Personnel

CREW



2ND LT WARREN MARMORINE             P CPT 28 JAN 45 DUISBURG

2ND LT EDWARD M. KAMINSKI          CP CPT 29 JAN 45  KASSEL, TANK WORKS

2ND LT ANGELO D. SCOTTY, JR       NAV CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG 

2ND LT EDWARD T. CHAPMAN III     BOM CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG

T/SGT DONALD W. CASE               TTE CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG

S/SGT JOHN F. DARR                   BTG CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG

SGT  LAWRENCE A. RADKA              ROG KIA  11 SEP 44  RUHLAND   (WITH CREW OF O.C. EVERITT)

S/SGT J.S. BURKE                               ROG   CPT   28 JAN 45  DUISBURG  (REPLACED SGT RADKA) 

SGT JOHN W. SUNDQUIST              WG CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG

SGT ALBERT W. MARKUS                WG XFR TRANSFERRED TO 15TH AIR FORCE AT CREW REDUCTION TO NINE MEMBERS

SGT JAMES M. SCHNEIDER               TG CPT 28 JAN 45  DUISBURG



349TH SQDN.. THIS CREW JOINED THE 100TH ON 26 AUG 1944.  (CREW #68) This Crew flew many missions in E-Z GOIN

Crew completed tour of 33 mission according to Sgt Case, with Lt Marmorine Completing 35. 



MISSIONS OF LT WARREN MARMORINE CREW:  

#       DATE                                                A/C        TARGET                                                 BOMB LOAD         FLAK         FLYING TIME

1.    9/11/1944 MARMORINE W. LT CP 38313  RUHLAND (OIL)     (WITH LT KEMP CREW)

2.    9/12/1944 MARMORINE W. LT CP 6306    MAGDEBURG (OIL) (WITH LT KEMP CREW)

3.    9/25/1944 MARMORINE W. LT P   38211  LUDWIGSHAVEN                                      12-500lb Demo    Moderate      7:00    

4.    9/27/1944 MARMORINE W. LT P   38011  MAINZ                                                    12-500lb Demo    Moderate      6:15

5.    9/28/1944 MARMORINE W. LT P   31986  MERSEBURG                                            10-500lb Demo    Heavy           8:00

6.    9/30/1944 MARMORINE W. LT P   31347  BIELEFELD                                              12-500lb Gen Prp  Light            6:20

                                                                                       

7.   10/02/1944                                                      KASSEL                                                   12-500lb Gen Prp   Moderate     7:30

8.   10/03/1944                                                      NURNBURG                                              10-500lb Gen Prp   Moderate     8:00

9.   10/09/1944                                                      MAINZ                                                    5-1000lb Gen Prp   Lt & inacc     6:00

10. 10/12/1944                                                      BREMEN                                                  10-500lb Incend.    Moderate     6:45

11. 10/15/1944                                                      COLOGNE                                                16-250lb Gen Prp   Mod & Acc    6:10

12. 10/18/1944                                                      KASSEL                             16-250lb Gen Prp,4-500lb Incend.  Light            8:30 

13. 10/19/1944                                                      LUDWIGSHAVEN                14-250lb Gen Prp, 3-500lb Incend.  Moderate     6:40 

14. 10/26/1944                                                      HANOVER                                                20-250lb Gen Prp.  Hvy & Inacc  7:05

15. 11/02/1944                                                      MERSEBURG                                             20-250lb Gen Prp.  Hvy & Acc.   8:00

16. 11/05/1944                                                      LUDWIGSHAVEN                                       6-1000lb Gen Prp.  Hvy & Acc.   7:15

17. 11/16/1944                                                      AACHEN                                                  32-100lb Frags.      Very Light    7:50

18. 11/21/1944                                                     OSNABRUCK                                             12-500lb Gen Prp    Light           6:30

19. 11/26/1944                                                      HAMM                                                     6-1000lb Gen Prp    Light          5:50

20. 11/29/1944                                                      HAMM                                                     10-500lb Gen Prp    Light          6:00

21. 11/30/1944                                                      MERSEBURG                                             20-250lb Gen Prp   Intense       8:30

22. 12/02/1944                                                      KOBLENZ  (RECALL, GOT CREDIT FOR MISSION)                                        5:35

23. 12/04/1944                                                      GIESSEN                                                  12-500lb Gen Prp.  Moderate    7:30

