COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
2ND LT ARTHUR M. "MAC" VETTER P EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 0-795862
2ND LT DONALD G. SMITH CP EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 0-741943
2ND LT WENDELL K. McCONNAHA NAV KILLED IN EVADING DEC 10, 1943 SN# 0-734944
2ND LT JAMES G. BORMUTH BOM EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 0-676542
T/SGT ORVAL L. PARSONS TTE WIA/POW 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 35333680
T/SGT JOHN M. WAGNER ROG EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 33237317
S/SGT EDWARD W. FONTAINE BTG EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 31172594
S/SGT HOBART C. TRIGG RWG EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 16073581
S/SGT WILLIAM D. EDWARDS LWG POW 4 OCT 43 HANAU SN# 19083107 (with Capt. Harold "Pinky" Helstrom Crew)
S/SGT EDWARD M. DALY TG EVADEE 15 SEP 43 PARIS SN# 32560807
350TH SQDN..CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 25 AUG 1943.
THIS WAS THE FOURTH MISSION FOR THIS CREW, WITH THE RENAULT WORKS AT PARIS AS THE TARGET.
EYEWITNESS: "A/C 452 (42-3452 LN-Z..SEE MACR 645, MICRO-FICHE 213) WAS HIT IN THE #2 ENGINE AT 1900 BETWEEN THE IP AND THE PT AND THE RALLY POINT (RIGHT OVER PARIS). NO CHUTES, NO EAC, BELIEVE HE DROPPED HIS BOMBS. LAST SEEN DROPPING BACK APPARENTLY UNDER CONTROL." LT GROMLEY
"AT 1901 OVER LAGNY, RIGHT WING (VETTER) LOST ALTITIUDE. #2 AND @3 ENGINES SMOKING. DISAPPEARED INTO CLOUDS"… CAPT DeMARCO
ON 15 SEP 43 T/SGT ORVAL L. PARSONS WAS FLYING AS TTE, HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE LEG BEFORE BAILING OUT AND WAS TAKEN POW. S/SGT WARREN G. LUSH WAS FLYING AS A REPLACEMENT FOR W.D. EDWARDS AND BECAME AN EVADEE. LUSH WAS FROM THE J.T. GRIFFIN CREW. APPARENTLY McCONNAHA DIED OF EXPOSURE WHEN HE FELL FROM A CLIFF IN THE PYRENES AS HE WAS GOING INTO SPAIN.
From"THEY NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD" by Jack Sheridan page 83, "A Mission to Stuttgart on 9/6/1943 was pretty much routine, though the target was obscured. They dumped their bombs on the airfield at Evereaux and trotted back over the channel to home. After the noses were counted two more crews were listed as missing. Lieutenant Grenier and Lieutenant Vetter. A half hour later the word came through that Vetter had landed in the South of England undamaged. His Story was the story of the day. He had been knocked out of formation over Stuttgart unable to maintain his attitude. Realizing his chances of remaining at fighter level were extremely ill-advised, he decided to go on the deck and dropped the big ship to about a hundred feet or so off the ground. And began a mad careening dash 250 miles an hour at tree-top level across the face of France. They zoomed past villages and towns, across farm lands and rivers, following the rail lines and the roads. They'd contented themselves taking explosive bursts at anything and everybody they saw and, now and then, they'd come racing upon a startled German anti-aircraft battery and bust them wide open before the bewildered Germans could retaliate. The plane was too low for fighter attack and not high enough for the AA gunners to get a line on them before they were away and down the road."
MISSIONS OF CREW:
03/09/43 PARIS A/C 42-30087 "SHACK RAT"
06/09/43 STUTTGART
09/09/43 BEAUVAIS-TILLE, AF
15/09/43 PARIS (SHOT DOWN) A/C 42-3452 LN-Z
Wendell K. Mc Connaha
Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Forces
Service # O-734944
350th Bomber Squadron, 100th Bomber Group, Heavy
Entered the Service from: Nebraska
Died: 10-Dec-43
Buried at: Plot C Row 1 Grave 11
Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands
Awards: Purple Heart
Buried - Netherlands (C-1-11). McConnaha actually died on December the 10th, 1943 - thought to have been lost in the Pryness Mountains on the escape route. He had evaded capture.
