303rd BG (H) Combat Mission No.242 13 September 1944 Target: BMW Motor Plant at Eisenach, Germany Crews Dispatched: 15 Crews Lost: Lt. C.W. Heleen, 1 KIA, 8 POW; Lt. L.M. Walker, 3 KIA, 6 POW Length of Mission: 7 hours, 35 minutes Bomb Load: 10 x 500 lb G.P. XM43 bombs Bombing Altitude: 29,100 ft Ammo Fired: 2,635 rounds A small force of 15 bombers took off to bomb the synthetic oil refinery at Merseburg, Germany. Aircraft #42-97187 Miss Umbriago, 360BS (Lt. Juns), returned early when the pilot became ill. XM43 bombs on the secondary target at aircraft dropped their bombs about two 358BS 359BS 360BS 360BS 360BS Lt. Freeman Lt. Miller Lt. Crawford Lt. Railing Lt. Bennett Seven aircraft dropped 70 500-lb. G.P. Eisenach, Germany, from 29,100 feet. Five minutes early: #43-37590 Neva-The Silver Lady #42-107206 Old Black Magic #42-97860 (No Name) #44-6124 (No Name) #42-97853 Lucky Linda The element leader, Old Black Magic, released early and others dropped on him. Bombs hit in a wooded area, or in a small town, five or six miles northeast of Eisenach. Other Fortresses had poor results. Their bombs hit about 2,000 ft. west of the target in Eisenach. There were no clouds in the target area. Weather was CAVU except for occasional persistent contrails. Aircraft encountered no flak or enemy aircraft. Fighter support by 233 P-47s and P-51s was good. Two Fortresses flying in the high element, high Group, 41st CBW-A, were missing. They were in formation with ten other 384BG B-17s and had passed through intense and extremely accurate anti-aircraft fire over Merseburg, Germany. It was not known if they had bombed. When last seen, #42-32027 Betty Jane, 427BS, piloted by 2Lt. Carl M. Heleen, had two propellers feathered. It had dropped out of formation still under control. Lt. Stanley V. Davidson later reported that a third engine also went out and the aircraft was abandoned shortly thereafter at about 1,500 ft. altitude. Lt. Heleen's parachute failed to open and he was killed upon impact with the ground. Sgt. Jennings G. Brown evaded capture for about six weeks, but was captured and made a POW when he had almost reached friendly territory. Lt. Davidson, 2Lt. Frank L. Hodenius, 2Lt. Grover C.H. Cummings, Sgt. Charles L. Hahn, Sgt. William H. Gast, Sgt. Charles W. Gaudette and Sgt. Jefferson H. Dunford were captured and became POWs. Mission 242 - 1 WALKER CREW . Sgt William H. 2Lt Stanley V.2 . Cummings (B). HELEEN CREW . Dunford (TG). Lunday (R). Hahn (E) LEWIS M. Brogani (WG).(Front) T/Sgt James Sublett (E). Mathis. Doyle (CP). Beers (B). Sgt Charles W. Sgt Henry H.photo: Aug 1944) (Back L-R) 2Lt Carl M. S/Sgt Walter L. 2Lt Joseph J. S/Sgt Henry C. Walker (P). Gast (R). Heleen (P). (WG) Mission 242 .photo: 19 June 1944) (Back L-R) 2Lt Donald B.CARL M. T/Sgt Albert J. Hundley (BT). Sgt Jennings G. 1Lt Lewis M. 2Lt Abraham Wodinsky (N) . Reckert (TG). 2Lt Grover C. Gaudette (BT). Davidson (CP). 