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LT  Louis C. CHAPPELL

UNIT: 351st BOMB Sqdn POSITION: NAV
SERIAL #: O-2064216 STATUS: KIA
MACR: 12046 CR: 12046

Comments1: 3 FEB 45 BERLIN (GND ROCKET)

COMMENTS & NOTES

MEMO 1:

CREW

When this crew went down on 3/2/44, the crew list was as follows: 


 Feb 3, 1945   BERLIN          MACR #12046,           A/C#44 8379

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     EVA   (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."

Lt Louis C. Chappell flew 6 Missions with Lt William Wilson Jr. Crew before becoming a Lead Navigator.

CREW

2ND LT WILLIAM J. WILSON, JR.             P CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN  TAPS: 1962
F/O GOERGE KOBZAR                           CP CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
2ND LT LOUIS C. CHAPPELL                NAV KIA 03 FEB 45 BERLIN  (WITH J.P. ERNST CREW)
F/O ROBERT E. FITZGERALD               BOM CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
CPL ALPHONSO J. CEKUTIS                 ROG CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN  TAPS: 27 NOV 1963
CPL ROBERT A. KING                          TTE CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
CPL ROBERT N. BECK, JR.                   BTG CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
CPL MERLE P. HEMBREE                      WG CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
CPL SAMUEL W. ALLEN, JR                  WG CPT 17 MAR 45 PLAUEN 
CPL JOHN R. SAARI                            TG NOC     TAPS: 11 MAY 1986

418TH SQDN... CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 20 OCT 1944.. After a few days on base, this crew was assigned to the 350th BS.(per Robert King email)
Look in Airman for compete narrative of missions from Lt Robert Fitzgerald.  

After 6 Missions with this crew, Lt Chappell became a Lead Navigator and transferred from Crew.  Lt Robert Fitzgerald flew as Navigator for 5 Missions until the new Navigator Sgt George Holser is assigned.  Sgt Holser was washed out of Navigation school and came overseas to the 100th as a gunner.  His first Mission with the Crew was Frankfurt Dec 12, 1944.
 
Crew flew the following B-17G's: (mpf 2001)
#337517 "Heaven Can Wait"-one time
#46805   "Flamin Mame"-6 times
#338840 "The Little Rebel" 6 times
#337994 "My Blue Heaven" 2 times
#48834  "PooBah" 1 time
#338414 "Heaven Sent" 1 time 

ACCORDING TO R.E. FITZGERALD, WILLIAM WILSON WAS KILLED IN A AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT IN FRANCE  ON 03 JUN 1962..jb

Missions of Lt Robert E. Fitzgerald (mpf 2001)

1.     9/11/44 Saarbrucken
2.   10/11/44 Weisbaden
3.   16/11/44 Aachen/Duren
4.   26/11/44 Hamm
5.   30/11/44 Merseburg
6.     5/12/44 BERLIN
7.   11/12/44 Koblenz-1st Mission as Nav. (Lou Chappell became Lead Nav) until new Navigator is assigned
8.   18/12/44 Mainz
9.   24/12/44 Bilblis
10. 25/12/44 Kaiserslauten
11. 27/12/44 Fulda
12. 29/12/44 Frankfurt-New Navigator is assigned-Sgt George Holser.
13. 30/12/44 Kassel         #337517 "Heaven Can Wait
14.   5/01/45 Frankfurt     #46805   "Flamin Mame"
15.   6/01/45 Annweiler    #46805   "Flamin Mame"
16. 13/01/45 Mainz           #46805   "Flamin Mame"
17. 14/01/45 Derben        #46805   "Flamin Mame"
18. 20/01/45 Heilbron       #46805   "Flamin Mame"
19. 21/01/45 Mannheim    #46805   "Flamin Mame"
20. 28/01/45 Duisburg     #338840 "The Little Rebel"
21.   3/02/45 BERLIN       #338840 "The Little Rebel"
22.   6/02/45 Chemnitz    #338414 "Heaven Sent
23. 14/02/45 Chemnitz
24. 15/02/45 Cottbus      #337994 "My Blue Heaven"
25. 28/02/45 Kassel
26.   3/03/45 Brunswick     #338840 "The Little Rebel"
27.   7/03/45 Siegen
28. 10/03/45 Dortmund    #48834  "PooBah"
29. 11/03/45 Hamburg      #338840 "The Little Rebel"
30. 14/03/45 Hannover
31. 15/03/45 Oranienburg  #338840 "The Little Rebel"
32. 17/03/45 Plauen          #338840 "The Little Rebel"


UNAME = Robert A. King
CONNECTION = I am a 100th veteran
COMMENTS = You have me listed as being in the 418th squadron. I was with them my first two days and then assigned to the 350th with Capt. W.J. Wilson Jr.'s crew. All of missions were flown with the 350th. Please correct your database.Thank You

MEMO 2:


			

             
            

         

         
KIA / MIA / EVA / INT INFORMATION: 
  
         

  

    TARGET:
			Berlin
    DATE: 
			1945-02-03
     
  

  

    AIRCRAFT:
	(44-8679)
    CAUSE:
			GROUND ROCKETS
     
  



			


			

            
BURIAL INFORMATION

            

  

    PLOT:
			
    ROW:
			
     
  

  

    GRAVE:
			Wall/Misng
    CEMETERY:
			Netherlands Cemetery/Margraten
     
  



			
			
            

				
        
		
        ID:
			844