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Archive Report: US Forces
1941 - 1945

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.

We seek additional information and photographs. Please contact us via Helpdesk
8th Air Force
20.01.1945 728th Bombardment Squadron (H) B-17G 44-6601 ‘Lucky Lady’, 2nd Lt. Cecil K. Belton

Operation: Rheine (Mission #801), Germany

Date: 20th January 1945 (Saturday)

Unit No: 728th Bombardment Squadron (H), 452nd Bombardment Group (H), 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G Lucky Lady

Serial No: 44-6601

Code: M3:G

Location: Midwoud area, Netherlands

Base: Deopham Green (Station #142), Norfolk, England

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Cecil Kenneth ‘Tuck’ Belton O-778379 AAF Age 22. Evaded (1)

Co Pilot: 2nd Lt. Andrew Borland Shanks O-829318 AAF Age 28. KiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Carl E. Chillberg O-2068607 AAF Age? KiA

Bombardier: FO. Claude Harold ‘Bud’ Bogert T-005728 AAF Age 22. KiA

Radio/Op: Sgt. Thomas Aloysius Rogan 32782724 AAF Age 21. KiA

Engineer: Sgt. Sylvester Salamone 12192566 AAF Age 22. KiA

Ball Turret: Sgt. Warren Faux Neilsen 39914962 AAF Age 20. KiA

Waist Gunner: Sgt. William Lloyd Monroe 37479639 AAF Age 19. KiA

Tail Gunner: Sgt. Melvin Deloyd Williams 38557607 AAF Age 19. KiA

One of the two Waist Gunners were removed from crew complements starting on the 7th June 1944 and then both from the 23rd February 1945.

Above: Photograph of B-17G 44-6601 M3:G ‘Lucky Lady’ (Courtesy of the American Air Museum)

REASON FOR LOSS:

The Lucky Lady took off at 07:30 hrs on the 20th January 1945 from Deopham Green on a mission to bomb the railway marshalling yards at Rheine, Germany.

An after mission statement reported that #601 was seen to drop out of formation at about 10:45 hrs, approximately 20 minutes after bombs away. It was thought that #601 wanted to get out of the contrails and to join the lead Squadron. They did not appear to be in trouble and no engines were feathered.

The Lucky Lady had developed engine trouble, first #3 engine failed, then #2 started smoking, forcing the aircraft down into the clouds at 20,000 ft. There was an explosion and 2nd Lt. Belton gave the order to bale out just as a second larger explosion tore the aircraft apart.

(1) 2nd Lt. Belton was thrown clear by the explosion although he could not recall having pulled his ripcord. Considerably shaken up and finding that he only had one parachute strap fastened, he hit the ground hard near Midwoud in Holland at around midday.

Whilst descending he did not see any other parachutes in the air. Dutch citizens found him as he lay in the snow and helped him to the nearest house. There they took his parachute, harness, and Mae West, gave him a bicycle, and sent him off to a barn 2 miles away, with a guide pedalling on either side. In the barn he was given civilian clothes to change into and hearing that the Germans were only a few minutes behind in their pursuit, he cycled on in two more stages of 5 miles and 7 miles, eventually he reached a chicken house where the Dutch underground kept him hidden for six days. Whilst there he was informed that all of his crew had perished, having been found with parachutes unopened, in the wreckage of the Lucky Lady.

On the 25th January he was moved to Spanbroek where he met Sgt. Henry K. Radcliffe, an RAF navigator.

Flt Sgt. Henry K. Radcliffe 1562928 RAFVR was the navigator aboard 254 Sqn Beaufighter TF.X NE465 QM:F which was shot down on the 17th January 1945.

On the 26th January the two airmen, a doctor Tammes and a guide travelled by bicycles to Zaandam, some 29km as the crow flies, south of Spanbroek, where they stayed until the morning of the Sunday 28th January. At 08:00 hrs the four left for Amsterdam and whilst crossing a Noordzeekanaal bridge they met thirty to forty armed German soldiers but passed them without being challenged.

Doctor Tammes had a brother in the RAF was believed to be Flt Lt. Bruin Tammes, 1149992 RAFVR, who was initially a navigator with RAF Coastal Command.

At their next contact in Amsterdam the two airmen went to separate locations. Although the Dutch themselves had very little food and were eating cats and even tulip bulbs, he received the best that could be procured from the Black Market, The Dutch underground in North Holland was still active in late January 1945. They were receiving food, arms, and equipment dropped by Allied aircraft. They also raided the houses of Black Marketeers for food to distribute among the needy.

Often helpers disguised themselves in German or police uniforms. Some posed as doctors, since no other civilians in North Holland were allowed to ride bicycles in daytime. The Germans in this area were very easily duped by these ruses and 2nd Lt. Belton himself once wore a German uniform. The underground also had plenty of arms and issued 2nd Lt. Belton with a number of different firearms to use when on guard.

Around noon on the on the 10th February he re-joined Flt Sgt. Radcliffe along with two new guides and they set off for Rotterdam, some 58 km to the SSW as the crow flies. Due to a heavy wind blowing and a bike puncture they stopped overnight in Alphen (Alphen ann den Rijn) about 32 km into their journey.

