Operation: Düren (Mission #162), Germany

Date: 18th October 1943 (Monday)

Unit No: 568th Bombardment Squadron (H), 390th Bombardment Group (H), 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17F

Serial No: 42-3526

Code: BI:N

Location: Knockbridge farm, Icklesham, Sussex

Base: Framlingham (Station #153), Suffolk, England

Pilot: 1st Lt. Robert Walter Sabel O-731672 AAF Age 22. Safe (1)

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. John Edmund Wenzel Jr. O-745771 AAF Age 23. Safe (2)

Navigator: 2nd Lt. Warren Edgar Gisiger O-797305 AAF Age 22. Safe (3)

Bombardier: 2nd Lt. John Jacob Czemerda O-728768 AAF Age 24. Safe (4)

Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: T/Sgt. George H. Woodcock 16077588 AAF Age 20. Safe (5)

Radio Operator: Sgt. Devere I. Means 16029231 AAF Age 22. Safe (6)

Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. William Leray Ellett 19115712 AAF Age 20. Safe (7)

Left Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Philip John Marizzaldi 33305197 AAF Age 22. Safe (8)

Right Waist Gnr: Sgt. William Henry Glass 13048198 AAF Age 25. Safe (9)

Tail Gnr: Sgt. Benhard ‘Benny’ Mikail North 37282282 AAF Age 30. Safe (10)

Note: This mission would not have counted towards the required number of missions to complete a tour of operations.

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 18th October 1943 the 390th Bombardment Group (H) joined a force of bombers on a mission to Düren in Germany. However, the mission was recalled due to the weather conditions over the continent.

B-17F 42-3526 was homebound at 27,000 feet over south coast of England when the aircraft suffered a runaway propellor and a fire in #2 engine. The crew successfully baled out and the aircraft crashed at 14:05 hrs in a field of Knockbridge farm at Icklesham, Sussex.

On impact the aircraft exploded, caught fire and was completely burned out. It appears that 38 M47A1 bombs still aboard did not explode on impact.

The designation M47A1 was for a 100lb White phosphorus bomb.

One house was damaged and two of the crew, 1st Lt. Sabel and 2nd Lt. Wenzel Jr., suffered serious injuries whilst baling out and were taken to the Royal East Sussex Hospital in Hastings.

Sgt. Means injured his ankle and was treated at Place Farm in Icklesham before joining the seven uninjured crew at RAF Fairlight which was a Chain Home Low (CHL) Radar Station located east of Hastings and near the Coast Guard station.

Above: The Police CRASHED AIRCRAFT REPORT for B-17F 42-3526. Note the misidentification for Sgts North and Glass at Crew Ser Nos 3 and 10 respectively (Courtesy of Peter Blythe)

(1) 1st Lt. Sabel survived the war and continued his service with the newly constituted US Air Force (USAF) retiring as a Lt Col.

His 25th and final recorded mission was on the 26th March 1994 to La Glacerie, France as the Command Pilot aboard B-17G 239953 ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ of the 571st Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters for his missions over the European Theatre of Operations (ETO).

Robert Walter Sabel was born on the 22nd October 1920 in Englewood, Illinois. He married Faith Carol Hammarlund on the 9th December 1950 and went on to have 6 children. Robert died on the 12th March 1990 in Redondo Beach, California, USA.

(2) 2nd Lt. Wenzel Jr. survived the war and was discharged from the USAAF on the 20th October 1945.

It was reported that 2nd Lt. Wenzel liked to have a drink or two to relax. Returning from a pub in Framlingham one night he fell and hit his head. As a result his oxygen mask would not fit properly and he was not able to fly on the Münster mission on the 10th October 1943.

Eight B17's from the 390th Bombardment Group were lost, of which two were from the 568th Sqn, which was his Sqn, and one of which 2nd Lt. Wenzel had been detailed as Co-Pilot.

After reviewing the crew complements for the two 568th Sqn losses it is probable that he was detailed as the Co-Pilot aboard B-17F 42-3328 'Miss Fortune', BI:D (6 KiA, 4 PoW). This crew were definitely what is termed a "scratch crew". Very few had flown together before. The Co-Pilot was 2nd Lt. Darwin F. Michaelson, who was KiA, and was on only his 2nd mission, both with different crews.

The other 568th loss was B-17F 42-30262 'Tech Supply', BI:K (4 KiA, 6 PoW). However, this crew were all from "Crew 12" and flew together regularly.

His 24th and final recorded mission was on the 30th December 1943 on a mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany as the Co-Pilot aboard B-17F 230337 ‘Flak Hack’ of the 571st Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H). He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters for his missions over the European Theatre of Operations (ETO).

Warren Edgar Wenzel Jr. was born on the 27th April 1920 in Brooklyn, New York. His last on-line recorded location was at Floral Park, Nassau, New York. Warren died on the 26th of May 1983.

