Operation: Parchim (Mission #931), Germany

Date: 7th April 1945 (Saturday)

Unit No: 835th Bombardment Squadron (H), 486th Bombardment Group (H), 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G Happy Warrior

Serial No: 43-39163

Code: H8:S

Location: Parchim, Germany

Base: Sudbury (Station #382), Suffolk, England

Pilot: 1st Lt. Walter George Center Jr. O-782163 AAF Age 21. PoW *

Co Pilot: 2nd Lt. Douglas F. Spath O-929343 AAF Age 22. KiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. George E. Lyford O-2072806 AAF Age 20. Killed (1)

Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Robert John Frauenholtz 37558996 AAF Age 20. KiA

Engineer: S/Sgt. Giovanni A. ‘John’ Cirelli 42003200 AAF Age 20. PoW **

Nose Gunner: S/Sgt. Frank Walter Pikula 16137051 AAF Age 27. Killed (1)

Ball Turret: Sgt. Albert Harris 33269435 AAF Age 24. PoW **

Waist Gunner: Sgt. Wyatt Morseley Kerr 38629346 AAF Age 21. PoW **

Tail Gunner: Sgt. Sam John Powell Jr. 18227984 AAF Age 19. PoW *

Observer: Maj. Bain Joseph Fulton O-916096 AAF Age 24. PoW *

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

* Stalag Luft 1 Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.

** Not held in a PoW camp

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 7th April 1945 the 486th Bombardment Group (H) joined a force to bomb the Parchim airfield in Mecklenburg, 36 km (22¼ mls) SE of Schwerin and 4 km ( ½ mls) west of the town of Parchim.

At this time Parchim was the base for the Me 262’s of the 9./JG7 and 10./JG7 Staffeln (Squadron). This was the sixth bombing and strafing mission on this airfield.

At 14:40 hrs, over the target area, at an altitude of 15,000ft, aircraft #846 released its bombs and one of the 100lb clusters broke apart and floated through the formation. One of 20lb bombs in the cluster apparently became armed and hit aircraft #163. The aircraft seemed to burst into flames immediately. Six (6) men jumped from this aircraft and five (5) parachutes were definitely seen to open.

The cluster is believed to comprise 20lb M-41 fragmentation bombs grouped on a double 4-unit frame.

#846 was B-17G 42-37846 “Lucky 13” from the 94th Bombardment Group (H), 331st Bombardment Squadron (H).

Above: B-17G 43-39163 "Happy Warrior" with two engines aflame after being hit by flak and friendly bombs (Handwritten caption on reverse ofpPhoto1: '339163. H8-S. 7/4/45. Harry Miller.' and photo 2 '339163. S. 835BS, 486BG. 7/4/45. Harry Miller.)

(Courtesy of the Roger Freeman Collection: American Air Museum)

S/Sgt. Cirelli, Sgt. Kerr and Sgt. Harris baled out over the target. S/Sgt. Cirelli was wounded in the arm by a piece of shrapnel and Sgt. Harris suffered a wound to his foot from a Flak splinter and also strained his back in baling out. All three were captured and eventually transported to a Wehrmacht hospital in Stendal and treated for their injuries. They remained in the hospital until they were liberated by elements of the US 1st Armored Division.

Stendal is some 90 km (56 mls) due south of the target.

1st Lt. Center Jr. heard that a crew member had broken his neck on landing on a building and deduced that this must have been 2nd Lt. Spath.

(1) 1st Lt. Center Jr. stated in the hearsay section of his Individual Casualty Questionnaire (ICQ) that 2nd Lt. Lyford and S/Sgt. Pikula baled out and upon landing escaped into surrounding woods.

He was informed by the German officer who had captured him that 2nd Lt. Lyford had been killed by German civilians. He was also told by German guards and soldiers that the same fate had befallen S/Sgt. Pikula.

No corroborating records have been found to substantiate the claims so all that can be said, based upon hearsay, is that both airmen died in suspicious circumstances. To compound this suspicion is that the remains of 2nd Lt. Lyford have not been found and recovered.

Burial details:

2nd Lt. Douglas F. Spath. Air Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster). Repatriated and interred at the Pulaski Cemetery, New York. Born on the 18th December 1922 in New York. Son of Herbert Eltis and Hazel F. (née DeGraw) Spath of Richland, New York, USA.

2nd Lt. George E. Lyford. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters). Netherlands American Cemetery, Tablets of the Missing. Born on the 15th October 1924 in New Jersey. Husband to Vivian R. Lyford of Westville, Illinois, USA.

S/Sgt. Robert John Frauenholtz. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot D, Row 14, Grave 9. Born on the 23rd December 1924 in Madelia, Minnesota. Son of Louis J. and Brigetta Isabel (née Duffy) Frauenholtz of Madelia, Minnesota, USA.

S/Sgt. Frank Walter Pikula. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot A, Row 39, Grave 17. Born on the 5th October 1917 in East Chicago, Indiana. Husband to Mary C. (née Mihalko) Pikula of Hammond, Indiana, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. (Aug 2024)

Other sources listed below:

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them. Franklin Delano Roosevelt