Personnel

CREW



Crew #17 Aircraft #42 5867 "Alice From Dallas"            M.A.C.R. #117  Crew was flying  A/C #42-5862  "DURATION + 6" on July 25, 1943



1st Lt William D. Desanders        P    COMPLETED TOUR 13 FEB 1944 

2nd Lt William J. Styles            CP POW   25 July 1943  Warnemunde. Kiel

2nd Lt Calvin H. Defevre          NAV KIA   25 July 1943  Warnemunde, Kiel

2nd Lt William E. Griffith         BOM KIA   25 July 1943  Warnemunde, Kiel

T/Sgt Lester I. Berg                  TTE KIA   25 July 1943  Warnemunde, Kiel

S/Sgt   Charles J. Mayville        WG KIA   25 July 1943   WarnemNnde, Kiel

T/Sgt   George L. Rudden        ROG    COMPLETED TOUR      (With Crew #10)

S/Sgt   Norman C. Eddy          BTG KIA    25 July 1943   Warnemunde, Kiel

S/Sgt   Maynard T. Parsons      WG  POW   25 July 1943   Warnemunde, Kiel

S/Sgt    Robert D. Lepper          TG  POW   25 July 1943   Warnemunde, Kiel



Mission Log of William D. DeSanders with comments by DeSanders shown in brackets.

1.  6/25/1943  Bremen, Ger. (Lost 3)

2.  6/28/1943  St. Nazaire, Fr. (Flak rough - all OK - Good bombing)

3.  6/29/1943  Le Mans, Fr.

4.  7/10/1943  Le Bourget @ Paris. Fr, (Lost Duncan) This is Charles L. Duncans crew?pw

5.  7/24/1943  Trondheim, Nor. (Beautiful bombing)

6.    7/25/1943  Kiel, 25862 "Duration + 6"



"On July 25, 1943, Bill Desanders had an ear infection and Captain Richard Carey, Operations Officer of the 350th, flew in his stead and became a POW.  Another replacement on the crew this day was T/Sgt. Steven S. Kopczewski, the regular radio operator on Crew #11.  He was killed in action. The Aircraft "Duration + 6" was so damaged by flak that Capt Carey decided to ditch in the North Sea. 6 were KIA and 4 POW." "Capt. Carey, Lt Styles (CP), Sgt Robert Lepper (WG) and S/Sgt Maynard Parsons (TG) were picked up by a Danish fishing boat and the latter two were taken to a hospital in Schleswig."   Unable to bomb Warnemunde, the primary target, the Group flew to Keil where intense flak was met.  Plane was so damaged by flak that Captain Carey decided to ditch in the sea.  All the crew except for pilot and co

pilot were in radio room when ship hit the water.



Apparently, Parsons and Lepper, both of whom were wounded, got out ofthe overhead hatch but the others in the radio room were trapped and went down with the ship which rapidly sank.  A subsequent report by William Styles said that, "Griffith was struggling to get out of hatch as the plane was sinking, that is the last I saw of him."During a search for survivors, Danish fishermen found the body of Sgt. Kopczewski but, after making certain of death, left it in the water. Carey, Styles, Lepper and Parsons were picked up by a Danish fishing boat and the latter two were taken to a hospital in Schleswig It was mission #8 for this crew who were flying in "Duration + 6" and not their regular plane, "Alice From Dallas".



Story:

Bill Griffith and Big Joe were shooting Pheasants and killed a few.  The local constable caught them and said they had killed the landowners foul and needed to go and appologize to them personally in Class A's.  So they dress up in Class A's and go knock on Sir Rupert Manns manor and they were invited in. Instead of getting the 3rd Degree, they were invited in for Tea and cookies and talked for over and hour.





Subj: name missing  

Date: 1/18/2005 5:26:25 PM Pacific Standard Time 

From: Jcstyles16@aol.com 

To: mike@100thbg.com 

Sent from the Internet (Details) 

 

My husband William J Styles was a member of the 350 BS yet his name is not listed any where as a member…He was co-pilot with Bill DeSanders on "Alice from Dallas" but was switched to fly with Dick Carey on a mission and was shot down July 1943. and became POW until his release in 1945..I don't see his name on that list either….Do you need more info to list him?

