Operation: Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome (Mission #991), Germany

Date: 24th March 1945 (Saturday)

Unit No: 524th Bombardment Squadron (H), 379th Bombardment Group (H), 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G

Serial: 43-38818

Code: WA:L

Base: Kimbolton (Station #117), Huntingdonshire, England

Location: Near Ostenwalde, Germany

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Sylvester Van Syckle Howell Jr. DFC, O-835204 AAF Age 21. KiA (1)

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Kenneth Roscoe Noble O-777780 AAF Age 26. KiA

Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Melvin Earl Weaver O-2069738 AAF Age 23. KiA

Nose Gunner: Sgt. Albert William ‘Bert’ Barnett Jr. 12138585 AAF Age 21. KiA (2)

Top Turret Gunner: S/Sgt. Thomas Floyd Fairbanks 37227150 AAF Age 24. KiA

Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Pablo ‘Paul’ Richard Villasenor 39577219 Age 25. KiA

Ball Turret Gunner: Sgt. Milton Stewart Kenan 14109569 AAF Age 19. Murdered (3)

Tail Gunner: Sgt. Mark Ross Reynolds Jr. 39713847 Age 21. Murdered (3)

REASON FOR LOSS:

B-17G 43-38818 took off from Kimbolton (Station #117) in Huntingdonshire on the morning of the 24th March 1945 to join a force of sixty-two (62) aircraft detailed to bomb the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome in Germany.

The aircraft was seen to have been hit by Flak near or over the target and burst into flames then explode. The aircraft crashed at 10:23 hrs but the crash site and burial location of the dead are not recorded. However, the Individual Deceased Personnel File (IDPF) for 2nd Lt. Weaver provided further details:

The mutilated bodies of six (6) crew members were buried in a common grave outside the eastern border of Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome in Ostenwalde, so it is safe to assume that the aircraft crashed in the vicinity;

No Identity Tags were found for 2nd Lt. Howell Jr., 2nd Lt. Noble, 2nd Lt. Weaver, Sgt. Barnett Jr., S/Sgt. Fairbanks or T/Sgt. Villasenor but they were identified in May 1946 by laundry marks, teeth charts etc, which was confirmed in 1948;

His IDPF does not include details on Sgt. Kenan and Sgt. Reynolds, however, it confirms that the six (6) crew were buried in the woods by German police.

(1) 2nd Lt. Sylvester Howell’s brother, Lt. John David ‘Dixie’ Howell, was awarded the Navy Cross for preventing a fire from spreading to the magazine of the USS Boise (CL-47) during the battle of the Soloman Islands.

Citation: “The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant John David Howell, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Plotting Room Officer on board the Light Cruiser U.S.S. BOISE (CL-47), during action against enemy Japanese naval forces off Savo Island during the Battle of Cape Esperance on the night of 11 – 12 October 1942. After most efficiently performing his duties in Plot during action, Lieutenant Howell left Plot of his own volition, when the ship broke off the action, and entered the five-inch magazines. Here he organized working parties to shift five-inch ammunition from flooding magazines to dry ones, thereby saving many rounds of ammunition. He had all magazine doors securely dogged which prevented further flooding. As Plotting Room Officer Lieutenant Howell know the dangerous condition the ship was in, yet he did not hesitate to enter the danger area and do all in his power to save the ship, at the risk of his own life. His conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Navy of the United States”.

John retired from the Navy with the rank Captain. He passed away on the 25th November 2009 at the Johnson City Medical Centre after a lengthy illness, aged 91.

(2) The father of ‘Bert’ Barnett Jr., Lt. Albert William ‘Bert’ Barnett Sr. who served in the US Merchant Marine tragically died of a Heart attack on the 16th January 1945. He was serving in the SS Sebastian Vizcaino ‘Hull No.0680’ as the Chief Steward whilst in the Port of Matanzas, Cuba.

The SS Sebastian Vizcaino ‘Hull No: 0680’ was a Liberty ship and played a crucial role in transporting cargo and troops.

(Courtesy of the Democrat and Chronicle, dated 19th April 1945)

His remains were embalmed and returned to the United States aboard the SS Sebastian Vizcaino for burial at Rochester, New York.

