Operation: Ludwigshafen (Mission #169), Germany

Date: 30th December 1943 (Thursday)

Unit No: 703rd Bombardment Squadron (H), 445th Bombardment Group (H), 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-24H Big Joe

Serial No: 41-29123

Code: RN:?

Location: 3 miles off Pevensey Bay off the Essex coast, England

Base: Tibenham airfield (Station #124), Norfolk, England

Pilot: FO. William Patrick ‘Bill’ Kane T-1011 AAF Age 22. Returned (1)

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Charles Herbert Clemmens O-744688 AAF Age 28. MiA

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Joseph Henry Reus O-687962 AAF Age 21. Returned (2)

Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Robert Fisher Jones O-679624 AAF Age 24. Returned (3)

Engineer/Top Turret: Sgt. Gilbert Dale Lloyd 34430946 AAF Age 22. MiA

Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Earl Oliver Woods 33396601 AAF Age 21. Returned

Ball Turret: Sgt. Robert E. Forsythe 16128311 AAF Age? KiA

Waist Gnr: Sgt. James Brice Stilwell Jr. 14187563 AAF Age 20. KiA

Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. James A. Bivens 14158250 AAF Age? Returned

Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Ray West Sleeper 19059434 AAF Age 24. Returned (4)

Originally the B-24 had 10 crew positions. Crew complements evolved during the war and generally comprised 9 personnel who were typically, but not always, Pilot, Co-Pilot, Bombardier, Navigator, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner, Radio Operator/Waist Gunner, Nose Gunner, Ball Turret Gunner, Waist Gunner, Tail Gunner.

Above left: FO. William Patrick Kane (Courtesy of Tom Markham). Right 2nd Lt. Charles Herbert Clemmens from the Merced (California) Army Flying School - Class Book - Aviation Cadets - Class 43-E, Squadron Two.

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 30th December 1943 the 455th Bombardment Squadron mounted its third major operation and joined a force of 710 Bombers on a mission to bomb the port area and oil refinery at Ludwigshafen in Germany. This was the 1st mission for FO. Kane and his crew.

There is no record that describes the reason for the aircraft’s forced ditching in Pevensey Bay about 3 miles off the Essex coast at 15:55 hrs.

However, 2nd Lt. Reus described in his book “Kriegsgefangener: War Prisoner” that only half of its bomb load had been released and that the remainder had to be salvoed manually. At this time the Big Joe was hit by Flak which knocked out #3 engine.

Before crossing the coast the crew opted to remain with the aircraft instead of baling out over enemy territory. Shortly before reaching the English coast they were attacked by an Fw190 which knocked out another engine and they had no alternative but to attempt a ditching in the English Channel.

Of the crew of 10 only 6 survived the ditching and clambered aboard their dingy some suffering from a number of injuries. They were rescued by a fishing boat out of Pevensey just after which the aircraft sank. The airmen were taken by Ambulance to the Princess Alice Hospital in Eastbourne.

Above: The police report for the ditching and rescue of the crew of B-24H 41-29123 'Big Joe' (Courtesy of Peter Blythe)

2nd Lt. Reus later reported that Sgt. Stilwell, Sgt. Forsythe and Sgt. Lloyd were last seen braced against the step on the bomber’s floor before the aircraft ditched. He swam back to the aircraft and looked into the waist of the aircraft but could not find them.

2nd Lt. Clemmens was seen jammed between the pilot seats and windshield and three of the crew believed that he was dead before the aircraft sank. Sgt. Forsythe’s body was washed up on the English coast on or about the 1st February and Sgt. Stilwell’s body was found about 2 weeks later.

(1) William P. ‘Bill’ Kane survived the war during which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on the 27th June 1944 and an Oak Leaf Cluster (OLC) on the 18th August 1944. He was also awarded the Air Medal (AM) on the 11th May 1944 followed by three OLC.

Note: The DFC was awarded to any person who distinguishes themselves "by heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight" while serving in any capacity with the Air Corps. The medal card for FO. Kane does not provide a citation for his awards of the DFC and OLC.

The awards of the AM and the accompanying OLC indicate that FO. Kane had completed at least 20 Operations. i.e each award was for 5 completed operational missions.

His subsequent history is summarised in his Obituary below, which was published in the St Cloud Times, dated 27th December 1995.

(2) On the 24th February 1944 2nd Lt. Reus was the Navigator aboard B-24J 42-100335 of the 703rd Bombardment Sqn, 445th Bombardment Group on a mission to Gotha, Germany.

This was only the 2nd operational mission for 2nd Lt. Reus, after recovering from broken arms, bullet wounds, burns and other injuries suffered in the ditching of Big Joe. He requested to remain with his unit instead of being repatriated to the States.

The aircraft was hit by a direct Flak shell in the Ball Turret and a rocket from a fighter attack struck the bomb bay and a fire developed. The Top Turret was knocked off by a parachute mine and the aircraft suffered more Flak damage to the tail.

All of the crew except for the 1st Lt. Abell and S/Sgt. Merriam baled out. They flew on for another 20 mins before they too were forced to abandon the aircraft which crashed at 13:30 hrs at the foot of the Gallberg near Herbstein, 15 miles (24 km) west of Fulda in Germany.

