1943-05-17 B-26B
1943-05-17, B-26B, 41-17982, Rozenburg (W point De Beer)
43-05-17, 1151, B-26B, 41-17982, 322BG/452BS, Lt.Col. R. Stillman
Part were recovered in 1973 by the Dutch airforce;
1973 -02- RNLAF-89(76) W Rozenburg B-26 322 BG 17-05-1943 Parts. First B-26 loss in Europe!.
The Experience I'll Never Forget,
By Brigadier General Robert M. Stillman as told to William J. Barber
(Images on this page taken from "The Aircraft Recognition Manual" by C. H. Gibbs-Smith, published 1944 by George Newnes Ltd.)
Not too long ago, I was in the Officers' Club at MacDill A.F. Base in Tampa, Fla. Seated beside me were three officers I didn't know. I couldn't help but overhear their conversation, which concerned sensational low-level flying stunts.
"At the Cleveland air races I saw a guy pick a handkerchief up off the ground with a hoo
k on the end of one of his wings," one of them said."When we were out In the Pacific..." said another, "...there was a character in our group who liked to skim the foam off the waves with his landing gear."
The third one said, "A pal of mine In the RAF used to fly along the Thames going over and under the bridges as if he were lacing them together. I'll never see that topped."
I just couldn't resist this opening. "Excuse me, gentlemen," I said, "but I did something with a B-26 once that might interest you. I flew her upside down over a Dutch beach and drew a line in the sand with my radio antenna."
The three looked at me in silence for a minute, then carefully turned their backs and went on conversing among themselves, quietly this time, so the strange madman couldn't eavesdrop and interrupt again. Of course, it didn't happen...that antenna-in-the-sand business exactly as I'd told them about it. It most certainly didn't happen on purpose.
I sat there at the bar and did the rest of my reminiscing all by myself...First, I thought about the B-26, the Marauder. Back on Jan. 25, 1939, the army called for a plane which would travel at a fighter's speed, carry a maximum bomb load, and fly at 20- to 30,000 feet altitude for 3,000 miles without refueling. The following July, the Glenn L. Martin people won the assignment to build such a ship.
Europe was on the eve of war. Wisdom dictated that we be prepared, and as quickly as possible. There wasn't time for Martin to make a test model B-26Ñas soon as they'd received the go sign they'd gone to work on a production line basis. The first of these aircraft was flown Nov., 1940. France had fallen and Britain's back was to the wall. The radical new bombers crept to completion with agonizing slowness, and deliveries began Feb., 1941.
All this haste didn't help the B-26's reputation. She handled differently, took lots of runway to become airborne, plenty of revs to stay aloft, and landed frighteningly fast. The B-26 was involved in many a training crash. In all fairness, this happened because she was different kind of airplane - strange to green flight crews, strange to her mechanics.
And then we were in the war with her. Marauders were employed first in the Pacific for deck-level flying with fair success, but, when employed similarly In the Mediterranean, losses were heavy. This was a costly kind of bombing, this tree top stuff but it had to be tried.
That was the score when, as a Lieutenant Colonel, I took command of the 322nd Bomb Croup at Rougham, Bury St. Edmunds, England, in April '43. Col. Glenn C. Nye, who believed In the Marauders, trained our Group In ground-skimming tactics. Thanks to him, the boys had overcome most of their very reasonable fears. But we all were green. We had yet to try this grass-cutting business over enemy territory.
Friday, May 14, we made the first American medium-bomber strike ever attempted against German held Europe. The target was a Dutch power plant at ljmuldenÑstrategically Important because, among other things, it supplied the juice which operated the great locks of a large submarine pen. Our 12 planes took oft at 0900 hours (9 a.m.). I was flying No. 4 position. Visibility was excellent. We droned over a fishing fleet so low you felt you could lean out of the airplane and pat the sailors on their heads. We continued on almost to Amsterdam before we swung northeast.
We were forbidden to shoot at any civilian structure, but the enemy, not so restrained, was trying to hit us from every dwelling we roared by. T he Group was traveling extremely lowÑlow enough In many instances to be
fired down upon from church steeples and the windows of buildings. We followed a railroad track to the power plant then banked left. I triggered our 500 pounders to skip them right through the wall of the target Promptly at 1100 hours I saw the bombs go in and turned my '26 with the rest to make the last run for home plate.
So far, so good, I thought. Now If we just can get the Group back to England without losing anybody...
Flak dirtied the sky. Despite the 250 mph we were making. we seemed to loaf along. Though we'd stayed below the enemy's radar screen, every German and his brother on our return route apparently had been alerted, and was out to knock us down. The wide blue was alive with flying metal and not all of it missed us.
