown below.  The bomber indeed was shot down on March 18, 1945 by Me-262s (with the deaths of three crewmen) though the painting shows the B-17 being shot down by FW-190s.  The loss of Heavenly Daze is described in radio operator S/Sgt. Archie Mathosian’s 1991 letter to 100th BG Association Historian Jim Brown. 

25:45 – 26:35: Memories of two pilots who were lost on November 26, 1944: 1 Lt. Bernard R.J. Barab and 2 Lt. Charles W. Kelley, killed in a mid-air collision witnessed by Bill.

Commentary…

Biographical information about Bernard R.J. Barab and Charles W. Kelley follows below:

1 Lt. Bernard R.J. Barab, 0-796643, Air Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel and Mary (Curran) Barab (parents), Thelma and Eileen (sisters), 2 South Bartram Ave. / 927 Atlantic Ave. / 127 Ocean Ave., Atlantic City, N.J.
Mr. Richard L. Barab (cousin)
MACR 11079, P-51D 44-13574; No Luftgaukommando Report?
Name appeared in casualty list published on November 1, 1945
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium – Plot C, Row 6, Grave 52

Bernard Barab’s name appeared in a Casualty List issued by the War Department on October 31, 1945.   The New York Times published the list on November 1, limiting the names to servicemen from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.  Barab’s name appearing under “New Jersey – European Area”. 

2 Lt. Charles W. Kelley, 0-826462 (presumably received Purple Heart; other awards unknown)
Born August 2, 1919
Probably from Hyattsville, Md.
Mrs. Helen Hawk (daughter) (Information from biographical profile at Registry of National WW II Memorial)
MACR 10886, P-51C 42-106910; Luftgaukommando Report J 2624
Mount Bethel United Methodist Church Cemetery, Crimora, Virginia

______________________________

The Tiger’s Cousin: Major Sylvan Feld

.ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.

Ironically, in light of the ready availability of information and photographs concerning the military service of William Lyons, there is relatively – far, if not vastly – less known about his cousin, the man who served as the inspiration for Bill’s military service: Major Sylvan “Sid” Feld.

Among American pilots who flew the famous Spitfire fighter plane while specifically serving in the United States Army Air Force, “Sid” Feld attained the highest number of kills (nine) against German aircraft. 

As recounted by Bill in the West Point Center for Oral History video (from 14:00 – 15:00), along with Bill’s innate interest in aviation, his parallel inspiration to become a fighter pilot was his cousin Sylvan Feld, who was born in Woodhaven, Queens, on August 20, 1918.  

Bill’s first cousin on his mother’s side, Sylvan’s family originated in Bayshore, Long Island, where Sylvan’s father Nathan worked as a driver for Bill’s grandfather, in the dairy business.  Nathan subsequently worked in lumber and construction, where he and Bill’s father Immanuel became “more or less partners” until Immanuel decided to work at Wall Street.  Nathan moved to Lynn, Massachusetts in mid-thirties or late thirties, where he opened a dairy. 

Remembering Sylvan from his childhood in the (then) very rural area of Bayshore, Bill viewed himself as a “little kid” who Sylvan, along with Sylvan’s older brother “Herbie” (Monroe Herbert) and their older sister Evelyn, “sort of took care of me.  Babysat for me.“

However, Bill didn’t actually see Sylvan after the age of six or seven.  (1930 – 1931)  “There was the one letter that he wrote me…  He was just advising me that I’d really like to be a pilot.  He said if you’re going to be in the service, then you’ve got to be an officer, and a pilot, because it’s a terrific life.  The idea was that it was a good life, and a worthwhile one.”

Towards the end of Bill’s teens, while he was working at the Sperry Gyroscope, Sylvan was flying in North Africa.  “I remember a letter from him in which he heard that I was interested in becoming a pilot.  He encouraged me.  He said there was one great job in the service, and since I was eventually going to go into the service, he just assumed that I would be a pilot.” 

The photographic portraits below respectively show Sylvan as a Flight Cadet at Kelly Field, and, his graduation portrait from June of 1942.  They are both found in the National Archives’ collection ” RG 18-PU: “Records of the Army Air Forces” – “Photographic Prints of Air Cadets and Officers, Air Crew, and Notables in the History of Aviation” “.

Both Monroe and Sylvan would eventually serve in the Army Air Force.  Fate was kind to neither, albeit thankfully Monroe did survive the war.

Born on June 23, 1915, in New York, Monroe (“Monroe Herbert” or “Herbie”) enlisted in the Army Air Force in January, 1942, becoming a Sergeant and waist gunner in the 723rd Bomb Squadron of the 450th (Cottontails) Bomb Group.  His aircraft, B-24L 44-50245 “Princess Pat”, piloted by 1 Lt. Murray G. Stowe, was struck by flak down on March 12, 1945, during a mission to the Florisdorf Marshalling Yards, in Austria, the plane’s 10 crewmen parachuting (all with good ‘chutes) went of Lente, Hungary.  Of the bomber’s crewmen, 8 survived as prisoners of war.  Monroe and Sgt. Lawrence Cilestio were beaten so severely by Hungarian soldiers that, upon being reunited with their fellow crewmen, they were unrecognizable. 

Two other crewmen – navigator 2 Lt. Richard H. Van Huisen and gunner S/Sgt. William R. Ahlschlager – landed safely by parachute, but were never seen again.  As of 2018, they remain missing.

Like his cousin William, Monroe’s name never appeared in American Jews in World War II. 

Born in Woodhaven, New York, on August 20, 1918, Sylvan was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, on February 13, 1942.  He was one of the original pilots of the 4th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Group, which was originally assigned to the 8th Air Force, and then transferred to North Africa to support the landings there in November of 1942.  He attained his aerial victories (4 Me-109s, 3 FW-190s, and 2 Ju-88s) between March and June of 1943, after which he returned to the United States. 

He was subsequently assigned to the Headquarters Squadron of the 373rd Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, where he served as Operations Officer.  It was in this capacity that he was shot down, near Argentan, France, on August 13, 1944, while flying P-47D Thunderbolt 42-25966 (loss covered in MACR 8584).

The MACR includes only one statement about his loss: A report by 1 Lt. Virgil T. Bolin, Jr., stating, “On 13 August 1944, I was flying Gaysong Red 3 on a dive bombing strafing mission.  I became lost from the first element on a strafing [pair? – run?] and joined Yellow 1 and 2.  A short time later Major Feld called and told me to come North East of Argentan to join him.  I was on my way from Laigle when he called and said he was on fire and was bailing out.  I did not see the plane or his chute.”

Evading the Germans for a few days, Major Feld was eventually captured.  (The details are unknown, and by now, probably will remain unknown.)  Placed with a small group of other captured Allied personnel – aviators and ground troops; British and Canadians – these soldiers had the tragic misfortune to be caught in the midst of a raid by American bombers in the town of Bernay.  Some of the captured servicemen were wounded, and with a sad and terrible irony – for it was his 26th birthday – Sylvan was severely wounded. 

He died the next day at Petit-Quevilly, while the small group of prisoners were being taken to Maromme. 

All this is covered in MACR 8584, which contains correspondence focusing on the search for information about his final fate.  After September of 1944, the trail of information grew cold. 

Sylvan remained missing for a decade and a half.  But, in 1959, during the disinterment and identification of German war dead buried in France, as a step to eventual reinterment in German military cemeteries, German officials discovered an American dog-tag and flying clothing associated with the body of a man identified only as an “unknown German soldier”. 

American authorities were notified, and by November of 1959, after investigation, the remains of the “German soldier” were determined to actually be those of Sylvan.    

He is buried at the Ardennes American Cemetery, at Neupre, Belgium (Plot B, Row 33, Grave 58).  His burial plot appears in the image below, which was provided by the American Battle Monuments Commission. 

 …while this 2013 image is by FindAGrave contributor Doc Wilson.

As for Thunderbolt 42-25966, it’s unknown if this was his personal aircraft, or, a Thunderbolt from one of the 373rd’s three squadrons (410th, 411th, or 412th) which he randomly chose to fly on August 13.  Given the location and circumstances of its loss, it is not (and probably could not have been) covered by a Luftgaukommando Report, while it’s unknown if its exact crash location is noted in Sylvan’s IDPF (Individual Deceased Personnel File); I don’t have a copy of that document.

However, information about Sylvan’s P-47 is found in Daniel Carville’s FranceCrashes website, in the following statement: 

Lieu-dit La Commune – Neuvy-au-Houlme (1,8 km SE) -10 km S de Falaise – (Fouilles réalisées)

Location at the town of Neuvy-au-Houlme (1.8 km southeast) -10 km south of Falaise – (Excavations completed)

(Curiously, in Major Feld’s last radio message, he stated that he was northeast of Argentan, while the location 1.8 km southeast of Neuv-au-Houlme is northwest of Argentan.)

Fouille en 1988 par l‘Ansa – Recup : moteur – train mitrailleuse Browninq cal 0,50 (SN 1016677) – localisation précise du crash non communiquée

Search in 1988 by ANSA [Association Normand du Souvenir Aérien (“Normandy Air Remembrance Association”)] – Retrieved: engine – 0.50 caliber Browning machine gun (Serial Number 1016677) – precise location of the crash not communicated

Based on the above information, the maps below – shown in order of increasing scale – show the probable location of 42-25966’s crash site.

This map is centered upon the Normandy Region of France.  The Red Google location pointer indicates the location listed above – 1.8 km southeast of Neuvy-au-Houlme; not visible at this scale – which is south of Falaise, in the Calvados Department.

A larger-scale view shows the location of Neuvy-au-Houlme (outlined in red).

Moving in closer, the the probable crash site of Major Feld’s Thunderbolt is denoted by the red oval. 

This image is an air-photo view of the above map.  The probable crash site appears to be located in farmland, denoted as above by a red oval.

The image below shows the data plate that had been attached to the Thunderbolt’s engine.  Information on the plate correlates to the engine type (R-2800-63) and serial number (42-56386) listed in MACR 8584.  The photo originally appeared at Passion Militaria, in an image uploaded by “CED6250” on February 3, 2014, in a sub-forum entitled “le destin tragique du major Sylvan FELD, pilote de P47”) [“The Tragic Fate of Major Sylvan Feld, P-47 Pilot”.

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Update, December 2022

At ANSA’s website, I recently discovered A.N.S.A.-MAG / Magazine de liaison de l’A.N.S.A. 39/45 for the first third of 1999 (No. 2 1er quadrimestre 1999), which carries information about the location and recovery of the wreckage of Major Feld’s Thunderbolt, specifically, “…a large piece of airframe, a complete landing gear and the engine in its entirety plus many miscellaneous parts.”  The article includes two images of the plane’s Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine.  (Or to be specific, what’s left of the engine.)  Unfortunately (oh, well…!) the exact geographic coordinates of the crash location of 42-25966 are not listed.  

A transcript and English translation follow:

FOUILLES…

Le P 47 du Major Sylvan FELD

Le P 47 Thunderbolt du Major Sylvan FELD a été abattu le 13 Août 1944 lors de l’attaque de la poche de Falaise.  Il appartenait au 373éme F.G.

Lors d’une attaque de bombardement et mitraillage sur des troupes allemandes au sol emprisonnées dans la poche de Falaise, après avoir effectué une passe de mitraillage , son avion prit feu.  Aucun de ses co-équipiers ne le vit sauter.  Il dût évacuer son avion en parachute et fut capturé en parfaite santé par les allemands.

Le Major FELD, qui était prisonnier des allemands, est mort le 21 Août à 1 heure du matin à Grand-Quevilly, aux chantiers de Normandie, des suites d’une blessure grave reçue à Bernay le 20 Août 1944 lors d’un bombardement américain.  Lorsqu’il est mort, il était inconscient depuis la veille.  Il attendait d’être chargé dans une ambulance allemande au bac de Croisset pour traverser la Seine en compagnie d’un canadien moins sérieusement blessé et d’un officier britannique.

Jean-Pierre NICLOT

Notre ami, Jean-Pierre NICLOT, a fait don, pour notre futur “Mémorial des combats aériens 39/45” d’un nombre impressionnant de pièces de grosse taille provenant de ce P 47 sorti de terre il y a environ 10 ans.

L’ANSA tient à le remercier vivement pour ce geste généreux qui nous va droit au coeur.  Ces superbes pièces seront parfaitement mises en valeur dans le cadre d’un diorama de crash que nous avons prévu de présenter à l’intérieur du Mémorial.

Nous avons récupéré un morceau important de cellule, un train d’atterrissage complet ainsi que le moteur dans son intégralité plus de nombreuses pièces diverses.

Je laisse notre responsable de l’atelier, Roland BENARD, vous conter le rapatriement de ce matériel à notre entrepôt…. vu la taille et le poids des pièces, cela n’a pas été si simple que cela ….

Sylvain DEZELEE

Vérification de l’arrimage après quelques kilomètres de route.

1ère MISSION: Repérage du site

Au cours d’une réunion de Bureau, il fut décidé de répondre rapidement au souhait de notre ami Jean-Pierre NICLOT, membre de l’ANSA Yvelines qui souhaitait offrir de belles pièces aéronautiques pour garnir le futur Musée.  C.A SIMONEAU se propose de prendre contact et le mercredi 21 Octobre, il nous emmena avec Michel DUTHEIL faire l’évaluation quantitative et réfléchir sur le mode opératoire pour manipuler des poids importants sans l’aide de moyens de levage mécanique, (l’emplacement de stockage du moteur ne permettant pas l’emploi d’engin de levage).  Il nous fallait opérer avec le minimum de matériel et un maximum d’efficacité et de sécurité.

2ème MISSION: Traitement de l’objectif

C’est après avoir copieusement rempli le coffre de la 306 de quelques cales de bois, sangles, cordes, une barre à mine, des crics à crémaillère … et j’en passe, malgré un brouillard tenace et frisquet, qu’avec mon ami Michel DUTHEIL, nous nous sommes de nouveau rendus chez J-P NICLOT le mercredi 10 décembre 98.  La principale difficulté concernait le moteur, il était dans une position et un endroit difficiles à manoeuvrer.  A la vue de ce bijou, la tristesse et la froideur du climat furent bien vite oubliées.  Un sentiment d’appréhension nous accompagna quelque temps au début de la manutention de cette pièce de plus de 800 kgs (probablement près de 900 kgs…).  Rapidement, nos réflexes et savoir-faire, héritages de nos métiers antérieurs, nous permirent de faire pivoter, redresser et déplacer sur 5 métrés environ les 900 kg du moteur.  Sans consulter nos montres, nos estomacs nous rappellèrent qu’il fallait “ravitailler”.  Ce “stand-by” effectué dans un “mess” local, en compagnie de l’ami NICLOT et de son comparse, l’ami BERLIOZ, fût bien apprécié.  La reprise des “opérations” fut consacrée à l’élévation de 40 cm du moteur sur son bâti afin de pouvoir reculer une remorque sous celui-ci et, avec le concours de quelques rouleaux …. il n’y aura … ka …pousser!

3ème MISSION: Retour à l’entrepôt

C’est avec une remorque porte-voiture prêtée par Philippe DUTHEIL et tractée par le 4 x 4 du Président, plus un fourgon et toujours accompagné d’un brouillard tenace qu’un “commando ébroïcien” a investi vers 9h le domicile de J-P NICLOT.  Etant donné l’accès très difficle sur le lieu et l’étroitesse du portail, la mise en place de la remorque se fit manuellement, le manque de largeur de la rue empêchant une marche arrière aisée.  L’aide de Nicolas VECCHI assisté de son père fut appréciée pour le “ya ka pousser le moteur sur la remorque”, ce qui ne fut pas une mince affaire.  Ce fut ensuite le chargement d’une jambe de train (mon Dieu que c’était lourd, nous n’étions pas trop de cinq pour la lever!) et d’un bon morceau de structure (ça, c’était encore plus lourd, nous nous y sommes mis à sept pour le bouger… ), tout.ceci fut fermement arrimé.  Quant au fourgon, il fut le bienvenu, car de nombreux accessoires y furent entassés, armement, pales d’hélice, cylindres du moteur, carburateur, pas variable …etc … La camionnette était pleine à mi-hauteur de vestiges.

L’arrimage du matériel ainsi que le chargement du fourgon furent termines pour midi.  Après une halte au “mess local”, le retour s’effectua sans incident et c’est vers 16h environ que le déchargement se fit au dépôt avec le concours de notre hôte et de son chariot élévateur.  Ce téléscopique fut le bienvenu poir vider aisément les presque deux tonnes de matériel posés sur la remorc-e if moteur, le train d’atterissage et le morceau de cellule).

Les mécanos de service vont se faire un plaisir de toiletter ces merveilles endormies.  Il y a vraiment quelque chose de superbe à faire de ces belles pièces, surtout avec le moteur qui est presque complet.

Roland BENARD   Responsable de l’entrepôt

****************************************

EXCAVATIONS…

Major Sylvan FELD’s P-47

The P 47 Thunderbolt of Major Sylvan FELD was shot down on August 13, 1944 during the attack on the Falaise pocket.  It belonged to the 373rd F.G.

During a bombing and strafing attack on German ground troops trapped in the Falaise Pocket, after making a strafing pass, his aircraft caught fire.  None of his teammates saw him jump.  He had to evacuate his plane by parachute and was captured in perfect health by the Germans.

Major FELD, who was a prisoner of the Germans, died on August 21 at 1 a.m. in Grand-Quevilly, at the Normandy shipyards, following a serious injury received at Bernay on August 20, 1944 during an American bombardment.  When he died, he had been unconscious since the day before.  He was waiting to be loaded into a German ambulance at the Croisset ferry to cross the Seine in the company of a less seriously injured Canadian and a British officer.

Jean-Pierre NICLOT

Our friend, Jean-Pierre NICLOT, donated, for our future “39/45 Air Combat Memorial”, an impressive number of large pieces from this P 47 which came out of the ground about 10 years ago.

ANSA would like to thank him warmly for this generous gesture which goes straight to our hearts.  These stunning pieces will be showcased perfectly as part of a crash diorama that we are planning to display inside the Memorial.  We recovered a large piece of airframe, a complete landing gear and the engine in its entirety plus many miscellaneous parts.

I let our workshop manager, Roland BENARD, tell you about the repatriation of this material to our warehouse …. given the size and weight of the parts, it was not that simple…

Sylvain DEZELEE

Checking the stowage after a few kilometers on the road.

1st MISSION: Site scouting

During a Board meeting, it was decided to respond quickly to the wish of our friend Jean-Pierre NICLOT, member of ANSA Yvelines who wanted to offer beautiful aeronautical parts to furnish the future Museum.  C.A SIMONEAU proposes to make contact and on Wednesday, October 21, he took us with Michel DUTHEIL to do the quantitative evaluation and to reflect on the operating mode for handling heavy weights without the aid of mechanical lifting means, (the location engine storage that does not allow the use of lifting gear).  We had to operate with a minimum of equipment and maximum efficiency and safety.

2nd MISSION: Treatment of the objective

It was after copiously filling the trunk of the 306 with a few wooden wedges, straps, ropes, a crowbar, rack jacks… and so on, despite a tenacious and chilly fog, that with my friend Michel DUTHEIL, we went again to J-P NICLOT on Wednesday December 10, 98.  The main difficulty concerned the engine, it was in a difficult position and place to maneuver.  At the sight of this jewel, the sadness and the coldness of the climate were quickly forgotten.  A feeling of apprehension accompanied us for some time at the beginning of the handling of this piece of more than 800 kgs (probably nearly 900 kgs…).  Quickly, our reflexes and know-how, inherited from our previous trades, enabled us to rotate, straighten and move the 900 kg of the engine over approximately 5 meters.  Without consulting our watches, our stomachs reminded us that we had to “refuel”.  This “stand-by” carried out in a local “mess”, in the company of friend NICLOT and his sidekick, friend BERLIOZ, was well appreciated.  The resumption of “operations” was devoted to the elevation of 40 cm of the engine on its frame in order to be able to move a trailer under it and, with the help of a few rollers …. there will be … ka …push!

