MACR PILOT: 2Lt Ralph H. Whitcomb O-771183
MACR #: 11357
Fiche #: 04178
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: Hamburg
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: CAVU
Give
Date: December 31, 1944
Time: 12:00
Location: 5330N - 0855E
Specify: Last Sighted
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Enemy aircraft
Other reason for loss:
Aircraft
Serial: 43-38538
Type: B-17
Series: G
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: SW-025402
B: SW-026307
C: SW-025849
D: SW-026431
Weapons
A: 1217475
B: 1215572
C: 1217059
D: 1217342
E: 1216731
F: 1215598
G: 1217371
H: 1217469
I: 1217504
J: 1217103
L: 1217562
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 | Ralph H. Whitcomb | 2Lt | O-771183 |
| CP | Howard W. Nicol | 2Lt | O-827918 |
| NAV (N) | Richard K. Rolle | 2Lt | O-2065624 |
| BOM (B) | George A. Pults | Sgt | 39418676 |
| RAD | Arthur D. Stemen | Sgt | 35823160 |
| ENG | Clarence W. Stonesifer | Sgt | 39419395 |
| BAL | Albert G. Delgado | Sgt | 38358952 |
| WG (W) | Clayton J. Smith | SSgt | 35771780 |
| WG (W) | |||
| TG (T) | Roch E. Courreges | Sgt | 39702746 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack L. Gay | Last sighted | 1Lt | O-553483 |
| Gerald F. Kane | Last sighted | 1Lt | O-774687 |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Unknown
Other:
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| "A/C 43-38535 was attacked by E/A at 5330N - 0855E at 1200 hours. The entire right wing began to burn and the A/C circled for two minutes under control before spinning down enveloped in flames. No chutes were seen." (Lts Jack L. Gay and Gerald F. Kane) | ||
| No Data | Report by Roch Courreges: "When I left the plane I was forced to by flames sweeping from Radio room and around ball turret. I checked the Radioman (Arthur Stemen but he was too serious and I was to weak to throw him out. I believe he may have been shot in the heart and he may have been dead. I had snapped my oxygen hose loose and had a wound over my eye and I was so weak I had to crawl to waist door and fall out head forward. It is my opinion that the remaining men (Whitcomb, Nicol, Pults, Stemen and Stonesifer) never left the plane. On my way down I saw the right wing leave the plane and the plane was a mass of flames." Report by Richard Rolle: "Our scheduled route was over Baltic, passing north of Hamburg and then approaching target from the northeast. Actual route in was south of the briefed route along northern coast of Germany necessitating a swing into the north before bomb run. Target time was about 45 minutes after briefing time. Ship was hit by fighters (FW l90s) at about 1148 at 5330N - 0925E. Caught fire (Right wing and inside of nose) and started to go down in spin about 2 minutes later. Interphone was shot out. I believe ship blew up since I was either blown out or thrown out by the spin. After opening my chute, I saw only a burning wing and smaller parts of plane falling and no other chutes. I landed near the town of Rotenburg 5307N & 0929E. In hospital in Rotenburg I learned that Sgt. Roch Courreges (Tail gunner) Sgt.Albert Delgado (Ball Turret) and Sgt.Clayton Smith (Waist gunner were also in hospital. Delgado informed me later that Steren had been killed in the plane. I believe Lt. Whitcomb, Lt. Nicol, Sgt. Stonesifer and Sgt. Pults were unable to get out of the ship because of the spin and the flames. One man whom I could not identify was lying unconscious near the escape hatch." |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: GEORGE D. ALLEN Capt Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: January 6, 1945
