Soldiers from New York: Jewish Soldiers in The New York Times, in World War Two: Second Lieutenant Arthur Chasen and Sergeant Alfred R. Friedlander – December 23, 1944

Sometimes, a coincidence is only apparent in retrospect.

On February 27 and March 6, 1945, the Times published obituaries for two members of the Army Air Force – Second Lieutenant Arthur M. Chasen, and Sergeant Alfred Robert Friedlander – respectively, who were both described as having been killed in action in Yugoslavia on December 23, 1944, during their second combat mission.  At the time, it might only have been realized by the most astute reader that Chasen and Friedlander were members of the same aircrew.  Both were lost – along with their seven fellow crewmen – in the same aircraft, on the same combat mission: A sortie to parachute two B.A.F. (Balkan Air Force) agents into the area of Banja Luka, Yugoslavia. 

Chasen and Friedlander were assigned to the 15th Air Force’s 885th Bomb Squadron, based at Brindisi, Italy, and were crew members of the B-24L Liberator 44-49336, “Lady Mary”, piloted by Second Lieutenant Arthur B. Legath.  As recorded in the Missing Air Crew Report (#10934) covering the plane’s loss, the aircraft, which departed at 1024, was contacted twice during the mission: once at 1202 hours, and later at 1545 hours.  Each message was acknowledged shortly after its receipt, with the plane’s last response being received by the 885th at 1549. 

No further communication was received from the aircraft. 

By the time the Missing Air Crew Report was compiled (on either the 28th or 30th of December) unofficial word was received that the aircraft had crashed on the Yugoslavian coast.  News about the crew’s loss presumably reached the United States not longer after.     

According to information compiled by Enrico Barbina at his superb The Solomon Crew website, the mission of December 23, 1944 was also the second combat flight for Lieutenant Legath.  The flight was the 13th combat mission of Lady Mary

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Lieutenant Chasen’s obituary was published in the Times on February 27, and in the Brooklyn Eagle on February 28, 1945.  His name appeared in a Casualty List on March 27.  He is presumably buried in a private cemetery in the United States. 

Brooklyn Flier Casualty on Yugoslav Mission

Lieut. Arthur M. Chasen, navigator in the crew of a bomber that was lost over Yugoslavia Dec. 23, was reported as killed in action on that date, in a telegram received by his parents from the War Department Thursday.  He lived at 727 East Third Street, Brooklyn.  It was his second mission from a base in Italy.

Prior to enlisting while a senior at St. John’s University in Brooklyn in 1942, Lieutenant Chasen had attended Erasmus Hall High School in that borough.  He was commissioned at San Marcos, Texas, in July, 1944.  In addition to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isidor Chasen, the young navigator is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Betty Lebowitz and Mrs. Gladys Hyman, both of Brooklyn.

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Sergeant Friedlander’s obituary was published in the Times on March 6, and appeared in a Casualty List on March 27, 1945.  His name also appeared in the “In Memoriam” section of the Times in October of 1945, and, in 1946 and 1947.   

Initially a member of the 721st Bomb Squadron of the 450th “Cottontails” Bomb Group, he was also mentioned in The Herald Statesman (Yonkers) on January 6, 1944.  He is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, in Nettuno, Italy.  (Plot I, Row 3, Grave 69) 

Killed on Second Mission From Italy Bomber Base

Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Friedlander of 461 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers, have received word from the War Department of the death of their son, Sgt. A. Robert Friedlander, radio-gunner in the crew of a B-24 bomber that was lost over Yugoslavia on Dec. 23.  Sergeant Friedlander, who was reported killed on that date, was on his second mission from a base in Italy.

He was in his second year at the University of Illinois when he enlisted as an aviation cadet in September, 1942.  He was a member of the Sons of the American Legion, Post 935.

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Here is a 2013 Google Street view of the wartime residence of the Friedlander family: 461 Riverdale Avenue, Yonkers. 

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Here are pages from Missing Air Crew Report 10934 for “Lady Mary”.  Although specific mention is made of the two B.A.F. agents, neither their names nor information about their fate are presented.