The brother of ‘Bert’ Barnett Jr., T/Sgt. James Stockton Barnett 32250978 served in the USAAF as a Radio Operator/Gunner. He survived the war and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the Air Medal with two (2) Oak Leaf Clusters.

(3) The fate of Sgt. Kenan and Sgt. Reynolds Jr., albeit they were not named, was determined by a British Military Court which was convened at Wuppertal on the 18th February 1946

Seven (7) German nationals were charged on three (3) counts that they at the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome on or about the 22nd March, 24th March and the 25th March 1945 in violation of the laws and usages of war were concerned in the killing of four (4) named Allied airmen and eight (8) unnamed Allied airmen, all PoWs.

Note: Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27) “Afrika”, a fighter wing, was also based at Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome but it was stressed that the officers and staff from this unit had nothing whatsoever to do with the command of Maj. Rauer and nothing to do with this case.

The seven accused were:

Major (Maj) Karl Rauer who was the former Commandant of Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome;

Hauptmann (Hptm) Wilhelm Scharschmidt who was the former Adjutant to Maj. Rauer;

Major (Maj) Otto Bopf who was the former Commanding Officer (CO) of the Horst (Aerodrome) Company, a German Army unit at the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome;

Hauptmann (Hptm) Bruno Böttcher who was the former CO of the Flight Control unit at the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome;

Oberfeldwebel (Ofw) Hermann Lommes was a former NCO of the Horst Company;

Feldwebel (Fw) Lunwig Lang was a former NCO in the Horst Company;

Unteroffizier (Uffz) Emil Günther was a former NCO in the Horst Company.

Note: The procedure when any captured Allied aircrew was brought to the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome was that they were normally either taken to the Adjutant or Commandant, interrogated and searched and their details recorded. The Adjutant was responsible for the arrangements of the PoW disposal from the airdrome, including detailing escorts, and any interim arrangements such as guardroom custody, rationing etc.

On the 1st count of the charge Maj. Rauer and Hptm. Scharschmidt were charged in the killing of Plt Off. Greenwood, Fg Off. Paradise, both of the RAAF, Flt Sgt. Armstrong and Sgt. Gunn both of the RAF and all Allied PoWs.

On the 2nd count of the charge all seven (7) of the accused were charged in the killing of seven (7) unknown Allied aircrew, all PoWs.

On the 3rd count of the charge six (6) of the accused except for Uffz. Günther were charged in the killing of one (1) unknown Allied aircrew PoW.

1st Count of the Charge

The court heard that on the night of the 21st March 1945 there was a severe raid on the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome. On this day a captured Australian airman, Fg Off. Paradise, was brought to the airdrome. He was initially interrogated and then locked up in a cell at the guardroom.

Later the same day a further four (4) Allied aircrew PoWs were brought in from the local village. Two (2) were Australian, Fg Off. Berick and Plt Off. Greenwood. The other two (2) were both NCOs from the RAF, Flt Sgt. Armstrong and Flt Sgt. Gunn. There were interrogated by Scharschmidt in the presence of Rauer and his wife in the Commandant’s office. They were then taken away and locked up in the same guardroom as Fg Off. Paradise.

Meanwhile Scharschmidt instructed his Chief Clerk, Oberfeldwebel Werner Lauter, to provide an escort for the PoWs to take them to Dulag Luft, Oberursel. An Oberfeldwebel by the name of Amberger volunteered for the task and said he would bring two comrades with him.

The five (5) airmen were from 51 Sqn Halifax III MZ248 which was struck by bombs dropped from above on a daytime operation to bomb Rheine in Germany on the 21st March 1945.

The above report details the loss and subsequent shooting of the five (5) airmen. In summary, four (4) of the airmen were shot and killed whilst Fg Off. Berick evaded the subsequent search, escaped the area was arrested some time later and became a PoW for the rest of the war.

2nd Count of the Charge

This relates to the events on the evening of the 24th March 1945. That day there was another serious raid on the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome which severely damaged the runways which left them pock-marked with large craters.

That evening eight (8) captured airmen arrived at the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome, one (1) of whom had an injured foot and could not walk, and held in the guardroom.

