Casualty Report from April 3, 1945
Detail
MACR: 13717
Target: Kiel Harbor, Germany
Base: Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England
Crash: Bombs could not be released over the target - salvoed due east of Helgoland Island. With fuel supply nearly exhausted the crew attempted to reach a liberated Belgian airfield. While flying at approximately 5000 feet over the Frisian Islands the aircraft sustained flak hits in the right wing area resulting in uncontrollable fires. The aircraft assumed a nose down attitude from which it never recovered. (There are reports of the aircraft exploding just before crashing.)
Squadron: 351st BS - 100th BG (H)
Time of loss: 20:00
Aircraft
Aircraft #: 43-38992
Aircraft Type: B-17G
Aircraft Name: Aircraft name N/A
Aircraft Code: EP-S
Pilot: 2Lt William E. Baldwin | O-783669
POS: P
Status: KIA
State: California
Notes: Final Interment - Fort Rosencrans National Cemetery, San Diego, California - USA
Copilot: 2Lt Francis G. Beedle | O-206248
POS: CP
Status: KIA
State: Iowa
Notes: Final Internment - Lorraine E-19-33
NAV: F/O John H. Buckley | T134539
POS: NAV
Status: KIA
State: Arkansas
Notes: Final Internment - Lorraine K-41-36
BOM: Sgt Leslie O. Davis | 35471882
POS: BOM
Status: KIA
State: Ohio
Notes: Final Internment - USA
ROG: Sgt Kermit E. Jones | 36808195
POS: ROG
Status: KIA
State: N/A
Notes:
TTE: Sgt Kenneth E. Wright | 20383070
POS: TTE
Status: KIA
State: Maryland
Notes: Final Internment - Lorraine G-13-15
BTG: Cpl Randolph A. Goodwin | 39855835
POS: BTG
Status: KIA
State: Texas
Notes: Final Internment - Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas - USA
RWG: Sgt Alfred Mantopoli | 32953846
POS: RWG
Status: KIA
State: New Jersey
Notes: Final Internment - USA
LWG: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | 00000000
POS: LWG
Status: MIA/KIA
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TG: Sgt Ogden W. Barron | 42000553
POS: TG
Status: KIA
State: New York
Notes: Final Internment - Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, Long Island, NewYork - USA
EX1: SSgt Howard O. Weber | 15313749
POS: RAD NAV
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: Rescued from the North Sea by the Dutch fisherman Mr. C. Dagger, Prins Headrikpolder H, 8, of Texel, who maintained contact with Sgt Howard O. Weber until his death.
EX2: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | N/A
POS: N/A
Status: N/A
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Crew Notes
Actually,icing was not the problem as Kermit Jones explains. "We were returning from Kiel when it was discovered we were running out of gas so we headed for Belgium. While enroute,and over the first Frisian Island off the Peninsula of Holland at an altitude of 5000 feet,we wera hit by flak which destroyed two engines and set the ship on fire." According to Jones,he,Goodwin and Wright bailed out but the others did not and the A/C exploded upon hitting the ground. Jones adds that, "Sgt. Goodwin landed on the island (Texel) and shed his chute and flying boots. These were later shown to us by the Germans with a comment that Sgt.Goodwin was dead. The Germans at the same time showed us the seven pairs of twisted and burned dog tags of remaining members of the crew with a statement that they were all dead." Aug. 2005 By the way in the "Missing Air Crew Report" #13717 you mention " Textel island ", which should be " Texel island " (delete 't'), and the crash site is mentioned as " Horntge ", which sould be " 't Horntje ". However, this is also not exactly the crash location; It is better to mention " near Watermolenweg in Hoornder Nieuwland ". Greetings from Texel island - The Netherlands Jan Nieuwenhuis Vloedlijn 12 NL-1791 HH Den Burg (Texel) The Netherlands
Report Notes
Notes on this report N/A
