Casualty Report from May 19, 1944
Detail
MACR: 04948
Target: Berlin, Germany
Base: Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England
Crash: Destroyed by enemy fighters on the return - ditched in the Baltic Sea south of Glaeno Island. The entire crew rowed ashore in the A/C's emergency escape raft where they were immediately taken prisoner.
Squadron: 349th BS - 100th BG (H)
Aircraft
Aircraft #: 42-97607
Aircraft Type: B-17G
Aircraft Name: Aircraft name N/A
Aircraft Code: XR-H
Pilot: Lt Ralph D. Horne | O-748415
POS: P
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Copilot: Lt John M. McGrath | O-697435
POS: CP
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
NAV: Lt Douglas L. Hiley | O-814316
POS: NAV
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BOM: Lt Jack T. Evans | O-752743
POS: BOM
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
ROG: TSgt Lawrence C. Wiley | 31296559
POS: ROG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TTE: TSgt Robert L. Fosdick | 19057033
POS: TTE
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
BTG: SSgt Carlee G Hunt | 14074545
POS: BTG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: Carlee Gordon Hunt
RWG: SSgt Shelly M. Hall | 34707374
POS: RWG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
LWG: SSgt Joseph Perinsky | 12208825
POS: LWG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TG: SSgt Joseph G. Staron | 19079220
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
Excerpts from a letter (below) to Jim Brown, 100th veteran and the group's origiinal historian, from Birger Hansen of Copenhagen, Denmark describes the circumstances of this incident. An unknown a/c was observed under control and apparently in no serious trouble at 1508 hours near 5420N - 1200E heading for Sweden. The a/c had passed Lolland Island just shortly before it was hit by FW 190s. The pilot managed to ditch the a/c 8 km south of Glacno Island, and the crew successfully paddled ashore in the dinghies. Standard ditching procedures were used with all but the pilot and co-pilot in the radio room. There were no injuries from the combat action or the ditching except for a slight scratch on Sgt Joseph G. Staron's head. Lt's Horne and Evans and T/Sgt's Willey and Fosdick were taken POWs in Nyrup town on the 20th May at 0900 hours and the rest of the crewmembers became POWs in Snedinge town the same day at 1000 hours. The crew was on their 21st mission.
Report Notes
Notes on this report N/A