Rauer gave orders to Scharschmidt that due to the shortage of personnel and because of the gravity of the situation PoWs were to take part in the work filling in the craters. Scharschmidt was to relay the orders to Maj. Bopf. However, it appears that Scharschmidt detailed Ofw. Lommes to gather some other NCOs, get the PoWs, get tools, go to the runway and get busy filling in the craters.

Lommes either under orders or on his own initiative gathered Fw. Lang and Uffz. Günther, and a fourth NCO from the Horst Company, a Fw. Zakowsky who was not before the court. The four (4) went to the Armoury and drew machine-pistols. However, they did not draw any tools at that time and arrived at the guardroom to collect the PoWs. Lommes made the decision to take them in two (2) groups and selected four (4) in the first group. The party, four (4) PoWs and the four (4) German NCOs set out from the guardroom and made their way over to the runways.

Evidence presented showed that the PoWs walked with their hands on their heads and were followed by the German NCOs. By this time it was midnight and it was a clear moonlight night. Without any warning the escorting Germans opened fire of the PoWs killing three (3) instantly and mortally wounding the fourth.

Shortly afterwards Hptm. Böttcher arrived with his driver at the scene on a motor-cycle and sidecar. There were no Germans at the scene but found the bodies of the PoWs in a heap. Upon looking around and shouting out he found the four (4) German NCOs were found hiding behind a stationary truck. The emerged and confronted Böttcher in an agitated and nervous state.

After a short conversation Böttcher left and was driven to the Kommandanture and reported the incident to Scharschmidt. The four German NCOs decided that they hand better return and draw the required tools and fetch the remaining four (4) PoWs from the guardroom. However, as one (1) of the four (4) could not walk because of his injuries only three (3) were taken. The PoWs had their hands on their heads and set off in roughly the course to wear their comrades were lying. The three (3) PoWs were killed outright in the same manner as the previous four (4) PoWs. The German NCOs then loaded the bodies and took them to the Mortuary and Lang, whose job was to undertake the same task, removed their clothing and prepared them for burial.

Lang was a male nurse in civilian life and that is why he was detailed to undertake the burial and interment of those that were killed at the aerodrome.

No officer or NCO arrived at the scene of the shooting after Böttcher left and had reported the 1st incident to Scharschmidt. The next morning the four (4) German NCOs reported to the Kommandanture where they made out a written report to Scharschmidt about the shooting of the seven (7) PoWs. That was all that was done about the incident.

3rd Count of the Charge

This relates to the events on the afternoon of the 25th March. Lommes had a conversation Böttcher and asked for leave to borrow his motorcycle and sidecar to take the injured PoW to the local hospital at Odenburg. Böttcher agreed and Lommes collect Lang arrived at the guardroom and lifted the injured PoW into the sidecar. Lommes and Lang, riding pillion, the drove out of the aerodrome ostensibly to drive to the hospital. However, the made a detour and as Lommes slowed the motorcycle Lang fire two (2) shots from his sidearm in to the wounded airman’s neck killing him.

They then took the body to the Dreierwalde cemetery and later that afternoon the body was buried with the other seven (7) victims who had arrived at the cemetery. Lommes then reported the incident to Böttcher. Again no further action was taken.

Pathologist Affidavit

The court then heard from the prosecutor that on the 20th, 24th and the 25th September 1945 Maj. William M. Davidson, a pathologist of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) of the Rhine Army exhumed a grave in the cemetery at Dreierwalde.

The grave was about 4 ft in depth in sandy soil and covered with Pine branches. This grave contained four (4) bodies, all without coffins. Maj. Davidson identified then remains as those of Fg Off. Paradise, Sgt. Gunn, Flt Sgt. Armstrong and Plt Off. Greenwood. He came to the conclusion from the examination and reconstruction that all four (4) had been killed by being shot through the head and that some of the bullets could not could not have fired whilst they were standing.

A fifth grave laying immediately adjacent to the grave described above contained a body whose remains were identified from his Identity Discs as 2nd Lt. June B. Stallings O-829773. His P-51D 44-15123 from the 38th Fighter Sqn, 55 Fighter Group had been shot down over the Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome on the 21st March 1945 and had nothing to do with this case.

