Tag: 2 Lt. James W. Gilbride

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel and Capt. Robert W. Wood, 38th Fighter Squadron – Memories Continue

Being that my blog’s “Comment” sidebar isn’t working (“aaargh”!), here’s a new post pertaining to Major Milton Joel, WW II 8th Air Force P-38 fighter pilot, based on a comments by Mr. Patrick Wood.  Patrick is the son of Robert W. Wood, the 38th Fighter Squadron’s Communications Officer and Executive Officer.  I corresponded with his father some decades ago, and his help – though I never anticipated so at the time! – proved to be instrumental in creating this series of blog posts.

And so, here’s Patrick’s comment:

“My Dad, Robert W. Wood, from Sioux Falls, SD, I believe, was Major Joel’s executive officer in England.  They became close friends and Major Joel’s death was very hard on Dad.  He kept in contact with Mrs. Joel for many years until finally there were no responses to his letters.

Dad was convinced that Major Joel’s death was avoidable but for the unwarranted – in his opinion – decision by another squadron commander to turn back to England sooner than he should have.  This left Major Joel and his squadron more vulnerable to Messerschmidts.

My sister has some of Dad’s papers; the next time I visit her I’ll see what else I can find.

One of Dad’s duties was to write letters to the parents and families of the pilots who did not return – “too many empty beds,” he said.”

My thoughts?

Patrick, I was more than happily startled to receive your entirely unexpected message.  I immediately recognized your father’s name, for we corresponded with one another in the late 1990s, and he provided information that was essential in unravelling the story of the 55th Fighter Group’s mission of November 29, 1943, let alone shedding light upon Major Joel, himself – simply as a “person”.  This information figures in the blog posts: “A Monday in November: Major Joel’s Last Mission [Updated Post! – January 14, 2021]”, and, “Fragments of Memory”. 

Your comments bring forth many thoughts and musings.  As far as the loss of contact between your father and Major Joel’s widow – she later remarried and became Elaine Friedlich – I think this might be explained by the fact that (as indicated by her obituary at FindAGrave) she passed away in 1981 at the young age of 60, after a long illness of an unspecified nature.

Your father’s relationship to Major Joel is well attested to by the beautiful letter – a form of tribute, really – he wrote to the Major’s parents in January of 1947, which is available and fully transcribed under “Fragments of Memory,”, and, your father’s preservation of diary entries made by the Major during the 55th’s crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to England, in 1943. 

Your mention of a contributing factor to Major Joel’s death (and relatedly the deaths of Lieutenants Albino and Garvin of the 38th, and Gilbride of the 343rd, plus the capture of Lt. Carroll of the 38th) having been the decision of a man who at that moment was leading the 343rd Fighter Squadron, is more than alluded to in my post about the November 29 mission.  Suffice to say that though I’ve refrained from specifically calling out the man’s name, if one reads the two above-mentioned blog posts thoroughly – from beginning pixel to final pixel – your father’s allusions to the man, and his name (like the names of all the 55th FG pilots on the mission), are present.

In the way of the world, though everyone involved in this story has since passed on, my analysis of the November 29 mission leads me to believe that your father was in essence correct. 

Without recapitulating the blog post in these comments (it’s been a couple of years since I wrote it, and like most of my blog posts, it’s really, really (really) long):

Repeated radio calls were made by Major Joel (and maybe others in the 38th) asking for help, which were definitely received by Captain Rufus Franklin of the 343rd.  But, the 343rd (I don’t know how far a point that squadron attained over the continent) was by then headed west, back to England.  The probability that Franklin was the only man to receive these radio calls would have been, I think, astronomically low.  During its return to Nuthampstead, the 343rd went into Lufbery circles twice.  Captain Franklin and his wingman, Lt. James Garvin, in an act that to me bespoke of tremendous courage and independence of thought, broke out of the Lufbery and headed back east to help the remnants of the 38th, which were under pursuit by Me 109s of III./JG I.    

Regarding the man in question, the historical records of the 38th Fighter Squadron reveal that he joined Major Joel’s Squadron on April 29, 1942, but for a reason left unexplained, transferred to the 343rd on February 2, 1943.  His rise through the 38th was in a word meteoric, for he reached the rank of Lt. Col. on April 29, 1945 and received the Silver Star in July of that year.  Postwar, his rise within the Air Force continued.  Suffice to say that even as early as the 1950s, the P-51s he flew had already gained a measure of attention.  I’ll leave it at that.    

This was quite unlike the experience of Captain Franklin, who also remained in the postwar Air Force, but only reached Colonel in 1955.  I think he more than merited the Silver Star for his actions on November 29, 1943, but as you can see from his obituary, he never received that award.  Well, I don’t adjudicate those things (!), and it’s in the past anyway.  (But is past is ever really past?)  Interestingly, he was transferred out of the 55th to the 20th Fighter Group on February 23, 1944 … three months after the November 29 mission.  Echoing Elaine Joel’s life, Capt. Franklin passed away in 1969 at the very young age of 48.

In closing, my review of Missing Air Crew Reports shows about 60 such documents were filed for 38th Fighter Squadron pilots.  So I can imagine the impact this would have…

Thank you, again, for your interest!

A Missing Man: Major Milton Joel, Fighter Pilot, 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force: IX – The Major, Still Missing  [Updated Post! – February 5, 2021]

[This post, originally created on January 24, 2021, has been updated: New stuff here includes: 1) A photo and map of the area encompassing the Dutch cities of Meppel and Hoogeveen, and, the nearby Dwingelderveld National Park and Holtingerveld Nature Reserve (both northwest of Hoogeveen) and boswachterij Ruinen (forest district of Ruinen) – all in the province of Drenthe.  I think (I cannot prove, but I think…) that one of these three areas is the likely locality where Major Milton Joel and the “flying wolf” crashed when shot down by pursuing Me-109Gs of III./JG 1; 2) Aerial images of the Dwingelderveld National Park and Holtingerveld Nature Reserve; 3) A little more information about the first American Jewish aviator captured by the Germans in WW II, 2 Lt. Irving Biers; and, 4) Mention of Pilot Officer Julius V. Silverston (79220), probably the first Jewish Commonwealth aviator to have been taken captive by the Germans during that war.]

Part IX: The Major, Still Missing

The Missing, Mentioned

On Monday, the 29th of November, 1943, the 8th Air Force lost seven P-38 Lightnings during a bomber escort mission to Bremen, Germany.

The pilots of these aircraft and the serial numbers of their planes (all P-38Hs) were:

77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group

2 Lt. John Sherman Hascall – 42-67016, “LC * O“

38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group

2 Lt. Albert Anthony Albino – 42-67051, “Spirit of Aberdeen“
2 Lt. John Joseph Carroll – 42-67090, “FOB Detroit“
2 Lt. James Michael Garvin – 42-67046
Major Milton Joel – 42-67020, “GA * A“, “flying wolf“

338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group

2 Lt. Fleming William Suiter – 42-67069

343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group

2 Lt. James William Gilbride – 42-67097

Of these seven men, only two would return at the war’s end, both of whom survived as prisoners of war in Stalag Luft I, at Barth, Germany: Lieutenants Carroll and Suiter.  Of the five who did not survive, four – Albino, Garvin, Gilbride, and Hascall (Gilbride and Hascall not survived parachuting from their planes) – would eventually be found, to eventually be buried in the United States, or in the case of Hascall, at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, in Margraten, Holland.  You can read more about these men at this post, which covers the Army’s postwar effort to ascertain their fates, which in the case of Albino took over three decades: His remains were only recovered conclusively identified, and buried in 1978.

The fifth “MIA” – Major Joel – though definitely killed in action, has never been found.  His probable fate is the subject of this post.

But, first … (!) … to continue with a feature of the prior posts in this story, here is an Oogle Map showing the general area where the 55th Fighter Group’s encounter with the Luftwaffe took place: the northern part of the Netherlands.  The map shows the following:  1) The 55th Fighter Group’s intended and probable course into Germany (ironically, the 55th never actually reached Germany!), 2) The crash locations, as much as they can be pinpointed on this ultra-small-scale digital map, of all the above-listed pilots, except for a) Lt. Garvin (more about him below), and b) Major Joel. 2) The crash locations of three Me-109G-6s of the Seventh Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1, lost (directly or indirectly) as a result of III./JG 1’s engagement with the 55th Fighter Group’s Lightnings on November 29, 3) The serial numbers of the lost P-38s and the three above-mentioned Me-109G-6s.  Information about the three 7./JG 1 losses, and the crash locations of Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride comes from Part 2 of Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog.]

As before, maps symbols and colors indicate the following:

Bright blue line extending west to east across the Netherlands to a point near the Dutch-German border indicates the approximate or intended course of the 55th Fighter Group for a rendezvous with 8th Air Force bombers.

Black triangle shows the approximate area where the Luftwaffe initially assumed it would intercept the 55th Fighter Group’s P-38s, as explained in the book Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 (Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11: Used in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945).

Blue ovals with names adjacent indicate the last reported or assumed location of P-38 losses, based on information in Missing Air Crew Reports.

Red ovals with names adjacent indicate the actual locations where the P-38s were lost.  Notice that there’s no blue oval for Lt. Hascall, because his P-38 was last sighted over the North Sea, at a point “west” of (to the left of) this map view, and Lieutenant Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman, because he definitely crashed at Hondschoote, France (again, well “off the map”).  More information will be presented about Lt. Garvin’s fate in subsequent posts.    

The location of Major Joel’s loss remains unknown.  Some sources suggest the crash location was Marken Island in the Markermeer, indicated by a yellow oval. 

In subsequent posts, I’ll discuss why I believe this location is incorrect. 

Black ovals with names adjacent indicate the loss locations of three Me-109G-6s of 7/JG 1.  (More about this below.)

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Let’s start with a summary of the events of the mission, about which you can read in much more detail in the posts A Monday in November, A Battle in The Air, and, The Missing of November.

A Mission Summarized

The events of VIII Fighter Command Mission FO-192, the 55th Fighter Group’s bomber escort mission to Bremen are discussed in detail in the posts listed above, so here is a summary of the events of that day:

The 55th Fighter Group departs for Germany…

The 55th Fighter Group, comprised of three squadrons (38th, 338th, and 343rd) totaling forty-two planes, accompanied by ten Lightnings from the 20th Fighter Group, departs Nuthampstead, England, to escort B-17 Flying Fortress bombers on a mission to Bremen, Germany.  The 38th Fighter Squadron, led by Major Joel, leads, followed by the 338th and lastly 343rd Fighter Squadrons.

The 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons are depleted by over half their strength…

Though the force begins the mission with a total of fifty-two fighters, the strength of both the 38th and 338th Squadrons is soon depleted as aircraft from both squadrons (and at least two fighters from the 343rd) return to England.  The 38th is diminished to a strength nine planes, the 338th to eight, and the 343rd at least to twelve.

The three squadrons enter Dutch airspace, intending to meet and escort the bomber force into Northern Germany.  Major Joel, now in command of eight P-38s, starts to reform his Squadron into two flights of four aircraft.

The Luftwaffe intercepts the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons…

Here, events take a turn for the worse:  The Luftwaffe intercepts the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons, the former bearing the brunt of the attack.

At a location probably over the Dutch city of Borger (about halfway between the cities of Assen and Emmen) the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons are intercepted by Me-109G-6 fighter of III./JG 1, a Luftwaffe Gruppen (Group) / Jagdgeschwader (Fighter Wing) based at Volkel.  The attack commences at approximately 1415 local time.  The 38th is attacked from a higher altitude, both out of the east – “out of the sun” – and from the rear.

The 38th Fighter Squadron confronts the attack…

Major Joel orders a right “break” into the German attack.  A moment later, 1 Lt. Wilton E. Wyche calls a left break as more German fighters approaching from behind.  Whatever semblance of a formation that had been formed a moment before is mostly disrupted: Major Joel and his wingman, Lt. James M. Garvin are separated, and Lt. Wyche spins out of the formation, recovering below.   

From the moment of the German attack, Major Joel, Capt. Jerry Ayers, and possibly other pilots make repeated calls for help from the 338th and 343rd Fighter Squadrons.

Major Joel and Lt. John J. Carroll “form-up” as element leader and wingman.  They are followed and given cover by Captain Jerry Ayers, who is forced to break away after he himself comes under attack, during which Ayers shoots down the leader of a pair of Me-109s attacking Major Joel and Lt. Carroll.

Major Joel and Lieutenant Carroll fly in a westerly direction…

Major Joel and Lt. Carroll fly west.  They cover each other from attack by German fighter by going into a defensive aerial maneuver known as the Thach Weave.  

After their first “weave” pass-by, Lt. Carroll witnesses a P-38, aflame in one engine, trailing smoke and with part of its tail shot away, fall to earth.  In a letter published in Double Nickel, Double Trouble in 1993, he surmises that plane’s pilot to have been either Lt. Albino or Lt. Garvin.  He is proven to have been correct:  The pilot was Lt. Albino in the Spirit of Aberdeen.  With tremendous forces, the aircraft crashes into railroad tracks at the train station in Hoogeveen, Holland, to such a depth that it is only, finally excavated in 1978.

At the crest of their third “weave” pass-by, Lt. Carroll witnesses – at a point where Major Joel’s P-38 should appear in mid-air – a Lightning “seemingly to disintegrate”.  

A moment later, Lt. Carroll comes under attack.  His right engine burning and his instrument panel damaged, the plane is still controllable.  He rolls over and goes into a vertical dive to escape pursuing Me-109s.  Recovering below, he sets course for England using his magnetic compass.  But, the damage is too severe: he is forced to parachute from his plane, FOB Detroit, south of Meppel, and is captured very soon after landing.     

Meanwhile, in the 343rd Fighter Squadron…

From the vantage point of the 343rd Fighter Squadron, Captain Rufus C. Franklin, Jr., (temporarily assigned from the 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group) notes that many enemy planes are seen to be approaching from a lower altitude in the “target area”.  Group Commander Colonel Frank B. James starts a turn to meet the German planes, but then, the group (the nature of the “group” is unspecified) instead goes into a Lufbery Circle.

Captain Franklin and his Wingman, Lt. James M. Gilbride, occasionally “break out” from the “group” to see if another attack is imminent, with the “group” continuing in the Lufbery.

After two full 360-degree turns, the “group” heads back to England.  Colonel James, no longer leading, returns to England alone.   

As the “group” heads west, and later reported later by Captain Franklin and Lt. Erickson, Major Joel and Capt. Jerry Ayers are heard radioing for help.

When Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride are almost at the point of independently going back to help the beleaguered pilots of the 38th Fighter Squadron, the “group” of P-38s starts another turn, as if heading back to go to the aid of the 38th Fighter Squadron.  But, the turn continues: The group again heads away from its brother squadron, the 38th’s engagement with the Me-109Gs of III./JG 1 still visible in the distance.

Capt. Franklin and Lt. Gilbride leave the 343rd and go to the aid of the 38th Fighter Squadron.  “I could see the fight behind us as the Group made the turn and I broke out – Lt. Gilbride and I went back to help.”  Their action saves the lives of three 38th Fighter Squadron pilots, and almost (but alas, not) a fourth.  

After a flight of several minutes, element leader Captain Franklin and his wingman Lt. Gilbride reach the remnants of the 38th Fighter Squadron.  They see five P-38s, each with one to three Me-109s on its tail.  Just before they enter the gaggle of planes they witness a P-38 roll over and go down, its left engine burning, leaving a very heavy trail of black smoke, with an Me-109 directly behind.  They have just witnessed the fall of Lt. Albino in the Spirit of Aberdeen, or, Lt. Carroll diving away in FOB Detroit.  

The surprised German pilots roll and climb away from the two P-38s.  Then, the four surviving 38th Fighter Squadron Lightnings head back to England, while Capt. Franklin and Lt. Gilbride make a 180-degree turn to join them.

Lieutenant Garvin vanishes…

One of the 38th Fighter Squadron P-38s “runs away” from the little group, its pilot then unidentified.  He will turn out to have been Lt. Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman.

Lieutenant Gilbride is shot down…

The remaining five P-38s are closely followed by several pilots of III./JG 1, who at first attempt to lure the Lightnings into turning back and attacking.  The American pilots refuse to take the “bait”, until the Me-109s finally pull up abreast of Captain Franklin, and Lieutenants Erickson and Gilbride, who “break” into the Messerschmitts.  Captain Franklin loses an engine, but maintains control of his plane and stays with the other P-38s.  After the P-38s have completed their turn, Lt. Gilbride vanishes somewhere over the area between Meppel and Hoogeveen.  Uninjured, he escapes from his Lightning, but is killed when his parachute fails. 

During the brief engagement, Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr., and Lt. Robert E. Erickson fire at and observe hits on two of the pursuing Me-109s, with the implication and possibility (albeit without any confirmation) that the German pilots were injured or killed by strikes on or near their canopies, their planes thus having been destroyed.  However, under the circumstances, the eventual results of these two attacks cannot be confirmed, and neither pilot is credited with an aerial victory.  

Captain Franklin and the three surviving 38th Fighter Squadron P-38s are pursued by Me-109s to the Dutch Coast.  

Able to restart his engine and still pursued by Me-109s, Captain Franklin is rejoined by Lt. Erickson, the pair remaining abreast with the enemy planes following.  The German fighters remain behind the P-38s until just beyond the Dutch coast.  Then, they leave.

The four P-38s – Captains Franklin, Ayers, and Beaird, and Lt. Erickson – return to Nuthampstead. 

The mission is over.

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So, what of Major Joel?

Major Joel remains the only Lightning pilot still missing from the mission of November 29, 1943.  He has not been seen since – first – Captain Jerry Ayers attempted to provide him cover from the attacking Me-109s of III./JG 1, and – second – when Lt. John Carroll fleetingly witnessed what was presumably the “flying wolf’s” destruction (shortly after Lt. Albino was shot down) after he and the Major had, unknowingly, at the time, flown over the northern part of the city of Hoogeveen.

Currently, four websites – “ZZ Air War”, “Back to Normandy”, the “Dutch Air War Study Group 1939-1945”, and Joe Baugher’s USAF Serials – have information pertaining to the probable crash location of Major Joel’s P-38.  The first three are centered on the Ijsselmeer, in the northern and central section of the former Zuiderzee, and the latter on the Markermeer, in the southern section of what had been the Zuiderzee.  

ZZ Air War has the following comment concerning Major Joel’s P-38: “Post war a P-38 Lightning wreck was recovered in the Lake near the Northeast-Polder dyke  Aircraft was not identified and no human remains were found, but it could have been Major Joel’s aircraft, based on elimination, the crash position of the other P-38s in the area (Meppel) and the description of the dogfight.”  

Back to Normandy parallels the above: “At the date of 29-11-1943, time: 1400, the aircraft type P-38 has been lost.  The location of the plane was found at: Ijsselmeer.  The unit of crew and plane is: 55FG/38FS.  First flyer rank: Maj., name: M. Joel.  The plane belonged to the Allied forces.” 

The record for P-38H 42-67020 at the Dutch Air War Studygroup (Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945) based on Verliesregister 1939-1945 (page 86), and a Casualty Report in SGLO Bulletin 218/16-17 states: “Damaged in combat with German fighters.  Crashed Ijsselmeer.” 

The main “take-away” of these three records is that this unidentified P-38 is considered to have been Major Joel’s plane through a process of elimination, the crash site locations of all other P-38s lost on November 29, 1943 having already been established. 

The ijsselmeer is shown in the Oogle map below:

Joe Baugher’s website has a record stating that Major Joel’s Lightning fell at “Ijsselmeer Marken near Island” in the Markermeer, which is in the southern part of what was the Zuiderzee.  The Major’s loss is attributed to Obergefreiter Wilhelm Krauter of 7./JG 1, possibly based on details about Krauter at the Kracker Luftwaffe Archive, where among his seven listed victories is recorded, “His 2nd [victory], a P-38 S of Ijsselmeer on 29 November, 1943.”  As explained elsewhere, I don’t believe this is correct.  Krauter probably pursued, fired at, and thus mistakenly believed he shot down Lt. James Garvin as the latter flew west-southwest towards France.  As explained below, the “flying wolf” was almost certainly nowhere near Marken Island when it was shot down.  

In any event, the most definitive way to verify the identity of the Marken Island Lightning (if that aircraft actually was a P-38) would be via ordnance or engine serial numbers, this be dependent on accessing these components in the first place.  The question being, does anything, anywhere, in any condition, still exist of the wreckage of that supposed Lighting after nearly eight decades?  Well…  Probably not.  

Marken Island is shown in the Oogle map below:

What do German records state?  (Well, do they even state anything at all?)

The Luftgaukommando Reports listed in the Memorandum of May 2, 1949, pertaining to the search for Lt. Albino (the Memorandum is part of Major Joel’s Individual Deceased Personnel File) are the following:

Lt. Carroll: J 302: No location given
Lt. Garvin: J 338 / AV 513/44: Handschoote – Pas de Calais
Lt. Gilbride: AV 414/44: Meppel – Hoogeveen Raiload, near Koekange
Lt. Hascall: J 304 / AV 414/44: Wanneparveen (Oberuezel)
Lt. Suiter: J 305: No location given
Lightning Plane: J 307: Holland (pilot’s name not listed)

Oddly, only the Luftgaukommando Reports for Lieutenants Gilbride and Hascall appear in NARA’s chronological list of Luftgaukommando Reports.  The list of these documents, part of Records Group 242, is chronologically arranged and spans late 1942 through March of 1945.  A section of the list, encompassing reports filed for American planes lost from November 28 through November 30, appears below. 

As you can see, Luftgaukommando Reports J 302, J 305, J 307, and J 338 are entirely absent (? – !) from the list, and, there’s absolutely no information about 8th Air Force P-47 losses that day.  Another inconsistency:  Luftgaukommando Report AV 414/44 and 424/44 is listed for Gilbride and Hascall, but AV 424/44 is not mentioned in the 1949 Memorandum. 

So, here’s the NARA list:

To verify if a Luftgaukommando Report was even filed for Major Joel in the first place, the answers might – at first – be assumed be found among the Luftgaukommando Reports in NARA’s Records Group 242. 

But, there are two problems with that.  One big, and the other bigger. 

The big problem?  NARA’s holdings of Luftgaukommando Reports are incomplete.  From my research at NARA, I recall that most / all the “low-numbered” J reports, from the supposed “J-1” through roughly J-500-ish range are missing.  Perhaps these documents were lost or destroyed during the war, or if they survived, never became part of NARA’s holdings.

The bigger problem?  NARA is presently closed to researchers.  (Oh, well.)   

Another explanation:  Major Joel crashed in neither the Ijsselmeer nor the Markermeer, but upon the mainland of Holland, where plane and pilot remain today, at a point unknown.

By following and considering the course of the 55th Fighter Group’s engagement with III./JG 1, a different explanation emerges to explain why Major Joel has never been found.

First, from the perspectives of both the 38th Fighter Squadron, and Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride of the 343rd Fighter Squadron, the air battle eventually proceeded in a generally westerly direction, passing west from Borger to Hoogeveen and Meppel, with Captains Franklin, Ayers, Beaird, and Lt. Erickson eventually heading back to England by flying west over the Ijsselmeer.

Second, among the six P-38s that were shot down, four were lost, sequentially, one after another, along the same westward direction.  The “timing” of the losses of the other two P-38s – flown Lt. Hascall and Lt. Suiter – is unknown.  

The four P-38s were shot down in the order listed below:

1st: Lt. Albino (In the northern part of the city of Hoogeveen.)

2nd: Major Joel (Disintegrated and / or vanished in mid-air.)

3rd: Lt. Carroll (Near the farm community of Zwartewatersklooster, just outside of Zwartsluis.)

4th: Lt. Gilbride (In Koekange near the Emsweg; formerly the municipality of De Wijk.  The aircraft crashed in the Oosterboer – location Binnenweg.)

The three III./JG 1 Me-109Gs lost in the engagement with the P-38s, those of Oberfeldwebel Hermann Brackhagen, Oberleutnant Heinrich Klöpper, and Oberfahnrich Manfred Spork – whether from combat or bad weather – all crashed further west than Carroll and Gilbride: in an area about 4 miles west-southwest of Meppel, between the Zwarte Meer and the Weeribben-Wieden National Park.  

The crash locations of these American and German aircraft are shown below:

Third, John Carroll’s postwar account of the battle in Double Nickel, Double Trouble was remarkably accurate despite the passage of fifty years.  His recollection of the loss of Lt. Albino, one engine aflame and falling to earth, matched accounts of Lt. Albino’s loss as viewed by civilians in Hoogeveen.  And so, given that John Carroll’s recollection of Lt. Albino’s loss was valid, then just as much for his last sight of the “flying wolf”:  “At the crest of my turn I glanced across the projected pattern and observed what should be Joel’s A/C seemingly to disintegrate.” 

But, what could possibly have caused an aircraft as large as a P-38, a twin-engine aircraft with a wingspan of over fifty feet and a length of nearly forty, to disintegrate in mid-air?  I think the answer is simple, and lies in the very armament of the G-6/U4 version of the Messerschmitt Me-109. 

As presented in the Wikipedia entry covering “Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants“, “The G-6/U4 variant was armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) MK 108 cannon mounted as a Motorkanone firing through the propeller hub instead of the 20 mm MG 151/20.”  The MK 108 cannon fired a 330 gram (total weight) high-explosive shell “(a “self-destroying tracer (“M-Shell” or “Mine-Shell”)” of such great power that four or five hits could destroy a B-17 [Flying Fortress] or B-24 [Liberator], while one shell alone could, in theory, destroy a fighter plane.  (The information about the M-Shell comes from Wikipedia and Luft46 entries for the MK 108 / Rheinmetall Borsig MK 108 30mm cannon.  The original reference is unknown.)

And then, “flying wolf”, whether intact or otherwise, fell to earth from an altitude of approximately thirty thousand feet.  But, where did it land?

The fact that the plane was downed after Lt. Albino’s loss; while the Major and Lt. Carroll were in the midst of their third Thach Weave, and just before Lt. Carroll came under attack and dove vertically to escape his pursuers, places the general location of Major Joel’s loss somewhere between the locations where the Spirit of Aberdeen and FOB Detroit crashed.

So, correlating time and space yields a location somewhere between the Hoogeveen railroad station (Albino) and Zwartewatersklooster, southwest of Meppel (Carroll).

But, why was nothing ever reported by Dutch civilians or the German military? 

Air photos and map views reveal that most of the land surrounding Hoogeveen and Meppel is used for agricultural purposes, and thus devoid of native tree growth and, with (I think?) relatively flat topography.   If the “flying wolf” or any aircraft had fallen upon this sort of terrain, certainly its wreckage would have been recognized.  If not immediately, then very soon after.

But, this area of Holland is characterized not only by agricultural use, and, cities and smaller towns.  Near Hoogeveen and Meppel are the Dwingelderveld National Park and Holtingerveld Nature Reserve (both northwest of Hoogeveen) and the boswachterij Ruinen (forest district of Ruinen) – all in the province of Drenthe – and to the west of Meppel lies the Werribben-Wieden National Park, in the province of Overijssel.    

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This Apple Map image from Duck-Duck-Go shows Meppel (bottom left) and Hoogeveen (lower right), with the Holtingerveld Nature Reserve and Dwingelderveld National Park at left and right in the upper center, respectively, with the boswachterij Ruinen just west of Hoogeveen.  Note that the nature reserve and national park appear as darker shades of green, agricultural land in medium and lighter shades of green, and Meppel and Hoogeveen in kind-of-gray(ish).  

