The 483rd Bomb Group Archive

Aircraft

44-8003 Snoopy III

816thlost with the 483rd, 31 March 1945
Type
B-17G-45-VE (Lockheed/Vega)
Names
Snoopy III
Assigned to the 483rd
17 July 1944
Loss
MACR 13472 · mission 193, 31 March 1945
Sources
Association page · American Air Museum · b17flyingfortress.de

Loss and incident records

History

Dates and events from Dave Osborne's B-17 Master Log, as published by b17flyingfortress.de; wording condensed to the facts.

Photographs and loss sheets

These pictures stay on the sites that hold them and are shown here by link only, until their owners say they may be copied.

Statements

Eyewitness statement, page 4 · 31 March 1945
CONFIDENTIAL
STATEMENT
2 April 1945
On the mission to Maribar, Yugoslavia, 1 April 1945, I was
flying number 3 position. The box leader, 003, was badly crippled
by flak over the target and began losing altitude after the rally.
The number 4 propellor was windmilling, gas was leaking from
number 3 engine, and three bombs were hung up. About 10 minutes
after we left the target the three bombs were jettisoned. We were
losing altitude very fast and when we reached 8000 feet, 003 called
and said they were going to bail out. We circled the area and my
ball turret gunner reported 10 parachutes opened from the injured
planc. 003 circled and crashed about 3 minutes after the crew bail-
ed out. The coordinates where the crew bailed out are 45° 21'
15° 51' near the city of Vrginnost. The time was 1121.
fillian Dameworth
WILLIAM O. DAMEWORTH
lst Lt, Air Corps
Pilot, Ship #44-6326
GONFIDENTIAL
1941
Heart

National Archives, MACR 13472, page 4 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Eyewitness statement, page 5 · 31 March 1945
STATEMENT
2 April 1945
On the mission to Maribor, Yugoslavia, I was flying #7
position. At the target we encountered very accurate flak.
Airplane #44-8003 began streaming gasoline from #3 engine, and
#4 propellor was windmilling. Three bombs hung up in his bomb-
bay. Our box kept losing altigude until we were down to about
15,000 feet where 003 jettisoned his bombs. We went on down to
9000 feet and 003 called the formation to say he was going to
bail out. They bailed out at the approximate position of 45:07 N
15:47 E, and the approximate time was 11:10. The formation
circled, but having a camera aboard, I left them and came home.
My tail gunner reported 10 chutes opened.
John R.M.Cord
JOHN R. MC CORD
lst Lt, Air Corps
Pilot, Ship # 44-6767
CONFIDENTIAL
19th
that 3

National Archives, MACR 13472, page 5 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Casualty questionnaire, page 6: Charles Gordon Miles · 31 March 1945
AFPPA-12
CASUALTY QUESTIONNAIRE
13473prs
U
1. Your name Charles Gordon Miles
Rank
1st Lt. Serial No. 0-2065593
483 B G
Gerald B.
2. Organization 816 sqrGp Commander Unknom Rank Col. Sqn CO) McAllister Rank Lt. Col.
(full name)
(full name)
3. What year
1945
month April
day 1st
did you go down?
4. What was the mission, RR Bridge
, target, Maribor, Yugoslavia_ target
t ime, approx 1200 , altitude, 23500
route scheduled, Due North
from Foggia, Italy, route flown
Same
5. Where were you when you left formation? No. 1, low left box, over Casins, Yugo.
6. Did you bail out?
Yes
7. Did other members of crew bail out? Yes
8. Tell all you know about when, where, how each person in your aircraft for whom no
individual questionnaire is attached bailed out. A crew list is attached. Please
give facts. If you don't know, say: "No Knowledge". Saparate sheet
9. Where did your aircraft strike the ground? In German territory num Bihaue, Yuge
10. What members of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground? (Should
cross check with 8 above and individual questionnaires)
Nimme
11. Where were they in aircraft?
12. What was their condition?
13. When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already des-
cribed above?
14. Please give any similar information on personnel of any other crew of which you
have knowledge. Indicate source of information, None
d-1.
(Any additional information mey be writ ven on the back)
6-3862,AF

National Archives, MACR 13472, page 6 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Eyewitness statement, page 7 · 31 March 1945
CREW LIST
Sidney Lechansky lst Lt. 0-793133 Pilot
Left plane last near Cazine, Yugo. Broke right leg landing and
captured by Germians. Sent to German hospital in Zagreb, Yugo. Later
sent to hospital in Bari, Italy after the War was Over. Returned to
Halloran General, Long Island, New York.
Clifford B. Thomas L 1st Lt.
Co-Pilot
Bailed out of bomb bay and avoided capture along with bombardier.
Both returned together and arrived in Bari, Italy within three days.
The >dore Anema 1st Lt.
Mickey man
Bailed outof waist door and later met with tail gunner, left waist
gunner, engineer, and navigator. All five returned to Allied control
on the 12th of April.
Alvin Wilson 1st Lt. 0-678515 Bombardier
Bailed out of bomb bay and returned with Co-Pilot.
Charles G. Miles 1st Lt. 0-2065593 Navigator
Bailed out of nose hatch and met the four other crew members described
under Lt. Anema.
s/Sgt Edwin F. Gilmore Right waist gunner
Bailed from waist, captured and returned with pilot and radioman.
T/Sgt Harold R. Biddix 34776513 Engineer
Bailed from bomb bay, met and roturned with Mi Ickey man, navigator,
and tail gunner.
s/Sgt Warren o. Scheel 16093405 Left waist gunner
Flack wound in left leg, bailed out of waist, met with other crew
members on ground. He was taken to a Partisan hospital and later flown
back to Bari in a Grasshopper.
T/Sgt Sumner W. Riback. 31293676 Radioman
Bailed out of bomb bay, captured and returned with pilot and right
waist gunner.
Sgt. Edward C. Doland 35236469 Tail gunner
Bailed out of waist, met four other crew members on ground and
returned with them.

National Archives, MACR 13472, page 7 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.

Know something about this aircraft?

If this record is wrong or missing something, a middle name, the right squadron, who is who in a photograph, what he said about a day, tell us. Nothing you send is shown without your say-so.