Operation: Berlin (Mission #667), Germany

Date: 6th October 1944 (Friday)

Unit No: 551st Bombardment Squadron (H), 385th Bombardment Group (H), 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G Rodger the Dodger

Serial No: 42-97275

Code: Sqn code issued but not displayed during hostilities:?

Location: Vehlgast, Kreis Prignitz,, Germany

Base: Great Ashfield (Station #155), Suffolk, England

Pilot: 1st Lt. William Jess ‘Billie’ Leverett DFC O-692802 AAF Age 24. PoW * (2)

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Richard Harding Phillips O-764082 AAF Age 26. PoW *

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Robert Karshmer O-723507 AAF Age 24. PoW **

Togglier: S/Sgt. Emmanuel Michael Pappas 6932421 AAF Age 23. PoW ***

Radio/Op: S/Sgt. John Alexander Birrell 32305120 AAF Age 31. PoW ***

Engineer: T/Sgt. Harry Arthur Muentener 32762579 AAF Age 20. PoW ***

Ball Turret Gunner: S/Sgt. Milton Hyman 32626451 AAF Age 25. PoW Unknown Camp

Waist Gunner: S/Sgt. James Philip ‘Jim’ Davis 37677391 AAF Age 25. KiA

Tail Gunner: S/Sgt. John Louis Albers, Silver Star 32881059 AAF Age 27. PoW/Died (1)

Photographer: T/Sgt. Kenneth Lynn White 17035685 AAF Age 24. PoW ***

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

** Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland. (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser, Bavaria).

*** Stalag Luft 4 Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland (Moved from Stalag Luft 6 Heydekrug on 28th May 1944. Moved to Wöbbelin near Ludwigslust and then to Usedom near Swinemünde).

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

Togglier: When it was required for all aircraft in a Squadron formation to drop their bombs simultaneously, the designated Bombardier was on the lead aircraft. The task of the Bombardiers in the rest of the formation was to drop their bombs when the lead aircraft dropped theirs. When there were personnel shortages the role of Bombardier was carried out by an enlisted crew member who was designated as the Togglier.

Above: 2nd Lt. Richard Harding Phillips and 2nd Lt. Robert Karshmer from their Identity cards.

REASON FOR LOSS:

This was #194 mission for the 385 Bombardment Group (H).

A combat report assimilated from remarks and eyewitness statements describes the following action:

‘At 12:06 hrs and at the IP, the 385th BG, flying in the High Group in the 4th "B" Combat Wing, peeled off and took its position for the bomb run. At 12:07 hrs, enemy fighters attacked in mass formation from the rear and above, coming out of the clouds. The first attack reduced the BG strength to two aircraft (which two is undetermined). The fighters then returned and in another mass attack, using the same tactics, shot down the remaining two.

Attacks were very aggressive and sudden. Some chutes were observed, but due to the confusion and the number of aircraft going down it is underdetermined from what aircraft the chutes came.

No exact information of the attack is available because no aircraft of the BG concerned returned.

Estimate as to the number of Enemy Aircraft range from 25 to 70 conventional types, presumed to be either Bf109s or Fw190.

Further information as it becomes available will be forwarded’.

B-17G 42-97275 Rodger the Dodger was the ‘Tail-end Charlie’ in the low squadron and was one of 11 B-17s and their crews that were lost from the 385th Bombardment Group on this mission. The others were:

From the 548th Bombardment Squadron:

B-17G 42-97079 Dozy Doats - 5 KiA, 4 PoW;
B-17G 42-98016 - 8 KiA, 1 PoW;
B-17G 42-102465 Wee Willie Wilber - 8 KiA, 1 PoW;
B-17G 43-37548 Lamplight Lil - 3 KiA, 6 PoW;
B-17G 43-38060 Texas Bluebonnet - 8 KiA, 1 PoW;
B-17G 43-38430 - 4 KiA, 5 PoW;
B-17G 44-8143 Roger the Dodger - 6 KiA, 4 PoW.

From the 551st Bombardment Squadron:

B-17G 42-98010 - 8 KiA, 1 PoW;
B-17G 43-38217 - 6 KiA, 3 PoW;
B-17G 44-6159 West Virginian - 7 KiA, 2 PoW.

S/Sgt. Davis called out on the intercom that fighters were attacking before he was killed at his waist gunner position during the first wave of fighter attacks from cannon fire.

The aircraft was reported to have been set ablaze and three engines disabled after the fighter attacks and therefore the order to abandon the aircraft was given.

T/Sgt. White and S/Sgt. Hyman baled out and both landed in the vicinity of Kyritz where they were captured and then taken to the Luftwaffe airbase at Wittstock.

Kyritz is some 20 km (12¾ mls) NE of the aircraft crash site and Wittstock-Dosse airbase is some 30 km (18½ mls) NNE of Kyritz.

The remainder of the crew other than S/Sgt. Davis baled out and landed in the vicinity of Vehlgast where they were captured.

The aircraft crashed at Vehlgast, Kreis Prignitz, Germany. S/Sgt. Davis was found in the aircraft wreckage by the Germans and it was reported that he was buried in the Vehlgast Church Cemetery.

(1) S/Sgt. Albers’ right arm was shattered after being hit by cannon fire during the fighter attack. Despite being badly wounded he remained at his tail gunner position engaging the German fighters even after the order to abandon the aircraft was given.

T/Sgt. Birrell assisted him to bale out of the tail escape hatch. On landing it was claimed that he was shot in the left arm by civilians and beaten up. T/Sgt. Birrell accompanied S/Sgt. Albers to a hospital near Perlberg, where they were separated overnight, and where S/Sgt. Albers had his right arm amputated.

T/Sgt. Birrell re-joined him the following day but sadly he died enroute to the Reserve-Lazarett (Hospital) 102 at Neuruppin. S/Sgt. Albers was buried in the Neuruppin Cemetery, Section 1, Row 1, Grave 16.

For his courage and devotion to duty S/Sgt. John Louis Albers was awarded the Silver Star medal.

The Silver Star Medal is awarded for singular acts of valor or heroism over a brief period.

(2) After hostilities ceased 1st Lt. Leverett returned to the United States. He remained in the Air Force and served with the Army Recruiting Service in Sedalia, Missouri. On the 18th June 1947 he tragically died on the operating table of a Fort Levenworth, Kansas Hospital during a tonsillectomy. He was just 27 years of age.

Above: Reporting the tragic death of 1st Lt. Leverett (Courtesy of the Abilene Reporter News, dated Thursday, June 19th 1947.

Burial Details:

Above: Burial notice (Courtesy of St Louis Globe Democrat, dated Tuesday May 31st, 1949)

S/Sgt. James Philip Davis. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters). Recovered and interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot Z, Row 6, Grave 149. Repatriated and buried at the Cavalry Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri on 2nd June 1949. Born on the 26th May 1919 in St Louis, Missouri. Son of Joseph X. (deceased) and Margaret M. (née Ryan) Davis of St Louis, Missouri, USA.

Above Grave marker for S/Sgt. Albers (Courtesy of Dominique Potier)

S/Sgt. John Louis Albers. Silver Star, Air Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Recovered and interred at the Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot CC, Row 4, Grave 99. Relocated to Plot B, Row 25, Grave 16. Born on the 25th December 1916 in New York City, New York. Son of Louis and Hester Anna (née Ruser) Bailey of New York, Bronx, USA.

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