Eyewitness statement, page 19 · 22 March 1945
Basios Ltr fr CG, AAF, Wash D C, AC/AS-1, Personal Affairs Div, Chief,
Notification Branch, tos co, 1020 AAFBU, Miami Beach, Flace dtd
23 Aug 45 Subje Ist Lt. Thomas W. Cobb, 0827610; 2d Lt. Otto
Pokorny, 02001638; 2d Lt Harding J. Rome, 0779225; s/Sgt Jack E.
Jeffreys, 3768087.
lst Ind. (Cont.)
2. Lieutenant Rome was co-pilot of a B-17 on which Sergeant Cottman
was radio operator gunnero He states that in the target area they were under
heavy attaok from enemy aircraft which sat both wings on fire and shot away
part of the tail surface oausing the pilot to lose control of the plane. The
pilot gave the bail out order, rang the alarm bell, approximately ten (10)
miles East of Ruhland, Germany, at an altitude of approximately 25,000 feet.
All members of the crew were seen on the ground and were believed safe by
Lieutenant Rome. However, it was rumored that 8/Sgt. Nafus (first name une
known), a member of Lieutenant Rome's crew, had seen Sergeant Cottman dead
on the ground with a bullet hole in his back. This is an unconfirmed report.
Lieutenant Home states that large numbers of armed and hostile civilians were
in the area and it is quite possible that Sgt. Cottman was killed by them.
3. The remainder of subject personnel will be interrogated upon their
arrival at this station.
FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER:
ERNEST L. WITHERS, JR.
Emili I Whise
Major, Air Corps
Asst. Chief, Intelligence and Security
Division
2
Notification Branch, tos co, 1020 AAFBU, Miami Beach, Flace dtd
23 Aug 45 Subje Ist Lt. Thomas W. Cobb, 0827610; 2d Lt. Otto
Pokorny, 02001638; 2d Lt Harding J. Rome, 0779225; s/Sgt Jack E.
Jeffreys, 3768087.
lst Ind. (Cont.)
2. Lieutenant Rome was co-pilot of a B-17 on which Sergeant Cottman
was radio operator gunnero He states that in the target area they were under
heavy attaok from enemy aircraft which sat both wings on fire and shot away
part of the tail surface oausing the pilot to lose control of the plane. The
pilot gave the bail out order, rang the alarm bell, approximately ten (10)
miles East of Ruhland, Germany, at an altitude of approximately 25,000 feet.
All members of the crew were seen on the ground and were believed safe by
Lieutenant Rome. However, it was rumored that 8/Sgt. Nafus (first name une
known), a member of Lieutenant Rome's crew, had seen Sergeant Cottman dead
on the ground with a bullet hole in his back. This is an unconfirmed report.
Lieutenant Home states that large numbers of armed and hostile civilians were
in the area and it is quite possible that Sgt. Cottman was killed by them.
3. The remainder of subject personnel will be interrogated upon their
arrival at this station.
FOR THE COMMANDING OFFICER:
ERNEST L. WITHERS, JR.
Emili I Whise
Major, Air Corps
Asst. Chief, Intelligence and Security
Division
2
National Archives, MACR 13253, page 19 · Machine-read from microfilm, uncorrected.