Finally we were safe over our own bailiwick. As I put my airplane down, I had a surging sensation of relief and satisfaction. The big Ijmuiden plant. I felt sure, must be one huge outsized hole in the ground now, the way we'd poured our delayed-action bombs into it. But on no mission of this sort could we expect to get off unhurt. As the B-26's landed medics and ambulances helped the crews disembark. We'd been bloodied.
All but one of the planes had been damaged to a greater or lesser degree by flak. Captain Maynard limped his '26 In over England and ordered his boys to ball out. Five 'chutes puffed open to float them safely to earth. Maynard himself didn't make It.
The brass got together to evaluate the raid. Brig. Gen. Francis M. Brady, who'd gone along as observer, summarized the mission as "well planned well done." The next evening, - Saturday, the 322nd Bomb Group threw a party. We didn't dare let ourselves grieve over the injured and the lost. We had to tell, ourselves we were a success. Congratulations came in from 8th Bomber Command and 8th Air Force.
The next morning, Sunday, General Brady called me. "Bad news, Stillman," he said. "We missed the target."
I couldn't believe my ears. "What do you mean, sir?" I said hotly. 'You were there. You saw the bombs go in."
"The damn' power plant is still standing," he said doggedly. "We must have missed.'
A meeting was called. Brady, Col. Russell L. Maugham, chief of staff: Col. Millard Lewis,, A-4; and Col. Harold Huglin A-3, were there. We didn't, have reconnaissance photos, but Intelligence was firm on the incredible point that the infernal building at Ijmuiden was intact.
"It must have been those slow fuses we used,Ó I told them. "Those 20 minute fuses gave the enemy time to haul the bombs out before they blew."
It was our humanitarian agreement with the nations held captive by the Germans that we'd use delayed-action explosives to allow their people, our allies, time to escape.
"Anyway, you know what this means," Brady said. "We've got to hit it again."
I was outraged. "Not with 20 minute stuff," I said, banging the table. "Why should we go out there, and duplicate a costly error? That's stupid. You know it's stupid!"
Brady agreed that the sensible way to knock out the expensive objective was to include some "short - fuse" bombs in with the 20 minute delays. The others agreedÑI asked them pointedly, one by one.
"But," the general said, looking at me steadily, "that would be In violation of our agreement with The Netherlands. I doubt very much if we'll be allowed to do that. And the order is to hit the target tomorrow."
I pleaded for a photo mission to be run first so we could see what had gone wrong. It seemed too fantastic that the Germans could have got rid of the bombs I knew had entered the power plant.
Brady shook his head, then said. "Well, I'll talk to General Longfellow, but...
He got the general on the phone and pitched against the proposed mission, against delay bombs and for a photo reconnaissance. Meanwhile I'd thrown military courtesy to the winds. I kept tossing in arguments from the sidelines. urging Brady to make this point or that.
Brady was a very patient man, as I look back on it. And he was on my side. However. I could see that we'd lost in that appeal to General Longworth. When Brady rang off, he turned to me and said, grimly, "The raid goes as stated in the morning. It dovetails with a lot of other plans the Command refuses to upset."
"Sir," I said, "I won't ask the 322nd to do it"
It was a tough moment. I could sense that the rest of the officers sympathized with my point of view, as did Brady. But none of us was surprised when he said the only thing he could say:
"You'll send 'em in or another commander will."
I told him that I'd run the mission.
I decided to pilot the lead plane myself. Then I learned we were to have two targets instead of one Ñwe were to hit!: not only Ijmuiden but a similar installation at Haarlem
I proposed to divide the group into two flights of six planes each We'd set out together. At the right second half the outfit would peel off for the new objective. Each flight would hightail it for home when its job was dune. As we were working out strategy on the sand table at the briefing early Monday morning word came that we would be short one aircraft.
Finally, in the fair morning light we jeeped to our planes. Seconds later the twin engines of our 11 Marauders were whinning over and coughing into rackety life. We took off low and fast in two plane patterns and headed nut over the sea. We maintained radio silence The Idea was to make time below. the German radar screen; scramble under the circus tent before the cop saw you. There was some haze. I liked that.
As the Dutch coast raced towards us at around 210 mph I saw a lot of bright flashes of light Suddenly the water was leaping Up at us in great geysers. Somehow the German artillery knew of our approach They were deliberately shelling the sea. hoping to knock; us down with the resultant columns of water which reached higher than we were. I couldn't understand how they'd got onto us. I signaled "spread out" with my wings and moved the pace up to 235 mph.