24. 12/05/1944                                                      BERLIN                                                    20-250lb Gen Prp   Moderate    7:50

     12/18/1944                                                       MAINZ     (HIGH CLOUDS CAUSED ABORT)                                               6:45

25. 12/24/1944                                                      BIBLIS                                                     38-100lb Gen Prp   Heavy         7:40

26. 12/25/1944                                                      KAISERLAUTERN                                       10-500lb Gen Prp   Lt & Acc.    6:50

27. 12/28/1944                                                      KOBLENZ                                                 20-250lb Gen Prp   Lt & Inacc.  6:20

28. 12/29/1944                                                      FRANKFURT                                              20-250lb Gen Prp  Mod & Acc.  7:05

29. 12/20/1944                                                      KASSEL                                                   12-500lb Gen Prp   Moderate     7:00

30.  1/03/1945                                                       FULDA                                                     18-250lb Gen Prp  None           8:05

31.  1/05/1945                                                       FRANKFURT                                               8-500lb Gen Prp  Moderate      8:10

32.  1/10/1945                                                       COLOGNE                                                6-1000lb Gen Prp  Hvy & Acc.    6:00

33.  1/20/1945                                                       HEILBRONN                                             6-1000lb  Gen Prp  None           6:40

34.  1/21/1945                                                       MANNHEIM                                              6-1000lb Gen Prp   Moderate     7:15

35.  1/28/1945                                                       DUISBURG                                               6-1000lb Gen Prp   Hvy & Acc.   5:35 



                                                                                                                                                                                   

---> SUBMITTER INFORMATION

SUBMITTER: Scott Marmorine

EMAIL: smarmorine@msn.com

PURPOSE: Report a death (TAPS)

INTEREST: I am the veteran's child



---> TAPS REPORT

VETERAN: Warren nmi Marmorine

DATE OF DEATH: 07/01/2006

FAMILY CONTACT: 11760 Madison St NE

Blaine MN 55434 763-755-1401

***********************************************************************************************************



REPLY TO: eagoser@yahoo.co.uk



SUBMITTER: Eugene A. Goser

EMAIL: eagoser@yahoo.co.uk

PURPOSE: Report a website error

INTEREST: I am the veteran's relative



This is to inform you of an error in the TAPS section of your website.  I've just discovered that my uncle, Donald W. Case, a former member of the crew of Warren Marmorine in the 349th Sqdn. Of the 100th Bomb Group, is listed as deceased on 5/16/72.  In fact, Donald W. Case is alive and very alert.  He celebrated his 90th birthday on December 29, 2006.



Please correct the information on your website as soon as possible.



For confirmation you can contact my uncle here:



Donald W. Case



2112 Osage 4th Street



Jefferson City, MO 65101-8836 



USA (Telephone 573 395 4519) 



Thank you very much.

************************************************************************************************************



CREW

 DATE: 11 Sept.1944  349th Sqdn                      A/C #42-97834  Mud in Yer Eye

 MISSION: RUHLAND                                   MACR #8819,Micro-fiche 3237

 

  1st Lt Orville C.Everitt       P        KIA

  2nd Lt John B.Manniello    CP       POW/WIA

  2nd Lt Warren L.Soden    NAV     POW

  Sgt Edward G.Minton,Sr  TOG      Died of Wounds in POW Hospital

  Sgt Lawrence A.Radka      ROG      KIA (from Lt Marmorine Crew)

  T/Sgt Robert L.Williams   TTE      KIA

  S/Sgt Robert A.Howard    BTG    KIA

  S/Sgt Homer K.Hirsch       WG     KIA

  S/Sgt William E.Kenney    TG      POW/WIA





A statement made 2/8/45 by Sgt.Kenney is as follows:  "We were flying a mission

to Ruhland,Germany in Sept.1944.At about 12:10 English time we were hit by F.W.

190s.Due to oxygen system which was shot out and also serious lung wounds,I was

unconsclous and don't remember how I got out.  I have no knowledge of what happ-

ened at all except hearsay.  I heard in Germany from a fellow flyer that the ship

blew up.Then when I got to France I saw the Navigator Lt.Soden. He said he saw a

ship explode after he bailed out, but he couldn't tell if it was ours."



