42-39990   JUNIOR

MACR 4958
2LT
 STEPHEN A GAAL
 PILOT
 POW
2LT
 DONALD A BLUST
 CO-PILOT
 POW
2LT
 LESLIE C ROEWAR
 NAVIGATOR
 POW
2LT
 ROBERT A STEWART
 BOMBARDIER
 POW
SSGT
 DONALD L LEDWICK
 ENGINEER
 POW
SSGT
 LESLIE P HARDIE
 RADIOMAN
 POW
SSGT
 BURRELL L SHAW
 BT GUNNER
 POW
SGT
 ANGELO A BELLISSIMO
 RW GUNNER
 POW
SGT
 JOHN J WRONA
 LW GUNNER
 POW
SGT
 RALPH A PHARRIS
 TAIL GUNNER
 POW
Mission #50 Target: Berlin
May 19, 1944
May 19, '44  Crashed near Althuttendorf, Germany, due to flak.

Germans on the ground heard machine gun fire above the clouds before
42-39990 crashed 400m NE of Althuttendorf and 150m N off the two lane
highway. This is about 55km North of Berlin. All crew members bailed out
and became POWs.

Crash site pinned down by German docs as:
North East Alt-Huttendorf. 150 Meters off the two-lane highway, 15 km north
of Eberswalde.  Crash was witnessed by the mayor of Althuettendorf, a Mr.
Brooks. One charred parachute found near the wreck, the Germans
suspected one crewman died in the crash as a result but all ended up being
captured alive and became POW's. Plane went straight in, so no salvage
possible.

Junior: The pilot, Stephen A. Gaal, boarded the Queen Elizabeth on March
31, 1944, to go to Deopham Green the day his first son, Stephen Gaal, Jr.,
was born. The crew decided to name the plane for Gaal's son.


Crew flew SIX missions in the 730th BS, 452d BG:

DATE:        1 May 1944
MISSION:  Northern France
A/C#         97206
CREW:  
P     2Lt Stephen. A. Gaal
CP   2Lt Donald. A. Blust
N     2Lt Leslie. C. Roewer
B     2Lt Robert. A. Stewart
TT    S/Sgt Donald. E. Ledwick
R     S/Sgt Leslie. P. Hardie
BT   Sgt Ralph. A. Pharris
RW  Cpl John. J. Wrona
LW  Cpl Burrell. L. Shaw
TG   Sgt Angelo. J. Bellissimo

DATE:        7 May 1944
MISSION:  Berlin
A/C#         39990

Same crew list

DATE:        8 May 1944
MISSION:  Berlin - Brunswick
A/C#         39990



DATE:        12 May 1944
MISSION:  Brux
A/C#         39990

Same crew list

DATE:        13 May 1944
MISSION:  Osnabruck
A/C#         39990

Same crew list

DATE:       19 May 1944
MISSION:  Berlin
A/C#         39990

Same crew list

FORMATION INFORMATION:

                                                               730 BS                                                  
                                                          
                                                                EAKIN
                                                                S  973
                                                                  39

                                       GRAFF                                    GAAL
                                        K 306                                     Z 990
                                           33                                          31

                                                                  HOUSTON
                                                                   M 087
                                                                     39

                                              THOMAS                              GITHER
                                               V 390                                   T 145
                                                  29                                        37

                                                                   DENHAM
                                                                    G 1361
                                                                        30