Voor Informatie over Soldaten gesneuveld in Europa. Tijdens de 2e Wereldoorlog.

ww2-europe.com

Deze website is opgedragen aan de mannen en vrouwen van de geallieerde strijdkrachten die in de Asia-Pacific Regio zijn omgekomen tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog.

informatie over iets

op deze Website, of anders.

sjoke.vijgen@gmail.com

Sigman, Blache Faye

Rank and Name, First Lieutenant (Nurse) Blanche Faye Sigman.

Unit/Placed in, Army Nurse Corps, United States Army.

 

Blanche is born on7 November 1907 in Byesville, Guernsey County, Ohio.

Father, Joseph Allen Sigman.

Mother, Blanch (Whitis) Sigman.

 

Blanche enlisted the service in Ohio with service number # N-728973.

 

Blanche was KIA when a German pilot dropped his bombs while trying to escape a U.S. fighter aircraft on the Evacuation Hospital she was a Nurse in on 7 February 1944,  she is honored with a Italian War Cross, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Nurse Corps Badge, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal.

 

Blanche was buried at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery, Piazzale Kennedy 1, Nettuno, Italy.

Blanch was reburied in 1949 at Enon Cemetery, Byesville, Guernsey County, Ohio, USA.

 

The 2 Nurses I found also died in this Bombing were;

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180518311/carrie-sheetz

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/180518311/carrie-sheetz

 

Thanks to,

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KHXX-VRS

https://www.navsource.org/archives/30/08/0804.htm

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

TWS Roll of Honor, togetherweserved.com

 

On September 13, 1943, Sigman was serving aboard the hospital ship for the Eighth Army, the HMHS Newfoundland, in the Gulf of Salerno, Italy, when German planes bombed the ship. She survived the attack and went on to serve in Italy during the Anzio campaign. Along with some 200 nurses, and while being bombarded, Sigman cared for 33,000 patients at Anzio. On February 7, 1944, a Luftwaffe pilot fleeing from a British fighter dropped a load of bombs on the hospital where Sigman was caring for the wounded. Sigman died in the attack. Fellow soldiers temporarily interred her body on the Anzio beachhead next to her patients. In 1948 she was reinterred in her hometown of Byesville, Ohio. A US Army Hospital Ship was named the Blanche Faye Sigman in her honor.

Thanks to; https://www.honorstates.org

Albright, J. F.

Rank and Name, Staff Sergeant J. F. “Buddy” Albright.

Unit/Placed in, 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber group (Heavy).

 

J. F. is born on 4 January 1923 in Capron, Woods County, Oklahoma.

Father, Charles Lewis Albright.

Mother, Margaret Helen (Sumers) Albright.

Sister(s), Gloria Margarite Albright.

Brother(s), Charles Richard Albright.

 

J.F. enlisted the service in Oklahoma with service number # 18192182.

 

J.F.‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17  were,

1st Lt.           Charles O Barnes              Pilot

2nd Lt.          Frank Hopko Jr                Co-Pilot

2nd Lt.          Rowland Gaunt                 Navigator

2nd Lt.          John E Maguire                 Bombardier

SSgt.            J. F. Albright                 Radio Operator

SSgt.            Delbert R Mann                Top Turret Gunner

Sgt.              William E Baynes              Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt.              Robert R Earp                  Right Waist Gunner

Sgt.              Peter R Sfikas                   Left Waist Gunner

Sgt.              George L Walker Jr           Tail Gunner

 

J.F. was MIA on the Heavy Bombardment mission to the Danish Coast when they got shot by enemy Fighters and crashed in the North Sea on 22 February 1944,  he is honored with an Air Medal, Purple Heart, Good Combat Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

 

J.F. was buried/mentioned at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.

Walls of the missing.

J.F. now is buried/mentioned at Alva Municipal Cemetery

Alva, Woods County, Oklahoma, USA.

 

Thanks to, https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archive/person/j-f-albright

https://b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/42-31409-liberty-run/

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LVH4-4FB

https://www.airmen.dk/p271propLRun.htm

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

Walker, Lewis M.

Name and Rank, First Lieutenant Lewis M. Walker

 Unit/Placed in, 360th Bomber Squadron, 303rd Bomber Group (Hell’s Angels).