Here’s a street view of the above map.  Parks and nature reserves appear in medium green, while agricultural land land is in pale greenish-tan. 

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This Oogle Earth image shows the Holtingerveld Nature Reserve…

Here’s the same Ooglicious image, without the distraction of labels. 

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…and this Oogle Earth image shows the Dwingelderveld National Park.

Here’s the same Ooglish Earthish image, again sans labels.  

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Though the exact heading that Major Joel and Lt. Carroll had taken will forever remain unknown, I believe – I can’t prove, but I think – the most likely scenario was that the Major’s P-38 was shot down over the boswachterij Ruinen (forest district of Ruinen), which (?) takes its name from a village by that name situated northwest of Hoogeveen. 

(Albeit it’s also possible that Major Joel crashed into either the Dwingelderveld National Park or Holtingerveld Nature Reserve.)

In any case, Map Carta, Oogle Earth, and other imagery reveal the boswachterij Ruinen to be (from what I can tell!) a mixture of forest and heathlands.  

Here’s a closer Oogle Earth view of the boswachterij Ruinen, with geographic features labeled:

The same view as above, sans labels:

From the YouTube channel of Ria Kroes, this video (from 2012) gives an informative view of scenery and nature in the boswachterij Ruinen.  It’s as nicely symbolic as it is ironic that the video concludes with a view of the sky…

Video caption:

Dutch: 
Title: “stilte en vogels boswachterij ruinen“

Description: “Verre reizen zijn mooi, maar ook in eigen land is veel meer te beleven dan wel eens gedacht wordt.  Op zomaar een zaterdag wandelden we in de zon en tussen de vogelgeluiden door de boswachterij ruinen in echten, drenthe.  We volgden dit keer een deel van het familiepad en de groene route.”

English translation:
Title: Silence and birds in the boswachterij ruinen.  
Description: Long journeys are beautiful, but there is much more to experience in your own country than is sometimes thought.  On just any Saturday we walked in the sun between bird songs through the forest district of Ruinen in Echten – Drenthe.  [Echten, Hoogeveen, Assen, and Borger are all located in the province of Drenthe.]  This time we followed part of the family path and the green route.”

From Map Carta, this image shows the boswachterij ruinen in relation to Hoogeveen.  Immediately obvious is the size of the area, approximately the same as that of Hoogeveen itself.  

Summarizing, these are the two scenarios for Major Joel’s disappearance:

1) The “flying wolf” actually did crash in the east-central part of the Ijsselmeer, or, on Marken Island.

2) The aircraft crashed somewhere in an uninhabited in the vicinity of Hoogeveen, the most likely locality – given the loss of Lt. Albino moments before and Lt. Carroll shortly after – in the boswachterij Ruinen.  If this is so, perhaps the “flying wolf” impacted as deeply as Lt. Albino’s Spirit of Aberdeen (which even in 1943 was already at a depth of six meters), albeit in forest, heath, or swamp.  As described at natuurgebieden/ruinen, “Tot ruim zeventig jaar geleden was de omgeving van Ruinen ‘woest en ledig’. Onontgonnen en vaak ontoegankelijk land met veen, zand en uitgestrekte heidevelden.”  Or: “Until more than seventy years ago, the area around Ruinen was ‘wild and empty’.  Undeveloped and often inaccessible land with peat, sand and extensive heathlands.”  

And so, akin to the proverbial question, “If a tree falls in a forest and nobody hears it, does it make a sound?”:  “If a P-38 falls from an overcast sky and there is no-one to witness its plunge to earth, where has it fallen?  Has it fallen?”  

One last question…Did Major Joel escape from the “flying wolf” and parachute to earth?

I don’t believe so.  I’ve come across no indications that Major Joel was taken prisoner.

Major Joel’s IDPF has no documents pertaining to this possibility except for the query in his father’s letter of October 3, 1946.  He was never reported as having been interned in any POW camp.  There are no Case Files in Records of the Judge Advocate General’s Office (National Archives Records Group 153) about him.  There is no record of him in the Luftgaukommando Report name index, or, the chronological loss list of Luftgaukommando Reports.  The only other possibility in terms of Luftgaukommando Reports would be a J-Report in the low 300-range for any hypothetical unknown flier – an “unbekannter Flieger” – but as mentioned above, J-Reports in that numerical range don’t even exist in NARA’s holdings.

Paralleling that scenario, there was by this time – late 1943 – nothing altogether unprecedented in the capture and internment as POWs of Jewish aviators from the United States Army Air Force, let alone the French Armée de l’Air or British Commonwealth Air Forces, by the German military.  (As for the fate of Jewish POWs from the armed forces of Poland or the Soviet Union, let alone the Axis treatment of Soviet POWs “in general”?  Well, in comparison with German treatment of POWS of the Western Allies, Germany’s war in the “East” was enormously different in ideology, intent, and scope than that waged against the “West”.)

Specifically, the first Jewish aviator captured by the Germans in the Second World War was Lieutenant Jean Israël, an observer in GR II / 33 Savoie of the Armée de l’Air.  A crewman in a Potez 637-A3 piloted by Adjutant Guerin, his aircraft was shot down on May 22, 1940, with the all three crewmen parachuting to safety.  Born in 1913, Israël spent five years as a POW in Oflag IVD (Elsterhorst), postwar becoming a Colonel in the French Air Force and a chief pilot of Air Algérie.  He was specifically mentioned by Antoine de Saint Exupery in the book Flight to Arras.  You can view the cover of a paperback edition here.

____________________

Prior to November 29, 1943, about 140 American and over 30 Commonwealth Jewish aviators had been captured by the Germans, most having been imprisoned at Stalag Luft I, Stalag Luft III, or Stalag XVIIB.  (Many more would follow.) 

In the British Commonwealth Air Forces, Pilot Officer Julius V. Silverston (79220), an air gunner in No. 61 Squadron Royal Air Force, was captured during a night mission to Stettin on the evening of September 5-6, 1940, and imprisoned at Stalag Luft III.  His entire crew of four, in Hampden I P4350 (piloted by F/ Lt. J.D. Haskins) survived with him.  Mentioned in The Jewish Chronicle on September 27 of that year, his father was Bertram Silverstone, of Manor Road, in Edgbaston, Birmingham.  I believe he was the first Jewish Commonwealth aviator to have been taken captive by the Germans during WW II.   

In terms of the United States Army Air Force, the first Jewish aviator to have been captured by the Germans was 2 Lt. Irving Biers, a co-pilot in the 83rd Bomb Squadron of the 12th (“Earthquakers”) Bomb Group, taken prisoner in North Africa on September 1, 1942.  In the image below, published in Life Magazine on May 31, 1943, Lt. Biers is second from right at the bottom of the photo, wearing both moustache and gloves.  

The caption beneath the photo reads:

“Captured American fliers pose for a snapshot in a prison camp somewhere in Gemany.  Second Lieut. A.L. Graham Jr. of the Air Forces, who was shot down over Europe on Nov. 9, 1942, sent this picture to his mother, Mrs. Pearl Graham of Floyd, Va., stitched to the inside of a letter.  Graham sits third from left with his back against a building.  His letter, dated January 19, follows: ‘Dear Mother, Just a few lines to let you know I am well and getting along fine.  Attached to this letter is a picture of a group of us Americans taken outside of our barracks.  I am learning to ice skate on an ice-skating rink we have fixed up inside our compound.  Ice skating, attending a few lectures, and sleeping, just about dominated our time here in camp.  Mama, is my allotment still coming in every month?  If so, how much do I have in the bank now?  You can send a food parcel every three weeks; send such things as oatmeal, cocoa, chocolate bars, tinned meat and stuff to make puddings.  In clothing parcel send me a pair of pants, shirt, socks, undershirts and shorts, toothpaste and brush.  Contact the post office and they will give you information on sending parcels. Love, A.L. Graham Jr, 2nd Lt. U.S.A.A.F.’  As officer-prisoners, Lieut. Graham and companions cannot be required to work under international law.”

(2 Lt. Andrew L. Graham, Jr. (0-726152) was the bombardier of B-17F 41-24491 of the 423rd Bomb Squadron, 306th Bomb Group.)

The image below shows biographical entries for Lt. Biers and his pilot, Captain Hubert P. Croteau, in Arnold A. Wright’s 1993 book Behind The Wire – Stalag Luft III South Compound.  This creation of this massive book is a story unto itself, for it is a transcription of over 2,190 biographical entries of POWs compiled by 2 Lt. Ewell Ross McCright during his imprisonment in Stalag Luft III.  McCright’s endeavor – suggested to him by Lt. Col. Albert P. Clark, Jr. – was of great help in compiling and preserving military records, and simultaneously, of psychological and spiritual benefit in providing him with a long-term project combining intense intellectual focus and physical activity, an endeavor which revived his wounded spirit after the trauma of being shot down and losing of all but two of his nine fellow crew members.  

The biographical entries in the Wright / McCright book, while succinct, comprise information of both military and genealogical nature, oftimes with brief comments about the circumstances of the POW’s capture, injuries, mistreatment upon capture (if that occurred), and statements about other POWs, casualties, or war crimes.  The vast majority of the entries conclude with a line pertaining to the POW’s marital status (of course, the majority of these men were single), military awards, date of birth, and finally, a single letter indicating the man’s religion, indicated by the letters “P”, “C”, and, “H” or “J”.  Like some other Jewish POWs listed in this book, Lt. Biers (who disposed of his dog-tags after landing by parachute in the Egyptian desert, as recorded at Roland Rakow’s Story – An Update), reported his religion as “P”.

You can read more about the loss of the Croteau crew, covered in MACR 16228, at Camp 59 Survivors.  

–

And, the cover of Arnold Wright’s book…

(2 Lt. McCright (0-727112) was the bombardier of B-17F 41-24567 (“PU * J” / “Beats Me“) of the 360th Bomb Squadron, 303rd Bomb Group, lost on January 23, 1943.   The plane’s pilot was 1 Lt. Joseph E. Haas.  The plane’s loss is covered in MACR 15571.)

____________________

Prior to November 29, the highest ranking Jewish aviator captured by the Germans was Captain Leon B. Margolian of the 65th Fighter Squadron, 57th Fighter Group, who was shot down near Marble Arch, Libya, during a dogfight with Me-109s on December 10, 1942. 

Captain Leon B. Margolian in his POW identification photograph. (c/o Leon B. Margolian)

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On November 29, 1943, two American Jewish aviators (2 Lt. Morton David Breslau of the 548th Bomb Squadron, 385th Bomb Group, from B-17 Gremlin’s Buggy / GX * H, (B-17F 42-30204, piloted by 1 Lt. Richard Yoder; MACR 1581), and 2 Lt. Charles K. Hecht, Jr., of the 358th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Group, who piloted Thunderbolt YF * U (P-47D 42-8631; MACR 1284) would be captured as well.  The photo below shows Lieutenant Hecht seated in a razorback Thunderbolt at Steeple Morden.  (c/o Charles K. Hecht, Jr.)

____________________

The primary difference between Major Joel and these men would have been his rank, level of command, and therefore his awareness of information associated with this position and its responsibilities.  Certainly German military intelligence would by late 1943 have been aware through publicly available information – no more and no less than for any other American or British Commonwealth aviator – of his civilian and military biography, a topic that has been covered in many popular accounts of the experiences of USAAF aviators captured by the Germans.

On the other hand, an entirely hypothetical scenario – in which Major Joel had been captured but did not survive – would not necessarily have precluded his name from actually appearing in a Luftgaukommando Report.  Based on an examination of many (many) Luftgaukommando Reports, and the Missing Air Crew Reports (well, except for post-war “fill in” MACRs), in instances where war crimes were committed against captured American airmen by German civilians or military personnel, the names of those airmen still appear (with some exceptions…) in relevant Luftgaukommando reports.  Albeit, in such cases there is little to no (or euphemistic, at best…) information about their actual fates. 

But again, there is no evidence that Major Joel survived to be captured.  There is nothing indicating that he fell – fell allegorically; fell symbolically; fell literally – into German captivity. 

He fell instead I believe, with his aircraft, entirely unseen by men.

________________________________________

A Star of Silver

By mid-1944, Major Joel had received the Silver Star, the citation for which follows:
      
“For gallantry in action, while leading a Squadron of P-38 aircraft as support for bombers on a mission over Germany, 29 November 1943.  Before reaching the point of rendezvous, seven planes of his unit were forced to turn back due to mechanical failures, thus reducing the strength of his unit to nine planes.  While reorganizing his unit, it was attacked by a superior number of hostile fighters.  Major Joel quickly reformed his Squadron and engaged the enemy in a violent aerial battle.  Because of a fast diminishing fuel supply, the group leader gave the signal to withdraw.  As the group headed for base, the enemy continued to press vicious assaults on the tail aircraft.  With disregard for his own safety, Major Joel attacked the enemy head-on, thus giving the other members of his unit time to withdraw.  When last seen he was still engaged in combat with the enemy.  The gallantry, aggressive fighting spirit and devotion to duty displayed by Major Joel reflect highest credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States.”

Well, the text of the citation is inspiring. 

For a wife and parents whose husband and son was then “Missing In Action”, the award doubtless provided some measure of compensation, however small, when weighed amidst the impact of their loss – as shown in Joseph Joel’s letter of October 3, 1946.  But, it is my belief that – however well-written; however well-intended – the account presented in the citation, while not entirely false, is hardly entirely true. 

The central problem with the citation arises from the statement about the 55th Fighter Group’s “fast diminishing fuel supply”, in light of the actions of Captain Rufus Franklin and Lieutenant James Gilbride.  Rather than return to Nuthampstead in the (relative) safety of the 343rd (and 338th?) Squadron, the pair – alone; knowingly; intentionally, at Captain Franklin’s initiative – left the 343rd Fighter Squadron, flew east as an isolated pair for several minutes, and broke up III./JG 1’s attack upon the P-38s of Ayers, Beaird, and Erickson, and Garvin.  During their return to England these pilots (excepting Garvin, who left the group, and Gilbride, who was shot down) flew west at maximum speed in an effort to escape  the pursuing Me-109s. 

It’s difficult to believe they would – and could – possibly have attempted any of these actions, given the speed, distance, and fuel consumption involved, had their fuel supply already been “fast-diminishing” before they left the main body of the 55th Fighter Group. 

And…  As mentioned by Captain Franklin – both Major Joel and Captain Ayers had been making radio calls for help from the 338th and 343rd throughout the German attack, until Capt. Franklin’s “arrival” with Lt. Gilbride.

And also… In Captain Franklin’s statements in the relevant Missing Air Crew Reports, there is absolutely no mention of a lack of fuel.

And as well…  The citation gives the impression that Major Joel deliberately remained behind as the 55th Fighter Group headed towards England, flying directly into the face of the enemy to give the “group” time to escape.  Well, certainly he, Lt. Garvin, and other pilots attempted to break into the attacking Me-109s, but this took place in the midst of reforming the greatly outnumbered 38th, rather than with the intention of making a proverbial “last stand”.

Perhaps the intent of the citation had far (far) more to do with symbolism than reality.  Maybe it was a way to bestow a last honor on a pilot, officer, and military leader who General Kepner respected; to provide a measure of solace to that pilot’s anxious wife and parents; perhaps it was intended (and in this, it would have been but one example of many) as a symbol of inspiration and recognition of fighting spirit by the VIII Fighter Command during a time of great challenge and growth.     

So, here’s a copy of Major Joel’s Silver Star citation, as part of the text of the War Department’s April 1948 letter to his father.

And, here’s a news item about the Major’s Silver Star award (as reported in the Richmond Times-Dispatch?).

Missing Pilot Wins Silver Star Medal

For courageous and inspiring conduct in air combat over Europe, the Army today announced the award of the Silver Star medal to Maj. William Joel, of 153 S. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills.

Major Joel, who is reported missing in action, was cited for “gallantry, aggressive fighting spirit and devotion to duty” in protecting a depleted squadron of P-38 fighters savagely attacked over Germany Nov. 29 last year, according to Associated Press dispatches.  “Because of a fast diminishing fuel supply,” the citation continued, “the group leader gave the signal to withdraw.

As the group headed for base, the enemy continued to press vicious assaults on the tail aircraft and with disregard for his own safety, he attacked the enemy head on.  When last seen Major Joel was still engaged in combat.

–
Next: Part X – Fragments of Memory

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]

[This post, created on December 1, 2020, has been updated: Lots of new stuff here.  Specifically, the post now includes: 1) An area map that provides a more accurate and clearer representation of the nature of the 55th Fighter Group’s encounter with the Luftwaffe on November 29, 1943, and 2) New biographical information about Lieutenants Albino, Garvin, and Gilbride, 3) New Oogle maps that more accurately pinpoint the locations where Lieutenants Carroll, Garvin, and Gilbride were lost.  Specific information about Lt. Garvin’s is from his IDPF, which I recently received from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command.  Where necessary, many parts of this post have been corrected, updated, clarified, and otherwise fixified. 

This post is really, really (did I say really?) long.  Scroll on down for a look…!]

Part VIII: A Postwar Search: The Missing of November

Seven 8th Air Force P-38s were lost on the mission of November 29.  These aircraft were piloted by Lieutenants Albino, Carroll, Gavrin, Gilbride, Hascall, Suiter, and, Major Joel. 

Information about the fates of Lieutenants Garvin, Gilbride, and Hascall probably reached their families by the end of 1944, if not months earlier.  Lieutenants Carroll and Suiter, who survived their “shoot-downs” to be captured, spent the remainder of the war as POWs at Stalag Luft I, in Barth, Germany.  And, at least for official purposes, the deaths of Lieutenant Albino and Major Joel were confirmed in the context of Public Law 490.

The fate of these lost pilots is described in detail below, based on information in Missing Air Crew Reports, and to an equal if not greater extent, from the following sources:

12 O’Clock High Forum (Index Item 45307)
Studiegroep Luchtoorlog 1939-1945 (SGLO)
Aircrew Remembered Kracker Luftwaffe Archive (Luftwaffe Victories by Name and Date for November 29, 1943)
Station 131
ZZ Air War

…these two (no longer accessible…?) links…

Army Air Forces Forum (Message 92115)
P088 EZBoard

…and various other websites, like FindAGrave.com…  

…plus (for Lieutenant Carroll) Robert Littlefield’s book Double Nickel, Double Trouble.

Lastly and most importantly, some of these accounts include information from Luftgaukommando Reports, and (for Lieutenants Albino, Garvin, and Gilbride, as well as Major Joel) documents in their Individual Deceased Personnel Files.  (I received a copy of Lieutenant Garvin’s IDPF from the Army a couple of weeks ago.)

First, once again for reference, is my revised Oogle Map of the area where the 55th Fighter Group’s encounter with the Luftwaffe took place.  Updates to this map from its initial version include the following: 1) The crash locations of three Me-109G-6s of the Seventh Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1, lost (directly or indirectly) as a result of III./JG 1’s engagement with the 55th Fighter Group’s Lightnings, 2) An adjustment to the easternmost “leg” of the 55th Fighter Group’s intended course into Germany (ironically, the 55th never entered Germany!), 3) The crash locations, as much as they can be pinpointed on this ultra-small-scale digital map, of 38th Fighter Squadron pilots Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride, 4) The serial numbers of the lost P-38s and the three above-mentioned Me-109G-6s.  Information about the three 7./JG 1 losses, and the crash locations of Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride comes from Part 2 of Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog.]

Maps symbols and colors indicate the following:

Bright blue line extending west to east across the Netherlands to a point near the Dutch-German border indicates the approximate or intended course of the 55th Fighter Group for a rendezvous with 8th Air Force bombers.

Black triangle shows the approximate area where the Luftwaffe initially assumed it would intercept the 55th Fighter Group’s P-38s, as explained in the book Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 (Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11: Used in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945).

Blue ovals with names adjacent indicate the last reported or assumed location of P-38 losses, based on information in Missing Air Crew Reports.

Red ovals with names adjacent indicate the actual locations where the P-38s were lost.  Notice that there’s no blue oval for Lt. Hascall, because his P-38 was last sighted over the North Sea, at a point “west” of (to the left of) this map view, and Lieutenant Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman, because he definitely crashed at Hondschoote, France (again, well “off the map”).  More information will be presented about Lt. Garvin’s fate in subsequent posts.    

The location of Major Joel’s loss remains unknown.  Some sources suggest the crash location was Marken Island in the Markermeer, indicated by a yellow oval. 

In subsequent posts, I’ll discuss why I believe this location is incorrect. 

Black ovals with names adjacent indicate the loss locations of three Me-109G-6s of 7/JG 1.  (More about this below.)

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As I researched the events of this day, something soon became apparent: The disparity between the last reported locations of Lieutenants Albino, Carroll, and Suiter as described in the Missing Air Crew Reports, and the actual (general) locations where their aircraft crashed.  Major Joel and Lieutenant Garvin were reported to have been lost in the same general location as those three lieutenants.  Major Joel’s wingman is now known, with certainty, to have crashed in France.  As for the Major himself?  The most likely location of where the “flying wolf” fell to earth will be a topic of discussion in the next post.    

Albino, Carroll, and Gilbride’s planes crashed approximately 65 miles west-southwest of their last reported position as reported in their MACRs (over Saterland, Germany), while Suiter’s aircraft was downed 43 miles west-southwest of his last sighting (northeast of Ter Apel, Netherlands). 

These inconsistencies can be partly attributed to the intensity, speed, confusion, and stress of the engagement between the aircraft of JG 1 and the P-38s.  But, I think the primary factor was the weather: As attested to in American and German records, the continent was completely overcast above 25,000 feet throughout this area, rendering it impossible for the American pilots to know their locations with a great degree of accuracy.  The locations of the victory claims lby the German pilots, though not precisely corresponding to the specific locations of the lost P-38s, are more accurate, all being in the Netherlands, north and west of Hoogeveen.

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To start, Lieutenants Garvin, Gilbride, and Hascall.

________________________________________

2 Lt. James Michael Garvin, P-38H 42-67046, MACR 1427

Photo of James M. Garvin from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

Here’s Lt. Garvin’s WW II Draft Registration Card.  What is immediately apparent is Lieutenant Garvin’s age:  Born in 1915, at the age of 28 he was even older than Major Joel, and likewise – probably – most of the pilots he served with.

The “first” version of this post described my (then) uncertainty about what befell Lieutenant Garvin, specifically in terms of the location where his plane actually crashed.  The MACR indicates that his last position – like that of Major Joel, and Lieutenants Albino and Carroll – was near Saterland, Germany, as shown in the “big” map above, while comments at the 12 O’Clock High Forum suggest a variety of other locations.  As I originally wrote:

Though I have no definitive information thus far about Lt. Garvin’s crash site, some web references suggest that his plane fell to earth somewhere in the vicinity of the Leda Canal, east of the city of Leer, Germany.  (That I seriously doubt.)  But, in any event, here’s an Oogle map of the area east of Leer.

My skepticism about the Leda Canal being the area where Lt. Garvin crashed arises from English-language translations of the Luftgaukommando Report (AV 513/44) in which appears Lt. Garvin’s name.  These documents suggest something very different: Lt. Garvin’s crash location is listed as Handschoote (Nord, France), which is nearly 200 miles southwest of the cities of Meppel and Hoogeveen, in Holland!  If accurate, this would mean that after the engagement with Me-109s of III/JG1, Lt. Garvin managed to fly over 190 miles in the general direction of England.  Would this have been possible?  I don’t know.  Well, Captain Franklin did suggest that as he and Lt. Gilbride came to the aid of the 38th Fighter Squadron, an unidentified 38th FS P-38 flew away from the other American fighters.

Note that the succession of documents list “Garvin’s” initials as “V.M.” and gives the cause of the crash as a “collision” (with what?), but gives no definitive answer to the International Red Cross’ request for verification of the identity of the missing pilot.

A check of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database reveals that no Commonwealth airman with the surname “Garvin” was killed on this date.  So, this “Garvin” must indeed be Lt. Garvin of the 38th Fighter Squadron.  If and when I receive Lt. Garvin’s IDPF and resolve this puzzle, I hope to update this post.

And, here’s the update…

In early December, I was fortunate to have received from the U.S. Army Human Resources Command a digital copy of Lieutenant Garvin’s Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF).  And so, the mystery is solved: In an effort to return to England, Lieutenant Garvin made a remarkable flight of nearly 200 miles, alone, roughly paralleling the coasts of the Netherlands and Belgium, only to crash in France.

First, two sets of German documents from his IDPF. 

Though intended to record information about POWs (note the word “Gefangenenlager” in the upper left corner, as well as data fields for a variety of biographical details), these cards instead cover – in very sparse and enigmatic detail – information about Lt. Garvin’s death.  The upper set lists the location (Hondschoote), incorrectly recording the date as December 1, with Garvin having been a “Flg” (flieger (flyer)) and lists his place of burial.  The lower set lists the aircraft type as a “Masch. Lightning” (machine Lightning), and includes a note referring to Luftgaukommando Report AV 513/44. 

Both cards include English-language translations (in pencil) of the original German, obviously written post-war. 

So, it turns out that Luftgaukommando Report AV 513/44 – below – was absolutely correct.  “V.M. Garvin” was indeed “J.M. Garvin”.  This explains the ambiguity and confusion in the three documents comprising Luftgaukommando Report A.V. 513/44, which are transcribed below: 

A.V. 513/44

Airfield command A 40/XI
Air-force garrison battalion XI Neumuenster

Personal Casualty Report No. 5 – Period: 11/29/ to 12/1/43 – Distributor: As usual.

On 11/29/43 crashed by collision at Handschoote [sic] – Pas de Calais

GARWIN V.M.                                                               Grave N. 165
Roster 16/79-83

Distributor: As usual.

Date 12/8/43
/s/ Schwach

____________________

A.V. 513/44
Geneva 5/2/44

International Red Cross
Central Agency for POWs
Serv. USA – MS / cjw – DUS 1460

TO:

O.K.W. – Army information bureau Berlin W.30

In your telegram from 3/6/44 No. 1635 and in your additional roster from 2/25/44 you reported to us the death of Lt. U.M. GARWIN
Otherwise you report to us in your roster of dead men No. 20 from 3/16/44 the death of V.M. GARWIN.

Washington could not establish which flier is concerned by this report, and we request you to go into this statement and if possible to report further informations which can help to his identification.
Thanking you in advance for your endeavours, we are, Yours sincerely

/s/ illegible
International Red Cross
Central Agency for POWs.

Refr. VIII A.V. 513/44
Fair copy, 9/13/44

International Red Cross Geneva.
Reference; Your letter from 5/2/44    Serv. USA MS /ojw – DUS 1460
Subject: American flier killed in action.
It is possible that it concerns the same man in the case of Ltn. GARVIN U.M. killed in action on 11/29/43 and GARWIN V.M.  Further information can’t be made unfortunately.

/s/ illegible

____________________

A.V. 513/44

Base Commander A 5/XI
Place command Neumuenster
Local command

Neumuenster, 8/12/44

Reference: Your letter from 7/31/33 No. A.V. 513/44
Subject: American flier killed in action – GARWIN V.M.

O.K.W. – Information bureau for war casualties and prisoners of war – Saalfeld / Saale

Further informations can’t be given from here.  Probably it concerns the same dead man in the case of Ltn. GARWIN U.M., killed in action on 11/29/43.

/s/ illegible

Capt. and officer for special duties.

Refr. VIII A.V. 513/44
COPY
Fair Copy, 7/31/44

Airfield command A 40/XI Neumeunster.

Reference: Your casualty report No. 5 from 11/29/43 to 12/1/43
Subject: American flier killed in action – GARWIN V.M.