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Some other Jewish military casualties on Saturday, December 23, 1944 are listed below.  (The names of casualties for army ground forces on this date are presented in the post covering Private Alfred A. Berg)

Killed in Action
– .ת.נ.צ.ב.ה. –

Cummings, Benjamin B., F/O, T-005736, Bombardier, Purple Heart (Killed on his very first combat mission)
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 397th Bomb Group, 599th Bomb Squadron
Mrs. Dorit (“Little”) Cummings (wife); Benjamin Cummings, Jr. (son), 4400 Pacific Ave., Wildwood, N.J.
Mr. and Mrs. Samuel and Celia Cummings (parents), Henry, Dr. Martin M., and Reuben M. Cummings (brothers), 301 West High St., Glassboro, N.J. / 11 Clementon Road, Camden, N.J.
Born at Blenheim, N.J., 1/16/24; Graduate of Glassboro State Teachers College
MACR 11897, B-26G 43-34159, “Hun Conscious II”, “6B * J”, Pilot – 1 Lt. Philip C. Dryden, 6 crew – 2 survivors
Buried at Crescent Burial Park, Pennsauken, N.J.
American Jews in World War II – 230 (See full biography at DVRBS.com)

 

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Korn, Abraham J., PFC, 12029144, Togglier, Purple Heart
United States Army Air Force,  9th Air Force, 397th Bomb Group, 596th Bomb Squadron
Mrs. Nellie Korn (mother), 354 Fabyan Place, Newark, N.J.
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo. – Section 84, Grave 156-158; Buried 6/9/50
American Jews in World War II – 242

Lewis, Craig E., 1 Lt., 0-417548, Bombardier, Air Medal, Purple Heart
United States Army Air Force,  9th Air Force, 397th Bomb Group, 596th Bomb Squadron
Mr. Benjamin F. Lewis (father), 5486 Blackstone Ave., Chicago, Il.
Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium – Plot C, Row 9, Grave 22
Casualty List 11/7/45
American Jews in World War II – 108

PFC Korn and Lt. Lewis were crewmen in B-26B Mauarder 42-96144, “Bank Nite Betty”, “X2 * C”, piloted by 1 Lt. Charles W. Estes.  (MACR #11483)  None of the plane’s seven crewmen survived the mission.

Excellent and highly evocative photographs of Bank Nite Betty and her crew can be found at the website of the American Air Museum in Britain.  As mentioned in the photo’s the caption, the plane received a direct flak hit and crashed northeast of Saint Vith.  As captioned at the website, the men are as follows:  “Crew: Pilot 1st Lt Charles W Estes (Mo.) [standing at far left], Co-pilot 1st Lt William D Collins (Ia.), Bomb 1st Lt Craig E Lewis (Il.), Eng S/Sgt James P Negri (N.Y.), Radio T/Sgt William E Epps (Ar.), Arm Sgt Bruno T Daszkiewicz (I.) X Gun Pfc Abraham J Korn (N.J.).”

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Mendelsohn, Jerome H., Sgt., 32538446, Radio Operator, Air Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, 12 to 14 missions
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 394th Bomb Group, 584th Bomb Squadron
Mr. Irving Mendelsohn (father), 1432 Harrod Ave., New York, N.Y.
MACR 11402, B-26B 42-96061, “Heavens Above”, “K5 * P”, Pilot – 2 Lt. Fred E. Riegner, 6 crewmen – 2 survivors
Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France – Plot J, Row 50, Grave 19
Casualty List 12/7/45
American Jews in World War II – 391

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Sampson, William Gilbert (“Sonny”) (וועלוויל נעציל בן מענדיל – Velvel Getzel ben Mendil), Cpl., 36589011, Radio Operator, Air Medal, Purple Heart, 8 missions
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 391st Bomb Group, 574th Bomb Squadron
Mr. and Mrs. Max [2/22/00-12/13/51] and Debby (Levine) Sampson [1905-11/22/58] (parents), 11818 14th St., Detroit, Mi. [only child]
Born 12/2/24
MACR 11671, B-26B 42-95841, “Powerful Katrinka”, “4L * S”, Pilot – 2 Lt. Edward F. Donnelly, 6 crewmen – no survivors
Machpelah Cemetery, Ferndale, Mi. – Buried 1/2/49; Unveiling 6/12/49
Detroit Jewish Chronicle 12/31/48, 6/9/49
Jewish News (Detroit) 12/14/45, 12/31/48, 6/10/49, 6/14/49
American Jews in World War II – 430

This excellent in-flight image of Powerful Katrinka is from the website of the American Air Museum in Britain.