 

 

Lewis was born on August 22, 1918 in Battle Creek, Calhoun County, Michigan.

Father, David Andrew Walker.

Mother, Bernice A. (Dixon) Walker.

Sister(s), Rose Elizabeth Walker

Brother(s), Kenneth B. and James H. Walker.

 

Lewis enlisted in the service at Michigan with serial number #0813047.

 

Lewis Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17  were,

First Lieutenant       Lewis M. Walker                Pilot

Second Lieutenant   Joseph J. Doyle                 Co-Pilot

Second Lieutenant   Donald B. Beers                Bombadier

First Lieutenant       Carl L. Nielsen                  Navigator

T/Sgt                     James W. Sublet               Engineer

T/Sgt                     Albert J. Lunday               Radio-Operator

Sgt                        Walter L. Hundley             Ball Turret Gunner

S/Sgt                     Frank Naifeh                    Right  Waist Gunner

S/Sgt                     Henry C. Mathis Jr.           left  Waist Gunner

S/Sgt                     Arthur C. Reckert             Tail Gunner

Lewis was KIA when the plane was hit by FLAK, it both engines caught fire and blew up they crashed at Gestocke, Germany on Sep. 13, 1944, when on a Combat mission to Bomb the Oil Factory at Eisenbach, Germany, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Air Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal.

 

Lewis was first buried/Mentioned at buried at Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial, Neuville-en-Condroz, Arrondissement de Liège, Liège, Belgium.

Lewis was reburied in 1950 at Reese Cemetery, Springfield, Calhoun County, Michigan, USA.

 

 

 

Thanks to the www.303rdBG.com

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LB2V-R8P

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

 

303rd Bomb Group (H) – Molesworth, England the 303rd Bomb group was an Eight air Force B-17 bomber group stationed in England from ’42-’45 . They dubbed them selves The Hells Angels,Their Motto Might in Flight,flew 364 combat missions. Their place in history and the legacy they left behind will live forever

After being hit by flak, #42-6076 Liberty Run, piloted by 1Lt. Lewis M. Walker, had feathered a propeller. It crashed near Merseburg in a mass of flames. It had pulled off to the right and then went into a vertical dive, apparently out of control. No chutes were observed. Six of the crew did make successful jumps. S/Sgt. Walter Hundley suffered a broken leg. The six survivors hid for 13 days in the mountains. Sgt Hundley recalled, “We were nearly starved and frozen, had no medical attention and were filthy. We were like barbaric heathens. It got so bad we decided there was nothing to do but walk to the nearest town and surrender. It was all I could do to crawl with my bad right leg. The Germans—they were farmers, not Nazis—ignored us in the town. They were too busy working slave labor of Poles and Russians. We dragged on to the next town. The Burgomeister of that town was finally convinced that we were Americans. He put us in a barn, gave us a bowl of barley soup (it tasted great), and notified the Nazis.” The four surviving Enlisted Men were taken to Stalag Luft IV at Gross Tychow, Poland and joined about 8,000 other prisoners 60 miles northeast of Berlin. They were liberated on 2 May 1945 by units of the British 2nd Army after enduring a 86 day 600 mile “Death March” from Stalag Luft 4.

 

The 303rd Bombardment Group (Hell’s Angels) Molesworth Airfield, England (1942)

Opened in World War One it was used by 75 Sqn RFC and abandoned at the end of that conflict. Rebuilt in 1940 it served as a RAF bomber command airfield until 1942 when it was transferred over to the USAAF and used for the remainder of the war by various medium and heavy bomber units. In July 1945 it was handed back to the RAF and a jet fighter conversion unit moved in. Molesworth is now home to the US`s intelligence analysis centre. Although all the missiles have gone all of the storage bunkers and a launch tower are still in place.

The 303d Bombardment Group consisted of the following squadrons:

358th Bombardment Squadron (Code VK)

359th Bombardment Squadron (Code BN)

360th Bombardment Squadron (Code PU)

427th Bombardment Squadron (Code GN)

The 303d took part in the first penetration into Germany by heavy bombers of Eighth Air Force by striking the U-boat yard at Wilhelmshaven on 27 January 1943 then attacked other targets such as the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, shipbuilding yards at Bremen, a synthetic rubber plant at Huls, an aircraft engine factory at Hamburg, industrial areas of Frankfurt, an aerodrome at Villacoublay, and a marshalling yard at Le Mans.