Above left: 2nd Lt. Joseph H. Reus and right 2nd Lt. Charles T. Stealey Jr. from their captured ID Cards

S/Sgt. Reeves’ parachute was destroyed by gunfire and tried to bale on 2nd Lt. Strealey’s parachute but fell to his death.

Pilot: 1st Lt. Peter Thompson Abell O-726295 AAF Age 29. PoW *;
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Bernard I. Anderson O-742648 Age? PoW *;
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Joseph Henry Reus O-687962 AAF Age 21 PoW *;
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Charles Temple Stealey Jr. O-685870 AAF Age 21. PoW *;
Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: M/Sgt. Donald Truxton Caton 6893546 AAF Age 32. PoW **;
Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Donald Edward Watts 37430395 AAF Age 23. PoW **;
Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. Lonnie Hubert Reeves 14143588 AAF Age 19. KiA;
Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Allen Stevens Alford 14156672 AAF Age 19. PoW **;
Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Robert Willis Merriam Jr.11090490 AAF Age 29. PoW **;

* Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany;
** Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland;

S/Sgt. Lonnie Hubert Reeves was repatriated and interred at the Glenwood Cemetery, Thomaston, Georgia.

After being liberated 2nd Lt. Reus went on to serve with the USAAF and then the fledgling USAF. He flew 38 combat missions in the Korean conflict. He then transitioned as a navigator on the then new B-47 Stratojet and flew missions on the B-52 during the Vietnam war. He retired as a Major after 24 years of service in three conflicts. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal (AM) with Oak Leaf Cluster in 1952 and two Purple Hearts (PH).

Joseph Henry Reus was born on the 2nd November 1922 in Baltimore, Maryland. Son of John Frederick and Margaret Mary (née Whelan) Reus of Baltimore, Maryland. Husband to Shirley Meredith (née Petty) Reus of Folkston, Charlton, Georgia. Died on the 20th July 2020 in Melbourne, Florida, USA.

(3) On the 18th March 1944 2nd Lt. Jones was the Bombardier aboard B-24H 41-28666 of the 703rd Bombardment Sqn, 445th Bombardment Group on a mission to Friedrichhafen, Germany. The aircraft developed a fire in the bomb bay, lost a wing and exploded in mid-air at 13:19 hrs. The wreckage crashed north of St. Lucien near Nolleval, between Rouen and Gournay-en-Bray, France.

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Gordon Bennett Parker O-877555 AAF Age 25. KiA;
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Richard James Pear O-805972 AAF Age 26. KiA;
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Raymond Albert Parker O-739048 AAF Age 20. PoW *;
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Robert Fisher Jones O-679624 AAF Age 24 PoW *;
Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: T/Sgt. Joseph Edward McDonnell 6950489 AAF Age 22. KiA;
Radio Operator: T/Sgt Joseph Chalmers ‘Joe’ Watson 39684786 AAF Age 29. PoW **;
Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. Kenneth Francis Bradford 34602075 AAF Age 20. PoW ***;
Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. James Patrick Cass 12061248 AAF Age 24. PoW ****;
Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Ned Albert Daugherty 13130379 AAF Age 19. PoW *****;
Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Wallace Carey Luce 35528409 AAF Age 21. KiA;

* Stalag Luft 1, Barth-Vogelsang, today situated in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany;
** Hôpital Beaujon for Civilians, Clichy, France;
*** Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland;
**** Stalag 9C, Mühlhausen near Bad Sulza;
***** Unrecorded PoW Camp.

2nd Lt. Gordon Bennett Parker was repatriated and interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Ohio. 2nd Lt. Richard James Pear and Sgt. Wallace Carey Luce were laid to rest at the Epinal American Cemetery in Plots A-30-37 and A-19-67 respectively. T/Sgt. Joseph Edward McDonnell was laid to rest at the Lorraine American Cemetery in Plot K-17-27.

(4) S/Sgt. Sleeper was admitted to the US 5th General Hospital with severe fractures to an arm (Radius and Ulna) which was pinned with multiple pins. He was transferred to the USA aboard a US hospital ship out of Southampton. He was medically discharged from the USAAF in Oct 1944.

Burial details:

Above: Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery

2nd Lt. Charles Herbert Clemmens. Air Medal, Purple Heart. Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. Born on the 4th December 1915 at Fallbrook, San Diego, California. Son of Albert Burkley and Carrie Eveline (née Colby - Deceased in 1938) Clemmens of Fallbrook, San Diego, California, USA.

Sgt. Gilbert Dale Lloyd. Air Medal, Purple Heart. Tablets of the Missing, Cambridge American Cemetery. Born on the 11th July 1921 in High Point, North Carolina. Son of George Wesley and Emily Jane (née Cox) of High Point, North Carolina, USA.

Sgt. Robert E. Forsythe. Purple Heart. Cambridge American Cemetery, Plot D, Row 6, Grave 53. Son of Edmund W. Forsythe of Chicago, Illinois, USA. No further information found.

Sgt. James Brice Stilwell Jr. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Charlotte, North Carolina. Born on the 15th October 1923 in Mount Holly, Gaston, North Carolina. Son of James Brice and Pearl Maye (née Cherry) Stilwell of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered, with thanks to Peter Blythe for the police report and photograph of FO. Kane from Tom Markam, and dedicated to this and the other crews and their relatives (Sep 2024). Additional detail and images added (Sep 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