About 5 miles northeast of The Hague, we started inland over the rolling coastal dunes...right into a blazing spray of machine gun fire. The nests were well concealed along the higher ground beyond. Tracers from three locations stabbed at my plane. I used the elevators and rudder to bring our .50's in the wings to bear and triggered off a hot answer. I think I stopped two enemy guns. but the third one over at 11 oÕclock stopped us.
Something knocked me out for a couple seconds. As I fought back to consciousness, the Marauder went out of control. I had no rudder and the wheel no longer brought any responses from the elevators. My co-pilot Lt. E. J. Resweber, was slumped down next to me. Dimly I realized the plane, quite on its own was going into a snap roll. I looked out my window straight down at the speeding earth beside me. Everything was happening so fast everything seemed so unreal that I felt no fear. The odd conceit glimmered in my mind that; the Air Corps was losing a damn' good crew and two damn' good pilots.
I don't remember our hitting the beach but it must have been something to see. Eyewitnesses filled me in later: Almost level with the earth upside down and doing 300 mph we crashed and cut a screaming, bounding furrow In Holland.
When I awakened It was only for a hazy instant. I was on a stretcher, being carried out of some sort of dugout. A grizzled, snaggle-toothed face, topped by a Kraut helmet, bent over me. "For you the vor iss over, yah?"" It said. I blacked out again.
Late that afternoon, I came to in a hospital. There were ten beds in the white-walled room, all of them occupied. Lt. Tony Alaimo, one of the 332nd's pilots, was there. I was still too groggy to be surprised. "How are you, Colonel'" he asked.
"All right," I said.. "Where are we?"
"Wilhelmina Gasthius. It's a Luftwaffe hospital In Amsterdam."
Eight of the men in the room, counting myself, were survivors of our Ill- starred raid. The other two were English airmen, prisoner-patients like us. I was taped up stiff as a board. I learned from the doctor that three of my ribs were broken, as was my left hand. I had a pair of black eyes and my left cheekbone was cracked. Both my legs were cut up somewhat, and the right one had a hole in it.
I didn't hurt except Inside. "What a mighty blow you struck for your country," I told myself. One of the boys in the room, I learned, had been my tail-gunner. We hadn't had time to become acquainted before our disastrous mission, but, it seemed to me, if I were reading his reproachful look correctly, that he'd never forgive me for getting us clobbered.
All told, we were In the hospital five days. We were sent to Dulag Luft, a German Interrogation center, for questioning after that, and eventually I wound up at Stalag Luft III first of a series of prison camps In which I spent the remainder of the war.
At Stalag Luft III, I bumped Into Lt. Col. W.- R. Purinton, who'd led the Haarlem bound wing of our sorry raid. "My God " he said, thunderstruck. "I reported you and your crew as dead. I saw you crash."
Nine of us officers on the mission were prisoners there together, and gradually we figured out what had happened. My plane had gone down first. As was proper, the next pilot tried to move up into the lead spot I'd left empty, but tragically the ship that had been on my wing changed- position just then. The pair collided. There was a terrific explosion and the flying fragments of the two Marauders struck down a third one. After that only two ships out of my flight of six were still in business. They, in the horrible confusion of the moment, missed Ijmuiden, reached Amsterdam and were knocked out of the sky by heavy flak. Purinton led the four surviving bombers In a desperate run to blast the power plant. All of them were knocked out of the air; two by German fighters.
I finally learned the answer to the question that had bothered me so long...How did the Germans know we were coming? What prepared them for our raid? We'd set out, as I said, with 11 planes flying fast and low, under the Kraut radar beams. Unbeknownst to me because I was up front and because we were maintaining radio silence, one of the B.26's had trouble and so headed for home. Its pilot presumed we'd seen him turn back. In training school we'd had It dinned into our heads that, when something's wrong with your aircraft you get yourself some altitude quick for emergency gliding purposes.
That's what our colleague did...he climbed to a thousand feet. In so doing, he blipped the German radar and the enemy was on to us at once.
I was rescued from prison In April, 1945. (Oh, we all had tried to escape several times, I got away once but the Germans picked me up again.) After Patton's boys came along and released us, I got the score on our crazy raid:
We'd started out with 30 officers and 30 enlisted men. Of that number, 10 officers and 12 airmen survived That's a 60 per cent lossÑbut to this day I'm amazed that 40 per cent of us made It.
And as for our target, the power plant at Ijmuiden well, the 322nd avenged us tidily on March 26, 1944.
Eighteen of the "old boys" who'd been on the first frustrating effort were In the lead of an armada of 350 B-26 Marauders. They set out that' day to plaster the sub. marine pen Into a mud puddle. They bombed It with 1,000 pounders - 600 tons worth - from a sensible altitude of 12,000 feet.