The set off again for Rotterdam the next morning and arrived at around 13:00 hrs where they remained for about 4 hrs before continuing on with another guide to Zwljndrecht, on the north bank of the river Maas and some 76 km SE of Rotterdam, arriving at about 19:00 hrs.

They remained at Zwljndrecht for 5 nights and on the 16th February journeyed on to Sliedrecht about 10 km further to east still on the north bank of the river. They would attempt a crossing that night, however, upon arriving the attempt was cancelled. The two airmen remained in hiding until the 19th February when a second attempt was made by boat, with four British paratroopers, two Dutch civilians and two guides, but failed because of the prevailing misty conditions.

Note: The identities of the four British paratroopers are unknown.

They initially returned to their hideout but during the period 20th February and 6th March they were moved between four different addresses. On the 6th March at 20:00 hrs he an 2nd Lt. Belton were taken to a prearranged rendezvous and at 21:00 hrs together with the four British paratroopers and two guides they crossed the river. They managed to pass the German sentries and watch towers, travelling a circuitous course and finally arriving safely eight hours later south of the river Maas, reaching Allied lines on the 7th March at 03:30 hrs.

Here they were met by some French Canadians soldiers and were escorted to Tilburg in Holland. From there they continued on to Brussels and then to Paris. 2nd Lt. Belton had evaded capture for a period of 46 days.

Burial details:

Above: Actual propellor from the plane incorporated into a memorial for the crew of the ‘Lucky Lady’. The wonderful townspeople of Midwoud, Netherlands place flowers at this site each year on Memorial Day. (Courtesy of the American Air Museum)

All the casualties were initially buried at the Midwoud Community Cemetery, Grave Nos 1 to 8.

Above: Grave marker for 2nd Lt. Shanks (Credit: Des Philippet)

2nd Lt. Andrew Borland Shanks. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 181 on the 21st January 1946. Relocated to Plot H, Row 17, Grave 8. Born on the 15th August 1917 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. Son of Alexander and Matilda Shanks and husband to Jane H. Shanks of Buffalo, New York, USA.

2nd Lt. Carl E. Chillberg. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 182 on the 21st January 1946. Repatriated to Elmwood Cemetery and Mausoleum, River Grove, Cook County, Illinois. Husband to Margaret C. Chillberg of Round Lake, Illinois, USA.

Courtesy of the Wisconsin State Journal, dated Thursday, April 19th, 1945

FO. Claude Harold ’Bud’ Bogert. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 184 on the 21st January 1946. Repatriated to Camp Douglas City Cemetery, Camp Douglas, Wisconsin on the 18th May 1949. Born on the 3rd April 1922 in West Allis, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Son of Robert J. and Hazel Irene (née Graham) Bogert and husband to Jennie A. (née Erdman) Bogert of Schofield, Marathon, Wisconsin, USA.

Above: Grave marker for Sgt. Rogan (Credit: Des Philippet)

Sgt. Thomas Aloysius Rogan. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 171 on the 21st January 1946. Relocated to Plot H, Row 14, Grave 2. Born on the 30th January 1923 in Staten Island, Richmond County, New York Son of Patrick and Susan (née Boyle) Rogan of Staten Island, Richmond County, New York, USA.

Above: Grave marker for Sgt. Salamone (Credit: Des Philippet)

Sgt. Sylvester Salamone. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 191 on the 21st January 1946. Relocated to Plot H, Row 8, Grave 18. Born on the 10th October 1922 in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. Son of Alessandro Salamone of Ozone Park, New York, USA.

Above left to right: Courtesy of The Beaver Press dated Friday April 20th, 1945; Courtesy of the The Beaver Press, dated Friday June 22nd, 1945; Grave marker for Sgt. Neilsen (Credit: Des Philippet)

Sgt. Warren Faux Neilsen. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 190 on the 21st January 1946. Relocated to Plot H, Row 12, Grave 6. Born on the 18th May 1924 in Moroni, Sanpete County, Utah. Son of Warren (his father predeceased him in July 1940) and Ruth Helena (née Faux) Neilsen of Sanpete County, Utah, USA.

Sgt. William Lloyd Monroe. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 192 on the 21st January 1946. Repatriated and interred in Plot J-886, Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. Born on the 9th February 1925 in Winthrop, Sibley County, Minnesota. Son of Lloyd Everett and Henriette Lydia (née Timmerman) Monroe of of Spencer, Iowa, USA.

Above: Grave marker for Sgt. Williams (Credit: Des Philippet)

Sgt. Melvin Deloyd Williams. Purple Heart. Reinterred in Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot BBB, Row 8, Grave 193 on the 21st January 1946. Relocated to Plot H, Row 8, Grave 19. Born on the 10th August 1925 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. Son of William Jeremiah and Alpha Estella (née McCollum) Williams of Pharr, Texas, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew.

RS 05.06.2022 - Initial upload

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Acknowledgments: Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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