Jane Styles



conversation with Capt Frank Murphy, Nav on Cruikshank crew and roommate of Capt Dick Carey  1/19/05

 MPFaley [12:36 PM]:  Frank did you know a Lt Styles at Stalag Luft 3 

 MPFaley [12:36 PM]:  he was on Dick Careys plane when it went down 

 FrDMurphy [12:36 PM]:  Mike,  no, what compound was he in? 

 MPFaley [12:37 PM]:  not sure Frank, but Styles wife is trying to get all this info on POW and people who knew her husband for a project her Granddaughter is doing 

 MPFaley [12:38 PM]:  we told her to get your book  

 FrDMurphy [12:39 PM]:  Good.  I have considerable info on the South Compound where Dick and I were interned and will see what I can find out, if anything about Styles. 

 FrDMurphy [12:39 PM]:  If she will give me her contact address and/or e-mail I will try to help. 

 MPFaley [12:41 PM]:  will do, hold on 

 MPFaley [12:42 PM]:  he was Dicks copilot on the mission 

 MPFaley [12:43 PM]:  Jcstyles16@aol.com Her name is Jane.  

 FrDMurphy [12:45 PM]:  Okay, Fine.  Have noted it on  my writing pad. I wonder if he was in our compound as I believe I would have known about him if he was.  Dick had a couple of guys who regularly came over and chatted and played cribbage with him 

 FrDMurphy [12:51 PM]:  I will look into it, Mike 

 MPFaley [12:51 PM]:  Thanks Frank, I am sure the family would appreciate it.  

 FrDMurphy [12:52 PM]:  Hang on a second, Mike.  I think I have something. 

 FrDMurphy [12:56 PM]:  Okay, Mike.  Lt. W.J. Styles was in the South Compound.  He got out of the airplane and drifted 15 minutes in his Mae West before being picked up by a Danish fishing boat and was taken by the Germans when they returned to port.  He was from Troy, NY.Okay. 

 MPFaley [12:56 PM]:  so he was in your compound 

 MPFaley [12:58 PM]:  is the book Stalag Luft III any good for them as research? 

 FrDMurphy [1:00 PM]:  Yes, although I did not remember him specifically.  There is no book that will give them any info that I dod not have. Styles was with Dick. They were actually not shot down.  Engine failures caused them to drop out of formation and become stragglers.  The airplane mushed out and went into the drink.  He injured his back in the ditching but recovered. 

 MPFaley [1:01 PM]:  You ARE the person they need to talk too 

 FrDMurphy [1:02 PM]:  A friendly bomber circled Styles but they were about 150 miles from England with no chance of air/sea rescue.  That's about all I have. 

FrDMurphy [1:06 PM]:  My info is that Styles was born on August 24, 1920 and was a Roman Catholic.  Will they verify that?

FrDMurphy [1:14 PM]:  I remember Dick well because we were roommates.  Lt. Styles lived in a barracks two rows over from us.  If I can help it would be my pleasure.  Give Jane my e-mail address. 





From: Jcstyles16@aol.com [mailto:Jcstyles16@aol.com] 

Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 2:14 PM

To: Wilburn, Wayne

Subject: Re: picture



I do have one of him in uniform and had already sent it to the WWII memorial but never thought of sending it to his Bomb Group...I will try to send it to you...as far as his story is concerned, he enlisted right after Pearl Harbor....Recd his training in Alabama and Georgia (where I pinned on his wings)  He was the co-pilot of the "Alice from Dallas" was shot down over the No Sea in July 1943...returned home (Troy NY) got married and joined the family Business (Funeral Director) with his father.  He died March 22, 1975.Let me know if you receive all this (including pic)...and Thanks Jane



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



Keeping the Legacy of Sacrifice Alive: Commentary on the Daughter of a World War II Veteran

July 16, 2023 by Mat Hutchison



For eighty years, there have been eight missions and eight airmen trapped in the confined radio room of a B-17 aircraft.