Just for old time's sake, Maj.. Louis J. Sebille saved one bomb and, after the pens were no more, he tooled on over to the power plant and he and his crew took care of it for us all by themselves.
So this is what I would have told those three gentlemen in the Officers Club at MacDill Air Force Base, If they'd just let me explain why I flew my '26 upside down and drew a line with the antenna In the Dutch sand.
B-26
A B-26 drops bombs on a German installation in France. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Maj. Gen. Francis S. Brady, Commanding Officer of the B-26 unit that lost all 10 planes on the May 17, 1943, mission, "explains" to Maj. Gen. Ira C. Eaker why none returned to England. They are looking at the same model of the target as the crews in the next photograph. (U.S. Air Force photo)
B-26 Mission Briefing
Lt. Col. Stillman briefs the combat crews for an earlier B-26 mission flown May 14, 1943. They are studying a model of the target, the power plant at Ijmuiden, Holland. (U.S. Air Force photo)
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet_media.asp?fsID=1614
May 17th 1943 - Station 468 Rougham Field
The 322nd Bomb Group were still reeling from the 14th May mission, where they suffered a number of casualties, and lost Lt. Howell and his crew in a crash near home base at Browns Farm, Rougham.
On May 16th, the Group's new Commanding Officer, Colonel Robert Stillman, was called to a conference at Headquarters, Elvedon Hall, near Thetford. He was informed that reconnaisance photos of the P.E.N electricity generating plant at Ijmiuden on the Dutch coast, the target attacked on May 14th, had shown no damaage and was still in full operation.
Col. Stillman was informed that VIIIth Bomber Command wanted the target to be attacked again the next day. Col. Stillman could not believe they were serious, stating that to attack the same target so soon could mean enemy defences would be ready and waiting for them. General Longfellow, VIIth Bomber Command, was adamant that the attack should go ahead, and although he sympathised with Col. Stillman's point of view, threatened him with the loss of his command if he refused to obey orders.
B-26 over a railway
Upset at the thought of sending his crews back to the same target so soon after their harrowing first mission, Col. Stillman returned to Rougham Field.
The mission commences
The order for the mission arrived at Rougham at 00:36 hours on May 17th asking for a maximum effort raid, flying the same route as on May 14th. Lt. Colonel Alfred Von Kolnitz, the 322nd BG's Chief Intelligence Officer, was alarmed that the same route was to be flown, as he expected heavy enemy opposition. He wrote a memo to Col. Stillman, ending it, "For God's sake, get fighter cover!"
Von Kolnitz's memo
The crews alerted for the mission were from the 450th and 452nd Squadrons, who with four exceptions, had not flown the first mission. One of these was Col Stillman, who was determined to lead. The 322nd could field eleven B-26 Marauders for the mission, with the 452nd aircraft leading.
Although the crews were confident of a second success, they all expected to meet stiff opposition, and many were convinced they would not return. Col. Stillman was also convinced that the mission was going to be a disaster, but was determined to do his duty, and ensure the target was knocked out this time. As he left the Intelligence Section after the mission briefing, Lt. Col. Von Kolnitz said, "Cheerio". Stillman answered: "No, it's goodbye". Trying to cheer him up, Von Kolnitz said, "I'll see you at one o'clock." "It's goodbye", replied Stillman firmly.
Takeoff
At 10.50 hours, Col. Stillman took off in the lead aircraft on the main East/West runway and made a left hand circuit of the field, with the other aircraft taking off at 30-second intervals. After all eleven aircraft had assembled in a 'Javelin' formation, Col. Stillman flew over the field at 11:10 hours at a height of 250ft. The formation raced to the coast and passed over the briefed departure point of Orfordness. On the ground, a Royal Observer Corps postmarked their passing at 11:20 hours.
The formation now turned East North East and after 15 miles, turned off their identification 'Friend or Foe' radar, and dropped to 50 feet. The Dutch coast was approximately half an hour away.
At 11:47 hours, and 33 miles off the coast of Holland, Captain Stephens in the 452nd Flight aborted due to power failure to the top turret and one engine not giving the correct boost. He made a 180° turn and headed back to England.
Formation flown by the 322nd
Getting lost
Five minutes from the Dutch coast, the rest of the formation increased speed from 200 to 250MPH. A convoy of ships was spotted ahead, and these vessels radioed to the passing aircraft that enemy radar was on the coast. As a result of this, Col. Stillman decided to turn the formation south. The shipping convoy was sailing near the Hook of Holland, which is 18 miles from where the 322nd should have made landfall!
