B-17G " Lonesome Polecat "
42-102581    613th

28 May 1944   Mission # 77   Target: Dessau


                  28 May 1944 , 10:00 engines are on.
                  21 aircraft were airborne by 11:06 , mission #77 , Primary target: Oil Refinery .

                  This was the roughest mission of the 401st Bombardment Group's tour in the ETO.
                  They were attack by approximately 200 enemy fighters. The attacks lasted for 40 minutes.
                  As many as 60 enemy aircraft attacked in formation, using saturation tactics.
                  All of the High Squadron but the Lead Aircraft were shot down. A total of six Group aircraft were lost in the target area.
                  The Group's bombs fell in an excellent pattern, and dense smoke was observed over the target.

Missing Air Crew Report : 5306

1.    Organization : AAF Sta 128.                  
               

       Command : 8th Air Force.
       Group : 401st.
       Squadron : 613th.

2.    Place of depature : AAF Station 128.
       Course :South.
       Target : Dessau.
       Type of mission: Operational Bombing.

3.    Weather conditions when last sighted : Clear.

4.    Last know date : 28 May 1944
       time : 14:35
       location : Near Dessau, Germany

5.    Aircraft believed to have been lost as a result of : Enemy aircrafts, didn't seemt to be hit ?

6.    Aircraft type : B-17G
       serial no. : 42-102581

7.    Nickname of aircraft : Lonesome Polecat

8.    Engines : R-1820-97.

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 Paul Fredrick Scharff 1st Lt 0-803697 KIA
Copilot Charles Ansel Eckert 2nd Lt 0-686897 KIA
Navigator Bernard Schwartz 1st Lt 0-689665 POW
Bombardier Robert Earl Hoover 2nd Lt 0-678702 KIA
Radio Operator Robert Charles Strong Sgt 6667253 POW
Engr / Top Turret Richard Xavier Karl T/Sgt 32277691 POW
Ball Turret Gunner Charles H. Bedell Jr. S/Sgt 32577472 POW
Tail Gunner James Montgomery Smallin S/Sgt 39035600 POW
Left Waist Gunner Roscoe Dale Tomlinson S/Sgt 14159387 KIA
Right Waist Gunner Frederick Gordon Pynigar Sgt 31144508 POW
   - Lt. Scharff and crew were last seen just after the second bomb run over the target.
     Althought there was no visible damage to the plane it was losing altitude rapidly and fell behind out of sight.




Mission to Dessau, Germany, Crashed at Glienecke, Germany.





Madison cemetery, Iowa, USA
Plot : 1 - 193.
1916 - 1944






Lorraine cemetery, Belgium
Plot : D , Row : 20 , Grave : 22.
1921 - 1944






Ardennes cemetery, Belgium
Plot : C , Row : 25 , Grave : 1.
1916 - 1944






Will be continued soon



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