Personnel

CREW



2nd Lt William M.Beddow           P    KIA      10/10/43  MUNSTER

2nd Lt Richard W.Brooks           CP   POW   10/10/43   MUNSTER

2nd Lt Israel Levine              NAV   KIA      10/10/43 MUNSTER

2nd Lt Milton E.Harness          BOM   POW   10/10/43  MUNSTER

T/Sgt John L.Sullivan            ROG   KIA      10/10/43 MUNSTER

S/Sgt Dan Q.James               TTE   POW   10/10/43 MUNSTER

S/Sgt Walter E. Zoldak           BTG  KIA      10/10/43 MUNSTER

S/Sgt Samuel M.Hicks            RWG  KIA      10/10/43 MUNSTER 

S/Sgt Robert J.Lynch            LWG   KIA      10/10/43 MUNSTER            

S/Sgt Richard R.Munger               TG   POW   10/10/43 MUNSTER  





351st Sqdn. Tenth mission for crew. A/C#42 30723   "SEXY SUZY MOTHER OF TEN"



.Levine is not listed in S.O.C. as either KlA,MlA, or POW. The MACR notes that Levine and Zoldak were "Determined Dead" the others are noted as "Killed In Action".   



Letter from Dan James (7/3/84) says that crew joined the 100th Group "first part of Sept."     . . . Sgts Hicks & Lynch were replacements on crew. They replaced T/Sgt Jones P.Ingram and another man I do not remember." James adds that "our plane was downed by a German fighter."  jb



Statememt by Milton E. Harness: "Co-pilot (Richard W. Brooks). West Roxbury, Mass., said Pilot had  chute on and

did not appear to be injured, but we think it likely the plane exploded in mid-air, as the oxygen system was afire and

there appeared to be a gasoline fire in the bomb bay. Bill (William M. Beddow) proably was killed in the plane. Plane was on 

bombing run and time about 1500 hours."





MISSIONS FOR LT WILLIAM M. BEDDOW (mpf 2001)



1. 09/09/43 BEAUVAIS

2. 15/09/43 PARIS

3. 16/09/43 LAPALLICE

4. 26/09/43 PARIS

5. 27/09/43 EMDEN

6. 02/10/43 EMDEN

7. 04/10/43 HANAU

8. 08/10/43 BREMEN

9. 09/10/43 MARIENBURG

10. 10/10/43 MUNSTER



Tech/Sgt. Dan James, 100th Bombardment Group, 8th USAAF confirmed: "During that march I witnessed the most pitiful and dreadful sight. When we were marching past Mauthausen Concentration Camp, after about a week on the march, we passed a few thousand Jewish people marching along the road. Each one had a yellow star on his clothes. Some did not have shoes, and their clothing was so ragged that it was falling off them. They stank very badly, and were so thin that their bones almost protruded They were going to their deaths in the gas chambers of Mauthausen.

  "The Jewish people were guarded by SS troops, and many were falling by the roadside because of their exhausted condition. Their SS guards would club their heads with rifle butts. At one small hill on the road, about 200 yards in length, I counted eight bodies.

   "This was the most tragic and barbaric sight that I have ever seen in my life."



While researching the William M. Beddow crew I found the following and have confirmation of the deaths of;  JOL

 

MILTON E. HARNESS, BORN 12 AUGUST, 1923----TAPS  22 FEB, 2009,PLANT CITY,FLORIDA

 

DAN Q. JAMES,  BORN 22 MARCH,1921-----TAPS  21 AUG,1993  LAFOLLETE,TN.



Richard R Munger

Pennellville, New York 

Born:October 13, 1920

Died:September 25, 2001

Age At Death: 80