Lt.Manniello received injuries to the skull and had no memory of any events occur-

ring betwean 5 and 16 Sept.  However, he said as follows in August 1945:   "The

Toggalier,Minton, Edward, Sgt.,occupied the other bed in my room (in Ger. Hosp,)

and gave me the following information.

      1.The pilot, Everitt,Orville C.  Was killed in the plane but everyone else

        bailed out.

      2. We were strafed while floating earthward.

      3. We were attacked by civilians at railroad station in Kemotan, Sudeten-

         land,Germany.

      4. Minton had no knowledge of fate of other members of our crew.  (Minton

         was later officially reported by the German Govt. to have died as a

         result of a fractured spine."



******************************************************************************************************



Jan,



This is incredible.  I mean this is earth shattering for myself and my immediate family.  SGT. Radka was my grandmother Lucille Shields (maiden name Radka)'s brother from Bloomfield, IL.  All I recall is that my grandmother kept a newspaper clipping that announced his death.  She never knew any of the details, but a family legend says that he appeared to her in a dream and saluted as a way of saying goodbye right before they heard he had been killed in action.



I am currently working on a shadow box with all the medals he would of qualified for (the MPR office says his file was destroyed in a fire in 1976), pictures from the 100th and 349th, and his rank.  Do you have a small piece of the plane you'd be willing to ship over?  I will gladly pay for postage and would like to make a donation to both your museum and the 100th in England.  Please let me know how to go about this.



I forwarded this email to my mom and aunt and I am sure you will be hearing much from them soon.



Thank you again and enjoy Easter,



James



----- Original Message -----

From: Jan Zdiarsky 

Date: Friday, March 21, 2008 3:54 am

Subject: RE: Sgt. Radka and Ruhland mission

To: 'JAMES MIERVALDIS' , 'Jan Riddling' , MPFaley@aol.com



Dear James Miervaldis,



please accept best regards from the Czech Republic mountain area called Ore

Mountains, place where your relative, Sgt. Lawrence A. Radka fought his last

fight - on September 11th, 1944.



I am very honored by contacting us and am so glad for your interest and to

have contact to you.



If you take a look on the website suggested by Mike Faley and by me

yesterday, you possible know already, that I am a representative of a museum

dedicated to the air battle of 100th BG and their fighter escort to German

Luftwaffe opposite fighters on their Ruhland mission on September 11th,

1944. And also you possible know already that we are members of the 100th BG

Foundation and thank to this we are very close to its veterans and the great

historical staff, thanks of which your initial message was forwarded to me

by Mike Faley.



I believe you would like to learn some information what we have from our

over 20 years long research on way of this battle and planes shot down while

that battle.

Larry Radka's plane was one of them we know about from initial years,

because it is one of the four Flying Fortresses crashed around my village

Kovarska, which is centre of the battle.



As you know, Larry was ROG of Warren Marmorine crew of the 349th BS and on

September 11th, he flew as replaced Radio operator for Orville C. Everitt's

crew.

It seems, it was his first combat mission...!



Their plane, B-17G 42-97834 XR-J, with nickname "Mud In Yer Eye" was hit in

the initial attack of German special fighter planes Fw 190A-8/R2 called

"Sturmböck" a special variant for attack of bomber formations, equipped by

additional armoring and by 30 mm cannons.

These planes completely with two 30 mm and two 20 mm cannons were very

dangerous.

A frontal attack to the low squadron of the 100th BG combat box shot down

all of the 12 planes, including the XR-J.



That plane did not went down immediately, but lost altitude rapidly and

became to burn. Some crew was able to bail out, before the plane in a wide

turn reached area between towns Weipert (Vejprty) and Schmiedeberg

(Kovarska), where under continuing attack it exploded in mid air.

Its broken parts crashed in the area of a forested slope of Spicak hill. The

front part, still with bombs exploded on impact, making a big crater, which

is there till today. The wreckage was distributed in a wide area. Part of

the crew (Lt. Everitt and one other crew member) was buried in a nearby

village Pleil (heute Cerny Potok), most of the crew, Including Sgt. Radka,

were buried in local cemetery in Schmiedeberg (Kovarska), as I have

mentioned yesterday.

After the war (1945 and 1947) they were moved to US military cemeteries in

western Europe. Later, as being unable to identify individual, were buried

in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St Louis. There is a common grave

of ten men from four crews crashed around Kovarska.

For me was very important to visit that place, which I did in 2000. If you

want, I can send you a photo of the grave. 