The 303d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an operation on 11 January 1944 when, in spite of continuous attacks by enemy fighters in weather that prevented effective fighter cover from reaching the group, it successfully struck an aircraft assembly plant at Oschersleben.

The group attacked gun emplacements and bridges in the Pas de Calais area during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944; bombed enemy troops to support the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July 1944. It struck airfields, oil depots, and other targets during the Battle of the Bulge, and bombed military installations in the Wesel area to aid the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The last mission for the 303d was flown on 25 April 1945 when it attacked an armament works in Pilsen. During its combat tour the group flew 364 missions comprising 10,271 sorties, dropped 26,346 tons of bombs and shot down 378 enemy aircraft with another 104 probables. The group also saw 817 of its men killed in action with another 754 becoming prisoners of war.

On 31 May 1945, the 303d Bomb Group left Molesworth, moving to Casablanca, French Morocco. A monument to the 303rd BG stands inside the main entrance and is accessible to the public.[8]

The 303d Bombardment Group consisted of the following squadrons:

358th Bombardment Squadron (Code VK)

359th Bombardment Squadron (Code BN)

360th Bombardment Squadron (Code PU)

427th Bombardment Squadron (Code GN)

The 303d took part in the first penetration into Germany by heavy bombers of Eighth Air Force by striking the U-boat yard at Wilhelmshaven on 27 January 1943 then attacked other targets such as the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, shipbuilding yards at Bremen, a synthetic rubber plant at Huls, an aircraft engine factory at Hamburg, industrial areas of Frankfurt, an aerodrome at Villacoublay, and a marshalling yard at Le Mans.

The 303d received a Distinguished Unit Citation for an operation on 11 January 1944 when, in spite of continuous attacks by enemy fighters in weather that prevented effective fighter cover from reaching the group, it successfully struck an aircraft assembly plant at Oschersleben.

The group attacked gun emplacements and bridges in the Pas de Calais area during the invasion of Normandy in June 1944; bombed enemy troops to support the breakthrough at Saint-Lô in July 1944. It struck airfields, oil depots, and other targets during the Battle of the Bulge, and bombed military installations in the Wesel area to aid the Allied assault across the Rhine in March 1945.

The last mission for the 303d was flown on 25 April 1945 when it attacked an armament works in Pilsen. During its combat tour the group flew 364 missions comprising 10,271 sorties, dropped 26,346 tons of bombs and shot down 378 enemy aircraft with another 104 probables. The group also saw 817 of its men killed in action with another 754 becoming prisoners of war.

On 31 May 1945, the 303d Bomb Group left Molesworth, moving to Casablanca, French Morocco. A monument to the 303rd BG stands inside the main entrance and is accessible to the public.[8]

Bob Hope entertained base personnel on 6 July 1943.[8] American news correspondent Walter Cronkite flew on a 303d Bombardment Group mission while reporting the war.[8] American servicemen from RAF Molesworth married more English women during World War II than servicemen from any other American base in England.

Nancy Love, pilot , and Betty Gillies , co-pilot, the first women to fly the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortressheavy bomber.

Production numbers for the Boeing.

Variant Produced           First flight

B-17G (total)    8,680

Grand total       12,731

Notes:-17s were built at Boeing Plant 2

Maleski, Victor Joseph

Rank and Name, Major Victor Joseph Maleski

Unit/Placed in, 84th Division, 9th Army,  327th Field Artillery Battalion.

 

 

Viktor was born in: October 4, 1919 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Father, Victor Stanley Maleski.

Mother, Katherine (Wisniewski) Maleski.

Parents born in Poland.

Sister(s), Veronica Harriet and Marcella Maleski.

Spouse, Marie M. (Logue) Maleski.

 

Enlisted the Army in February 8, 1941.

 

 

Maj. Maleski was a Major Operations Training Staff Officer with the 84th Infantry Division 327th Field Artillery Battalion.

 

Victor was ambushed when they were on Recon for the Battalion around Hannover, Victor and his Driver were killed at 12 April 1945, he is honored with a Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal.

 

 

Victor was first buried at the American Memorial and Cemetery Margraten Holland but was reburied at 1949 at St. Stanislaus  Cemetery in Etna, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

 

My Dad adopted his grave back in Holland in 1945.

