For the second consecutive mission, the Group was given a long mission into Norway the only ones to be flown against this country during World War II. Twenty-two (22) aircraft were launched, led by the 579th, and (21) bombed the target from 12,000 ft. with very good results. Seventy-three (73) percent of all weapons fell within 2000 ft. of the briefed aiming point. Once again, enemy fighters were engaged consisting of 20-25 single and twin-engine types with Group gunners claiming (3) kills. The unit suffered (2) aircraft losses, causes unknown, and (20) aircrew casualties all MIA. This was to be the longest mission ever flown by the 392nd as it logged 10:30 hours flight duration.

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MISSING AIR CREW REPORT SECTION

MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #01503   AIRCRAFT: #42-7486 "THE SHARK" "V-Bar" 10th Mission

AIRCREW: DUDZIAK     *    SQUADRON: 578th

CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:

P   2/LT Dudziak, Teddy (NMI)    KIA
CP  2/LT Miller, John A. Jr.     KIA
N   2/LT Berlin, William (NMI-G) KIA
B   2/LT Cattano, Joseph V.      KIA
R/O T/S  Watson, HarryQ.         KIA
EnG T/S  Bauer, Herbert P.       KIA
NG  S/S  Patterson, Earl A. Jr   KIA
WG  S/S  Naters, Edmond R.       KIA
WG  S/S  Bartholomew, Daniel(NMI)KIA
TG  S/S  Mehtala, Arvid (NMI)    KIA

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There is no specific account in the MACR on this aircrew’s loss except the notation of this aircraft having been attacked by enemy fighters and suspected of having to ditch in the North Sea. There are no indications as to whether this event took place before or after the target was attacked by the Group.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: None available.

BURIAL RECORDS: No German reports exist on this aircrew’s loss. U.S. National Cemetery listings reflect all members of the crew on the WALL OF THE MISSING at the CAMBRIDGE, England, site. All were recorded as having received the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.

NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: This listing was as follows: Dudziak (Mother, Margaret Dudziak, Buffalo, New York); Miller (Wife, Anita of Poplar Bluff, Missouri); Berlin (Wife, Roberta, Brooklyn, New York); Cattano (Mother, Anna Cattano, Bellmore, New York); Watson (Mother, Jayne Watson, Toledo, Ohio); Bauer (Mother, name not readable, of Valley, Pennsylvania); Bartholomew ( Mother, first name not readable, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania); Patterson (Mother, Mrs Helen Patterson, Los Angeles, California); and Mehtala (Mother, Sofia Mehtala of Arthyde, Minnesota).

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MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #01504 AIRCRAFT: #42-7502       "BAKADORI"    "X-Bar"      3rd Mission 

AIRCREW: FOGARTY            SQUADRON: 578th 

CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:

P   2/LT Fogarty, David M.  INT&RID
CP  2/LT Walker, Robert S.  INI&RID
N   2/LT Ott, John W.       INT&RID
B   2/LT Parish, John K.    Int&RTD
R/O T/S  Louizides, Solomon INT&RTD
EnG T/S  Slama, Alex R.     INT&RTD
NG  S/S  Harrod, Charles Jr INT&RTD
WG  S/S  Haskins, Billy D.  INT&RTD
TG  S/S  Kurkomelis, Gus C. INT&RTD
ARO S/S  Smith, William W.  INT&RTD

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Group mission route maps reflects that at 1154 hours, just after target at Kjeller, Norway, the Fogarty aircraft turned eastward and headed for the Swedish border. It was learned later that this aircraft had landed in neutral Sweden at Orebo Air Field after being attacked heavily by German fighters in the target area. No individual crew member reports exist as amplifying details. All (10) members were taken as internees by Swedish authorities, but later were returned to U.S. control and returned to duty. Some members served on subsequent 392nd aircrews; and some others were later killed-in-action over England in a midair collision in the Lts. Kaiser and Markuson accident of 25 March 1945.

An article in the February 1994 issue of the 392nd BGMA NEWS noted that the Fogarty crew "was originally assigned to the 93rd Bomb Group and was in Africa preparing for the Ploesti mission. However, they became surplus and were transferred back to England and the 392nd in October 1943."

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: None exist in regards to this MACR.

BURIAL RECORDS: None exist in this MACR, as all members survived and were interned.

NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: None available in MACR files.