11 December 1943

Mission #14

Target: Emden

This major target was located in the northwestern part of Germany just south west of Wilhelmshaven. It would be the first time the 392nd would be confronted with an effective smoke screen laid over the target area by the enemy in order to obscure visual bombing attempts. Twenty-one (21) B-24s were executed on this raid and all crossed the target. No bombing was attempted due to the effective smoke screen blanking the aiming points. Some 50-75 enemy fighters pressed home attacks, and Group gunners claimed (6) kills. One B-24 was lost, exact cause unknown, with (10) aircrew members MIA. Twelve (12) other aircraft were damaged but returned safely to base. The 579th Squadron led the mission which totaled 6:15 hours duration.

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MISSING AIR CREW REPORT SECTION

MISSING AIRCREW REPORT: #01733   AIRCRAFT: #42-7506 "SOUTHERN COMFORT" "C" 7th Mission

AIRCREW: BINGHAM     *    SQUADRON: 576th

CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:

P   2/LT Bingham, Milford 0.    KIA
CP  2/LT Winkler, Robert D.     KIA
N   2/LT Schutz, George T.      POW
B   2/LT Graham, John F.        KIA
EnG S/S  Helmes, Curtis F.      KIA
R/O SGT  Massimiani, Orlando A. KIA
WG  SGT  Harris, Melvin C.      POW
TG  SGT  Nemeth, John L.        KIA
WG  S/S  Arnold, Leroy D.       KIA
NG  S/S  Claffey, Lawrence A.   KIA 

MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: There are no eye-witness accounts in the record from any returning 392nd aircrews regarding the loss of this crew and plane. The only account given is that of the surviving crewmembers who were taken as POWs.

INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS OF CREWMEN FATES: One survivor, Lt. Schutz, the Navigator, gave this brief account later after the war upon returning to U.S. control from POW status. He noted that only himself and Sgt. Harris, the other surviving member, were able to bail out of the crippled ship. In the target area, this aircraft was attacked and severely damaged by enemy fighters. The nose section was badly hit and the ship caught on fire. The pilot had asked for a heading away to some location (not readable in this man’s account) which points to this aircraft not being in the bomber formation at the time of attack. The Navigator notes that he got out of the ship by virtue of falling through the nose section damage, and the surviving gunner, Harris, had gotten out the waist window. The report stated that it was positive - no other crew members were able to egress this stricken plane. The attack on this aircraft occurred about 1200 hours in the target area at an altitude of 22,000 feet.

BURIAL RECORDS: No German reports exist on this loss. U.S. National Cemetery records list the following crew member burials in the ARDENNES Cemetery: Winkley (Grave C-7-44); Graham (Grave C-1-50); and Nemeth (Grave A-37-6). No record exists in the MACR concerning the other members. The Purple Heart award was recorded as being given to the (3) men interred at the ARDENNES Cemetery.

NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: Only the members buried in the National Cemetery above have listed data: Lt. Winkley (Connecticut); Graham (New York); and Nemeth (Pennsylvania).

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CREW LOADING LISTS - MISSION #14

11 Dec 1943 576th Sqdn. A/C 506 (missing) P Bingham, M.O. 2nd Lt. CP Winkler, R.D. 2nd Lt. N Schutz, G.T. 2nd Lt. B Graham, J.F. 2nd Lt. E Helmes, C.F. S/Sgt. R Massimiani, O.A. Sgt. AE Harris, M.C. Sgt. AR Nemeth, J.L. Sgt. AG Claffey, L.A. S/Sgt. G Arnold, L.D. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 576th Sqdn. A/C 511 P Johns, M.T. 2nd Lt. CP Henderson, M.A. 2nd lt. N Silvasy, F.A. 2nd Lt. B Sriver, E.R. 2nd Lt. E Indahl, J.M. t/Sgt. R Gressler, E.J. T/Sgt. AE Przeniczny, W. T/Sgt. AR Kenyon, C.L. S/Sgt. AG Zerangue, F.A. S/Sgt. G Sanchez, I.V. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 576th Sqdn. A/C 537 P Clover, D.K. 1st Lt. CP Berger, R.M. 2nd Lt. N McMillan, W.J. 2nd Lt. B McDonald, P.R. 2nd Lt. E Losey, J.C. T/Sgt. R Galler, I. T/Sgt. AE Crawford, E.G. S/Sgt. AR Bell, R.S. S/Sgt. AG Ross, J.M. S/Sgt. G Royal, C.K. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 576th Sqdn. A/C 500 P Miller, H.W. 1st Lt. CP Hurd, E.A. Jr. 2nd Lt. N Murray, F.P. 2nd Lt. B Greene, D.R. 2nd Lt. E Megenhardt, J.F. T/Sgt. R Mallamaci, J.T. T/Sgt. AE McCombs, A.D. S/Sgt. AR Lorine, J.R. S/Sgt. AG Wheeler, M. S/Sgt. G Rausch, T.A. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 576th Sqdn. A/C 487 P Barnes, L.J. 1st Lt. CP Shelton, W.L. 2nd Lt. N Stankan, P.C. 2nd Lt. B Jackson, G.J. 1st Lt. E Lewis, E.L. Jr. S/Sgt. R Jenkins, W.B. T/Sgt. AE Choromanski, J. S/Sgt. AR Malloy, P.D. S/Sgt. AG Smith, J.W. S/Sgt. G Riley, A.J. S/Sgt.