This summer, I have been meticulously retracing my father’s flights from 1943 when he served as the co-pilot of the bomber Alice, stationed in Dallas. Every mission commences at Thorpe Abbotts, a country airfield located on the east coast of England. It is from there that the airmen depart their Nissen huts, bravely embarking on their flights in the hopes of returning safely. On my dad’s eighth and final mission, however, the conclusion takes an unexpected turn and instead of landing in fields, it lands on the cold waters of the North Sea.



On July 25, 1943, my father, Bill Styles from Troy, alongside his eight crew members boarded a different plane named Duration + 6. Due to the main pilot being grounded with an ear infection, Captain Richard Carey, the operations officer, joined them. Faced with impenetrable overcast at their intended target, they pressed on, navigating through a sky filled with anti-aircraft fire towards the heavily fortified dockyards in Kiel, Germany.



The engines of the B-17 aircraft belched smoke and eventually failed as it became the target of exploding shells, leaving it limping towards the sea. Dad and Carey were keenly aware that their situation was dire. Knowing that the plane was destined for the water, the other eight airmen hurriedly made their way to the radio room, as per standard protocol. Time was of the essence. Laden with bombs, the mighty B-17 plummeted into the treacherous depths of the North Sea.



Dad and Carey managed to escape through the pilot’s escape hatch. As they made their way out, the remaining airmen cramped inside the radio room pushed two injured gunners out through the other escape hatch. Water cascaded into the plane, filling it rapidly. Dad caught a fleeting glimpse of his dear friend, Bill Griffith, fighting to extricate himself as the plane sank. That was the last he saw of him.



As the radio room plunged beneath the surface, six men remained trapped inside. Four resilient survivors floated amidst the frigid waters of the North Sea until they were thankfully rescued by Danish fishermen. These survivors would go on to endure nearly two years in POW camps, with no time to properly mourn the loss of their comrades. No funerals were conducted, and no memorials were erected to honor their sacrifice.



This year, during the Memorial Day weekend, I seized the opportunity to attend the reunion of my father’s group, the 100th Bomb Group, at the illustrious Mighty Eighth Museum in Georgia. In remembrance of my father’s lost crew, I reverently placed six flags in the circles of dirt. A sense of profound tranquility enveloped the sacred field, where 26,000 48-star flags stood in tribute to the airmen tragically killed during World War II.



In a touching display of solidarity, the grandson of the fishing boat skipper who had rescued the four survivors traveled all the way from Denmark to assist in planting the flags. Svend, as he introduced himself, spoke at length about Denmark’s deep reverence for Dad’s six crewmen.



“If you were to consult our fishing maps of the North Sea,” Svend revealed, “you would notice a marked circle delineating the areas where fallen airmen rest. This circle, known as a ‘Peace of Death’ or ‘Gravfred’ in Danish, serves as a reminder for fishermen and divers that no intrusions are permitted out of respect for the deceased. Severe penalties are levied against those who disregard this solemn prohibition.”



Over the past five years, I have dedicated myself to locating and forging connections with the families of the survivors from my father’s eighth mission. I have also reached out to the families of the Danish fishermen responsible for rescuing the four airmen, as well as the families of my father’s fellow prisoners within Stalag Luft III. However, this July marks the eightieth anniversary of the crash, and it is imperative that I pay homage to my father’s lost crew: 2nd Lt. Calvin DeFevre, 2nd Lt. William Griffith, Tech. Sgt. Lester Berg, Staff Sgt. Charles Mayville, Staff Sgt. Norman Eddy, and Tech. Sgt. Steven Kopoczewski.



Calvin, Bill, Lester, Charles, Norman, and Steven. I am determined to preserve their memory and prevent them from sliding into obscurity within the annals of history.



Soon, viewers will have the opportunity to experience the fear and courage of the 100th Bomb Group, known as the Bloody Hundredth, when the new Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg miniseries “Masters of the Air” is released on Apple TV. In the meantime, I will strive to locate more families of those who trained, served, and suffered alongside my father. In every conversation, I am met with the same lament: “My father or my uncle rarely spoke about the war. I wish I had paid closer attention. I wish I had asked more questions.”



Linda Berkery hails from South Troy and is the author of the memoir, “Reflections: A Wardrobe of Life Lessons.”

