Eyewitness statement, page 3 · 22 June 1944
I certify that I saw a ship believed to be piloted by Lt Schild spinning
as we came through the flak area.
/s/ Warren 0. Griffin,
Pilot, 0751962
The ship went up about 100 feet over on its belly and then down in a spin.
Just before the ship started to spin I notised one chute. The right wing was
on fire and broke off, about that time it exploded and probably caused the ex-
plosion of the entire aircraft. I noticed three more chutes came out almost
simultaneously with the explosion, one vas on fire. The explosion of the ship
may have blown the other three men clear. The remains were all over the sky
and burning.
/3/ Theodore F. Solomon
S Sgt, Ball furret Gunner
I saw the ship fall off to the right of the formation with his right wing
tip shot off, he went into a spin, I saw four men bail out of the ship but did
not see the plane crash.
/s/ Aaron B. Roberts
Tail Gnr.
From the tail position in 077, I saw Lt. Schild's plane pass by our tail.
Just before his plane started its dive, one man bailed out, probably from
the waist or tail. Then the plane went into a dive, going straight down about
a thousand feet from the ground, the plane exploded bursting intoseveral
pieces. At the same time of explosion I saw. three or four white specs but
could not distinguish whether they were chutes or clouds.
/s/ Farron E. Jones,
Tail Gnr, Pvt.
A true copy:
ELLIS L. BURNS, JR.
CWO, USA,
as we came through the flak area.
/s/ Warren 0. Griffin,
Pilot, 0751962
The ship went up about 100 feet over on its belly and then down in a spin.
Just before the ship started to spin I notised one chute. The right wing was
on fire and broke off, about that time it exploded and probably caused the ex-
plosion of the entire aircraft. I noticed three more chutes came out almost
simultaneously with the explosion, one vas on fire. The explosion of the ship
may have blown the other three men clear. The remains were all over the sky
and burning.
/3/ Theodore F. Solomon
S Sgt, Ball furret Gunner
I saw the ship fall off to the right of the formation with his right wing
tip shot off, he went into a spin, I saw four men bail out of the ship but did
not see the plane crash.
/s/ Aaron B. Roberts
Tail Gnr.
From the tail position in 077, I saw Lt. Schild's plane pass by our tail.
Just before his plane started its dive, one man bailed out, probably from
the waist or tail. Then the plane went into a dive, going straight down about
a thousand feet from the ground, the plane exploded bursting intoseveral
pieces. At the same time of explosion I saw. three or four white specs but
could not distinguish whether they were chutes or clouds.
/s/ Farron E. Jones,
Tail Gnr, Pvt.
A true copy:
ELLIS L. BURNS, JR.
CWO, USA,
National Archives, MACR 11543, page 3 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.