3rd MISSION: Return to the warehouse

It was with a car carrier loaned by Philippe DUTHEIL and towed by the President’s 4 x 4, plus a van and always accompanied by a stubborn fog that an “Ebroïcien commando” took over the home of J-P NICLOT around 9 a.m.  Given the very difficult access to the site and the narrowness of the gate, the installation of the trailer was done manually, the lack of width of the street preventing easy reversing.  The help of Nicolas VECCHI assisted by his father was appreciated for the “ya ka pushing the engine on the trailer”, which was not an easy task.  It was then the loading of a train leg (my God it was heavy, there were not too many of us to lift it!) and a good piece of structure (that was even heavier, there were seven of us to move it…), everything was firmly secured.  As for the van, it was welcome, because many accessories were piled up there, armament, propeller blades, engine cylinders, carburettor, variable pitch … etc …  The van was full halfway up with remains.

The stowage of the equipment as well as the loading of the van were finished by noon.  After a stop at the “local mess”, the return was made without incident and it was around 4 p.m. that the unloading took place at the depot with the help of our host and his forklift.  This telescopic was welcome to easily empty the almost two tons of material placed on the trailer if engine, the landing gear and the piece of cell).

The service mechanics will be happy to groom these sleeping wonders.  There really is something wonderful to be done with these beautiful pieces, especially with the engine which is almost complete.

Roland BENARD   Warehouse Manager

______________________________

Compared to other WW II USAAF fighter groups, photographic coverage of the 373rd Fighter Group seems to be scanty.  However, ironically, there are two excellent photographs of the specific P-47 (“Gaysong Red Three”, a.k.a. R3 * G) flown by Lt. Bolin when he received Major Feld’s last radio call. 

One of these pictures appears in Kent Rust’s The 9th Air Force in World War II, where it’s listed as an official Army Air Force photo – though it doesn’t seem to be available via Fold3.com.  The plane is seen flying near Mont St. Michel, France.  It’s now a Getty Image, captioned as “Republic P-47D Thunderbolt (42-25845 R3-G) of 410th Fighter Squadron USAAF in flight near Mont St Michael, Normandy, 26 August 1944.  (Photo by Charles E. Brown / Royal Air Force Museum  / Getty Images)”. 

The other image of R3 * G is available at the American Air Museum in England, where it’s captioned, “A P-47 Thunderbolt (R3-G, serial number 42-25845) of the 373rd Fighter Group in flight.  Image stamped on reverse: ‘Charles E Brown.’  [stamp], ‘Passed for publication 7 Sep 1944.’ [stamp] and ‘356662.’ [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: ‘P-47 Thunderbolt flying across open country.’”  This picture has been scanned at an extremely high resolution, and zooming in on the photo reveals that the pilot is looking “up” through the canopy towards the photographer. 

Unlike his brother Monroe and cousin Bill, Sylvan’s name does appear in American Jews in World War II: on page 157.  There, his military awards are listed as the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, 21 Oak Leaf Clusters (suggesting the completion of between 105 and 115 combat missions), and the Purple Heart.

During and after the Second World War, news items about Sylvan Feld appeared in the following publications:
Chicago Jewish Chronicle – 8/13/43
The American Hebrew – 8/13/43
Lynn [Massachusetts] Daily Item – 9/2/43, 11/15/44, 5/20/60

______________________________

The image below, by Chris Davey, is a profile of Sylvan Feld’s Sylvan’s personal Spitfire Vc (ES276, WD * D), which appears in Andrew Thomas’ American Spitfire Aces of World War 2.  Notable is the absence of any distinctive personal markings, except for Feld’s name and victory symbols. 

The aircraft’s markings and camouflage are seen in the image below (artwork by Wojciech Rynkowski?) from the Montex company’s (Wroclaw, Poland) “Masks, decals & markings for Spitfire Mk Vb by Airfix – Product Number K48271 (decals and camouflage information for Spitfires EN794 and ES276)”.

The British Eagle Strike Productions company also produced (in 2006) a decal set covering Major Feld’s Spitfire, and, three other USAAF MTO Spitfires, images of which also illustrate the markings and camouflage of USAAF MTO Spitfires.  These decals are available from the Valka Company, located in the village of Osek nad Bečvou in the Czech Republic. 

I do possess more (but not really that much more) information about Major Sylvan Feld, but the above covers the essentials of his story, so far as those essentials can be known.  Alas, a telephone inquiry to Monroe in the 1990s elicited a firm unwillingness – albeit, it must be stated, an unwillingness respectful and polite – to discuss either his brother’s life or his own military experiences. 

Monroe died in Englewood, Florida, on June 11, 2007, and his sister Evelyn probably passed away in March of 1984.

______________________________

Ironically, more information seems to be available (at that, what little there really is!) about Major Feld’s aircraft; about Major Feld as a military pilot, than about Sylvan Feld as a son, brother, cousin, comrade, and friend.  The final disposition of the correspondence (personal and official), documents, photographs, and memorabilia that he likely accumulated through his three years of military service – assuming that this material has even survived – is unknown.  And, with the passing of his parents, sister, and brother, and members of their generations, recollections of him “as a person” have passed into history – and therefore beyond memory – as well. 

Still, a memory partial, fragmentary, and indirect – for all men, both great and small – are in time remembered incompletely – is better than no memory whatsoever. 

May this blog post perpetuate his memory, as best it can.

References

Books

Brent, Winston, 85 Years of South African Air Force – 1920-2005 (African Aviation Series No. 13), Freeworld Publications xx, Nelspruit, South Africa, 2005

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom – Compiled by the Bureau of War Records of the National Jewish Welfare Board, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947

Franks, Norman L.R., Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume I – Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1939-1941, Midland Publishing, Ltd., Leicester, Great Britain, 1997

Steinberg, Lucien, “The Participation of Jews in the Allied Armies”, Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust, Proceedings of the Conference on manifestations of Jewish Resistance, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel, 1971, pp. 379-392

Franks, Norman L.R., Royal Air Force Fighter Command Losses of the Second World War, Volume III – Operational Losses: Aircraft and Crews 1944-1945 (Incorporating Air Defence Great Britain and 2nd TAF), Midland Publishing, Ltd., Leicester, Great Britain, 1997

Giovannitti, Len, The Prisoners of Combine D, Bantam Books, New York, N.Y., October, 1957 (Paperback edition January, 1959)

Holmes, Tony, Star-Spangled Spitfires, Pen & Sword Aviaton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, 2017.  (NOOK Book (eBook)), available from Barnes & Noble

Ivie, Tom, and Pudwig, Paul, Spitfires & Yellow Tail Mustangs: The U.S. 52nd Fighter Group in WWII,  Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 2013

Martin, Henry J., and Orpen, Neil D., Eagles Victorious: The operations of the South African Forces over the Mediterranean and Europe, in Italy, the Balkans and the Aegean, and from Gibraltar and West Africa, Purnell, Cape Town, South Africa, 1977

Morris, Henry, Edited by Gerald Smith, We Will Remember Them – A Record of the Jews Who Died in the Armed Forces of the Crown 1939 – 1945, Brassey’s, United Kingdom, London, 1989

Rust, Kenn C., The 9th Air Force in World War II, Aero Publishers, Inc., Fallbrook, Ca., 1970

Thomas, Andrew, American Spitfire Aces of World War 2, Osprey Publishing, New York, N.Y., 2007

Vee, Roger, The Story of No. 1 Squadron S.A.A.F., Sometime Known as the Billy Boys, Mercantile Atlas, Cape Town, South Africa, 1952

Wayburne, Ellis, Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way (…And Where There’s a Way, There’s a Wayburne), Israel, 1995 (privately printed)

Wright, Arnold A., Behind The Wire: Stalag Luft III – South Compound, Arnold A. Wright, Printed in Benton, Ar., 1993 (privately printed)

Canadian Jews in World War II – Part II: Casualties, Canadian Jewish Congress, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 1947

USAF Credits for the Destruction of Enemy Aircraft, World War II, Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center, Air University, Office of Air Force History, Headquarters, USAF, 1978.

Miscellaneous

357th Fighter Squadron Historical Records – AFHRA Microfilm Roll AO784 (“SQ-FI-357-Hi – SQ-FI-358 Hi”)

P-47 Thunderbolt serial number list (Wikipedia)

P-51 Mustang serial number list (via Joseph F. Baugher’s “USAF USASC-USAAS-USAAC-USAAF-USAF Military Aircraft Serial Numbers–1908 to Present” website)

10/25/18 – 3,962 / 6/8/24 – 4,034

Updated post…  The Reconstruction of Memory: Soldiers of Aufbau

Update…March, 2024:

Dating Back to December 30, 2017 – have nearly seven years gone by already? – I’ve made a correction to this post based on a recent communication from Russ Czaplewski.  Russ calls attention to the photo of the nose art of B-26B Marauder nicknamed “Becky“, of the 320th Bomb Group’s 441st Bomb Squadron, from Victor C. Tannehill’s book Boomerang! – Story of the 320th Bombardment Group in World War II. 

In my caption to the image, I originally identified this camouflaged B-26 as aircraft 42-107711, squadron / battle number “02“, which was piloted by Lt. Paul E. Trunk and lost with its entire crew on August 15, 1944, when the plane crashed into a mountain in bad weather.

Here’s Russ’s message:

“I have an original negative with a similar view of “Becky” and the serial number above the round unit logo reads 42-96119 rather than 41-107711. There were multiple bombers named “Becky” in the 441st and the illustration shown is not sharp enough to distinguish the serial number.”  

Along with the corrected information about 42-107711, I’ve updated the post by including the text of the obituary for Heinz Thannhauser’s father Justin, and, adding links to FindAGrave for the eight crew members of the lost B-26.

______________________________

 

Aufbau: The Reconstruction of Memory

As irony abounds in the histories of nations, so it does in the lives of men.

During World War Two, a striking irony could sometimes be found among Jewish military personnel in the Allied armed forces.  Some Jewish soldiers, at one time citizens of Germany and Austria, and subsequently refugees and emigrants from those countries, might – through a combination of intention and chance – find themselves arrayed in battle against the Axis.  This circumstance, a melding of civil obligation, moral responsibility, idealism, motivated by a personal sense of justice, was deeply symbolic aspect of Jewish military service during the Second World War. 

For the United States, a perusal of both the Jewish press and the general news media from 1942 through 1945 reveals occasional articles – and inevitably, casualty notices – covering such servicemen.  Such news items called specific attention to the circumstances behind a soldier’s arrival in the United States, and often extended to accounts of his family’s pre-war life in Germany or Austria.  This was not limited to the American news media.  The Jewish Chronicle of England was replete with articles covering the military service of Jewish refugee soldiers in the armed forces of England and British Commonwealth countries, including – before Israel’s re-establishment in 1948 – British military units comprised of personnel (often refugees) from the pre-State Yishuv. 

In the American news media, a striking example of one such news items appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on June 13, 1943.

GERMAN REFUGEE MISSING IN ACTION

A 22-year-old German refugee who fled his native Leipzig in 1935 to escape Nazi persecution is one of four Philadelphians reported last night by the War Department as missing in action.

He is Corporal Maurice Derfler, of 1601 Ruscomb St., worker in a Philadelphia clothing factory before he entered the Army Air Forces on March 28, 1942.

WROTE TO FIANCEE

Derfler has been missing since May 19, just five days after his fiancée, Mildred Roush, 19, of 4813 N. Franklin St., received a letter from him, stating that he was “going on a dangerous mission” but felt sure that he would return.  For, he explained, he was looking forward to his furlough next September, when he and Miss Roush would be married.

The next message was the War Department communication, which Abraham Roush, prospective father-in-law of the soldier, received on May 29.  The message stated that Derfler, a radio operator in a Consolidated Liberator bomber, had failed to return from a mission.

FIANCEE CONFIDENT

Miss Roush, who is confident that Derfler will return, “and I still will be waiting,” could tell little of her fiancee’s flight from his native Germany.  “He didn’t like to talk about it.  It must have been an ordeal for him.  He keeps it as his secret.”

Derfler, Miss Roush recalled, arrived in Philadelphia with a group of other refugees.  His one desire was to get into the American forces for a “crack at the Germans.”  He was naturalized in September of 1941 and the following March entered the service.  Ironically, the Air Forces sent him into the Pacific area.

Corporal Derfler served as a radio operator in the 400th Bomb Squadron of the 90th (“Jolly Rogers”) Bomb Group of the 5th Air Force.  His aircraft, a B-24D Liberator (serial number 41-29269) piloted by 1 Lt. Donald L. Almond, was conducting a solo daylight reconnaissance mission along the eastern coast of New Guinea.  It was intercepted by five Japanese pilots of the 24th Sentai, who were flying Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Japanese for “Peregrine Falcon”; Allied code-name “Oscar”) fighter planes.  One of these aviators, Sergeant Hikoto Sato, was killed during the engagement when his fighter rammed the B-24.     

As the aerial engagement began, the B-24 radioed a message – likely transmitted by Corporal Derfler himself – that it was under attack by Japanese fighters. 

Five minutes later, another radio message reported that the plane was going down. 

No trace of the plane or crew – presumed to have crashed near Karkar Island, off the northeastern coast of New Guinea – has ever been found. 

The names of the B-24’s ten crewmen are commemorated at the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery, in the Philippines.  

Corporal Derfler (serial number 33157713) received the Air Medal and Purple Heart.  In 1943, he was mentioned in The American Hebrew (August 20), the Chicago Jewish Chronicle (August 27), and The Jewish Times (Delaware County, Pennsylvania) (September 3). 

Initially assigned to the famed 44th (“Flying Eightballs”) Bomb Group – which, ironically, flew bombing missions against Germany – Cpl. Derfler was the only member of his family to have escaped from Germany. 

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In terms of detailed information about the military service of German-Jewish refugees in the armed forces of the Allies – in general – and United States in particular, one publication stands out:  Aufbau, or in translation, “Construction”, or “Building Up”.  Published between 1934 and 2004, the newspaper was founded by the German-Jewish Club, later re-named the “New World Club”.  Originally intended as a monthly newsletter for the club, the periodical changed markedly when Manfred George was nominated as editor in 1939.  George transformed the publication to one of the leading anti-Nazi periodicals of the German Exile Press (Exilpresse) Group, increasing its circulation from 8,000 to 40,000.  According to the description of Aufbau at Archiv.org (and as can be solidly verified from perusal of its contents), writings of many well-known personalities appeared in its pages.  (Three names among many: Albert Einstein, Thomas Mann, and Stefan Zweig.)  According to Wikipedia, after having been published in New York City through 2004, the periodical subsequently began publishing in Zurich.  However, the given link (http://www.aufbauonline.com/) seems to be inoperative. 

A catalog record for Aufbau – and 29 other periodicals comprising German Exile Press publications can, appropriately, be found at the website of the German National Library – Deutsch National Bibliothek. A screen-shot of the catalag record for Aufbau is shown below:

When the Aufbau was reviewed in 2010, it could be accessed directly through the DNB’s website.  However, by now – 2017 – it seems to be only available through archive.org.  This is the first page of Archive.org catalog record for the publication:

And, here is the second:

Unlike the DNB website, which (as I recall?…) allowed access and viewing of the publication on an extraordinarily useful issue-by-issue and even page-by-page basis, users accessing Aufbau at Archive.org cannot view the periodical at such a fine level of informational ”clarity”.  (Despite being able to scroll through and view volumation and numbering of all issues in Archive.org’s “View EAD” window.)  Rather, once a hyperlink for any issue is selected, the entire content for that year is then displayed in a new window as a single file – and that year’s full content is also downloaded as a single PDF, or in other formats.

The image below shows issue records for Aufbau as they appear at the Archive.org catalog record.  (The format of this information is representative of, and identical to, issue records for all other years of publication.) 

And…  This image shows the interface for 1942 issues of Aufbau, by which the publication – encompassing that entire year – can be viewed online, or downloaded.  Other years of publication are displayed in a similar manner. 

PDF file sizes for wartime editions of Aufbau are:

1941 (Volume 7): 453 MB
1942 (Volume 8): 566 MB
1943 (Volume 9): 513 MB
1944 (Volume 10): 530 MB
1945 (Volume 11): 353 MB

Published on a weekly basis, Aufbau provides overlapping windows upon American Jewry, German Jewry (particularly of course, those Jews fortunate enough to have escaped from Germany), and world Jewry, through its coverage of political, social, and intellectual developments of the late 1930s and early 1940s.  News covered by the publication pertained to all facets of life, “in general”: current events; literary, cultural, cinematic, theatrical, and social news; and, innumerable essays and opinion pieces. 

Intriguingly, the paper’s news coverage and editorial content – at least encompassing 1939 through 1946 – suggests intertwining, competing, and parallel aspects of thought that have persisted since the halting beginnings of Jewish “emancipation” only a few centuries ago:  One one hand, a staunch and unapologetic emphasis on Jewish identity and Zionism.  On the other, the subsuming of Jewish identity within a wider world of (ostensibly) democratic universalism. 

(Ah, but I digress.  That is another long, and continuing story…) 

Back, to the topic at hand…

Though Aufbau’s central focus was not Jewish military service as such, the newspaper nonetheless serves as a tremendously rich repository of information – genealogical; biographical; historical – about the experiences of Jewish soldiers during the Second World War.  In that sense, news items in Aufbau relevant to Jewish military service falls into these general themes: 

1) Lists of awards and honors;
2) News about and accounts of military service by American Jewish soldiers; similarly-themed news items about military service of Jews in other Allied nations (the Soviet Union, British Commonwealth countries, France, and Poland);
3) Detailed biographies of soldiers wounded, killed, and missing in action;
4) The campaign for the establishment of some form of autonomous Jewish fighting force;
5) The activities of the Jewish Brigade Group;
6) The military service of Jews from the Yishuv in the armed forces of Britain and other Commonwealth nations;
7) Zionism – the drive to re-establish a Jewish nation-state. 

These items are often accompanied by photographs of the specific servicemen in question, or, thematically relevant illustrations.  Of course, given the origin and ethos of Aufbau, from editor to publisher; from correspondents to stringers to contributors; in its coverage of Jewish military service, the newspaper placed great – if not central – emphasis, on Jewish soldiers whose families originated in Germany, and who were fortunate enough to have found citizenship in the United States.

The following five categories of articles in Aufbau are immediately relevant to the seven “themes” listed above:

1) The Struggle for a Jewish Army – 139 articles
2) Jews of the Yishuv at War – 33 articles
3) Jewish Prisoners of War – 10 articles
4) Jewish Military Casualties – 132 articles
5) The Jewish Brigade – 37 articles
6) Photographs (primarily of soldiers, yet including other subjects) – 252

…while the following three categories of items, though not directly related to Jewish WW II military service, are very relevant to the “tenor of the times”…

1) antisemitism / Judeophobia – 20 articles
2) Random News Items About the Second World War – 31 articles
3) Acculturation and Assimilation – 48 articles

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As examples of such news items in Aufbau – yet more than mere examples; to bestow symbolic tribute upon the many German-Jewish soldiers who served in the Allied armed forces – news items about two WW II German-Jewish soldiers (Army Air Force S/Sgt. Heinz H. Thannhauser and Army PFC George E. Rosing) follow. 

