Missing Air Crew Report : 1678

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  

               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 612th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course : 250°.
       Target : Returned from raid on Ludwigshafen, Germany.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : 10/10 overcast below formation.

4.    Last know date : 30 dec 1943
       time : 12:25
       location : Near border of France & Germany.

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of :
                         Bomb train of higher USAAF element hit and damaged #4 Engine.
                         Engine caught fire and a/c lost altitude until disappearing from sight.

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-39826

7.    Nickname of aircraft : " Stubborn Jean ".

8.    Engines : R-1820-97.

9.    Installed weapons : 12 Bombs Cal .50, M-2.

10.  Persons listed below listed as : Battle Casualties.

11.  Persons on board : Crew : 10.

12.  List crew position , name , rank , serial no. and current status :

Pilot	Traian Neag	1st Lt	0-802443	POW
Copilot	John P. England	2nd Lt	0-748608	MIA
Navigator	Elmer S. Santos	2nd Lt	0-676132	POW
Bombardier	Okey De Raimo	2nd Lt	0-679382	POW
Radio Operator	William C. Bardon	T/Sgt	35666460	POW
Engr / Top Turret	Howard P, Monzingo	S/Sgt	38328810	POW
Ball Turret Gunner	Bert Anthony Purwin	S/Sgt	36405763	POW
Tail Gunner	James Edward Farrell	S/Sgt	35540649	POW
Left Waist Gunner	Benjamin Dasskiewicz	S/Sgt	32214734	POW
Right Waist Gunner	Marvin H. Hill	Sgt	32363744	POW

13.  Person believed to have last knowledge of missing aircraft :

Brandt , Duane G.        T/Sgt.        39193489        612th
Sabel , Jerome.              S/Sgt.        12158528        612th
- At 12:19 hours these men saw 2 men jump from disabled aircraft, 1 delayed jump and 1 parachute seen open.
  Ship was last seen at 1225 hours heading home with 3 fighters escort.

Urich , Lawrence C.     S/Sgt.        19096322        614th
- At the same position at 12:19 hours , Sgt Urich saw a men jump from main entrance and saw chute open.
  Aircraft then went off to NW, position when last seen must have been on border of France and Germany.
  There were 3 fighters escorting it and the aircraft seemed under control.

a) Date and time : 30.12.43 , the plane was under attack from 1234 till 1236 hours.

b) Altitude : 3500 meter going to 3000 meter.

c) Guns : 6 x 8.8 guns and Flak 37.

d) Tell more about about plane attack :
The plane was attacked by 9 flak groups. Then the plane turned right and was attacked by 3 more groups.
Then there was a minut of silence and it was attacked again by 5 groups. The aircraft was hit and went on fire , it was hit again and crashed, 4 km East of Zierolshofen.

e) Weather : 10/10 clowded and misty.

- Your name : JAMES EDWARD FARRELL.
- Rank : S/Sgt.
- Serial number : 35540649.

- Mission : Ludwigshaven.
- Target : Chemical plant.
- Target time : 12:35 PM.
- Altitude : 22.000 Ft.

- Where were you when you left formation : Shortly after enroute leaving target.

- Did you bail out : Yes , as last.
- Did other members bail out : All mebers of crew bailed out.

- When did you last see any members : Saw all members of crew after bailing out at Dulag Luft , Frankfurt ,
                                                                        except 2nd Lt John P. England and T/Sgt William C. Bardon.
                                                                        Members that I saw were all in good condition.

- Your name : TRAIAN NEAG.
- Rank : 1st Lt.
- Serial number : 0-802443

- Mission : Ludwigshaven.
- Target : Chemical works.
- Target time : 12:45.
- Altitude : 22.000 Ft.

- Where were you when you left formation : Just left target about 2 minutes.

- Did you bail out : Yes.
- Did other members bail out : Yes.

- Your name : OKEY DE RAIMO.
- Rank : 2nd LT.
- Serial number : 0-679382.

- Mission : Ludwigshaven.
- Target : IG Farben chemical plant.
- Target time : Approx. 12:00.
- Altitude : 21 - 23.000 Ft.

- Where were you when you left formation : Over target area.

- Did you bail out : Yes.
- Did other members bail out : Yes , All of them.


                              

- Your name : MARVIN H. HILL.
- Rank : Sgt.
- Serial number : 32363744.

- Mission : My first.
- Target : Lunichen.
- Target time : 12:10.
- Altitude : 20.000 Ft.

- Where were you when you left formation : At the target.

- Did you bail out : Yes.
- Did other members bail out : Yes , all of us.

- Tell all you know : Crew members in the nose went out at nose hatch, rest of us went out the
                                      bombay doors.

- Your name : BENJAMIN DASSKIEWICZ.
- Rank : S/Sgt.
- Serial number : 32214734.

- Mission : Ludwigshaven.
- Target : Rubber plant.
- Target time : 12:30.
- Altitude : 23.000 Ft.

- Where were you when you left formation : Over target.

- Did you bail out : Yes.
- Did other members bail out : Yes.

- When did you last see any members : I saw all members except John P. England - co pilot in Dulag Luft
                                                                        transient camp, Frankfurt, Germany.
                                                                        All were in good condition.

  

Traian Neag	Connecticut	1920 -	POW		Stalag Luft 1 South
Elmer Santos	Ohio		POW		Stalag Luft 1 South
Okey De Raimo	West Virginia	1921 -	POW		Stalag Luft 1 south
William C. Bardon	Ohio	1909 -	POW		Dulag Luft 12
Howard Monzingo	Louisiana	1922 -	POW		Stalag 17 B
Bert Purwin	Michigan	1921 -	POW		Stalag 17 B
James Farrell	Ohio	1923 -	POW		Stalag 17 B
Benjamin Daszkiewicz	New York	1917 -	POW		Stalag 17 B
Marvin Hill	Delaware	1922 -	POW		Stalag 17 B
John P. England	Minnesota	1920- 1943	KIA