S/Sgt
Donald H. FLETCHER

Donald H. Fletcher
The Kansas City Times Sept 20 1943
Army Serial Number: 37373116
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 418th Bombardment Squadron
Rank: Staff Sergeant
Position: Waist Gunner
Beginning Date of 100th Service: Unknown
Time of Service at Thorpe Abbotts: Unknown - Unknown
Additional 100th Service Notes
Status: POW
MACR: 00688
CR: 00688
Comments: 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART (ENGINE PROBLEM - OIL) Original 100th, Crew #33
Media Articles
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Media Item | Type | Page | Volume/Issue | Broadcast Source | Time | Description | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Fletcher MIA - 1 | The Kansas City Times Sept 20 1943 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Donald Fletcher MIA with photo | California Democrat Oct 14 1943 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Donald Fletcher POW | The Kansas City Times Oct 12 1943 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Donald Fletcher mother receives his Air Medal | The Kansas City Star Jan 16 1944 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Donald Fletcher liberated | California Democrat June 14 1945 | 12:00 am | |||||
| Donald Fletcher picnic planned for ex-POWs | The Kansas City Times Aug 8 1945 | 12:00 am |
Comments and Notes
Memo 1:
CREW
1ST LT EDGAR F. WOODWARD, JR.
CREW #33 A/C #42-5860 "Escape Kit" MACR #688
1ST LT EDGAR WOODWARD, JR P; INT 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
F/O JOHN H., THOMPSON CP; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
2ND LT EMANUEL A. CASSIMATIS NAV; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
2ND LT ROBERT E. DIBBLE BOM; KIA 15 AUG 43 MERVILLE AF (killed by Flak)
S/SGT FRANK DANELLA TTE; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
T/SGT MELVIN E. GAIDE ROG; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
S/SGT CHARLES J. GRIFFIN WG; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
S/SGT GEORGE A. JANOS BTG; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
S/SGT WILLIAM D. BROOKS TG; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
S/SGT DONALD H. FLETCHER WG; POW 6 SEP 43 STUTTGART
NOTES: THIS IS AN "ORIGINAL CREW" OF THE 100TH BOMB GROUP.
1ST LT EDGAR F. WOODWARD, JR. Missions
Date. SN#. Target. A/C Name
June 26, 1943 25860 LeMans Escape Kit
June 28, 1943 25860 St Nazaire Escape Kit
June 29, 1944 25860 LeMans Escape Kit
July 4, 1943 25860 LaPallice Escape Kit
July 10, 1943 229931 LeBourget Jaybird
July 14, 1943 25860 LeBourget Escape Kit
July 17, 1943 25860 Hamburg Escape Kit
July 24, 1943 25860 Trondheim Escape Kit
July 25, 1943 25860 Warnemunde Escape Kit
July 26, 1943 25860 Hanover Escape Kit
July 28, 1943 25860 Oschersleben Escape Kit
July 30, 1943 25860 Kassel Escape Kit
Aug 15, 1943 25860 Merville & Lille Escape Kit
Aug 24, 1943 230402 Conches, Evreux-Fauville The Poontang
Sept 3, 1943 230402 Kerlin-Bastard The Poontang
Sept 6, 1943 Stuttgart 230402 The Poontang
SHOT DOWN
ON 6 SEP 43, LT PAUL L. ENGLERT WHOSE CREW (#30 Lt William Flesh) WAS LOST ON THE 17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG MISSION AS BOMBARDIER AND BECAME A POW.
Crew #33 418th Sqdn. MACR #688 Microfiche #227
Mission: Stuttgart A/C#'42-30402 (POONTANG)
Date: 6 Sept.1943
Time. 0930
Capt.Edgar F.Woodward,Jr. P INTERNEE
F/O John H.Thompson CP POW
2nd Lt Emanuel A.Cassimatis NAV POW
1st Lt Paul L,Englert BOM POW
T/Sgt Frank Danella TTE POW
T/Sgt Melvin E.Gaide ROG POW
S/Sgt George A.Janos BTG POW
S/Sgt Donald H.Fletcher RWG POW
S/Sgt Charles J.Griffin LWG POW
S/Sgt William D.Brooks TG POW
Eyewitness accounts:
"Saw Woodward's ship going down at 4830N-0803E at 0929 #2 engine was windmilling. everything else seemed to be OK."
Walter U. "Chief" Moreno 1st Lt.
"Saw Capt. Woodward's A/C turned out of formation under control and headed for Switzerland. Nothing seemed wrong with A/C,"
John D. Brady, 1st Lt.
"A/C #402 at 0930 approximately 2 miles north of Strasbourg salvoed bombs into a woods. Headed south and went under cloud deck.All engines turning over. No E/A or AA at this time."
Gale W.Cleven,Major, 350th BS C.O.
A letter from D.H.Fletcher of 25/1/84 states that on the way into the target, an oil leak in #2 engine. Woodward could then have aborted,but decided to press on.Somewhere near the IP oil pressure went to zero and prop would not feather - cylinder head temp. went sky high. If engine seized and prop came off it could have been disastrous to ship.It was decided to head south for Switzerland. When they believed themselves over Switzerland,the crew bailed. It turned out that only Woodward, who remained with aircraft until the crew had successfully bailed out, landed in Switzerland,the others in Germany.
See S.O.C. p.19
EDGAR WOODWARD WAS ON THE "ADDRESS UNKNOWN" V.A. LIST FOR MANY YEARS, BUT AS OF 1993 HE RESIDES IN ALEXANDER, VA . HE WAS CONTACTED BY THE 100TH SPLASHER SIX EDITIOR HARRY H. CROSBY.CREW
T/SGT GAIDE WAS IN Stalag 17B Braunau Gneikendorf Near Krems Austria 48-15.
Memo 2:
Pilot feared engine would seize up, Crew # tried to jump over Switzerland, but only Pilot landed in Switzerland
KIA / MIA / EVA / INT Information:
Target:
Stuttgart
Aircraft:
"Poontang" (42-30402)
Date:
1943-09-06
Cause:
Lost Oil Pressure
Photos

Donald Fletcher
Donald Fletcher Class A uniform. Courtesy of Chase Blackwell

Edgar Woodward Crew
Edgar Woodward Crew (left to right) Photo in front of Escape Kit Standing: Charles J. Griffin, William D. Brooks, Melvin E. Gaide, Donald H. Fletcher, George A. Janos, Unknown Kneeling: Robert E.Dibble (KIA 15 Aug 43), John H. Thompson, Edgar F. Woodward, Jr., Emanuel Cassimatis 100th BG Photo Archives
Crew List
1st Crew List
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Rank | Name | Pos | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lt | WOODWARD, Edgar F. | P | INT |
| F/O | THOMPSON, John H. | CP | POW |
| Lt | CASSIMATIS, Emanuel A. | NAV | POW |
| Lt | DIBBLE, Robert E. | BOM | KIA |
| T/Sgt | DANELLA, Frank | TTE | POW |
| T/Sgt | GAIDE, Melvin E. | ROG | POW |
| S/Sgt | JANOS, George A. | BTG | POW |
| S/Sgt | FLETCHER, Donald H. | WG | POW |
| S/Sgt | GRIFFIN, Charles J. | WG | POW |
| S/Sgt | BROOKS, William D. | TG | POW |