Aufbau’s biography of S/Sgt. Thannhauser is quite detailed, probably due to his family’s prominence in the German-Jewish immigrant community, and, the world of art   Even before he entered the Army Air Force, Heinz’s background and accomplishments portended a remarkable future, if only his bomber had taken a slightly different course before before a Sardinian sunrise on August 15, 1944…

Heinz was the son of Justin K. (5/7/82-12/26/76) and Kate (Levi) (5/24/94-1959) Thannhauser, grandson of Heinrich Thannhauser, and the lineal descendant of Baruch Loeb Thannhauser, his father and grandfather originally having been residents of Munich, where – as art dealers – they owned the Thannhauser Galleries, specializing in Modernist art.  Justin moved to Paris in 1937 with his family to escape the Third Reich, and after the outbreak of the Second World War, to Switzerland.  They fled to the United States in 1941, establishing themselves in New York City, where Justin opened a private gallery, the initial core of which comprised a number of works that he had managed to bring with him to America. 

Due to Heinz’s death, and the doubly tragic passing of his only other child Michel in 1952, Justin cancelled plans to open a public gallery.  He remained a resident of New York until 1971, operating his gallery, collecting art, and assisting museums and galleries with exhibitions and acquisitions.  In recognition and honor of his sons and their late mother Kate – as well as his support of artistic progress – Justin’s collection was bequeathed to the Guggenheim Museum in 1963.  Due to the scope, size, and centrality of the collection, the Guggenheim established the Thannhauser Wing in 1965, where the original components of the collection, as well as additional works, are now on display. 

Justin passed away in 1976, his only survivor having been his second wife, Hilde.  Here is is obituary, as published in The New York Times on December 31, 1976.

Justin Thannhauser Dead at 84; Dealer in Art’s Modern Masters

December 31, 1976

GSTAAD, Switzerland, Dec. 30 (AP) —Justin Thannhauser, a German‐born United States art dealer whose landmark exhibitions spread the fame of modern masters such as Pablo Picasso, Edvard Munch and Paul Klee, died here last Sunday, a personal friend said today. He was 84 years old.

A Swiss journalist, Gaudenz Baumann, said Mr. Thannhauser suffered a heart attack in his hotel room last Friday. He was buried in Bern today.

Mr. Thannhauser’s five galleries in Gerbieny, Switzerland, France and the United States handled some of the best work of the 20th‐century masters.

He turned the Munich art gallery that his father founded in 1904 into a focal point for Mr. Munch and other Die Bruecke group expressionists, Klee, Vassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc.

Collection Seized

Mr. Thannhauser branched out to Lucerne from 1919 to 1939 and opened Galerie Thannhauser, his biggest gallery, in Berlin, in 1927.

During a 1937 Swiss visit, the Jewish dealer’s Berlin collection was seized by the Nazi regime. He was forced to reestablish himself in Paris, only to lose another collection to the Nazis during the World War II German invasion of France.

Mr. Thannhauser fled to New York in 1941 and started collecting from scratch. Among many works he donated to art museums, 75 paintings including valuable French Impressionist works are on display in the Thannhauser wing of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

It was in the “Moderne Gallerie” that Mr. Thannhauser ran in Munich from 1909 to 1928 that Marc and Kandinsky first met and in 1911, founded the group of artists named Der Blaue Reiter – the blue rider – after a famous Kandinsky painting.

The first major exhibitions by Picasso and Marc were held there in 1909. Mr. Thannhauser retained his links with Picasso and was one of the few visitors with regular access to the Spanish painter before he died in 1973 in his cloistered home in France.

The Moderne Gallerie staged the first Klee display in 1911 and the same year, helped fix Blaue Reither group’s place in modern art history with a pioneering exhibition.

Mr. Thannhauser left the United States in 1971 to retire in Switzerland, dividing his time between his Bern home and Gstaad.

His only surviving close relative is his second wife, Hilde, 56. A son from former marriage was killed in the crash of a United States bomber in the south of France during the 1944 Allied invasion.

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A radio operator in the 441st Bomb Squadron of the 320th Bomb Group (12th Air Force), Heinz and his seven fellow crewmen were killed when their B-26C Marauder (serial 42-107711, squadron number “02”, nicknamed “Becky” [Update, March, 2024 … see correction about aircraft identification in next paragraph…] crashed during take-off from Decimomannu, Sardinia, on August 15, 1944.  The plane flew directly into the side of Monte Azza, 2 kilometers from the town of Serrenti, in the pre-dawn darkness.  The aircraft had been one of 34 B-26s dispatched to bomb a beach at Baie de Cavalaire (north of Saint Tropaz), France.  As revealed in the 320th Bomb Group’s report of that mission, one other B-26s was lost on take-off, fortunately with all crewmen surviving.    

Heinz’s name would appear in an official casualty list published in October 21, 1944,

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The illustration below, from Victor Tannehill’s Boomerang! – Story of the 320th Bombardment Group, shows what I believe is “the” actual Becky: 42-107711.  The circular emblem just behind the bombardier’s position is the insignia of the 441st Bomb Squadron, while rows of bomb symbols painted to the right of the plane’s nickname denote sorties against the enemy.  [Update…  Based on information from Russ Czaplewski, this aircraft isn’t 42-107711, a B-26C-45-MO.  It’s actually 42-96119,  a B-26B-55-MA.  Being that there is neither a Missing Air Crew Report nor an Accident Report for this aircraft, I would assume that the latter plane survived the war and was returned to the United States for reclamation by the RFC.]

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This image, from Vintage Leather Jackets, shows a beautiful original example of a 441st Bomb Squadron uniform patch, which would have adorned the flying jacket of many a 441st BS airman.  The Latin expression “Finis Origine Pendet”, superimposed on a B-26 Marauder, means “The Beginning of the End”. 

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Here is the 320th Bomb Group’s Mission Report covering the mission of August 15, 1944.  Becky’s [42-107711’s] crew is listed at the bottom. 

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Most of the Mission Report is comprised of crew lists for the B-26s assigned to the mission, the page below covering six aircraft of the 441st Bomb Squadron.  Lieutenant Trunk’s plane and crew are listed second, with the notation “Crashed after T/O written alongside. 

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As stated in the concluding paragraph of the Missing Air Crew Report covering Becky (MACR 7300), “He [1 Lt. Paul E Trunk, the plane’s pilot] made no attempt to contact us by radio so further attempts to ascertain the exact cause would only be conjecture.  In our opinion the actual cause of the accident cannot be ascertained.” 

Here is the first page of the Missing Air Crew Report for the loss of Becky [42-107711], with five of the plane’s crew listed at bottom… 

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…while this is the second page, listing Sergeants Bratton and Winters, with Captain Brouchard, as a passenger, at the end.

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This page lists the home addresses and next of kin of the crew.

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Lt. Trunk, from Shippenville, Pennsylvania, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery (Section 12, Grave 4836).  Lt. Rolland L. Mitchell, the plane’s co-pilot, from Thomson, Illinois, is buried at Lower York Cemetery, in that city.  T/Sgt. William C. Barron, the flight engineer, from Los Angeles, is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, at Nettuno, Italy.

The remaining five crewmen – Heinz (army serial number 31296512), S/Sgt. Harmon R. Summers (bombardier), S/Sgts. Charles T. Bratton (aerial gunner) and William M. Winters (photographer), with Capt. Wallace M. Brouchard (the Executive Officer of the 441st, who “went along for the ride”) – were buried on March 18, 1949 at – as you can see from the proceeding links – Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, in collective grave 90-92.

This picture, of the collective grave marker of the above-listed crewmen, is by FindAGrave contributor Erik Kreft. 

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Exactly one month after Heinz was killed, a tribute to him appeared in Aufbau. 

Für die Freiheit gefallen

HEINZ THANNHAUSER

Aufbau
September 15, 1944

Ein wunderbar erfülltes junges Leben hat ein jähes Ende genommen. “Heinz Thannhauser, Staff Sgt. of the U. S. Army Air Force, killed in action over Sardinia, August 15, 1944.”

Fünfundzwanzig Jahre alt. Ein Liebling der Götter und der Menschen. Glücklichste Jugend im schönsten, wärmsten Elternhaus. Begeistert Amerika liebend und überall hier Gegenliebe findend. Ungewöhnlich begabt, ungewöhnlich reif. Mit sechzehn Jahren — statt der erforderten achtzehn — war er in Cambridge zum Studium zugelassen worden — eine beispiellose Ausnahme in der traditionsgebundenen englischen Universität. In Harvard macht er seinen Doctor of Art. Mit 22 Jahren wird er Instructing Professor an der Universität Tulane, New Orleans.

Lehren ist seine Leidenschaft. Er versteht es, wie wenig andere, die Begeisterung seiner Schuler zu wecken. Nicht nur für die Kunst, zu der er von Kindheit auf die Liebe im Elternhause eingesogen hatte. Er wirbt und wirkt für das, was nur als das Höchste ansicht: für das Ideal demokratischer Freiheit. Er gründet Jugendklubs, hält Reden, schreibt Aufsehen erregende Aufsatze — er reisst die anderen durch seine starke Empfindung mit. Und durch den wunderbaren Sense of humor, den er mit seiner scharfen Beobachtungsgabe verbindet.

Aber in diesem lebensschäumenden, von Schönheit und Frohsinn erfüllten Menschen steckt ein glühender Hass gegen die brutalen Gewalten, die den Untergang Europas herbeigeführt haben. Und eine ganze Welt schwer bedrohen.  Als der Krieg hier ausbricht, meldet er sich sofort freiwillig.

Im Februar 1943 verlässt Heinz Thannhauser Amerika auf seinem Bombenflugzeug. Von nun an kommen Briefe, Briefe, Briefe. Es sind nicht nur Schätze für seine Eltern. Es sind Dokumente der Zeit und Dokumente schönster Menschlichkeit. Er kennt keine Trägheit des Herzens. Er ist ein Kämpfer aus Leidenschaft — vom ersten bis zum letzten Tag. Heinz Thannhauser glaubt glühend an die gerechte Sache, die er vertritt. Wie eine Beschwörung kehrt der Satz wieder:

“Ihr musst alles tun, was in Eurer [not legible] steht um zu verhindern, dass es jemals wieder einen solchen Krieg gibt.. nicht mit Phrasen – – mit Taten…”

Er selbst leistet einen Schwur, sein Leben lang dafür zu kämpfen.

Ein Bericht aus Rom, wo er drei selige Urlaubstage verbringt, klingt wie eine Fanfare. Er ist in einem Glückstaumel. Seitenlang schildert er Details einiger Gestalten am Plafond der sixtinischen Kapelle — zum erstenmal sieht er im Original die Meisterwerke, über die er gelehrt und geschrieben hat. Er ist wie betrunken von so viel Schönheit. Aber gleich danach:

“Trotz allem, es ist wichtiger, das Leben eines einzigen unschuudigen Geisel zu retten, als das schonste alte Kunstwerk…”

In einem seiner letzten Briefe schildert er die Erregung, die mit jedem Flug verbunden ist. (Er hatte 37 Missions hinter sich…):

“…The sober anticipation before a mission. The terrible feeling of going time after time through heavy flak without being able to do anything except sit and hope for the best.  The real exultation of seeing your bombs hit the target – huge flames coming up and smoke as high as you are flying.  The relief and joy at seeing your field again, like home indeed!  Also – losing your friends – empty beds, guys who, the night before, were talking of what names to give their children and so on…  And I share his horror of war and determination that it must never happen again…”

Heinz Thannhauser hat ein Testament hinterlassen. Er vermacht alles, was er besitzt, dem “American Youth Movement for a Free World”.

– A. D.

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Fallen For Freedom

HEINZ THANNHAUSER

Aufbau
September 15, 1944

A wonderfully fulfilling young life took an abrupt end.  “Heinz Thannhauser, Staff Sgt. of the U.S. Army Air Force, killed in action over Sardinia, August 15, 1944.”

Twenty-five years old.  A favorite of God and mankind.  The happiest youth in the most beautiful, warmest home.  Enthusiastic, America loving and everywhere here finding requited love.  Unusually gifted; unusually mature.  At sixteen years – instead of the required eighteen – he had been admitted to Cambridge to study – an unprecedented exception to the tradition-bound English university.  At Harvard he makes his Doctor of Art.  At 22 he is an instructing professor at Tulane University, New Orleans.

Teaching is his passion.  He understands how little others awaken the passion of his students.  Not only for art, which from childhood he had imbibed to love in his parents’ home.  He promotes and acts only for what is the highest opinion: For the ideal of democratic freedom.  He founds youth clubs, gives speeches, writes sensational essays – he pulls others with his strong feelings.  And through a wonderful sense of humor, which he combines with his keen powers of observation.

But in this tumultuous beauty and joy, there is an ardent hatred against the brutal forces which have led to the downfall of Europe.  And heavily threaten the whole world.  When the war broke out, he immediately volunteered.

In February 1943, Heinz Thannhauser left America on his bomber aircraft.  From now on arrive letters, letters, letters.  They’re not just treasures for his parents.  They are documents of time and documents of the most beautiful humanity.  He knows no indolence of the heart.  He is a fighter of passion – from the first to the last day.  Heinz Thannhauser glowingly believes in the just cause he represents.  Like an incantation, the sentence repeats:

“You have to do everything that is in your [power] to prevent that there is ever such a war again … not with phrases – – with deeds …”

He himself makes an oath, to fight for this all his life.

A report from Rome, where he spends three blissful holidays, sounds like a fanfare.  He is in a stroke of luck.  For pages on end he describes details of some figures on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – the first time he sees the original masterpieces, about which he has taught and written.  He is intoxicated with so much beauty.  But immediately afterwards:

“In spite of all this, it is more important to save the life of a single innocent hostage than the most beautiful old work of art …”

In one of his last letters, he described the excitement that is associated with each flight.  (He had 37 missions behind himself…):

“… The sober anticipation before a mission.  The terrible feeling of going through heavy flak time after time without being able to do anything except sit and hope for the best.  The real exultation of seeing your bombs hit the target – huge flames coming up and smoke as high as you are flying.  The relief and joy at seeing your field again, like home indeed!  So – losing your friends – empty beds, guys who, the night before, were talking of what names to give their children and so on…  And I share his horror of war and determination did it must never happen again… “

Heinz Thannhauser made a will.  He bequeathed everything he owned, to the “American Youth Movement for a Free World”.

– A.D.

While the Aufbau article touched upon the depth of Heinz’s education and ambitions, his life was chronicled in much greater detail in College Art Journal in 1945 (Volume 4, Issue 2) in the form of a biography by “H.R.H.”:

On August 15, 1944, Sgt. Heinz H. Thannhauser was killed in action while in service of his country as radio operator and gunner on a Marauder Bomber in the Mediterranean theatre.  His parents have recently been notified that Heinz was awarded posthumously the Purple Heart.

He was born in Bavaria on September 28, 1918.  The son of the well known Berlin and Paris art dealer, Justin K. Thannhauser, Heinz had a unique opportunity of becoming acquainted with the works of modern artists at an early age.  He received his primary and secondary education at the College Francais in Berlin and later in Paris at the Sorbonne.  He then attended Cambridge University. England, and took his B.A, degree in 1938.  In that year he came to this country at the age of twenty, and was holder of the Sachs fellowship at Harvard University.  During his two years at Harvard, he specialized in the history of modern art and obtained the A.M. degree in 1941.  At the Fogg his brilliant and active mind and his warm enthusiasms won Heinz the respect and the friendship of his fellow students and teachers.  In the fall of 1941, he accepted an instructorship under Professor Robin Feild at Newcomb College of Tulane University.  He was a collaborator of the ART JOURNAL where he published in March 1943 an article describing a project for collaboration between art and drama departments.  He had planned during the summer of 1943 to begin work on his doctoral dissertation, but in February he entered the Army.

Heinz had shown much promise as a young teacher and scholar in the field of art history and his loss will be keenly felt.

H.R.H.

In January 1945, the College Art Journal published another tribute to Heinz, in the form of a transcript of a letter sent to his parents in 1944.  Under the title “Furlough in Rome”, the article is an extraordinarily vivid, detailed, yet light-hearted account of a tour of artistic works among churches in that city, this letter having been alluded to in the above Aufbau article. 

FURLOUGH IN ROME
BY HEINZ H. THANNHAUSER

Excerpts from a letter written to his parents during the summer of 1944 after a visit to Rome

THAT morning we went to S. Luigi dei Francesi, to look at the Caravaggio pictures; but there was a big mass and celebration there by French troops of the 5th Army, so we didn’t see them.  The French came out later in a parade reminiscent of some I’ve seen in Paris, with turbaned troops and all (only their uniforms, except for headgear, are always American) – we took a picture or two of them.  Next, we went to the Sapienza and got into the courtyard and looked at St. Ivo; unfortunately, the inside was closed, you can see it only on days when mass is held for the laureates.  But we looked at the facade for quite a while, and after this visit to Rome I have even more respect for Borromini than I had by studying him formerly.  From there we went to S. Agnese in Piazza Navona, and had a good look at the Four Rivers Fountain too, which really is a pretty daring tour de force on old Bernini’s part.  The veil of the Nile is quite something.  All in all this visit to Rome has increased my respect for the technical courage and perfection of the Baroque masters if for nothing else in their work.  Next, S. Andrea della Valle, which quite apart from its design was amazing as being the first example of Baroque cupola and ceiling decoration I’d seen – the Lanfranco dome not being, perhaps, as terrific as some of them, but quite an introduction!  Then the Palazzo Farnese, which is now a French headquarters building.  After asking some Sudanese guards for directions, we groped our way up and finally a maid showed us into the Galleria, which was just being cleaned up – what a thrill!   A lot of super-moderns despise the Carracci as coldly academic and what-not, but when you see an ensemble like this, which so perfectly fulfills its purpose, your hat goes off to them.  The freshness of the color is amazing, and both the figures and the entire composition are pure delight.  Especially as a little breather after too many visits to the dark and serious churches – although I understand the fracas caused by cardinals having sexy things like that painted in their home!  The other rooms were astounding too, with the woodwork ceilings, etc.  I need hardly say how impressed I was with the facade in Rome, however, you get so, that the only thing you notice is a façade that is not perfect, the perfect ones being so common!  Next, S. Mariain Vallicella, with another terrific ceiling, and the Rubens altar piece with the angels holding up the picture of the Virgin that the gambler is said to have stoned when it was at S. Mariadella Pace, whereupon real blood came from it.

The next day we went to Santa Susanna and then to S. Maria della Vittoria, but unfortunately the Bernini Ecstacy of St. Theresa has been walled in for protection, like so many other things.  The figures of the onlooking Cornaro family in the two side boxes are still visible, though.  Then we went up to see S. Carloalle Quattro Fontane, which is just about the most amazing of Borromini’s tours de force.  We couldn’t get into the cloister but we looked for quite a long time at the amazing amount of movement and undulation he got into so small a facade at such a narrow corner.  We tried to take pictures of it but will have to splice two together, there wasn’t enough backing room. 

From there it was just a little way to Sta. Maria Maggiore, which I had especially wanted to see, after that unending paper I wrote for Koehler on the mosaics there.  I was afraid they’d probably have them walled up like most of the apsidial mosaics in Rome, but lo and behold, they were all there in their full freshness!  It was one of the most terrific artistic impressions I got on our stay in Rome.  I had not expected anything like the strength of color that remains just gleaming out at you, – especially so, of course, in the case of the Torriti work but amazingly bright too with the old mosaics.  We walked round the whole church looking at the mall: the walls of Jericho falling down, God’s hand throwing stones down on the enemy, Lot’s wife turning to salt, the passage over the Red Sea, etc.  I really was happy we had been able to get into Sta. Maria Maggiore. 