11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 637 P Egan, R.L. 1st Lt. CP Basham, F.G. 2nd Lt. N Harris, W.B. 2nd Lt. B Poppel, S.B. 2nd Lt. E Hurley, W.F. T/Sgt. R Pope, F.B. T/Sgt. AE Hurley, A. S/Sgt. AR Stogner, O.T. S/Sgt. AG Salisbury, J.E. S/Sgt. G Kennedy, B.S. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 174 P McNichol, T.F. 1st Lt. CP Lamer, M. 2nd Lt. N Naylor, M.W. 2nd Lt. B Wargo, M.A. 2nd Lt. E Trumpy, E. T/Sgt. R O'Kon, M.A. T/Sgt. AE Green, L.A. S/Sgt. AR MacPherson, A.J. S/Sgt. AG Lloyd, W.A. S/Sgt. G Rathburn, E.K. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 479 P Tiefenthal, D.E. 2nd Lt. CP Hieneman, D.L. 1st Lt. N Chichetto, A.F. 2nd Lt. B Godfrey, H.M. 2nd Lt. E Wright, A. S/Sgt. R Dicroce, J.A. S/Sgt. AE Hull, W.W. Sgt. AR Sopchak, J. Sgt. AG Dinda, B.F. S/Sgt. G Stevens, R.K. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 546 P Layton, S.H. 1st Lt. CP Jensen, A.H. 2nd Lt. N Lindberg, V.A. 2nd Lt. B Feagan, H.C. 2nd Lt. E Johnson, J.C. T/Sgt. R Gibbs, R.R. T/Sgt. AE Gottschalk, G.W. S/Sgt. AR Daughtry, A.Z. S/Sgt. AG Boomhower, A. S/Sgt. G Constabile, F.J. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 496 P Copp, R.D. 1st Lt. CP Meyers, J.W. 1st Lt. N Gries, R.F. 2nd Lt. B Rapenport, R. 1st Lt. E Hodge, G.L. T/Sgt. R Bisnett, B.R. T/Sgt. AE Zeanah, T. S/Sgt. AR Martin, L.J. Sgt. AG Hohman, H. S/Sgt. G Noone, T.E. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 577th Sqdn. A/C 489 P Brauer, G.M. 2nd Lt. CP Clifford, J.F. 2nd Lt. N McGough, J.G. 2nd Lt. B Eldridge, H.N. 2nd Lt. E Larue, E.W. S/Sgt. R Abraham, H.F. S/Sgt. AE Branceforte, N. Sgt. AR Whited, J.A. Sgt. AG Keller, L.D. Sgt. G Rachell, W.W. Sgt.