Once the convoy was lost from sight, the formation turned back North East, believing they would cross the Dutch coast five miles from Noordwijk, near the Hague. In reality, on crossing the coast at 11:50 hours, the formation was 25 miles from Noordwijk and was heading towards Rozenburg Island, in the Maas River Estuary, the most heavily defended area in the Netherlands.
Heavy flak is encountered
As the formation passed over the island, they were showered by 20mm cannon shells. The lead aircraft took direct hits, which severed the flight controls, and killed Lt. Resweber, Col. Stillman's co-pilot. As a result of the loss of flying controls, the Marauder snap rolled, and Col. Stillman saw the ground coming up to meet him. His plane crashed upside down, but amazingly Col. Stillman, Sgt. Freeman and Sgt. Willis were all pulled from the wreckage alive. The two Sgts survived the first mission, and had now been lucky again.
The following flight, which was two miles to the south, also encountered heavy fire from the ground. Lt. Garrambone's aircraft was hit, he lost control and the aircraft crashed into the Maas River. Lt. Garrambone and three of his crew survived.
Believing they were approaching the target area, pilots and navigators looked for the landmarks they had noted on the mission briefing. As they were flying way off course, there were none, and they were flying somewhere between Delft and Rotterdam. Captain Converse now led the first flight, and taking evasive action to avoid flak, collided with Lt. Wolf's aircraft, which was leading the second element. Both B-26s went down, but four gunners survived from the two aircraft, one being Sgt. Thompson, the fourth veteran of May 14th.
Parts and debris from the two Marauders hit a following aircraft called 'Chickersaw Chief', causing the pilot, Lt. Wurst, to crash land the B-26 in a field near the town of Mieje. Sgt. Heski, the top turret gunner, lost a foot in the crash, but this was the only serious casualty.
This left only Lt. F H Matthew and Lt. E R Norton of the third element of the lead flight in the air. Lt. Norton's co-pilot was his twin brother, J A Norton. These two aircraft joined the second flight to make a more effective force to bomb the target. Unfortunately, the second flight was as lost as the first, and had no idea where the target lay.
Trying to get home
Forty-five miles into Holland, the remaining aircraft decided to turn for home. Lt. Col. Purinton, who was leading the second flight, asked his navigator, Lt. jeffries, for a heading. Lt. Jeffries answered, "270 degrees", followed by, "Hold it a minute, I think I see the target - yes, there it is!". Bomb doors were opened and Purinton's co-pilot, lt. Kinney, sighted and dropped the bombs on what they thought was the target. In reality, it was the gasholder in the suburbs of Amsterdam.
All aircraft dropped their bombs when Lt. Kinney dropped his, but unbeknown to them, on a heading of 270 degrees, they were heading directly for the 'real' target at Ijmuiden. On passing over the 'real' target, they encountered more heavy flak, and Lt. Col. Purinton's plane was hit, but he managed to ditch it two miles offshore. Lt. Jeffries was killed in the crash and a German patrol boat picked up the rest of the crew.
Lt. Jones' aircraft was the next to be shot down and crashed. Lt. Aliamo was the only survivor.
The Norton brothers, now flying at 250MPH to try and make it home, were shot down west of Ijmuiden. Their tailgunner, Sgt. Longworth, was the only survivor of their crew.
Only two aircraft remain
Only Lt. Matthews and Captain Crane remained in the air, at some distance apart. They survived the coastal flak and raced for England. However their troubles were not over. When the marauders crossed the coast on the inbound flight, 26 Focke Wulf fighters were sent out on a combat alert from Woensrecth, Souther Holland, and were vectored to meet the bombers. At 12:18, they saw Lt. Matthews and Captain Jack Crane's aircraft flying low and fast over the North Sea, and they attacked.
On board Capt. Crane's B-26, there was trouble. Capt. Crane asked the top turret gunner and engineer, George Williams, to "Come up front, george, there is something wrong with the rudder." Williams checked the rudder cables, and repaired a damaged section with some safety wire from the rear of the turret. As he returned to the turret, the aircraft was peppered with bullets and he saw the port engine in flames. He called to Captain crane, but there was no reply. The plane started to lose altitude, levelled off, and then dived into the sea.
Sgt. Williams and Sgt. Jesse Lewis, the tail gunner, scrambled to safety out of the camera hatch, climbed into a life raft and watched the Marauder sink in about 45 seconds. The time was 12:24 hours, and they were 80 miles from England. They spent five days in the raft before being rescued and returned to England, and to the 322nd Bomb Group.
Lt. Matthews' plane was shot into the sea at 12:30. There were no survivors.
