42-37951 MAVOUREEN
MACR 2779
MACR 2779
MISSION #5 TARGET: NORTHERN FRANCE
CREW LIST ON FEB 13, 1944
CREW LIST ON FEB 13, 1944
This B-17 belonged to the 728th Bomb Squadron and was coded 9Z-E.
While outbound over the island of Fyn (Funen) the formation of B 17`s was attacked by four JU
88`s which each lobbed a rocket into the formation and then attacked with machine guns. The
left wing on 42-37951 caught fire and left the formation. The crew were seen bailing out but
landed in the Store Bælt (Great Belt). The B 17 continued to the east and at approximately 12:30
it crashed north of Fuglebjerg near Haldagerlille on Sjælland (Sealand).
The dead body of Pilot 2nd Lt Billy Huffman was found near the wreck and was laid to rest in
Svinø cemetery on Feb 23, 1944. His remains were disinterred on May 8, 1948 and were
evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville en Condron in Belgium by the US military. He
now rests in the USA.
Left Waist Gunner Sgt Thomas E. MacDonald and Right Waist Gunner Sgt George T. Smith were
picked out of the freezing water by a German ship and ended the war in POW camps in Germany.
Ball Turret Gunner Sgt John Brady was picked up by a boat from the lightship No 4 but froze to
death. He was laid to rest in Korsør cemetery on Feb 23,1944. His remains were disinterred on
29/4 1948 and were evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville en Condron in Belgium by
the US military. Today he rests in the USA.
Co- Pilot 2nd Lt George Tomlinson was found washed ashore near Hyllekrog on the island of
Lolland on May 28, 1944 and was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on May 30, 1944. His remains
were disinterred on August 5, 1948 and were evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville
en Condron in Belgium by the US military.
Tail Gunner Sgt Martin L. Berry, Radio Operator S/Sgt Samuel M. Fanburg, Bombardier 2nd Lt
Lloyd R. Frazier and Navigator Morton B. Lehman died but have no known grave and their
names are found on Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge,
England.
Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt Robert J. McCabe died in the freezing water and today rests in the USA.
Two German pilots operating twin engine aircraft were granted claims over the island of Fyn on
this day. Hauptmann Eduard Tratt of Stab II/ZG 26 at 12:15-25 and Oberleutnant Dürkopp of 6./ZG
26 at 12:15-20.
Sources: MACR, AS 13-68, RL 19/458, LBUK, BS, FAF, UA.
While outbound over the island of Fyn (Funen) the formation of B 17`s was attacked by four JU
88`s which each lobbed a rocket into the formation and then attacked with machine guns. The
left wing on 42-37951 caught fire and left the formation. The crew were seen bailing out but
landed in the Store Bælt (Great Belt). The B 17 continued to the east and at approximately 12:30
it crashed north of Fuglebjerg near Haldagerlille on Sjælland (Sealand).
The dead body of Pilot 2nd Lt Billy Huffman was found near the wreck and was laid to rest in
Svinø cemetery on Feb 23, 1944. His remains were disinterred on May 8, 1948 and were
evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville en Condron in Belgium by the US military. He
now rests in the USA.
Left Waist Gunner Sgt Thomas E. MacDonald and Right Waist Gunner Sgt George T. Smith were
picked out of the freezing water by a German ship and ended the war in POW camps in Germany.
Ball Turret Gunner Sgt John Brady was picked up by a boat from the lightship No 4 but froze to
death. He was laid to rest in Korsør cemetery on Feb 23,1944. His remains were disinterred on
29/4 1948 and were evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville en Condron in Belgium by
the US military. Today he rests in the USA.
Co- Pilot 2nd Lt George Tomlinson was found washed ashore near Hyllekrog on the island of
Lolland on May 28, 1944 and was laid to rest in Svinø cemetery on May 30, 1944. His remains
were disinterred on August 5, 1948 and were evacuated to the American cemetery at Neuville
en Condron in Belgium by the US military.
Tail Gunner Sgt Martin L. Berry, Radio Operator S/Sgt Samuel M. Fanburg, Bombardier 2nd Lt
Lloyd R. Frazier and Navigator Morton B. Lehman died but have no known grave and their
names are found on Tablets of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridge,
England.
Top Turret Gunner S/Sgt Robert J. McCabe died in the freezing water and today rests in the USA.
Two German pilots operating twin engine aircraft were granted claims over the island of Fyn on
this day. Hauptmann Eduard Tratt of Stab II/ZG 26 at 12:15-25 and Oberleutnant Dürkopp of 6./ZG
26 at 12:15-20.
