MACR PILOT: 2Lt Albert S. Spear O-764492
MACR #: 08174
Fiche #: 03002
Organization
Location: AAF Station #139
Group: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
Squadron: 350th BS
Command: VIII AF
Detachment:
Detail
Departure/Base: AAF Station #139
Initial Course: E
Intended Destination: Merseburg
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: 10/10 undercast
Give
Date: July 28, 1944
Time: 12:31
Location: 5238N - 0157E
Specify: Last Sighted
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Other circumstances
Other reason for loss: Collision with A/C 47-97621
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: 43-6511
B: 42-73296
C: sw-006766
D: 43-58645
Weapons
A: 727365
B: 947854
C: 652658
D: 655729
E: 653269
F: 969252
G: 652197
H: 948078
I: 727692
J: 652682
L: 652197 (m) 727836
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 9
Pass: 0
Total: 9
Personnel
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| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | |||
| P2 | Albert S. Spear | 2Lt | O-764492 |
| CP | Stanley S. Diamond | 2Lt | O-823543 |
| NAV (N) | John P. Spillane | 2Lt | O-719211 |
| BOM (B) | Charlie P. Pate | SSgt | 34764465 |
| RAD | Arthur A. Marshall | TSgt | 36665397 |
| ENG | Raymond A Pieczynski | TSgt | 36655983 |
| BAL | Arthur V. Gens | SSgt | 37616175 |
| WG (W) | Robbie L. Gill | SSgt | 19181637 |
| WG (W) | |||
| TG (T) | Robert D. Bass | SSgt | 35893377 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
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| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albert E. Trommer | Last sighted | 2Lt | O-755793 |
| Julian T. Rogers | Last sighted | 1Lt | O-812660 |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Unknown
Other: One man survived and was rescued by Air Sea Rescue/ Ssgt Robbie Gill
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| At 1231 hours near 5238N - 0157E formation was flying just above overcast at 9000 feet. A/C 009 was flying #7 position in the low squadron. It pulled up climbing and struck A/C #621 with it’s vertical stabilizer. A/C #009 broke in half at the waist and fell through the overcast. Two bodies were seen to come from A/C#009 but no open chutes were observed. A/C #621 had it’s left aileron tron off and ship went into a steep dive, disappearing into the undercast with pieces of wreckage falling off. No chutes or bodies were seen to come from this aircraft. A/C #903 was sent back to patrol the area and assist ASR. Observers on this aircraft failed to find any trace of the A/C or crews during one half hour of seaching. | ||
| No Data | This ship collided with that of Lt W. G. Stansbury over the North Sea. Lt Robert Washington was flying with the Glenn Rojohn crew on 31 Dec 44 (Hamburg) and became a POW. On the Rojohn MACR he is listed as the Navigator. Sgt Eberenz finished his tour with the Cecil O. Daniels crew. S/Sgt Charlie P. Pate was flying Nose Gunner on 28 Jul 44; while 2nd Lt Stanley Diamond was aboard as CP, both were KIA. Robbie Gill was the sole survivor from the two crews and made the following statement 21 August 1944. At 1231 hours near 5238N and 0157E the formation was flying just above the undercast at 9000 feet. A/C # 009 in which I was flying in the #7 position in the low squadron. It (#009) struck #621 and I was thrown forward in the ship between the ammunition boxes. There was quite a bit of noise and the ship seemed to be thrown around a lot. I pulled the door off the tail and bailed out. By the time my chute opened I was below the clouds. I saw the tail from which I had bailed out spiraling slowly down to the sea. That was all there was left of the ship. Directly below me was a large fire and there were numerous small pieces of aircraft floating in the air. I saw no other chutes before or after landing in the sea. I was picked up by Air-Sea rescue approximately one and one half hours after landing in the water." From the coordinates, it would seem this midair collision occurred about 26 miles from Lowestoff. All of the men of this crew except S/Sgt Gill are listed on the WALL OF THE MISSING AT CAMBRIDGE. |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: WALTER G. BURKE 1st Lt. Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: July 30, 1944