 

Thanks to, https://history.army.mil/documents/eto-ob/84ID-ETO.htm

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/9VVB-1KK

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

Armstrong, Victor Carl

Name and Rank, Private Victor Carl Armstrong.

Unit/Placed in, 67th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 3th Armored Division (Spearhead).

 

Victor was born on June 4, 1920 in Illinois.

Father, John Franklin Armstrong.

Mother, Samilda Ellen (Harding) Armstrong.

Sister, Ruth M. Armstrong.

 

Victor enlisted in the Service in Scott field, Illinois on Feb. 4, 1942 ,with serial number, #36054459.

 

Victor was a Private/Medic in the 67th Armored Field artillery Battalion.

 

Victor was killed in action while giving aid to the GI’s at Chatillon Sur Colmont, France on Aug. 10, 1944 (nearby the Town of Mayenne D-Day region) and he is honored with the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal.

 

Victor was first buried at buried at Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Colleville-sur-Mer, Departement du Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France.

And was reburied in 1950 at the Oak Lawn Cemetery in Saint Francisville, Laurence County, Illinois.

 

Thanks to http://www.36air-ad.com/names/serial/36054459

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G3DQ-1ZB

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

Williams, Joseph Franklin

Name and Rank, Technical Sergeant 4th class Joseph Franklin Williams.

Unit/Placed in, 568th Bomber Squadron, 390th Bomber Group (Very Heavy).

 

Joseph was bo0 reacties in afwachtingrn on Aug. 19, 1920 in Indianapolis, Morian County, Indiana.

Father, James Hudson Williams.

Mother, Ethel Georgia Anna (Currens) Williams.

Brother(s), Paul, Harry and James Hudson Williams.

 

Joseph enlisted  the service at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indiana at July 28, 1942, with serial number, #15105362.

 

Joseph M. Williams was a Radio-Operator aboard a B-17 in the 568th Bomber Squadron.

 

Joseph‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17 were,

Pilot.                                         Elbert R. Hoover

Co-Pilot                                    Larry Pote

Navigator                                  Ora Jenkins

Bombardier                               Chas Stifford

Engineer / Top Turret Gunner      Steve Kovacik

Waist Gunner                             Sam Johnson

Waist Gunner                             Larry Mars

Tail Gunner                               Tom Parks

Radio Operator                           Joseph F Williams

Ball Turret Gunner                     Bill Peternell

No ranks available.

 

The Crew bailed out after a motor burn, and the plane crashed near Tannington, 8 returned to their duty, Bill Peternell and Joseph F. Williams were K.I.A.

 

Joseph was KIA during the raid to Norway, with engine malfunctions and the plane crashed in Britain, on Nov. 16, 1943, and he is honored with the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal.

 

Joseph was first buried at Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial, Coton, South Cambridgeshire District, Cambridgeshire, England.

and now he is buried at Mount Gilead Cemetery, Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana.

 

Thanks to 390th www.390th.org

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LRNZ-W13

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

 

MISSION TO RJUKAN, NORWAY

The aiming point of the target was the pen-stocks down the mountain from the dam for the hydro-electric building in the valley below. This building also contained the Norwegian heavy water plant which was being used by the Germans to provide heavy water for their experimentation in the development of the Atomic/Hydrogen bomb.

This was the only mission made by the 390th Bombardment Group to a Norwegian target. Twenty of our group of B-17Fs took the long route over the North Sea from England to hit this target. One aircraft tied in with the 1st Division formation and bombed Knaben, Norway.

Rjukan was located in a peaceful valley seventy-five miles west of Oslo. The terrain was rugged and the hillside where the penstocks came down was steep. This heavy water factory was instrumental to the German scientists in their plans for building an atomic bomb. The tremendous amount of hydro-electric power generated from Norwegian streams was to be harnessed for production of this heavy oxygen or as we called it, heavy water. It was the critical element the Germans believed could be made into an atomic force which would defeat the allies, England and America, if they could just get it perfected before the allies did.

On the long over-water trip north over the North Sea our navigator, Gus Mencow, used his sextant to shoot the sun for a sun line exactly at noontime. This gave him a good location of our north latitude and the north-south distance covered since we left England. From this, he adjusted his ground speed value to compute a better-estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the Norwegian coast. This was the initial point (IP) for the start of our bomb run. I believe this was the only time that celestial navigation was ever used in the European Theater during World War II. Gus was a highly competent navigator, a member of the lead crew of Captain Jim Geary in the 570th Squadron.

