Related Pages:
1st Lt. Donald J. Stuke |
2nd Lt. Robert J. Horn
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The Paul Martin Crew
Front L to R: Paul Mitchell - CP, Paul Martin -
P, Albert Racz - BOM, Tom Hughes - NAV.
Back L to R: Dick Faulkner - BTG, Virgil Lund -
WG, Levi Tonn - TTE, John Hawley - TG,
Lonnie Albior - WG, and Shorty Langdon - ROG.
S/Sgt Richard J. Faulkner |
A/C#42-39830 -- "BERLIN PLAYBOY"
MISSION: Augsburg -- 18 Mar 44
Augsburg was the primary target but was obscured by clouds.
Lechfeld AF
was TO and Munich was ST on 18 Mar 44.)
MACR#3234 -- Micro-fiche#1105
| 2nd Lt Paul A. Martin |
P |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| 1st Lt Thomas Cryan |
CP |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| 2nd Lt Albert F. Racz |
BOM |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| 2nd Lt Tom F. Hughes |
NAV |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| T/Sgt Russell E. Longdon |
ROG |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| T/Sgt Levi O. Tonn |
TTE |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| S/Sgt Richard J. Faulkner |
BTG |
EVA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| S/Sgt Veryl A. Lund |
RWG |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| S/Sgt Lonnie J. Albin |
LWG |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
| S/Sgt John E. Howley |
TG |
KIA |
18 Mar 1944 |
Munich |
350th Sqdn...The crew joined the 100th on March 10, 1944.
The crew flew 5 training missions and its exact composition is as above
except the original CP was 2nd Lt Paul Mitchell. It is known that
Thomas Cryan was From the crew of
Mark Cope. This was the crew’s first mission. (mpf
nov 2000)
Summary of Eyewitness reports: "A/C #830 and A/C #913 (Flown by D. J.
Stuke) collided over France at 1210 hour near (?) . #830 broke up while
#913 pulled away, badly damaged but apparently under control. One chute
was seen to come from #830. The ship going down under control had two port
engines torn out, and only #4 was operating. The nose of this A/C also was
sheared off. The collision resulted when the Group leader aborted and the
formation scattered and reformed. "
Witnesses: Capt. Lauro, Lt. Gummersall, Lt. Malooly.
July 1945, Sgt. Faulkner, then at 3718 AAF Base, Denver, Colo., was
interrogated as to the death of Lt. Cryan. He gave the following
information:
1. Over the coast of France, Lt. Cryan's bomber (Lt. Paul A. Martin/
Pilot) encountered heavy flak. Formation was broken with lead ship falling
out. A new formation was formed with Lt. Cryan's ship as wing man.
2. There was a sudden explosion near Lt. Cryan's A/C. Sgt. Faulkner ,
ball turret operator, upon bailing out noticed the ship broken in two
sections. Sgt. Faulkner having been in the rear section, and Lt. Cryan's
station was in the front section as co-pilot.
3. Sgt. Faulkner became unconscious upon the opening of his chute and
did not regain consciousness until after landing when he noticed the front
section of the A/C crashed in the woods, surrounded by German soldiers.
4. Sgt. Faulkner was rescued by the French patriots. Having an
understanding of the French language, Sgt Faulkner was informed by the
French patriots that all remaining crew members were killed in the crash
of the A/C. Description by the French patriots of one of the bodies found
in the front section of the A/C fitted that of Lt. Cryan. "
German records in MACR state that "bodies were thrown from plane . . .
badly mutilated . . . identified by I. D. tags. " Burial took Place in the
French cemetery in Poix de la Somme
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