*************************************************************************************************************
CREW
2nd Lt John T.Griffin P CPT
2nd Lt Elbert W.Johnson CP WIA 8 Oct 43-Bremen (transferred to non combat job after this mission)
2nd Lt Thomas R.Kizak NAV CPT
2nd Lt Edward L.Dunlap BOM CPT
T/Sgt Raymond M.Harjo TTE WIA (Purple Heart awarded for 0ct. 8, 1943, returned to States)
T/Sgt Roy O.Howell ROG CPT
S/Sgt Pascal A.Delpriorre BTG CPT
S/Sgt Berbard G.Siegel WG CPT
S/Sgt Sldney L.Nicholas WG NOC
S/Sgt Warren G.Lush TG EVADEE (15/9/43 with crew of A.M.Vetter) Paris
351st Sqdn. This crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 12/9/43.
See photo of crew on p.212 of "CONTRAILS". Also see p.21/23 SOC .
Lt. Kizak appears on crew of R.V.Monrad on 8/3/44.
Wrote J.T.Griffin 20/3/84 and received reply 14/6/84. " Nicholas did not complete tour,I do not know what happened to him. Harjo was returned to USA. Johnson was replaced on crew by Lt.Earl Williams and completed tour. Replacements on this crew were Don L.Pilgrim -WIA. Arthur L. Olsen,and A. (Alfred??) Hunt who completed their tours. There positions not definetly but believe Pilgrim a TG and Hunt & Olsen WGs.
Partial list of Missions Flown by Lt John Griffin Crew (from Frank Murphy book Luck of the Draw" mpf 2003)
1. 15/09/43 PARIS A/C 42-30087 "SHACK RAT"
2. 16/09/43 BORDEAUX/MERIGNAC A/C 42-30358 "PHARTZAC" (highly unusual since this is a 350th BS aircraft, possible mistake)
3. 23/09/43 VANNES A/C 42-30796 "SUNNY II"
4. 26/09/43 PARIS A/C 42-3474 "KING BEE"
5. 02/10/43 EMDEN A/C 42-30796 "SUNNY II"
6. 08/10/43 BREMEN A/C 42-30796 "SUNNY II"
***************************************************************************************************************
To: 100th Bomb Group Foundation
December 31, 2008
Dear Sir,
I am the son-in-law of the late 2nd Lt. Arthur M. Vetter, veteran B-17
pilot of 350th Bombardment Squadron. Recently, my son Victor, in
doing research on his grandfathers WWII biography discovered your
exceptional website. Our family was delighted to see, not only a
wartime portrait of their grandfather in uniform, but a complete
listing of his crew, and some details of his last mission prior to
being shot down over occupied France on Sept. 15th, 1943.
The real story only begins here for he did survive, and with the help
of the a French family dedicated to the cause of resistance, he and
several of his crew managed to escape overland by walking across the
Pyrenees Range during the winter of 1943 into Spain. We understand
that crew member 2ND LT Wendell K. McConnaha perished during the
ordeal, as confirmed by the data page of Lt. Vetter's crew. Prior to
reading this information on your website, we did not know this
airman's name.
Ironically, Arthur Vetter died in 1970 of complications from Rocky
Mountain Spotted Tick Fever in his home state of Idaho. I will always
regret that I never had the honor of meeting Lt. Vetter, because it
was much later following his death that I met and married his youngest
daughter, Molly Vetter, in 1983.
Lt. Vetter was survived by his wife, Alice Vetter, and four children.
