MACR PILOT: 1Lt Paul E. DeWeerdt O-735367
MACR #: 13142
Fiche #: 04787
Organization
Location: AAF Station #139
Group: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
Squadron: 418th BS
Command: VIII AF
Detachment:
Detail
Departure/Base: AAF Station #139
Initial Course: E
Intended Destination: Berlin
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: 4 - 9/10 Cloud cover
Give
Date: March 18, 1945
Time: 11:20
Location: 5252 - 1223E
Specify: Seen to crash
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Enemy aircraft
Other reason for loss:
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: SW-031328
B: SW-031702
C: SW-031105
D: SW-031719
Weapons
A: 1327933
B: 1327826
C: 1327942
D: 1327546
E: 1321949
F: 1138670
G: 1327148
H: 1327589
I:
J:
L:
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 10
Pass: 0
Total: 10
Personnel
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| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | Roger L. Swain | Capt | O-399681 |
| P2 | Paul E. DeWeerdt | 1Lt | O-735367 |
| CP | Bill E. Thompson | 1Lt | O-2097197 |
| NAV (N) | James M. Carden | F/O | T-132255 |
| BOM (B) | Bernard F. Kozik | 2Lt | O-735??? |
| RAD | Robert A. Hausam | TSgt | 17169091 |
| ENG | Morris O. Kolling | TSgt | 17036368 |
| BAL | |||
| WG (W) | Pete J. Fischer | SSgt | 37479800 |
| WG (W) | Howard Whittaker | Cpl | 35912670 |
| TG (T) | |||
| Navigator-RAD | Sumner H. Woodrow | F/O | T-129907 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
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| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| William E. Howard | Last sighted | 1Lt | O-775362 |
| Ernest T. Gilbert | 1Lt | O-776270 |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason:
Other:
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| Gilbert and Howard report: "At 1120 hours, 5252 - 1228E, lead aircraft of 100 "C" was attacked by an ME 262 and had it's tail assembly shot away. It was seen to go over on it's back and go down at this time. Two chutes were seen coming from the waist. | ||
| No Data | LT BILL E. THOMPSON EXCERPTS FROM A LETTER TO P.WEST 27 JAN 1993. When we were designated to lead the low box, I (Lt Thompson) went to the TG. Maj Roger L. Swain was command pilot.1st Lt Paul E. DeWeerdt was pilot, F/O James M. Carden was Nav, 2nd Lt Bernard F. Kozik was Bom, F/O Sumner H. Woodrow was "Mickey" or radar opr, TSgt Morris O. Kolling was E, Cpl Howard R. Whittaker WG, Cpl Pete J. Fischer was WG and Cpl Robert A. Sam was RO. Our regular crew Ball Turret Opr was Cpl Norbert J. Dougherty. On this mission (18 Mar 45) he flew in another plane named "Ginger". On the mission he saw us being shot down and noted the chutes as people bailed out. He finished his tour with a pilot named Michael P. Mashyna. Dougherty does not remember where he was in the formation. He is the person that wrote my wife from England saying that he thought I was OK. Hausam (Radio Opr) followed Woodrow (Mickey Opr) out of the aircraft and at that time the ship was still stable but fire at the # 2 engine. Today I just called Paul (DeWeerdt, pilot) and he said that after the first hit, he made a 180-degree turn and was heading home and dropped from about 30,000 to 20,000. He had flown about 50 miles when he was hit again or just exploded. He did not see any aircraft and only remembers being outside with his chute open and hearing kids yelling and dogs barking on the ground. He escaped and walked 20 to 30 miles before being caught. He had an infected foot and that explains the cast I saw on him in Hamburg. He really doesn't know about Kolling (Engineer), but Hausam told me that Kolling once said he would never bail out of an aircraft. I forgot to ask Paul (Weerdt) what happened to Swain. It seems like he told me that Swain bailed out while he and Kolling were fighting with the controls, in an attempt to stay stable. F/O Woodrow was on board as the ball "radar" operator in place of Dougherty (regular BTG) and since I was in Fischer's place (TG), Fischer acted as WG with Whittaker. This was the crew make-up on a brand new unnamed B-17G (44- 8717) on 18 Mar 45. It was still in natural aluminum. Col Thompson relates an interesting and amusing look at the old adage, being in the right place at the right time in a note to this writer (pw) in August 1993. "I just noticed a sort of injustice in promotions. A J.P. Gibbons joined the 100th 24 Feb 44 as a 2nd Lt and checked out on the 24 Dec 44 as a Major.10 months. I checked in as a 2nd Lt in the summer of 1944 and it was sometime in 1958 that I made Major. That's about fourteen years. I'm not saying I was dumb, just a fact of life." |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: GEORGE D. ALLEN Capt Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: March 24, 1945