We had planned to go back via the Thermae of Trajan, but it got too late for that, and at S. Pietro in Vincoli, we heard that Michelangelo’s Moses was all covered up, so we didn’t bother.  Instead, we dropped into San Clemente, where so many great painters have worshipped in Masaccio’s chapel.  Father McSweeney (it’s a church given to the Irish in Rome), who took us around, remarked, “He was quite a big noise in those days, as you would say!”  First I asked him in Italian how to get to the subterranean church, and he answered in Italian and then said “Ye don’t speak much English, do ye?” which was very funny.  He proved to be an unusually interesting person, with the most intimate knowledge of art history and styles and so forth as well as all matters pertaining to his church and a lively interest in the war, discussing bombing formations and everything else.  He is completely in love with Rome and said there was no place like it to live in, and that he hoped after the war we would all three come to stay and live there!  The mosaics, as usual, were covered over, but we had plenty of time to study all the details of the Masaccio and Masolino works, and then went down to the old church below, with the Mithraic statue and the other amazing things.  He showed us where the house of Clemens was, and pointed out the usual anecdotic details of the Cicerone with an ever so slight but delightful note of amusement in his voice, placing them where they belong: for instance, with the Aqua Mysteriosa, “because nobody knows where it comes from” he said, as if he meant to say, “and why should anybody give a damn, either?”  All in all, on account of the Masolino chapel, the church itself, the subterranean part with its amazing fragments of early painting, and last but not least Father McSweeney’s delightful and enlightened manner, this was one of our most memorable visits in Rome. 

We hailed a horse carriage and went straight to St. Peter’s.  As Paul and I had already studied it pretty thoroughly the time before, we just glanced into give our friend a look at it, and then went straight to the Sistine Chapel.  Well, there just aren’t any words to tell how overwhelming it was.  Here I’d written a paper, God knows how long, about the Prophets and Sibyls and the interrelation of figures on the ceiling, but I hadn’t known a damned thing about the ceiling.  It is so unbelievably powerful that you can’t say anything.  I kept looking, irresistibly, at the Jonah, which epitomizes tome the whole of Michelangelo’s life and torture, and really is, in the last analysis, the culmination and cornerstone to the whole ceiling.  What a piece of painting – what a piece of poetry, or philosophy, or emotional outburst, a whole age expressed in one movement of a body!  The way in which everything including the Prophets and Sibyls and Atlantes builds up from the relatively quiet figures in the chronologically later pieces (Biblically speaking) to the storm that sweeps through the early Genesis scenes and the figures around them, is inexpressible in words, Romain Rolland’s or anyone’s.  As for sheer perfection of painting, the Creation of Adam just can’t be beat.  And say what you will, no photographs, detail enlargements of the most skillful kind, can ever do what the things themselves do to you, especially in the context from which you can’t separate them.  The Last Judgment is almost an anticlimax against it; and as for the Ghirlandaios, etc., you just can’t get yourself to look at them because something immediately pulls your eye up high again.  And when has there ever been a man to do so much to your sense of form with such modest and restrained use of color?  You begin to wonder why Rubens ever needed all that richness when a guy like this can sweep you off your feet with just a few tints of rose and light blue and yellow – but where the tints are put, oh boy!  Well, it’s all written up in all the books, but I just have to put down what it did to me.  – Mediterranean Theatre

Finally, an excellent representative image of B-26 Marauders of the 441st Bomb Squadron in formation, somewhere in the Meditarreanean Theater of War.  Notice that the aircraft in this photo comprise both camouflaged (olive drab / neutral gray) and “silver” (that is, uncamouflaged) aircraft.  The image is from the National Museum of the Air Force.     

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Stephen Ambrose’s 1998 book The Victors included recollections of the experiences of Cpl. James Pemberton, a squad leader in the United States Army’s 103rd Infantry Division, covering combat with German forces in late 1944.  Pemberton mentioned the death in battle of a German-speaking Jewish infantryman, who was killed while attempting – in his native language – to persuade a group of German soldiers to surrender. 

The fact that the soldier remained anonymous lent the story a haunting note, for that man’s name deserved to be remembered. 

Aufbau revealed his identity.  He was Private First Class George E. Rosing. 

Born in Krefeld, Germany, he arrived in the United States on a Kindertransport in 1937.  As revealed in the newspaper in September of 1945 (and verified through official documents) he received the Silver Star by audaciously using his fluency in German to enable the advance of his battalion in late November of 1944. 

The Victors – Eisenhower and His Boys: The Men of World War II

Stephen E. Ambrose
1998

That same day Cpl. James Pemberton, a 1942 high school graduate who went into ASTP and then to the 103rd Division as a replacement, was also following a tank.  “My guys started wandering and drifting a bit, and I yelled at them to get in the tank tracks to avoid the mines.  They did and we followed.  The tank was rolling over Schu [anti-personnel] mines like crazy.  I could see them popping left and right like popcorn.”  Pemberton had an eighteen-year-old replacement in the squad; he told him to hop up and ride on the tank, thinking he would be out of the way up there.  An 88 fired.  The replacement fell off.  The tank went into reverse and backed over him, crushing him from the waist down.  “There was one scream, and some mortars hit the Kraut 88 and our tank went forward again.  To me, it was one of the worst things I went through.  This poor bastard had graduated from high school in June, was drafted, took basic training, shipped overseas, had thirty seconds of combat, and was killed.”

Pemberton’s unit kept advancing.  “The Krauts always shot up all their ammo and then surrendered,” he remembered.  Hoping to avoid such nonsense, in one village the CO sent a Jewish private who spoke German forward with a white flag, calling out to the German boys to surrender.  “They shot him up so bad that after it was over the medics had to slide a blanket under his body to take him away.”  Then the Germans started waving their own white flag.  Single file, eight of them emerged from a building, hands up.  “They were very cocky.  They were about 20 feet from me when I saw the leader suddenly realize he still had a pistol in his shoulder holster.  He reached into his jacket with two fingers to pull it out and throw it away.

“One of our guys yelled, ‘Watch it!  He’s got a gun!’ and came running up shooting and there were eight Krauts on the ground shot up but not dead.  They wanted water but no one gave them any.  I never felt bad about it although I’m sure civilians would be horrified.  But these guys asked for it.  If we had not been so tired and frustrated and keyed up and mad about our boys they shot up, it never would have happened.  But a lot of things happen in war and both sides know the penalties.”

Aufbau’s tribute to PFC Rosing appeared nineteen days after the end of the Second World War. 

Pfc. George E. Rosing

Aufbau
September 21, 1945

Der fruhere Gert Rozenzweig aus Krefeld, zuletzt Cincinnati, O., ist am 1. Dezember 1944 beim Vormarsch auf Schlettstadt im Elsaas im Alter von 21 Jahren gefallen.  Er wurde jetzt posthum mit dem Silver Star, der dritthöchsten Auszeichnung der amerikanishen Armee, geehrt.  – Es war am 24. November 1944, als die Spitze seines Bataillons in der Nähe von Lubine in Frankreich auf eine unerwartete feindliche Block-Stellung stiess, die die Strasse versperrte.  Unter Lebensgefahr trat Pfc. Rosing vor und begann, den feindlichen Wachposten auf deutch ins Gespräch zu ziehen.  Auf dessen Befehl legte er die Waffen nieder ung ging bis zu zehn Meter an den Wachposten heran.  Damit gab er seinen Kameraden Gelegenheit, Deckung zu suchen und den Angriff vorzubereiten.  Der Wachposten war uberrascht.  Bevor er sich aber der Situation bewusst wurde und Alarm geben konnte, gelang es der amerikanischen Truppe, durch die Stellung durchzustossen. – Pfc. Rosing kam 1937 mit einen Kindertransport nach Amerika; 1942 nachdem er gerade ein Jahr am College of Engineering an der Universität Cincinnati studiert hatte, trat er in die Armee ein.

The former Gert Rozenzweig from Krefeld, most recently of Cincinnati, Ohio, fell on 1 December 1944 on the way to Schlettstadt in Elsaas at the age of 21 years.  He has now been posthumously honored with the Silver Star, the third highest honor of the American Army.  It was on November 24, 1944, when the head of his battalion encountered an unexpected enemy position blocking the road near Lubine in France.  Under mortal danger, Pfc. Rosing began to draw the enemy sentinel into conversation.  At his [the German sentinel’s] orders he laid down his weapons and went up to ten meters to the sentry.  He gave his comrades the opportunity to seek cover and prepare for the attack.  The sentry was surprised.  But before he [the German sentinel] became aware of the situation and could give the alarm, the American force managed to break through the position. – Pfc. Rosing came to America in 1937 with a children’s transport; in 1942, after just one year studying at the College of Engineering at Cincinnati University, he joined the army.

Aufbau, September 21, 1945, page 7: The story of George Rosing.

The account of PFC Rosing’s award of the Silver Star appears to have been derived from his “original” Silver Star citation, which can be found at the website of the 103rd Infantry Division Association.  The full citation reads as follows:

HEADQUARTERS 103d INFANTRY DIVISION
Office of the Commanding General

APO 470, U.S. Army
19 December 1944

GENERAL ORDERS)
                                  :
NUMBER –   75)

AWARD, POSTHUMOUS, OF SILVER STAR

Private First Class George E. Rosing, 35801894, Infantry, Company “C”, 409th Infantry Regiment.  For gallantry in action.  During the night of 24 November 1944, in the vicinity of *** France, Private Rosing was with the battalion point, acting as interpreter, when an enemy road block was encountered.  The point was cutting the surrounding barb wire entanglement around the road block when suddenly challenged.  Private Rosing, a brilliant conversationalist in the enemies [sic] language, immediately stepped forward, with utter disregard for his life, to engage the sentry in conversation.  He was ordered to drop his arms and advance to within 15 feet of the sentry, which he did.  This gallant move gave the point an opportunity to seek cover in the immediate area.  The guard stupefied by Private Rosing’s boldness was unaware of the situation confronting him.  Before the guard could regain his composure, Private Rosing, assured that his group had reached safety, dived for the bushes as the sentry opened fire, and returned to his comrades unscathed.  As a result of his quick thinking and calmness during a tense situation the battalion was able to pass through the enemy road block successfully in the push towards its objective.  Throughout this entire activity his display of magnificent courage reflects the highest traditions of the military service.  Residence:  Cincinnati, Ohio.  Next of kin:  Eugene Rosenzweig, (Father), 564 Glenwood Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio.

By command of Major General HAFFNER:

G.S. MELOY, JR.
Colonel, G.S.C.
Chief of Staff

Born on December 3, 1923, PFC Rosing (serial number 35801894) was the son of Eugene and Herta (Herz) Rosing.  The brother of Pvt. John Rosing, his name appeared in Aufbau on January 12 and September 21, 1945.  He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, at Section 12, Grave 1574.  His matzeva appears below, in an image at BillionGraves.com taken by Liallee.

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Two men, among many.

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As part of my research about Jewish military service during the Second World War, I reviewed all issues of Aufbau published between 1939 and 1946 for articles relating to Jewish military service and identified pertinent news-items in the categories listed above.  (Whew.  It took a while…)  These will be presented in a future set of blog posts, with – where necessary – English-language translations accompanying the German-language article titles. 

I have not translated all, many, most, or even “a lot” of these articles; I leave that to the interested reader.  (!) 

Well, okay.

I’ve translated a certain select and compelling few, primarily concerning Jewish prisoners of war, and, the Jewish Brigade Group, which you may find of interest.

These will appear in the future.

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References

Maurice Derfler

B-24D 41-24269 (at Pacific Wrecks)

Aufbau

Aufbau (Digital), via Leo Baeck Institute (at Archive.org)

German Exile Journals, at German National Library (at Deutsche National Bibliothek)

German National Library Catalog Entry for “Aufbau”, at German National Library (at Deutsche National Bibliothek)

Aufbau (Wikipedia)

Aufbau (at Internet Archive)

German Exile Press (1933 – 1945) (Exilpresse digital – Deutschsprachige Exilzeitschriften 1933-1945) (Digital Exile Press – German Exile Magazines – 1933-1945)

Aufbau (at German Exile Press)

Aufbau (New York) at the Leo Baeck Institute

Leo Baeck Institute (at Wikipedia)

Leo Baeck Institute (New York)

Justin K. Thannhauser

Thannhauser Family (at Kitty Munson.com)

Thannhauser Family General Biography (at Wikipedia)

Justin K. Thannhauser and Guggenheim Museum (at Guggenheim Museum)

Thannhauser Collection (At Guggenheim Museum)

Thannhauser Collection (Book – At Guggenheim Museum)

Justin Thannhauser Obituary (The New York Times – 12/31/76) “Justin Thannhauser Dead at 84; Dealer in Art’s Modern Masters”

Uncle Heinrich and His Forgotten History (PDF Book) (by Sam Sherman)

Heinz H. Thannhauser

Für die Freiheit gefallen – Heinz Thannhauser (Article in Aufbau, at Archive.org)

Thannhauser, Heinz H – Biographical Profile at FindAGrave (at FindAGrave.com)

College Art Journal Volume 4, Issue 2, 1945 (Tribute to Heinz H. Thannhauser)

Furlough in Rome (Letter by Heinz H. Thannhauser in College Art Journal)

320th Bomb Group

320th Bomb Group Mission Reports (at 320th Bomb Group website (“When Gallantry was Commonplace”))

441st Bomb Squadron Insignia (at Vintage Leather Jackets)

Freeman, Roger A., Camouflage & Markings – United States Army Air Force 1937-1945, Ducimus Books Limited, London, England, 1974 (B-26 Marauder on pp. 25-48)

Tannehill, Victor C., Boomerang! – Story of the 320th Bombardment Group in World War II, Victor C. Tannehill, Racine, Wi., 1980. (Photo of “Becky” on page 115)

George E. Rosing

Ambrose, Stephen E., The Victors: Eisenhower and His Boys: The Men of WW II, Simon & Schuster, New York, N.Y., 2004.

George E. Rosing Cemetery Record (at Billion Graves)

George E. Rosing Cemetery Record (at FindAGrave)

103rd Infantry Division (103rd Infantry Division WW II Association)

103rd Infantry Division Award List for December 19, 1944 (103rd Infantry Division WW II Association)

12/30/17 – 661

Major Milton Joel, eighty-one years later…

I recently received the following comment from Jim Rubin, concerning Major Milton Joel, commander of the 38th Fighter Squadron of the 55th Fighter Group until his death in combat over Holland with Me 109s of Jagdgeschwader 1 on November 29, 1943.  (Among the posts about Major Joel, see here and here in particular.)

Being that – for a reason presently unresolved! (&$#@^&* (!?!)) – comments to this blog are not displayed in my sidebar, I thought I’d share Jim’s comment by turning it into a post.  (Extraordinarily brief, by the standards of my blog!)  So, herewith:

Maj. Milton Joel was my cousin (my dad’s contemporary, although eight years Pop’s senior).  When Pop (now 96 y.o. and going strong) was in the U.S. Army of Occupation in Germany (1945-47), he spent a lot of time trying to track down cousin Milton’s remains, but was unsuccessful.  Cousin Milton called my Pop “Little Buddy” and Pop loved and revered him.  The Joels, Weinstein’s and the Rubin families were all heart broken over the loss of Milton.  By all accounts he was a warm, kind and witty man.

My reply: Thanks very much for your insightful and moving comment, Jim.  Trying to ascertain Major Joel’s fate was a noble effort on the part of your father, but given the time-frame – the immediate post-WW II years – such an endeavor would have been utterly daunting, and well-high impossible.  For one thing, MACRs (Missing Air Crew Reports) were not declassified until the 1980s, while then-relatively-recently captured German Luftgaukommando Reports were – I think? – in a transitional stage of custody among & between American and British Forces.  

In human terms, the only survivor among the P-38 pilots shot down on November 29, 1943 was 2 Lt. John J. Carroll, and the possibility of even identifying him – as a returned POW, in 1945, as a person to interview, as one would do in “our” world of the twenty-first century – would have been miniscule, due to confidentiality of military and other records, unless one previously had an “in” among and familiarity with 38th Fighter Squadron personnel.  

As I explained in my series of posts about Major Joel and the other 38th Fighter Pilots lost over eight decades ago in the late November sky over Holland, I believe that Major Joel was shot down over the Netherlands, within or very near the area between Hoogeveen and Zwartsluis, as denoted by the blue oval.  

I do not believe his “Flying Wolf” ever (ever) reached a point anywhere near the Ijsselmeer or North Sea. 

I base this conclusion on the description of the sequence of events encompassing the shooting down of Lieutenants Albert A. Albino and Carroll, and, the arrival of Captain Rufus R.C. Franklin and 2 Lt. James W. Gilbride (of the 343rd Fighter Squadron, which by then, after having gone into two Lufberry Circles, was heading back to Nuthampstead under the command of a pilot who shall remain anonymous…) over Meppel and Hoogeveen, after they broke from their squadron to come to the aid of Major Joel and Lt. Carroll. 

If this is so, certainly a central and entirely valid question is why the wreckage of 42-67020 was never found in this area of the Netherlands – which certainly has hardly been devoid of human habitation! – and reported upon by either the Germans, or, Dutch authorities.  To this I can offer no answer.  I can only suppose that like Lt. Albino’s Spirit of Aberdeen, Major Joel’s P-38H impacted so very deeply into the Dutch earth, perhaps unwitnessed in an uninhabited locale, as to have obliterated its point of impact, let alone the aircraft itself.  

On an unrelated note, I’ve often wondered about the eventual fate of Major Joel’s correspondence – letters and V-Mails – with his parents and family members, let alone documents of an official nature, such as his pilot’s log-book.  (His widow Elaine having destroyed their personal correspondence before she passed away many years ago.)  Alas, I suppose this invaluable material has been lost to the randomness of time.      

Anyway, thanks for remembering Major Joel, and thanks for your comment.

Here are two views of CG * A, Major Joel’s un-named “Flying Wolf”…

✡                                 ✡                                 ✡

Here are my blog posts about Major Joel…

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: I – A Fate Unknown

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: II – From Proskurov to Richmond

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: III – On Course [Revised post! … December 18, 2023]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: IV (1) – Autumn Over Europe

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: IV (2) – Autumn Over Europe – The “Flying Wolf” Identified [Updated post…]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: V – A Monday in November: Major Joel’s Last Mission [Updated Post! – January 14, 2021]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: VI – The Missing Years

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: VII – A Battle in The Air [Updated post! – January 14, 2021]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: VIII – A Postwar Search: The Missing of November [Updated Post! – January 14, 2021]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: IX – The Major, Still Missing  [Updated]

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: X – Fragments of Memory

Next: Part XI – References  (No pictures, just lots of citations and links.)

And, these related posts…

The Names of Others: Jewish Military Casualties on November 29, 1943

An Echo of His Final Mission: 2 Lieutenant James M. Garvin, KIA November 29, 1943

 

Soldiers from New York: Jewish Soldiers in The New York Times, in World War Two: Eighteen Days from Home: Corporal Jack Bartman, הי״ד, (April 20, 1945) [Doubly updated post… December 31, 2023 and April 23, 2025]

Update II …  Originally crated in May of 2021 and last updated on December 23, 2023, here’s a new (!) update to the story of Corporal Back Bartman, הי״ד, in the way of an informative (and kindly laudatory!) talk-back comment by reader Paul W. 

Paul writes, “With all due respect to the fantastic research, and the love and dedication behind it, there is a small error here.  Regarding Jack Bartman‘s maternal grandfather,  He was almost certainly not a Rabbi.  The term “Rav” On a gravestone is an honorific, roughly equivalent to”Mr.”  This is a very common error that is made with regard to Jewish gravestones, one that I myself made until I found out otherwise during the course of my own genealogical research.  This is, of course, not to take away any honor or respect due to his maternal grandfather, it is just a matter of Setting the record straight for those who do not know about this tradition regarding Jewish gravestones.” 

Thank you, Paul.  Correction duly made in the text of this post.

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Update I …  Created back in May of 2021 (…a world ago, in internet terms; a world ago, in terms of the present moment…), I’ve edited this post to include images of the matzevot (tombstones) of Jack Bartman, and his parents, Morris and Gussie, which appeared on FindAGrave in 2023 and 2021, respectively. 