Their lead aircraft was affectionately known by its crew as, “Pistol Packin’ Mamma”. Flying with this crew was Major Joseph Gemmill as Command Pilot and the Squadron Navigator, Captain Marshall Shore acting in the capacity of Command Navigator. The Bombardier was Captain Donald Ventress, the 570th Squadron Bombardier.

The bomb load on all 390th aircraft was four (4) each, 1000 pound general purpose bombs.

Three runs were made on the target. On the first run, prop wash from the 95th Bomb Group interfered, and on the second run clouds and smoke interfered. On the third attempt the bombs were released prematurely, and struck the hillside west of the target. Other Groups, fortunately, damaged the plant severely. This plant was later-on struck by a Norwegian sabotage team that penetrated it on the ground, and Rjukan was never fully developed. The first and only large shipment of heavy water to head for Germany was sabotaged and the ship was blown up in a Norwegian fjord before it left Norway. The Norwegians were smarter in this respect than the Germans. The German quest for heavy water was completely thwarted.

One aircraft # 230455R, Schifliss Skonk, from the 569th Bomb Squadron on its twelfth mission flown by Raymond Becker, Pilot, caught fire and crashed in the North Sea. Three small boats were seen to head for the scene. There were no survivors.

Gunners of the 390th group were given credit for shooting down two enemy fighters that attacked the group over Norway.

On the third run at the target, an unfortunate thing happened to cause the bombs to fall a distance from the aiming point. The Command Pilot, Joe Gemmill, thinking that the bombs had been released, even though the red release light in the cockpit had not get come on, took control of the aircraft from the automatic pilot and started a turn off the target run. This caused a bombing error which was not the fault of the Bombardier. It was regrettable. We had flown so far to this important target and wanted very much to make a good hit on the aiming point. But such things happened occasionally in combat, especially when under attack from fighters or flak. This was not the case on this mission as flak was not very accurate and there were no fighters around bothering us at the time.

Butcher, Darro Abner

Rank and Name, Technician 5th Class Darro A. Butcher.

Unit/Placed in, 15th Armored Infantry Battalion, 5th Armored Division “Victory”.

 

Darro was born on Jan. 3, 1914 in Gates, Custer County, Nebraska.

Father, Abner Butcher.

Mother, Adelia Ann (Butler) Butcher.

Sister(s), Angeline, Lydia E., Mary Alice and Geraldine Adelia Butcher.

Brother(s), Ty Marion and Arley Cashes Butcher.

 

Darro enlisted  the service at Wyoming with service number # 17054163.

 

Darro A. Butcher was a Rifleman in the 15th Armored Infantry Battalion.

 

Darro was KIA in the fights when taking the town of Compiegne, France, on Sep 1, 1944, he is honored with the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

 

Darro was first buried/mentioned at Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial Saint-Avold, Departement de la Moselle, Lorraine, France.

Darro is reburied in 1950 at Mount Pisgah Cemetery, Gillette, Campbell County, Wyoming.

 

Thanks to the http://www.5ad.org/

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LK6Q-QD2

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

 

History

The 5th Armored “Victory” Division was activated on October 10, 1941, and reached the United Kingdom in February 1944.

 

The division landed at Utah Beach on July 24, 1944 under the command of Major General Lunsford E. Oliver, and moved into combat on August 2, driving south through Coutances, Avranches, and Vitré, and across the Mayenne River to seize the city of Le Mans, 8 August. Turning north, the Division forged the steel ring around the Germans in Normandy by advancing to the edge of the city of Argentan on 12 August—8 days before the Argentan-Falaise Gap was closed.

 

Turning Argentan over to the 90th Infantry Division, the 5th Armored advanced 80 miles to capture the Eure River Line at Dreux on 16 August. Bitter fighting was encountered in clearing the Eure-Seine corridor, the second big trap in France. The 5th passed through Paris 30 August to spearhead V Corps drive through the Compiègne Forest, across the Oise, Aisne, and Somme Rivers, and reached the Belgian border at Condé, 2 September.

