Casualty Report from May 12, 1944
Detail
MACR: 04865
Target: Brüx, Czechoslovakia (Oil Refinery)
Base: Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England
Crash: A lot of eyewitnesses (Germans) told me, they had seen the plane flying alone, a long time after the bomber formation had passed by. The plane had been attacked by three german fighters. There was no fighter support (P-38). The plane was shoot down and the crew bailed out. The wreckage was found at Niederbachleim, Germany. This is on the Rhine north of Frankfurt and near the town of St. Goarshausen.
Squadron: 418th BS - 100th BG(H)
Aircraft
Aircraft #: 42-31504
Aircraft Type: B-17G
Aircraft Name: Rosie's Riveters II
Aircraft Code: LD-E
Pilot: Lt Alexander W. Kinder | O-754517
POS: P
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Copilot: Lt Theodore R. Schmuch | O-000000
POS: CP
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
NAV: Lt Dale R. Wynn | O-814479
POS: NAV
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BOM: Lt William J. Dodd | O-685109
POS: BOM
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
ROG: TSgt Robert W. Mazzacane | 11113213
POS: ROG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TTE: TSgt Charles J. Wilson | 19085376
POS: TTE
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BTG: SSgt Charles R. Daniels | 35656757
POS: BTG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
RWG: SSgt Eugene W. Wayetren | 37322324
POS: RWG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
LWG: SSgt David F. Castles | 14178316
POS: LWG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TG: SSgt Charles R. Stewart | 18131692
POS: TG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
EX1: 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
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
A/C 504 may have had the code "O" instead of "E" as originally thought. Formation charts for Feb/May show this A/C carring a "O" for its ID letter.
Report Notes
However the crew did not ditch in Channel as the following German report indicates: "On 12 May 1944 at 14:30 hours a four engine American bomber crashed on the south exit of the township Niederbachheim, District of St. Goarshausen. The bomber exploded and was competely destroyed. Type and number of the bomber could not be determined. the engines were Studebaker type. The crew bailed out prior to the crash, they were captured by the Land Guard and the people..NAMES OF CAPTURED FLYERS: The crew names are listed above.. The POW enemy airmen were sent to Armed Forces Land Guard Battalion 786 in St Goarshausen and from there on 15 May 1944, at 0940 hours to Dulag Luft Oberursel."
