350TH SQDN. . CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 02 AUG 1944

ON A PRACTICE MISSION OF 07 NOV 44 CAPT. STANLEY A. CLARK WAS FLYING AS COMMAND PILOT AND WAS KIC. 1ST LT. HARRY TENNEBAUM FROM THE W. C. SHADDIX CREW, ABOARD AS NAVIGATOR BAILED OUT SAFELY. FIRE STARTED IN THE COCKPIT AREA, FORCING THE CREW TO ABANDON THE AIRCRAFT. IT IS THOUGHT THAT DYATT MAY HAVE LEFT THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT HIS CHUTE. GUSTAVSON AND CLARK, FOR REASONS THAT ARE NOT CLEAR, REMAINED IN THE SHIP AND WERE KILLED AT IMPACT. INJURIES TO PRESTON WALLACE WERE SERIOUS, WHILE BOHLSSEN AND ROMANO ESCAPED WITH LESSER INJURIES. CAPT CLARK IS BURIED AT THE AMERICAN MILITARY CEMETERY AT CAMBRIDGE.

Charles "Hong Kong" Wilson was an eyewitness to this accident, he was flying off the wing of Dyatt's aircraft at the time.

The following is a letter in reference to the November 7th, 1944 loss of A/C #42-97561 (Bachelor's Heaven") which was flown by Command Pilot Stanley A. Clark with pilot John T. Dyatt. The letter written by Sgt. Cornelius "Joe" Romano, flying as Tail Gunner, is dated July 1988. This a literal copy of said letter. . . . pw

Nov. 7, 1944. Today WE HAD IT!!

Took off about 11:00 AM it was a practice mission. Flew in a early model B-17, the number was 42-97561 call letter -W-. We were leading the low group, the whole 8th Air Force was out on this special (practice) mission - that's the way it seemed. The reason being to try out our new secret equipment. That day our crew was Bohlseen - Nav, Wallace - Bombardier, Capt. Clark - Command Pilot, Gustafson - Engineer, McClain - Radio Operator, Dyatt - Pilot, H. Tennebaum - PFF operator (Mickey), Klentitz - Waist Gunner, Romano - Tail Gunner.

Gus shot off a flare to indicate we were the lead ship & to form up on our plane, but as far as I know the gun went off in the flight deck. There was a hell of a jolt, the plane went into a dive - I landed behind the ammunition boxes. At first I thought it was prop-wash. I started to plug my intercom cord back in and looked out my window when there was another jolt & I saw that we were pulling out of formation & diving down. After a third jolt I started to look for my chute, it was way back by the tail wheel. I made one dive for the chute and crawled back to my oxygen line, took some deep breaths of oxygen and tried to hook up my chute to the harness. My mask was in the way so I ripped off mask and helmet & hooked up. Then I kneeled by the tail door (It helps when you pray) and looked back toward the waist section. Saw Mac kick the waist door off so I did the same to the tail door. Then, for the first times I saw flames shooting out of the radio room and "Mickey" operator crawling out. Kept hearing little explosions & was waiting for the ship to blow up. Looking out the tail door I saw pieces of the plane going by. I motioned to Mac, :Mickey" and Augie (Kienitz) to jump - they did from the waist & I left from the tail. The last I saw of our ship was when the tail passed me. I then decided to pull the rip cord & there was a terrific jolt & I twisted around in the air, scared but happy as hell to see the chute had worked.

I heard someone shout "Hello There" & before I could answer "Mickey" had collided with me in mid-air. Knowing that if our chutes were to tangle they would collapse and both of us fall to the ground a lot faster than we should, I began to push and curse him. Next thing I knew we were separated - said all the prayers I could remember as loud as I could but still heard "Mickey" yell to me how he had left his Parker 51 pen in the plane. (Strange what goes through you mind at such times. )

Saw Mac & Augie K. in the air & felt good. Some one landed near a little stream (it must have been Wallace), looked down & figured I was about 200 feet from the ground & started to whistle "I Walk Alone" don't ask me why. Guess I wanted to be cool & and was happy to be that close to mother earth. Landed hard and hurt my knee & back and the wind was knocked out of me so I just let the chute drag me for a while until I caught my breath. Finally dug my heels and elbows into the ground & slipped off my harness. P-47 & P-51 buzzed out position. Saw Augie K. about 100 yards away & both ran & limped toward one another hugged. Three girls came by to see if they could help. "Mickey" came by in a small truck with an Englishman driving then Mac came by in a larger truck. We all went to a P-51 base control tower and there we learned that Dyatt had landed in a nearby woods without chute or harness.

Thank you for your prompt reply--will try to answer a few of your questions. After this mission, I was in the hospital for several months in England. I was not assigned to another crew and was not a fill in navigator---sent back to the states first part of 1945. Here is the mission list for this crew prior to November 7, 1944:

Regarding John T. Dyatt--as I recall, he did not leave the plane without his chute--he was first out and motioned for me to follow him-his empty, opened chute, with the harness, was a few hundred feet above me-I assume he did not have the leg straps properly fastened.

I do have a picture of the crew--will be sending that to you shortly with the men identified.

Thank you--this means a lot to our family--and to think we found this just by accident while looking up another member of our family!