 

The Division then turned east, advancing 100 miles in 8 hours, and crossed the Meuse at Charleville-Mézières, 4 September. Racing past Sedan, it liberated Luxembourg City on the 10th and deployed along the German border. The reconnaissance squadron of the Division sent a patrol across the German border on the afternoon of 11 September to be the first of the Allies to cross the enemy frontier. On 14 September the 5th penetrated the Siegfried Line at Wallendorf, remaining until the 20th, to draw off enemy reserves from Aachen.

 

In October it held defensive positions in the Monschau-Hofen sector. The Division entered the Hurtgen Forest area in late November and pushed the enemy back to the banks of the Roer River in very heavy fighting. On 22 December it was withdrawn to Verviers and placed in 12th Army Group reserve.

 

Crossing the Roer on 25 February 1945 the 5th spearheaded the XIII Corps drive to the Rhine, crossing the Rhine at Wesel, 30 March. The Division reached the banks of the Elbe at Tangermunde, 12 April—45 miles from Berlin. On 16 April, the 5th moved to Klotze to wipe out the Von Clausewitz Panzer Division and again drove to the Elbe, this time in the vicinity of Dannenberg. The Division mopped up in the Ninth Army sector until VE-day.

The division’s losses included 570 killed in action, 2,442 wounded in action, and 140 who died of wounds.

 

The division was inactivated on 11 October 1945

Organization of the 5th Armored Division:

  • 10th Tank Battalion
  • 34th Tank Battalion
  • 81st Tank Battalion
  • 15th Armored Infantry Battalion
  • 46th Armored Infantry Battalion
  • 47th Armored Infantry Battalion
  • HHB Division Artillery
  • 47th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
  • 71st Armored Field Artillery Battalion
  • 95th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
  • 85th Cavalry Reconnaissance Battalion, Mechanized
  • 505th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment
  • Headquarters
  • Headquarters Company, 5th Armored Division
  • HHC, Combat Command A
  • HHC, Combat Command B
  • Headquarters, Reserve Command
  • HHC, Division Trains
  • 75th Medical Battalion, Armored
  • 127th Armored Maintenance Battalion
  • Military Police Platoon
  • 22nd Armored Engineer Battalion
  • 145th Armored Signal Battalion

Huntley, Alan

Name and Rank, Technician Fifth Grade Alan Huntley.

Unit/Placed in, 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment (Radio Operator Comp. E), 10th Mountain Division.

 

Alan was born on 12July 1917 in Washington, District of Columbia.

Father, Theodore Alan Huntley.

Mother, Maude Clover (Ink) Huntley.

Sister, Martha Huntley.

 

Alan enlisted  the service at Wyoming in with serial number # 37086650.

 

Alen Huntley was a Technician 5 Class, HQ 2nd Platoon (E-Comp.) in the 87th Mountain Infantry Regiment .

 

Alan Huntley was KIA (Artillery, Rocket, Mortar) in the attack on Hill 868 (Castel Fiorentino) on January 15 1945, and he is honored with the Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Good Combat Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

 

Alan was first buried/mentioned at Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Nettuno, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy.

Walls of the Missing.

His remains were found in 1949 and reburied at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington County, Virginia.

 

Thanks to http://www.sulleormedeinostripadri.it/images/Traduzioni%20download/87thhistory.pdf

https://history.denverlibrary.org/news/70-years-ago-today-remembering-fallen-10th-mountain-division.

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GKH5-G1Z

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

 

2nd Battalion—Mt. Pigna COMPANY E Company E jumped off at 0700 leading the battalion to take Mt. Pigna to the northeast. Company F, on Hill 868, was to hold south of Pigna for a time and support this attack of Company E. T/5 ALAN HUNTLEY, a radio operator, was killed, and S/Sgt. GEORGE MARCH of the battalion S-2 section, was wounded by an artillery shell on top of Hill 868. The attached heavy machine guns from Company H prepared supporting fire from around Tabole. Two light machine guns were attached to the leading 3rd Platoon and one to the 1st Platoon which followed right behind them. The mortar squads were attached one to each platoon. As they moved north up the valley toward Santa Lucia, they ran into Company B southeast of the town. Company F held up while E started up Mt. Pigna from the southwest.