Mrs. Vetter resided in Boise for many years and left her family many
wonderful memories and thrilling stories of her WWII years with her
husband Arthur. Over the years she remained close friends with the
French family (Odette Gastone) that -- under great risk to themselves
-- hid Lt. Vetter and his crew from the Nazi's, helped them evade
capture, and provisioned them for their journey across the border into
Spain. Alice Vetter died in 1999. Among her personal effects, she
left this photo (attached) of Lt. Vetter's flight crew, which we are
pleased to provide to you (as requested on the website) for your use
in enhancing 100th BG foundation records, and efforts to preserve the
historical legacy of the 100th. In addition, we have included a copy
of the original letter to Alice Vetter from CO Major Gale Cleven
informing her of her husbands MIA status, dated Oct 3, 1943. Clearly,
this is a historic and relevant document that will be of interest to
the 100th Bomb Group Foundation.
I'm sorry we cannot identify any other crew member names to match the
faces in the photo. (except for Lt. Vetter himself-- 1st on the left,
bottom row) If anyone there can help with further individual
identification of crew members, please let us know.
Please know that we recognize and salute you for the important work
you are doing, that future generations may know of these airmen, and
the many sacrifices made by this great generation of Americans. If I
can be of further service to you in anyway, please feel free to call
on me.
Respectfully,
Marcus A. Smith
Kooskia, Idaho
marcus@qroidaho.net
Mr. Marcus Smith
345 Too Kush Rd.
Kooskia, Idaho 83539
***************************************************
Michael,
Thanks so much for sending us all this information on my father, Lt. Vetter. My dad said only two things about the war that I can remember growing up:
War is hell.
It is fun to fly in formation.
Thanks for helping us fill in some of these gaps. As you may be aware, my dad (called Mac by everybody) had a difficult time after returning to the States. He was in pretty bad shape mentally, and I think now he had PTSD, although at the time they said schizophrenia was the problem. He underwent shock treatments, which at that time were truly barbaric. Anyway, this is a type of war wound you never truly recover from, and it saddens my greatly that we are still turning out young vets, and in the case of our current conflict, even some older ones from the National Guard, with the same problems they and their families will be dealing with for years to come.
My dad died of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever in 1970, and perhaps if he had lived to see some of the 40 and 50 year reunions and been able to take advantage of some up to date treatments for depression, we might have learned more. We really appreciate your helping us form a more complete picture of this time in his life. Thanks again for your help and your obvious interest in 100th BG history.
Molly Smith molly@qroidaho.net (Youngest Daughter of Lt Vetter)
*******************************************
Dear Michael,
THRILLED! We are absolutely astonished -- breathless! -- to receive
your reply, and to read Arthur Vetter's Escape and Evasion documents
that we never knew existed! What a gold mine of information you have
provide us. Thank you a million times over. Lt. Vetter's living children -- two daughters, two sons, and seven grandchildren -- will be simply astounded when I share your information with them. My son, Victor, is already filling out a 100th Foundation membership application, which can be expected shortly, and we will be seeking a source for the mentioned Jack Sheridan book as well. It is nothing
short of amazing what the internet has done to connect people, restore
individual histories, and even provide closure to families so many
years after events otherwise unknown and forgotten. Bravo!
As to Lt. Vetter's disposition after he returned from his ordeal, my wife states she believes he was returned to and hospitalized in England (where the E & E reports must have been obtained?) -- then promptly returned to states where he underwent extensive treatment for
frost-bitten feet and other sustained traumas. She does not know when
or where he was discharged from service, but perhaps this information
can be obtained from other family members or official service records. After the war, he became a mechanical engineer by trade. It is said that he, as with many other veterans, refrained from
discussing his wartime experiences with his family, and for years after suffered from some form of post-traumatic-stress affliction.
However, as previously mentioned, the Vetter's continued to maintain contact with the Gastone family, who sheltered and aided Arthur in his escape from occupied France.
I am certain you will be getting at least some supplemental information within the next several weeks, as I share these findings with Arthur Vetter's sons, Mike Vetter (Boise, ID) and Art Vetter
(Seattle, WA) I believe they may, perhaps, provide you with more
details than I have available to me. I will also extend to them your invitation to join the 100th Bomb Group Foundation with a membership.