Sources: MACR, AS 13-68, RL 19/458, LBUK, BS, FAF, UA.
MORE INFORMATION:
THE 452ND HIT THE PRIMARY TARGET AT POSEN AND ALSO HIT A TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY AT
ROSTOCK. 15 TWIN ENGINE AND 10 SINGLE ENGINE GERMAN FIGHTERS ATTACKED THE
GROUP OVER THE WEST COAST OF DENMARK. THIS PLANE WAS REPORTED MISSING, BUT 9
TO 10 CHUTES WERE SEEN. FOUR OTHER 452ND PLANES RECEIVED DAMAGE. 452ND
GUNNERS CLAIMED ONE ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED, FOUR PROBABLES, AND THREE
DAMAGED.
THE FORMATION WAS ATTACKED BY 4 JU-88'S WHICH LOBBED ONE ROCKET EACH INTO THE
FORMATION, THEN ATTACKED WITH 20MM GUNS. MAVOUREEN'S #1 ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE
AND A BIG HOLE WAS OBSERVED ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING. THE CREW
BAILED OUT, MOST OF THEM OVER THE ICY SEA. THE PILOT, 2LT HUFFMAN, WENT DOWN
WITH THE PLANE AND CRASHED AT HELDAGERLILLE, FUGLEBJERG, 25KM EAST OF KORSOR,
DENMARK. LEHMAN, FRAZIER, MCABE, FANBURG, AND BERRY LANDED IN THE SEA AND
DROWNED. ALL ARE LISTED ON THE WALLS OF THE MISSING IN CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.
HUFFMAN'S BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE B-17. NO TAG WAS FOUND, BUT A GOLD RING
WITH THE INSCRIPTION "B.L.H." WAS FOUND ON HIS FINGER. HUFFMAN WAS BURIED IN SVINO
CHURCHYARD, GRAVE 31. TOMLINSON'S BODY WAS RECOVERED MAY 28, 1944 AT
HYLLEKROG, ODDE AND BURIED IN SVINO. BRADY WAS RESCUED FROM THE SEA, BUT NEVER
RECOVERED AND DIED IN THE HOSPITAL. HE WAS BURIED IN THE KORSOR CHURCHYARD.
Credit: Edward Hinrichs
THE 452ND HIT THE PRIMARY TARGET AT POSEN AND ALSO HIT A TARGET OF OPPORTUNITY AT
ROSTOCK. 15 TWIN ENGINE AND 10 SINGLE ENGINE GERMAN FIGHTERS ATTACKED THE
GROUP OVER THE WEST COAST OF DENMARK. THIS PLANE WAS REPORTED MISSING, BUT 9
TO 10 CHUTES WERE SEEN. FOUR OTHER 452ND PLANES RECEIVED DAMAGE. 452ND
GUNNERS CLAIMED ONE ENEMY AIRCRAFT DESTROYED, FOUR PROBABLES, AND THREE
DAMAGED.
THE FORMATION WAS ATTACKED BY 4 JU-88'S WHICH LOBBED ONE ROCKET EACH INTO THE
FORMATION, THEN ATTACKED WITH 20MM GUNS. MAVOUREEN'S #1 ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE
AND A BIG HOLE WAS OBSERVED ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING. THE CREW
BAILED OUT, MOST OF THEM OVER THE ICY SEA. THE PILOT, 2LT HUFFMAN, WENT DOWN
WITH THE PLANE AND CRASHED AT HELDAGERLILLE, FUGLEBJERG, 25KM EAST OF KORSOR,
DENMARK. LEHMAN, FRAZIER, MCABE, FANBURG, AND BERRY LANDED IN THE SEA AND
DROWNED. ALL ARE LISTED ON THE WALLS OF THE MISSING IN CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND.
HUFFMAN'S BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE B-17. NO TAG WAS FOUND, BUT A GOLD RING
WITH THE INSCRIPTION "B.L.H." WAS FOUND ON HIS FINGER. HUFFMAN WAS BURIED IN SVINO
CHURCHYARD, GRAVE 31. TOMLINSON'S BODY WAS RECOVERED MAY 28, 1944 AT
HYLLEKROG, ODDE AND BURIED IN SVINO. BRADY WAS RESCUED FROM THE SEA, BUT NEVER
RECOVERED AND DIED IN THE HOSPITAL. HE WAS BURIED IN THE KORSOR CHURCHYARD.
Credit: Edward Hinrichs
|
Mavoureen after crash