Claims
17-05-43 00:00 "Fw." "Kurt" "Niedereicholz" "Stab II." "JG 1" "B-26" "5km W. Zandvoort" 01-12-24 11 "-" "yes" "Prien: JG 1/11 Lists f. 634"
17-05-43 00:00 "Ofw." "Ernst" "Winkler" 04-11-09 "JG 1" "B-26" "80km W. Noordwijk" 01-12-30 15 "-" "yes" "Prien: JG 1/11 Lists f. 634"
These are the only claims that day on B-26´s it shows that all other B-26´s were shot down by Flak.
Niederreicholz, Kurt Ofhr
16 1/JG-3 (5/41), Stab II/JG-1 (5/43), 4/JG-1 (11/42), 5/JG-1 (4/44), 7/JG-1 (1/45) Bf 109 in JG-3, Fw 190A-3, 4 & 5 in JG-1, Fw 190A-8 Werk # 197932 "Yellow 14" (lost 1/1/45) DK-G, EP, EK 1 & 2, Fighter Operational Clasp MIA 1 January, 1945 during Operation Bodenplatte near Ghent Belgium. Does not appear on Mombeek JG-1 MIA List. May have been KIA. No known grave. One known victory, his 1st, a Hurricane south of Ramsgate on 25 May, 1941. His 4th, a B-17 (HSS) S of Oldenburg on 8 October, 1943 (per OKL). Two other known victories, his 8th & 9th, both Wellingtons on 29 October, 1942 (date an error??). A Spitfire 10 km northwest of Walcheren on 29 November, 1942. His 11th and 12th were: a B-26 on 17 May, 1943 west of Zaandvoort, and a B-25 on 10 June, 1943 1 km west of Maldegem. A 13th (14th per the Perry Claims), a B-17 9 km S of Münster on 10 October, 1943. His 15th, a B-17 on 14 October, 1943. His 16th, a B-17 N of Schleswig on 9 April, 1944. Alternate spelling: Niedereichholz (Magnus).
Winkler, Ernst Ofw
6/6/1917 15 JG-3, 4/JG-1 (9/42) Bf 109F, Fw 190A-4 Werk # 5569 (lost 9/27/42), Fw 190A-4 Werk # 0622 "White 5" (lost 6/17/43) EP, EK 1 & 2, Fighter Operational Clasp KIA 17 June, 1943, mortally wounded in his Wk# 0622 by B-17 return fire and Spitfires over NE Germany. He was able to bail out, but according to his Kdr. Olejnik, died in his chute. The North Sea claimed his body, south of Vlissingen Holland. Later buried Ysellsteyn, BC/8/192. On 27 September, 1942, he crashed his A-4 near the Woensdrecht Holland airfield, cause and his disposition unknown, a Fw at the time (DeSwart). One known victory, his 11th, a Spitfire 5 km northwest of Waarde Zeeland on 28 November, 1942. His 12th, a B-24 on 27 January, 1943. A 13th, a Ventura on 4 April, 1943. His 14th, a Ventura 3 km south of Haarlem on 3 May, 1943. His 15th, a B-26 80 km west of Noordwijk on 17 May, 1943.
Meanwhile, in England...
Back at Rougham, the estimated time for the Group's return was 12:50 hours. On the Control Tower balcony, General Brady from 8th Bomber Command, and other watchers, were growing apprehensive. At 13:05 hours, an RAF listening post reported that it had intercepted a German radio transmission, which said that it had shot two bombers into the sea.
By 13:30 hours, it was decided that no aircraft were still airborne, and that a disaster had occurred, with all ten aircraft being lost. Of the 60 airmen shot down in enemy territory, 22 survived as prisoners of war.
Prisoners of war
No one was more surprised to have survived than Col. Stillman, who was one of the prisoners. He related his story after the war, and recalled, "The ship snap rolled, which is like a corkscrew. I wasn't scared, I didn't have time to be, but I knew this was curtains. A wing was down, I looked out of the window and saw the ground coming up to us. There was nothing to do but shut my eyes and wait. it's peculiar at a time like that, a man is not worried."
On seeing Col. Stillman walk into the Stalag Luft III, lt. Col. Purinton could not believe his eyes. "You can't be here", Purinton said, "You're dead - we saw you crash. I've already reported you and your entire crew dead."
Whilst a prisoner of war, Col. Stillman surmised that the mission was a disater, and one factor had contributed to its failure. When Captain Stephens aborted at the start of the mission, he climbed to 1000 feet. Col. Stillman did not blame him for this, as it was standard operating procedure for the B-26 in order to allow the crew to bale out if necessary. Howerver, Col. Stillman was convinced that in so doing, Capt. Stephens had unwittingly exposed his aircraft to enemy radar, thus alerting the Germans to the presence of the rest of the force.
