42-97534 PATCHES
MACR 11049
MISSION #167
TARGET: SYNTHETIC OIL PLANT NEAR MERSEBURG
MACR 11049
MISSION #167
TARGET: SYNTHETIC OIL PLANT NEAR MERSEBURG
CREW ON NOVEMBER 25, 1944
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42-97534 - Delivered Denver 14/12/43,
Newark 11/1/44, Langley 12/1/44,
assigned to 482BG(H2X) Alconbury
25/1/44, transferred to 413BS/96BG
(MZ-A) Snetterton 5/1/44 (named PEE
WEE), transferred to 728BS/452BG
Deopham Green 26/1/44(renamed
PATCHES), MIA Merseburg 25/11/44.
Newark 11/1/44, Langley 12/1/44,
assigned to 482BG(H2X) Alconbury
25/1/44, transferred to 413BS/96BG
(MZ-A) Snetterton 5/1/44 (named PEE
WEE), transferred to 728BS/452BG
Deopham Green 26/1/44(renamed
PATCHES), MIA Merseburg 25/11/44.
On November 25, 1944, A/C #42-97534 was part of mission #167. The target that
day was a synthetic oil plant in Leuna, which is a suburb of Merseburg, Germany.
As seen in the crew table above, this crew was made up mostly of men on their
first mission. The plane made it over the target, but started lagging behind the
formation for unknown reason(s). Sgt Krachenfels stated after the war, that the
pilot was looking for Brussels Airfield in Belgium flying at 7,000 feet and he
believed that they were flying over friendly territory. They flew into a flak
barrage and were suddenly hit. The plane exploded immediately, blowing
Krachenfels and Mitchell clear of the aircraft. Bot survived and were taken
prisoners by the Germans. The remainder of the crew died in the explosion and
the plane crashed at Harren, north of Aachen, Germany very close to the Dutch
border.
A Catholic priest in the hospital where Sgt Krachenfels was treated for his
wounds told him that seven bodies were found in the crash wreckage and were
buried. He also told Krachenfels that he was captured in Oberkirchen.
Washburn, Vandervort, Hartman, and Ehret were later buried at the cemetery in
the Ardennes. They were re-buried at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in
Louisville, KY in May 1950.
day was a synthetic oil plant in Leuna, which is a suburb of Merseburg, Germany.
As seen in the crew table above, this crew was made up mostly of men on their
first mission. The plane made it over the target, but started lagging behind the
formation for unknown reason(s). Sgt Krachenfels stated after the war, that the
pilot was looking for Brussels Airfield in Belgium flying at 7,000 feet and he
believed that they were flying over friendly territory. They flew into a flak
barrage and were suddenly hit. The plane exploded immediately, blowing
Krachenfels and Mitchell clear of the aircraft. Bot survived and were taken
prisoners by the Germans. The remainder of the crew died in the explosion and
the plane crashed at Harren, north of Aachen, Germany very close to the Dutch
border.
A Catholic priest in the hospital where Sgt Krachenfels was treated for his
wounds told him that seven bodies were found in the crash wreckage and were
buried. He also told Krachenfels that he was captured in Oberkirchen.
Washburn, Vandervort, Hartman, and Ehret were later buried at the cemetery in
the Ardennes. They were re-buried at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in
Louisville, KY in May 1950.
