|
Home
Allied:
1939-1940 Updated 19/10-24
1941 Updated 28/4-22
1942 Updated 14/7-24
1943 Updated 15/4-24
1944 Updated 20/11-24
1945 Updated 4/12-22
German:
1939
1940 New 30/11-23
1941 New 23/7-21
1942 Updated 24/7-24
1943 Updated 28/1-23
1944 Updated 23/7-23
1945 Updated 16/7-23
Books New Book by Steve Smith
Sources
Contact
Links
Search this
site by entering search words:
|
B 17G 42-3535 belly landed near Varpelev 11/4 1944.
The aircraft belonged to USAAF, 8 Air Force, 96 Bomb Group, 339 Bomb Squadron
and was coded QJ-X.
T/O Snetterton. OP: Poznan.
Not being able to identify the primary target the bombs were dropped on Stettin.
Just after having dropped the bombs the formation was attacked by German
fighters and received hits in the fuselage. At about the same time flak exploded
beneath 42-3535 destroying no. three engine and making it impossible to close
the bomb doors.
Due to the loss of a engine Pilot 2. Lt Kenneth E. Bethe was not able to keep up
speed to follow the formation and decided to head for Sweden.
Once again they were attacked by fighters and no. two engine stopped while no.
four lost power. A 20 mm grenade entered the cockpit and wounded several of the
crew.
The crew started to throw all loose equipment out to lighten the plane. It was
decoded to belly land the aircraft and at about 14:20 hours 42-3535 came to a
stand still in a field belonging to Farmer Johan Nissen “Myrekær” farm near
Varpelev on the island of Sjælland. The crew left the bomber and hid in a nearby
wood.
Johan Nissen who was harrowing his fields saw the landing and hid the tracks of
the flyers by harrowing the area.
(Museet for Danmarks Frihedskamp)
(RDAF)
(Via Helme)
(Via Helme)
(Via Helme)
(Raoul A. de Mars Jr.)
(Raoul A. de Mars Jr.)
When darkness came Nissen took them to his farm where they were feed.
Later they were taken to København (Copenhagen) by truck and hidden in the home
of Mr. Robert Jensen. On the night of 14-15/4 they were sailed to Sweden by
“Dansk-Svensk Flygtningetjeneste” who had specialices in transporting refugees
to Sweden.
They left from Sundby harbour on the fishing boat “Rylen” and landed in Malmö in
Sweden. On 26/4 they were sent to England by a courier flight.
(Via Helme)
Rear: Segalla, Leaur, Morozk, Esler, Morgan, Hamlin,
Front: de Mars, Bethe, Juskowitz, Smith
The crew were Pilot 2. Lt Kenneth E. Bethe, Co-pilot 2nd Lt Raoul A. de Mars,
Navigator 2nd Lt Hyman J. Juskowitz, Bombardier 2nd LT Robert D. Smith, Engineer
S/Sgt Constantino L. Segalla, Radio operator S/Sgt Albert C. Esler, Right waist
gunner Sgt Russell A. Lauer, Ball turret gunner S/Sgt Stanley T. Mrozek, Tail
gunner SGt Everett Morgan Jr. and Left waist gunner Sgt John A. Hamlin.
(Raoul A. de Mars Jr.)
Co-pilot 2nd Lt Raoul A. de Mars
(Bob Cobley)
(Bob Cobley)
Sources: MACR, FT, Report from “Dansk-Svensk Flygtningetjeneste”.
Back to 1944
Top of page
|