The post also includes the full text of an article from issue 29 of the publication “der Vinschger”, entitled “Als in Göflan der Bomber „landete”” (“When the Bomber “Landed” in Göflan“), published in the town of Schlanders (and available at https://www.dervinschger.it/de/) in September of 2020, which includes an image of the wreckage of B-17G 44-6861.  I’ve included the article’s original German text and an English-language translation, the latter appearing in dark blue, like this.

The story of the crew’s final flight in 44-6861, as highlighted in the “Als in Göflan der Bomber „landete”” (“When the Bomber “Landed” in Göflan”) specifically mentions the names of three of the bomber’s ten crewmen: pilot 1 Lt. Eugene T. Bissinger, navigator 1 Lt. Manton A. Nations, and, Cpl. Bartman himself.  Therein, Jack Bartman’s fate is recounted in one sentence:  “Einer der abgesprungenen Soldaten, Jack Bartman, wurde von fanatischen Widerstandskämpfern erschossen.”  (“One of the soldiers who jumped [from the] ship, Jack Bartman, was shot by fanatical resistance fighters.”) 

There’s absolutely no mention that Cpl. Bartman was murdered because he was a Jew.

Likewise, NARA RG 153 War Crimes Case File 16-293-16 specifically states that one or more of the men involved in Cpl. Bartman’s murder – Giovanni (Johann) Weiss, Kurt Gerlitsky (Gerlitzki), and Gottfried Marzoner – were members of the “Landwacht” (Land Watch? Land Guard?), which – putting it mildly – would’ve been the utter antithesis of any Resistance movement.  Likewise, the Burgomeister of Lauregno also participated in Cpl. Bartman’s murder.

Otherwise, Ancestry.com reveals that T/Sgt. Francis Xavier Kelly (son of John F. (or Joseph J.?) and Elizabeth (Gaffney) Kelly) – whose report in MACR 13817 was so instrumental in reconstructing the events surrounding Cpl. Bartman’s fate – was born in Brooklyn on December 2, 1924, and passed away at the age of seventy years on June 13, 1994.    

And so, here’s the revised post…

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“IT’S EASY TO REALIZE THE ANGUISH THE BOY’S FAMILY MUST BE ENDURING AS A RESULT OF NOT RECEIVING A PROPER STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR SON.

IT’S ALSO NICE TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN HELPING THEM BY A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE CASE.

IN THAT RESPECT, I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE OF VERY GREAT VALUE TO YOU.

IN FACT, I AM WILLING TO HAVE YOU CALL ON ME AT ANY TIME FOR ANYTHING I MAY HAVE MISSED, FOR I AM VERY EAGER TO BE OF ASSISTANCE.”

– Francis X. Kelly, March 4, 1946

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Corporal Jack Bartman, הי״ד
(Yaakov bar Moshe)
Saturday, September 6, 1924 – Friday, April 20, 1945
(Elul 7 5684 – Iyar 7 5705)
השם יקום דמו / Hashem yikkom damo

– .ת. נ. צ. ב. ה –

“וְגִלְּתָ֚ה הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶת־דָּמֶ֔יהָ וְלֹֽא־תְכַסֶּ֥ה ע֖וֹד עַל־הֲרוּגֶֽיהָ…”

“…and the land shall reveal its blood and it shall no longer conceal its slain ones.” (Isaiah 26:12)

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My recent post – focusing on Captain Paul Kamen, PFC Donald R. Lindheim, and PFC Arthur N. Sloan of the United States Army, as well other Jewish military casualties that occurred less than three weeks before the Second World War’s end – is incomplete, for it lacks a name and story which follows below:  That of Corporal Jack Bartman of the United States Army Air Force.  

An aerial gunner in the Italy-based 15th Air Force, he was captured – unwounded; uninjured – but never experienced the end of the war in Europe eighteen days later, let alone an eventual return to his family: He was murdered by civilians very shortly after being taken captive.  Possibly because, much as could befall most any soldier or aviator – he was captured at the very wrong place; at the very wrong time.  Equally – to an extent that will never be fully known, but whether an extent lesser or greater (and probably much greater) – because he was a Jew.  In a larger sense, his story relates to the predicament of captured Jewish soldiers and airmen in the European Theater during WW II, albeit this varied enormously between Jewish soldiers captured while serving in the armed forces of the United States and British Commonwealth, versus those serving in the armed forces of Poland and the Soviet Union.  

As such, Cpl. Bartman’s murder at the hands of civilians, and the disillusioning postwar outcome (well, there was no real outcome as such) of the postwar investigation into his murder thus merits “this” separate blog post.  

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Jack Bartman (32883370), the son of Morris and Gussie (Needleman) Bortnicker, and the brother of Simon, was born in Manhattan on September 6, 1924, his family eventually residing at 487 Snediker Ave, in Brooklyn.  Originally assigned to the 8th Air Force, he was, “One of hundreds of surplus 8th Air Force gunners who sailed from Glasgow, Scotland, docking at Naples, Italy, for assignment with the 15th Air Force.”  Assigned to the 840th Bomb Squadron of the 483rd Bomb Group, he had no aircrew of his own, filling-in with crews as needed for combat missions.  

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Jack Bartman

Jack Bartman’s Draft Registration Card

This image shows Jack Bartman and his (original?) crew during training at Ardmore, Oklahoma, in July of 1944.  Jack is is the first row, second from right.  The names of the other men are unknown, albeit the four in the rear (as seen in so many similar photos from the war) would have been the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, and bombardier, while the five men in the front row with Jack would have been the flight engineer, radio operator, and other aerial gunners.  On the reverse of the image is the notation “Fonville Studio, Ardmore Oklahoma, July 21, 1944.”

Assigned to the crew of 1 Lt. Eugene T. Bissinger on April 20, 1945, his “un-nicknamed” B-17G Flying Fortress, serial number 44-6861, was shot down during a mission to marshalling yards at Fortezza, Italy (the same target which claimed the crew of 2 Lt. Earle L. Sullivan of the 342nd Bomb Squadron of the 97th Bomb Group, among whom was tail gunner S/Sgt. David Weinstein), his plane’s loss being covered in Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 13817.

The bomber’s crew that day comprised:

1 Lt. Eugene T. Bissinger – Pilot – Prisoner of War at Merano, Italy
2 Lt. Donald W. McGinnis – Co-Pilot – Evaded capture (originally in Parrish crew)
1 Lt. Manton A. Nations – Navigator – Prisoner of War at Merano, Italy (original crew member of Jack Bissinger)
S/Sgt. Lee Hugh Shead – Togglier (enlisted bombardier) – Prisoner of War at Merano, Italy (originally in Urschel crew)
T/Sgt. Willie D. McDaniel – Flight Engineer – Evaded (originally in Urschel crew)
T/Sgt. Francis X. Kelly – Radio Operator – Evaded (originally in Urschel crew)
S/Sgt. Edmund T. Farrell – Gunner (Right Waist) – Evaded (originally in Urschel crew)
S/Sgt. Marvin I. Mattatall – Gunner (Ball Turret) – Evaded (originally in Alford crew)
S/Sgt. Peter A. Filosema – Gunner (Tail Gunner) – Evaded (originally in Urschel crew)

____________________

As shown from the above list, interestingly, Eugene Bissinger’s crew for the April 20 mission was a composite crew, his only “original” crew member – assigned during training at MacDill Field, Florida – having been Manton Nations.  Donald McGinnis was a member of the Thomas E. Parrish crew.  Willie McDaniel, Lee Shead, Francis Kelly, Edmund Farrell, and Peter Filosema had been crew members of George C. Urschel, Jr., while Marvin Mattatal was a member of the William Alford crew.  

The below photo, of George C. Urschel’s crew, includes five men who served in Jack Bissinger’s crew on April 20.  The men are, left to right:

Rear row:

Raymond J. Kosinski – Bombardier (Urschel crew) – POW 4/20/45
Ira Geifer – Co-Pilot (Urschel crew)
George C. Urschel – completed missions
Carl R. Helfenberger – Navigator (Urschel crew) – completed missions

Front row:

Willie D. McDaniel
Francis X. Kelly
Anastasios T. Cokenias – Waist Gunner (Urschel crew) – Completed missions
Peter A. Filosema
Edmund T. Farrell
Lee H. Shead

The loss of B-17G 44-6861 is covered in MACR 13817, the first page of which is shown below…

____________________

What happened to Jack Bartman?  Well, rather than simply display a bunch of images without comment or explanation, what follows is an account based upon information from Casualty Questionnaires in MACR 13817 (by Bissinger, Kelly, Mattatall, McDaniel, Nations, and Shead) and, Case File 16-293-16, the latter from NARA Records Group 153 (Records of the Judge Advocate General of the United States Army).  The latter document covers the investigation into Jack Bartman’s murder, and includes the names of both accused and witnesses, which can be found below.

____________________

And so…

Shortly after noon on April 20, 1945, as the 483rd’s formation rallied off Fortezza for return to its base at Sterparone, Italy, aircraft 44-6861 was struck by flak behind its #1 or #2 engines while flying at an altitude of 27,000 feet.  Some witnesses reported that fuel began to spray from its damaged left wing, while others described flames flaring from under the #1 engine’s supercharger, with smoke – turning from gray to black – trailing behind.

Remarkably, this event was photographed from the radio room or dorsal turret of a nearby B-17, the resulting image becoming Army Air Force photo 60096AC / A22790.  The photo clearly shows Lt. Bissinger’s 44-6861 trailing smoke or fuel from behind its #1 engine.  Close examination of the picture reveals the tail insignia of the damaged plane to be a white “Y” upon a black background, with a lack of any geometric and / or numerical markings beneath the aircraft’s serial number: The markings of the 483rd Bomb Group.  

Caption: “During the raid on the marshalling yards at Fortezza, Italy on April 20, 1945 this Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress of the 15th A.F. was hit by flak and caught fire.  One of the greatest flak gun concentrations was massed in northern Italy before the Germans were beaten back to the Po River.” 

________________________________________

The bomber, fortunately not actually aflame, then dropped back from the 840th Bomb Squadron’s formation.  With the plane skidding and quickly losing altitude, though remaining in level flight, five crewmen parachuted almost immediately, and a further two jumped soon after, all these crewmen exiting the bomber at a location ten to twenty-five miles due west of Fortezza, or, between Fortezza and a point 20 miles southwest of Merano. 

The aircraft was last seen by other members of the 840th Bomb Squadron just south of the town of Stelvia, losing altitude over the Alps in a direction northwest from Fortezza, and then going out of sight in the haze, possibly at an altitude of eight to ten thousand feet. 

________________________________________

Here’s a map of the last reported location of 44-6861, from MACR 13817: Near Stelvio, Italy.

By way of comparison, here’s an Oogle Map photo (air or satellite? – I’m not sure which) of the area in the above map, very roughly at the same scale as the map itself, with Stelvio in the center of the image.  While not apparent from the map, immediately obvious from the image is the mountainous nature of the terrain.  

________________________________________

Digressing…  To give you a better idea of the appearance of 483rd Bomb Group B-17s (the 15th Air Force, let alone other numbered Air Forces of the WW II Army Air Force, having received markedly less attention over the decades following WW II than the 8th Air Force, but that’s getting off-topic…) here are a photo and painting of two different 483rd Bomb Group B-17s.

First, the photo: “Heading for its target, the Vienna Schwechat Oil Refineries in Austria, are bombs from one of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses of the 15th AF that attacked this one of the few remaining sources of oil left to the Hun in Europe, on 7 Feb. 1945”.

The “un-nicknamed” B-17G in this image (Army Air Force Force photo 61599AC / A4991) – aircraft 44-6325, of the 816th Bomb Squadron – would be lost a little over a month later, on March 16, 1945, during a mission to that same target, though no cause of the plane’s loss is given in MACR 13059, which covers the incident.  Piloted by 1 Lt. Homer R. Anderson, the plane crash-landed behind Soviet lines southeast of Lake Balaton, Hungary, with all ten crewmen aboard.  The entire crew – all uninjured in the incident – eventually returned to the United States.  

The image provides an excellent illustration of the relatively plain appearance of 15th Air Force (5th Bomb Wing, to be specific) B-17s, which bore far simpler, far less colorful unit insignia than Flying Fortresses of the 8th Air Force.  Typical of 483rd Bomb Group planes, this aircraft bears a simple star beneath the “Y” symbol carried by all 5th Bomb Wing (15th Air Force) B-17s, and – like other planes of the 483rd Bomb Group – lacks any form of squadron identification.   

________________________________________

Second, the painting:  Here is B-17G 44-6538 “Miss Prissy” of the 817th Bomb Squadron, as depicted by Don Greer in B-17 Flying Fortress in Color (1982).  The image provides an illustration of the red rudders and cowl rings of 483rd Bomb Group B-17s, not evident from the black and white photos above.  

This aircraft, piloted by 1 Lt. Ralph F. Bates, failed to return from a mission to oil refineries at Ruhland, Germany, on March 22, 1945.  Subsequent to an attack by German fighters after bombs-away – which caused the bomber’s right main fuel tank to catch fire – five enlisted personnel (Brennan J., McCauley, Pickard, Piersall, and Thaen) bailed out, to be captured and interned at Stalag Luft I, while the flight engineer (Brewer) remained aboard with the plane’s four officers (Bates, Kallock, Fischer, and Jacobs).  The aircraft eventually landing somewhere behind Russian lines.  Fortunately, all of MISS PRISSY’S ten crew members eventually returned to the United States.  The plane’s loss is covered in MACR 13242.  

________________________________________

Here’s the insignia of the 840th Bombardment Squadron, from the American Air Museum in Britain.

________________________________________

Back to the story…

This was the last that was known of the plane and crew until not long after the war’s end.

It turned out that eight crewmen – not seven – parachuted from the plane, with Lieutenants Bissinger and Nations (the latter in the co-pilot’s seat) remaining in the aircraft.  The two then crash-landed the plane – probably because the plane had descended too low to safely bail out? – with the bomber’s crew members giving different accounts of where it finally came to earth: According to Lt. Bissinger, “in a valley of a mountain 50 to 75 miles S.W. by W. of Fortezza”; according to Lt. Nations, “about 20 miles S.W. of Merano”; according to T/Sgt. McDaniel, “10 miles from Switzerland”; according to S/Sgt. Mattatall, (not a regular member of the Bissinger crew) “20 miles from Fondo Italy.” 

Both men suffered cuts and severe bruises in the landing (and Bissinger a broken left hand) but they were uninjured by flak. 

According to an entry by Manfred Haringer at https://b17flyingfortress.de/, Bissinger and Nations actually crash-landed 44-6861 in the vicinity of the village of Göflan (otherwise known as Covelano or Goldrain), near the town of Schlanders (otherwise known as Silandro) in the Adige river valley, in the South Tyrol.  

Captured, these two officers remained in a German hospital in Merano until the war’s end.  According to Lt. Nations, also at the hospital were “T/Sgt. Kolbe” and “S/Sgt. Mountain” and a second (un-named) Staff Sergeant, the latter I think togglier S/Sgt. Shead.  As for “Kolbe” and “Mountain”, strangely, these names don’t correspond to any American POWs in the European Theater, whether from Army ground forces or Army Air Forces.      

The other casualty in the crew was flight engineer McDaniel, who, hit by flak in the shoulder, arm, and cheek, and an evader, was given medical treatment by “a German woman doctor through Partisan activities”. 

Six other crew members were more fortunate.  According to radio operator Kelly, co-pilot McGinnis, McDaniel, and three aerial gunners (right waist gunner Farrell, ball turret gunner Mattatall, and tail gunner Filosena), evaded capture, probably remaining hidden in the area between Merano, and Göflan, and Schlanders.

____________________

As for Corporal Jack Bartman?  Taken as a whole, the Casualty Questionnaires of his fellow crewmen recount the same appalling event, with Francis Kelly’s account being by far the most detailed.

Eugene Bissinger: “Jack Bartman was brutally beaten by Italian civilians and finally shot by one of them.  The name of the town and the man who did the shooting can be found in the statement of a 2nd Lt. Robert G. Henry 02058804 submitted to Escape Section, of Headquarters Fifteenth Air Force, Bari Italy.”

(2 Lt. Robery G. Henry of Paris, Texas, was the co-pilot of Queen Anne / 53, a B-24H Liberator (42-95458 – see MACR 10937) of the 722nd Bomb Squadron, 450th Bomb Group, piloted by 1 Lt. Louis M. McCumsey, shot down during a mission to the Brenner Pass on December 29, 1944.  Coincidentally, his plane crashed near Laurein (Lauregno).  Nine of his plane’s ten crewmen survived.  Having been an evader, Lt. Henry’s name doesn’t show up in Luftgaukommando Report KSU / ME 2651, which has “gaps” in the data fields where the co-pilot’s and navigator’s (Lt. Halstead) names would appear.  Thus, it would seem that navigator Lt. Halstead also evaded capture.)    

Manton Nations: “Believe to have parachuted safely to ground.  Taken by Italian civilians as prisoner.  His fate was due to their actions.”  Source of information?  “Lt Henry of Texas (Paris Texas) B-24 pilot who spent 6 or 7 mo. with Italian Partisans.  He saw our plane go down.” 

Marvin Mattatall: “I saw him when he bailed out.  He was standing by the waist hatch.”  “He was killed by German civilians.  A civilian by the name of Wisse shot him after being badly beaten by them.”  “The information given below was told to me by several Italian civilians.  A full account of the incident was given by me and others of the crew to an intelligent [sic] officer at Bolzano and 15th A.A.F.H.Q. in Italy.”

Willie McDaniel: “”Any explanation of his fate based in part or wholly on supposition: “Only because he was of Jewish nationality.””

Lee Shead: “…he was captured and beat to death by civilian personel.”  “I saw in the prison camp where I was held a few of his personal belongings and dog-tags.  There was also a report stating that he was killed while resisting arrest.  There was also a map showing his burial place.” 

Due to the detail and comprehensiveness of Kelly’s account, I’ve included images and transcripts of his Casualty Questionnaire, which you can read below. 

Kelly’s report can be summarized as follows:

Like the seven other crewmen who parachuted from 44-6861, Corporal Bartman landed without injury.  This was near the town of Lauregno (more commonly and better known today as Laurein?). 

“Laurein am Deutschnonsberg in Südtirol“: Laurein (Lauregno), Italy, in late 2012

An Oogle Air photo of Laurein (Lauregno).  

This Oogle map of the South Tyrol shows the relative locations of Göflan (Covelano / Goldrain), Laurien (Lauregno), and Merano.  Note Bolzano to the southeast. 

Upon landing, Cpl. Bartman was first encountered by a friendly civilian (name unknown) who intended to help him evade capture.  But, uncertain of the situation, Bartman hesitated, and tragically, the opportunity for evasion was immediately lost: He was captured other civilians, who were led by the Burgomeister and among whom was a certain Giovanni (Johann) Weiss.  

Bartman was disarmed (presumably of his .45 pistol?), and then, he was beaten. 

He was ostensibly to have been taken to the prisoner of war camp at Merano, though – in light of the near-48 kilometer (nearly 30 miles) distance between that town and Lauregno – Kelly does not specify if this was to have been via motor vehicle or (?!) on foot.  

According to Oogle Maps, Merano and Laurein are today connected by roads SP86 and SS238, as shown in the map below.

Assuming that there was ever any real intention about his internment at Merano, the point soon became horribly moot.  En route, civilians beat Corporal Bartman once again.  Then, he was shot in both legs. Unable to continue walking, he was then murdered. 

____________________

Four days later, he buried in the city cemetery of Merano with neither a coffin nor identification.  The location of his intentionally un-named grave was marked by Italian civilians sympathetic to the Allies, reportedly among them the civilian who first encountered and attempted to aid the Corporal.  This man led American authorities to the grave after the war’s end, and Cpl. Bartman’s body was reinterred at the United States Military Cemetery at Mirandola in early June.  More about this can be found in the letter – below – by Arini Adelino of Merano (the letter was incorporated into Corporal Bartman’s Individual Deceased Personnel File – IDPF), to the Allied Military Government.    