Aftermath
As a result of the May 17th disaster, the 322nd Bomb Group were stood down, and the B-26 Marauder programme was put on hold temporarily. It was deemed suicidal to fly the B-26 at low level, so tactice were rethought, and the B-26 was used at medium level.
The 322nd Bomb Group were moved to Andrewsfield, near Braintree, Essex, as a part of this strategy and resumed operations on the last day of July 1943. Colonel Glen C Nye, the man who had nursed the 322nd Group in the early days of its existence, before Col. Stillman, was given command.
A brief history of the 322nd Bomb Group.
On October 1st, 1942, Colonel R. Selway Jr assumed command of the 322nd Group when he joined them at Drane Field. The entire group, including both air and ground personnel, left Drane Field on November 14th 1942, headed for Camp Kilmer, New jersey, which was a staging area for movement overseas. Their supplies for the overseas move left Boston harbour bound for England. At this time the total airborne and ground personnel numbered 1,337.
At the same time the ground personnel arrived, the 451st and 452nd squadrons were assigned to Rattlesden airfield, which was a satellite for Rougham Airfield, and was 18 miles from the wing headquarters.
With the new year came news that the flying echelon was on its way. Also the group's 'coat of arms' and motto had been approved in a letter dated January 9th, a943. The motto was as follows: "Hecte Facieno Meminen Tiemo"; which translates as "I Fear None In Doing Right".
Col. Selway was replaced as Commanding Officer of the group on February 22nd by Lt. Col. Batjer, who in turn handed command to Lt. Col. Robert M. Stillman, from Pueblo, Colorado on March 17th 1943.
The 322nd flew B-26B and B-26C Marauder aircraft, and were based at Rougham from 1st December 1942, until 12th June 1943, at which time they moved to Andrews Field, where they remained until 19th September 1944.
Some more details can be found at this page: http://www.usaaf.com/8thaf/bomber/322bg.HTM
322nd Bomb Group (M) Squadron patches
These patches were all designed by Walt Disney Studios
The Skyliners
The 322nd Bomb group had their own band, called the Skyliners. They were formed at the American Red Cross club on Rougham airfield. Their leader, Sgt. Frank Primack, had played in various bands in peacetime. The main vocalist for the band was Sgt. Allan Poyfair.
The Skyliners became very well known for their music. It is said they played at Covent garden on various occasions, and they recorded three tracks on acetate on the 30th July 1944.
There is one very sad note concerning the band. The drummer, Sgt. Paul Rotes, was killed in a B-26 Marauder crash at Bigods farm, near Great Dunmow. He was the tail gunner.
One incident of many...
After a mission, several B-26s returned to base with flak damage, including that of Major Gove C. Celio and crew.
On joining the landing pattern, only the right main and nose wheels would extend. Staff Sergeant C. T. Cook hung onto the bomb bay catwalk and worked on the leaking hydraulic system.
He finally managed to patch it up enough to allow Captain Robert A Porter to lower the remaining wheel with a hand pump. In all, Sgt. Cook had been soaked in hydraulic oil for an hour and 20 minutes while the aircraft circled the field.
His hard work was rewarded with the safe landing of the B-26, and the receipt of the Air Medal.
EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS
(Eighth Air Force): VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 58: 159 B-17's are dispatched to hit the port area and U-boat base at Lorient, France; 118 bomb the target at 1213-1217 hours local; we claim 47-8-29 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B- 17's, another is damaged beyond repair and 27 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 8 WIA and 57 MIA. An additional 39 B-17's are dispatched to hit the docks and sub pens at Bordeaux, France; 34 bomb at 1238-1244 hours local; we claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 B-17 and another is damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 11 MIA.
In a third mission 11 B-26's of the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) are dispatched on a low-level mission to bomb power stations at Haarlem and Ijmuiden, The Netherlands; 1 B-26 aborts, the other 10 are all shot down before they reach the target; casualties are 58 MIA. This mission prompts the Eighth Air Force to abandon low-level medium bomber attacks. www.usaaf.net
VIII Air Svce. Cmd # 1: 3rd Bomb-Wing
12 Group Ramrod
Steel-works HAARLEM & IJMUIDEN
17.00 z: 12/- B-26 Marauders: 10 lost
The Allies would return to bomb IJmuiden and so did the B-26 as can seen onthe photo´s underneath of later bomb attacks.