Because Washington could not identify the above mentioned man it is requested for further informations.  Besides there is another report from the R.d.L. about Ltv. GARVIN U.M., killed in action on 11/29/43.  Perhaps it concerns here the same man.  A request from the International Red Cross is at hand.

____________________

So, the central question:  What happened to Lieutenant Garvin?  A definitive answer will forever remain unknown, but a reasonable conjecture can still be made.

To start, a statement – filed by the Communications Officer of the 55th Fighter Group – accompanies the reports by Captains Ayers and Franklin in MACR 1427.  This document is a record of radio communication between a pilot with radio call sign “Swindle 48”, immediately followed by a similar call from “Swindle 38” (surmised to have been one and the same person) with “Rockcreek”, the radio call sign of the 55th Fighter Group.  Note that: 1) The call was repeated and appears to have been clearly and coherently spoken, suggesting (?) that the pilot was uninjured, and 2) There is no acknowledgement of Rockcreek’s transmission actually having been received by Swindle 38 / 48. 

A transcript of the Receivers Log follows:

Extract from VHF Ground Receivers Log of November 29, 1843:

     To Rockcreek From Swindle 48:  Request homing, 1-2-3-4-5 Over
     To Swindle 48 From Rockcreek:  Steer 332, Over
     To Rockcreek From Swindle 38:  Request Homing, etc.

     The Homing Station log also shows the transmission of another “steer” of 340 [degrees] to Swindle 48.  However, an acknowledgement of the receipt of either of these transmissions by Swindle 48 does not appear.  It will be noted that immediately following the communication Swindle 38 initiated his call for “Homing”.  It is possible that Swindle 38 had called previously and the call was mistaken to be Swindle 48. 

____________________

Here are some maps based on the transcript of the radio communication.

Map1 ) Using my handy-dandy 360-degree Staedtler protractor (not manufactured in the United States – but, I digress…!), and by setting Nuthampstead as a point of origin with “0” degrees at due east, I created this Oogle map showing steer plots of 332 and 340 degrees to Nuthampstead, from continental Europe.  Projecting these plots southeast towards continental Europe shows that both intersect the Belgian coast:  The first near Nieuwpoort, and the latter north of Bruges.  Note the time for “332” is 15:17, while no time is recorded for “340”.  Assuming that “340” was transmitted first and “332” later (for which there is no certainty) suggests that the transmissions are directed towards an aircraft flying along the Belgian and French coastline and travelling southwest.  (This map does not address the question of magnetic declination.)

Map 2) This Oogle map shows a straight-line course between Hoogeveen in the Netherlands and Hondschoote in France, which I think would approximate the direction of flight taken by Lt. Garvin.  The steer plots broadcast by Rockcreek to Swindle 38 / 48 can be seen to intersect the projected flight path in Belgium. 

Map 3) Hondschoote, in relation to Dunkirk.

Map 4) Hondschoote, in relation to Lt. Garvin’s place of burial at Saint Omer.  He was interred in an isolated grave (Grave 165) at the Longuenesse (Saint Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, where are interred nearly 3,400 Commonwealth war dead from the Great War.  

Thus for James Michael Garvin, fighter pilot.

More importantly, what of James Michael Garvin, the man?

In partial answer, here are his mother’s letters in his IDPF:

Marcus, Iowa
Aug. 1, 1944

Personal Effects Bureau,
Kansas City, Quartermaster Depot,
Kansas City, Mo.

Dear Sirs:

Eight months ago, on Nov. 29. 1943 my son 2nd Lt. James M. Garvin A.C. 0-740164 was killed over Europe and to date, we have had no word about his personal effects except that they would be sent home from your depot.

His address was:
2nd Lieut. James M. Garvin A/C. 0-740164
38th Fighter Squadron
55th Fighter Group
A.P.O. 637

I am his mother, the beneficiary of his will and government insurance, and as he was unmarried, I will be the legal recipient of his personal belongings.

Any information you can give will be appreciated, and I hope for arrival of his things in the near future.

Thank you.

Respectfully,
Mrs. Eliza A. Garvin

Marcus Iowa – Nov 29 – 1944

Mr. A.S. Smith
Administrative Asst. Army Effects Bureau
Kansas City.

Dear Sir,

I am enclosing my administrative papers in response our son’s personal effects as you requested.  Please return same as when you are thru with them.  He was not married – therefore no widow or children.  And I am his beneficiary according to his Will.  Also I had Power of Attorney until his death.  Thank you for your efforts in locating his things.  We were anxious about them – as we know he has several souvenirs – also had rec’d several Xmas boxes a few days before his last flight – and his personal clothing were of the best – “his graduation things”  from Phoenix Ariz.  His father – Michael A. Garvin is still living here at home.

Mrs. Eliza A. Garvin
Marcus
Iowa
Box 475

In the context of the past century – and even today in 2021 – James M. Garvin was a child born quite late in the lives of his parents, Eliza and Michael Garvin.  They were 44 and 52, respectively, during the year of his 1915 birth.  They died in 1951 and 1947. 

Lieutenant Garvin is buried at Holy Name Cemetery, in Marcus, Iowa. 

This was his seventh mission.

________________________________________

2 Lt. James William Gilbride (bailed out – did not survive), P-38H 42-67097, MACR 1272

Photo of James Gilbride from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

Here’s Lieutenant Gilbride’s Draft Registration Card.

Here’s the cover page of the composite Luftgaukommando Report (number AV 414/44) for Lieutenants Gilbride and Hascall (see more about Hascall below). 

As you can see from the below image, the document is actually a single 11″ x 17″ sheet having twenty information fields, with two binder holes in the center.  Since Lieutenants Gilbride and Hascall did not survive, many of the information fields remain blank by default.

According to his biographical profile at FindAGrave, and confirmed in the Lutfgaukommando Report and IDPF, Lt. Gilbride managed to escape from his fighter, but his parachute failed.  

Here’s the German form reporting his death, which when searching NARA’s database is “pulled up” with the digitized images of Luftgaukommando Report AV 414/44.

The following correspondence, among the many pages in Lt. Gilbride’s lengthy IDPF, add a dimension to this story (and so very many other stories like it) wholly different from topics like tactics and technology; aerial victory claims (Lt. Gilbride didn’t have any – he simply did his duty); camouflage and markings; serial numbers; mission schedules.  (Albeit those facets of history are – well, yes – essential.) 

The words within these letters represent a side and consequence of war that, while not necessarily “making it into the history books” – in terms of that hackneyed expression – quietly persists, in its own way, as an echo that over times becomes inaudible.  But hopefully, never silent.

The following three documents are communications between Lt. Gilbride’s mother, and Mr. H. Solt, mayor of De Wijk, Holland.  Note that the letters appearing below are not Mrs. Gilbride’s original correspondence.  Instead, they’re English-language transcripts of letters received by Mayor Solt, which were incorporated into Lt. Gilbride’s DPF. 

This is Mrs. Gilbride’s letter of September 20, 1945.

“You can be of great help to all of us here at home, his wife, daughter, father and myself by letting us know any detail however small that you can get about him.  The burial information has not as yet been verified by our armed forces.  We lost a brave and wonderful dear one.  It might be that I don’t want to believe he is really dead and that is why my heart is telling me to sift all information.” 

Afschrift.

MRS. WILLIAM GILBRIDE
308 North Central Avenue
Chicago 44, Illinois U.S.A.
Sept. 20, 1945.

Mayor:
Koekange, Providence Drente, Holland.

Your Honor:

I have received a letter from my government telling me that my son, Lt. James Gilbride was buried in your town.  Lt. Gilbride was an American Army Fighter Pilot on a P-38, serial number 0-740-168.  He was last seen over the Netherlands, November 29th, 1943.  He was alone at the time having left his group to go to the aid of some comrades.  The German Government through the International Red Cross reported that he was shot down.  The report came through now that his remains were interred at Koekange, Providence Drente, Holland.  You can be of great help to all of us here at home, his wife, daughter, father and myself by letting us know any detail however small that you can get about him.  The burial information has not as yet been verified by our armed forces.  We lost a brave and wonderful dear one.  It might be that I don’t want to believe he is really dead and that is why my heart is telling me to sift all information.  Would I be asking too much of you to check this information for us?  Now that hostilities have ceased I feel that there will be no harm done in asking for information.  And we will all be grateful and indebted to you for anything that is done.  Enclosed is a picture of my son.  Could a mistake be possible and he [be] ill somewhere in your town?  Thank you for any kindness.

Yours truly.
(Mrs. William L. Gilbride.)

Voor eensluidend afschrift
De Secretaris van de Wijk

____________________

Here’s Mayor Slot’s reply of October 22, 1945.

Note the statement, “Eye-witnesses declared, that he left his group to go to the aid of some of his comrades.”  Thus, it would seem that civilian observers of the November 29 air battle witnessed Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride’s attempt to aid the 38th Fighter Squadron.  The distance of Lt. Gilbride’s body from his crashed P-38 – 6 kilometers (over 3.5 miles) when found by members of the Dutch Air-raid Precautions Service – suggests that he bailed out from his aircraft (an event not actually witnessed by his element leader, Captain Franklin) from an appreciable altitude.  

GEMEENTE DE WIJK (D.)

AFSCHRIFT.                                               DE WIJK (D), 22nd. October 1945.

No. 637
Antwoord op brief van
Onderwerp:

Mrs. William. L. Gilbride.
308 North Central Avenue
Chicago               Illinois. U.S.A.

Dear Mrs. Gilbride,

I received yours of the 20th. of September, and, of course, I am quite willing to tell you all I know about your son.

On the 29th. of November 1943 an American Fighter plane was shot down during an air-fight.  The pilot was your son, Lt. Gilbride.  He fell down near the railway at Koekange in de Wijk, about 6 kilometers from his plane.  When the men of the Air-raid Precautions Service arrived, he had already died.  His body was not damaged and the men present at the spot immediately recognized him from the picture enclosed in your above letter.  His mark of recognition contained the following inscription:

James W. Gilbride, 0-740-168 T 42/43/0 Ventura (California).

On the 30th. of November 1943 he was buried on the general cemetery at Koekange.

His possessions were seized by the Air-raid Precautions Service, but later overtaken by the Germans.

Mr. Hendriks, Commander of the Air-raid Precautions Service helped many allied pilots to flee from the Germans.  Unfortunately it was too late for your son, as he had already died.  Eye-witnesses declared, that he left his group to go to the aid of some of his comrades.

A committee has collected money to erect a monument on his grave, but the American Government intends to re-inter all soldiers, killed on central cemeteries so that the erecting of a monument has been postponed for the time being.  I suppose I am allowed to keep the picture, that I can hand it to Mr. Hendriks, who rendered assistance at  the time.

I console with you on the grievous loss of your dear son, one of the many, that offered up their life for the freedom of our country too.

Let us hope, that his sacrifice has not been in vain and that this terrible war has been the last one.

On the birthday of our Queen, the 31st of August, a service in commemoration of the heroes who fell in the battle for freedom was held near the grave of your son.

Many inhabitants were present.  When playing the national hymns a wreath was laid on the grave.  The service made a deep impression on the people.

I hope that knowing this, you will have a better remembrance of your dear son.

Yours truly
signed H. Slot.
Mayor of de Wikj
Drenthe – Holland.

Voor eensluidend afschrift,
De secretaris van de Wijk,

____________________

And, Mrs. Gilbride’s reply of November 26, 1945 to Mayor Slot.

“Day after day and always our hearts were heavy not knowing whether he was cold, hungry or tormented.  He was glad to do his duty and if it were God’s will that he should die we were willing to accept that too.  The thing that haunted us was not knowing what had happened to him.  Your letter is something that we will always treasure and cherish.” 

AFSCHRIFT.         MRS. WILLIAM GILBRIDE

308 No. Central Avenue
Chicago44, Illinois, U.S.A.
November 26, 1945.

Mayor of de Wijk.
Drenthe – Holland.

Dear Sir,

There are no words to express our thanks and gratitude to you and the others of Drenthe for the kindness and care shown our son the late Lt. James Gilbride.  Since he was reported missing, we have not only grieved but constantly wondered and worried as to his fate, what he suffered and into whose hands he fell.  Day after day and always our hearts were heavy not knowing whether he was cold, hungry or tormented.  He was glad to do his duty and if it were God’s will that he should die we were willing to accept that too.  The thing that haunted us was not knowing what had happened to him.  Your letter is something that we will always treasure and cherish.  God has heard our prayers.  In His mercy He let our son’s death be swift and merciful.  He was watching over him even in death, for it was God who directed him to fall in your town where good and kind people laid him to rest.  It touched us deeply to know that a monument was to be erected on his grave, that the service in memory of the war heroes, held on your Queen’s birthday, was held near the grave and a wreath placed there.  I am sending our War Department a photographic copy of your letter.  It is his father’s wish and mine that he might be left to rest in peace right there.  This, of course rests with our War Department and as to whether your Queen would grant him that privilege and care for his grave.  Do let Mr. Hendriks keep the picture.  I know how busy you must be so I am going to ask if Mr. Hendriks could arrange to have a couple of snaps  taken of the burial place and grave.  Am enclosing three dollars to cover the expense.  Have sent four packages with food and sweets.  Will be sending more and clothing too.  I know that nothing we do can repay what has been done.  If there is anything that we can do please do not hesitate to ask us.  Our son has been decorated for having gone back at different times to help his comrades.  My husband’s maternal grandparents came from Utrech, in Holland.  I put two American Flags in one of the boxes to be placed on the grave.  My husband and I are going to try and visit the grave in the future.  Again accept our thanks.

Sincerely yours,
signed. Bess Marie Gilbride.

Voor eensluidend afschrift,
de Secretaris van de Wijk,

____________________

If Lt. Gilbride has been remembered at all, this has probably been in association with his assigned P-38H, aircraft 42-67053, “CY * L“, the name of which – “Vivacious Vera” – was inspired by his wife’s own name. 

The plane’s history was recorded on its port gun-bay access door (salvaged after its crash-landing on December 13, 1943 – seen link below), and states:

“This part of door cover retrieved from wreckage of P-38H 42-67053 with the squadron letters  CYL.  Flown first at Lockheed Liverpool Air Depot by C.H. Wilson, chief Test Pilot, Lockheed, 9-15-43.  1st ship to arrive at this field, 9-21-43.  1st person to fly plane on this field, Col. Frank B. James, 9-22-43.  Originally assigned to Lt. Gilbride 10-10-43, who was missing in action 11-29-43.  Ship was named after his wife.  Reassigned to Lt. Goudelock 12-12-43.

“Lucky Ship”

Lt. Hiner returned safely from Zuyder Zee on single enine, distance 250 miles.
Lt. Stanton returned safely from Ruhr Valley on single engine, distance 250 miles.
Lt. Goudelock returned from Kiel on single engine, distance 375 miles 12-13-43, and crashed in village of Ludham, due to lack of gas.  He was not seriously injured.

Ship completed 18 missions inclusive.

Well, the name and nose art are memorable, the latter I would think inspired by a pin-up by or in the style of Alberto Vargas. (Well, I’ve not yet been able to identify any work by Vargas that actually resembles this painting!)

Much more importantly, and perhaps inevitably – given the “way of the world” – forgotten over the past near-eight decades was the fact that the real “Vera”, Lt. Gilbride’s wife, was much more than simply a nickname on an aircraft. 

Found within Lt. Gilbride’s IDPF, two of her letters, and one letter of her mother, appear below.

__________

This letter was typed on “SkyMail” stationary, back when when air-mail was still a “thing”, and physical letters were equally a taken-for-granted “thing”.  Sent to the Army Effects Bureau in Kansas City, Vera E. Gilbride requests the property of her late husband.

Route 1, Box 203-B
Ventura, California

September 12, 1944

A.L. Smith, Administrative Assistant
Army Effects Bureau
Kansas City Quartermaster Depot
601 Hardesty Avenue
Kansas City 1, Missouri

No. 92228 D

Dear Mr. Smith

     I am in receipt of your letter of September 9, 1944.

     Will you please send me the personal property of my husband, Lieutenant James W. Gilbride to the above address.

     I am Lieutenant Gilbride’s legal widow.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Vera E. Gilbride

__________

This letter, penned by Vera’s mother over a year later – Mrs. Mortime Lyman Eddy (her actual name was Laurel Nelson Etta Edy) – was also addressed to the Army Effects Bureau.  The impetus for her communication with the army was the family’s receipt of Lt. Gilbride’s wedding and signet rings which, remarkably and hauntingly, were received by the family exactly two years and one day after Lt. Gilbride’s death.  Note that the family’s receipt of the Lieutenant’s rings has caused far more consternation and confusion than it did comfort:  Other than having earlier been notified of the Lieutenant’s death, per se, it seems that absolutely no further information was received during the intervening two years.  The letter concludes with Mrs. Eddy’s frank expression of worry about her daughter’s well-being.

Rt. 1 Bx 203-B
Ventura, Calif.
Nov. 30, 1945

War Department
Army Effects Bureau
Kansas City Quartermaster Depot
601 Hardesty Avenue
Kansas City 1, Missouri

Dear Sirs:

     A package consisting of a wedding ring and a signet ring, received today, personal effects belonging to 2nd Lt. James W. Gilbride, 0-740168.  Two years ago yesterday, Nov. 29, 1943, he was shot down, presumably.  We have never received any authentic word, other than missing, then dead.  Could you give me any direct information about his body, or direct me to some one that does know?  He had these rings on, that we do know, for it was a pledge.  Now we know the body was found, and evidently by friendly people, otherwise the rings would have been taken off.  Was he alive when found and took to a hospital?  My daughter is ill [and] if she could get something definite she could no doubt pull her self out of this – I’m terribly worried about her.  This is our first attempt to try and find out something about him.  Please tell us where the rings came from and has he been alive for a long time since going down?

Yours very truly
s/ Mrs M.L. Eddy.

__________

Some time during the subsequent two and a half years, Vera Gilbride remarried, to become Vera E. Gilbride Olson: She symbolically retained Lt. Gilbride’s surname.  In this letter, she notifies the Army of her request to have Lt. Gilbride buried at an American military cemetery.

March 3, 1947

The Quartermaster General
     Attention: Memorial Division

Gentlemen:

     I, Mrs Vera E. Gilbride Olson, widow of the late Lt. James W. Gilbride SN 0-740168 have remarried.  My current address is Vera E. Olson, Rte 1 Box 376, Ventura, Calif.  It is my request that the remains be left in an American Cemetery over-seas.

     If I am not the authorized person will you please inform me that has been done so I will be able to tell the deceased minor daughter.

Very truly yours
Mrs. Vera E. Olson

The above is only a small portion of the correspondence within the IDPF for Lt. Gilbride, the majority of which pertains to the local of his final place of burial:  Whether at an ABMC cemetery in Europe or the United States, and in case of the latter, where specifically within the United States.  Sadly, the correspondence strongly suggests little to no communication, if not a near-complete lack of  interaction, between Lt. Gilbride’s parents and their daughter-in-law.

Time passed.  

After the construction of the National WW II Memorial and the creation of its associated website and database, Vera Etta Eddy Gilbride Olson created two Memorial pages in her late husband’s honor.  You can view them here and here.  One of the Memorial pages includes mention of the couple’s daughter having been born six weeks after her father was killed in action.

Born on November 28, 1916, Vera Olson died on November 1, 2004.  She, her parents, and her siblings are buried at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura, California.     

The original version of this post displayed an Oogle map of the area between Hoogeveen and Meppel, albeit with no specifics about where Lt. Gilbride and his P-38 fell to earth.  The caption was:  “This Oogle map shows the general location where Lt. Gilbride and his plane fell to earth:  In the vicinity of De Wijk and Koekange, near the railroad line connecting Meppel and Hoogeveen.”

This revised map, based on information at Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog, shows the location where Lieutenant Gilbride’s body was found: “He was found in Koekange near the Emsweg (former Municipality De Wijk).  The aircraft did crash in the Oosterboer – location Binnenweg – (nowadays new housing).”

Born in 1917, James William Gilbride, whose parents resided in Chicago, is buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery, in Springfield, Il. (Plot C, Grave 128) 

This was his tenth mission.

____________________

2 Lt. John Sherman Hascall, P-38H 42-67016, MACR 1424

20th Fighter Group, 77th Fighter Squadron

(“Spare”, with 2 Lt. Robert D. Frakes)

Photo of Lieutenant Hascall, from the Michigan Technological University Website. 

Lieutenant Hascall’s Draft Registration Card…

Lt. Hascall was able to escape from his damaged P-38 and deploy his parachute successfully.  Sadly, he had the awful misfortune of descending into the Schutsloterswidje, a small lake west of Meppel (shown in the Oogle map below).  Ironically an accomplished athlete and excellent swimmer, he was unable to extricate himself from his parachute and was pulled underwater.  Despite the concerted efforts of rescuers and a local physician, he did not survive.

Here is the German form reporting Lieutenant Hascall’s death, this document being associated (via searching NARA’s database) with Luftgaukommando Report AV 414/44. 

An Oogle map view of Schutsloterswidje…

Here’s a low-resolution view of the Schutsloterwijde (looking south), by Marco van Middelkoop, from AeroPhotoStock, an image bank for aerial photos of the Netherlands.  You can view a (much) higher resolution image here.  

Caption: “Schutsloterwijde, De Wieden, Nederland, 6 juni 2015.  De Wieden vormt samen met de Weerribben het Nationaal Park Weerribben-Wieden, dit park is het grootste aaneengesloten laagveenmoeras van Noordwest-Europa.  Het landschap is vooral ontstaan door vervening en rietteelt. De plassen zijn ontstaan doordat bij het opbaggeren van turf de trekgaten, waaruit de turf werd gebaggerd, te breed werden en de ribben waar de turf op werd gedroogd te smal.  Tijdens de stormen van 17767 en 1825 werden de ribben weggeslagen en ontstonden onder andere de Beulakerwijde en Belterwijde.”

Translation:  “Schutsloterwijde, De Wieden, The Netherlands, June 6, 2015.  The Wieden, together with the Weerribben, form the Weerribben-Wieden National Park, this park is the largest continuous peat bog in northwestern Europe.  The landscape was mainly created by dying and reed cultivation.  The puddles were created because during the dredging of peat, the draft holes from which the peat was dredged became too wide and the ribs on which the peat was dried too narrow. During the storms of 17767 and 1825 the ribs were knocked away and the Beulakerwijde and Belterwijde, among others, were created.”

Lt. Hascall is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial (Plot H, Row 8, Grave 9), in Margraten, the Netherlands.  His story and life are recounted at The Last Flight of John Hascall, at Michigan Technological University Magazine. 

Lt. Hascall’s record at the ABMC website indicates that he was the recipient of one military award – the Purple Heart – implying that he flew less than five combat missions. 

________________________________________

Two survivors: Lieutenants Carroll and Suiter

2 Lt. John Joseph Carroll (38th Fighter Squadron), MACR 1431

“Lt. Albert A. Albino of Aberdeen, Wash., and Lt. John J. Carroll [right] of Detroit, Mich., both members of the 38th Fighter Squadron stationed at Nuthampstead, England, discuss the map of a future target in the squadron pilot room.” (Army Air Force Photo B1 79830AC / A14145 1A)

Photo of John J. Carroll, from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

John Carroll’s POW identification photograph, also from Double Nickel, Double Trouble.  He was imprisoned in the North Compound of Stalag Luft I.

Here is John Carroll’s (no longer a Lieutenant when he wrote this!) account of the November 29 mission, from Double Nickel, Double Trouble.  He titled his story: “The Saga of ‘A’ Flight, Lost November 29, 1943.” 

“This tabulate returns to the days of yesteryear when 20/20 vision was quite normal, coordination was automatic, briefings were at uncompassionate hours, each time respects were paid to “Festung Europe”; there were numerous more of them than there were of us.  Such was the circumstance, November 29th, 1943.

“I was flying wing to our C.O., Major Milton Joel, when our flight was cut off by a gaggle of Me-109s and the group was headed away from us in a westerly direction.  Joel and I went into the “weave formation”, which theoretically would protect one another’s tail.  Directly after our first pass-by I caught a glimpse of a P-38 headed down trailing smoke and minus a section of tail (Albino or Garvin?).  Following our third pass-by it became obvious that “the weave” does not perform without flaw.  At the crest of my turn I glanced across the projected pattern and observed what should be Joel’s A/C seemingly to disintegrate. 

“Almost immediately thereafter, I felt an instant yaw to starboard and noted the engine on fire, plexiglass everywhere, and the instrument panel badly damaged.  I kicked rudder into the yaw and opened the port engine to the firewall, at the same time putting the nose straight down and headed for a cloud layer.  On breaking out at the base of the layer, and utilizing it for top cover, I took a heading for England on the magnetic, which was still operable.  After approximately 5 or 10 minutes, with the cross feed off (the prop would not completely feather), I determined the fire was getting out of hand.  I realized I could not make the island without either exploding or crashing into the North Sea, which at that time of year had little in common with the Caribbean! 

“When bailing out of a P-38 one must render considerable delicacy, lest one desire a speedy trip to eternal reward – or damnation as the case may be.  At this point I found that the canopy release handle would not perform its assigned task.  By raising the seat and using my head as a battering ram and with the aid of a reasonable slipstream I was able to dislodge the obnoxious piece of equipment.  I then lowered the port wing, trimmed the A/C into a 45 degree climb, cut the engine, and climbed out onto the wing holding on to the corner of the canopy.  At almost the peak of stall, I let go and missed the tail by about a foot.  This was most fortunate, as going out feet first rather than on one’s belly, the counter-weight could proffer a rather serious problem. 

“Now here is the period in which the individual obtains a morbid curiosity as to whether the chute is going to open.  As a result of this dilemma I counted to ten, per instructions, faster than normal beings count to two.  Upon reading this one may justly surmise as to its workability!  May the Lord bless and keep all chute packers, past and present! 

“The landing, if one may call it that, was on the roof of a barn-like building in Holland somewhere west of Meppel.  Ignominiously the chute collapsed sending me on a Disney-like ride down the roof and ending, not unlike a ski-jump, on to some form of machinery.  This display of dexterity lost me the use of my right leg for some months to come.  It was also at this time that I came to realize that I had been wounded in the right hand and shoulder.  Curiously, I felt neither until this time. 

“The Wermacht arrived, having followed the chute down…  One would have thought thay had caught John Dillinger rather than saintly John Carroll.  “Luft gangster, Chicago, Roosevelt terror-flieger!” they greeted, plus a few chosen obscenities, which at this time I understood to a minor degree.  (However, upon my release I was quite able to return curse for curse in fluent Kraut.)

“I was ultimately taken to Leewarden, Amsterdam, Dulag Luft, and finally to Stalg Luft I, Barth, Germany, in North Compound I, under Col. Byerly.  I served as entertainment officer due to my background in broadcasting and the theater.  This was a task of reasonable importance to the facilities at hand, and the substantial emphasis placed on morale.  It even obtained a field promotion for me but I would be most remiss if credit for fortitude, versatility, and camaraderie to my compatriots were not acknowledged. 

This revised map, based on information at Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog, shows the general location where Lieutenant Carroll’s plane – FOB Detroit – crashed: “…near the tiny farm community Zwartewatersklooster – just outside Zwartsluis.”

Born in 1919, John J. Carroll, Sr., died on June 11, 2003.  He is buried next to his wife Catherine at Greenwood Cemetery, East Tawas, Michigan. 

The mission of 29 November was his ninth.

