COMMENTS & NOTES
MEMO 1:
CREW
Lt John P. Ernst P POW 3/2/45 BERLIN Taps 1993
Lt James P. Olmsted CP SWA 10/1/45 COLOGNE sn# O-767625
Lt Seymour G. Passen NAV CPT 24/3/45 ZIEGHEHAIN
Lt Robert J. Doucette BOM POW 5/11/44 LUDWIGSHAVEN (With crew of O.E. Hopkins)
T/Sgt. Charles H. Webber ROG CPT 3/2/45 BERLIN
T/Sgt Duyger C. West TTE POW 3/2/45 BERLIN
S/Sgt Warren Winters BTG POW 3/2/45 BERLIN
Cpl Orrell J. Brooks WG NOC
S/Sgt George Windisch TG CPT 3/2/45 BERLIN
Cpl Anthony A. Covino WG NOC
351st Sqdn. Crew, as above, joined the 100th Group on 23 JUL 44. After 7 missions they became a lead crew.
Lt. Passen became Squadron Nav. for 351st Sqdn.
On Jan 10, 1945 Lt James Olmsted was seriously wounded in action. Sent to 65th General Hospital. Achieved rank of Capt. Did not return to combat. Was sent home.
Dad was shot (took flak from blast above fuselage) on the 25th mission. Will have to look up the bomb target. Plane dropped out of formation after bombs away and returned speedily to base. Dad was hospitalized when John Ernst crew was shot down over Berlin. I think they flew another plane when the did the 30th Berlin run. Remember that Rosenthal (higher ranked than John) was with them, as co-pilot on lead crew, took dad's place on that one. So dad, James Olmsted, was not on that mission and thus was not caught behind enemy lines like Doug was on that last Berlin mission. He was not a POW, or get to the underground and brought out. He was in the hospital recovering from surgery. Dad had damage to his left hand, nose, and left temple from flak burst. I still have the piece of flak.
I will send you the list of missions. When dad was injured and what position they flew. Most missions were as lead crew, either squadron, high or low command, in the group. That being the case, they always were the target ship for the German Nazi gunnery to take aim. Dad said after the British escort fighters would drop off a hundred miles past the Channel, German Luftwaffe would come up but out of range of the turret gunner machine guns, never fire a shot, and fly at altitude and radio down the elevation so that gunnery would always fix on the lead crew. This was typically more accurate than their radar at the time (if they had radar then, I think they did by 1944-45). That is why flak field was so black and dense, and why John would always try to outfox the gunnery sets by shifting elevation. Even when they began the bomb runs. Command at base, always established that elevation for bomb drops to get the most accurate pattern, but pilots like John knew the guns were targeted at the right elevation. So, they often changed up dependent upon flak filed pattern. He was always the rebel, but the best pilot! Not sure what they did when Rosenthal was on board, the day Doug went down. Dad always said that there where fights, in the cockpit, on that last mission according to John when he visited dad on hospital visits and when he'd come down to stay with us in Pacific Beach in the 50s.
Rosenthal was Jewish (as was Passin), and they did not want to get caught behind enemy lines and be sent to concentration camps, though others were anyway (Jewish and non Jewish) so Rosenthal did not want John to go down behind enemy lines, and he and John fought over how long to stay with the ship trying to get it further into allied held territory, or so the story goes. There are lots of things that went down between John and my dad that never went into the "storybooks of glory" and all that stuff. Historians would have a field day!
So, that is what I know. I have a few other stories, and things stated in letters between my dad and my mom, Kay. Someday I'll dig though those letters to read about things. Can't do it now.
And that is why Dad is not listed on that last 30th mission of the Ernst crew, that Doug is mentioned in.
We'll stay in touch.
Jim Olmsted Jr.