This image of Corporal Sampson appeared in the Jewish News (Detroit) on December 31, 1948. 

The following two images show the matzevot of Corporal Sampson, and, his father, Max, at the Machpelah Cemetery, in Ferndale, Michigan. The upper image was photographed in 2013 by FindAGrave contributor KChaffeeB., while the lower image was photographed in 2009 by FindAGrave contributor Denise.  I assume (?) that William Sampson’s mother, Debby, is also buried at Machpelah Cemetery.

The similarity of symbols on these two matzevot is more than coincidental.   

Apparently, William was an only child. 

Both of his parents passed away in the 1950s.  They were quite young, even by demographics of that decade:  His father Max was only fifty-one, and his mother Debby only fifty-three.

William’s matzevot bears a pair of wings, centered upon the symbol “9th AF”. 

Max’s mazevot also bears pair of wings, centered upon the symbol of a shield (representing the United States armed forces) surmounted by a resting dove.  

Alas, the Second World War did not “end” in 1945…

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Scherer, Norman S., 1 Lt., 0-887158, Navigator, Air Medal, 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 397th Bomb Group, 598th Bomb Squadron
Mr. Arthur Scherer (father), Monument Square, Southampton, Long Island, N.Y.
Casualty List 4/12/45; Nassau Daily Review-Star 10/22/45
MACR 11549, B-26G 43-34221, “Lil’ Jan”, “U2 * L”,  Pilot – Capt. Donald H. Stangle, 8 crewmen – no survivors
Luxembourg American Cemetery, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – Plot C, Row 1, Grave 15
American Jews in World War II – 430

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Shweder, Howard, Cpl., 12219444, Tail Gunner, Purple Heart
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 387th Bomb Group, 559th Bomb Squadron
Mr. Herman Shweder (father), 1957 74th St., Brooklyn, N.Y.
MACR 11482, B-26B 42-95869, “The Front Burner II”, “TQ * F”, Pilot – 2 Lt. Matthew J. Pusateri, 7 crewmen – no survivors
Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Mo. – Section 82, Grave 48; Buried 9/22/49
American Jews in World War II – 441

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Wolf, Edward, 2 Lt., 0-761272, Bombardier-Navigator
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 391st Bomb Group, 575th Bomb Squadron
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin and Tillie Wolf (parents); Abraham, Anna, and Ruth (brother and sisters), Chicago, Il.
Mrs. A.S. Wolf (sister in law), 412 South Wells St., Chicago, Il.
Born Connecticut, 1920
(Parents’ and sister’s name from 1940 Census – uncertain if this is correct!)
MACR 11670, B-26B 42-95844, “MISS Behavin”, “O8 * D”, Pilot – 2 Lt. William A. Kloepfer, 7 crewmen – 1 survivor
Place of burial – Unknown
American Jews in World War II – Not Listed

This photograph of Miss Behavin is (also) from the American Air Museum in Britain website.  The identities of the men standing before the aircraft are unknown. 

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Schuster, Bernard, F/O, T-123627, Navigator, Air Medal, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 9th Troop Carrier Group, 3rd Troop Carrier Squadron
Mrs. Lucille (Rothman) Schuster (wife), 2877 N. Grand Blvd. (or) 2821 Frederick Ave., Milwaukee, Wi.
Mr. Jacob Schuster (father), 2039 N. 9th St., Milwaukee, Wi.
University of Wisconsin Class of 1942
MACR 11025, C-47A 43-48056, Pilot – 1 Lt. Hildren Tyson, 6 crewmen – no survivors
Agudas Achim Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wi. – SB,L3,G3
American Jews in World War II – 586