________________________________________

2 Lt. Fleming W. Suiter (343rd Fighter Squadron), MACR 1273

These news items about Lt. Suiter can be viewed at his FindAGrave biographical profile, where they have been provided by contributors Carl and Arthur Allen Moore III.

Along with Lt. Carroll, Lt. Suiter was the other survivor among the six 55th Fighter Group pilots shot down this day.  Captured, he spent the remainder of the war as a POW the South Compound of Stalag Luft I. This was his seventh mission. 

Remaining in the Army Air Force, he was – ironically – (how very inadequate a word) killed on military service in the United States nearly one year after the end of the Second World War:  On August 10, 1946, his P-47N Thunderbolt (44-88653, of the 63rd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, based at Selfridge Field, Michigan) crashed west of Antrim, New Hampshire. 

An Oogle map view of Meppel, Holland, where Lt. Suiter came to earth. 

The November 29 mission was his seventh.  

Lt. Suiter is buried at Rome Proctorville Cemetery, in Proctorville, Ohio.  

________________________________________

The View from 1947: A search in Germany

At 1945’s end, Lieutenant Albino and Major Joel were still missing – albeit declared dead – their final fates unknown.  In this regard, Major Joel’s Individual Deceased Personnel File includes a detailed report concerning the search for Lieutenant Albino, completed by T/4 John W. Johnson of the Army Graves Registration Command.  The presence of this document in Major Joel’s IDPF is unsurprising, given that the circumstances under which both men vanished were in effect and reality parallel. 

It is surprising that Major Joel’s name remains unmentioned in T/4 Johnson’s report, or was not the subject of an independent report.  But, anyway…

In his effort to trace Lt. Albino’s fate, T/4 Johnson surveyed the German city of Oldenburg, and towns and villages to its south to southwest, in light of the Lieutenant’s last reported location in the Missing Air Crew Report.  (The localities were Ahlhorn, Beverbruch, Cloppenburg, Edewecht, Falkenburg, Garrel, Molbergen, Nikolausdorf, and Petersfeld.)  His conclusion, based on communication with public officials and clergy in those localities – that the Lieutenant did not crash in that vicinity – was entirely correct.  But, the reason for its veracity would remain unknown until 1978, when Lt. Albino and his plane finally were confirmed to have fallen into the Dutch town of Hoogeveen, well to the southwest of those German towns and cities.  

Here’s T/4 Johnson’s report.

ROTHWESTEN DETACHMENT
FIRST FIELD COMMAND
AMERICAN GRAVES REGISTRATION COMMAND
APO 171, US ARMY

13 December 1947

NARRATIVE REPORT OF
INVESTIGATION

I was dispatched on 23 October 1947 from this headquarters to Oldenburg, Germany (K-54/R-30) to investigate AGRC Case # 8632 pertaining to 2/Lt Albert A. Albino who was pilot of a P-38 and according to Operational Instructions # 41 was last sighted southwest by west of Oldenburg, Germany.  Lt Albino failed to return from a bomber escort mission to Bremen, Germany.  The date that the above mentioned flyer was last sighted near Oldenburg was 29 November 1943.  The cause of death is not mentioned in MACR # 1428.

I first went to the administration office in Oldenburg to check their records.  This office is in charge of the cemetery in Oldenburg and also has records of all Allied deceased in the county of Oldenburg.  At this office I received a statement (see Incl # 1) that according to a notice left by the 611th QM GR Co., seventy deceased of American nationality who were buried in the Military section of the New Cemetery in Oldenburg were disinterred and evacuated to an unknown destination.

It was also stated that according to the records (see Incl. # 2) held by this office 2/Lt Albert A. Albino who died on 29 November 1943 was not buried in the Oldenburg Cemetery.

Edewecht, Germany (K54/R10) is about four (4) miles southwest by west of Oldenburg.  I received a statement (see Incl. # 3) from the administration office of the community of Edewecht which covers all the surrounding villages in that vicinity.  The statement reveals that they have no records pertaining to plane crashes.  No one in this small town had any knowledge of any plane crashes so I then went to the county office in Cloppenburg, Germany (K53/R27) which is about 20 miles southwest by west of Oldenburg.

At the county office in Cloppenburg I received the only records they had (see Incl # 4) about American and English plane crashes.

There are two statements (see Incl’s # 5 and 6) received on 8 October 1947, and 9 October 1947 while I was investigating another case which mentioned a fighter plane which crashed in the village of Nutteln.  The date of this plane crash is not the same as that of the plane crash in question.

At Ahlhorn, Germany (K53/W37) which is about 12 miles south of Oldenburg, I received a statement at the Police headquarters (see Incl. #7).  The Police state that they have no records of any plane crashes, that all crashes were reported to the German Air Base in Ahlborn, and that the former Burgermeister may be able to give some information pertaining to plane crashes in this area.

Upon contacting Hans Roennen the former Burgermeister, I received a statement (see Incl. # 8) to the effect that all planes crashed in the vicinity and all deceased who were killed there in plane crashes were taken care of by the German soldiers of the Air Base in Ahlhorn, therefore there were no records kept by him.

I next went to the cemetery in Ahlhorn and contacted the cemetery caretaker.  I received a statement (see Incl. # 9) that all Allied deceased were evacuated in July 1946 by a British Unit and that when an American team came there for American deceased they had discovered that two American deceased were removed by mistake probably by the British unit.

I learned while conducting this investigation that ninety (90) American deceased were buried in the New Cemetery at Bad Zwischenehn, Germany (K54/R10).

I first went to a Parson Bultermann in Bad Zwischenahn who kept the burial books in which all deceased were entered who were buried in the local cemetery.  The Parson was not at home but I received a statement from his wife (see Incl. # 10) that no 2/Lt Albert A. Albino was entered in their burial books and one of the deceased buried in the cemetery in Bad Zwischenahn.

I next went to the community director’s office in the above mentioned city and received a statement (see Incl. # 11) that the name of Albert A. Albino 2/Lt does not appear on their records.  I also received a copy from this office of a list of all Allied deceased who were buried in the local cemetery (see Incl. # 12).  The notice of disinterment which was left by the 3048th QM GR Co who disinterred and evacuated the ninety American deceased in April and May of 1946 (see Incl. # 13) was also received.

At the town of Molbergen, Germany (K 53/W71) which is 25 miles southwest of Oldenburg I received a statement (see Incl # 14) from the community director that no American planes crashed there.  Only one plane crashed which was a Canadian fighter plane.

At Garrel, Germany (K53/W18) which is 18 miles southwest of Oldenburg I received a statement from the former Burgermeister (see Incl. # 15) which gave information on four, 4 engine bombers that crashed in four near-by villages.  He further states that all fighter planes that crashed in the community were those of German origin.  I then proceeded to check two nearby villages that were mentioned in the statement above to determine whether an American fighter plane could have crashed in their areas.

Petersfeld was mentioned in the statement of the former Burgermeister of Garrel as the place where one 4-engine bomber had crashed.  The community office of Varelbusch, Germany (K53/W71) is in charge of Petersfeld which is mostly swamp land.  I received a statement from this office (see Incl. # 16) that all plane crashes were taken care of by the German Air Base of Ahlhorn and the deceased taken to Gloppenburg.

I then went to the Catholic Priest of Varelbusch who is in charge of the local cemetery.  The statement received from the Priest (see Incl. # 17) states that there was no cemetery there during the war and that all deceased were buried in Cloppenburg.

At Falkenburg, Germany which is in the nearby vicinity of Garrel I received a statement (see Incl # 18) from a farmer who was the only one there who knew of a plane crash in the spring of 1943.  This crash was a 4 engine American bomber and was all taken care of by German soldiers and the deceased and wreckage were taken to Cloppenburg.

At Beverbruch which is also in the vicinity of Garrel I received a statement from a farmer about another 4-engine bomber (see Incl # 19) which was also taken care of by the German Air Base of Ahlhorn.  He had no knowledge of any fighter plane crashes.

I next-contacted a nearby farmer of the same village who stated (see Incl. # 20) that he only had knowledge of one plane crash which was of that mentioned in the statement above (Incl. # 19).

I then went to the town of Nikolausdorf which is also in the community of Garrel and contacted the Alderman who is in charge there.  The statement I received from him (see Incl # 21) mentions three 4 engine bombers that crashed in the nearby vicinity which I already have received statements concerning.

CONCLUSION:  It can be concluded that after investigating Oldenburg and community and all towns and villages south and southwest by west of Oldenburg down to Cloppenburg that the fighter-plane in question did not crash in the vicinity where it was last sighted as mentioned in Operational Instructions # 41.

/s/t/ JOHN W. JOHNSON
T/4 RA-20120960
Investigator

________________________________________

Time Moves On: A Postwar Memorandum

It is now 1949.  Two years have passed since T/4 Johnson’s investigation into Lieutenant Albino’s fate.  Major Joel’s IDPF now contains a memorandum to the Casualty Section of the Adjutant General’s Office dated May 2, 19494, which – by combining and reviewing information from: 1) Missing Air Crew Reports, 2) a German list of American Dead reported on April 1, 1944, 3) a tabulation of VIII Fighter Command P-38 pilots lost in combat lost on November 29, 1943, and 4) what is obviously a set of Luftgaukommando Reports (though the term isn’t used in this Memorandum) for VIII Fighter Command P-38 pilots lost that day – arrives at the unavoidable conclusion that, given the information in these records and the passage of five and a half years, no further hope could possibly held for the survival of either the Lieutenant or Major.

Here’s the Memorandum:

AG 704 DEAD (2 May 49)                    McG/sap/1B737/1263

2 May 1949

MEMORANDUM TO:      Officer in Charge, Casualty Section
Personnel Actions Branch, AGO

SUBJECT:                          Report of Death 

The following named officers, members of the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, were reported missing in action since 29 November 1943, over Germany, while in flying pay status, by a radio message from USSOS, London to WAR, dated 4 December 1943, casualty message number 339065-S:

Maj – Milton Joel              – 0416308
2nd Lt – Albert A. Albino – 0743300

Missing air crew report number 1429, dated 1 December 1943, currently on file in the Office of the Quartermaster General, reports that Major Joel was the pilot and sole occupant of a P-38 type aircraft, number 42-67020, of the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, which departed its base on 29 November 1943, on an escort mission to Bremen, Germany.  The report further states that Major Joel was last seen flying with his wingman, Lieutenant Garvin, “SW by W of Oldenburg”, at 1410 hours, that he was believed lost as the result of enemy aircraft, and that the weather conditions at the time wore “CAVU Above An Overcast.”  Captain Jerry H. Ayers, 0659441, is shown as the person who last sighted Major Joel.

A statement by Captain Ayers, attached to the missing air crew report is as follows:

“We were on a B-17 escort mission to Bremen, Germany, when at 14:10, just prior to our R.V. point we were jumped by Hot Bandits.

“Major Joel was leading the first section of the Squadron composed of eight ships.  Lt Wyche was leading the other Flight in the lead section.

Capt Hancock was leading the second section and I had the other flight.  Due to abortive aircraft Major Joel had lost his second element also Lt Wyche had lost his.  Capt Hancock and his wing-man returned.  My second element had returned and we were trying to rejoin into two fair ship flights.  Then we were successively bounced by units from a group of about 40 enemy aircraft from one or two o’clock, out of the sun.  We turned right into the attack and were engaged for some time.  At the time of the first break was the last time that I saw Major Joel and his wingman, Lt Garvin, that I could recognize them.”

Another statement attached to the missing air crew report submitted by Captain R. C. Franklin, Jr., which reveals further information concerning the disappearance of Major Joel, reads as follows:

On 29 November 1943, my wingman, Lt J.W. Gilbride, and myself participated in an engagement in which Major Joel, C.O. of the 38th Fighter Squadron, and his wingman, Lt Garvin, were lost and possibly this statement may shed some light on their disappearance.

The main body of the group was proceeding toward home when Major Joel was heard calling for help from far behind us.  Lt Gilbride and I turned back to help but it took several minutes for us to reach the fight.  As we drew near we could see five P-38s engaged and each had from one to three ME 109s on its tail.  Just before we went into the fight one P-38 rolled over and went down with its left engine leaving a very long and very heavy trail of black smoke and with a 109 behind.  As my wingman and I flew into the middle of the engagement the E/A were surprised into rolling away from the ships they wore attacking and we were all able to take a heading for home.  At this time there were four P-38s left besides my wingman and myself.  As we started home we were followed by E/A and we tried to outrun them.   One of the four P-38s ran away from the rest and disappeared.  The five of us remaining were eventually caught by the E/A and engaged again.

After we saw the one P-38 go down smoking I did not again recognize Major Joel’s voice on the radio.  The five of us that were later engaged by the pursuing E/A were, Capt Ayers, Capt Beaird, Lt Erickson, Lt Gilbride, and myself.  On this attack I lost one engine that had been going bad and when I recovered the only other P-38 visible in the area was piloted by Lt Erickson.  We came out together.

In view of the circumstances it is my personal opinion that the P-38 we saw shot down was piloted by Major Joel and the one that ran away from us was piloted by Lt Garvin, who did not return.”

Missing Air Crew Report number 1428, dated 1 December 1943, on file in the Office of the Quartermaster General, reports that Second Lieutenant Albert A. Albino, 0743300, was the pilot and solo occupant of a P-38 type aircraft, number 42-67051, of the 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group, which departed its base on 29 November 1943 on an escort mission to Bremen, Germany.  Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr., 0427117, is reported as the person who last sighted Lieutenant Albino at 1410 hours, southwest by west of Oldenburg.  Lieutenant Albino’s ship is believed to have been lost as a result of enemy aircraft and the weather conditions at the time were reported as “CAVU Above an Overcast”.

Attached to the report is the following statement of Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr:

Our flight was slightly trailing the other three flights going to the rendezvous.  Our flight leader had to fall out and called to me to take over.  I acknowledge and called the flight to step up the mercury as I was going to catch up.  At this time Lt Albino was 2nd in the flight, approximately 3 ship lengths behind me and approximately 4 ship lengths in front of Lt Peters.  We were in the same relative position, but had closed considerably on the leading flights, when someone called, “Bogies coming down at three o’clock, get rid of your tanks”.  I turned to the right dropped my tanks and looked to see if Lt Albino and Peters had gotten rid of theirs.  This was the last time I was able to locate Lt Peters or Albino as almost immediately we were bounced from approximately 8 o’clock and the lead flights from I think, about 1 o’clock.

After we tangled there seemed to be nothing but individual ships that joined up to make flights as best they could.”

A statement by Second Lieutenant Edward P. Peters, also attached to the missing air crew report, is as follows:

I was flying #2 position in a flight lead by Capt Hancock.  Capt Hancock started a turn to the right, leaving because of engine trouble, and as we were deep in enemy territory I started with him, however, he called and said I should turn back to accompany group.  I started to return but by this time I had fallen way back, out of formation and as I increased manifold pressure my left engine cut out at 24” HG-.  I continued trying to catch up and ahead of me about ½ a mile was Lt Albino and ahead of him was Capt Beaird.  He, Lt Albino, was quite a distance behind Capt Beaird and I followed for about 4 or 5 minutes.  At this time the group was bounced and the order give to drop ‘babies’.  I looked behind and directly below saw six E/A which I called in.  I looked above and behind and saw one E/A diving at me from about 7 o’clock.  I broke into him and he fired at me as he passed over top.  I looked for the group but as I could only see their contrails, and duo to the one faulty engine, I turned and came back alone.

It is possible that the E/A which attacked me or the six below could have continued on their way and caught Lt Albino as he was straggling.”

German List of American Dead #22, dated 1 April 1944 at Saalfeld / Saale, Germany contains the following entry:

58 – USA – UNKNOWN – Flier – Machine – Shot down – Place of burial
Lightning – 29 November 1943 – not yet reported
1430 hours Holland

Letter of inquiry, AG 704 (24 Jun 44), dated 24 June 1944, was dispatched from the Adjutant General’s Office to the Commanding General, United States Forces, European Theater of Operations, requesting that the names of all “Lightning” pilots who became missing in action in that Theater on 29 November 1943 be reported to this office.  In reply, a 2nd Indorsement, dated 15 July 1944, from Hq. USSTAF, was received which reported the names of seven “Lightning” pilots who were missing in action on 29 November 1943.  The time and place that these officers were last seen as reported by this 2nd Indorsement, and their present status are shown below:

Name – ASN – Grade
Time – Place Last Seen – Present Status

Hascall, John S. – 0746103 – 2d Lt
1315 – over mid-Channel – KIA

Albino, Albert A. – 0743300 – 2d Lt
1410 – SW by W of Oldenburg – PDD

Garvin, James M. – 0740164 – 2d Lt
1410 – SW by W of Oldenburg – KIA

Carroll, John J. – 0743313 – 2d Lt
1410 – SW by W of Oldenburg – POW-EUS

Joel, Milton – 0416308 – Maj
1410 – SW by W of Oldenburg – PDD

Gilbride, James W. – 0740168 – 2d Lt
1440 – 10-15 Mi. W of Meppel – KIA

Suiter, Fleming W. – 0743383 – 2d Lt
1300 – near Heede, Germany – POW-EUS

Following the cessation of hostilities in the European Area, a number of official German records were captured, and are currently on file in this office.  Although these records are incomplete, they, nevertheless, have assisted materially in solving the status of a number of persons previously reported missing in action.  Reports currently on hand pertaining to the disposition of persons listed above are as follows:

Reports J 304 and AV 414/44 pertains to the downing of Lt Hascall at Wanneparveen (Oberuezel) on 29 November 1943, with cause of death listed as ‘drowned’ and interment on 3 Docember 1943 at Wanneparveen Cemetery, grave No, 1, west side, middle section.

Reports J 338 and AV 513/44, pertain to the downing of Lt Garvin on 29 November 1943, crashed by collision at Handschoote – Pas de Calais, listed as dead and interred in Grave No. 165.

Report No. AV 414/44 pertains to the downing of Lt Gilbride, on 29 November 1943 at 1345 hours, at Railroad Meppel – Hoogeveen, near Koekange, death caused by fracture of skull and cervical vertebra.  He was interred on 1 December 1943 at Koekange Cemetey, (Drente) in grave No. 33, Row 2.

Report No. J 305, pertains to the capture of Lt Suiter as the result of the downing of a Lightning plane on 29 November 1943.

Report No. J 302, pertains to the capture of Lt Carroll on 29 November 1943 as result of the doming of a Lightning plane.

Report No. J 307 pertains to the downing of a Lightning plane at 1430 hours in Holland, pilot listed as dead, identification unknown.

The foregoing facts show that seven P-38 Lightning fighter pilots were reported missing in action on a raid to Bremen, Germany, on 29 November 1943.  Due to many abortive planes from the original group, several individual planes formed new flights and several were unable to join up and became stragglers.  Just prior to reaching the rendezvous point, the flight was jumped by a superior number of enemy aircraft.  It was at this time that Lieutenant Albino was last seen by any of the surviving pilots, and none have furnished any definite concrete information as to whether or not he was actually shot down at this time.  However, in view of his failure to return and the complete absence of any word from or of him since, it is reasonable to assume that he was shot down at this time, especially since he was straggling along and made an easy target.  On the return flight shortly after leaving the target area, Major Joel was heard over the radio to have called for help.  Two pilots, Captain Franklin and Lieutenant Gilbride, returned and observed five P-38’s engaged in combat with the enemy and each P-38 had from one to three enemy planes on its tail.  Just before they entered the combat area, one P-38 rolled over and went down with its left engine leaving a very long and very heavy trail of black smoke, pursued by an enemy plane.  Following the loss of this plane, the voice of Major Joel was no longer heard over the radio, and it was the opinion of Captain Franklin that this plane was piloted by Major Joel.  However, the exact location of this action, whether over Germany or Holland, is not stated.  All of the other missing pilots from this mission, with the exception of subject personnel, arc accounted for in the available captured German records.  No doubt, can exist, that the unknown dead recorded is either Major Joel or Lieutenant Albino.  Nevertheless, in view of the events leading up to the disappearance of subject persons, and the accuracy of the available German records, no hope can be entertained for the survival of subject persons.  No doubt, the information which would accurately describe the place and fate of each of subject persons is contained in enemy records which were destroyed or lost during the confusion and turmoil of final days of the war.

It is recommended, therefore, that pursuant to the provisions of Section 9, Missing Persons Act, the foregoing information be accepted as an official report of death, and that a casualty report be initiated stating that subject personnel, listed in paragraph 1 above, were killed in action on 29 November 1943 in the European Area, while in flying pay status.  The systemat will be processed in accordance with Paragraph 2b, Operations Bulletin 35, 1945.  The casualty report and official report of death will include the following statement:

Finding of Death has been issued previously under Section 5, Public Law 490, 7 March 1942, as amended, showing presumed date of death as 3 September 1945.  This “Report of Death” based on information received since that date, is issued in accordance with Section 9 of said Act and its effect on prior payments and settlements is as provided in Section 9.

Station and place of death:  European Theater.

JOHN J. McGUIRE                                                        CONCUR:
Investigator

T.J. COLLUM
Major, AGD
OIC, Determination Unit

APPROVED:  Recommended action will be taken

BY ORDER OF THE ACTING SECRETARY OF.THE ARMY:

SYLVIO L. BOUSQUIN
Lt Col, AGD
OIC, Casualty Section
Personnel Actions Branch, AGO

Copy Furnished: Central Files
AG 201 and OQMG 293 file of each individual named in par 1.

________________________________________

2 Lt. Albert Anthony Albino, P-38H 42-67051, MACR 1428

And so, based on a combination of Public Law 490, under which a Finding of Death had been issued in September of 1945, and Section 9 of the Missing Persons Act, Major Joel and Lieutenant Albino were officially determined to have been killed on the 29th of November, 1943.

The mystery of Lt. Albino’s fate would be definitively solved twenty-nine years later:

But first, some photographs.

Here’s a very pre-war photograph of Albert Albino before he became Lieutenant Albert A. Albino.  From The Nine Pound Hammer – the blog of Lt. Albino’s nephew Bob Rini – the image shows his uncle hitchhiking between Aberdeen and Los Angeles during the late 30s or early 40s.

Interestingly, documents in Lt. Albino’s IDPF reveal that his original surname was Guarascio.  Born in Sunnyside, Utah, in April of 1919, his parents (mother Catherina and father John) divorced, Catherina then marrying Frank Albino in Washington state.  Albert Anthony would use his stepfather’s surname from that time forward.

Lieutenant Albino’s Draft Registration Card.

This image from Mr. Rini’s blog shows his uncle by P-38F 43-2050, probably at Paine Field.  This aircraft, assigned to the 331st Fighter Squadron of the 329th Fighter Group, was lost due to engine failure on November 26, 1943, 10 miles northwest of Whidbey Island, Washington; pilot 2 Lt. Walter F. Alberty parachuted to safety.  Lt. Alberty was killed in action seven months later, when his plane was shot down by an FW-190. 

This photo, taken by Sergeant Robert T. Sand, appears in Double Nickel, Double Trouble, and shows 38th Fighter Squadron ground crew members conversing with Lt. Albino (wearing Mae West and sunglasses) in front of his personal P-38 (“Spirit of Aberdeen”) as he describes a just-completed combat mission. 

Regarding Lt. Albino, note this entry (see above) in the German List of American Dead in the 1949 Memorandum:

58 – USA – UNKNOWN – Flier
Machine: Lightning
Shot down: 29 November 1943, 1430 hours, Holland
Place of burial: not yet reported

According to Albert Albino’s FindAGrave biographical profile and Traces Of War, his plane crashed at city of Hoogeveen, Holland, at a point adjacent to the station building of the town’s railroad station.  Unlike the close attention typically accorded to Allied aircraft losses by the Germans, no efforts were made to investigate the crash site and identify the pilot, due to the depth of the crater from the plane’s impact, and (according to an article by Lydia Tuijnman) the Germans’ greater priority of returning the railroad station to operation to continue the deportation and murder of Dutch Jews.

Well, that’s the summary of the story.  Here’s more…

__________

As mentioned in the post A Battle in the Air, the Missing Air Crew Reports for Major Joel and 2 Lt. James W. Gilbride include statements by Captain Rufus C. Franklin, Jr. of the 343rd Fighter Squadron concerning a P-38 that was seen falling into the undercast, with its left engine burning, leaving a long trail of black smoke, and part of its tail shot away.  This was seen just as the Captain and 2 Lt. Gilbride reached the 38th FS Lightnings that were under attack by Me 109s of III/JG 1. 

John J. Carroll’s postwar account in Double Nickel, Double Trouble similarly describes his sight of this burning P-38 as it fell to earth.  

So…  I took another look at the very (!) lengthy (196 page) IPDF for 2 Lt. Gilbride, and was startled to find documents that – by identifying this plane – “pull together” and greatly clarify the sequence of events in the outnumbered 38th Fighter Squadron’s engagement with Me 109s of III/JG 1.

They’re by: 1) the Burgomeister of Hoogeveen (J. Tjalma), and 2) the station-master of Hoogeveen and his son (A. and S.G. Schippers) and pertain to the then-unidentified P-38 that crashed adjacent to the Hoogeveen railroad station on November 29. 

Two brief but key passages directly correlate to the accounts of Captain Franklin and Lt. Carroll. 

First, Tjalma’s statement, “…a plane crashed in flames…”.  Second, Schippers’ statement, “The plane caught fire and crashed.”

Though unknown at the time (we’re talking 1948), the plane was eventually – as mentioned above; as explained much more fully below – proven to have been 2 Lt. Albert A. Albino’s Spirit of Aberdeen.  It could not have been Major Joel’s “flying wolf”; it could not have been 2 Lt. Carroll’s FOB Detroit; it could not have been 2 Lt. Garvin’s 42-67046.

These three documents appear below, each accompanied by a transcription.   

__________

Holland Special Case # 241

COMMUNITY OF HOOGEVEEN

S T A T E M E N T

     The Burgomaster of the Community of Hoogeveen declares that on 29 November 1943 at about 14.10 hours, during an air-battle above the community of Hoogeveen, a plane crashed in flames and came down on the second platform of the railroad station of the Netherlands Railroads at Hoogeveen.  The plane, probably an American one, went completely into the ground, while the parts still above the ground caught on fire.

     It is believe that two (2) crew members were killed with the plane.

Hoogeveen, 25 March 1948.
The afore-mentioned Burgomaster,
/s/t/ J. Tjalma

__________

(Netherlands Railroad Seal)

Holland Special Case # 241
Hoogeveen, 14 April 1948

S T A T E M E N T

     I, the undersigned, A. Schippers, formar station-chief at Hoogeveen, declare that, on 29 November 1943 at 14.15 hours, a plane, probably an American two-motored P38, Lockheed Lightning, crashed on the second track of the station at Hoogeveen.

     The plane belonged to a great formation of planes, which got into a fight and which planes were flying in the direction of Germany.  This formation consisted of more than 500 planes.  The plane caught fire and crashed.  Mentioned plane made a hole in the ground of about six (6) meters depth, which hole was immediately filled with water.

     German occupation authorities took immediate action concerning this incident.  They took all the small parts of the plane and threw them in the hole and at nightfall they already filled the hole for reconstruction of the railroad track.

_____

     It is believed that only one person was in the plane, however, other eye-witnesses believed to have seen two persons.

     One civilian who has never been identified, was killed at the station by the crashing plane and dragged into the hole and is still in the hole.

(Netherlands Railroad Seal)

/s/ A. Schippers.
Station, Hoogeveen

Hoogeveen, 14 April 1948

     I, the undersigned, S.G. Schippers, declare that the above statement of my father is correct in all details except that the water mentioned in the fourth paragraph of above statement, did not come out of the ground but was pumped by the fire brigade.