Additionally, he exhumed a further eight (8) bodies from a third grave which from his examination he concluded that they also had all died as a result of small calibre shots fired from close range. He determined that they were young males all dressed in clothing of American origin except in the case of one (1) whose flying overalls were American but his gloves were British.

The initial burial of the eight (8) unnamed airmen was in the civilian cemetery at Dreierwalde and marked by a cross bearing the statement in German “One English and seven American Airmen had died 23rd March 1945, but names unknown”. They were disinterred and reburied in the Dreierwalde cemetery by the British Military Authorities in separate coffins.

An American Graves Registration Company (AGRC) unit disinterred the coffins and reburied them at the American Cemetery at Neuville-en-Condroz in Belgium as “Unknown” X-1769 to X -1776 inclusive.

The eight (8) were later identified as:

Sgt. Mark R. Reynolds Jr. (X-1772) and Sgt. Milton S. Kenan (X-1769);

1st Lt. Thomas C. Brock (X-1773) from 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group P-51D Mustang 44-11698;

2nd Lt. Charles A. Schwab (X-1776), 2nd Lt. Billy G. Martin (X-1775), S/Sgt. Jerome S. Silverman (X-1774), S/Sgt. Raymond L. Berry (X-1771) and S/Sgt. Kenneth T. Herr (X-1769) from 527th Bombardment Sqn (H), 379th Bombardment Group, B-17G 43-38685.

Judge Advocate:

In his summing-up specifically on the 1st count of the charge, the Judge Advocate stated that there was no direct evidence that Maj. Rauer or Hptm. Scharschmidt gave orders to Oberfeldwebel Amberger and his companions to shoot the five (5) airmen. Furthermore, the Chief Clerk to Scharschmidt had advised him that Amberger was not the right man to be the escort of the PoWs and that he also attempted to have Amberger removed from the duty. However, the airmen did proceed under the care of Amberger and were shot.

The court heard testimony from a Dr. Richter about the previous conduct of Rauer and Scharschmidt. Scharschmidt frequently denied PoWs transit rations for the trip from Hopsten to Oberursel which usually took about three (3) days. He described the following two cases of ill-treatment of PoWs.

The first concerned a Plt Off. Gordon G. Harrison J36991 RCAF whose 411 Sqn, RCAF Spitfire IX PL433 was shot down in engagement with a Bf109 near Münster. He was captured on the 23rd January 1945 near Rheine and had sustained a bullet wound near his heart. He was initially treated by Dr. Richter at the dressing station at Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome. Whilst there Scharschmidt made Plt Off. Harrison remove his own boots which entailed bending forward at great risk. Dr. Richter gave Scharschmidt a definite warning against such an action. Plt Off. became a PoW and survived.

The second concerned the following five (5) PoWs:

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Harry D. Kinder O-781333; Eng: Sgt. Andrew J. Haechrel 37568278; Ball Turret Gnr: Sgt. George P. Weiner 33799179; Waist Gnr: Sgt. Joseph L. Marsico 33597804 and Tail Gnr: Sgt. John E. Ingram 36688530.

They were from the B-17G 43-38633 of the 527th Bombardment Sqn (H), 379th Bombardment Group (H) which was hit by Flak on a mission to Cologne (Köln) on the 28th January 1945. The pilot managed to land the aircraft at RAF Woodbridge, the rest of the crew had bailed out. (1 KiA, 7 PoW, 1 Rtd).

After being captured they were held in the guardroom at Hopsten/Dreierwalde airdrome which had no heating. The temperature was sub-zero at around minus 22 deg c. and the PoWs were scantily dressed. Fw. Lang, one of the accused, suggested to light a fire which was rejected by Scharschmidt. The five (5) became PoWs and survived.

Rauer and Scharschmidt were found not guilty on the 1st count of the charge because it was considered that they could not be held accountable for the actions of Amberger. They were found guilty on the 2nd and 3rd counts of the charge. Günther was found guilty on the 2nd count of the charge. Bopf, Böttcher, Lommes, and Langwere found guilty on the 2nd and 3rd counts of the charge.