When this crew went down on 3/2/44, the crew list was as follows: MACR #12046, A/C#44 8379. MICRO - FICHE #4417
Maj Robert Rosenthal Command Pilot Landed in Russian Lines
Capt John Ernst P POW
1st Lt Arthur I.Jacobson CP POW (from Crew of Lt. G. Brown)
1st Lt Stewart J. Gillison Command NAV POW (from Crew of Lt W. Terminello)
1st Lt Louis C. Chappel NAV KIA (from Crew of Lt W.J. Wilson)
1st Lt Robert H. Stropp Radar NAV Landed in Russian Lines
1st Lt Eugene E. Lockhart BOM KIA (from the Crew of Lt Oren Hopkins)
T/Sgt Charles H. Webber ROG Landed in Russian Lines
T/Sgt Dugger C. West TTE POW
S/Sgt Warren Winters WG POW
S/Sgt G.A. Windisch TG Landed in Russian Lines
Ernst's leg amputated in German Hospital night of 3/2/45 & he was soon exchanged.
See "CONTRAILS" p.131 & S.O.C. p.95. Also p.219/223 of "FLYING FORTRESS" by E.Jablonski.
EYEWITNESS REPORT from MACR # "A/C #44 8379 was hit by flak,reported to be a ground
rocket a few seconds before bombs away. A/C continued on run and dropped bombs. Fire and
dense white smoke was seen in the fuselage and bomb bay, including the cockpit. Bomb bay
doors closed and then reopened. Pilot opened his window and peeled gently off to the
right, directing deputy leader to take over on VHF. A/C headed NE and flew level for a few
moments while six members bailed out (3 appeared to come from waist or tail and 3 from
bomb bay..There was a small explosion in #3 engine nacelle and thd A/C headed down, burning
and beginning to spin when last seen at 15/000 feet. Observers believe entire crew had an
excellent chance to bail out."
TAPS: 1993
JOHN ERNST. Last month, in California. As S.J.
Passen put it, "Congestive heart failure got him his final
flight to the Great Airfield in the sky." 351st Squadron.
With Bob Rosenthal as command pilot, John was the
lead pilot of the entire 8th Air Force on the February 3,
1945, maximum effort to Berlin. Shot down by flak,
seven of the crew became German prisoners, with one
of them Iynched by civilians. Three were picked up by
Russian soldiers. As he left the plane, John caught his
leg on the jagged edge of the bomb bay door, cutting it
so badly that it had to be amputated by a Russian doc-
tor without anesthesia. About him, Bob Rosenthal wrote,
"I regard John as one of the most skillful, courageous
and dedicated men I ever encountered." (Wayne Page,
Bud Vieth)
First 26 Missons of John Ernst
8/5/44 Mageburg
8/11/44 Paris - VillaCoubleu
8/15/44 Venlo
8/25/44 Politz
8/26/44 Long Island - Brest
8/27/44 Berlin (Recalled at 31,000 feet)
9/12/44 Fulda
9/18/44 Warsaw (Russia Mirgorod - Ukraine)
9/19/44 Szolnok (Hungray) Deputy Lead with Scott)
9/22/44 Foggia (Return to England, no mission credit)
10/9/44 Mainz (Wing Lead)
10/12/44 Bremen (High Squadron)
10/19/44 Mannheim (Group Lead)
10/26/44 Hannover (High Squadron)
11/6/44 Neumunster (Group Lead)
11/9/44 Saarbrucken (Group Lead)
11/30/44 Leuna (High Squadron)
12/2/44 Koblenz (High Squadron)
12/3/44 Friedburg (Wing Lead)
12/11/44 Koblenz (Group Lead)
12/18/44 Mainz (High Squadron)
12/24/44 Biblis (High Squadron)
12/27/44 Fulda (Group Lead)
12/28/44 Koblenz (Group Lead)
12/29/44 Frankfurt (Low Squadron)
1/10/45 Cologne (High Squadron) (Lt Olmsted wounded)
2/3/45 BERLIN (3rd Air Division Lead) SHOT DOWN
Our Pilot (Capt Ernst) told a story on himself. He made lead crew on his 10th Mission. While taking lead crew training, he was returning to base but in the co-pilot seat. As they pulled up to the hardstand and got the signal to stop, he reached down to pull the parking breaks. Instead he mistakenly pulled the fire extinguisher for the engine. Fire retardent poured all over the right wing. The crew had a good laugh over that...Capt Jim Olmsted
CREW
2nd Lt Oren E. Hopkins P POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
2nd Lt Foy E. Read CP POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
2nd Lt Forrest Gordon NAV POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
2nd Lt Eugene E. Lockhart BOM KIA 3 FEB 45 BERLIN with the Ernst PFF crew; see below
Cpl Henry B. Marlette TTE POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
Sgt Kenneth E. Yeater ROG POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
Cpl Arthur B. Crush, Jr. BTG POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
Cpl Harold Farlow WG POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
Cpl Charles W. Koons, Jr. WG CPT 15 MAR 45 (Crew unknown..pw)
Cpl Eugene E. Jamison TG POW 5 NOV 44 THIONVILLE
351st Sqdn. Crew , as above, joined the 100th Group on 4/8/44. On 5/11/44. Lt Robert J. Doucette, BOM from
the crew of J.P.Ernst (see below), was flying with this crew and became a POW. Lt Eugene E. Lockhart was flying with the Pathfinder crew of J.P.Ernst on 3/2/45 when he was KIA. Charles W. Koons, Jr. was removed at the crew reduction to nine men..