     Further that it is not sure that the civilian, mentioned in the last paragraph, was killed.  A hat of a civilian was found near the crash and therefore many people believed that somebody was killed.

Hengelo, 14 April 1948.
/s/ S.G. Schippers
Plein 1918 # 10
Hengelo (0)

__________

Holland Special Case # 241
19 April 1948.

N A R R A T I V E

     Investigations were conducted in Hoogeveen, Holland, for information on a reported plane crash in that community.  Plane reported to have crashed near a railroad track, date and nationality unknown.

     The following information was obtained concerning a crash from the Town Hall, the former Stationmaster, Mr. A. Schippers, and from S.P. Schippers, son of the Stationmaster, both of whom were eye-witnesses to the crash:

     A fighter plane, believed to be of American nationality (P38 – Lockheed Lightning) crashed on 29 November 1943 on the second track of the railroad station about 10 yards from the stationhouse.  The plane was completely buried in the ground for a depth of about 6 meters.  The plane had been flying in a formation of about 500 bombers when it lost control and came to the ground.  It burned without exploding until the fire was extinguished by a fire brigade.  The German occupation authorities took immediate control of the incident and by nightfall reconstruction of the important railroad was already begun.  All pieces of the plane were reburied on the spot. _____

     It is believed that one civilian in the station at the time of the crash was killed and is buried with the plane – however, the only evidence supporting this is the fact that a civilian hat was found near the wreckage.  Attempts to find the owner of the hat failed so it was presumed that an unidentified civilian was killed as a result of the crash.

Paul Chatelain
PAUL CHATELAIN
US DAC A-441433
Investigator

__________

From Lt. Albino’s IDPF, here’s a letter pertaining to the discovery, recovery, and definitive identification of his remains.  This document was written by Gerrie Zwanenburg, Identification and Recovery Officer of the Royal Netherlands Air Force on March 9, 1978.  The document is transcribed below.  Two sentences have been redacted out of respect for Lt. Albino, albeit not at all changing the elements of his story.

Report on the recovery of a Lockheed P-38 Lightning at Hoogeveen.

On Sunday, morning the 5th of March 1978, I got a phone call that right in front of the railway station at Hoogeveen, during digging, carried out to make a footpath tunnel under the railway lines, bits and pieces of an aircraft had been found.  (This work was done at night in the week-end to intervene as little as possible with the normal busy day traffic on that railway line.)

Eyewitnesses at the time remembered that during WW2 “an” aircraft had crashed there, and too that the Germans had ordered to fill up the hole as soon as possible to “repair” one of the main railway lines in the Netherlands.  Consequently, main parts of the aircraft could still be there, with possible too, explosives still aboard.

All railway traffic was stopped, pending an investigation and recovery for which the help of the R.N.A.F. was called in.  I arrived there at about 1300 hrs, and was able to identify the aircraft, from part-numbers found on the wreckage, as having been a Lockheed P-38 Lightning

This type of aircraft was mainly used as a fighter, and though hardly any heavy explosives could be expected, it was agreed upon with the railway authorities concerned, to try to recover as much as possible from the aircraft now, to avoid any trouble in the future.  And so the Recovery Team of the R.N.A.F. was called in.

Taking the type of aircraft as well as the situation in count, I gave permission to resume railway traffic, if over one line. 

Work was started, and very soon both ID Tags of the pilot were found, an indication that his remains could also be expected among the wreckage of his aircraft, as those tags usually were carried “on” the man.

Soon pieces of the fuselage, if disintegrated, were recovered, with the armament, 4 X .50 cal machine guns, and one 20 mm cannon, with their ammo __________

Recovery work proceeded well, and at the end of the day railway traffic could be resumed on two lines again.

In the evening the work had to be stopped, but next day, Monday the 6th, it proceeded, now too with the help of the Grave Service experts of the R.N. Army, whom I had called in when the remains of the pilot were recovered.

From the remains as well as from the wreckage itself it could be seen that the aircraft had disintegrated fully on impact, indicating that this P-38 had gone in almost straight with high speed.  This was more or less confirmed by an eyewitness, who was on duty at the railway station at the time, and saw the aircraft crash about 10-15 yards in front of him, going straight through rails and sleepers.  [“Sleeper” is a British english term for railroad tie.]

__________ Together with a lot of ammo, guns and aircraft parts, and on the end of the day, the recovery was finished.

From the wreckage found, it was easy to proof that the aircraft concerned had been a Lockheed P-38 Lightning.  Though some P-38s had been used during the war in a “two-seat” version, the so called “Droop-Snoot”, this one had definitely been a “single-seater”.  For to make room in the nose for the second man, the armament had to be removed.  Yet in this case the normal armament, guns and canon, was recovered.  All this indicating that the remains recovered had to be from the sole occupant of the aircraft, the pilot.

On both recovered ID Tags was the name Albert A. Albino, 0-743300, indicating that he had been an officer in the U.S.A.A.F.  A check revealed that Lt. Albert A. Albino had been a member of the 55th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron, and reported missing on the 29th November 1943.  Too that his name was mentioned on the “Wall of Missing” at Cambridge, indicating that he was still reported “Missing.  Believed killed in action”, with no known grave.

At the time, end November 1943, the 55th Fighter Group, based at Nuthampstead, was the only operational fighter group of the U.S.A.A.F. in England, fully equipped with the P-38 Lightning.

Only one other fighter group, not yet operational, the 20th Fighter Group at Kings Cliffe, was also equipped with the P-38.

On the 29th November 1943 the 55th Fighter Group was assigned for target support for the heavies going to Bremen, and for this mission 10 aircraft of the 77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group, were added to the 55th, to gain operational experience.  They took off around 1300 hrs and crossed the Dutch coast at + 13.50 hrs at 31,000 feet, and the group was bounced by German fighters while still carrying belly tanks.  These were dropped, and a fight took place, during which several aircraft were shot down.  The 55th suffering several losses, while the 77th F.Sq. of the 20th lost one P-38, which crashed near Wanneperveen, a small village some 15 miles west of Hoogeveen.  The pilot Lt. John S. Hascall being killed.  Another aircraft crashed near Koekange, also a small village, some 5 miles WSW of Hoogeveen, the pilot Lt. J.M. Gilbride too being killed.

Official U.S. Documents show that at least 6 P-38s were reported missing on the 29th November 1943, and apart from the one P-38 lost by the 20th Fighter Group, all had to be from the 55th Fighter Group.

Considering all facts and circumstances, evidence found during the recovery, type of aircraft, ID Tags of the pilot, date of crash and operational equipment at the time, there can be in my view hardly any doubt that the human remains, recovered at Hoogeveen, have to be from Lt. Albert A. Albino, reported missing on the 29th November 1943.

Note.  Hoogeveen is on the main railway line from Zwolle to Groningen, some 20 miles NE of Zwolle.

ZEIST, March 9th 1978.
Gerrie J. Zwanenburg.
Royal Neth. Air Force.
Ident. & Recovery Officer.

The discovery of Lieutenant Albino and Spirit of Aberdeen was reported in the Dutch newspapers Het Vrije Volk and Nieuwsblad van het Nooden in March of 1978. 

Here the article from Het Vrije Volk, followed by its translation:

OUD VLIEGTUIGWRAK STREMT TREINVERKEER IN DRENTE

Het Vrije Volk
March 6, 1978

MEPPEL – Het treinverkeer tussen Meppel en Hoogeveen is gisteren lange tijd gestremd geweest na de vondst van een Amerikaans vliegtuigwrak op het station Hoogeveen, tussen het tweede en derde perron.  Omdat men bang was dat er nog bommen in het vliegtuig zouden zitten, werd het treinverkeer stilgelegd.  Reizigers werden met bussen vervoerd.

Bij graafwerkzaamheden voor de aanleg van een tunnel stuitte men zaterdagnacht op de wrakstukken.  Het gaat om een Lockheed Lightning eenpersoonsjachtvliegtuig, dat in november 1943 bij een luchtgevecht boven Zuidwolde op de spoorbaan stortte.  Wegens geldgebrek werd het wrak vlak na de oorlog niet opgeruimd.

Aan de hand van het identiteitsplaatje is de omgekomen Amerikaanse oorlogsvlieger gisteren geïdentificeerd.  Zijn naam wordt pas vrijgegeven als de familie in Amerika is gewaarschuwd.  De oorlogsgravendienst heeft zich over de stoffelijke resten ontfermd.

Onderzoek door de mijnoprui-mingsdienst wees gisteren uit, dat het vliegtuigwrak geen bommen bevatte, maar wel enkele mitrailleurs, granaten en een 20 mm kanon.

Onderschrift: Onder leiding van personeel van de luchtmacht-identificatiedienst worden de resten van het Amerikaanse toestel doorzocht.
–
OLD AIRPLANE WRECK BLOCKS TRAIN TRAFFIC IN DRENTE

The Free People
March 6, 1978

MEPPEL – The train traffic between Meppel and Hoogeveen was obstructed for a long time yesterday after the discovery of an American plane wreck at Hoogeveen station, between the second and third platforms.  Because it was feared that there would still be bombs in the plane, the train traffic was stoppeds.  Travelers were transported by buses.

During excavation work for the construction of a tunnel, the wreckage was found on Saturday night.  [March 4, 1978]  It is a Lockheed Lightning one-man fighter plane, which crashed into the railway in November 1943 during an air battle over Zuidwolde.  Due to a lack of money, the wreck was not cleaned up shortly after the war.

The killed American war flyer was identified yesterday on the basis of an identity disc.  His name is not [being] released until the family in America is notified.  The war graves service took care of the remains.

Investigation by the mine clearance service revealed yesterday that the plane wreckage did not contain bombs, but some machine guns, shells and a 20 mm cannon.

Caption: The remains of the American aircraft are searched under the direction of personnel from the Air Force identification service.

And, the article from Nieuwsblad van het Nooden:

Resten verongelukte piloot geborgen

Geen bommen in wrak onder spoor van Hoogeveen
Resten verongelukte piloot geborgen

Nieuwsblad van het Nooden
editie Stad Groningen en Haren

Maandag
March 6, 1978

(Van een onzer correspondenten)

Onder de spoorbaan bij het station in Hoogeveen zijn gisteren de stoffelijke resten gevonden van de piloot van een Amerikaanse Lockheed Lightning, die op een novembermiddag in 1943 na een luchtgevecht boven Zuidwolde met een Duits vliegtuig neerstortte.

Deoorlogsgravendienst heeft de vlieger aan de hand van gevonden inden-titeitsplaatjes geïdentificeerd, maar wil de naam pas vrij geven nadat de familie in Amerika is ingelicht.

Zaterdagnacht stootte een graafmachine, waarmee een voetgangerstunneltje onder spoorbaan wordt gegraven, op de resten van het neergestorte vliegtuig.  Omdat men vreesde dat er nog explosieven in het wrak zouden zitten, werd het werk gestaakt en werd besloten het treinverkeer tussen Hoogeveen en Meppel stil te leggen.  Mensen van de Mijnopruimingsdienst vonden gistermorgen in het wrak een granaat, een mitrailleur en een 20 mm-kanon.  Tegen half drie kon het treinverkeer over één baan weer rijden, en aan het begin van de avond liepen de treinen tussen Hoogeveen en Meppel weer normaal.  In de komende dagen wil men proberen het wrak te bergen.

Vlak na de oorlog werd al geprobeerd het vliegtuigwrak onder de spoorbaan weg te halen, maar vanwege de kosten zag men daar van af.  In 1972 werden bij het graven van een tunneltje onder een der spoorbanen metaalresten ontdekt.  Omdat men toen aannam dat de rest van het vliegtuig diep in de veenachtige bodem zou zijn gezonken, werd toen niet verder gegraven.

In november 1943 stortte het vliegtuig net buiten de overkapping van het station op de rils.  Het station vloog daarbij in brand.  Het gat dat in de spoorbaan was geslagen werd gedicht door de Duitsers en de rails werden hersteld.  De bezetters wilden dat de treinen weer zo snel mogelijk konden rijden; onder meer voor de jodentransporten naar Westerbork.

Foto links: Met een graafmachine werden de wrakstukken onder de spoorbaan weggehaald.

Foto rechts; de resten van het vliegtuig, bommen waren er niet bij.

Remains of crashed pilot recovered

No bombs In Wreckage Under Tracks of Hoogeveen
Remains of Crashed Pilot Recovered

Newspaper of the North
City Edition of Groningen and Haren

Monday
March 6, 1978

(From one of our correspondents)

Yesterday the remains of the pilot of an American Lockheed Lightning, who crashed with a German plane on a November afternoon in 1943 after a dogfight above Zuidwolde, were found under the railway at the station in Hoogeveen.

The War Graves Service has identified the pilot on the basis of identifying tags found, but will only release the name after informing the family in America.

On Saturday night, an excavator, with which a pedestrian tunnel is being dug under a railway track, hit the remains of the crashed plane.  Because it was feared that there would still be explosives in the wreckage, the work was stopped and it was decided to stop the train traffic between Hoogeveen and Meppel.  Yesterday morning people of the Mine Clearing Service found a canon shell, a machine gun and a 20 mm cannon in the wreckage.  By half past two train traffic could run on one lane again, and at the beginning of the evening the trains between Hoogeveen and Meppel were running normally again.  In the coming days they want to try to salvage the wreck.

Shortly after the war, attempts were made to remove the plane wreckage from under the railway, but because of the costs they decided not to do so.  In 1972, metal remains were discovered during the digging of a tunnel under one of the railways.  Because it was then assumed that the rest of the aircraft would have sunk deep into the peaty bottom, digging was not continued.

In November 1943 the plane crashed on the rails just outside the canopy of the station.  The station caught fire.  The hole that had been made in the track was closed by the Germans and the rails were repaired.  The occupiers wanted the trains to run as fast as possible again; including for the Jewish transport to Westerbork.

Photo left: The wreckage was removed from under the railway with an excavator.
Photo right: The remains of the plane, bombs were not there.

From August through September of 1979, American newspapers published an Associated Press news article by Robert H. Reid describing the Army’s search for and identification of WW II MIAs, briefly mentioning the discovery and identification Lt. Albino.  The following is a transcript of the article as it appeared in the The Journal – News Insight of Rockland County, N.Y., on August 30, 1979, forty-one years and a different country (and world) ago.

Missing in Action for 34 years

FRANKFURT, West Germany (AP) — Thirty-four years after the guns fell silent, the U S Army is still looking for remains of some of the 19,500 American soldiers missing in action in Europe during World War 11

Most will remain lost forever in the shallow graves where they fell in France, West Germany, Belgium, Holland or elsewhere in Western Europe and in North Africa.

The Army ended its large scale search for World War II MIAs a decade ago, but from time to time, construction workers, farmers and souvenir hunters unearth remains of young GIs, some still wearing their dog tag or clutching their weapons.

Eleven bodies of Americans killed in World War II have been found in Europe since December 1977, the Army says Morticians can identify only four of them.

The task of recovering, identifying and disposing of the remains falls to the Memorial Affairs Activity, 40-member unit of soldiers and civilians which serves as the Army’s funeral home in Europe

If remains can be identified, they are buried in military cemeteries in Europe or shipped to the United States, according to the wishes of the family.  Those who cannot be identified are buried in American cemeteries in Europe under tombstones reading, “Known Only to God.”  “We take a seven-man firing squad and six pallbearers and conduct full military honors for them, said John Rogers Jr., a former funeral director from Frankfort, Ky., who serves as the unit’s chief mortician

“They practice under my supervision prior to each funeral,” he added, “so the service will be dignified.”  The unit’s next funeral is set for Sept 10 at the Ardennes Cemetery in Belgium for Sgt. James Becker of Texas, who crashed with his bomber in northern Germany in 1944. 

A farmer unearthed the remains in a peat bog in January 1977, Rogers said.  The body of the slender, 20-year-old sergeant was wrapped in a parachute, and his high school ring and watch were found in the grave.  The Army-issue watch had stopped at 1:19. 

“We were lucky with the Becker case,” said Rogers “But identification can be difficult.  It’s not like the Vietnam War, where every bit of information on the individual went into a computer after someone became missing.”

Discoveries are often made by construction crews, and the remains of young American infantrymen aviators and lank crewmen become grim reminder of an era when Europe was not prosperous and peaceful. 

“We found one near the train station in Hoogeveen, Holland.”  Rogers said “They were building an underground pedestrian tunnel when they found fragments of an aircraft.”

Inside the single-seat fighter was the body of 2nd Lt Albert Albino, missing since 1939 German occupation forces had bulldozed over the crash site presumably so the railroad tracks could be repaired as soon as possible.

Not all searches find remains

“I took a graves registration team and scuba diver to Omaha Beach last June after a French diver said he saw some Sherman tanks with their hatches down submerged in the water,” Rogers said

“We spent four days searching but couldn’t find them.  The French Navy promised to search the area with sonar equipment, if they find them, we’ll go back.”

Last November a West German told U S officials in France he knew of a mass grave of 17 or 18 American paratroopers near Saales, France.  The German, who was not identified, said that as a young soldier he had seen the American prisoners marched off into the woods by Nazi SS troops.  The Nazis emerged later without their prisoners

A team from the Frankfurt unit searched the area but were unable to find the grave site.  The German said the area had changed too much over the years, Rogers said.

Rogers and his team use medical and dental records and old battlefield reports to try to identify the remains.  The painstaking process can lake months and is often futile.

“Sometimes we know they are Americans simply by the fact that they are carrying American equipment,” he said.

For the families of the victims, the discoveries can bring back the pain the years have tried to erase – or ease the ache.  “Last September, we found one under the street in Metz, France said Rogers.  “We recovered his dog tags, made the identification and shipped the body home to the widow.  They said she had never remarried and now could accept that her husband was dead.”

An Oogle map of Hoogeveen.

A map view of the city at a larger scale, with the crash site denoted by a red oval.

From Oogle Map View to Oogle Street View: This is a 2009 view of the entrance to the Hoogeveen train station.  The arched metal structure in the center of the image is the entrance to the underground walkway connecting opposite sides of the passenger platform, mentioned in Gerrie Zwanenburg’s 1978 report.  It was during the construction of this tunnel that Lt. Albino’s remains and parts of Spirit of Aberdeen were found.

A 2020 view of the Hoogeveen train station from the platform opposite that shown in the above image.  The pedestrian tunnel (and an elevator?) are in the center of the image.  Though I don’t know for certain, it seems from the above documents that Spririt of Aberdeen impacted either at the present site of the pedestrian tunnel, or, directly into the railroad tracks adjacent to the present-day platform, in line with the tunnel. 

Part of a propeller blade from Spirit of Aberdeen was saved after the plane’s 1978 excavation and identification, and incorporated into a monument – situated near the entrance to the passenger tunne – commemorating Lt. Albino.  The monument and explanatory placard can be viewed at Traces Of War. 

From the Hoogeveen Commemoration and Memorial Facebook page, here’s an image of the shattered propeller blade, set in its rusted mount, which gives testimony to the devastating force of the plane’s impact.  The photo was presumably taken on, or more likely before, the Facebook page date of March 16, 2016. 

Text on the page states:

Herdenken, we hebben het er maar moeilijk mee.  We zetten een steen en een tekst erop, zonder dat de inhoud klopt met wat er is gebeurd.  We maken naamplaten, afgaand op indrukken van enkelingen, en hebben niet vooraf kennis gekoppeld, zodat we mensen vergeten.  Of we plaatsen een vierde gedenkteken in Hoogeveen waar Albert Albino op wordt herdacht, zonder ook maar iets erbij te vermelden van al die andere mensen die in verband met ons station om het leven zijn gekomen.  De gemeente onthult alles, zonder de vraag van voorgaand en getoetst onderzoek …

The English translation reveals that the message is one of pride in memorializing Lt. Albino, yet ambivalence about the (then) lack of attention to the wartime deaths of Dutch civilians at Hoogeveen station.  Thus: 

Remember, we have a hard time with it.  We put a stone and a text on it, without the content being consistent with what happened.  We make name plates, based on impressions of individuals, and have not linked knowledge beforehand, so that we forget people.  Or we place a fourth memorial in Hoogeveen on which Albert Albino is commemorated, without mentioning anything about all those other people who died in connection with our station.  The municipality reveals everything, without asking for previous and tested research …

As the following accounts show, whether the propeller blade still exists at the station, or exists anywhere “period”, is uncertain:  It seems (?) that the propeller blade was stolen in 2015, as reported in this article from May 21 of that year, by Serge Vinkenvleugel.

Oorlogsmonument bij station Hoogeveen gestolen

HOOGEVEEN – De propeller van het in 1943 neergestorte vliegtuig bij station Hoogeveen is verdwenen.  De vernieling en diefstal van het oorlogsmonument werd dinsdagochtend ontdekt.

Geschreven door serge vinkenvleugel

Wie er verantwoordelijk is voor de diefstal is niet bekend.  Er is nog geen aangifte gedaan door de gemeente, de eigenaar van het monument.  Op de sokkel liggen nog een paar bouten waarmee het propellerblad vastzat.

Monument van vliegtuigwrak
Het monument is gemaakt van een propellerblad van het op 29 november 1943 neergestorte Lockheed p-38 Lightning vliegtuig van vliegenier Albert A. Albino.  Het staat op de plek waar het vliegtuig 70 jaar geleden is neergestort.  De Amerikaanse jager stortte neer na een luchtgevecht met een Duits vliegtuig.

Pas in 1978 geborgen
Omdat het vliegtuig tussen de rails was neergestort, werden het wrak en de piloot niet meteen geborgen.  De Duitsers gooiden de krater van de inslag dicht en herstelden snel de rails.  De spoorlijn was voor hen van belang voor het transporteren van joden naar doorgangskamp Westerbork.  Pas in 1978, bij de bouw van een tunnel onder station Hoogeveen, kwamen de stoffelijke resten van de piloot en de wrakstukken van het toestel naar boven.

Monument is particulier initiatief
Initiatiefnemer van het monument is de Hoogevener Bé Thalen.  Thalen was eigenaar van het propellerblad van het vliegtuig.  Hij kreeg het wrakstuk in 2002 in bezit na een faillissementsverkoop op vliegveld Hoogeveen.  Daarvoor maakte de propeller jarenlang omzwervingen door Hoogeveen, stond in schuurtjes en heeft zelfs nog als reclameobject gediend.  Thalen heeft de restauratie van het propellerblad en de plaatsing van het monument zelf betaald.

Trommelslager ook verdwenen
Het is de tweede verdwijning van een monument in korte tijd in Hoogeveen.  In april verdween ook de trommelslager, het beeld voor de Grote Kerk in het centrum.

Translation:

War Memorial Stolen from Hoogeveen Station

HOOGEVEEN – The propeller of the aircraft that crashed in 1943 near Hoogeveen station has disappeared.  The destruction and theft of the war memorial was discovered Tuesday morning.

Written by Serge Vinkenvleugel

It is not known who is responsible for the theft.  No declaration has yet been made by the municipality, the owner of the monument.  On the plinth are a few bolts with which the propeller blade was attached.

Monument to plane wreckage
The memorial is made from a propeller blade of the Lockheed P-38 Lightning aircraft belonging to aviator Albert A. Albino, which crashed on November 29, 1943.  It stands on the spot where the plane crashed 70 years ago.  The American fighter crashed after a dogfight with a German plane.

Only salvaged in 1978
Because the plane had crashed between the rails, the wreckage and the pilot were not immediately recovered.  The Germans closed the crater of the impact and quickly repaired the rails.  The railway was important to them for transporting Jews to the Westerbork transit camp.  Only in 1978, during the construction of a tunnel under Hoogeveen station, did the remains of the pilot and the wreckage of the aircraft surface.

Monument is private initiative
Initiator of the monument is the Hoogevener Bé Thalen.  Thalen owned the aircraft’s propeller blade.  He acquired the wreckage in 2002 after a bankruptcy sale at Hoogeveen airport.  Before that, the propeller wandered through Hoogeveen for years, stood in sheds and even served as an advertising object.  Thalen paid for the restoration of the propeller blade and the placement of the monument himself.

Drummer also disappeared
It is the second disappearance of a monument in Hoogeveen in a short time.  In April, “the drummer”, the statue in front of the Grote Kerk in the center, also disappeared.

As of 2019, a monument to Lt. Albino still exists, but with a difference:

This article by Lydia Tuijnman from May of that year shows the official Army Air Force photo of Lieutenants Albino and Carroll (B1 79830AC / A14145 1A):  “Lt. Albert A. Albino [left] of Aberdeen, Wash., and Lt. John J. Carroll of Detroit, Mich., both members of the 38th Fighter Squadron stationed at Nuthampstead, England, discuss the map of a future target in the squadron pilot room.”

The article is acompanied by Gerrit Boxem’s photo of the monument, on which is mounted a propeller.  But, something is very (very) “off” about this:  The propeller is entirely intact; entirely undamaged; entirely unbent.  The chances of this, gven the physical circumstances of the Sprit of Aberdeen’s loss, would be miniscule, at best.

Well, according to Traces Of War, there’s now a memorial plaque at the Hoogeveen station commemorating “staff members of the Dutch Railways, Soldiers and Citizens’ Victims” at that locality, Lt. Albino among them.    

In 1978, at the request of his brother, Lt. Albino’s remains were returned to the United States for burial, upon which he was interred at Mount Calvary Cemetery, in Portland (Section W, Plot 653) that October.  I suppose his engraved name still exists on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, in Cambridgeshire, England, like that of Major Joel. 

The mission of November 29 was his eighth.

Next: Part IX – The Major – Still Missing

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]

[This post, created on November 20, 2020 and updated on December 1, has been updated yet again.  The post now includes: 1) An area map and formation diagrams that provide a more accurate and clearer representation of the nature of the 55th Fighter Group’s encounter with the Luftwaffe on November 29, 1943, and 2) Specific information about what befell three pilots of 7./JG 1, one of the four Luftwaffe Gruppen that intercepted the 55th.  Where necessary, other parts of the account have been corrected, updated, or otherwise fixified.  Scroll on down for a look…!]

Part VII: A Battle in The Air

What befell the 38th Fighter Squadron and 55th Fighter Group on the mission of November 29, 1943? 

For this question, there is an answer.

What happened to Major Joel on that date? 

For this question, there is conjecture. 

And, for both questions, the best approach lies in understanding the day’s events through information in Squadron Mission Reports, and, Missing Air Crew Reports.  By correlating and arranging information from these two sets of documents, it’s possible to create a chronology – that does not exist within any single document – of the Lightning pilots’ encounter with the Luftwaffe, which is presented, below.  On reading it, you might want to refer to the post covering the account of the 55th Fighter Group’s bomber escort mission of November 29, 1943.  

But first, a digression about the performance of the P-38 Lightning…

Why? 

This comes by way of postwar recollections of Major Joel from three people who either knew him “in person” or indirectly: two family friends, and, a relative:

From Sara F. Markham, the best friend of Milton’s wife Elaine (Ebenstein) Joel…

“I want to thank you for all the material you sent, especially the MACR report.  All these years later [writing in 1990s], I still find it disquieting to read this sort of thing.  Funny, the report I had from the Joels at the time … and from Elaine Friedlich (Elaine’s surname after she remarried) was that Milton, heading back from his mission, saw one of his Lightnings being strafed by two German fighters and he turned back to help that plane.”

From Milton’s friend, Arthur Kamsky…

“He had the bad luck of flying a plane so badly designed that no amount of skill could be of much use.”