Castelfiorentino is a city and comune in the Metropolitan City of Florence, Tuscany, central-northern Italy, halfway between Florence, Pisa and Siena. The population is approximately 20,000 inhabitants. It is part of Valdelsa. Wikipedia

Metropolitan city: Florence (FI)

Region: Tuscany

Sandlin, Robert Benjamin

Rank and Name, Staff Sergeant Robert Benjamin Sandlin.

Unit/Placed in, 367th Bomber Squadron, 306th Bomber Group (Heavy) “Reich Wreckers”.

 

Robert is born on 19 Feb. 1916 in Oklahoma.

Father, Henry Cleveland Sandlin.

Mother, Elsa Mae (Trout) Sandlin.

Sister(s), Retha and Reba Sandlin.

Brother(s), Joseph C. Henry L. Gerald and Henry L. Sandlin.

 

Robert enlisted the service in Oklahoma with service number # 20827942.

 

Roberts‘s Crew-members and their position on-board the plane a B-17  were,

1st Lt.          Danton J. Nygaard            Pilot

1st Lt.          Daniel D DeButts               Co Pilot

2nd Lt.         Frank B. Leasman             Navigator

2nd Lt.         John S. Trost                    Bombardier

SSgt.            Cecil J. Floyd                    Engineer

SSgt.            Robert B. Sandlin              Radio Operator

SSgt.            Arnold E. Pearson             Ball Turret Gunner

Sgt.              Arthur A. Bloom               Right Waist Gunner

Sgt.              Stephen Ross                    Left Waist Gunner

Sgt.              Edwin A. Simoncek            Tail Gunner

Robert was KIA  while on a mission to bomb the German air depot at Romilly-sur-Seine, France they were shot down by enemy aircraft and crashed near Nangis, France on 20 Dec. 1942, he is honored with a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

 

Robert was first buried at Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial, Epinal, Departement des Vosges, Lorraine, France.

And in 1948 he was reburied at Elmwood Cemetery, Wagoner County, Oklahoma, USA.

 

Thanks to, https://www.306bg.us/

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7Q3-D9P

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/

Zunino, Elmo Mac

Name and Rank, Staff Sergeant Elmo M. Zunino.

Unit/Placed in, 291st Regiment (G-Comp), 75th Infantry Division ”Buglebusters”.

 

Elmo was born  on Sep. 21, 1915 in Reno, Washoe County, Nevada.

Father, Bartolomeo Zunino.

Mother, Catherina Maria (Pizzorno) Zunino.

Brother(s), Micheal Dominico, Louis, Ernest Anthony and Henry Zunino.

Spouse, Mary Zunino.

 

 

Elmo enlisted  the service at salt Lake City, Utah on March 24, 1943, with serial number,# 39911910.

 

Elmo was a Staff Sergeant (G-Comp) in the 291st Infantry.

 

Elmo was KIA at Grand Halleux, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge on Jan. 15, 1945, and he is honored with the Purple Heart, Good Combat Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Expeditionary Medal, American Campaign Medal, Navy & Marine Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, WW II Victory Medal.

 

Elmo was first buried at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial, Henri-Chapelle, Arrondissement de Verviers, Liège, Belgium.

He was reburied in 1949 at Mountain View Cemetery, Reno, Washoe County, Nevada

 

Thanks to 75th http://75thdivisiondad.com/

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G7VD-WVG

Jean Louis Vijgen, ww2-Pacific.com ww2-europe.com

Air Force Info, Rolland Swank.

ABMC Website, https://abmc.gov

Marines Info, https://missingmarines.com/    Geoffrey Roecker

Seabees History Bob Smith  https://seabeehf.org/

Navy Info, http://navylog.navymemorial.org

POW Info, http://www.mansell.com    Dwight Rider and Wes injerd.

Philippine Info, http://www.philippine-scouts.org/ Robert Capistrano

Navy Seal Memorial,  http://www.navysealmemorials.com

Family Info, https://www.familysearch.org

WW2 Info, https://www.pacificwrecks.com/

Medals Info, https://www.honorstates.org

Medals Forum, https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/

Find a Grave, https://www.findagrave.com

Tank Destroyers, http://www.bensavelkoul.nl/

WordPress en/of Wooncommerce oplossingen, https://www.siteklusjes.nl/

Military Recovery,  https://www.dpaa.mil/