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Spear, James Dreyfuss, F/O, T-223175, Pilot (Reconnaissance), Air Medal, 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart
United States Army Air Force, 8th Air Force, 25th Bomb Group, 654th Bomb Squadron
Mrs. Marjorie D. (Stern) Spear (wife), Adrian Apartments, 601 Kirtland St., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander and Lillian (Newman) Dreyfuss (parents), 6306 Beacon St., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Born Cleveland, Oh., 6/7/17
Enlisted in RCAF 9/25/41, with service number R131216; Enlisted in US forces 6/28/44
No MACR, aircraft was Mosquito XVI, NS638; Navigator was 2 Lt. Carroll B. Bryan, of Sevier County, Tennessee – also killed;  Aircraft crashed 2 miles west of Dursley, Gloucestershire, England, on test flight. 
West View Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jewish Criterion (Pittsburgh) 9/7/45 (Name only – no other information)
American Jews in World War II – 554

Wounded in Action

Haas, Alvin Hugo 2 Lt., 0-744129, Navigator, Air Medal, 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart, 56 missions
United States Army Air Force, 5th Air Force, 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron
Wounded by bomb fragments during Japanese air raid
On 10/26/44, he was a crew member of an OA-10A seaplane that crash-landed in the open sea 30 minutes north by northwest of Morotai at 1920 hours.  He was rescued (along with co-pilot 2 Lt. Richard F. Finn) by a PT boat at 2345 hours; aircraft 44-33877; Pilot – 1 Lt. Fredric F. Hoss, Jr.; 8 crewmen – 6 fatalities
Mr. and Mrs. Hugo (“Hugh”) and Minnie Haas (parents), 28-35 34th St., Astoria, N.Y.
Born New York, N.Y., 10/7/22; Died September 21, 2009
Long Island Star Journal 3/14/45, 3/20/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

This image of Lt. Haas is from Jim Bob Teegarden’s excellent PBY Rescue website, which covers the history of the Second Emergency Rescue Squadron.

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Prisoners of War

Lander, Marvin B., 1 Lt., 0-825204, Pilot (Bomber)
United States Army Air Force, 8th Air Force, 94th Bomb Group, 331st Bomb Squadron
Mr. Philip Lander (father), 170 Sherman Ave., Teaneck, N.J.
Born 11/14/23
POW, Stalag Luft I (North Compound I)
MACR 11346, B-17G 44-6619, “Darling Dot“, crash-landed near Woltingen, Germany; 9 crewmen – 8 survivors; Luftgaukommando Report KU 1171A
Teaneck Newspaper 11/30/43, 11/10/44, 12/20/44, 1/18/45, 1/28/45, 3/8/45, 6/1/45
American Jews in World War II – Not listed

Ovis
, Harold, 2 Lt., 0-722655, Radar Operator, Air Medal, Bronze Star Medal

United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force, 387th Bomb Group, 559th Bomb Squadron
POW, Stalag Luft I (North Compound I)
Mr. Nat Ovis (brother), 1497 Carroll St. / 1113 Avenue O, Brooklyn, N.Y.
MACR 11464, B-26C 42-107598, “Miss Kam”, “TQ * G”, Pilot – 1 Lt. William I. Pile, 9 crewmen – 6 survivors; Luftgaukommando Report KU 1191A
American Jews in World War II – 402

References

Book

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

People

Alvin Hugo Haas, at PBY Rescue

          Biography: http://www.pbyrescue.com/Crewmembers/haas.htm

          Mission of October 26, 1944: http://www.pbyrescue.com/Rescues/26oct44.htm

Corporal William G. Sampson (at FindAGrave.com)

Max Sampson (at FindAGrave.com)

The Solomon Crew, at https://thesolomoncrew.com/

Aircraft

B-26B 42-96144, “Bank Nite Betty”, at American Air Museum in Britain, at http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/10132

B-26B 42-95844, “Miss Behavin“, at American Air Museum in Britain, at

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/media/25748

B-26B 42-95841, “Powerful Katrinka”, at American Air Museum in Britain, at http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/10064

B-17G 44-6619, “Darling Dot“, at

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/15755

Mosquito XVI NS638, at Aviation Safety Net, at

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=139104

Military Units

Second Emergency Rescue Squadron

http://www.pbyrescue.com/Photos/2ERS0000/817.htm