From Bettie J. Jacob, Milton’s cousin…

“Milton lived and breathed as a fighter pilot. …  We were told after he was declared missing in action that most of the planes in the squadrons broke ranks and fled the scene when the nearly 100 German planes attacked.  There were only four planes left to fight, and one of the pilots states he saw Milton get hit.  He felt that Milton was killed outright, as he felt Milton could have bailed out otherwise.  No trace of Milton was ever found.”

A central “take-away” from the above comments, especially in light of the events of the 29th of November, is the number of P-38s that aborted the mission.  This raises a question about the P-38’s very quality as a fighter plane in general, and its use in the European Theater of War – specifically as a bomber escort fighter by the Eighth Air Force – in particular. 

To address this issue, fitting answers can be found in Bert Kinzey’s two Detail & Scale volumes on the aircraft (both published in 1998), which summarize the design, technical development, and combat use of the Lighting.  The most relevant comments from these books are given below, with the most pertinent passages italicized:

Part 1: XP-38 Through P-38H

“In England, General Ira Eaker did not want fighters escorting his bombers, and they were left with little to do.  Within a few short months, the 1st, 14th, and 82nd Fighter Groups were sent to North Africa to support the Allied forces battling Rommel’s Afrika Corps.  The 78th Fighter Group arrived in England in January 1943, but it too was sent to North Africa, mostly to replace combat losses in the first three groups.  Initial fighting in North Africa was against some of the best pilots and equipment in the Luftwaffe, and the unseasoned Lightning pilots initially suffered heavy losses as they gained valuable experience in combat.  Finally, they began to turn the tide and provide an excellent account of themselves.  Later, the 1st, 14th, and 82nd Fighter Groups would be relocated near Foggia in southern Italy and reassigned as part of the Fifteenth Air Force when the Allies moved from Sicily on to the Italian mainland.

“Back in England, it became evident that the USAAF was losing bombers at an unacceptable rate.  Early P-47 Thunderbolts simply did not have the range to escort the B-17s and B-24s all the way to their targets and back.  As a result, the Luftwaffe’s fighter pilots simply waited until the Thunderbolts had to turn back to their bases, then they attacked the unescorted bombers with devastating results.

“In October 1943, the 55th Fighter Group became the first Lightning unit to enter combat with the Eighth Air Force.  The 20th, 364th, and 479th Fighter Groups were also assigned to the Eighth Air Force while flying Lightnings, and in the Ninth Air Force, the 474th, 367th and 370th Fighter Groups flew P-38s.  At the height of its deployment to the ETO, thirty fighter squadrons and twelve reconnaissance squadrons flew Lightnings at one time or another.

“In England, the Lightning proved to be a very capable aircraft, and in the hands of a skilled pilot, it was as good or better than the Luftwaffe fighters it encountered.  But it was also plagued with mechanical difficulties.  The cockpit heating and defrosting were inadequate on early versions, and there were digestive problems with the engines at high altitudes.  It has been argued by other authors that this was due to the cold damp European weather conditions, but temperatures and humidity are generally the same around the world at altitudes greater than 25,000 feet where these problems occurred.  In the Pacific, Lightnings established a great record for reliability regardless of altitude and temperature.  Based on all the facts, it is evident that the poor quality British fuels were to blame, because they proved unsuitable for use in turbo-supercharged inline engines.  Power-plants with two-speed, two-stage, mechanical superchargers, and even radial engines with turbo-superchargers did not have the same ingestive problems with the British fuels, but the combination of an inline engine and a turbo-supercharger always did.  To correct the problem in Europe, Kelly Johnson proposed replacing the turbo-supercharged Allisons with Merlins and mechanical supercharging.  While this undoubtedly would have resulted in a fighter of superior performance, the Merlins were considered more valuable for other fighters.”

Perhaps Mr. Kinsey’s comments were addressing the following statement, which appears in Roger Freeman’s 1970 The Mighty Eighth.

“The P-38, supposedly a proven fighter, had been dogged with mechanical failure on these first missions.  The extremely low temperatures encountered at altitudes above 20,000 ft was the primary cause of the engine trouble.  At -50° lubricating oil became sluggish and the sudden application of full power, particularly in a climb, could cause piston rod bearings to break up with dire consequences.  Above 22,000 ft the Allison engines would also begin to throw oil, in fact, oil consumption rose from an average 1 to 2 quarts an hour at lower altitudes, to 4 to 8 above 22,000 ft.  This reduced engine life to average 80 odd hours – almost half normal operating time at lower altitudes.  Turbo-supercharger regulators also gave trouble, eventually traced to moisture from the vapour trail, gathering behind the engine exhaust stubs, getting into the balance lines and freezing.  The vapour trails were also a tactical handicap for they marked the passage of a Lightning through the upper air by distinctive twin trails, that could be discerned up to 4 miles away.  Whereas Luftwaffe pilots could not distinguish between the single trails made by Spitfires or Thunderbolts, or their own 109s and 190s, they were able to recognise Lightning formations in this way.”

Part 2: P-38J Through P-38M

“… the Lightnings did a good job in Europe, and because of their distinctive design, they were easily distinguishable from other aircraft.  This feature made them excellent escorts, because gunners in the bombers could easily tell them from the enemy fighters.  On June 6, 1944, when the invasion of France began, P-38s were assigned to provide air protection over the fleet and beaches, so that the sailors on the ships and the soldiers on the ground could quickly recognize them as friendly.

“Once Jimmy Doolittle relieved Ira Eaker as commander of the Eighth Air Force, he openly stated his desire that all fighter groups transition to the P-51 Mustang.  The P-51B, C, and D versions of the Mustang were equipped with a Packard Merlin engine with a two-stage, two-speed supercharger that did not have a problem with British fuels.  These Mustangs also offered the necessary range capabilities to escort the bombers to targets that only the P-38 could reach previously.  At war’s end, only the 56th Fighter Group was still flying P-47 Thunderbolts in the Eighth Air Force, and no P-38s remained.  In the Ninth Air Force, only the 474th Fighter Group was still flying Lightnings on VE day.

“In the Pacific, it was a completely different story.  General George Kenney demanded more and more P-38s at the exclusion of all other fighters, much as General Doolittle did with the P-51 in the 8th Air Force.  The Lightning, with its significant range capabilities, was ideally suited as a land-based fighter throughout the Pacific from Australia to the Aleutians.  Its heavy firepower could knock down a Japanese aircraft in a matter of a few seconds, and as a result, the P-38 scored more aerial victories in the Pacific than any other USAAF fighter.  Using high grade American fuels, its performance and reliability were exceptional.”

Want to learn more about the P-38 in combat in the European Theater of War?  For a deeper technical and historical analysis of the Lightning in combat, with particular coverage of the aircraft’s unappreciated service as a bomber escort fighter in the 8th Air Force – with particular attention to the plane’s service in the 55th and 20th Fighter Groups, much more than can be presented “here” – I very (very!) highly recommended Dr. Carlo Kopp’s Der Gabelschwanz Teufel – Assessing the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, at Air Power Australia.  (Technical Report APA-TR-2010-1201.)

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And so, to return to the mission…

[Updates to this map from its initial version include the following: 1) The crash locations of three Me-109G-6s of the Seventh Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1, lost (directly or indirectly) as a result of III./JG 1’s engagement with the 55th Fighter Group’s Lightnings, 2) An adjustment to the easternmost “leg” of the 55th Fighter Group’s intended course into Germany (the 55th Fighter Group never actually entered Germany), 3) The crash locations, as much as they can be pinpointed on this ultra-small-scale digital map, of 38th Fighter Squadron pilots Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride, 4) The serial numbers of the lost P-38s and the three above-mentioned Me-109G-6s.  Information about the three 7./JG 1 losses, and the crash locations of Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride, comes from Part 2 of Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog.]

Maps symbols and colors indicate the following:

Bright blue line extending west to east across the Netherlands to a point near the Dutch-German border indicates the approximate or intended course of the 55th Fighter Group for a rendezvous with 8th Air Force bombers.

Black triangle shows the approximate area where the Luftwaffe initially assumed it would intercept the 55th Fighter Group’s P-38s, as explained in the book Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 (Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11: Used in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945).

Blue ovals with names adjacent indicate the last reported or assumed location of P-38 losses, based on information in Missing Air Crew Reports.

Red ovals with names adjacent indicate the actual locations where the P-38s were lost.  Notice that there’s no blue oval for Lt. Hascall, because his P-38 was last sighted over the North Sea, at a point “west” of (to the left of) this map view, and Lieutenant Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman, because he definitely crashed at Hondschoote, France (again, well “off the map”).  More information will be presented about Lt. Garvin’s fate in subsequent posts.    

The location of Major Joel’s loss remains unknown.  Some sources suggest the crash location was Marken Island in the Markermeer, indicated by a yellow oval. 

In subsequent posts, I’ll discuss why I believe this location is incorrect. 

Black ovals with names adjacent indicate the loss locations of three Me-109G-6s of 7./JG 1.  (More about this below.)

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To return to the story…

Let’s start with the central points from the records of the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons, and to a much lesser extent, the 343rd squadron history, for the November 29 mission:

38th Fighter Squadron…

1) The 38th Fighter Squadron was depleted to a little over half its strength – from sixteen to nine aircraft – by the time it was intercepted by Me-109s.  The seven planes that left the squadron returned to Nuthampstead between 1344 and 1549;
2) The squadron was attacked head-on, from a higher altitude, by over forty enemy aircraft: a ratio of over four to one;
3) Interception by German fighters commenced at 1410, with the Squadron being engaged in combat through 1440 – at least a half-hour. 
4) Major Joel was reportedly shot down at @ 1440.  (Oddly, this is contradicted by Lt. Wyche’s account, which suggests that the Major was shot down at 14:15.);
5) There is no evidence – at least, nothing was recorded – to the effect that the 38th was ever able to rendezvous with the B-17s it had been assigned to escort;
6) The continent was overcast at 27,000 feet. 

338th Fighter Squadron…

1) The 338th, comprised of fourteen aircraft, departed Nuthampstead after the 38th, at 1259 hours;
2) The squadron was depleted from fourteen aircraft to eight by the time it was intercepted, thus substantially reducing its strength;
3) Like the 38th, the 338th was intercepted by a large number of German fighters (in this case, over 30).  The enemy planes attacked the squadron – flying at 31,500 feet – head-on, from the slightly higher altitude of 32,000 feet;
4) The 338th lost contact with the other “squadron” (squadrons?) of the 55th during combat with German fighters;
5) The squadron was unable to rendezvous with the B-17s it was assigned to escort;
6) A significant observation:  “Enemy attack seemed definitely intended as interception of our squadron and other E/A were observed in distance to each side and above.”  And, this, “One P-38 observed by several members of squadron going into overcast shortly after initial engagement apparently out of control.”;
7) Weather conditions ranged from half to nearly complete cloud cover over the English Channel, to complete overcast over the continent. 

343rd Fighter Squadron (what is known…)

1) This squadron was unable to rendezvous with the B-17s;
2) The squadron was outnumbered by enemy planes. 

All records combined: A chronological summary of the 55th Fighter Group’s mission of November 29, 1943…

Departure from England…

The 38th Fighter Squadron departed Nuthampstead first, followed by the 338th Fighter Squadron, and lastly the 343rd Fighter Squadron.  The horizontal and vertical “spacing” between the three squadrons, and locations of the the squadrons relative to one another aren’t known, but the squadrons eventually arrived over continental Europe: specifically Northern Holland, in an area bounded by the cities of Groningen, Emmen, Zwolle, and Leeuwarden.

The 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons are depleted by over half their strength…

Between 1344 and 1549, seven planes of the 38th returned to Nuthampstead. 

Between 1351 and 1425, six 338th aircraft also returned.

As for the 343rd, based on Capt. Franklin’s statement in MACR 1272 (pertaining to his wingman, 2 Lt. James W. Gilbride), the Captain’s second element – comprising an unidentified pilot accompanied by 2 Lt. Harold M. Bauer – returned to England, diminishing the 343rd from fourteen to twelve aircraft. 

In sum, though the 55th Fighter Group began this mission with 42 aircraft, by the time it was intercepted by German fighters, it had been diminished to 27 planes, or somewhat over 60% of its original strength, primarily – as far as is known – among the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons.  This assumes that only two P-38s returned from the 343rd.  This number does not include the 55th Fighter Group’s spares, or, Second Lieutenants John S. Hascall, Robert D. Frakes, and eight other pilots of the 77th Fighter Squadron (20th Fighter Group), the ten of whom tacked on to the 55th as spares for operational experience.  It’s unknown if any of the latter eight 77th FS P-38s returned to England early.

The Luftwaffe intercepts the 38th and 338th Fighter Squadrons.  This possibly (possibly) occurred over Borger, in the Netherlands (about halfway between Assen and Emmen, at the middle of the right leg of the “triangle” mapped above) based on a P-38 victory claimed by Oberleutnant Erich Buchholz of 9./JG 1 at 15:15.  Thus, the vicinity of Borger may have marked the farthest “reach” of the 55th Fighter Group on this mission.  

The 38th Fighter Squadron was intercepted by Me-109s between 1410 and 1415. 

The 338th was similarly intercepted by Me-109s.  The specific time of this event is not given, but is it known that the squadron was over the continent by 1347.  So, the 338th’s interception occurred not long after, and probably at the same time as that of the 38th.  As the 338th Mission report observed, “Enemy attack seemed definitely intended as interception of our squadron.” 

The German fighters (Me-109Gs) attacked both squadrons head-on from a higher altitude, and in a general sense from the east: out of the sun.  However, it’s notable that in the MACR for Lt. Albino, Capt. Thomas E. Beaird states that the German planes also attacked from “8 o’clock”.  This would indicate a simultaneous attack – at least, against the 38th – from both front and rear.

The depleted and outnumbered 38th and 338th were engaged in combat with the Me-109s from this time on, with the 338th reportedly losing contact with the other “squadron” (the 38th, or, the 38th and 343rd both?) during the engagement. 

Major Joel and his wingman (Lt. Garvin), and Lieutenants Wyche and Carroll break into the attack…

By this time, it appears that Major Joel was attempting to reform his nine remaining planes into two flights.  Then, at the moment of III./JG1’s attack (14:15) from the 38th’s three o’clock position, the Major ordered a “break” into the Germans’ bounce, the Major and Lieutenant Garvin making a 90-degree turn to the right.  They were followed by an element led by Lt. Wilton E. Wyche and his wingman, Lt. John J. Carroll, who were at first situated 300 yards to the right of Joel and Garvin.  As the flight turned, Lt. Wyche wound up to the left of the Major and his wingman.  Then – alone, after losing sight of Joel, Garvin, and Carroll – Wyche saw six Me-109s coming into attack from their rear (7 o’clock) position.  He called a left break, but entered an accelerated stall and spun out of the ad-hoc formation, recovering below.

(Wikipedia’s definition of an aerial combat “break”?  “Spotting an attacker approaching from behind, the defender will usually break. The maneuver consists of turning sharply across the attacker’s flight path, to increase AOT (angle off tail). The defender is exposed to the attacker’s guns for only a brief instant (snapshot). The maneuver works well because the slower moving defender has a smaller turn radius and bigger angular velocity, and a target with a high crossing speed (where the bearing to the target is changing rapidly) is very difficult to shoot. This can also help to force the attacker to overshoot, which may not be true had the turn been made away from the attacker’s flight path.”)

Captain Ayers has a last glimpse of Major Joel and Lt. Carroll, and then shoots down an attacking Me-109…

From a different vantage point, Captain Jerry Ayers reported that as his own flight followed Major Joel and Lt. Carroll in an effort to provide cover for them, his flight’s planes were, “bounced by units from a group of about 40 enemy aircraft from one or two o’clock out of the sun,” and he broke into the attack to engage the German planes.  As stated in the MACR, “At the time of the first break was the last time that I saw Major Joel and his wingman, Lt. Garvin, that I could recognize them.” 

This was the last moment when Lieutenant Garvin was witnessed with any certainty.

While defending the two P-38s, Captain Ayers shot down the leader of a pair of Me-109s which attempted to attack the Major and Lt. Carroll from their two to three o’clock position.  As he closed from 350 to 250 yards and fired from approximately 90 to 45 degrees deflection, the German fighter caught fire and went into a spiral out of control, witnessed by Ayers’ wingman, Capt. Thomas E. Beaird, Jr.  This was the only victory officially credited to the 55h Fighter Group that day, the other having gone to Captain Chester A. Patterson of the 338th Fighter Squadron.  

Ayers was forced to break off his attack because of four Me-109s approaching from behind, thus losing sight of Major Joel.

Major Joel and Lieutenant Carroll form up and attempt to rejoin the rest of the 55th Fighter Group…

As Lt. Carroll wrote after the war, Joel, Garvin, and Wyche were “cut off by a gaggle of Me-109s and the group was headed away from us in a westerly direction”.  Separated from other 38th Fighter Squadron planes, Major Joel and Lieutenant Carroll presumably flew west, gong into a defensive maneuver dubbed the “weave formation”.  This refers to the Thach Weave, a nice explanation of which van be viewed in the video (below) from Brian Young’s YouTube channel, which pertains to the use of the Thach Weave by F4F Wildcats in defense against Mitsubishi Zeros.

Lt. Carroll witnesses the loss of Lt. Albino…

After the first weave maneuver “pass by”, Lt. Carroll witnessed a P-38 – pilot unknown; he surmised Lieutenant Albino or Garvin – descending, trailing smoke, “minus a section of tail”.  (As I discovered while researching this battle, Lt. Carroll was correct in his assumption: The burning P-38 was Lt. Albino’s Spirit of Aberdeen.  Based upon the location where the Spirit of Aberdeen crashed, this event definitely occurred directly over the city of Hoogeveen, evidence for this being presented in the next post.

The last sight of Major Joel…

At the crest of his third turn in their “weave”, at a point between Hoogeveen and the farm community of Zwartewatersklooster, Lt. Carroll witnessed a P-38 at a point in space where Major Joel’s “flying wolf” was to have been expected, “seemingly to disintegrate”.  

A moment later, Lt. Carroll came under attack.  His right engine aflame and instrument panel damaged, he rolled his badly damaged plane over, went into a vertical dive, and, recovering below, took a heading for England using his still operating magnetic compass.

Captain Rufus Franklin and his wingman, Lt. James Gilbride, as a team break formation from their Squadron (the 343rd) to go to the aid of the outnumbered remnants of 38th Fighter Squadron.  They arrive just in time to disrupt the attack of III.JG/ 1, saving the lives of at least three (and almost four) 38th Fighter Squadron pilots…

Captain Rufus C. Franklin of the 343rd Fighter Squadron reported in detail about the loss of both Lt. Gilbride and Major Joel.  (The following account is a composite from his statements in the MACRs for Major Joel and Lt. Gilbride.)

Captain Franklin reported that at 1210 (probably an error, the time likely having been 1410) “many bandits” were approaching from a lower altitude in the “target area”.  At that point, Group Commander Col. Frank B. James started a turn to meet the German planes.  The “main body of the group” (whether by this Capt. Franklin meant the 343rd alone, or, the 343rd and 338th both, is unspecified) then went into a right Lufbery Circle.  

Though Captain Franklin had by this time lost his second element, Lt. Gilbride remained with him in an “excellent manner”.  The main “group” remained in the Lufbery Circle, but Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride would “break out” from time to time to see if another attack was imminent.

After two complete turns, the “group” started back to England. 

Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride followed, assuming that Colonel James was leading.  However, the Colonel was not: Captain Franklin specifically mentions that from this moment on, Colonel James was no longer leading the group, which is consistent with the 338th’s Mission Report of the Colonel having returned to England alone. 

Captain Franklin reported that as the main body of planes headed back to Nuthampstead, pilots were heard, “calling for help from “far behind us,” specifically including Major Joel.  Later, Lt. Erickson, in his own Encounter Report, mentioned that Captain Ayers was also radioing for help.  

The rest of “group” continued on its way. 

Then, “Just as I had almost decided to go back and help the boys calling repeatedly, the Group started a turn and appeared to be going back but instead made a tight 360 degree turn and went away from the fight again.  I could see the fight behind us as the Group made the turn and I broke out – Lt. Gilbride and I went back to help.”

It took Franklin and Gilbride “several minutes” to reach the fight. 

As the pair neared the 38th Fighter Squadron’s P-38s, they saw, “five P-38’s engaged and each had from one to three ME 109s on its tail.  Just before we went into the fight one P-38 rolled over and went down with its left engine leaving a very long and very heavy trail of black smoke and with a 109 directly behind.”  (They had witnessed the fall of either Lt. Carroll or Lt. Albino.)

Franklin and Gilbride flew directly into the midst of the gaggle, the surprised German pilots rolling and climbing away from the P-38s. 

The four surviving P-38s headed back to England, even as Franklin and Gilbride made a 180-degree turn to join them.

Then, a (then) unidentified 38th FS P-38 “ran away” from the other Lightnings.  The other three P-38s, along with Capt. Franklin, and Lt. Gilbride, were given chase by five Me-109s as the little group of American planes headed west.  As will be seen in the next post, the P-38 that pulled away was piloted by Lieutenant Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman.

Lieutenant Gilbride is shot down…

The P-38s attempted to outrun their pursuers, but could not. 

Captain Franklin’s left turbosupercharger stopped working and his port engine began to lose oil, and, two of the other P-38s weren’t fast enough to pull away from the German planes.  The five Me-109s closed upon Franklin and Gilbride to a distance of 800 yards while remaining to the side and above, with one particular Me-109 alternately latching onto the tail of the element leader and his wingman, moving laterally between the two, approaching to with 400 yards of each. 

Eventually, all five Me-109s moved up abreast of Franklin, Lt. Erickson and Lt. Gilbride, and then turned into the American planes.  These three P-38s then broke into the Luftwaffe fighters. 

As Captain Franklin made a 100-degree turn into the German planes, his port engine quit.  By the time he completed the turn, Lt. Gilbride had vanished.  As will become evident in the next post, this happened over De Wijk and Koekange, in the Netherlands.

During this running battle, Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr., and Lt. Robert E. Erickson fire at and observe hits on two of the pursuing Me-109s, with the implication and possibility (albeit without any confirmation) that the pilots were injured or killed, and the enemy planes thus destroyed by strikes on or near their canopies…

As reported by Captain Beaird, “I looked over my left shoulder and saw one ME 109 right on the tail of the P-38 to my left and behind.  I called for Major Joel’s wingman [Lt. Garvin] to break (I thought I had joined Major Joel’s flight).  I broke left to meet the ME 109 head on.  The P-38 ahead of me to my left also broke left.  The ME 109 dove for the clouds.  I continued in a left turn to take up my original heading and came out almost directly behind a ME 109 with one P-38 off to my right.  I started closing on the ME 109 that seemed to be in a very steep climb for that altitude.  I fired one fair burst; saw a flash on his canopy and observed him pull his nose straight up hang on his prop and then spin under my left wing.  I turned to the left to clear my tail, looked back and saw him spin into the overcast.  I believe this plane was destroyed by my strikes on the canopy.”

And, as recounted by Lt. Erickson, “Captain Ayers and myself were two of five P-38’s at the rear of the group.  We observed three enemy aircraft catching us from the rear.  At this time I was at 33,000 feet.  Captain Ayers called for help and Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride of the 343rd came back.  At this time one enemy aircraft came behind Captain Franklin and two behind me.  We broke left, I completed my turn and came down on the second ME 109 and fired observing hits on wings and near canopy.  These two immediately rolled and dove for the clouds.”

Unsurprisingly given the circumstances, there were no witnesses to the results of these two attacks, and the two accounts did not eventuate in officially credited victories for either pilot.  USAF Study 85 gives Captain Beaird credit for one victory on February 5, 1944, and there are no official victories for Lt. Erickson.  

Captain Franklin, Lieutenant Gilbride, and three surviving 38th Fighter Squadron P-38s are pursued by Me-109s to the Dutch Coast.  The four surviving P-38s return to Nuthampstead…

Fortunately able to restart his engine and still pursued by Me-109s, Captain Franklin was rejoined by Lt. Erickson, the pair remaining abreast with the enemy planes following.  The German fighters remained behind the P-38s until just beyond the Dutch coast.  Then, they left.

Captain Franklin’s conjecture about the fate of Major Joel, and Lieutenants Gilbride and Garvin…

Captain Franklin surmised that Lt. Gilbride had been shot down by the particular “bait” Me-109 that followed himself and the lieutenant and moved laterally back and forth between them.  (He put the time at 1240 hours, but I believe this to have been in error, probably having been 1440 or later.)  The three surviving 38th FS P-38s which Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride aided returned, the two pilots besides Erickson having been Captains Ayers and Beaird.  (Lt. Erickson’s Encounter Report places the altitude of this pursuit as between 31,000 and 35,000 feet.) 

At the time the MACR was filed, the pilot of the P-38 that “ran away” remained unknown, as did the pilot of the plane that was seen burning and descending into the undercast.  However, Captain Franklin did note that, “After we saw the one P-38 go down smoking I did not again recognize Major Joel’s voice on the radio.  In view of the circumstances it is my personal opinion that the P-38 we saw shot down was piloted by Major Joel and the one that ran away from us was piloted by Lt. Garvin.”  Captain Franklin was wrong about the burning plane having been Major Joel’s “flying wolf”, but this error was understandable given the circumstances.  As mentioned above, the burning was P-38H was either Lt. Albino’s 42-67051 or Lt. Carroll’s 42-67090.  However, the Captain’s other assumption was correct: The P-38 that “ran away” was piloted by Lt. Garvin.  

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Taken as a whole, the one certainty that emerges from these Reports is a sense of uncertainty:  Due to the nature of this aerial engagement – in terms of its suddenness, the great disparity in the number of P-38s versus Me-109s, the speed of the opposing fighters, the solid undercast, the inability to distinguish one P-38 from another amidst a series of fleeting combats (“…five P-38’s engaged and each had from one to three ME 109’s on its tail…”) let alone the impossibility of visually identifying and following each and every P-38 through the duration of the battle – whether the plane crashed to earth or returned to England – the fate of each and every missing plane and pilot was, at least when these accounts were compiled, uncertain. 

But, with information available now, a clearer picture can be seen of events that occurred in the Dutch sky nearly eighty years ago.  Some aspects of this “picture are presented above, and others will be presented later.

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Such is the American perspective of the engagement.  But, every battle has two (and sometimes more) sides, one of which is – by definition – that of the enemy.  In this sense, an account of the Luftwaffe’s perspective of this aerial engagement can be found in Part 1 of the book Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945.

But to start, here’s an illustration:  This is a Messerschmitt 109 of III./JG 1 during the time period in question: late 1943.  The fighter is “white 20”, the aircraft of Hauptmann (American equivalent of Captain) Friedrich Eberle, who commanded the Gruppe from October 9, 1943 through April 27, 1944.  This image is actually box art for the Eduard model company’s 1/48 “Bf 109G-6 late series”, kit number 82111, by Shigeo Koike.

Notably, Koike’s painting shows a damaged P-38H of the 338th Fighter Squadron (squadron letters “CL”) in the background.  (A minor quibble about the otherwise dramatic painting: Propeller spinners were painted red for 15th Air Force (Mediterranean Theater) P-38s, not those of the 8th Air Force.)  As such, unlike plastic model “box art” which typically is visually arresting yet neither specific in time or place, the juxtaposition of a 338th Fighter Squadron Lightning and this particular Bf 109G is historically valid, and reflects two possible dates: November 13, 1943 – when the 338th lost six P-38s (three pilots survived as POWs), or December 22, 1943 – when the 338th lost two planes (neither pilot survived).