To the

Allied Military Government

Merano

Through this I inform you, that on April 24th 1945, 9 o’clock in the morning, the corpse of the American pilot, Jack Bartman, who was killed by a member of the country guard (“Landwacht”) near the Palade Pass, was buried in the city cemetery by order of the German military commando (Platzkommando).

By order of the German political commissioner, Franz Huber, the American soldier was not buried in the heroes cemetery (Heldenfriedhof), but was buried without honors in a simple hole without a casket in the corner of the dishonorable (murders and suicides).

I protested against this and told the political commissioner, that such a treatment was inhuman and unjust, but I could not attain anything, because Mr. Huber said, that the corpse did not deserve anything better, as he defended himself against the him [sic] arresting country guard (Landwacht) and as he was a Jew.

Il. Direttore del Cimitero
Arini Adelino

____________________

Sgt. Kelly received this information while in hiding at two towns – one German, and another Italian – and noted that these reports coincided with stories given to the other evadees in his crew.

Kelly’s civilian informants included:

In Marcena di Rumo (presumably, the Italian town):
An “unknown eyewitness”
                 Elena Torresani

In Proveis (the German town):
                 Johann Pichler

In the Italian towns of, Brez, Fondo, and Marcena di Lanza
                 Unidentified civilians

____________________

Here are images and transcripts of Sergeant Francis X. Kelly’s Casualty Questionnaire, Individual Casualty Questionnaire, and additional correspondence, from MACR 13817.    

Casualty Questionnaire

Your name:
FRANCIS X. KELLY
Rank:
T/SGT.
Did other members of crew bail out?
YES, ALL EXCEPT THE NAVIGATOR AND PILOT BAILED OUT IMMEDIATELY
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”.
CO-PILOT, ENGINEER, 3 GUNNERS, AND MYSELF (RADIO GUNNER) WERE EVADES AFTER BAILING OUT.  TOGGLIER BAILED OUT AND WAS TAKEN POW.  OTHER GUNNER BAILED OUT SUCCESSFULLY, BUT WAS KILLED BY GERMAN CIVILIANS.
Where did your aircraft strike the ground?
NO KNOWLEDGE
What members of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground?  (Should cross check with 8 above and individual questionnaires.)
PILOT AND NAVIGATOR RODE THE SHIP TO THE GROUND
Where were they in aircraft?
IN PILOT’S AND CO-PILOTS POSITIONS
What was their condition?
NAVIGATOR WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED BY FLAK, PILOT WAS OK, BUT BOTH WERE INJURED BY CRASH.  (BROKEN ARMS FOR EACH.)

Individual Casualty Questionnaire

Did he bail out?
YES
Where?
ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF BOLZANO, ITALY
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane:
AT THE SIDE DOOR OF THE PLANE WHILE PREPARING TO BAIL OUT
Was he injured?
NO
Where was he last seen?
I NEVER SAW HIM AFTER LEAVING PLANE
Any hearsay information:
FROM GERMAN AND ITALIAN NATIVES, I WAS FULLY INFORMED OF HIS DEATH.  HE WAS KILLED BY GERMAN CIVILIANS UPON LANDING.  I CAN GIVE DEFINITE NAMES AND PLACES AND WILL TYPE THEM ON BACK OF THIS SHEET.  THESE PEOPLE CAN GIVE FULL DETAILS.  THERE ARE A FEW EYE WITNESS[ES] IN THE TOWNS I WILL MENTION.
Any explanation of his fate based in part or wholly on supposition:
NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE 
Total number of missions of above crew member:
IT WAS HIS 33RD MISSION

Pages three and four – additional correspondence

Page “three”

(WHEN I LEFT THE SECTION, THE MAN NAMED WEISS WAS BEING HELD UNDER ARREST BY ITALIAN PARTISANS IN THE TOWN OF BREZ.)

ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN, AND WHICH I CHECKED AS BEST I COULD, CPL. BARTMAN HIT THE GROUND NEAR THE TOWN OF LAUREGNO, AND WAS CAPTURED SOON AFTER BY GERMAN CIVILIANS.  THE CIVILIANS WERE LED BY THE TOWN BURGOMEISTER, AND A CIVILIAN NAMED WEISS, WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS DEATH.  THEY TOOK HIM INTO LAUREGNO AFTER DISARMING AND BEATING HIM.  FROM THERE HE WAS TAKEN TO MERANO WHERE THERE WAS A PW CAMP, BUT EN ROUTE, THE CIVILIANS BEAT CPL. BARTMAN SOME MORE, SHOT HIM IN THE BACK OF EACH LEG AND TRIED TO GET HIM TO CONTINUE TO MARCH.  AT THIS POINT I UNDERSTAND THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE, SO AFTER ANOTHER BEATING, ONE OF THE CIVILIANS PUT A GUN TO HIS HEAD, AND KILLED HIM.  THEN THEY BURIED HIM IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE, BUT SOME ITALIAN SYMPATHIZERS MARKED THE SPOT AND IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT TO AMERICAN AUTHORITIES WHEN THEY ARRIVED.  I LEFT THE SECTION BEFORE THE AMERICANS ARRIVED, SO I DON’T KNOW IF IT EVER WAS BROUGHT TO ANYONE’S ATTENTION.

THE INFORMATION I RECEIVED WAS GIVEN TO ME IN TWO DIFFERENT TOWNS, ONE GERMAN AND THE OTHER ITALIAN, AND INCIDENTALLY COINCIDES WITH THE STORIES GIVEN BY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CREW WHO WERE HIDING OUT IN OTHER TOWNS.

IN MARCENA DI RUMO, THERE WAS AN EYEWITNESS BUT I DON’T KNOW HIS NAME.  THE WOMAN WHO HELPED ME WAS NAMED ELENA TORRESANI, AND SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE INFORMATION ALONG THOSE LINES.  ALSO IN THE TOWN OF PROVEIS (GERMAN), WHERE A MAN NAMED JOHANN PICHLER HELPED ME YOU COULD FIND MORE INFORMATION.  I KNOW NATIVES IN THE TOWNS OF BREZ, FONDO, AND MARCENA DI LANZA ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE FACTS SO I SUGGEST THESE PEOPLE BE APPROACHED.  INCIDENTALLY ALL THESE TOWNS ARE IN NORTH ITALY, ABOUT 25-30 MILES DIRECTLY WEST OF BOLZANO.

THE KILLING OCCURRED ON APRIL 20, 1945.

Francis X. Kelly

Page “four”

March 4, 1946

295 ST JOHNS PLACE
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

DEAR SIR,

I HOPE I CAN BE OF SOME ASSISTANCE WITH THE ENCLOSED PARTICULARS.  HAVING BEEN ON THE MISSION INVOLVED AND HAVING LIVED IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE SLAYING, I CAN HONESTLY AND DEFINITELY STATE THAT THESE ARE TRUE FACTS I’M PASSING ON, OR AT LEAST AS TRUE AS CAN BE FOUND OUT SO FAR.  PERHAPS MORE INFORMATION CAN BE LOCATED BY LOOKING UP THE WAR CRIMES COMMISSION CASE AGAINST A GERMAN CIVILIAN NAMED WEISS, WHO LIVED IN THE TOWN OF LAUREGNO, SOUTH TIROL, NORTH ITALY.  HE WAS UNDER ARREST IN THE TOWN OF BREZ, NORTH ITALY, HELD BY ITALIAN PARTISANS, TO BE TRIED FOR THE KILLING OF CPL. BARTMAN.

INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS AT BOLZANO, ITALY, AND AT 15TH AF HDQ., BARI, ITALY, HAVE RECEIVED SWORN STATEMENTS FROM THREE OTHER CREW MEMBERS AS WELL AS FROM MYSELF CONCERNING THE CASE.

IT’S EASY TO REALIZE THE ANGUISH THE BOY’S FAMILY MUST BE ENDURING AS A RESULT OF NOT RECEIVING A PROPER STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO THEIR SON.  IT’S ALSO NICE TO KNOW THAT SOMEONE IS DEFINITELY INTERESTED IN HELPING THEM BY A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION OF THE CASE.  IN THAT RESPECT, I HOPE THIS INFORMATION WILL BE OF VERY GREAT VALUE TO YOU.  IN FACT, I AM WILLING TO HAVE YOU CALL ON ME AT ANY TIME FOR ANYTHING I MAY HAVE MISSED, FOR I AM VERY EAGER TO BE OF ASSISTANCE.

I WOULD APPRECIATE A REPLY TO LEARN FOR MYSELF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE IN THE NAME OF JUSTICE, AND AGAIN PLACE MYSELF AT YOUR DISPOSITION.

RESPECTFULLY,

Francis X. Kelly

________________________________________

And there the story continued.  That is, at least for a time.

As documented in Case File 16-293-16 of the Judge Advocate General’s Office – documentation for which commenced in mid-June, 1945 – those accused of Jack Bartman’s murder, and witnesses to the event, were identified by May of 1946. 

But, by May 3, 1947, the Case was closed. 

What happened?

Typical of other War Crimes Case Files, much of Case File 16-293-16 is comprised of both relatively boilerplate-ish correspondence about the status and progress of and about the investigation, and more importantly, information – eyewitnesses reports; interrogation transcripts; depositions – concerning the details of the Case itself.  Albeit, the latter information is still nominally present. 

As such, three particular documents stand out: 

First, a letter of March 4, 1946, written to the Army by Jack’s brother Simon.  Note that Simon’s letter was written the same day that Francis Kelly completed his Casualty Questionnaire (above) for the Missing Air Crew Report.  

Second, a Docket Sheet listing the names of both accused and witnesses.  

Those accused were:

Giovanni (Johann) Weiss
Kurt Gerlitsky (Gerlitzki)
Gottfried Marzoner

Gerlitsky / Gerlitzki and Marzoner were in mid-1946 interned at the “339 PW Camp”, location unspecified.  (In Germany?)

The German officer was:

Major Heinemann, accused of refusing Corporal Bartman an honorable burial

Witnesses were:

Adelino Arini
Alois (Luigi) Brugger
Giuseppe Gaiser
Francesco Huber
Luigi Pircher Pancrazi
Federico Segna
…and…
Dr. Veith

Third, the two “final” records in the File, both dated May 3, 1947: 

1) A letter by Theater Judge Advocate Colonel Tom H. Barrett (of the Judge Advocate General’s Department) to the Civil Affairs Division of the War Department, indicating that the case was now “administratively closed”, the reasons being presented in the “next” letter, also by Colonel Barrett…

2) …Colonel Barret’s above-mentioned letter, sent to the Deputy Theater Judge Advocate, 7708 War Crimes Group, USFET. 

The reasons given for closure of the case? 

First, an inability to proceed with further investigation because the accused were by then in Germany, “…most of the accused are either in Germany or in other areas under your jurisdiction [where?] and therefore the investigation cannot be completed in this theater.”

Second, the impending closure of War Crimes investigations by May 1, 1947: “In view of the imminent close-out of this theater and the necessity of terminating the War Crimes investigations on 1 May to permit the completion of cases now ready for trial…”

Third (here, a carefully and diplomatically phrased sense of disillusionment and exasperation emerges from Colonel Barrett’s letter) a reduction in staff to a point that made further investigations of war crimes impracticable: “We will continue to assist to the extent of our ability so long as this office remains in existence even though our staff has been reduced to become almost ineffective.”

And with that, the Case – by all available information – ended. 

Verbatim transcripts of these four documents appear below.  

________________________________________

Here’s Simon’s letter to the Army of March 4, 1946, written after he visited Edmund Farrell (295 Sterling Place) and Francis Kelly (403 Park Place), in Brooklyn.    

COPY                                                       March 4, 1946

Dear Sirs:

Recently I visited the homes of T/Sgt Francis X Kelly and S/Sgt Edmund T. Farrell who were crew members on a Flying Fortress with my brother

) AGPC 201 Bartman Jack (
) MTO 176 Cpl. 32883370 (

who were shot down and their account which they say they gave repeatedly is in wide difference to all communications and versions we have received to date.  As told to me the plane was hit at Bolzano and bailed out.  Jack was fourth to bail out.  He was captured at Lauregno by a civilian called Weiss and the Burgomaster who incited the people.  A friendly civilian was the first to find my brother when he parachuted and he wanted him to go with him but Jack was distrustful and before he realized that he was friendly the others had found him.  Jack gave this fella an airborne ring in token for his trying to be of help.  The others led him up the road between Lana [sic] and Merano.  They shot him in the head and buried him in an unmarked grave.  The civilian that tried to befriend my brother later led the American authorities to the grave location.  At that time I believe it was INS 9 or the 88th Division that did the investigating working with the British.  The key pts. to investigate are at Merano & Bolzano.  The people that know the story are located in town of Marcena de Rumo – Proveis – Lauregno.

He was killed the same day, April 20th.  They all know the story for he was the only American killed there.

I hope this information will be of help.

Sincerely Yours,
Simon Bartman

COPY

________________________________________

This is the Docket Sheet filed on May 3, 1946, listing the names of the accused (Weiss, Gerlitsky / Gerlitzki, and Marzoner), Italian witnesses, and American witnesses, the latter members of Cpl. Bartman’s crew, plus Lt. Henry from the 450th Bomb Group.  

Note the closing comments about the JA (Judge Advocate) of PES (?) and Trial Judge Advocate deeming evidence being insufficient for the case to stand trial, because “the claim was made that Cpl. Bartman was shot “while trying to escape.”  

This is a statement – reads like something out of film noir, but it’s not fiction – that on occasion (I doubt if the total number has been quantified) can be found in Casualty Questionnaires within Missing Air Crew Reports pertaining to crews of 8th and 15th Air Force bombers.  The statement typically appears in the context of comments, made either offhand or calculatedly by German interrogators or guards to surviving POWs of bomber crews, concerning fellow crewmen who – sometimes unwounded and uninjured when last seen, typically when bailing out – did not survive.  

In the case of “Case 105”, was this statement a reason, or, a rationalization?        

CASE 105
DOCKET SHEET

DATE: 3 May 1946

SOURCE:                                          WD Report 16-293-5
DATE OF REPORT:                          6 Sept. 1945
NATURE OF CRIME:                       Killing of wounded American Airman.

DATE OF CRIME:                             22 April 1945
PLACE OF CRIME:                          near Lauregno, Italy (Lano to Merano)
NAME OF VICTIM(s):                     Corporal Jack BARTMAN, ASN 32883370
NAME(s) OF ACCUSED

Weiss, Giovanni (Johann)
GERLITZKI, Kurt 339 PW Camp
MARZONER, Gottfried 339 PW Camp
Major Heinemann (refusing honorable burial)

NAMES OF WITNESSES

GAISER, Giuseppe
HUBER, Francesco
ARINI, Adelino
BRUGGER, Alois (Luigi)
LUIGI PIRCHER PANCRAZI
SEGNA, Federico
Dr. Veith

American witnesses 483 Bomb Grp.

S/Sgt. Peter A. Filosena
S/Sgt. Ed Farrell
T/Sgt. William McDaniels
T/Sgt. Frank Kelly
2nd Lt. Robert G. Henry
S/Sgt. Lee Shead

STATUS OR DISPOSITION:  JA of PES and Trial Judge Advocate consider evidence insufficient to warrant trial, the principal reason being that the claim is made that Bartman was shot while “trying to escape”.  War Crimes Branch will attempt to convince the legal side that this claim was SOP in Northern Italy and will request a review of this case.

________________________________________

Here’s Colonel Barrett’s statement about the closure of the Case:

HEADQUARTERS
MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
Office of the Theater Judge Advocate
UNITED STATES ARMY
APO 512

File No      :  JA 000.5/WCC # 1053 May 1947

SUBJECT :  War Crimes Case #105.

TO          :     Civil Affairs Division
War Department Special Staff
Washington 25, D.C.
ATTN: War Crimes Branch

1.     Reference War Crimes Case #105.  War Department File: 16-293-5.

2.     Subject War Crimes Case was administratively closed by this section and complete files forwarded to War Crimes Group, USFET for the reason indicated in attached copy of letter of transmittal.

TOM H. BARRETT
Colonel, JAGD
Theater Judge Advocate

THB/bp
Incls: a/s

________________________________________

Here’s Colonel Barrett’s letter of transmittal, detailing reasons for the Case’s closure.  “We will continue to assist to the extent of our ability so long as this office remains in existence even though our staff has been reduced to become almost ineffective.”

File No      :          JA 000.5/WCC #105                                          3 May 1947

SUBJECT  :          Forwarding of War Crimes Case

TO             :          Deputy Theater Judge Advocate
7708 War Crimes Group, USFET
APO 178, U.S. Army

1.            There is forwarded herewith the complete file of this office relative to a case which appears to have been a war crime committed by German personnel against a U.S. Prisoner of War.  Investigation of the case over a long period of time indicates that most of the accused are either in Germany or in other areas under your jurisdiction and therefore the investigation cannot be completed in this theater.

2.            In view of the imminent close-out of this theater and the necessity of terminating the War Crimes investigations on 1 May to permit the completion of cases now ready for trial, this case is forwarded to you for appropriate action in accordance with the War Department policy that you will assume the residual war crimes functions of this theater.  It is believed that this will permit you to review these files and to request information deemed necessary from this area which might not otherwise be obtainable if transmission was not made until after close-out of the theater.

3.            There are in custody in this theater the following named individuals:

Johann WEISS               110 5828
Kurt GERLITSKY         81 SP 199 350 H
Gottfried MARZONER  81 SP 766 01 Pol

Request you advise us at once of the disposition you desire made of the individuals in question, and also that you advise of any further information you may desire from here.  We will continue to assist to the extent of our ability so long as this office remains in existence even though our staff has been reduced to become almost ineffective.

TOM H. BARRETT
Colonel, JAGD
Theater Judge Advocate

THB/bp
Incls: a/s
Cpy to WD Special Staff

________________________________________

Here’s Josef Laner’s article about the fate of 44-6861 and her crew, from der Vinschger, the cover of which appears below:

Als in Göflan der Bomber „landete”

When the Bomber “Landed” in Göflan

Das erste Foto nach der Notlandung des Bombers.  Die herbeigeeilten Menschen wurden vom Südtiroler Ordnungsdienst (SOD) angehalten, auf Distanz zu bleiben, weil vermutet wurde, dass der Bomber explodieren könnte.  Links ist der „Koflerhof” zu sehen, wo ein Flügel des Bombers den Dachfirst des Stadels gerammt hatte, rechts erkennt man die Dorfkirche zum Hl. Martin in Göflan.

The first photo after the bomber’s emergency landing.  The people who rushed to the scene were asked by the South Tyrolean Public Order Service (SOD) to keep their distance because it was suspected that the bomber could explode.  On the left you can see the “Koflerhof”, where a wing of the bomber rammed the roof of the barn, on the right you can see the village church of St. Martin in Göflan.

____________________

The article includes pictures of remnants of 44-6861, which (as of 2020, at least) had long been in the possession of residents of Göflan and Schlanders…

Luis Tumler aus Göflan mit einer Tankhalterung aus einem Flügel des Bombers. (links)

Herbert Tappeiner aus Schlanders mit einem Luft-Hydraulik-Zylinder. (mitte)

Gustav Angerer aus Schlanders (91 Jahre) war zur Zeit der Bruchlandung des Bombers Lehrbub beim Göflaner Schmied und in technischer Hinsicht der wichtigste Augenzeuge. (rechts)  (Er steht neben einer Motorhalterung, wie im Diagramm unten aus der illustrierten Teileaufschlüsselung für die B-17G (USAAF Technical Order 1B-17G-4) dargestellt.)

