MACR 13246: 44-6794 My Rose

CONFICENTIAL
84OTH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)
483RD BOMBARDMENT GRO P (H)
Office of the Operations Officer
APO 52
23 March 1945
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
The undersigned was flying airplane #44-6329 in number seven position,
imsediately below airplane number 44-6794 which held the number four position
in the 340th box, on 22 March 1945.
On the bombing rum, just before bombs were about to be released, ship
number 794 was seen to stagger and deep or ange colorea rlame was seen spreading
rapidly along the wings on both sides of the airplane. Most of the fire seemed
to be concentrated in the bomb bay and the wing roots forward of the radio
compartment, and seemed to be coming through large rents or tears in the side
of the bonb bay. The radio room and the after part of the ship did not seem to
be filled with flome.
After being hit ship 794 started to drop straight down, then veered rapidly
to the right in a steep spiral, turning on an axis as if in the beginning of a
spin. At this point it went under the nose of ship 329 and was not seen again
by the undersigned.
Royal Rutan
JOE L. RUTAN
Captain, Air Corps
Pilot Ship 44-6329
cluel

CONFIDENLIAL
84OTH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)
483RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
Office of the Operations Officer
APO 520
23 March 1945
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
I was flying Airplane #4-6405 in number five position and we were on the
bomb run when approximately a minute before bombs away Airplane 744-6794 was hit
by a burst of flak between the fuselage and number three engine about mid winge
The hole appeared to be about six feet in diameter altho it was hard to judge
because it immediately burst into flames and went down to the right directly
beneath mo.
Howard &.Schmidt
HOWARD G. SCHMIDT
2nd Lt, AC
Pilot Ship 44-6405
lune 3

840TH BOMBARDMENT SQUADRON (H)
483RD BOMBARDMENT GROUP (H)
Office of the Operations Officer
APO 520
23 March 1945
STATEMENT OF WITNESS
Airplane #44-6794 was flying number four position of number two box and I
was flying number six position in the same box.
We ware flying on the boub run with our bomb doors open. The flak was very
intense at this timo. There was a very loud report and the next instant flames
enveloped the entire fuselage and the wing root on the right side of ship 44-
6794. The plane just seemed to drop into about a 30° bank and fell out of my
sight. The last thing I saw was the pilot and co-pilot both look to the right
as the ship passed out of my sight.
I continued in my position for a few seconds and just as bombs were released
I began sliding over into number four position.
Semand! Gezembonedi
LEONARD J. GRZEMKOWSKI
2nd Lt, AC
Pilot Ship 44-6371
u cl is

AFPPA-14 (10 APR.45)
MISSING AIR CREW REPORT
NACR NO. 33246
WAR DEPARGMENT
HEADQUARTERS ARMY AIR FORCES
WASHINGTON
IMPORTANT: This roport will bo compiled in triplicato by each Anny Air Forços organization withln 48 hours of the timo
an airerali is officially reported missing.
1. ORGANIZATION: LOCATION: Sterparone. Italv
COMMAND OR AIR FORCE
15th AF
GROUP 483rd Bomb (H) : SQUADRON 840th Bomb
2. SPECIFY: POINT OF DEPARTURE Storparone. Italy
:
COURSE See attached overlay
INTENDEL DESTINATION Buhland 0il Rof. Germany
:
TYPE OF MISSION Combat Bombing
3. WEATHER CONDITIONS AND VISIDILITY AT TIME OF CRASH OR WHEN LAST REPORTED:
CAVU
4. GIVE: (A) DATE.22_Mar 1945
TIME
1225
: AND LOCATION OF LAST KNOWN
WHEREABOUTS OF MISSING AIRCRAFT Target Area
(B) SPECIFY WMETHER GR3 LAST SIGNTED: ( ) LAST CONTACTED BY RADIO:
{ ) FORCED DOWN: ( ) SEEN TO CRASH: OR ( ) INFORMATION NOT AVAILABLE.
5. AIRCRAFT WAS LOST. OR IS BELIEVED TO HAVE DEEN LOST. AS A RESULT OF (CHECK ONLY
ONED: ( ) ENEMY AIRCRAFT: (X) ENEAYY ANTI-AIRCRAFT: C ) OTHER CIRCUMISTANCES AS
FOLLOWS:
6. AIRCRAFT: TYPE, MODEL AND SERIES
AAF SERIAL NO
4-6-9794
7. ENGINES: TYPE, MODEL AND SERIES
Res 1820-97
: AAF SERIAL NO. (A) S11-031758
(3) Si-031867
(C)
(01.
8. INSTALLED WEAPONS (FURNISH BELOW MAKE, TYPE AND SERIAL NUMBER) Browning .50 Cal.
(AA 1773766
(8) 1773785
LIC) 1158315
(DI
1158836 (1) 1324988
(E) 1320266
AFI 1324588
(G) 1320/77
(HM)
132/565 (i) 1561654
9. THE PERSONS LISTED BELOW WERE REPORTED AS: (A) BATTLE CASUALIY X
(k) 154779
OR (B) NON-BATTLE CASUALTY
(1) 132/862
10. NUMBER OF PERSONS ABOARD AIRCRAFT: CREW1O : PASSENGERS O : TOTAL 10
(11)2322451
(Starling with pilot, furnish the following particulars: Il mora than 11 persons were aboard airerali, list similar
particulars on saporate sheol and allach original to this form)
NAWE IN FULI.
SERIAL
CREW POSITION
(I.AST NAME FIRST)
RANK
NUMBER
STATUS
(1) PILOT
Bush, Devereau
1st It
0-82432
DED
(2) CO-PILOT
Hull Harrison E
2nd Its
0-77W03
D-D
(3)N
Harking, Frank B.
2nd Lite
0-2065548
DED
Grace, Clarence F. Jr
2nd It.
0-2061166
DFD
153TT
Ebinger, Oliver I
T/sh
36707210
DED
15:B0
Eatter Edward R
90/8gh
35597652
DHD
(TORY
Praguvich, George N
s/sct
32176936
DISD
Hornark, Michael F.
slast
35231837
DED
19170
James 4
s/set
39921235
DSD
110367
will Junior. 1
S/Sg
37730381.
DHT)
(11)
11.
IDENTIFY BELOW THOSE PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT.
AND CHECK APPROPRIATE COLUMN TO INDICATE BASIS FOR SAME:
NAME IN FULI.
SERIAL CONTACTED
LAST
SAW
SAW FORCED
BY
(LAST NAME FIRSTI
RANK
NUMBER
RADIO
SIGHTED
CRASN
LANDING
(1) Joe In Butan
Cent
2-359661.
Y
(2) Howard a Schoidt 2nd It a 767988
X
(3) Leonard I Greenkousld 2nd it 0-687127
Y
12. IF PERSONNEL ARE BELIEVED TO MAVE SURVIVED. ANSWER YES TO ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
STATEMENTS: (A) PARACHUTES WERE USED.
. (B: PERSONS WERE SEEN WALKING AWAY FROM SCENE
OF CRASH
:
or (C) ANY OTHER REASON (SPECIFY) Unknown Sen attached statementa
13. ATTACH EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTION OF CRASH. FORCED LANDING, OR OTHER CI