Radio Op. T/Sgt. James W. Thomas KIA
Hometown: Arkansas
Squadron: 577th 392th Bomb Group
Service# 18136291
Awards:
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass, KIA
Target: Zwickau, Germany
Date Lost: 21-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99979
Aircraft Model B-24J
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: North Tuddenham, Norfolk, England.
Cause: Weather icing conditions - Fog 8KIA 2RTD
The aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany, was the target for 28 planes from the 392nd.
Take-offs began at 1:30pm. An account by 579th Sqdn pilot 2/Lt Robert V. Pardue describes the terrible conditions in the sky. "We took off with an overcast and were to form at 15,000 ft., but the clouds were much thicker than anticipated, and there were severe icing conditions; therefore the assembly was raised to about 20,000 ft. There was no formation. Planes were everywhere. It was terribly dangerous in the clouds."
The entire 8th AF formation was finally recalled, about the time the 2nd Air Division was scheduled to depart the English coast. Three B-24s in the 2AD crashed due to the extremely bad weather.
This crew was forming up for the mission to Zwickau. For reasons unknown (but perhaps related to the severe weather and icing conditions), the left wing broke off at the outer panel during assembly. Around 1417 hours, the plane crashed at North Tuddenham, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Two crewmembers bailed out successfully but eight perished in this accident. The survivors were engineer S/Sgt Gerald A. Knettel and waist gunner Sgt John J. Brzostowski. Knettel rarely talked about the incident, but did tell his son Michael that the air was colder than normal that day and they were flying at a higher altitude than usual. He heard a tremendous noise and then he and Brzostowski just fell from the plane. As his chute deployed, the plane exploded and debris showered down. His parachute was damaged, causing him to descend too fast. He was severely injured; a metal plate had to be placed in his head and a rod in his leg. These injuries pained him until his death at age 47. Neither Knettel nor Brzostowski ever flew a combat mission again. Instead, both were transferred to the 577th's ground crew and finished the war with that unit.
Crew of 42-99979,
2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA
S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD
T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD
S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA
Hometown: Arkansas
Squadron: 577th 392th Bomb Group
Service# 18136291
Awards:
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass, KIA
Target: Zwickau, Germany
Date Lost: 21-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99979
Aircraft Model B-24J
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: North Tuddenham, Norfolk, England.
Cause: Weather icing conditions - Fog 8KIA 2RTD
The aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany, was the target for 28 planes from the 392nd.
Take-offs began at 1:30pm. An account by 579th Sqdn pilot 2/Lt Robert V. Pardue describes the terrible conditions in the sky. "We took off with an overcast and were to form at 15,000 ft., but the clouds were much thicker than anticipated, and there were severe icing conditions; therefore the assembly was raised to about 20,000 ft. There was no formation. Planes were everywhere. It was terribly dangerous in the clouds."
The entire 8th AF formation was finally recalled, about the time the 2nd Air Division was scheduled to depart the English coast. Three B-24s in the 2AD crashed due to the extremely bad weather.
This crew was forming up for the mission to Zwickau. For reasons unknown (but perhaps related to the severe weather and icing conditions), the left wing broke off at the outer panel during assembly. Around 1417 hours, the plane crashed at North Tuddenham, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Two crewmembers bailed out successfully but eight perished in this accident. The survivors were engineer S/Sgt Gerald A. Knettel and waist gunner Sgt John J. Brzostowski. Knettel rarely talked about the incident, but did tell his son Michael that the air was colder than normal that day and they were flying at a higher altitude than usual. He heard a tremendous noise and then he and Brzostowski just fell from the plane. As his chute deployed, the plane exploded and debris showered down. His parachute was damaged, causing him to descend too fast. He was severely injured; a metal plate had to be placed in his head and a rod in his leg. These injuries pained him until his death at age 47. Neither Knettel nor Brzostowski ever flew a combat mission again. Instead, both were transferred to the 577th's ground crew and finished the war with that unit.
Crew of 42-99979,
2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA
S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD
T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD
S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA
Radio Op. T/Sgt. James W. Thomas KIA
Hometown: Arkansas
Squadron: 577th 392th Bomb Group
Service# 18136291
Awards:
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass, KIA
Target: Zwickau, Germany
Date Lost: 21-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99979
Aircraft Model B-24J
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: North Tuddenham, Norfolk, England.
Cause: Weather icing conditions - Fog 8KIA 2RTD
The aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany, was the target for 28 planes from the 392nd.
Take-offs began at 1:30pm. An account by 579th Sqdn pilot 2/Lt Robert V. Pardue describes the terrible conditions in the sky. "We took off with an overcast and were to form at 15,000 ft., but the clouds were much thicker than anticipated, and there were severe icing conditions; therefore the assembly was raised to about 20,000 ft. There was no formation. Planes were everywhere. It was terribly dangerous in the clouds."
The entire 8th AF formation was finally recalled, about the time the 2nd Air Division was scheduled to depart the English coast. Three B-24s in the 2AD crashed due to the extremely bad weather.
This crew was forming up for the mission to Zwickau. For reasons unknown (but perhaps related to the severe weather and icing conditions), the left wing broke off at the outer panel during assembly. Around 1417 hours, the plane crashed at North Tuddenham, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Two crewmembers bailed out successfully but eight perished in this accident. The survivors were engineer S/Sgt Gerald A. Knettel and waist gunner Sgt John J. Brzostowski. Knettel rarely talked about the incident, but did tell his son Michael that the air was colder than normal that day and they were flying at a higher altitude than usual. He heard a tremendous noise and then he and Brzostowski just fell from the plane. As his chute deployed, the plane exploded and debris showered down. His parachute was damaged, causing him to descend too fast. He was severely injured; a metal plate had to be placed in his head and a rod in his leg. These injuries pained him until his death at age 47. Neither Knettel nor Brzostowski ever flew a combat mission again. Instead, both were transferred to the 577th's ground crew and finished the war with that unit.
Crew of 42-99979,
2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA
S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD
T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD
S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA
Hometown: Arkansas
Squadron: 577th 392th Bomb Group
Service# 18136291
Awards:
Pilot 2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass, KIA
Target: Zwickau, Germany
Date Lost: 21-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99979
Aircraft Model B-24J
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: North Tuddenham, Norfolk, England.
Cause: Weather icing conditions - Fog 8KIA 2RTD
The aircraft repair factory at Zwickau, Germany, was the target for 28 planes from the 392nd.
Take-offs began at 1:30pm. An account by 579th Sqdn pilot 2/Lt Robert V. Pardue describes the terrible conditions in the sky. "We took off with an overcast and were to form at 15,000 ft., but the clouds were much thicker than anticipated, and there were severe icing conditions; therefore the assembly was raised to about 20,000 ft. There was no formation. Planes were everywhere. It was terribly dangerous in the clouds."
The entire 8th AF formation was finally recalled, about the time the 2nd Air Division was scheduled to depart the English coast. Three B-24s in the 2AD crashed due to the extremely bad weather.
This crew was forming up for the mission to Zwickau. For reasons unknown (but perhaps related to the severe weather and icing conditions), the left wing broke off at the outer panel during assembly. Around 1417 hours, the plane crashed at North Tuddenham, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Two crewmembers bailed out successfully but eight perished in this accident. The survivors were engineer S/Sgt Gerald A. Knettel and waist gunner Sgt John J. Brzostowski. Knettel rarely talked about the incident, but did tell his son Michael that the air was colder than normal that day and they were flying at a higher altitude than usual. He heard a tremendous noise and then he and Brzostowski just fell from the plane. As his chute deployed, the plane exploded and debris showered down. His parachute was damaged, causing him to descend too fast. He was severely injured; a metal plate had to be placed in his head and a rod in his leg. These injuries pained him until his death at age 47. Neither Knettel nor Brzostowski ever flew a combat mission again. Instead, both were transferred to the 577th's ground crew and finished the war with that unit.
Crew of 42-99979,
2nd/Lt. Louis F. Bass Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Kenneth L. Gahm Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Wayne M. Steele Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur R. Stover Jr. Bombardier KIA
S/Sgt. Gerald A. Knettel Engineer RTD
T/Sgt. James W. Thomas Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. John J. Brzostowski Gunner RTD
S/Sgt. Warren H. Burnett Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Walter E. Reeves Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Robert E. Norrell Gunner KIA
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Arkansas.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