Again, I thank you, heartily, for your most astonishing reply, for previously unknown facts, and for the provided identities of Lt. Vetter's crew -- on behalf of the entire Vetter family, our gratitude
to you, Sir.
Sincerely,
Marcus Smith marcus@qroidaho.net
Mike, the Vetter narrative documents arrived today. My wife shed tears to see her fathers handwriting again. Although it was difficult for me to decipher the script, it gave a fascinating account of the ordeal where the other E&E (typewritten) report stopped. I noticed the handwriting begins in legible cursive and digresses into really rough and barely readable words towards the end of the narrative. (I wonder why) Also interesting that it was only recently declassified in 2006, if I read the stamp correctly.
Obviously, their escape was only possible at the risk of a great many French operatives, and they must have had quite a network to pull it off over such a great distance. Curious, the narrative leaves a big gap between the over-night in a Pyrenees barn with frozen feet and arrival in Gibraltar. I still have questions as to who was in the group with him during the Pyrenees crossing -- and what happened to Wendell McConnaha. (died in the mountains of exposure, or a fall -- was he alone then?) I see that Smith and Fontaine set out together -- did the rest of the crew make it out to safety except for McConnaha and Parsons? I trust Orval Parsons was liberated in 1945.
It all has the makings of a thriller novel for sure. Thanks again for yourassistance and interest in all this. We will stay in touch with you now that we are "family," and should anything else interesting show up, we will be sure to share with you.
Marcus
***********************************************************************************************************
REPLY TO: cgutermuth@yahoo.com
SUBMITTER: Carolyn Gutermuth
EMAIL: cgutermuth@yahoo.com
PURPOSE: Contact historian
INTEREST: I am the veteran's relative
VETERAN: James George Bormuth
DATE OF DEATH: 3/19/07
FAMILY CONTACT: James Aaron Bormuth (Grandson)
410 Trimble Fields Dr
Edgewood, Md 21040
MESSAGE: Hi, I am contacting to help my son find out some info on his grandfather James G Bormuth.I found a E & E Report No. 311 Evasion in France but I have not been able to find a picture for him. Do you know if there is a picture available of him on your website. Please let me know. Thanks Mrs. Gutermuth (My name is different then my sons) Bormuth is the name I am searching a picture for.
****************************************************************************************************************
"Mike Vetter"
From: "Mike Vetter"
Date: January 4, 2009 6:02:03 AM PST
To: "Marcus Smith"
Subject: interesting follow up
There is a little more that I do not have digitized as yet. It is not readily available until someone wants to dig through the snow into my storage unit. There is also a Purple Heart and another medal, I think.
Regarding the French Resistance couple: It was Odette and Gastone LeGrande of Clairmont, France, who hid the airmen and provided contacts for safe passage. They were central to spiriting most of the crew out of France.
Charles DeGaul decorated them after the war. I remember that Odette kept some special coffee in their dairy shop, just in case Pres. DeGaul might stop by for a cup of joe - which apparently he did do from time to time.
The Congress of the United States also decorated the LeGrandes (with a Medla of Honor?) what ever the highest medal that can be awarded to non citizens. I remember Odette used to chide Gastone that she got more medals than he.
The name of the couple in whose back yard, (barn yard as I recall being told) Dad landed was Violette'. Msr. Et Madame Violette' (Violet in English). A very gracious couple. I was invited for a lunch of chicken liver stuff when I met them in 1976. It probably has a catchy french name for the dish and I think it is a cultural speciality. It was really good! I wish I could remember what it's called.
The person who put together the bio sketch of the crew was the father of one of the crewmen. There is quit a bit of correspondence between him and Carl Vetter (Mac's father) after the plane went down keeping everyone up to date on the status of the crewmen as they emerged from occupied France.
The LeGrande's opperated a dairy / and produce shop. As such, Gastone had a "route" where he took a truck out to pick up milk and cheese from the local farmers. He used this as a cover to move supplies and men around the Clairmont area. He, Odette, and her teenaged son Edmond, had numerous close calls with the Nazis. They took huge risks to help the parachutists get away from the German forces.