So here’s the book’s account (original German text) of the 55th Fighter Group’s interception by fighters of III./JG 1: 

Bereits drei Tage später, am 29. November, erfolgte ein weiterer schwerer Tagesangriff auf Bremen; an diesem Tage waren 360 B-17 der 1 und 3 BD eingesetzt, die von 352 Begleit Jägern geschützt wurden.  Das schlechte Wetter sorgte allerdings einmal mehr dafür, dass nur 154 Viermotorige ihr Zielgebiet überhaupt fanden, wo die rund 450 t verstreut abgeworfener Bomben kaum Schaden anzurichten vermochten.

Die deutsche Abwehr erfolgte durch den Einsatz von zehn Jagdgruppen sowie Teilen eines Zerstörergeschwaders und des Erprobungskommando [EKdo.] 25; die JG 1 und 11 waren wiederum mit allen sechs Gruppen zur Abwehr der Viermotorigen eingesetzt.

Nachdem der Einflug der Viermotorigen beizeiten erfasst worden war, erfolgte gegen 13.40 Uhr bei allen Gruppen der Alarmstart, nach dem sie an die feindlichen Verbände herangeführt wurden 3).  Als erste bekam offenbar die III./JG 1 Feindberührung; sie wurde auf den amerikanischen Jagdschutz angesetzt und stieg nach dem Sammeln in nördlicher Richtung, wo sie um 14.00 Uhr auf die 38 Lightnings der 55 FG stiess.  Über dem Westrand des Ijsselmeeres kam es daraufhin zu einer erbitterten Kurbelei, in die bald auch einige P-47 sowie auf deutscher Seite Teile der II./JG 3 eingriffen.  In der Meldung der III./JG 1 hiess es dazu:

“Üm 14.00 ühr bekam die Gruppe Feindberührung in 9000 m mit 20 – 30 Lightnings im Dreieck Groningen / Leeuwarden / Meppel (genaue Angabe nicht möglich, da geschlossene Wolkendecke).  Ende des Luftkampfes über Zuidersee.  Die ausfliegende Spitze wurde vermutlich noch weiter in Richtung West durch eigene Kette unter Führung von Oberleutnant [Olt.] Klöpper verfolgt.” 1)

Acht Abschüsse meldete die III./JG 1 anschliessend 2), erlitt dabei jedoch selbst mit drei Gefallenen, die alle der 7. Staffel angehörten, empfindliche Verluste: Alle drei Messerschmitts der Führungskette mit Oberleutnant [Olt]. Heinrich Klöpper, dem Kapitän der 7./JG 1, seinem Rottenflieger Oberfähnrich [Ofhr.] Manfred Spork und Oberfeldwebel [Ofw.] Hermann Brackhagen stürzten bei der Rückkehr von diesem Einsatz ab – dazu noch einmal aus der Meldung der III./JG 1:

“Vermutliche Todesursache aller drei Flugzeugführer:  Herausfallen aus niedriger Wolkenuntergrenze bzw. ausgedehnten Schauern infolge unkontrollierbaren Flugzustandes beim Durchgehen durch dicke Dunstschicht und Wolken ab 8.000 m.  Diese Annahme wird erhärtet durch Aufschlag aller drei Flugzeuge mit grosser Geschwindigkeit und Durchdringen tief in den Boden.  Flugzeug Oberfahnrich [Ofhr.] Spork aufgeschlagen in Rückenlage in FN 4/1.” 3)

Rund 50 Minuten nach dem Alarmstart kam es bei den anderen Gruppen über dem Raum nördlich Meppen zur Feindberührung mit mehreren grossen Boeing-Pulks und ihrem Begleitschutz.  Dabei konnte die II./JG 1, die mit zwölf Fw 190 und zwei Bf 109 sowie 26 Bf 109 der II./JG 27 im Einsatz war 4), zwei B-17 ab- und eine weitere herausschiessen; dem gegenüber standen zwei Gefallene – …

…

Die Stabsstaffel und alle drei Gruppen des JG 11 trafen über dem Oldenburgischen Land auf die Viermotorigen; der amerikanische Jagdschutz verwickelte die deutschen Jäger in heftige Kurbeleien und verhinderte dadurch, dass sich die Guppen des JG 11 geschlossen an die Viermots heranmachen konnten.  So gelangen am Ende nur zwei Viermot-Abschüsse sowie der Abschuss von zwei P-47, während das Geschwader selbst drei Gefallene und zwei Verwundete sowie fünf Totalverluste verzeichnen musste.  …

…and, in English translation, my comments appearing in parenthesis “[…]”:

Just three days later, on November 29, another heavy day attack on Bremen took place; that day, 360 B-17s of the 1st and 3rd Bombardment Divisions were deployed, protected by 352 accompanying fighters.  However, the bad weather once again ensured that only 154 four-engines (heavy bombers) found their target area at all, where the approximately 450 tons of bombs scattered could hardly do any damage.

The German defense was carried out through the use of ten hunting groups and parts of a destroyer squadron and Erprobungskommando [EKdo.] (EKdo: “special-purpose unit tasked with the testing of new aircraft and weaponry under operational conditions”) 25; JG 1 and 11 were again used with all six groups to defend against the four-engines.

After the arrival of the four-engines had been recorded in good time, all groups started the alarm at around 13:40 hours, after which they were introduced to the enemy units.  III./JG 1 apparently got the first enemy contact; it was put on the American fighter protection and after collecting, it rose in a northerly direction, where at 14:00 hours it came across the 38 Lightnings of the 55th Fighter Group.  As a result, there was a bitter dogfight over the western edge of the Ijsselmeer, which soon involved some P-47s and parts of II./JG 3 on the German side.  In the report of III./JG 1 it said:

“At 14:00 hours the group got into enemy contact at 9000 m with 20 – 30 Lightnings in the Groningen / Leeuwarden / Meppel triangle (exact information not possible, because of closed cloud cover).  The aerial battle ended over the Zuider Zee.  The outgoing tip was presumably pursued further west by an outgoing chain [kette] under the command of Oberleutnant [Olt.] Klopper.” 1)

III./JG 1 subsequently reported eight kills 2), but suffered significant losses with even three fallen, who all belonged to the 7th Staffel:  All three Messerschmitts in the leading chain [kette] with Oberleutant [Olt.] Heinrich Klopper, the Captain of 7./JG 1, his wingman Oberfahnrich [Ofhr.] Manfred Spork and

III./JG 1 subsequently reported eight kills, but suffered significant losses with even three fallen, who all belonged to the 7th Staffel:  All three Messerschmitts … crashed on return from this mission – again from the report of III./JG 1:

“Probable cause of death of all three pilots: Falling out of a lower cloud base or extended showers due to uncontrollable flight conditions when passing through thick haze and clouds from 8,000 m.  This assumption is confirmed by the impact of all three planes at high speed and penetration deep into the ground.  …

[Ofw.] Hermann Brackhagen crashed on return from this mission – again from the report of III./JG 1:

“Probable cause of death of all three pilots: Falling out of a lower cloud base or extended showers due to uncontrollable flight conditions when passing through thick haze and clouds from 8,000 m.  This assumption is confirmed by the impact of all three planes at high speed and penetration deep into the ground.  The aircraft of Oberfahnrich [Ofhr.] Spork crashed upside down in FN 4/1.” 3)

Around 50 minutes after the alarm started, the other groups above the area north of Meppen came into contact with several large Boeing groups and their escort protection.  II./JG 1, which was in use with twelve Fw 190s and two Bf 109s and 26 Bf 109s of II./JG 27, shot down two B-17s and once more, there were two fallen – …

I./JG 1 had meanwhile reached the four-engines above the area south-west of Bremen; two kills were then faced with four losses – …

The headquarters staffel and all three groups of JG 11 met the four-engines above the Oldenburg region; the American fighter protection involved the German fighters in violent dogfights and thereby prevented the groups of JG 11 from being able to approach the four-motors.  In the end, there were only two four-engine and two P-47s kills and, while the squadron itself had three dead and two wounded and five total losses.  …

Data in Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 reveals that in combat with VIII Fighter Command fighters and B-17s on November 29, 1943, JG 1 and JG 11 incurred the following losses:

JG 1

7 pilots killed; 3 wounded

Aircraft recorded as 100% losses:
FW-190 A-4 – two (both in aerial combat)
FW-190 A-6 – four (all in aerial combat)
Bf-109 G-6 – three (weather)

JG 11

3 pilots killed; 2 wounded

Aircraft recorded as 100% losses:
FW-190 A-5/Y-4 – one (aerial combat)
Bf-109 G-5 – one (belly landing)
Bf-109 G5/U-2 – one (aerial combat)
Bf-109 G-6 – one (aerial combat)

The following is a list of the enemy pilots who claimed victories against Eighth Air Force P-38s on this day.  This information is derived (also) from Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945, the Luftwaffe Victories by Name and Date database at Aircrew Remembered, and, 12 O’clock High Forum record number 45307, and, another document – which I copied some years ago, but which now seems to be unavailable (the title escapes me!) – which includes the clock (local) time at which the aerial victory occurred. 

Each record comprises (first line): the name of the pilot, his rank, Staffel and Jagdgeschwader, and (second line), the location (place name, alpha-numeric Luftwaffe jagdtrapez map coordinates, altitude in meters) of his claimed victory, and local time of day.

Brett, _____ – Unteroffizier – III./JG 1
JK-9.1 (Netherlands – unknown location) / 9000m – 16:30

Buchholz, Erich – Obertleutnant – 9./JG 1
EO-3.4 / 9000m – Borger SW Oldenburg (Germany) – 15:15

Holz, Klaus – Feldwebel – 9./JG 1
FN-2.8 / 9500-10000m – Meppen-Ommen (37-mile straight-line distance somewhere between Germany and Netherlands) – 14:30

Klöpper, Heinrich – Oberleutnant – 7./JG 1
FN-4.5 – Hasselt [sic] S. Meppen (somewhere between Germany and Netherlands) – 14:15

Krauter, Wilhelm – Obergefreiter – 7./JG 1
GL-1.9 / 8500m – S. Ijsselmeer 135 heading (Netherlands) – 14:35

Lindenschmid, Albert – Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel – 9./JG 1
FN-7.6 / 10000m – Balkbrug-Zwolle (Netherlands) – 14:30

Miksch, Alfred – Feldwebel – 8./JG 1
FN-3.6 / 8600m – Smilde-Beilen (Netherlands) – 14:15

Münster, Leopold  – Leutnant – 5./JG 3
1) FN-1.9 / 9000m – Giethoom-Ommen (Netherlands) – 14:28
2) GN-6.5 / 9000m   – Nijverdal-Raalte (Netherlands) – 14:30

Some comments:

Numbers and geography…

The eight pilots listed above reported aerial victories as having occurred over the following countries / locations:

Netherlands: Six
Germany: One
Somewhere between Germany and Netherlands: Two

Seven Eighth Air Force P-38s were actually lost on November 29, not nine as claimed.  Of the seven, six (Albino, Carroll, Gilbride, Hascall, Joel, and Suiter) were actually shot down in aerial combat.  The loss of the seventh – 42-67046 piloted by Lt. Garvin – occurred in France, but this was not directly due to enemy action.  You can read more about Lt. Garvin in the post The Missing of November.

Altitude..

All victories occurred at altitudes between 8500 and 10000 meters (roughly 28,000 to 31,000 feet), which is of a notably lower altitude than that given in the 38th’s and 338th’s Mission Reports. 

“Where?”

The Oogle map below, based on information in from Part 2 of Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog, shows the approximate crash locations of the the three pilots reportedly lost while descending in bad weather.  All flying Me-109G-6 aircraft, they were Oberfeldwebel Hermann Brackhagen (“white 5” – 510285; crash location unverified), Oberleutnant Klöpper (in “white 1” – 410106), and Oberfahnrich Manfred Spork (“white 3” – 510930).  

A Double Ambiguity: Victories and Losses…

Typical of the nature of chronicles of aerial combat, there are both notable similarities and perplexing differences in American and German accounts of aerial combat between P-38 Lightnings and Me-109s on November 29, 1943.

First, Hauptmann Eberle attributed the loss of the three above-mentioned pilots to weather; specifically, descent through “extended showers due to uncontrollable flight conditions”.  Perhaps this was thought so based on information available to Eberle at the time.  In this interpretation, a relevant question would be: “Why would an experienced pilot like Klöpper lead two other pilots through undercast without knowing where the cloud base was?  A sensible answer would be:  Perhaps one or more of the group were running out of fuel, and needed to get under the clouds as quickly as possible to find a place to land.”  

There is an alternative possibility, based on the post-battle accounts of Beaird and Erickson, and information at WW II – Research by PATS:  Aerial combat. 

The following statement concerns the crash of Klöpper’s Me-109G: “According to Mr. Van Benthem, the aircraft was shot and caught fire at a fairly low altitude, after which it fell down with the nose downwards straight from the sky.  “He fell down perpendicularly, and not in a gliding flight.”  And similarly for Spork, “Plane was on fire while it crashed, pilot in cockpit was burned.”  This would suggest that the loss of these two pilots may indeed; may actually, have been attributable to the defensive attacks of Captain Beaird and Lt. Erickson.  Albeit, given the fleeting nature and speed of the engagement, it would have been impossible for them to fully observe the eventual results of their strikes on the two Me-109s.  

Second, Captain Ayer’s credited aerial victory occurred relatively “early” (as it were) in the course of this brief battle, certainly before the loss of Brackhegen (?), Klöpper, and Spork, who crashed relatively close to one another.  Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 attributes the other Me-109 losses of JG 1 that day to combat with P-47s and B-17s, with JG 11 losing two Me-109s in combat with American planes (not P-38s) at locations quite some distance from Hoogeveen and Meppel.  So, it is difficult to correlate the probable location of Captain Ayers’ confirmed victory with that of the three aforementioned pilots.  

Next: Part VIII – A Postwar Search – The Missing of November

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]

[This post, created on November 20, 2020, has been updated.  The post now includes: 1) An area map and formation diagrams that provide a more accurate and clearer representation of the nature of the 55th Fighter Group’s encounter with the Luftwaffe on November 29, 1943, and 2) An additional photograph of Lieutenant John S. Hascall.  Where necessary, other parts of the account have been corrected.  Scroll on down for a look…!]

A Monday in November: Major Joel’s Last Mission

On the 29th of November, 1943, the VIII Fighter Command was tasked with escorting heavy bombers to Bremen, Germany. 

As described by Roger Freeman in The Mighty Eighth, “…the 55th Group again set forth to Bremen, with elements of the 20th Group bringing up the rear.  Just after crossing the Dutch coast at 31,000 ft, Me109s of III J.G.1 pounced on the Lightnings in a surprise attack evidently designed to entice the Americans into releasing their drop tanks prematurely.  Another seven P-38s failed to return to base although three of the enemy were definitely shot down.”

By day’s end, the 8th Air Force lost 16 fighters (7 P-38Hs and 9 P-47Ds), and 13 B-17s (7 Fs and 8 Gs). 

Losses of aircraft by Groups were:

Bombers

94th Bomb Group: 1
95th Bomb Group: 1
96th Bomb Group: 4
303rd Bomb Group: 2
379th Bomb Group: 2
385th Bomb Group: 2
388th Bomb Group: 1

Of the 130 men aboard these 13 aircraft, there would be 54 survivors. 

Fighters

20th Fighter Group: 1
55th Fighter Group: 6
56th Fighter Group: 1
355th Fighter Group: 3
356th Fighter Group: 5

Of the 7 P-38 losses, two men – both members of the 55th Fighter Group – survived.  They were:

2 Lt. John J. Carroll
and
2 Lt. Fleming W. Suiter

Of the 9 P-47D losses, 5 men survived…

2 Lt. Charles K. Hecht, Jr., 355th Fighter Group, 358th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8631, YF * U (MACR 1284)
2 Lt. Richard Peery, 355th Fighter Group, 358th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-22484, YF * L (MACR 1285)
1 Lt. Warren H. Beach, 356th Fighter Group, 359th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8601 (MACR 1451)
2 Lt. John D. Hull, 356th Fighter Group, 359th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8598 (MACR 1452)
and
2 Lt. Julius B. Ashbridge, 356th Fighter Group, 360th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8502, PI * W, “Hell’s Angel” (MACR 1436)

…and 4 were killed in action:

2 Lt. Alfred J. Del Negro, 355th Fighter Group, 354th Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-7996, WR * D (MACR 1286)
2 Lt. Johnnie F. Martin, 356th Fighter Group, 361st Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8692, QI * Q (MACR 1543)
1 Lt. Allan M. Metzger, 356th Fighter Group, 361st Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-8509, QI * O (MACR 1453)
2 Lt. Frederick C. Windmayer, 56th Fighter Group, 63rd Fighter Squadron, Aircraft 42-7893, UN * F (MACR 1278)

Balanced against these fighter losses were VII Fighter Command claims of 13.5 German aircraft destroyed, with P-47s achieving 11.5 victories, and P-38s 2. 

Aerial victories were confirmed as follows:

P-38s

55th Fighter Group

38th Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory
338th Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory

P-47s

56th Fighter Group

61st Fighter Squadron: 3 Victories
62nd Fighter Squadron: 1.5 Victories
63rd Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory

355th Fighter Group

358th Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory

356th Fighter Group

359th Fighter Squadron: 3 Victories
360th Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory
361st Fighter Squadron: 1 Victory

And so…

…akin to the prior post – covering Major Joel’s previous combat missions – this post includes:

1) 38th Fighter Squadron Pilot’s Personal Encounter Reports for pilots who engaged in combat with German fighters on this mission
2) Mission Reports filed by the 38th and 388th Fighter Squadrons (…is there one for the 343rd? – I don’t know…)
3) Names of all 55th Fighter Group pilots assigned to the mission (derived from the 38th’s and 338th’s Mission Reports, and for the 343rd, the Squadron History Summary.  This is supplemented by information from the 55th Fighter Group website
4) Missing Air Crew Reports covering the 20th and 55th Fighter Group pilots lost that day.  This includes the “first” page for every such MACR, and an Oogle map showing the area where their aircraft are known (or assumed) to have crashed, based on a variety of references. 

________________________________________

Given the great length (gadzooks…) and complexity (double gadzooks…) of this series of posts, perhaps it’s best to start with an illustration visually summarizing Eighth Fighter Command P-38 losses on the mission, in the form of a diagram superimposed on an Oogle map – below – of northwestern Europe.  This map will appear in subsequent posts.

[Updates to this map from its initial version include the following: 1) The crash locations of three Me-109G-6s of the Seventh Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1, lost (directly or indirectly) as a result of III./JG 1’s engagement with the 55th Fighter Group’s Lightnings, 2) An adjustment to the easternmost “leg” of the 55th Fighter Group’s intended course into Germany (ironically, the 55th never actually reached Germany!), 3) The crash locations, as much as they can be pinpointed on an ultra-small-scale digital map, of 38th Fighter Squadron pilots Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride, 4) The serial numbers of the lost P-38s and the three above-mentioned Me-109G-6s.  Information about the three 7./JG 1 losses, and the crash locations of Lieutenants Carroll and Gilbride comes from Part 2 of Teunis Schuurman’s WW II – Research by PATS blog.]

Maps symbols and colors indicate the following:

Bright blue line extending west to east across the Netherlands to a point near the Dutch-German border indicates the approximate or intended course of the 55th Fighter Group for a rendezvous with 8th Air Force bombers.

Black triangle shows the approximate area where the Luftwaffe initially assumed it would intercept the 55th Fighter Group’s P-38s, as explained in the book Jagdgeschwader 1 und 11: Einsatz in der Reichsverteidigung von 1939 bis 1945 (Jagdgeschwader 1 and 11: Used in the Defense of the Reich from 1939 to 1945).

Blue ovals with names adjacent indicate the last reported or assumed location of P-38 losses, based on information in Missing Air Crew Reports.

Red ovals with names adjacent indicate the actual locations where the P-38s were lost.  Notice that there’s no blue oval for Lt. Hascall, because his P-38 was last sighted over the North Sea, at a point “west” of (to the left of) this map view, and Lieutenant Garvin, Major Joel’s wingman, because he definitely crashed at Hondschoote, France (again, well “off the map”).  More information will be presented about Lt. Garvin’s fate in subsequent posts.    

The location of Major Joel’s loss remains unknown.  Some sources suggest the crash location was Marken Island in the Markermeer, indicated by a yellow oval. 

In subsequent posts, I’ll discuss why I believe this location is incorrect. 

Black ovals with names adjacent indicate the loss locations of three Me-109G-6s of 7/JG 1.

[And…  Here’s the “original” map”….]

We begin with the 38th Fighter Squadron’s Mission Report.

November 29, 1943

Mission Report – 38th Fighter Squadron


Extract from Mission Report

Changes in scheduled flights occurred as follows:

There were seven early returns: Maloney landed at 1344 at Torp [sic] Abbots.  Lt. Fisher landed at 1_15 [not legible in microfilm] at home, escort, Lt. Leve landed at home at 1 _15 [not legible in microfilm], blew an inner cooler.  Capt. Hancock landed at 1___ [not legible in microfilm] at home due to engine trouble.  Lt. Birch landed at 1535 at Earlscombe due to engine trouble.  Lt. Peters landed at 1549 at home, engine trouble.  Lt. Marcy landed at 1625 at home due to engine trouble. 

Mission: Over base at 1309.  Proceeded on planned course with landfall in North of  _____ergen [not legible in microfilm], 1350.  Group proceeded along line of Lemmer, Noordwolde, and Grolloo.  Prior to reaching vicinity of Aschendorf, 7 P-38’s had aborted.  Flight plan attached).

Action:  At 1410 group bounced by 40 plus ME 109’s attacking from head-on and above.  At the same time an additional 40 plus E/A were seen below our formation at 27,000.  Several flights of E/A passed through our formation before a majority of our aircraft dropped their belly tanks.  These E/A continued their attacks, very aggressively in elements of 2 and flights of 4 for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  It was during the early part of this engagement that Lts. Carroll and Albino were lost. 

Action Contd: At approximately 1439 an element led by Capt. Ayers of the 38th being free of E/A attempted to join an element led by Major Joel a considerable distance ahead.  Before this was accomplished additional E/A attacked Capt. Ayers and he was forced to engage.  This is the last time at which Major Joel was seen.  E/A attacks were made all the way to the Dutch coast, but were not pressed home.

Squadron Formation – 38th Fighter Squadron

The “first” version of this post presented diagrams of what I assumed (?!) was the 38th Fighter Squadron’s formation during the November 29 mission.  These were based on a document from the history of the 38th’s brother squadron – the 338th – showing a plan view of the organization of the 338th, by Flights, during the Bremen mission.   But, on reflection and intuition, I began to wonder about this:  Could the “layout” of the 338th’s formation in its squadron history have simply reflected nothing more than (* ahem *) the size and format of the original 8 1/2″ x 10″ document itself, rather than the actual formation used in combat?

So, I took another “look”.  I discovered “8th Air Force Tactical Development, August, 1942 – May, 1945”, at Archive.org.  And within, I discovered the diagram below, which presents the structure of 8th Air Force Fighter Group formations during late 1943 through early 1944:]

So…  Using the upper and central diagrams as references, here are two (brand new) diagrams showing: 1) the formation of the 38th Fighter Squadron at the start of the November 29 mission, and, 2) immediately before the squadron was intercepted by III/JG 1.  The diagrams are purely diagrammatic, and as such are intended to represent the composition of each of the squadron’s four flights and the location of its planes relative to one another, rather than (obviously!) the scale of the actual distances between each plane; between each of its fours flight; between its two sections.    

And (of course!) the direction of flight (this day, east-northeast) is towards the top of your screen or tablet.       

In both diagrams, the name of each pilot is correlated to his position within the formation. 

This “first” diagram shows the formation as planned; as it would – in theory – have been arranged before its interception by III./JG 1.  Those seven planes that returned to Nuthampstead early are indicated by relevant text (i.e. “Engine Trouble”), while the four pilots lost that day – Major Joel, and Lieutenants Albino, Carroll, and Garvin – are denoted in red, with the serials of their P-38s adjacent.   

This “second” diagram shows … well … what was left of the 38th by the time it came under attack by enemy planes: There are nine aircraft remaining.  Note that: 1) The outermost flights of both the Lead and High Sections are gone, 2) The innermost flights of the High Section remain intact, 3) The relative locations of the remaining two Elements from both Flights in the Lead Section suggest a spur-of-the-moment creation of two “improvised” Flights.  Which, as we will see, is what Major Joel was attempting to do at the moment his squadron came under attack.

Unfortunately, the names of the Dutch towns or cities which served as landmarks for the route of the 38th (and its brother squadrons?) towards Bremen are not fully legible in the microfilm copy of the 38th’s Mission Report, but I believe these locations were – as one moves from west to east – Lemmer, Noordwolde, and Grolloo.  Doubly unfortunately, the 38th’s Flight Plan for the mission is absent from the microfilmed squadron history. 

By comparing the 38th Fighter Squadron’s Mission Report with that of the 338th (below), it seems (?) that the 38th – having departed Nuthampstead at 1230 hours, was the 55th Fighter Group’s lead squadron, for the 338th departed later at 1259 hours, with that squadron’s mission report specifically stating that it was the “center” squadron of the 55th formation.  As for the 343rd?  I don’t know, but it was thus probably the rear-most squadron.

The most striking aspects of the mission are:

1) The squadron was depleted to a little over half its strength – from sixteen to nine aircraft – by the time it was intercepted by Me-109s.  The 338th experienced a parallel decrease in its fighting power.
2) The sheer number of enemy fighters – certainly over forty – attacking head-on, from a higher altitude: a ratio of over four to one;
3) The intensity and duration of the squadron’s combat with German fighters, interception having commenced at 1410, with Major Joel presumably being shot down at @ 1440.  Thus, the Squadron was engaged in combat for at least a half-hour by the time Major Joel was shot down – and this was before the loss of the Group’s other P-38s;
4) There is no evidence – at least, nothing recorded – that the 38th was actually able to rendezvous with the B-17s that the 55th Fighter Group had been assigned to escort;
5) (This will come in later…) There was an overcast at 27,000 feet, corroborated in Missing Air Crew Reports for the Group’s losses. 

Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – Captain Jerry H. Ayers

Transcript of Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – Captain Jerry H. Ayers

Two ME 109’s were attacking two P-38’s from three o’clock in front of me.  My wingman and I started to close in and knock them off but they did not press home their attack.  Instead they flew straight through behind those airplanes and in front of us. 

I turned left with them and picked a four radii lead on the lead ME 109.  I held this lead and fired from 90 degrees deflection to 45 degrees.  The range was about 250 yards. 

I was forced to break off my attack and was unable to observe any results because of four ME 109’s coming down on us from behind.  We continued our turn to the left and we turned into this attack which was broken off before we were in firing range. 

Lt. Erickson, my wingman later stated that he saw the airplane going down in a slight spin in flames and trailing thick black smoke, so I concluded that this aircraft was destroyed by my attack. 

The ME 109’s were painted with a mottled brown camouflage and had what appeared to be a large red ball painted at the rear of the fuselage where the Luftwaffe cross usually appears.

Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr.

Transcript of Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – Captain Thomas E. Beaird, Jr.

On the second bounce going into the target, I lost the rest of my flight and tacked onto the nearest semblance of a flight I could find.  We ended up with five ships and made three bounces on ME 109’s attacking two P-38’s below us, then we were bounced by five ME 109’s from above.  When we got out of that skirmish, in which I did not get to fire nor did not see anyone go down, I found myself way behind the rest of the P-38’s.  I pushed everything to the fire wall and after about ten minutes caught four P-38’s flying very loosely.  I joined them and had just throttled back when somebody started telling the bunch, who were very high in the back, that there were a number of enemy fighters catching from 6 o’clock.  We poured everything to our ships (were at 34,000) and somebody told us they were still gaining. 

