B-17G " Stubborn Jean " 42-39826 612th
30 December 1943 Mission #9 Target: Ludwigshaven
30 December 43 , 0720 hours , engines are on.
23 planes are off on mission #9 , target today is the chemical works of I.G. Farbinindustrie at Ludwigshaven, Germany.
1st Lt Traian Neag and crew dropped their bombs and are on their way back home when they are hit by flak.
After being attacked for several minutes , the crew decides to bail out.
This was the first ship of the 401st to be lost to enemy opposition.
All members bailed out safely and were captured, excepted for John P. England, his fate is unknown.
After the men have been interrogated at Oberursel, they are transported to Dulag Luft, where they meet again.
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.
|
Missing Air Crew Report by Captain Ken W. Dauble.
Mission to Ludwigshafen, crashed at Zierolshofen, Germany
Report from the 3th Heavy Flakabteilung 357
Rittnerthof.
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.
|
Back Row: Traian Neag, John P. England, Webb, Okey DeRaimo, Keith S. Commins
Front Row: Harold A. Highlan, Bert A. Purwin, Jay L. Connors, James E. Farrell, William C. Barton
Photo Courtesy of John P. DeRaimo.
Casualty questionaire
This is the report a crewmember writes after he was back in England
- 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.
|
Left to right : Traian Neag , Walter Culbert , Okey DeRaimo.
In front of the German guards barracks.
- 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 |
|
|
|
If you have questions, remarks or information , please feel free to Email me
or leave a message in my guestbook