Rauer was sentenced to death by hanging. The guilty finding was confirmed by the Commander in Chief (CinC) of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) on the 27th April 1946 but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.

Scharschmidt, Bopf, Böttcher, Lommes, Lang and Günther were sentenced to death by hanging which was confirmed by the CinC of the BAOR on the 27th April 1946. The executions were carried out on the 26th May 1946 between15:20 hrs and 16:56 hrs.

Burial details:

Above Grave marker for 1st Lt. Sylvester Van Syckle Howell Jr. (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

1st Lt. Sylvester Van Syckle Howell Jr. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot P, Row 9, Grave 206 as X-1796. Relocated to Plot A, Row 31, Grave 12. Born on the 11th July 1923 in West Orange, New Jersey. Son of Sylvester Van Syckle and Nelda Hermena Howell of Lebanon, New Jersey, USA.

2nd Lt. Kenneth Roscoe Noble. Air Medal, Purple Heart. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot L, Row 9, Grave 224 as X-1794. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Sunset Cemetery, Coos Bay, Oregon on 11th June 1949. Born on the 15th July 1917 in Lakeside, Oregon. Son of Claude C. (deceased in February 1934) and Mary F. (née Holmberg) Noble of Lakeside, Oregon, USA.

Above Grave Marker for 2nd Lt. Melvin Earl Weaver. (Courtesy of and in memory of Fallen Graver Sharon-FindAGrave)

2nd Lt. Melvin Earl Weaver. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot L, Row 9, Grave 223 as X-1792. Repatriated and laid to rest in the family plot, Sara Cemetery at Ridgefield, Washington. Born on the 2nd September 1921 in Vancouver, Clark County, Washington. Son of Ervin Earl and Ava Nesey (née Shaw) Weaver of Lake Shore, Clark County, Washington, USA.

Above Grave Marker for Sgt. Albert William ‘Bert’ Barnett Jr. (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

Sgt. Albert William ‘Bert’ Barnett Jr. Air Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster), Purple Heart. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot P, Row 9, Grave 205 as X-1797. Relocated to Plot B, Row 22, Grave 19. Born on the 15th October 1922 in South Langhorn, Pennsylvania. Son of Albert ‘Bert’ William Sr.and Alice Mabel Barnett of Rochester, New York, USA.

Above Grave Marker for S/Sgt. Thomas Floyd Fairbanks. (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

S/Sgt. Thomas Floyd Fairbanks. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot L, Row 6, Grave 147 as X-1792. Relocated to Plot D, Row 14, Grave 44. Born on the 10th August 1920 in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas. Son of Athur Malcolm (deceased in June 1940) and Viola belle (née Frey) Fairbanks. Husband to Gennevieve Lena (née Barney) Fairbanks of Rossville, Shawnees, Kansas, USA.

Grave Grave marker for T/Sgt. Pablo ‘Paul’ Richard Villasenor (Courtesy of PIN - FindAGrave)

T/Sgt. Pablo ‘Paul’ Richard Villasenor. Initially interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot L, Row 9, Grave 213 as X-1793. Repatriated and laid to rest at Plot H-446, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, San Diego on the 2nd September 1949. Born on the 2nd March 1920 in Deming, New Mexico. Son of Cesareo Alonzo and Nicanora (née Collazo) Villasenor of San Berardino, California, USA.

Above Grave marker for Sgt. Milton Stewart Kenan (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

Sgt. Milton Stewart Kenan. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot D, Row 38, Grave 19. Born on the 26th July 1925 in Sampson County, North Carolina. Son of Vernie Jasper and Flora (née Wells) Kenan of South Clinton, Sampson County, North Carolina, USA.

Above Grave Marker for Sgt. Mark Ross Reynolds Jr. (Courtesy of Scott Hildebrand - FindAGrave)

Sgt. Mark Ross Reynolds Jr. Repatriated and laid to rest in Plot D-289, Keokuk National Cemetery, Plot D, Grave 289, Keokuk, Iowa on the 17th July 1950. Born on the 24th October 1923 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Son of Mar Ross and Marie Margaret (née Steward) Reynolds of Shellsburg, Benton County, Iowa, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the crew and their families (Dec 2025).

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