(3) 2nd Lt. Gisiger survived the war although he was wounded in action on the 24th April 1944. He was shot in left wrist and wore his watch above where his wrist was scarred.

His 20th and final recorded mission was on the 16th March 1944 on a mission to Ulm & Augsburg, Germany as the Navigator aboard B-17G 231932 ‘Rick-O-Shay IV’ of the 571st Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H). He was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters for his missions over the European Theatre of Operations (ETO). He was probably also awarded a Purple Heart as a result of his injury however no record for the award has been found.

Warren Edgar Gisiger was born on the 18th August 1921 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He married Kathryn J. McNally in Jamaica, New York and went on to have three children. Warren died on the 11th July 1985 in Concord, Merrimack, New Hampshire, USA.

(4) On the 27th May 1944, on his 30th and final recorded mission, 1st Lt. Czemerda was the Bombardier aboard B-17G 42-97295, FC:F, of the 571st Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H) to Strasbourg in France.

Hit by Flak and crashed at 15:03 hrs 330 yards east of Cauchie d’Ecques, 6 miles south of St Omar, France.

Pilot: 1st Lt. John Raymond Schoenig O-437662 Age 23. KiA;
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Melvin Price Van Houten O-806178 Age 22. KiA;
Navigator: 2nd Lt. John F. Schnee O-761279 Age 24. KiA;
Bombardier: 1st Lt. John Jacob Czemerda O-728768 AAF Age 24 PoW *;
Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: T/Sgt. Charles Thomas McKalip DFC 12030418 Age 21. KiA;
Radio Operator: Sgt. Clinton A. Davison 31131868 Age 32. KiA;
Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. Thomas Harold Lewis 18140211 Age 28. PoW **;
Right Waist Gnr: Sgt. Ralph Sherman Metcalf 31207157 Age 24. PoW **;
Left Waist Gnr: Sgt. Hyman Green 12143926 Age 21. PoW Unknown Camp;
Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Alvin Delaus Sparks 16005653 Age 24. PoW **;

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland;

** Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland;

1st Lt. Schoenig was repatriated to Ohio. 2nd Lt. Van Houten, 2nd Lt. Schnee, T/Sgt. McKalip and Sgt. Davison. Normandy American Cemetery, Plots A-23-44; A-13-39; D-6-32 and A-1-22.

1st Lt. Czemerda was awarded the Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.

John Jacob Czemerda was born on the 23rd April 1919 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pennsylvania. He married Elizabeth J. Bizzack on the 11th September 1948. John died on the 6th February 1993 in Canonsburg, Washington, Pennsylvania, USA.

(5) On his 23rd recorded mission on the 16th March 1944 T/Sgt. Woodcock was the Engineer/Top Turret Gunner aboard B-17G 42-31262 ‘Ole Smoke’ BI:P, of the Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H) on a mission to Augsburg, Germany.

Above the crew of B-17G 42-31262 ‘Ole Smoke’. Standing left to right: S/Sgt. Breeding, S/Sgt. Hofer, S/Sgt. DeVore, S/Sgt. Cascarino, S/Sgt. Grindstaff, T/Sgt. Woodcock. Front left to right: 2nd Lt. Polly, 2nd Lt. Otto, 2nd Lt. Fieke, 1st Lt. Jenkins (Official photograph caption: ‘A crew of the 390th Bomb Group poses in front of their Boeing B-17 “OLE SMOKE” at their base in England 9 January 1944’).

Attacked by German fighters. The bale out order was given at 18,000 ft. The aircraft crashed at 11:50 hrs at Himmlingen near Aalen, east of Stuttgart, Germany. S/Sgt. DeVore did not bale out, despite being seen by other members of the crew standing in the waist with his parachute on.

Pilot: 1st Lt. Darold Ward Jenkins O-467201 Age 24. PoW *;
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Virgil Edward Fieker O-687022 Age 24. PoW **;
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Carl John Otto O-689572 Age 27. PoW *;
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Vernise Grant Polly O-686140 Age 24. PoW **;
Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: T/Sgt. George H. Woodcock 16077588 Age 20. PoW ***;
Radio Operator: T/Sgt. William Edward Hofer 16008778 Age 27. PoW ***;
Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. Lawrence Cascarino 13126929 Age 21. PoW ***;
Right Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Kenneth A. DeVore 15382458 Age 19. KiA;
Left Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Howard Dean Grindstaff 15335016 Age 21. PoW ***;
Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Hertchel E. Breeding 14170760 Age 21. PoW ***;

* Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia, Germany, now Żagań in Poland;

** Stalag 7A, Moosburg, Bavaria;

*** Stalag Luft 4, Groß-Tychow, Pomerania, Prussia now Tychowo, Poland;

S/Sgt. Kenneth A. DeVore. Lorraine American cemetery Plot A-15-59.

