MACR PILOT: Capt John S. Giles O-753999
MACR #: 08812
Fiche #: 03235
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: SE
Intended Destination: Ruhland
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: 7 - 10/10 Undercast
Give
Date: September 11, 1944
Time: 12:05
Location: 5035N 1310E
Specify: Last Sighted
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Enemy aircraft
Other reason for loss:
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: SW-017082
B: SW-019820
C: O-020253
D: SW-019469
Weapons
A: 1217408
B: 1217303
C: 1217449
D: 1217174
E: 1215793
F: 1215622
G: 1215804
H: 1217055
I: 1215601
J: 1217421
L: 1215769
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 9
Pass: 0
Total: 9
Personnel
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | |||
| P2 | John S. Giles | Capt | O-753999 |
| CP | John M. Shelly | 1Lt | O-747505 |
| NAV (N) | Kenneth S. Welty | 1Lt | O-567054 |
| BOM (B) | Harkie H. Skelton | 1Lt | O-664833 |
| RAD | Elzo Bevan | TSgt | 34700509 |
| ENG | Andrew G. Leuthold | TSgt | 37240307 |
| BAL | Norbert O. DePauw | SSgt | 37118775 |
| WG (W) | Albert S. Pela | SSgt | 18067003 |
| WG (W) | |||
| TG (T) | Robert S. Rowley | SSgt | 31140110 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
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| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.C. ivosevic | Last sighted | 2Lt | O-815525 |
| J.H. McLaughlin | Last sighted | 2Lt | O-816523 |
| T.H. Kemp | 1Lt | O-812277 |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Any other reason
Other: A/C entered undercast under control
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| "The group in which A/C 863 was flying was attacked by 50 to 70 enemy aircraft. The attack caused at least three of our aircraft to explode and most of the others appeared to be damaged, some were attacked again as stragglers. In a few minutes all but one disappeared beneath the undercast. Since none of them returned no account of the loss of specific aircraft is available. About half of them appeared to be under control as they disappeared into the undercast. Two chutes were seen before the aircraft disappeared, but from which one they came is undetermined," | ||
| No Data | From Lt. Cordy A. Ramer, (mpf 2001) Mission Memories: "On our first or second mission we were attacked by fighter planes with Yellow Spinners. We found out later that these were the Abbyville Kids. Missions to BERLIN were the most harrowing. We called it "20 Minutes of Hell". The flak was so thick it seemed you could walk on it. Dropping supplies to the French underground were also interesting. On one trip I was flying with Eden Jones and were flying wing to John Giles. When Giles dumped his load a parachute opened early and was hung up in the bomb bay. We thought the plane was going down but the bombardier cut the chute loose and all was well. July 29, 1944, on Merseburg, my career as a Bombardier ended. I had visions of completing my missions and going home but all that had to wait until the War was over. " Base Memories: "I remember Sterling P. (Pete) Lambert who was a co-pilot on the Giles crew. Pete was anxious for a crew of his own so he and the crew chief and I would practice take off and landings day after day. we got in plenty of extra flying time. I very well remember the 3:30AM briefings. I remember the briefing officer when he would pull the curtain to reveal the red ribbon stretched from Thorpe Abbotts to the target. I don't remember his name but we owe a lot to the soldier who got us out of the sack and to briefings before each mission. The he got us to the plane for the take off and was there waiting when we landed after the mission. This guy and his counterparts deserve a lot of credit. " On 11/9/44, Lts J. M. Shelly, K. S. Welty & H. H. Skelton had replaced Lambert, Gunter & Ramer. The three became POWs. On 11/8/44, Jack Conger was flying with the crew of A. D. Elbel |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: WALTER G. BURKE 1st Lt. Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: September 13, 1944