At this time I saw five ME 109’s about our same level over my right shoulder.  I looked over my left shoulder and saw one ME 109 right on the tail of the P-38 to my left and behind.  I called for Major Joel’s wingman [Lt. Garvin] to break (I thought I had joined Major Joel’s flight).  I broke left to meet the ME 109 head on.  The P-38 ahead of me to my left also broke left.  The ME 109 dove for the clouds.  I continued in a left turn to take up my original heading and came out almost directly behind a ME 109 with one P-38 off to my right.  I started closing on the ME 109 that seemed to be in a very steep climb for that altitude.  I fired one fair burst; saw a flash on his canopy and observed him pull his nose straight up hang on his prop and then spin under my left wing.  I turned to the left to clear my tail, looked back and saw him spin into the overcast.  I believe this plane was destroyed by my strikes on the canopy.

Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – 2 Lt. Robert E. Erickson (1)

Transcript of Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – 2 Lt. Robert E. Erickson (1)

I was flying wing man to Captain Ayers, who was leading Swindle Red Flight.  After engaging with enemy aircraft and completing three 360 degree orbits, we started for home.  Captain Ayers and myself were two of five P-38’s at the rear of the group.  We observed three enemy aircraft catching us from the rear.  At this time I was at 33,000 feet.  Captain Ayers called for help and Captain Franklin and Lt. Gilbride of the 343rd came back.  At this time one enemy aircraft came behind Captain Franklin and two behind me.  We broke left, I completed my turn and came down on the second ME 109 and fired observing hits on wings and near canopy.  These two immediately rolled and dove for the clouds.  Captain Franklin had to feather his engine in the middle of his break and Lt. Gilbride presumably was shot down.  I then broke off my attack as the ME 109’s dove and flew back to cover Captain Franklin who was then on one engine.  At this time four more enemy aircraft were tailing me so Captain Franklin unfeathered his engine and got as much power as he could out of it and we came home together.  The enemy aircraft dropped off either because of fuel shortage or we outran them.  This action took place between 31,000 and 35,000 feet. 

Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – 2 Lt. Robert E. Erickson (2)

Transcript of Pilot’s Personal Encounter Report – 2 Lt. Robert E. Erickson (2)

I was flying wing man to Captain Ayers on escort mission over Bremen on November 29.  We were engaged with several enemy aircraft, when Captain Ayers observed two ME 109’s attacking two P-38’s from the rear.  We dived at them from the sun from above and slightly to the starboard of enemy aircraft.  Captain Ayers fired at the leading enemy aircraft from about 350 yards closing to 200 yards from about 50 to 75 degrees deflection.  We then broke off and climbed slightly to the left as we broke.  I noticed enemy aircraft burning with heavy black smoke and going down in a big spiral apparently out of control.  In my opinion this airplane was destroyed.  These aircraft were painted with a brown camouflage.

Here’s the 338th Fighter Squadron’s Mission Report.  Note that the third page lists the names of pilots on the mission, while the fourth page is a diagram of the squadron formation.

Mission Report – 338th Fighter Squadron

English Coast out 5 miles No. of Southwold, 1322 at 20,000 ft.  In enemy coast 1347 at 31,500.  Flew at 31,500 to Hude where interception was made on squadron by 30+ ME 109’s from about 32,000 ft. at 12 o’clock.  Turned to engage E/A and flew weaving course to Dutch Coast.  Landfall out Ijmuiden 28,000 ft.  Landfall in English Coast 31,000 at South End located selves by Thames Estuary and flew direct to base.

30+ ME 109’S from above at 12 o’clock on squadron which was flying as center of group and slightly in front.  At enemy attack dropped belly tanks and broke into them.  At this time squadron had been reduced to two four ship flights by abortions.  Made two 90   turns while taking evasive action to combat E/A.  White flight was being followed by 3 / 4 E/A who broke up flight.  Leader descending into overcast.  No. 2 man was not seen after this point – No. 3 and 4 broke No. 3 with E/A on his tail No. 4 with engine trouble.  No. 1 man of second flight Capt. Patterson, dove on E/A and shot it down and off tail of White 3/.  Red flight and No. 3 man of White flight flew together to Dutch Coast where were joined by No. 4 man of white flight, Lt. Turner, Colonel James, White leader flew through overcast to coast and across channel alone.  These five aircraft were under constant but inaggressive attacks by E/A to the coast.  Initial enemy attack occurred in vicinity of Heede and E/A was shot down about four N. of Emmen.  Lost contact with other squadron of group during action with E/A.  Never contacted bombers.  Enemy attack seemed definitely intended as interception of out squadron and other E/A were observed in distance to each side an above.  One P-38 observed by several members of squadron going into overcast shortly after initial engagement apparently out of control. 

Some observations…

1) The 338th, comprised of 14 aircraft, departed Nuthampstead at 1259 hours, after the 38th;
2) Like the 38th, the squadron of fourteen planes was depleted by six by the time it was intercepted, thus substantially reducing its strength;
3) Akin to the 38th, the squadron was intercepted by a much larger number of German fighters (in this case, over 30).  Again paralleling the 38th’s experience, the enemy planes attacked the squadron – at 31,500 feet – head-on from a slightly higher altitude (32,000 feet);
4) The 338th lost contact with the other “squadron” (squadrons?) of the 55th during combat with German fighters;
5) The squadron was unable to make contact with the B-17s it was assigned to escort;
6) A significant observation:  “Enemy attack seemed definitely intended as interception of our squadron and other E/A were observed in distance to each side and above.  One P-38 observed by several members of squadron going into overcast shortly after initial engagement apparently out of control.”;
7) Weather conditions ranged from half to nearly complete cloud cover over the English Channel, to complete overcast over the continent. 

–

Transcript of Squadron Formation – 338th Fighter Squadron

White Flight

James, Frank B., Col. (Group Commanding Officer)
Suiter, Fleming W., 2 Lt.
Marsiglia, Joseph P., Capt.              
Turner, William G., 2 Lt.

Red Flight

Busching, Richard W., Major
Turner, Lloyd, 2 Lt.
Patterson, Chet A., 2 Lt.
Garlock, Karl H., 2 Lt.

Yellow Flight

Jones, Charles O., Capt.
Anderson, Newell, F/O
Tibbetts, Wesley M., 1 Lt.
Burns, William H, 2 Lt.

Spares

Brown, Robert W, 2 Lt.
Dempsey, Peter, 2 Lt.

Squadron History – 343rd Fighter Squadron

Regarding the 343rd Fighter Squadron, information presently available to me – presented below – is limited to the brief account in the squadron’s historical record, rather than an actual Mission Report.
1) This squadron was unable to rendezvous with the 8th Air Force B-17s;
2) The squadron was outnumbered by enemy planes. 


Transcript of Squadron History – 343rd Fighter Squadron

On Nov. 29th, Capt. Malmstedt led the Squadron, the mission again being bomber escort to Bremen.  R/V was not made with the big ships, but engagement with E/A was pressed as the squadron reached the scheduled point.  Superiority of numbers was again in favor of the enemy and while our pilots distinguished themselves, the show was exceedingly rough.  During the prolonged engagement, 2nd Lt. James Gilbride was lost to enemy action and none of our pilots observed his disappearance.  Beside Capt. Malmstedt, pilots on the mission were: Capts. Franklin, Giller, Ryan, 1st Lts. Hoeper, Barnett, 2nd Lts. Bauer, Birtciel, De Young, Fluty, Gilbride, Stanton, Stephenson and Brown.

The pilot’s names of the 343rd’s fourteen pilots on this mission are listed below, following the sequence of names as listed in the squadron history.  This is apparently based on rank, and would almost certainly not represent the organization of the squadron’s four flights.  (For example, 2 Lt. James W. Gilbride was wingman to Capt. Rufus C. Franklin, but these mens’ names aren’t adjacent in the list.)

Pilots Participating in Mission – 343rd Fighter Squadron

(Full names Derived from Biographical Profiles at 55th Fighter Group)

Malmstedt, Roland M., Capt. (Led Squadron) (Killed in flying accident in P-38H 42-67076 on 12/2/43)
Franklin, Rufus C., Jr., Capt.
Giller, Edward B., Capt. (To Lt. Col. 4/29/45)
Ryan, Eugene E., Capt. (To Major)
Hoeper, Paul E., 1 Lt. (To Major)
Barnett, John, 1 Lt. (KIA 1/5/44)
Bauer, Harold M., 2 Lt. (To 1 Lt.)
Birtciel, Frank E., 2 Lt. (To Capt. 12/44)
De Young, Arthur A., 2 Lt. (To Capt.)
Fluty, Joseph M., 2 Lt. (To 1 Lt.) (Killed 3/8/44 in P-38J 42-67751)
Gilbride, James W., 2 Lt. (To 1 Lt.) (KIA on this mission … see below)
Stanton, Richard C., 2 Lt. (To Capt.)
Stephenson, Franklin A., 2 Lt. (To Capt.)
Brown, Robert D., 2 Lt. (To Capt.)

And, ten “spares” from the 77th Fighter Squadron of the 20th Fighter Group

The IDPF (Individual Deceased Personnel File) for 2 Lt. Lieutenant Albert A. Albino includes correspondence by Gerrie J. Zwanenburg (of the Royal Netherlands Air Force) from March of 1978, pertaining to the discovery and identification of Lt. Albino’s remains.  This communication notes that ten pilots of the 77th Fighter Squadron accompanied the 55th Fighter Group on this mission, “to gain operational experience.”  Though the mens’ names are not listed in Zwanenburg’s communication, the identities of two are definitely known, because one of these pilots – John Hascall; see below – was missing that day, and thus his loss was recorded in a MACR.

Frakes, Robert D., 2 Lt., 0-746075
Hascall, John S., 2 Lt., 0-746103

Those Who Did Not Return

20th Fighter Group, 77th Fighter Squadron

2 Lt. John Sherman Hascall, P-38H 42-67016, “LC * O“, MACR 1424

55th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron

2 Lt. Albert Anthony Albino, P-38H 42-67051, “Spirit of Aberdeen“, MACR 1428
2 Lt. James Michael Garvin, P-38H 42-67046, MACR 1427
Major Milton Joel, P-38H 42-67020, “CG * A“, “flying wolf”, MACR 1429

55th Fighter Group, 343rd Fighter Squadron

2 Lt. James William Gilbride (Bailed out – did not survive), P-38H 42-67097, MACR 1272

Those Who (Eventually) Returned

55th Fighter Group, 38th Fighter Squadron

2 Lt. John Joseph Carroll (Prisoner of War), P-38H 42-67090, “FOB Detroit“, MACR 1431

55th Fighter Group, 338th Fighter Squadron

2 Lt. Fleming William Suiter (Prisoner of War), P-38H 42-67069, MACR 1273

This section presents images from Missing Air Crew Reports for the 20th and 55th Fighter Group pilots lost on this mission.  The MACRs are presented by Group and squadron, and then alphabetically by pilot’s surnames. 

Detailed information about the fates of Lieutenats Albino, Carroll, Gilbride, Suiter, incomplete information about Lieutenant Garvin, and finally, speculation about what may have happened to Major Joel can be found in the post A Postwar Search: The Missing of November.

Note that the first page of every MACR for a 38th Fighter Squadron pilots bears the signature of Captain Robert W. Wood – at first the squadron’s Communications Officer and later its Executive Officer – from whom more will be heard in the upcoming post Fragments of Memory.

______________________________

2 Lt. John S. Hascall (77th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group), MACR 1424
(“Spare”, with 2 Lt. Robert D. Frakes)

Here’s a picture of Lieutenant Hascall, from the Michigan Technological University Website. 

Update to this post: As you can see, the above image is actually cropped from this photo, below, found at the Pilot’s Gallery of the 20th Fighter Group website.  This photo was evidently taken for publicity or group history purposes, as the Pilot’s Gallery includes an image of at least one other pilot (also garbed in flight suit and helmet; also wearing a Mae West and parachute) posed on the same P-38.   

Transcript of Certificate – 2 Lt. Robert D. Frakes

On November 29, 1943, I took off for a mission as a spare with Lt. Hascall on my wing, also a spare.  We had instructions to join any squadron needing a spare.  After many abortions we were the last spare in the group and I fell in on the wing of the second element in the 343rd Squaron.  We were about midway over the channel with a solid overcast below at 25,000 feet.  I did not see the opening in the 343rd Squadron when Lt. Hascall waved me over.  I do not remember whose flight he joined, if any because I did not see any other abortions.  My position then was on the front starboard flight and he was flying to the rear port flight.  At that time his plane was functioning perfectly.

Transcript of Certificate – 1 Lt. Francis W. Barkley, Intelligence Officer (Detached)

On 29 November 1943 due to the number of planes lost on mission none could be positively identified as Lt. Hascall.  However, in compilation of interrogations by Group Intelligence it is though that Lt. Hascall may have gone down in the vicinity East of Aschendorf, Germany where the group was first bounced.  Several ships were seen spinning down in this area.  No definite knowledge as to identity of these but it is thought that Lt. Hascall got that far along the route as nothing points to his being lost before this.

______________________________

2 Lt. Albert Anthony Albino (38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1428

This photo, taken by Sergeant Robert T. Sand, appears in Double Nickel, Double Trouble, and shows 38th Fighter Squadron ground crew members conversing with Lt. Albino (wearing Mae West and sunglasses) in front of his personal P-38 (“Spirit of Aberdeen”) as he describes a just-completed combat mission. 

The map below shows what was believed to have been the location where Lieutenants Albino, Carroll, Garvin, and Major Joel were last seen: Over Germany, west of Oldenburg, and specifically west of the intersection of the Leda and Kusten Canals, at the location designated by the blue X.  Scanned at the National Archives from MACR 1429, this map is included in the Missing Air Crew Report for each of these four pilots.  Note that cartographic reference features primarily comprise canals and rivers, rather than cities. 

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Thomas E. Beaird, Jr.

Our flight was slightly trailing the other three flights going to the rendezvous.  Our flight leader had to fall out and called to me to take over.  I acknowledged and called the flight to step up the mercury as I was going to catch up.  At this time Lt. Albino was 2nd in the flight, approximately 3 ship lengths behind me and approximately 4 ship lengths in front of Lt. Peters.  We were in the same relative position but had closed considerably on the leading flights, when someone called, “Bogies coming down at three o’clock, get rid of your tanks”.  I turned to the right dropped my tanks and looked to see if Lt. Albino and Peters had gotten rid of theirs.  This was the last time I was able to locate Lt. Peters or Albino as almost immediately we were bounced from approximately 8 o’clock and the lead flights from, I think, about 1 o’clock.

After we tangled there seemed to be nothing but individual ships that joined up to make flights as best they could.

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – 2 Lt. Edward F. Peters

I was flying #2 position in a flight lead by Capt. Hancock.  Capt. Hancock started a turn to the right, leaving because of engine trouble, and as we were deep in enemy territory I started with him, however, he called and said I should turn back to accompany group.  I started to return but by this time I had fallen way back, out of formation and as I increased manifold pressure my left engine cut out at 24” HG.  I continued trying to catch up and ahead of me about ½ a mile was Lt. Albino and ahead of him was Capt. Beaird.  He, Lt. Albino, was quite a distance behind Capt. Beaird and I followed for about 4 or 5 minutes.  At this time the group was bounced and the order given to drop “babies”.  [i.e., “jettison drop tanks”]  I looked behind and directly below saw six E/A which I called in.  I looked above and behind and saw one E/A diving at me from about 7 O’clock.  I broke into him and he fired at me as he passed over top.  I looked for the group but as I could only see their contrails, and due to the one faulty engine, I turned and came back alone.

It is possible that the E/A which attacked me or the six below could have continued on their way and caught Lt. Albino as he was straggling.

______________________________

2 Lt. James M. Garvin – Major Joel’s wingman – (38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1427

Photo of James Garvin from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Rufus C. Franklin

On 29 November 1943, my wingman, Lt. J.W. Gilbride, and myself participated in an engagement in which Major Joel, C.O. of the 38th Fighter Squadron, and his wingman, Lt. Garvin, were lost and possibly this statement may shed some light on their disappearance.

The main body of the group was proceeding toward home when Major Joel was heard calling for help from far behind us.  Lt. Gilbride and I turned back to help but it took several minutes for us to reach the fight.  As we drew near we could see five P-38’s engaged and each had from one to three ME 109’s on its tail.  Just before we went into the fight one P-38 rolled over and went down with its left engine leaving a very long and very heavy trail of black smoke and with a 109 directly behind.  As my wingman and I flew into the middle of the engagement the E/A were surprised into rolling away from the ships they were attacking and we were all able to take a heading for home.  At this time there were four P-38’s left besides my wingman and myself.  As we started home we were followed by E/A and we tried to outrun them.  One of the four P-38’s ran away from the rest and disappeared.  The five of us remaining were eventually caught by the E/A and engaged again. 

After we saw the one P-38 go down smoking I did not again recognize Major Joel’s voice on the radio.  The five of us that were later engaged by the pursuing E/A were, Capt. Ayers, Capt. Beaird, Lt. Erickson, Lt. Gilbride, and myself.  On this attack I lost one engine that had been going bad and when I recovered the only other P-38 visible in the area was piloted by Lt. Erickson.  We came out together.

In view of the circumstances it is my personal opinion that the P-83 we saw shot down was piloted by Major Joel and the one that ran away from us was piloted by Lt. Garvin, who did not return.

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Jerry H. Ayers

We were on a B-17 escort mission to Bremen, Germany, when at 14:10, just prior to our R.V. point, we were jumped by Hot Bandits.

Major Joel was leading the first section of the squadron composed of eight ships.  Lt. Wyche was leading the other Flight in the lead section.

Capt. Hancock was leading the second section and I had the other flight.  Due to abortive aircraft Major Joel had lost his second element also Lt. Wyche had lost his.  Capt. Hancock and his wingman returned.  My second element had returned and we were trying to rejoin into two four ship flights.  When we were successively bounced by units from a group of about 40 enemy aircraft from one or two o’clock out of the sun.  We turned right into the attack and were engaged for some time.  At the time of the first break was the last time that I saw Major Joel and his wingman, Lt. Garvin, that I could recognize them.

______________________________

2 Lt. John J. Carroll (38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1431

Portrait of John J. Carroll, from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

John Carroll’s POW identification photograph, from Double Nickel, Double Trouble.  He spent the remainder of the war in Stalag Luft I (North Compound), at Barth, Germany.

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – 1 Lt. Wilton E. Wyche

At 14:15 we were attacked by E/A out of the sun at 3 o’clock.  Major Joel, leading, with Lieut. Garvin as wingman and my position with Lt. Carroll as my wingman was about 300 yards to the right.  A right turn of about 90_ was made and through this I crossed under Major Joel’s element and stopped turning on the left side of the Major’s element.

About six E/A were turning into us from 7 o’clock, and after calling Major Joel to break left, I started a left turn.  After turning about 90 (degrees), I tightened my turn too much and my airplane snapped and started to spin.  This was the last I saw of Lieut. Carroll or Major Joel and his wingman. 

______________________________

Major Milton Joel (38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1429

The eyewitness accounts pertaining to Major Joel’s loss are signed by Captains Jerry H. Ayers and Rufus C. Franklin, Jr., the latter of the 343rd Fighter Squadron.

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Rufus C. Franklin
(Identical to account concerning 2 Lt. James M. Garvin)

____________________

This is the file card bearing Major Joel’s name, from the master name index for Missing Air Crew Reports in National Archives Records Group 92. 

Major Joel’s file card is entirely typical of such cards in the MACR master name index, bearing no information other than his name, serial number, and pertinent MACR number.   For those men for whom MACRs were never actually filed – and there are cards for many, many such men in the master name index – the data field in the upper right corner is entirely blank or simply says “No MACR”.  

____________________

On 29 November 1943, my wingman, Lt. J.W. Gilbride, and myself participated in an engagement in which Major Joel, C.O. of the 38th Fighter Squadron, and his wingman, Lt. Garvin, were lost and possibly this statement may shed some light on their disappearance.

The main body of the group was proceeding toward home when Major Joel was heard calling for help from far behind us.  Lt. Gilbride and I turned back to help but it took several minutes for us to reach the fight.  As we drew near we could see five P-38’s engaged and each had from one to three ME 109’s on its tail.  Just before we went into the fight one P-38 rolled over and went down with its left engine leaving a very long and very heavy trail of black smoke and with a 109 directly behind.  As my wingman and I flew into the middle of the engagement the E/A were surprised into rolling away from the ships they were attacking and we were all able to take a heading for home.  At this time there were four P-38’s left besides my wingman and myself.  As we started home we were followed by E/A and we tried to outrun them.  One of the four P-38’s ran away from the rest and disappeared.  The five of us remaining were eventually caught by the E/A and engaged again.

After we saw the one P-38 go down smoking I did not again recognize Major Joel’s voice on the radio.  The five of us that were later engaged by the pursuing E/A were, Capt. Ayers, Capt. Beaird, Lt. Erickson, Lt. Gilbride, and myself.  On this attack I lost one engine that had been going bad and when I recovered the only other P-38 visible in the area was piloted by Lt. Erickson.  We came out together.

In view of the circumstances it is my personal opinion that the P-83 we saw shot down was piloted by Major Joel and the one that ran away from us was piloted by Lt. Garvin, who did not return.

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Jerry H. Ayers
(Identical to account concerning 2 Lt. James M. Garvin)

We were on a B-17 escort mission to Bremen, Germany, when at 14:10, just prior to our R.V. point we were jumped by Hot Bandits.

Major Joel was leading the first section of the Squadron composed of eight ships.  Lt. Wyche was leading the other Flight in the lead section.

Capt. Hancock was leading the second section and I had the other flight.  Due to abortive Aircraft Major Joel had lost his second element also Lt. Wyche had lost his.  Capt. Hancock and his wing man returned.  My second element had returned and we were trying to rejoin into two four ship flights.  When we were successively bounced by units from a group of about 40 enemy aircraft from one or two o’clock, out of the sun.  We turned right into the attack and were engaged for some time.  At the time of the first break was the last time that I saw Major Joel and his wingman, Lt. Garvin, that I could recognize them.

_____________________________

2 Lt. James W. Gilbride (338th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1272

Photo of James Gilbride from Double Nickel, Double Trouble

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Rufus C. Franklin

On the mission of November 29, 1943, target – Bremen, I was leading Whiteman Yellow Flight composed of Lieutenants James W. Gilbride, Harold Bauer and an unidentified spare, flying numbers 2, 3 and 4 respectively.

At approximately 1210 hours, I reported many bandits approaching from below at 3 o’clock; this was about in the target area.  Colonel James had started a right turn to meet the enemy aircraft when we met about 16 enemy aircraft head-on at about 29 to 30,000 feet.  The main body of the Group went into a right Lufberry Circle for approximately two complete turns.  Colonel James was [not] leading the Group at or from this time, as he was having engine trouble and was below us.  My second element disappeared about this time as Lieutenant Bauer was having trouble losing his belly tanks.  Lieutenant Gilbride stayed with me in an excellent manner, calling in enemy aircraft calmly and doing a good job of covering.  The main Group stayed in their Lufberry but I would break out momentarily from time to time to get my wing out of the sun so that I could see if another attack was imminent.

About this time, after two complete turns, the main Group started home and I, thinking that the Group Commander had resumed the lead, followed along.  As we left the area there were several people calling for help from far behind.  The main Group continued on away until we were at least seven miles from this fight.

Just as I had almost decided to go back and help the boys calling repeatedly, the Group started a turn and appeared to be going back but instead made a tight 360 degree turn and went away from the fight again.  I could see the fight behind us as the Group made the turn and I broke out – Lt. Gilbride and I went back to help.

As we drew near we saw one P-38 go down smoking very heavily and probably on fire.  We could see 4 other P-38s in a dog-fight in a small area, each with 1 to 3 ME 109s on his tail.  Lt. Gilbride and I drove right into the middle of the fight and the enemy aircraft were so surprised that they pulled away from the ships they were chasing and began to climb again.  The 4 P-38s we had helped started for home while Lt. Gilbride and I were making a 180 degree turn to try to go with them.  One P-38 ran away from us, 2 were well in front and 1 was straggling.  Five ME 109s out to one side and about a mile back were chasing us.  The straggling P-38 was caught by Gilbride and I and we joined line abreast about 175 yards apart.  The straggler was Lt. Erickson of the 38th Fighter Squadron.

At this point my left turbo went bad and the engine began to lose all of its oil.  We tried to outrun the pursuing 109s but the other 2 38s weren’t fast enough and mine was only putting out 30 inches manifold pressure on the left engine.  The enemy aircraft closed down slowly to about 800 yards behind, 700 yards to the side and 1000 feet above.  Suddenly one of 109s slid away from his flight and with his superior altitude closed down to 400 yards behind me, I was middle ship of the three.  Lt. Gilbride started to break back into him but I told him to sit tight as that was just what the Jerries wanted.  The enemy aircraft sat within range for about a minute, not firing, and then moved over on Gilbride’s tail.  I edged over toward Gilbride and the enemy aircraft changed back to my tail.  The enemy aircraft made the change 4 times.  I was determined not to fall for their bait and forced myself and the other two to continue straight ahead. 

Finally the other 4 enemy aircraft moved up abreast of Lt. Erickson, on my left, and started into us.  I called “break”, and the three of us turned into them.  At this point my left engine quit, I feathered, continued my break about 100 degrees and then turned back toward home.  Lt. Gilbride was behind as my engine quit but when I regained control and looked he was not there.  I continued and 1 P-38 appeared behind me with 4 109s behind him.  They were all closing me very rapidly, so I unfeathered the left engine, intending to use it until it caught fire.  The P-38 pulled along side, pilot Erickson, and the enemy aircraft were approximately 500 yards back. 

Erickson and I stayed abreast for about 2 minutes with the enemy aircraft following.  I took a look around the area and when I looked back the enemy aircraft were no longer following.  I eased off the left engine and Erickson and I came home.  The enemy aircraft had followed us just past the Dutch coast.

Lt. Gilbride disappeared at approximately 1240 hours about 12 miles east of Keppel.  The one ME 109 that had been trying to bait us had half rolled when the three of us broke into the four and it is possible that Gilbride followed him and got into trouble.  The other four followed the two of us so it is impossible to say how many Lt. Gilbride became engaged with later, if such be the case.  Neither Erickson nor I heard Gilbride say anything over the radio about trouble and we had maintained good radio contact until that time.

We later identified three of the four P-38 pilots who had helped us as Captain Ayers, Captain Beaird and Lieutenant Erickson, all of the 38th Fighter Squadron.  The fourth man’s name has not been ascertained, nor has the name of the man who was shot down.

______________________________

2 Lt. Fleming W. Suiter (343rd Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group), MACR 1273

Transcript of Eyewitness Account – Capt. Chet A. Patterson

I was flying lead position in second flight at the time we were approximately 10 miles north of Emmen, Holland, when we met 4 head on attack of 30 plus Enemy Aircraft.  I turned right to engage the enemy, and then saw four friendly aircraft behind and below, being attacked.  The friendly aircraft which I identified as flown by 2nd Lt. Fleming W. Suiter, 0-713363, appeared to be shot down as he went down through the overcast.  This was the last I saw of Lt. Suiter.

Next: Part VI – The Missing Years