322nd Bombardment Group
HISTORY:
Constituted as 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) on 19 Jun 1942. Activated on 17 Jul 1942. Trained with B-26 aircraft. Part of the group moved overseas, Nov-Dec 1942; planes and crews followed, Mar-Apr 1943. Operated with Eighth AF until assignment to Ninth in Oct 1943. Served in combat, May 1943-Apr 1945, operating from England, France, and Belgium. Began combat on 14 May when it dispatched 12 planes for a minimum-level attack on a power plant in Holland. Sent 11 planes on a similar mission three days later: one returned early; the others, with 60 crewmen, were lost to flak and interceptors. Trained for medium-altitude operations for several weeks and resumed combat on 17 Jul 1943. Received a DUC for the period 14 May 1943-24 Jul 1944, during which its combat performance helped to prove the effectiveness of the medium bombers. Enemy airfields in France, Belgium, and Holland provided the principal targets from Jul 1943 through Feb 1944, but the group also attacked power stations, shipyards, construction works, marshalling yards, and other targets. Beginning in Mar the 322d bombed railroad and highway bridges, oil tanks, and missile sites in preparation for the invasion of Normandy; on 6 Jun 1944 it hit coastal defenses and gun batteries; afterward, during the Normandy campaign, it pounded fuel and ammunition dumps, bridges, and road junctions. Supported the Allied offensive at Caen and the breakthrough at St Lo in Jul. Aided the drive of Third Army across France in Aug and Sep. Bombed bridges, road junctions, defended villages, and ordnance depots in the assault on the Siegfried Line, Oct-Dec 1944. Flew a number of missions against railroad bridges during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 1944-Jan 1945. Then concentrated on communications, marshalling yards, bridges, and fuel dumps until its last mission on 24 Apr 1945. Moved to Germany in Jun 1945. Engaged in inventorying and disassembling German Air Force equipment and facilities. Returned to the US, Nov-Dec 1945. Inactivated on 15 Dec 1945.
Redesignated 322d Bombardment Group (Light). Allotted to the reserve. Activated on 9 Aug 1947. Inactivated on 27 Jun 1949.
Redesignated 322d Fighter-Day Group. Activated on 1 Jul 1954. Assigned to Tactical Air Command. Equipped first with F-86 and later with F-100 aircraft.
Squadrons:
35th: 1947-1949.
449th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949.
450th: 1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1954-.
451st: 1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1954-.
452d: 1942-1945; 1947-1949; 1954-.
Stations:
MacDill Field, Fla, 17 Jul 1942
Drane Field, Fla, 22 Sep-Nov 1942
Rougham, England, c. 1 Dec 1942
Great Saling, England, Jan 1943
Beauvais/Tille, France, Sep 1944
Le Culot, Belgium, Mar 1945
Fritzlar, Germany, Jun-Sep 1945
Camp Kilmer, NJ, c. 14-15 Dec 1945.
Reading AAFld, Pa, 9 Aug 1947-27 Jun 1949.
Foster AFB, Tex, 1 Jul 1954-.
Commanders:
Lt Col Jacob Brogger, c. 8 Aug 1942
Col Robert R Selway Jr, c. 21 Oct 1942
Lt Col John F Batjer, c. 22 Feb 1943
Lt Col Robert M Stillman, c. 17 Mar 1943
Col Glenn C Nye, c. 19 May 1943
Col John S Samuel, Jul 1944
Maj John L Egan, c. 12 Jul 1945-unkn.
Col Carlos M Talbott, 1 Jul 1954-.
Campaigns:
Air Offensive, Europe; Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe.
Decorations:
Distinguished Unit Citation: ETO, 14 May 1943-24 Jul 1944.
Insigne:
Shield: Tierce per fess azure and or, five piles, three conjoined between two transposed counterchanged. Motto: Recto Faciendo Neminen Timeo - I Fear None in Doing Right. (Approved 9 Jan 1943.)
MONDAY, 17 MAY 1943
(Eighth Air Force) VIII Bomber Command Mission Number 58: 159 B-17's are dispatched to hit the port area and U-boat base at Lorient, France; 118 bomb the target at 1213-1217 hours local; we claim 47-8-29 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 6 B-17's, another is damaged beyond repair and 27 others are damaged; casualties are 1 KIA, 8 WIA and 57 MIA. An additional 39 B-17's are dispatched to hit the docks and sub pens at Bordeaux, France; 34 bomb at 1238-1244 hours local; we claim 0-1-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; we lose 1 B-17 and another is damaged; casualties are 2 WIA and 11 MIA. In a third mission 11 B-26's of the 322d Bombardment Group (Medium) are dispatched on a low-level mission to bomb power stations at Haarlem and Ijmuiden, The Netherlands; 1 B-26 aborts, the other 10 are all shot down before they reach the target; casualties are 58 MIA. This mission prompts the Eighth Air Force to abandon low-level medium bomber attacks.
