350TH SQDN. . CREW, AS ABOVE, JOINED THE 100TH ON 25 AUG 1943.

THIS WAS THE FOURTH MISSION FOR THIS CREW, WITH THE RENAULT WORKS AT PARIS AS THE TARGET.

EYEWITNESS:
"A/C 452 (42-3452 LN-Z. . SEE MACR 645, MICRO-FICHE 213) WAS HIT IN THE #2 ENGINE AT 1900 BETWEEN THE IP AND THE PT AND THE RALLY POINT (RIGHT OVER PARIS). NO CHUTES, NO EAC, BELIEVE HE DROPPED HIS BOMBS. LAST SEEN DROPPING BACK APPARENTLY UNDER CONTROL. " LT GORMLEY

ON 15 SEP 43 T/SGT ORVAL L. PARSONS WAS FLYING AS TTE, HE WAS WOUNDED IN THE LEG BEFORE BAILING OUT AND WAS TAKEN POW. S/SGT WARREN G. LUSH WAS FLYING AS A REPLACEMENT FOR W. D. EDWARDS AND BECAME AN EVADEE. LUSH WAS FROM THE J. T. GRIFFIN CREW. APPARENTLY McCONNAHA DIED OF EXPOSURE WHEN HE FELL FROM A CLIFF IN THE PYRENEES AS HE WAS GOING INTO SPAIN (JAN 1944).

"AT 1901 OVER LAGNY, RIGHT WING (VETTER) LOST ALTITUDE. #2 AND #3 ENGINES SMOKING. DISAPPEARED INTO CLOUDS"… CAPT DeMARCO
 

Excerpts from a letter from Lt. Vetter's son-in-law, Marcus A. Smith:

To:100th Bomb Group Foundation
December 31, 2008

Dear Sir,
I am the son-in-law of the late 2nd Lt. Arthur M. Vetter, veteran B-17 pilot of the 350th Bombardment Squadron. Recently, my son Victor, in doing research on his grandfather's WWII biography discovered your exceptional website.  Our family was delighted to see, not only a wartime portrait of their grandfather in uniform, but a complete listing of his crew, and some details of his last mission prior to being shot down over occupied France on Sept. 15th, 1943.

The real story only beings here for he did survive, and with the help of a French family dedicated to the cause of resistance, he and several of his crew managed to escape overland by walking across the Pyrenees Range during the winter of 1943 into Spain.  We understand that crew member 2nd Lt. Wendell K. McConnaha perished during the ordeal, as confirmed by the data page of Lt. Vetter's crew.  Prior to reading this information on your website, we did not know this airman's name.

Lt. Vetter was survived by his wife, Alice Vetter, and four children. Mrs. Vetter resided in Boise for many years and left her family many wonderful memories and thrilling stories of her WWII years with her husband Arthur.  Over the years she remained close friends with the French family (Odette Gastone) that - under great risk to themselves - hid Lt. Vetter and his crew from the Nazi's, helped them evade capture, and provisioned them for their journey across the border into Spain.  Alice Vetter died in 1999.  Among her personal effects, she left this photo of Lt. Vetter's flight crew, which we are pleased to provide to you for your use in enhancing 100th BG Foundation records, and efforts to preserve the historical legacy of the 100th. In addition we have included a copy of the original letter to Alice Vetter from CO Major Gale Cleven informing her of her husband's MIA status, dated Oct.3, 1943.  Clearly, this is a historic and relevant document that will be of interest to the 100th Bomb Group Foundation.

Please know that we recognize and salute you for the important work you are doing, that future generations may know of these airmen, and the many sacrifices made by this great generation of Americans.

Respectfully,
Marcus A. Smith