EYEWITNESS: "A/C #520 appeared to be in trouble shortly after leaving the I.P. at 1102 hours. Bombs were
salvoed and one engine feathered. The A/C stayed in formation to the R.P. (rally point...pw)
where another engine was feathered and the aircraft began a gradual controlled descent.
When last seen the aircraft was below the cloud level at six or seven thousand feet,
heading in a westerly direction under apparent control."
German report in the MACR is to the effect this aircraft, badly damaged by flak, made an emergency landing and
seven (7) crew members were captured. Other documents list all nine of the crew as captured and
Sgt. Kenneth E. Yeater in the hospital.
MEMO 2:
Member of John P. Ernst crew, he replaced Eugene E. Lockhart (Lt Hopkins Crew) on this mission.
****************
Robert Doucette
1919 - 2019
Robert J. Doucette Mar 23, 1919 - Jan 29, 2019 Robert Joseph Doucette, known to most as Bob, age 99, of Stratford, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2019 at Bridgeport Hospital. He was born in Lynn, MA to John and Kathleen Doucette, and has resided in Stratford since 1951. During World War II, he served his country honorably in the United States Army Air Forces as a bombardier, earning the rank of Second Lieutenant. His plane was shot down over occupied France on November 5, 1944, and he was captured by the Germans, serving six months as a POW until liberated. When granted leave he returned to Lynn to marry the love of his life, Jeanne Robichaud, on March 4, 1944. They enjoyed 63 years of marriage until her passing in 2007. As a couple, they were known not only for their love and devotion, but for their exceptional talent on the dance floor, which was fitting as they had met at a dance. Bob worked for Sikorsky Aircraft for 33 years as a mechanical engineer until his retirement in February 1987. In addition to dance, he cherished spending time with family, old movies, going on cruises, playing golf, watching baseball, Lawrence Welk reruns and Heineken. He was active in the parish at Our Lady of Grace Church where he served as a lector for many years. Bob is survived by his four children: Robert Doucette, Jr, and wife Kristina of Manchester, NH; Jean Squashic and husband Kenneth of Naugatuck, CT; Mary Zsiga and husband Stephen of Beacon Falls, CT; and John Doucette, PhD, of New York, NY. He is also survived by his nephew Robert Doucette of Homosassa, FL, as well as four grandchildren, Lisa, Joseph, Stephen and Ryan, three great-grandchildren, Kaylyn, Alex and Brayden and several great-nieces. He was predeceased by his brother George and his nephew George, Jr. Friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, February 2, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. by meeting directly at Our Lady of Grace Church, 497 Second Hill Lane, Stratford. Interment with military honors will follow at Gates of Heaven Cemetery at 1056 Daniels Farm Rd., Trumbull. Relatives and friends may greet the family on Friday, February 1, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the William R. McDonald Funeral Home, 2591 Main Street, Stratford. For further details or to leave condolences, please visit