The crew is honored in our museum as you may have seen from the website.



If you want, I will be pleased to provide you more information, like the

Missing Air Crew Report for that crew, German KU report about that crash,

more photos from our Museum, especially of the XR-J showcase, photos from

the crashsite as it looks today and if you wish, I can send you a piece from

the particular B-17 on which Sgt. Radka died.



Recently we have a chance to feature the particular B-17 Mud In Yer Eye to

made her painted profile, which is most exact reconstruction how the plane

looks.

The other was a painting (aviation art) with theme of the initial JG 4

attack to the low squadron and the B-17 in focus of the picture is Mud In

Yer Eye.



I am sending you a lower resolution of both pictures in the very next

e-mail. If you wish, I can send you a print of both of them, also as our

publication "Black Monday over the Ore Mountains", where also story of that

crew on that fateful day is described..





I very hope you can once personally visit our museum and possible also the

place of the crash.

As I understand, in summer you are going to Iraq for mission. We will be

thinking of you and looking for your return.



James, please, let me know what is exactly your family relation to Larry

Radka?



In 1997 I had a chance to meet Warren Soden, navigator of the Everitt's crew

and learn directly from him more what happen to them on that day.



For his statement you may have look on following link:

https://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/history/history2/sodenatruhland.htm



That is a letter he sent to one of my colleagues in 1997.



In some 100th BG reunions I have met John F. Darr. He was member of Larry's

crew.

Jan Riddling, the 100th BG historian and membership secretary sure can

provide you with contacts with living Marmorine crew members.



I will be very happy to learn from you more about Sgt. Lawrence A. Radka and

very hope that your family have his photo. This will be very appreciate by

me - for the Museum, also as by the 100th BG Archives generally.

Hope, very hope, with you together we can be able to improve our effort to

honor him and his friends from the crew.



I very appreciate any info about him, his life, family, education,

occupation, his sisters, brothers...



I am looking forward to hear from you!



Very sincerely,



Jan 

(Zdiarsky) 



Museum of Air battle over the Ore Mountains

on September 11th, 1944 in Kovarska

    Ing. Jan Zdiarsky, Ph.D.

    Director of the Museum

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

A. E. Trommer Street 696

43186 Kovarska

Czech Republic

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

WWW.MUSEUM119.CZ



> 

> 

> Jan,

> 

> Thank you very much.

> 

> James

> 

> 

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Jan Zdiarsky 

> Date: Thursday, March 20, 2008 11:02 am

> Subject: Sgt. Radka and Ruhland mission

> To: 'JAMES MIERVALDIS' , MPFaley@aol.com

> 

> > Dear James,

> > my name is Jan Zdiarský from the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia).

> > Mike Faley of the 100th BG advised me.

> > Please, expect a longer e-mail from me. Now just a short note

> > - anywhere in your sources must be a mistake, Larry Radka did not 

> died 

> > as a POW, he was killed immediatelly in the crash of their B-17G 

> > 42-97834 and was buried with other victims of the 100th BG that day 

> in 

> > vicinity of my village on a local cemetery in Kovarska (formerly

> > Schmiedeberg)

> > ca 300 yards from my home.

> > It was Edward G. Minton from their crew who died as POW some months 

> later.

> > 

> > Today all the boys from four crews crashed arounf Kovarska are 

> buried 

> > in a common grave on the National Cemetery Jefferson Barracks in St. 

> 

> > Louis, including Sgt.

> > Radka.

> > 

> > I will try to write you a long informative e-mail today later.

> > Meantime, please take a look on our Museum website on address (this 

> si 

> > what suggested Mike Faley):

> > www.museum119.cz

> > 

> > especially on sub-page

> >  

> > Sent: Thursday, March 20, 2008 2:04 PM

> > To: MPFaley@aol.com

> > Cc: 100bgmm@tiscali.co.uk; Jan Zadarsky

> > Subject: Re: Question about 349th Crews of EZ-Goin and Mud In Yer Face

> > 

> > 

> > Michael,

> > 

> > Thank you very much!  This is an incredible discovery for myself and 

> 

> > my family.  A quick google search of SGT. Radka's serial number 

> > reveals that he was KIA as a POW.  I believe he was in the Stalag 

> Luft 

> > I POW camp; although the information I found was inconclusive.  

> Thank 

> > you again for all your help.

> > 

> > James