Translation of Letter from Shipping boat Captain to William Styles after the war:



From:

Date: March 16, 2017 at 11:11:30 AM EDT

Subject: translation of Danish handwritten letter.

From a Danish newspaper I have learned that you would  like to connect with the fisherman who rescued you and 

3 of your friends from the North Sea in July 1943.



I am writing to you to let you know that I am the fisherman you are looking for and I remember you very well.

Also your 3 friends I remember well.  Bob Parson was one of them and I believe that one was named Lepper.

I forgot the name of the third one.



I am sending you a newspaper article and have marked you with an X and myself with XX.  I am also sending

you 2 pictures which I ask you to kindly return.



I hope you remember me and ask you to write to me and tell me how you have been doing in the past years.

Also please information about your 3 friends.



I will end the letter with the warmest greetings to you and your family





A Poem for Jeanne and Kirsten:



I Should Have Asked More Questions

Fathers, July 25, 1943 and Daughters, April 20, 2017



He didn’t speak about the 

Crash.  

But it must have been hard

Watching the plane 

sink. B-17 loaded with bombs

And terrified crew members.



He never spoke about the

Rescue.

But he knew to search the 

sea. Listening as floaters

drag Mae West vests

Aboard the tiny Bertha.



He didn’t speak about the

Pictures.

But someone snapped the three. 

Pilot, Skipper, Co-Pilot  

Dads. Printed and posted

From Esbjerg Denmark, 1943.

And I discovered them today.



We now speak the story 

Sisters indeed.

As fathers breathe in photos,

Bonded from Sunset to 

Sunrise. Living on the North Sea

Aboard the boat of history.

..... Linda Styles Berkery





 B 17F 42-5862 - The North Sea                                                               



  On 25 July 1943 at 5pm B17 42-5862 ditched in the North Sea near the cutter E 475 "Bertha" about 75 miles south west of Esbjerg. (Source: FOD A1393) AOD has details. This is one of the stories about airmen Rescued by fishermen in the North Sea. From the book A. Hjorth Rasmussen: Det er nødvendigt at sejle Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet. Saltvandsakvariet, Esbjerg, 1980 

     (Sailing is necessary) Fisheries and Maritime Museum. Saltwater Aquarium, Esbjerg, 1980



E 475 »Bertha« rescued 4 American airmen, but had to go to Esbjerg with them. Two 4-engined planes passed above the cutter, one of them gliding towards the water with engine trouble. It ditched some hundred metres from the »Bertha«. The cutter sailed to their rescue, and the 4 airmen who drifted around in their life jackets were picked out of the water. An immediate search for the 6 other airmen of the crew was unsuccessful. 2 of the airmen were uninjured, 2 severely injured. One of them had broken his arms and his legs, and the fishermen had to dress his wounds with splints from a wooden fish crate. The illegal magazine the “Vestjyden” tells about the arrival at Esbjerg, “When the ship came to the quay the Danish ambulance had arrived already. Work started immediately, but when the severely injured man was being put on a stretcher the Germans turned up and forbade moving him. That was the limit for the spectators, and there were strong protests over an order that brutal. Now the Germans went totally berserk. A blow in a whistle and more Germans immediately turned up and rushed at the Danes. One was hit with a butt on his shoulder and several people were kicked and beaten. One man had a revolver pressed against his stomach. Now the spectators drew a little back awaiting further events. After about 2-two hours of waiting a German ambulance arrived and took the severely injured airman who was lying on some duvets on the deck of the cutter.



The injured airman had been on his way to the harbour for 14 hours and he had to wait another 2 hours. While the poor man was lying there racked with pain a German officer strutted about smiling cynically every time the injured airman moaned with pain.



The brutality shown here by the Germans to a severely injured and helpless adversary once more stresses their cowardice and sadistic leanings. It is a comfort that the day of reckoning will soon be here, and then the German beasts will have the bill presented with interest and compound interest. We are in complete agreement on that."



This B-17 was from 350 BS, 100 BG, 13 Wing, 3 BD, 8 AF of the USAAF. See also the 100th Bomb Group (Heavy) with Photo of the pilot and operational details. It took off from RAF Thorpe Abbott - USAAF Station 139. See also 100th Bomb Group Memorial Museum. 10 airmen.