Luis Tumler from Göflan with a tank mount made from a bomber wing. (left)

Herbert Tappeiner from Schlanders with an air-hydraulic cylinder. (center)

Gustav Angerer from Schlanders (91 years old) was an apprentice at the Göflan blacksmith at the time of the bomber’s crash landing and was the most important eyewitness from a technical point of view. (right)  (He’s standing next to an engine mount, as depicted in the diagram below from the Illustrated Parts Breakdown for the B-17G (USAAF Technical Order 1B-17G-4).

 

____________________

And so, here’s the article…

Manfred Haringer ist seit 15 Jahren auf Spurensuche.

Zeitzeugen für Film gesucht.

GÖFLAN – Es war der 20. April des Jahres 1945, als in Göflan ein US-Bomber des Typs Boeing B-17G notlandete.  Der 4-motorige Bomber hatte zusammen mit einer US-Bomberformation einen Einsatz im Gebiet von Franzensfeste und am Brenner geflogen, als einer seiner Tanks von der Kugel einer Flugabwehrkanone getroffen wurde.  Gegen Mittag des genannten Tages befand sich der Bomber mit abgeschalteten Motoren im Gleitflug, als es beim „Koflerhof” in Göflan auf einem Acker zur Bruchlandung kam.  Der Pilot und der Navigator wurden schwer verletzt und in das Krankenhaus nach Meran gebracht.  Die weiteren 8 Crew-Mitglieder waren schon vorab mit Fallschirmen abgesprungen, die zwei letzten im Gemeindegebiet von Proveis am Nonsberg.  „Der getroffene US-Bomber wollte die neutrale Schweiz erreichen”, ist Manfred Haringer aus Göflan überzeugt.  Seit rund 15 Jahren befindet er sich auf der Spurensuche im Zusammenhang mit den Geschehnissen rund um die Bomber-Notlandung.  Es ist mittlerweile eine dicke Mappe mit allerlei Dokumenten, Schriftstücken und Aussagen von Zeitzeugen zusammengekommen.  Auch in Proveis und in Gemeinden des Nonstals im Trentino war Haringer unterwegs, um mit Menschen zu sprechen, die seinerzeit mit den abgesprungenen US-Soldaten zu tun hatten bzw.  im Kontakt standen.  Einer der abgesprungenen Soldaten, Jack Bartman, wurde von fanatischen Widerstandskämpfern erschossen.  Sein Leichnam wurde nach Kriegsende in die USA überführt.  Verwandte des Piloten Eugene T. Bissinger, dem es gelungen war, den Bomber in Göflan zusammen mit dem Navigator Nations Manton A. ohne Menschenverluste zu Boden zu bringen, waren im Vorjahr in Göflan.  Der Aufbau von Kontakten zu Verwandten und Nachkommen der US-Crew-Mitglieder ist eines der Ziele, die Haringer verfolgt.  Schon seit längerer Zeit gearbeitet wird außerdem an einem Film, der in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Amateurfilmer Verein Vinschgau entsteht und in dem vor allem Zeitzeugen zu Wort kommen, die die Bruchlandung direkt oder indirekt miterlebt bzw.  beobachtet haben.  Manfred Haringer ist weiterhin auf der Suche von Zeitzeugen.  Solche können sich gerne bei ihm melden und zwar unter Tel. 339 5335534.  Auch eine PowerPoint-Präsentation hat Haringer bereits zusammengestellt.  Darin wird die gesamte Geschichte rund um die Landung nachgezeichnet, und zwar beginnend mit dem Bau der „fliegenden Festungen” in Seattle bis zur Bruchlandung in Göflan und der Zeit danach.  In Göflan sorgte die Bruchlandung damals natürlich für großes Aufsehen.  Alles lief zur Unglücksstelle.  Viele nahmen später Teile des Bomber-Wracks mit nach Hause.  Richard Reiter zum Beispiel, ein versierter Techniker, besorgte sich das Radiosendegerät aus dem Flugzeug.  Für einige Monate konnten im Raum Schlanders seine Programme gehört werden, unter „Radio Stilfser Joch”, dem „Ersten Vinschgauer Radiosender”.  Als Haringer die PowerPoint-Präsentation der Fraktionsverwaltung mit Präsident Erhard Alber an der Spitze zeigte, zeigte sich diese begeistert und froh darüber, dass die Geschichte rund um die Bomber-Notlandung umfassend und bleibend aufbereitet wird und somit der Nachwelt erhalten bleibt.  Auch erste Vorbereitungen für eine Ausstellung sind bereits im Gang.  Für diese Ausstellung zum Bomberabsturz wären Bomber-Relikte bzw.  entwendete Teile davon sehr erwünscht und werden gerne entgegengenommen! An der Stelle, wo die Bruchlandung erfolgte, sollte eine Tafel angebracht werden.  Manfred Haringer wertet seine Bemühungen und Recherchen im Zusammenhang mit dieser Geschichte in erster Linie als eine Art Friedensmission: „Das Wachhalten der Erinnerung an diesen Vorfall soll uns daran erinnern, wie schrecklich j e der Krieg und wie wertvoll der Frie de ist.” Detail am Rande: Für Flugzeuge und das Fliegen hat Manfred Haringer übrigens seit jeher einen „Fimmel”.  Er war 1980 einer der ersten Drachenflieger im Vinschgau.  Erlernt hatte er das Drachenfliegen von seinem um 4 Jahre älteren Bruder Hermann.  Später widmete sich Manfred auch dem Bau von Flugzeug- und Hubschraubermodellen.

And, the English-language translation…

Manfred Haringer has been searching for clues for 15 years.  

Contemporary witnesses wanted for film.

GÖFLAN – It was April 20, 1945, when a US Boeing B-17G bomber made an emergency landing in Göflan.  The 4-engine bomber had been flying a mission in the area of Franzensfeste and Brenner along with a US bomber formation when one of its tanks was hit by a shot from an anti-aircraft gun.  Around noon on the day mentioned, the bomber was gliding with the engines switched off when it crash-landed in a field near the “Koflerhof” in Göflan.  The pilot and the navigator were seriously injured and taken to the hospital in Meran.  The other 8 crew members had already jumped out with parachutes, the last two in the municipality of Proveis on Nonsberg.  “The US bomber that was hit wanted to reach neutral Switzerland,” Manfred Haringer from Göflan is convinced.  For around 15 years he has been searching for clues in connection with the events surrounding the bomber emergency landing.  A thick folder has now been collected with all sorts of documents, papers and statements from contemporary witnesses.  Haringer also traveled to Proveis and communities in the Non Valley in Trentino to talk to people who were involved or in contact with the US soldiers who had jumped ship.  One of the soldiers who jumped [from the] ship, Jack Bartman, was shot by fanatical resistance fighters.  His body was returned to the USA after the end of the war.  Relatives of the pilot Eugene T. Bissinger, who managed to bring the bomber down in Göflan together with the navigator Manton A. Nations without any casualties, were in Göflan the previous year.  Establishing contacts with relatives and descendants of the US crew members is one of Haringer’s goals.  We have also been working on a film for some time now, which is being made in collaboration with the Vinschgau amateur filmmakers’ association and in which contemporary witnesses who directly or indirectly experienced the crash landing will have their say or have observed.  Manfred Haringer is still looking for contemporary witnesses.  They are welcome to contact him on Tel. 339 5335534.  Haringer has also already put together a PowerPoint presentation.  It traces the entire history of the landing, starting with the construction of the “Flying Fortress” in Seattle through the crash landing in Göflan and the period afterwards.  Of course, the crash landing caused a great stir in Göflan at the time.  Everyone ran to the scene of the accident.  Many later took parts of the bomber wreckage home with them.  Richard Reiter, for example, an experienced technician, got the radio transmitter from the plane.  For a few months his programs could be heard in the Silandro area under “Radio Stilfser Joch”, the ” First Vinschgau Radio Station”.  When Haringer showed the PowerPoint presentation to the parliamentary group administration with President Erhard Alber at the helm, they were enthusiastic and happy that the story surrounding the bomber emergency landing was being comprehensively and permanently prepared and thus preserved for posterity.  Initial preparations for an exhibition are already underway.  For this exhibition on the bomber crash, bomber relics or stolen parts of them would be very welcome and would be gladly accepted!  A plaque should be placed at the spot where the crash landing occurred.  Manfred Haringer sees his efforts and research in connection with this story primarily as a kind of peace mission: “Keeping the memory of this incident alive should remind us how terrible war is and how valuable peace is.”  Detail on the side: By the way, Manfred Haringer has always had a passion for airplanes and flying.  In 1980 he was one of the first hang gliders in Vinschgau.  He learned hang gliding from his brother Hermann, who was four years older than him.  Manfred later also devoted himself to building model airplanes and helicopters.

________________________________________

Some observations and thoughts…

First, it’s notable that of the three named accused in the Case File, Weiss went by the first name of both the Italian-sounding “Giovanni” or German-sounding “Johann”, while Gerlitsky / Gerlitzki and Marzoner also had German-sounding first names.  Perhaps – just a thought? – this is no coincidence: a reflection of then demographic composition and political control of the South Tyrol during the Second World War.  (Interestingly, the witnesses all had Italian first names.)  As described in Wikipedia:

“South Tyrol as an administrative entity originated during the First World War.  The Allies promised the area to Italy in the Treaty of London of 1915 as an incentive to enter the war on their side.  Until 1918 it was part of the Austro-Hungarian princely County of Tyrol, but this almost completely German-speaking territory was occupied by Italy at the end of the war in November 1918 and was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy in 1919.  The province as it exists today was created in 1926 after an administrative reorganization of the Kingdom of Italy, and was incorporated together with the province of Trento into the newly created region of Venezia Tridentina (“Trentine Venetia”).

With the rise of Italian Fascism, the new regime made efforts to bring forward the Italianization of South Tyrol.  The German language was banished from public service, German teaching was officially forbidden, and German newspapers were censored (with the exception of the fascistic Alpenzeitung).  The regime also favored immigration from other Italian regions.

The subsequent alliance between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini declared that South Tyrol would not follow the destiny of Austria, which had been annexed to the Third Reich.  Instead the dictators agreed that the German-speaking population be transferred to German-ruled territory or dispersed around Italy, but the outbreak of the Second World War prevented them from fully carrying out their intention.  Every single citizen had the free choice to give up his German cultural identity and stay in fascist Italy, or to leave his homeland and move to Nazi Germany to retain this cultural identity.  The result was that in these difficult times of fascism, the individual South Tyrolean families were divided and separated.

****

In 1943, when the Italian government signed an armistice with the Allies, the region was occupied by Germany, which reorganised it as the Operation Zone of the Alpine Foothills and put it under the administration of Gauleiter Franz Hofer.  The region was de facto annexed to the German Reich (with the addition of the province of Belluno) until the end of the war.  This status ended along with the Nazi regime, and Italian rule was restored in 1945.”

Second, though I cannot cite specific references, I’m under the general impression (?) that the investigation, prosecution, and punishment of war crimes in Italy – whether committed by the Wermacht, SS, or Italian Fascists; whether against Allied POWs, civilians, or Partisans – never had anywhere near the organizational support, focus, drive, and publicity that initially characterized the pursuit of justice for war crimes in the European (as opposed to Mediterranean) and Pacific theaters of war, even if this was eventually undermined and negated through a combination of apathy, Realpolitik of the (first) Cold-War, and economic interests.  (For more on this disillusioning story read Tom Bower’s Blind Eye to Murder – Britain, America and the Purging of Nazi Germany – a Pledge Betrayed.)

Third, the dishonor shown to Cpl. Bartman’s body after his murder.  The denial of an honorable burial, and especially, the refusal to allow any identifying information to be associated with Cpl. Bartman’s body and place of burial, was not only – necessarily – an attempt to conceal his murder.  It was an attempt to obliterate his identity. 

Fourth, I have no information about the subsequent fates of Johann / Giovanni Weiss, Kurt Gerlitsky / Gerlitzki, and Gottfried Marzoner, but it would seem that at least in terms of this case – 16-293-16 – nothing further followed.  Perhaps – perhaps not? – they returned to the villages or towns where they resided.  (If Weiss was a member of the “Landwacht” (Land Watch? Land Guard?), this would suggest that he was physically incapable of, and / or too old for active military service, and thus was performing some kind of auxiliary police duty.  Perhaps in 1945 he was in his 40s, or, older.)  Perhaps – perhaps not? – they lived the remainder of their lives and experienced the fullness of years.  And, the world moved on. 

____________________

Corporal Jack Bartman’s name is listed on page 270 of the 1947 book American Jews in World War II, where he is recorded as having been awarded the Purple Heart, Air Medal, and one Oak Leaf Cluster.  His name also appears in Jacob L. Grimm’s Heroes of the 483rd.  He completed 33 combat missions.

He was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Flushing, New York in November of 1948.  

This image of Jack Bartman’s matzeva is by FindAGrave contributor RJHorowitz…, who described himself in his profile with this inspirational statement: “Although a secular Jew, (I do not keep the Sabbath, kosher, light candles, attend services or give Zedakah as often as I should), I try to honor my ancestors, fellow Jews and my G-d one picture at a time.”

Jack Bartman’s Hebrew name, comprising the three words in the second line of text, is “Yaakov bar Moshe” (Yaakov son of Moshe).  Note that the stone incorporates symbols relating to both American and Jewish history.  An eagle with thirteen stars.  Below: to the left a Magen David, and to the right the winged star symbol of the Army Air Force.

This image of a dedicatory plaque at the base of the matzeva, also photographed by RJHorowitz, bears the text:

VIVIDLY ALIVE
IN THE HEARTS OF
YOUR PARENTS
BROTHERS AND SISTERS

This photo of the matzeva of Jack’s parents, Morris and Gussie, is by FindAGrave contributor MattFlyfisher.  The Hebrew names of Jack’s parents were, respectively, Moshe bar Yitzhak (Moses son of Isaac), and Gilda bat Rav Avraham (Gilda daughter of Rabbi Avraham).  Thus, Jack Bartman’s maternal grandfather was a rabbi.  (April 23, 2025: As noted by reader Paul W., Jack’s grandfather wasn’t a Rabbi, the term “Rav” simply being an honorific equivalent to “Mister”.)  

____________________ 

And there the past remains. 

It will always remain, even without the memory of man.

________________________________________

Note – Acknowledgement

Just as I was completing this post (!) I came across a discussion of the deaths of four POWs, at the 12 O’Clock High! forum.  This eventually led me to information compiled by researcher Rolland Swank, comprising biographical profiles of the Bissinger crew, maps, a Mission Report, photographs, a description of the crash of 44-6861, images of some of the documents in the IDPF for Jack Bartman, and other documents.  For example, it was within this material that I found the photos of Jack Bartman, his fellow crew members, the aerial photo Bissinger’s damaged B-17 (at the “top’ of the this post), and Arini Adelino’s translated letter of 1945. 

So, I want to express my thanks and appreciation to Rolland for allowing me to use this information: “Thank you.”  

References and Suggested Reading

Books

Birdsall, Steve, B-17 Flying Fortress in Color, Squadron/Signal Publications, Carrollton, Tx., 1986

Bower, Tom, Blind Eye to Murder – Britain, America and the Purging of Nazi Germany – A Pledge Betrayed, Granada Publishing Limited, Herts, England, 1981

Dublin, Louis I., and Kohs, Samuel C., American Jews in World War II – The Story of 550,000 Fighters for Freedom, The Dial Press, New York, N.Y., 1947

Grimm, Jacob L., Heroes of the 483rd: Crew Histories of a Much-Decorated B-17 Bomber Group During World War II, Georgia (?), 483rd Bombardment Group Association, 1997

Rust, Kenn C., Fifteenth Air Force Story, Historical Aviation Album, Temple City, Ca., 1976

United States National Archives (College Park, Maryland)

Records Group 92: Missing Air Crew Report 13817
Records Group 153: Case File 16-293-16

Websites

Axis War Crimes in Italy, at Wikipedia

atlante della stragi naziste e fascisti in italia (“Atlas of the Nazi and Fascist Massacres in Italy”), at http://www.straginazifasciste.it/

South Tyrol, at Wikipedia

South Tyrol, at Traces of Evil – Remaining Nazi Sites in Germany

May 26, 2021 – 463

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: II – From Proskurov to Richmond [Updated Post! … Jan. 13, 2021 and December 18, 2023]

(Update II – December 18, 2023: This year, I received an interesting message from P-38 historian John Clements. Specifically: “I stumbled on your websites the other day doing a semi-regular troll for P-38 information on the web. I am working on a book on the P-38, trying to present the most accurate information possible. I was stunned when I came across the two photos of Milton Joel standing in front of a P-38D during the Carolina Maneuvers in the articles from 2020.  #96 has all of the characteristics of a YP-38, not a P-38D.  It could also be a straight P-38, but I have never seen any model of the early aircraft with a YP-38 style lower cowling.”

Upon receiving John’s message, I consulted Volume I of Bert Kinzey’s two-part series on the P-38 – specifically, the set of 1/72 line drawings of the YP-38 on pages 23 through 25 – and immediately verified John’s observation: In YP-38s, the oil cooler inlets are less circular than those of the D version, featuring a vertical double-divider in the center. This is entirely consistent with the appearance of the inlets of the aircraft behind Major Joel.  As related by John, “I haven’t found evidence of any kind that this style was on any other model. I’m including another photo of the YP that was used in wind tunnel tests in Virginia. It’s the best photo of the engine nacelle of the YP’s that I have found so far.”

Thanks, John!  More information and photos appear below…!)

(Update I – January 13, 2021: Originally created on November 12, 2020, this post has been updated to include three new images.  These comprise a portrait of Milton Joel standing before a Stearman PT-17, taken while be was in Primary pilot training, and, two images from the U.S. School Yearbook database at Ancestry.com.  The latter are specifically from the 1940 Yearbook for the University of Richmond, Milton Joel’s alma mater.  These two images comprise a group photo of the University of Richmond Aviation Club, and, Milton’s graduation portrait.  Scroll on down to take a look…)

 

________________________________________

Part II: From Proskurov to Richmond

Let’s start at a man’s beginning…

Milton Joel was born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 12, 1919, to Joseph and Minnie (Weinstein) Joel.  Characterized as a “change of life baby” due to his parents’ then relatively advanced ages (in the context of that era) of 38 and 32, respectively, he would be their only child. 

Joseph, described by Sara F, Markham (the best friend of Milton’s (eventual!) wife Elaine Ebenstein) as, “…a Judaica scholar and a homespun philosopher who was always writings letters to the Op-Ed page of our reactionary gazette, the Richmond Times-Dispatch,” owned and operated the Virginia Jewelry Store, following – to a minor extent – the footsteps of his own father, Salomon.

________________________________________

Fortunately; remarkably, Joseph’s literary and historical bent led him, towards the end of his life in 1960, to compose – with Myron Berman (then rabbi of Temple Beth-El in Richmond) – an essay covering his family’s genealogy and history.  This appeared in the July 1979, issue of The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, under the title “My Recollections and Experiences of Richmond, Virginia, 1884-1892.” 

Though focused on his father, Joseph’s essay enables us to place Milton’s life in a deeper, multi-generational historical context.

The introduction to the essay (there’s far more to it!) follows below.  (References to the Ukrainian SSR should be understood in terms of the essay’s 1979 publication.)

