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Personnel

T/Sgt

Ralph G. HAWK

Army Serial Number: 15195875
Assigned to the 100th Bombardment Group
Location:
Unit: 350th Bombardment Squadron
Rank:
Position: Radio Operator / Gunner

Additional 100th Service Notes

Status: KIA
MACR: 04947
CR: 04947
Comments: 19 MAY 44 BERLIN (EAC - CRASHED AT SEA)

Comments and Notes

Memo 1:
CREW

2nd Lt Martin D.Rupert P KIA 19/5/44 (On WALLof THE MISSING) TARGET WAS BERLIN
F/O Bertram D.Lobdell CP CPT 25/9/44 LUDWIGSHAFEN, MY
2nd Lt Greek R.James,Jr. NAV KIA 19/5/44 (On WALL OF THE MISSING)
2nd Lt Lynn H.Barbour BOM POW 19/5/44
S/Sgt Ralph G.Hawk ROG KIA 19/5/44 (On WALL OF THE MISSING)
S/Sgt Herbert H.Cole TTE KIA 19/5/44 (On WALL OF THE MISSING)
S/Sgt Cecil J.McNeer BTG KIA 19/5/44 (On WALL OF THE MISSING)
Sgt Charles L.Haswell LWG KIA 19/5/44
Sgt Thomas E.Hick RWG KIA 19/5/44
Sgt William P.Hohman TG KIA 19/5/44 ( On WALL OF THE MISSING)

350th Sqdn. Crew as above, joined the 100th Group on 12/4/44. MACR #4947, Micro fiche #4947 A/C B 17G 42 38191.

On 19/5/44, a 1st Lt John J.Raring was flying as CP and was KIA (He is on WALL OF THE MISSING)

A/C #191 was shot down by E/A on their first pass through the formation at 1518 hours. it went down under control circling to the right. Six
chutes came out as a/c went down. When last seen all props were turning and there was no smoke coming from the a/c. The crash was seen by
some fishermen from Rodbyhavn,and they went to the crash point and picked up Lt.Barbour, but despite intense search in the area no other
survivors llere found. Body of S/Sgt Hick was found at sea near Vejlo Island in Nakskov Fjord on 24/7/44 and he was buried at Sandby
Cemetary. Body of Haswell & Hicks was found at sea 12 km W of Rodbyhavn on 22/7/44 They were buried in Rodby Cemetary. In 1948 S/Sgt Hick's remains were exhumed and returned to U.S.A. S/Sgt Haswell is still resting in the Rodby Cemetary.

Statement by Lynn Barbour "At the time of the first attack fire was started by enemy action, near the forward escape hatch. I immediately tried
to extinguish it. In moving from my position; in the nose of the ship to the location of the fire, my inter phone & oxygen system were
disconnected, therefore I was not in communication with the other members of the crew from the time the attack started until I bailed out. As
we were immediately put out of action, and the plane was out of control, there was no time to re-establish inter-phone communications. Not
certain whether the crew had been notified to abandon ship, I shouted at the navigator to ascertain that fact and he did so. The plane being out of
control and pilotless we had no choice but to bail out.
In your investigation as to the fate of my crew members, I suggest you contact Mr. James MacDougall, Nakskov Hospital, Nakskov, Denmark. He did, and should still be able to contact fishermen who rescued me from the Baltic Sea. I believe I was docked by these fishermen at a small town named Rodby, which is a small fishing village, believed to be East of the town of Nakskov on the Island of Lloland. I am not certain this is the correct name of the village, but this could be definitely ascertained from Mr. MacDougall, mentioned above.
Mr. MacDougall could also put you in touch with a Doctor from this village who attended me at the dock. When rescued from the sea I was unable to make the fishermen understand that there were other crew in the area, due to my own mental and physical incapacity from injuries and exposure and also due to the language difficulties. None of the fishermen could speak or understand English. Upon reaching land, I was able to contact a person who spoke English. When the situation was described to him he promised to send the boats to conduct a search for the other crew members. I personally believe this was not done and also further believe that if such a search had been conducted other members of the crew would definitely have been found alive or their bodies would have been found floating with the support of their Mae West life vests.
I was a patient at Nakskov Hospital for a period of three months, and during this time, upon repeated inquiries, I never received definite confirmation other boats were sent out. All inquires were instituted through Mr, MacDongall, who is the son of Dr. MacDongall, Head of the Nakskov Hospital, Nakskov City, Island of Lloland, Denmark."
Signed: Lynn H. Barbour
1st Lt. A.C. O-761287

Items found on the body of Sgt Hick, which washed ashore on 24 Jul 1944 :
1 Plain finger ring
1 Bracelet with plate engrave (Thomas E. Hicks and Caroline V. Barth)
1 Chain with I.D. tag
8 Photos
1 Box of pills
1 Rubber bag
1 Dictionary in cellophane.

Barbour goes on to relate he was rescued from the sea by Danish fisherman and taken to the small town of Rodby, just east of Nakskow,
Denmark on the island of Lioland. He attempted unsuccessfully to get the point across that others of his crew must be in the sea and a search
should be conducted. Barbour says he was a patient at Nakskov hospital for three months.

Ÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ

KIA / MIA / EVA / INT Information:

Target:
Berlin
Aircraft:
(42-38191)
Date:
1944-05-19
Cause:
EAC - Crashed at Sea

Burial Information:

Cemetery:
Cambridge Military Cemetery

Photos

Ralph G. Hawk 350th ROG

Ralph G. Hawk 350th ROG Ohio KIA 19 May 44 Berlin Martin D. Rupert Crew

Martin D. Rupert Crew

Martin D. Rupert Crew. The only survivors from this crew were Bertram D. Lodbell and Lynn H. Barbour. The remaining were all KIA May 19, 1944 on a mission to Berlin. (100th Photo Archives) Detailed Information (100th Photo Archives)

Crew List

1st Crew List

Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.

Rank Name Pos Status
LT RUPERT, Martin D. P KIA
Lt LOBDELL, Bertram D. CP CPT
Lt JAMES, Greek R. NAV KIA
Lt BARBOUR, Lynn H. BOM POW
T/Sgt COLE, Herbert H. TTE KIA
T/SGT HAWK, Ralph G. ROG KIA
S/Sgt MCNEER, Cecil BTG KIA
S/Sgt HASWELL, Charles L. WG KIA
S/Sgt HICK, Thomas E. WG KIA
S/Sgt HOHMAN, William P. TG KIA