It is impressive to see how an occupied people can become so single minded in their resistance to the occuping forces.
As far as Dad was concerned, Le Resistance' put him on a train in Paris while the Nazis were patroling the platforms and trains. I'm thinking I have or did see his forged documentation papers. Train is how he got into Spain from where they had to walk out over the Pyrenees.
Not in the E&E report, I recall that when the "parachutists" (as the French referred to downed airmen) were hiding in the woods at the end of the day of bread and wine, they were signaled to come out by a Frenchman (Gastone I think) walking the road, whistling "It's a long way to Tiparary."
The French underground truly were an amazingly tight group. When Oddette and Gastone came to the US to visit in 1976 the news of their visit was circulated in the local Clairmont paper. The couple, in whose back yard Dad landed, saw his name listed as one of the families that the LeGrande's were visiting. These two couples had lived in the same town, patronized Odette's dairy shop for 25 years and never know that the others were envolved in Les Resistance'.
I also have some documents regarding Vic's great grandfather Carl Vetter.
Interesting stuff one finds in the books - Dad talked about a mad dash across Europe flying as low a possible, but I thought he was talking about some other crew not his own with him in the pilot seat.
******************************************************************************************************************
Greetings Tim,
We are Marcus and Molly Smith, son-in-law and daughter of 2nd Lt. Arthur M. Vetter, who was PIC of your late fathers B-17F crew during WWII. Michael Faley, 100th Bomb Group Historian, has forwarded your inquiry to us -- and we are very pleased to respond.
As you may know, Arthur Vetter, also survived your fathers amazing ordeal of 1943 and following the war, had four children with wife, Alice Vetter. These are Arthur Vetter Jr., (currently of Seattle WA), Janice Bejsovec of Boise, ID, Molly Smith of Kooskia ID, and the youngest-- Mike Vetter, also currently living in Boise ID. LT. Arthur Vetter died in 1970 following a brief illness, and his widow, Alice, passed away in 1999.
We too have been fascinated to research and discover recently acquired information about the amazing escape from Nazi occupied France of this crew. Apparently, Arthur Vetter was one of many returning veterans who did not often discuss the war with his family, so it was not until these years later that we located the 100th Bomb Group Foundation online, and became associate members, that we were able to aquire the escape and evasion narrative and other records available there. Of course Arthur's window and children were arware of much of the story and, in fact, had stayed in touch over the years with the French Underground operatives (Gastone & Odette LeGrande of Clairmont, France) who had sheltered and assisted the airmen in their daring and dangerous escape, at the risk of their own lives. This is all very exciting American history.
I am attaching copies of the Lt. Vetter's original E & E report, and crew photo, which you may -- or may not have seen. I also have a couple of letters from Mike Vetter regarding his recollections of his fathers story regarding the crew of this ill-fated aircraft that you may be of interest to you, which I will send separatly.
Recently --thanks to Michael Faley -- we were contacted by surviving crew member, John Wagner (age 88) of Newport, PA, who was the injured upon landing and spent the rest of the war as a German POW. I am certain that he to, would be glad to hear from you, and might be of great assistance in your further reseach into your fathers story. His address is: Mr. Robert M Wager, Apt. 306, 9 S. 2nd St. Newport, PA 17074. He is a delightful gentlemen, and is, I believe, "last of the original" living veterans of this saga. He provided us with letters, photos, and a photo-copy of his original forged identity papers used to escape from France. I would be happy to share these with you as well, but do not have these documents scanned to be able to send via email.
Yes, we would love to meet you and inquire as to all you have found about this incredible part of our family history. At this time-- much as we would love to-- because of work and previously scheduled obligations, we are unable to attend and meet you at the September reunion in New Mexico. Perhaps we can become further acquainted through this correspondence. I too, am very interested in reseach into the historic WWII accomplishments of our fathers. They are indeed aptly named "The Greatest Generation." My own late father was a combat infantry officer, who landed under fire on Omaha Beach that June of 1944. It is so very important that we preserve their legacy.
