|
1ST LT WILLIAM R. FLESH |
P |
CPT |
XFR TO 482ND BOMB GROUP, NOV 1943 |
|
F/O RICHARD L. SNYDER
|
CP |
KIA |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
2ND LT JOHN C. DENNIS |
NAV |
POW |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
1ST LT PAUL R. ENGLERT |
BOM |
POW |
6 SEP 43 STUTTGART (with Crew#33, Lt Woodward
) |
|
T/SGT LAWRENCE E.
GODBEY |
TTE |
KIA |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
T/SGT ROBERT R. DEKAY
|
ROG |
KIA |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
S/SGT WALTER HALUNKA |
BTG |
POW |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
S/SGT WILLIAM M. BLANK |
WG |
POW |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
S/SGT CLARENCE R. BOWLIN |
TG |
POW |
17 AUG 43 REGENSBURG |
|
S/SGT CHARLES F. VIELBIG |
WG |
NOC |
-- |
Original 100th BG Crew, 349th SQ, CREW #30, A/C
#42-30066 "MUG WUMP" MACR #675
MISSIONS OF LT WILLIAM FLESH CREW:
|
JUNE 26, 1943 |
LeMANS |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP (NO CREDIT FOR MISSION) |
|
JUNE 28, 1943 |
ST. NAZAIRE (FLAK CITY) |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP |
|
JUNE 29, 1943 |
LeMANS |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP |
|
JULY 4, 1943 |
LaPALLICE |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP |
|
JULY 10, 1943 |
LeBOURGET |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP |
|
JULY 17, 1943 |
HAMBURG |
a/c 230066 MUGWUMP |
|
AUG 17, 1943 |
REGENSBURG |
a/c 25860 ESCAPE KIT |
ON REGENSBURG MISSION, LT WILLIAM FLESH WAS ON LEAVE AND LT CURTIS
BIDDICK, OF CREW #28 REPLACED HIM. BIDDICK'S REGULAR BOMBARDIER, LT DAN
McKAY REPLACED LT PAUL ENGLERT. LT BIDDICK WAS KIA AND LT McKAY, BADLY
BURNED, WAS A POW. T/SGT HOWARD J. BROCK OF CREW #35 (LT BLAKELY CREW)
FLEW FOR CHARLES VIELBIG AND WAS TAKEN PRISONER.
ABOUT FORTY MILES NORTHWEST OF REGENSBURG THE AIRCRAFT WAS HIT IN RIGHT
SIDE OF THE NOSE AND FUSELAGE BY 20-MM ROUNDS, WOUNDING GODBEY AND
STARTING AN INTENSE OXYGEN SYSTEM FIRE IN THE FLIGHT DECK AREA. THE
CO-PILOT LT RICHARD SNYDER WAS SEEN STANDING ON THE WING, APPARENTLY
HAVING EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH A HOLE IN THE FUSELAGE. IT IS
THOUGHT THAT HE HIT THE STABILIZER WHEN HE LEFT THE WING, AT ANY RATE
HIS BODY WAS LOCATED SOME THREE MONTHS LATER HANGING IN HIS CHUTE
HARNESS FROM A TREE BRANCH. THIS IS THE INCIDENT MENTIONED BY LT COL.
BERNIE LAY IN HIS ARTICLE "I SAW REGENSBURG DESTROYED" IN THE SATURDAY
EVENING POST, NOV 43. OWEN "COWBOY" ROANE ALSO REPORTED SEEING SNYDER'S
GALLANT BID TO ESCAPE THE DOOMED "ESCAPE KIT. "(42-5860) LT ROANE
REPORTED SEEING SNYDER CLIMB OUT ON THE WING AND REACH BACK INSIDE FOR
HIS CHUTE PACK, PROBABLY THE HOLE IN THE FUSELAGE WAS TOO SMALL TO GET
THROUGH WEARING A CHUTE PACK. SNYDER BUCKLED ON HIS CHUTE WHILE STANDING
IN THE FIRE RAGING ON THE WING. THE FACT HE DID NOT SURVIVE DOES NOT
DIMINISH HIS VALIANT EFFORT. HE WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN BY THE 100TH.
(mpf – Nov 2009) Lt William Flesh took over the
crew of Capt. Sumner Reeder after Reeder and his officers were injured
on the Sept 6, 1943 mission to Stuttgart. The makeup of Lt Flesh Crew
after Sept 6, 1943 can be found on the link at the top of the page.
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-end-
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