THESE memoirs constitute a small portion of the autobiographical manuscripts written by Joseph Joel (1882-1960) near the end of his life.  They display a panorama of Jewish civilization at the turn of the century as well as the reflections of an East European immigrant upon life in Europe America.  The narrative, which focuses mainly upon the experiences Joseph Joel’s father, Salomon Czaczkes (Joel) (1853-1934), constitutes both the epitome and antithesis of an immigrant’s odyssey from Galicia in the Austro-Hungarian empire to America in the period immediately prior to World War I.  What is perhaps unique about Salomon Joel’s peregrinations is that unlike the majority of his East European compatriots whose transatlantic passages were paid by prosperous relatives from America, Salomon Joel and his family eventually returned to Europe on a prepaid ticket provided by the European branch of his family. (1)

Brought to these shores while yet an infant, Joseph Joel years later pieced together the poignant details of his parents’ migration from Proskurov, originally part of Poland but through annexation in the eighteenth century incorporated into the Russian empire. (2)   Because Salomon Joel had lived within the borders of Galicia, he was looked upon with suspicion by the Russian government.  With ten growing children to provide for, Salomon’s father earlier had decided to move from Tarnopol (3) to Podwoloczyska (4) as the railroad had been extended to that border outpost between Russia Austria-Hungary and afforded economic advantages for merchants dealing in agricultural products.

When his mother died, Salomon Joel was subject to the vagaries of his stepmother.  It was she who was responsible for his enrollment in a yeshiva or Jewish parochial school away from home and for his early marital alliance with a cousin of hers in Proskurov. (5)  Eventually he was himself the father of ten children, three of whom, including Joseph, were born in Europe.  The untenability of his legal status, the precarious nature of his livelihood, and, finally, the pull of a brother and a sister already residing in America were primary factors motivating the emigration of Salomon Joel with his family. (6)

Joel had a difficult time adjusting to the American economy.  Although he had been a grain merchant in Europe, he opened a jewelry store in Richmond, which proved a fiasco.  Never having learned the business, he was always dependent upon the services of trained technicians whom he had to employ.  Devoting himself more to communal pursuits than to his livelihood, Joel moved frequently within the city of Richmond and finally to Chicago to try his luck during the World’s Fair of 1893.  When economic conditions in the United States worsened shortly thereafter, Salomon Joel returned with his family to Podwoloczyska. 

In Europe, Joel was assisted by his stepbrother but never fared well.  He typified a large segment of immigrants who could not adjust to the American environment and to a certain extent may be categorized as Luftmenschen, trying to subsist on air.  Salomon Joel died in Europe, and tragically a large number of his family were later massacred by the Nazis. (7) 

Joseph Joel, however, returned to America in 1914 and, after a brief sojourn in Deming, New Mexico, became a jewelry merchant in Richmond.  More successful than his father, he wrote nostalgically about the good old days of strong religious and family ties, which contrasted rather starkly with the environment of the ‘fifties.  Joseph married Minnie Weinstein, the daughter of a Landtsmann or compatriot from Tarnopol, whose family’s voyage to America had been facilitated by Salomon Joel.  Their only son, Captain [sic] Milton Joel, was killed during World War II.  In later years, Joseph Joel, despite certain eccentricities, became a patriarch to his family. 

1) Joseph Czaczkes, a banker, Salomon Joel’s stepbrother, was the family’s benefactor.
2) Proskurov today is in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic.  The population of the city was forty percent Jewish until World War II when it was occupied by the Germans.
3) Tarnopol, Galicia, today is called Ternopol and is in the Ukrainian SSR.
4) Podwoloczyska, Galicia, is called Podvolochisk and is in the Ukrainian SSR.
5) Salomon Josel first married Yetta Bernstein and upon her death, her sister Bertha.
6) The children of Salomon Joel were as follows:
Fannie (1873-1891), buried at the Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery in Richmond
Moses (1877-1904), buried in Podwoloczyska
Yetta died in infancy and was buried in Podwoloczyska
Joseph (1882-1960), buried at Beth Ahabah’s Hebrew Cemetery in Richmond
Israel (1886-1930), buried in Wiener Neustadt
Esther (1980-ca.-1940), exterminated by the Nazis
Herman (1890-1965), buried at Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery
Efraim (1893-1977), buried at Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery
Mushke or Moses (1904-1930), buried at Sir Moses Montefiore Cemetery
Robert (1898 –      ), a resident of Miami
and Clara (1912 –      ), a physician in Baltimore
(7) Members of his family from America visited him just prior to his death in 1934.

________________________________________

But how did “Czaczkes” become “Joel”?

As noted elsewhere in the essay, Joseph’s, “…father [was] Salomon Czaczkes, who changed his name on arrival at Richmond, Va. to Salomon Joel.  This changing of name was due to the fact that there were few foreigners here and the people just couldn’t pronounce the “Cz” as “Ch” as in Chicken,” etc.”

________________________________________

A 1930s view of the Joel family home in Richmond. (c/o Harold Winston)

This Oogle Street View shows that the now-nearly-century-old residence (it was constructed in 1922) looks much the same today. 

Milton’s bar mitzvah portrait. (c/o Harold Winston)

Though I don’t know the date of his bar mitzvah, Milton’s birth on Saturday, July 12, 1919, may (may…) have correlated to a Bar Mitzvah date of July 18, 1932 (Tammuz 14, 5692).  If so, his Haftorah would have been Parshat Pinchas, concerning which there is a vast amount of commentary, such as these examples from…

The late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (z”l)

Torah.org

My Jewish Learning

Wikipedia (well, inevitably Wikipedia!)

Chabad

Though, unsurprisingly, there’s little information about Milton’s childhood and adolescence, it is known that he graduated in 1936 from Thomas Jefferson High School in Richmond.  There, he was active in the school’s newspaper, aptly titled The Jeffersonian, as reported in Richmond Times-Dispatch article of February 16, 1936.

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In the photo, Milton is among the group of students in the right-hand image, where he stands second from right in the second row.

Caption: “The staff of editors of The Jeffersonian, pictured above, includes those who served last term and their successors for editorial positions this term.  They are: Front row, left to right, Norman Robinson, Grant Morton, Adelaide Rose, Constance Strailmann, Watson James, Jr., and Thurman Day.  Second row, Shirley Sheain, Rosa Ellis, Mary Elizabeth Alvis, Ruth Keppel, James Harris, Milton Joel and Jane Obermeyer.  Back row, William Franch, Elizabeth Johnson, Charlotte Nance, Kathering Priddy, Robert Howard and Austin Gribb.”

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Milton’s father Joseph, at the family home in the 1930s or 40s. (c/o Harold Winston)

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Though the source of his aeronautical inspiration is unknown, Milton’s interest in flying was apparent by the time he attended the University of Richmond (he first attended the University of Virginia), his enrollment commencing in 1936.  There, he participated in a pilot training program sponsored by the CAA (Civil Aeronautics Authority; later the Civil Aeronautics Board), which was covered in the following three Richmond Times-Dispatch news items.

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Students Are Taught to Use Parachutes – – – on the Ground

Richmond Times-Dispatch
December 19, 1939

University of Richmond flying students received their first instruction in parachute jumping yesterday, but, to the relief of many, the training was given on the ground.

Instructor J.H. Preissner pointed out the correct method of opening the ‘chute and delved into technical details for the benefit of the class of 17 students at Byrd Airport.

The group has been receiving the flight instruction, sponsored by the Civil Aeronautics Authority, since October 18, in two classes of two hours’ duration each week.  The course, consisting of 72 hours of class work, will be completed in June.

10 Are Active Pupils

Prior to the beginning of actual flying instruction 10 days ago, the students were taught civil air regulations and aerodynamics.  Ten member of the class are active pupils while the others are alternates.

Examinations will be given by the Federal Government.  The training is being given the students by the Government at approximately one-tenth what would be charged at private fields in order to raise the number of civilian pilots in the United States.

The students are in no way obligated to the Government, however, it was pointed out.  In all probability an advanced course will be given next year.

Caption: COLLEGE PUPILS STUDY ‘CHUTES – University of Richmond students who are taking a flying course under the Civil Aeronautics Authority, got their first instructions yesterday in taking to the air via a parachute.  Members of the class are shown above with Instructor J.H. Preissner.  Left to right, are Milton Joel, Parke Starke, Harvey Chapman, Ernest Taylor, Clyde Ford, Donald Murrill, Mr. Preissner, Samuel George, Thomas Bruno and Tom Wiley.

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In this Richmond Times-Dispatch news article of February 28, 1940, covering CAA pilot training of University of Richmond Students, Milton stands at the far right.  (c/o Congregation Beth Ahabah Archives)

A nearly similar image – below – appeared in the University of Richmond 1940 yearbook, which specifies that the fourteen men in the photo are actually members or associates of the University of Richmond Aviation Club. 

A close inspection reveals that these are actually two different photographs, albeit taken by the same photographer: S.L. Baird.  The giveaway?  While the men are standing in the same relative locations in the pictures, there are minor differences in their poses and facial expressions.  

The aircraft is a Rearwin Cloudster, a, “…two or three-seat civil utility aircraft produced by the Rearwin Aircraft & Engines Company of Kansas City, Missouri beginning in 1939.  It was a strut-braced, high-wing monoplane of conventional design with an enclosed cabin and fixed, taildragger undercarriage.”  You can view a restored Cloudster in this 2010 video narrated by owner Ed McKeown, from the Aero-News Network. 

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This photo published (I think?) in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on July 7, 1940 illustrates CAA student pilots.  With hands on the controls – I think this is a Cloudster – Milton sits adjacent to the aircraft’s entry door. (c/o Congregation Beth Ahabah Archives)

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Milton’s graduation portrait.

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After his university graduation, Milton pursued flying in a military vein:  Here is notification received by his parents concerning his enlistment in the Regular Army on October 12, 1940, and, his departure for the Alabama Institute of Aeronautics at Tuscaloosa.  (c/o Congregation Beth Ahabah Archives)

The following three images show the Alabama Institute of Aeronautics as it appeared in the 1940s. 

This photo shows classrooms, dormitories, a hangar, and numerous (Boeing Stearman?) biplanes.

A barracks room.  Simple and spartan, but it does the job.

Flying cadets return from training. 

From the Archives of Congregation Beth Ahabah in Richmond, Virginia, this image shows Milton Joel standing before a Stearman PT-17, presumably at Tuscaloosa. 

Very (very!) close examination of the photograph (it’s actually a paper photocopy, thus accounting for its graininess and low resolution) reveals that the Stearman’s serial number is 40-1841.  According to the Aviation Archeology database, this aircraft was involved in a landing accident at Albany Field, Georgia, on October 29, 1941, while piloted by Donald P. Chapman.

The date of the photograph is unknown, but from crispness of shadows and bright illumination, it was certainly a very sunny day.

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Having completed his Basic Flying School at Gunter Field, Alabama, in March of 1941, Milton next attended Advanced Flying School at Maxwell Field, Alabama, from which he graduated the following May.  Along with six other Aviation Cadets from Virginia, Milton appeared in this Richmond Times-Dispatch photograph on April 27, 1941.  Here, the seven cadets and flight instructor Lieutenant Neener stand before a North American AT-6 Texan advanced trainer.

Caption: YOUNG PILOTS TRAIN – Seven Virginians are shown here checking final flight plans with Lieutenant E.H. Neener at Maxwelll Field, Ala., where they are in training.  They are (left to right) Cadets Glassel Stringfellow of Culpepper, Charles R. Mallory Jr. of Richmond, Milton Joel of Richmond, Lieutenant Neener, Cadets George L.J. Newton of Powhatan County, Roy L. Reeve of Arlington, R.L. Tribble of South Boston and Thomas Campbell of Franklin.  The cadets will graduate next month with more than 200 hours’ air training at the Advanced Flying Field.  They will be commissioned second lieutenants and sent on extended active duty with regular Air Corps units. 

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A review of National Archives Records covering Honor Rolls of WW II Army Dead (via the National WW II Memorial website) reveals that all the above (then) Cadets, as well as Lt. Neener, survived the war.  Milton was the only member of this group who did not return.

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This news item of May 2, 1941 from “The Richmond Daybook” section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, reports on Milton’s final stages of Advanced Flying Training at Maxwell Field, Alabama.

FLYING Cadet Milton Joel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Joel of Greenway Lane, Richmond, has begun the final phases of his flying training at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala.  On May 29 he will be graduated into the status of second lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, receive military aeronautical status of “pilot” and be assigned to extended duty training with a regular squadron for a period of one year.  Cadet Joel finished his basic training at Gunter Field, Montgomery, last March.

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This photographic portrait of Milton as a Flying Cadet, from the United States National Archives’ collection “Photographic Prints of Air Cadets and Officers, Air Crew, and Notables in the History of Aviation”, in NARA Records Group 18-PU.  Notation on the photo (not visible in this image) states “Graduated 5/29/41”.  This image is only one of the collection’s many thousands of portraits and related photos, which – spanning the very late 1930s through approximately 1944 and having heaviest coverage from 1941 through 1943 – includes a small number of photos from WW I and the twenties, and, a few pictures of foreign aviators from the 20s and 30s.  You can read much more about the this collection in Five Pilots in December (which displays images of the five Army Air Corps fighter pilots who lost their lives during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor), at my brother blog, ThePastPresented.  (Milton’s portrait, serial number “P-8000”, is located in Box 47 of RG 18 PU’s 105 archival storage boxes.) 

On May 30, 1941, Milton’s high-school newspaper the Jeffersonian reported his graduation from Maxwell Field.

Flying Cadet Milton Joel ’36, who was business manager at the Jeffersonian in 1935-36, was graduated into the status of second lieutenant, Air Corps Reserve, at the Air Corps Advanced Flying School, Maxwell Field, Montgomery, Ala., yesterday.  He also received the military aeronautical status of “pilot” and was assigned to extended active duty training with a regular squadron for a year. 

A little over a month later, on July 21, the Times-Dispatch reported Milton’s assignment to the 27th Pursuit Squadron of the 1st Pursuit Group, then at Selfridge Army Airfield, Michigan.

Richmond Aviator Goes to Michigan

SELFRIDGE FIELD, Mich., July 21 – Milton Joel, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Joel, Greenway Lane, Richmond, and recent graduate of the Air Corps Flying School, Maxwell Field, Ala., has been assigned as a second lieutenant with the World War famous First Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field, and has taken over his flying duties with the Twenty-Seventh Pursuit Squadron, Major Robert S. Israel, Jr., commanding officer of the “P-38” Fighter Group, revealed today.

Joel, who has attended both the University of Virginia and the University of Richmond, is required to accomplish a minimum of fifty hours’ flying monthly.
Beside the regular aerial flights, Joel must undergo intensive ground flying.  Key to the paradox is the Link trainer, an ingenious and complex device which makes it possible to simulate the conditions of blind flying.

In November of 1941, Milton’s assignment to the 27th Pursuit Squadron involved participation in the Army’s Carolina Maneuvers, with the 1st Pursuit Group (a component of the 6th Fighter Wing) taking part in all four Maneuver phases: Louisiana Phases 1 and 2, and Carolina phases 1 and 2, from September 15 through 27, and November 16 through 27, respectively. 

These two images show Milton standing before a P-38D YP-38 Lightning bearing aircraft-in-squadron number “96”.  The aircraft carries temporary (water-based-paint) Maneuver markings, consisting of a red cross upon its nose, and, (rather fading) white paint on the bottom of its gondola and wings.  (c/o Sarah F. Markham)

In this image, the crest of the 1st Fighter Group is visible on Milton’s service cap, while the Army Air Corp’s pre-war “triple-pinwheel” orange and blue emblem is visible on his left shoulder. (c/o Sara F. Markham)

Here’s an example of the pre-war art-deco-ish shoulder Army Air Force patch, worn from July 20, 1937, through March 19, 1942, when it was replaced by the more well-known winged star. 

Continuing with John Clements’ identification of this plane as a YP-38, here the list of all YP-38s – but one – compiled by Joe Baugher:

MSN 122-2202/2214.  Model 122-62-02 service test aircraft.

689 crashed during high-speed dive Nov 4, 1941 over Glendale, CA, killing test pilot Ralph Virden.
690 assigned to NACA Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Virginia Nov 27, 1941 to Feb 4, 1942. To Parks Air College, St Louis, MO Feb 26, 1942.
691 assigned to NACA Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, Virginia  Nov 27, 1941. Scrapped at Sacramento Air Depot Dec 17, 1945.
692 scrapped at Lowry Field, Denver, CO Jul 5, 1945.
693 relegated to class CL-26 maintenance trainer at Chanute, AK Jul 24, 1942.
694 relegated to class CL-26 maintenance trainer Jan 5, 1943, Granite Falls, WA.
695 w/o Jul 23, 1941, Alpena, MI.?
697 used as class CL-26 maintenance trainer Jan 5, 1943 at Lockheed
698 scrapped Mar 20, 1946 San Bernardino, CA.
699 crashed Jun 23, 1941, Atlanta, MI.  Pilot Lt Guy Leland Putnam killed.
700 relegated to class CL-26 maintenance trainer Jan 27, 1943 at Brookley Field, Mobile, AL.
701 relegated to class CL-26 maintenance trainer Jan 5, 1943 at Lockheed

On discussing the above list, John noted that aircraft “696” is missing.  Being that the plane-in-squadron (tail) number of Major Joel’s plane is “96” (as seen in the photo on page 81 of Dana Bell’s Air Force Colors), John suggests that the plane could be the absent “696”, or specifically, “39-696”.  Makes sense to me!

The photo below, provided by John, is of, “…the YP that was used in wind tunnel tests in Virginia.  It’s the best photo of the engine nacelle of the YP’s that I have found so far.”  The front of the nacelle is identical to that of Major Joel’s plane.

Interestingly, Bert Kinzey’s book states that for YP-38, “Armament was to be two .50-caliber machine guns, two .30-caliber machine guns, and a single 37-mm cannon.  However, this was not fitted, and the gun ports were faired over.”  In that context, perhaps 696’s armament of two machine guns, the muzzles of which are covered with streamlined cylindrical fairings, represents a modification carried out after the plane was assigned to the 1st Fighter Group.

The specific P-38D YP-38 serving as a backdrop to Major Joel can be seen (a very tiny portion of it can be seen) in Army Air Corps Photo “A 20599AC / 342-3B-41009”, dated November 3, 1941:  The number on its port fin and rudder is visible immediately to the left of the port fin and rudder of P-38 “67”, the latter in the right center of the image.  This picture can be found on page 81 of Dana Bell’s Air Force Colors, Vol. I.

Another photo provided by John: 1st Fighter Group P-38s – #54 and #51 – at the Carolina Maneuvers.

From Air Force Colors, Vol. I, here’s an illustration of a P-38D in “red force” markings:

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Two images of Milton in the United States.  Date unknown; location unknown.

(c/o Ida Joel Kaplan)

(c/o Harold Winston)

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While assigned to the 27th Fighter Squadron, Milton was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in February or March of 1942, and then Captain in June.  It was at the latter rank that on October 3, 1942, he took command of the 38th Fighter Squadron at Paine Field, Washington.  This photo, showing Milton wearing a flight jacket with the insignia of the 27th Fighter Squadron, can therefore be dated as having been taken before that date.  (c/o Harold Winston)

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The circumstances – random luck? – a mutual acquaintance? – by which Milton and his future wife, Elaine Ebenstein of Beverly Hills, California, met one another, are unknown.  However, most definitely known is that they were married at Paine Field in June of 1943, as reported in the Richmond Times-Disptach on June 25, of that year.

Miss Ebenstein Will Marry Major Milton Joel, USAAF

Mr. and Mrs. Herbert R. Ebenstein, of New York and Beverley Hills, Calif., announce the engagement of their daughter, Elaine, to Major Milton Joel, United States Army Air Force, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Joel, of Richmond.

The wedding will take place June 29 [Tuesday] at Paine Field, Everette, Wash.
The groom is a graduate of the University of Richmond in the class of 1940.

Characterized by her friend Sarah Markham as “tall, thin, and regal”, here is Elaine’s portrait. (c/o Harold Winston)…

…and, here’s a view of Minnie, Joseph, and their beaming daughter-in-law in Richmond.  (c/o Ida Joel Kaplan)

Next: Part III – On Course

1,507 – November 12, 2020