11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 480 P Reade, J.J. 1st Lt. CP Smith, R.L. 2nd Lt. N Planche, M.M. 1st Lt. B Ziccarelli, J.A. 1st Lt. E Edwards, C.E. T/Sgt. R Schwabel, C.A. T/Sgt. AE Sikoff, H. S/Sgt. AR Bauer, W. S/Sgt. AG Wagner,D.R. S/Sgt. G Turner, L.F. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 485 P Fletcher, R.E. 1st Lt. CP Graham, J.E. 2nd Lt. N Woody, H.E. 2nd Lt. B Judd, G.W. 2nd Lt. E Kelly, J.E. T/Sgt. R Biska, S.L. Sgt. AE Osborne, J.H. Sgt. AR Mancuso, M.A. S/Sgt. AG Wukotich, M.L. S/Sgt. G McNiel, J.M. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 578 P Carnine, G.D. 2nd Lt. CP Spears, K.E. 2nd Lt. N Mastron, V. 2nd Lt. B Hartman, H.R. 2nd Lt. E Hopson, N.A. T/Sgt. R Barbee, B.B. T/Sgt. AE Ostroski, L.B. S/Sgt. AR Norby, M.W. S/Sgt. AG Knies, G.R. S/Sgt. G Kwasnycia, N. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 588 (did not take off) P Young, M.N. 2nd Lt. CP Goodwin, J.J. 2nd Lt. N Dunphy, R.J. 2nd Lt. B Cunningham, R.B. 2nd Lt. E Triplett, W.F. S/Sgt. R Garcia, P.J. S/Sgt. AE Teater, R.S. S/Sgt. AR Porter, C.C. Sgt. AG Rickey, J.J. S/Sgt. G Wald, F.M. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 478 P Sooy, B. 2nd Lt. CP Johnson, R. 1st Lt. N Jones, O. 2nd Lt. B Schwartz, E. 2nd Lt. E Tibi, C. S/Sgt. R Terrell, P. S/Sgt. AE Serafine, J. S/Sgt. AR McBrayer, H. Sgt. AG Dorgan, W. Sgt. G McArn, H. Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 578th Sqdn. A/C 624 P Cohen, S. 2nd Lt. CP Shoenhair, R.D. 2nd Lt. N Mardirosian, A. 2nd Lt. B Walker, G.E. 2nd Lt. E Hayes, F.W. S/Sgt. R Buckley, G.J. S/Sgt. AE Carr, H.L. Sgt. AR Dellinger, T.C. Sgt. AG Thrower, W.E. Sgt. G McGee, R.C. Sgt.

11 Dec 1943 579th Sqdn. A/C 482 P Stukus, J. 1st Lt. CP Moffat, J.E. 2nd Lt. N Lindlow, R.R. 2nd Lt. B Gentry, L.E. 2nd Lt. E Mattson, W.R. T/Sgt. R Dykes, J.R. T/Sgt. AE Paolantonio, A.L. S/Sgt. AR Rosati, L.P. S/Sgt. AG McGinley, W.C. S/Sgt. G McCreary, J.E. S/Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 579th Sqdn. A/C 484 CA Johnson, L.L. Lt. Col. P Cassell, H.S. 1st Lt. CP -- N Bevan, K.S. 1st Lt. N Slowik, J.E. Capt. B Veazey, M.A. Capt. E Heuser, W.M. Sgt. R Tribbett, L.L. Sgt. AE Dobrowolski, C.J. S/Sgt. AR Geary, N.W. Sgt. AG Rothrock, G.T. S/Sgt. G Yarbrough, W.L. Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 579th Sqdn. A/C 626 P Spartage, G. 2nd Lt. CP Kern, R.B. 2nd Lt. N Tauskey, W.A. 2nd Lt. B Campbell, R.A. 2nd Lt. E Burns, R.W. S/Sgt. R Worthington, P.A. S/Sgt. AE Warren, O.J. Sgt. AR Helmke, E.H. Sgt. AG Ridgeway, J.W. Sgt. G Riedlinger, A.J. Sgt. 11 Dec 1943 579th Sqdn. A/C 599 P Goff, J.F. 1st Lt. CP Piper, J.E. 2nd Lt. N Keck, R.W. 2nd Lt. B Cleaton, C.T. 2nd Lt. B Cetin, W.F. 2nd Lt. E Lett, E.W. T/Sgt. R Wright, R.R. T/Sgt. AE Erbe, H.S. S/Sgt. AR Adams, B. S/Sgt. AG Ward, W.D.S/Sgt. G Jackson, H. S/Sgt. Keilman, M.H. Capt. 11 Dec 1943 579th Sqdn. A/C 135 P Everhart, W.C. 1st Lt. CP Sassaman, F.J. 2nd Lt. N Kornman, H.C. 2nd Lt. B Chatten, J.F. 2nd Lt. E Northcutt, C.C. T/Sgt. R Beard, J.W. T/Sgt. AE Vasquez, R.B. S/Sgt. AR Veit, F.L. S/Sgt. AG Johnson, T.E. S/Sgt. G Fowler, R.G. S/Sgt.