Thank you for the honor of writing to you. Looking forward to your reply.
(please advise if attachments did not come through so I may resend)
Sincerely,
Marcus A. Smith
Kooskia, ID
***************************************************************************************************************
Dear Tim,
Below is a compilation of information I have collected regarding the Vetter crew from Mike Vetter (Arthur Vetter's son) and also, Mr. Michael Faley, of the 100th Bomb Group Foundation -- plus attached, find a typed "bio" of crew members by Artur Vetter, himself, probably dating back to just after the war, and a war-time letter for Commanding Officer Clevin to Mrs. Alice Vetter regarding Lt. Artur Vetter's MIA status. I hope you will find these interesting. Please feel free to write me with any questions you may have.
Marcus Smith
______________________________________________
From: "Mike Vetter"
Date: January 4, 2009 8:19:00 AM PST
To: "Marcus Smith"
Subject: more fragments of memory
The name of the couple in whose back yard, (barn yard as I recall being told) Dad landed was Violette'. Msr. Et Madame Violette' (Violet in English). A very gracious couple, so I have been told.
The person who put together the bio sketch of the crew was the father of one of the crewmen. There is quit a bit of correspondence between him and Carl Vetter (Lt. A. Vetter's father) after the plane went down keeping everyone up to date on the status of the crewmen as they emerged from occupied France.
The LeGrande's opperated a dairy / and produce shop. As such, Gastone had a "route" where he took a truck out to pick up milk and cheese from the local farmers. He used this as a cover to move supplies and men around the Clairmont area. He, Odette, and her teenaged son Edmond, had numerous close calls with the Nazis. They took huge risks to help the parachutists get away from the German forces.
It is impressive to see how an occupied people can become so single minded in their resistance to the occuping forces.
As far as Dad was concerned, Le Resistance' put him on a train in Paris while the Nazis were patroling the platforms and trains. I'm thinking I have or did see his forged documentation papers. Train is how he got into Spain from where they had to walk out over the Pyrenees.
Mv
From: "Mike Vetter"
Date: January 4, 2009 6:02:03 AM PST
To: "Marcus Smith"
Subject: interesting follow up
There is a little more that I do not have digitized as yet. It is not readily available until someone wants to dig through the snow into my storage unit.
His Purple Heart and another medal I think.
Regarding the French: It was Odette and Gastone LeGrande of Clairmont, France.
They were central to spiriting most of the crew out of France.
Charles DeGaul decorated them after the war. I remember that Odette kept some special coffee in their dairy shop, just in case he might stop by for a cup of joe - which apparently he did do from time to time.
The Congress of the United States also decorated the LeGrandes with a Medla of Honor? What ever the highest medal that can be awarded to non citizens. Seems like Odette used to chide Gastone that she got more medals than he.
Not in the E&E report, I recall that when the "parachutists" (as the French referred to downed airmen) were hiding in the woods at the end of the day of bread and wine, they were signaled to come out by a Frenchman (Gastone I think) walking the road, whistleing Yankee Doodle. (Daughter Molly remembers it as "It's a Long Way to Tiparary")
The French underground truly were an amazingly tight group. When Oddette and Gastone came to the US to visit in 1976 the news of their visit was circulated in the local Clairmont paper. The couple, in whose back yard Dad landed, saw his name listed as one of the families that the LeGrande's were visiting. These two couples had lived in the same town, patronized Odette's dairy shop for 25 years and never know that the others were envolved in Les Resistance'.
If Victor (Lt. A. Vetters grand-son, Molly Smith's son) ) is interested in more Vetter history, he might open dialog with Don Malcolm at Dbmalc@aol.com. I originally digitezed this stuff to send to him as he was trying to put together some family geneology stuff a copule of years ago. (Molly was emailed about this)
I also have some documents regarding Vic's great grandfather Carl Vetter.
Interesting stuff one finds in the books - Dad talked about a mad dash across Europe flying as low a possible, but I thought he was talking about some other crew not his own with him in the pilot seat.
Mike vetter
MEMO 2:
