USAAF WORLD WAR II
Gunner Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. KIA
Hometown: Nashville, Tennesse
Squadron: 66th 44th Bomb Group
Service# 14159347
Awards: Purple Heart
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
MACR #3763
Target: Airdrome, Langenhagen, Germany
Mission Date: 8-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99996
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location:
Cause: Crew of 10 KIA
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF
(Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The plane and crew lost was that piloted by 2nd Lt. William M. Richardson. He and his entire crew were KIA – no survivors. There were even few observers to this loss. The MACR is equally brief because of this, stating only that aircraft #996 apparently was hit by enemy aircraft at 1345 hours in the vicinity of Salzwedel and was seen to go down. No chutes were observed. At least five airplanes were lost within the three minutes near 1345 hours from one pass by enemy planes, as described by survivors from the other crews lost.
Richardson Crew
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur L. Miller Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Norris F. Orbach Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Milton H. Davis Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Vernon D. Nappier Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ray K. Goolsby Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert L. Pohlmeyerl Gunner KIA
Sgt. Eldon D. Siecke Gunner KIA
Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. Otis H. Pownall Gunner KIA
Gunner Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. KIA
Hometown: Nashville, Tennesse
Squadron: 66th 44th Bomb Group
Service# 14159347
Awards: Purple Heart
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
MACR #3763
Target: Airdrome, Langenhagen, Germany
Mission Date: 8-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99996
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location:
Cause: Crew of 10 KIA
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF
(Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The plane and crew lost was that piloted by 2nd Lt. William M. Richardson. He and his entire crew were KIA – no survivors. There were even few observers to this loss. The MACR is equally brief because of this, stating only that aircraft #996 apparently was hit by enemy aircraft at 1345 hours in the vicinity of Salzwedel and was seen to go down. No chutes were observed. At least five airplanes were lost within the three minutes near 1345 hours from one pass by enemy planes, as described by survivors from the other crews lost.
Richardson Crew
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur L. Miller Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Norris F. Orbach Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Milton H. Davis Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Vernon D. Nappier Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ray K. Goolsby Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert L. Pohlmeyerl Gunner KIA
Sgt. Eldon D. Siecke Gunner KIA
Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. Otis H. Pownall Gunner KIA
USAAF WORLD WAR II
Gunner Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. KIA
Hometown: Nashville, Tennesse
Squadron: 66th 44th Bomb Group
Service# 14159347
Awards: Purple Heart
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
MACR #3763
Target: Airdrome, Langenhagen, Germany
Mission Date: 8-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99996
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location:
Cause: Crew of 10 KIA
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF
(Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The plane and crew lost was that piloted by 2nd Lt. William M. Richardson. He and his entire crew were KIA – no survivors. There were even few observers to this loss. The MACR is equally brief because of this, stating only that aircraft #996 apparently was hit by enemy aircraft at 1345 hours in the vicinity of Salzwedel and was seen to go down. No chutes were observed. At least five airplanes were lost within the three minutes near 1345 hours from one pass by enemy planes, as described by survivors from the other crews lost.
Richardson Crew
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur L. Miller Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Norris F. Orbach Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Milton H. Davis Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Vernon D. Nappier Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ray K. Goolsby Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert L. Pohlmeyerl Gunner KIA
Sgt. Eldon D. Siecke Gunner KIA
Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. Otis H. Pownall Gunner KIA
Gunner Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. KIA
Hometown: Nashville, Tennesse
Squadron: 66th 44th Bomb Group
Service# 14159347
Awards: Purple Heart
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
MACR #3763
Target: Airdrome, Langenhagen, Germany
Mission Date: 8-Apr-44
Serial Number: #42-99996
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location:
Cause: Crew of 10 KIA
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF
(Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The plane and crew lost was that piloted by 2nd Lt. William M. Richardson. He and his entire crew were KIA – no survivors. There were even few observers to this loss. The MACR is equally brief because of this, stating only that aircraft #996 apparently was hit by enemy aircraft at 1345 hours in the vicinity of Salzwedel and was seen to go down. No chutes were observed. At least five airplanes were lost within the three minutes near 1345 hours from one pass by enemy planes, as described by survivors from the other crews lost.
Richardson Crew
2nd/Lt. William M. Richardson Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Arthur L. Miller Co Pilot KIA
2nd/Lt. Norris F. Orbach Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Milton H. Davis Bombardier KIA
T/Sgt. Vernon D. Nappier Engineer KIA
T/Sgt. Ray K. Goolsby Radio Op. KIA
Sgt. Robert L. Pohlmeyerl Gunner KIA
Sgt. Eldon D. Siecke Gunner KIA
Sgt. W. B. Bruce Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. Otis H. Pownall Gunner KIA
Inscription
SGT, US ARMY AIR FORCES WORLD WAR II
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