2Lt Frank L.358th BS (crew assigned 358BS: 17 Aug 1944 . Sgt Charles L. S/Sgt Arthur C. Brown (WG).H. Hodenius (N) (Front L-R) Sgt Jefferson H.359th BS B-17G #42-97508 Scorchy II (359BS) BN-V (crew assigned 359BS: 11 June 1944 . and notified the Nazis. He put us in a barn. Sgt Hundley recalled. Flowe rs / CoP ilot F/O J oh n R . piloted by 1Lt. Harris Mission 242 . Lewis M. gave us a bowl of barley soup (it tasted great). not Nazis—ignored us in the town. It got so bad we decided there was nothing to do but walk to the nearest town and surrender. had feathered a propeller.Pilot 1Lt Selwy n D . apparently out of control. had no medical attention and were filthy. B-17G Sho o Sh oo B aby 42 -97311 (42 7BS ) GN -G 41s t CB W-A (4 27B S) L ead . We dragged on to the next town. They were liberated on 2 May 1945 by units of the British 2nd Army after enduring a 86 day 600 mile "Death March" from Stalag Luft 4. The six survivors hid for 13 days in the mountains. Walter Hundley suffered a broken leg. Six of the crew did make successful jumps. It had pulled off to the right and then went into a vertical dive. "We were nearly starved and frozen.After being hit by flak. They were too busy working slave labor of Poles and Russians. No chutes were observed. Walker. Poland and joined about 8. The Germans—they were farmers." The four surviving Enlisted Men were taken to Stalag Luft IV at Gross Tychow.000 other prisoners 60 miles northeast of Berlin. S/Sgt. The Burgomeister of that town was finally convinced that we were Americans. #42-6076 Liberty Run. It was all I could do to crawl with my bad right leg.3 . We were like barbaric heathens. 359BS. It crashed near Merseburg in a mass of flames. Voice Interpreter OBS .Passenger PHO .Missing in action POW .A Flowers-Harris 311 Ackerman Eisenwinter 248 597 Baltes 326 Gould 496 Freeland 574 Freeman 590 Glass 739 Miller 206 Bennett 853 Crawford 860 Railing 124 Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point .Crashed at sea Mission 242 .Ball Turret Operator TT .Crashed on land CR-S .Radio Operator TOG .Observer PAS .Gunner VI .Rescued ESC .Evaded the enemy INT .4 .Bailed out DCH .Left Waist Gunner RWG .Tail Gunner NG .Top Turret Operator TG .Ass't.Killed in action WIA .Navigator ANV .Command Pilot P .Waist Gunner LWG .Group B Walker 076 Heleen 027 Juns 187 KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS CREW POSITIONS CMP . Navigator MNV .Escaped BO .Togglier BT .Wounded in action MIA .Radio Gunner WG .Nose Gunner RG .Photographer RESULTS OF MISSION KIA .Interned in neu cntry REP .Co-Pilot NAV .Engineer BOM .Ditched CR-L .Bombardier RO .Died of wounds EVD .Pilot CP .Prisoner of war DOW .Mickey Navigator ENG .Aircraft Formation at Assembly Point .Right Waist Gunner GUN .Repatriated RES . 2Lt POW BOM Cummings.. Sheldon... Sgt BT Cerzosimo... 2Lt NAV Haider. James M. Sgt POW TG Dunford... Carl M. Glenn R. 2Lt CP Canning. Jefferson H.5 . Sgt TG Caporusso. Robert G. 2Lt NAV Goldstein. Leroy E. 2Lt ENG Eide. Joseph C.. 2Lt BOM Boland. Sgt (Abortive Sortie) Mission 242 ..H. Sgt TG Davis. Charles W. Orlyn D. Sgt BT Chesney. Peter J. Sgt B-17G #43-37590 Neva-The Silver Lady P Freeman. Sgt B-17G #42-32027 Betty Jane CR-L P Heleen.... Clyde E. Louis J. 2Lt KIA CP Davidson. Sgt RO Brady.. Grady H. Wylie C. Stanley V.. Sgt POW WG Brown. Robert F. Alan D.. Sgt EVD/POW RO Gast. Sgt POW BT Gaudette. Sgt RO Wilson.. Vernon L. 2Lt ENG Abernathy. Grover C.. 2Lt POW NAV Hodenius.. 1Lt CP Prudhoe. Richard W. Anthony J.. William H. Alexander. Sgt RO VanLier. Bernard J.. Sgt WG Martin... 2Lt NAV Kosta. Frank J.. Donald E. 2Lt ENG Fleck. George J. 2Lt BOM Nugent. Sgt WG Hodges... Clarence K. Sgt POW B-17G #42-31739 Pugnacious Peter P Glass. Troit D. 2Lt P Chanut.. 2Lt POW ENG Hahn. Donald L...... Charles L. S/Sgt TG Dyszel. Bernard P. Frank L. Mark M.358th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists B-17G #42-31574 Ole George P Freeland.. S/Sgt WG Moran. 