MACR PILOT: 2Lt Jack Hunter O-753891
MACR #: 04866
Fiche #: 01736
Organization
Location: AAF Station #139
Group: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
Squadron: 351st BS
Command: VIII AF
Detachment:
Detail
Departure/Base: AAF Station #139
Initial Course: SSE
Intended Destination: Liege M/Y
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: CAVU
Give
Date: May 11, 1944
Time: 19:31
Location: Missing
Specify: Last Sighted
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Enemy anti-aircraft
Other reason for loss:
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: 42-39983
B: SW-005535
C: SWE-127
D: SW-18
Weapons
A: 93419
B: 931042
C: 667339
D: 666736
E: 051056
F: 931361
G: 667009
H: 931473
I: 931051
J: 666228
L: 931365 (m) 66284
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 10
Pass: 0
Total: 10
Personnel
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | |||
| P2 | Jack Hunter | 2Lt | O-753891 |
| CP | George W. Shoesmith | 2Lt | O-815250 |
| NAV (N) | Richard J. Heh | 2Lt | O-814310 |
| BOM (B) | Murray J. Lirette | 2Lt | O-767531 |
| RAD | Spiro Lecouras | TSgt | 13118174 |
| ENG | Arthur L. Wellingham | TSgt | 39037669 |
| BAL | Charles L, Anglin | SSgt | 06955639 |
| WG (W) | Robert H. Kuehl | SSgt | 39325840 |
| WG (W) | John Rupnick | SSgt | 13132363 |
| TG (T) | Herbert S. South | SSgt | 15113580 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delbert S. Pearson | Last sighted | 1Lt | Missing |
| Edgar W. Wolf | Last sighted | 2Lt | Missing |
| Carrol W. Woldt | 2Lt | Missing |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Parachutes were used
Other:
Eyewitness description of crash
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| "A/C #983 received a direct hit from flak in a wing at #1 engine a few seconds after bombs away. A/C went down in a flaming spin and hit near the marshalling yards and exploded. 2 chutes were seen." | ||
| No Data | on 5/4/44. On 11/5/44,S/Sgts Charley L.Anglin,BT and John Rupnick,RW,were flying in place of Martiello & Medhurst and both were KIA. Both Anglin & Rupnick were listed on the crew of R.V.E. Monrad on 8/3/44.Rupnick was originally on the M.E.Beatty crew when it joined the 100th on 6/9/43. Immediately after bombs were released,A/C received a direct flak hit in wing at #1 engine. Part of wing blown off & A/C went down in flaming spin. Heh,Lirette and South were blown out of A/C. South suffered a compound fracture of a leg when blown from a/c. Captured On November 10, 1944, the crew went through the rigors of a mission day. The weather was cloudy and cold as they headed for their airfield target near Wiesbaden. "We had a new Squadron Commander on that bomb run," Ivan said. "Our plane was flying Tail End Charlie, the back side of the formation. I'm not really sure what happened. I think the commander broke away and left the group. The flak was pretty dense, lots of 88s and 105s (88 and 105 millimeter anti-aircraft guns). With radar jamming we could usually keep the explosions below us, or at least stay between the range of their shelling. This day it was different. Suddenly there was and explosion on board. Shrapnel had splattered into the fuselage and over the wings. One engine was immediately knocked out and the crew would soon discover Navigator James Goss was dead. "I could reach back from my position and stick my fist through a hole in the plane. We began to fall back from the squadron and the Bombardier (trained as a Navigator) was trying to find us a place to go." During that time, the crew became aware that two more of the engines were on fire and had limited time left. "We were about 18 to 20 thousand feet when the fire broke. We had some time to sort things out and finally the pilot called to abandon ship. From the time we got hit we had been discarding as much as possible. It wouldn't work. I left my position and crawled the 15 feet from the tail to the exit door, picked up my parachute and shoes, threw the shoes over my shoulder, buckled up and dived out." Ivan fell quite a distance before deploying his chute. When he did he noticed that nosy fighter pilot was circling him. "It sounded like a Maytag," he chuckled. "It was very quite there and all I could hear was the plane circling." As he came closer to the ground he had to make two adjustments with his chute. He slipped his chute, a process of letting out air to control direction, to first avoid a barn and then to maneuver away from a railroad embankment where there were power lines. He finally landed in a boggy pasture and German guards were waiting there to take him away. |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: WALTER G. BURKE 1st Lt. Air Corps Assistant Adjutant
Date prepared: May 14, 1944