He was awarded the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.

George H. Woodcock was born on the 26th August 1923 in Cleveland, Ohio. He married Carol G. Wessberg. George died on the 11th August 1997 in Glenview, Illinois, USA.

(6) On the 18th April 1944 Sgt. Means was on his 28th recorded mission when he was wounded aboard B-17G 42-97182 ‘Ding-Dong-Daddy’ of the 571st Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H) on a mission to Oranienburg, Germany. He died that day from complications to a wound to his abdomen.

He was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters and the Purple Heart.

Above: Notice for Sgt. Means (Courtesy of the Lawrence County News, dated 4th May 1944)

He was buried at the Cambridge American Cemetery Block E, Row 6, Grave 74. He was born circa 1921 in Petty, Lawrence, Illinois. Son of Homer Lawrence and Lona (née Fluharty) Means of Bridgeport, Illinois, USA.

(7) S/Sgt. Ellett survived the war. His 25th and final recorded mission was on the 21st February 1944 as the Ball Turret gunner aboard B-17G 238048 ‘Dorothy Dee’ to Hannover, Germany. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and the Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters.

William Leray Ellett was born on the 12th August 1923 in McCammon, Bannock, Idaho. He was the son of Fawn W. and Vera Ellett of McCammon, Bannock, Idaho. He married Mary Opal Olsen on the 18th August 1954. William died on the 9th November 2023 at the grand age of 100.

(8) On the 21st January 1944 S/Sgt. Marizzaldi was on his 15th recorded mission as the Right Waist Gnr aboard B-17G 42-37818 ‘Pub Pete’ BI:D of the 568th Bombardment Sqn (H), 390th Bombardment Grp (H).

The aircraft started to lag behind after being hit by Flak in #4 engine forcing the propeller to be feathered. On the second bombing run the #2 engine was also set ablaze. The rear section of the aircraft burst into flames, and the aircraft was headed back towards the English Channel, but crashed in the sea west of Wissant, between Boulogne and Calais. Seven of the crew baled out but S/Sgt. Marizzaldi’s parachute failed to open.

Above: Sgt. Marizzaldi killed in action (Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph, dated 19th December 1949)

Pilot: 1st Lt. Clyde Jay Baughar O-742657 Age 26. MiA;
Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Elmer William Schwankl O-683786 Age 26. MiA;
Navigator: 2nd Lt. Charles Lawrence Lee O-750200 Age 25. PoW *;
Bombardier: 2nd Lt. Paul Kenneth Fabian O-679486 Age 22. MiA;
Engineer/Top Turret Gnr: T/Sgt. Albert Herold Redwine 37206204 Age 23. PoW *;
Radio Operator: T/Sgt. Carter Jameson Lunsford 11024835 Age 19. PoW *;
Ball Turret Gnr: S/Sgt. Walton William Beach 17155830 Age 24. PoW *;
Right Waist Gnr: Philip John Marizzaldi 33305197 Age 22. KiA;
Left Waist Gnr: S/Sgt. Frank P. Bongiovanni 32157191 Age? PoW *;
Tail Gnr: S/Sgt. Dick Chin 19139021 Age 24. 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;

1st Lt. Baughar, 2nd Lt. Schwankl and 2nd Lt. Fabian are remembered on the Tablets of the Missing, Ardennes American Cemetery.

S/Sgt. Marizzaldi was awarded the Air Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster. He was probably also awarded a Purple Heart as a result of his injury however no record for the award has been found.

S/Sgt. Marizzaldi was repatriated and laid to rest at the Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was born on the 15th November 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Son to Furio and Frances (née Giarrusso) Marizzaldi of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

(9) S/Sgt. Glass survived the war. His 30th and final recorded mission was as a Waist Gunner aboard B-17G 297160 ‘Southern Comfort’ which was on a mission to Boulogne, France on the 2nd June 1944. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and Air Medal with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters for his missions over the European Theatre of Operations (ETO).

William Henry Glass was born on the 24th April 1919 in Cowenta, Georgia and died on the 4th February 1999 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

(10) The records on the 390th Bombardment Grp (H) portal details that he only flew on two more missions as Tail Gunner. His last was on the 16th November 1943 aboard B-17G 237818 ‘Dinah Might’ on a mission to Rjukan, Norway. It appears that Sgt. North was taken off flying status for an unknown reason and he was transferred to the 351st Bombardment Sqn (H), 100th Bombardment Grp (H) in a ground role.

Benhard ‘Benny’ Mikail North was born on the 13th April 1913 at Point Mills, Michigan. He married Mabel E. Hill on the 12th January 1946 in Wright, Minnesota. No further on-line information has been found.

Burial Details:

None - All survived this mission

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew. With thanks to Peter Blythe for the Crashed Aircraft Report and other contributions to this report (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