2Lt BOM Birkenseer. S/Sgt BT Trumbull.. Jennings G.. . Jr. Fred E. 2Lt ENG Mogck. William F.. Tony N. Albert J. 1Lt CP Lasker. Sgt WG Bandy.. 2Lt TOG Reynolds.. Cpl RO Smolar... Graham C. John D. Sgt TG Posluszny. Cpl BT Ball. 2Lt NAV Leigh. Ralph J. 2Lt CP Hill. Sgt B-17G #42-107206 Old Black Magic P Miller.6 . Cpl (Abortive Sortie) B-17G #44-8326 (No Name) P Baltes. John J. Peter C... Arthur A. Augustus C. S/Sgt BT Kanz. 2Lt NAV Nielsen. Yale. Johnny C. 1Lt CP Marble.. 1Lt CP Doyle.... 2Lt ENG Sublett. Donald B. Max... S/Sgt TG Gloria.. Edward H. 1Lt ENG Waldron....359th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists B-17G #42-102496 Special Delivery P Gould.. Cpl TG Hutson. Lewis M.. James W. Val E. Sgt B-17G #44-6076 Liberty Run P Walker.. 2Lt ENG Stenger... S/Sgt CR-L KIA KIA POW POW POW POW POW POW KIA Mission 242 .. S/Sgt BT Thompson. Robert A. Charles L. T/Sgt RO Anderson. S/Sgt WG Mathis. Teddy A. 2Lt BOM Smith. Arthur C. Leo F. Leonard. Austin C.. 2Lt NAV Macaulay. 2Lt NAV Conn. S/Sgt RO Lunday. 2Lt BOM Beers. Jr.. Sgt WG Godsey. Milton C.. Joseph J. Jr.. Anthony D.. Warren G. S/Sgt TG Reckert.. S/Sgt RO Giltenboth.. Walter L. Jr.. Cpl WG Zelnio. Jr.. Branislaw B. S/Sgt BT Hundley. George E. 2Lt BOM Glover.. Henry C.. Thomas W... Carl V.. S/Sgt (Abortive Sortie) B-17G #42-97853 Lucky Linda P Bennett. Warren D. F/O BOM Singular. T/Sgt RO Shulan. 2Lt NAV Lane... S/Sgt TG Englis. Sgt (Abortive Sortie) B-17G #42-97860 (No Name) P Crawford. Jr.. 2Lt ENG LeRoux... Leroy N.. T/Sgt RO Miller. Gerald M. Jr. S/Sgt RO Wimer. Charles G. Meyer. S/Sgt WG Marucco. Lawrence L. Lorne R.. Eldridge C.. 2Lt ENG Mellon.. Roland C.. Maurice H. Charles G. 2Lt CP Beasley. Warren G. Hiram E. James B. Charles F. Sgt BT Burgeson.. Paul K. Sgt RO Hanna. William H. Sgt (Abortive) Mission 242 ... Edward H. 2Lt BOM Thomas. 2Lt BOM Willson. 2Lt ENG Girard. T/Sgt BT Whitney. James J. 2Lt NAV Leibovitz. Louis P.. Lt CP Goff.. Elwin A.... William C. S/Sgt (Abortive Sortie) B-17G #42-97187 Miss Umbriago P Juns.. Edmund A.. S/Sgt WG Branin. Jr. Howard D. 1Lt CP Kidd. 2Lt NAV Wade... William L..7 .. Ralph K. Sgt WG Cole. S/Sgt TG Essig.... T/Sgt BT Jones.. Sgt TG Barber. Charles E. S/Sgt WG Rice..360th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists B-17G #44-6124 (No Name) P Railing. 2Lt NAV Harding.. 2Lt ENG Gonshor. Lloyd E. S/Sgt BT Oberly. Robert E.. 2Lt BOM Woodbury. Frank. William M. Lyle W. 2Lt CP McCarl. S/Sgt TG Barder.. Benton R.. Emmett R. Louis H... Daniel F... . Richard C.. 2Lt BOM Campbell. Selwyn D.8 . Bert J. Sgt Mission 242 . Paul.. John E.. Charles E.. Robert C. Sgt RO Scaglione. Jr.. Frederick J. Alois G. S/Sgt B-17G #43-38248 Jigger Rooche II P Ackerman. 2Lt CP Barrios. Philip D... S/Sgt TG Morrow. Wayne L. Benjamin..... F/O NAV Pandy. Lewis J.. Charles M. S/Sgt TT Hiibner... 1Lt CP Harris. S/Sgt TG Ruhge.. 2Lt NAV Dubois.. Sgt BT Highfill. Alfred R. Paul H. Sgt RO Kopriva. 2Lt BOM Oswald. 2Lt NAV Norman. Sgt WG Proper. Joseph P. Robert E.. Stewart S. John R. Charles P.. 2Lt WG Sutton. Marvin A. S/Sgt BT McCormick. Okey L. Edward J. Sgt RO Ribesky. 1Lt BOM Webster. George M. Sgt B-17G #42-97311 Shoo Shoo Baby P Flowers. 2Lt WG Schulz. 1Lt TT Kiely. S/Sgt BT Veljkov. Sgt WG Howell.... 1Lt CP Waggoner. Jr.. 2Lt TT Creaghan. Jr.... Joseph. John V. Thomas W. Sgt TG Wiencek..427th Bombardment Squadron Crew Lists B-17G #43-37597 Earthquake McGoon P Eisenwinter..