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

Date: 24th March 1945 (Saturday)

Unit No: 527th Bombardment Squadron (H), 379th Bombardment Group (H), 1st Air Division, 8th Air Force

Type: B-17G

Serial: 43-38685

Code: FO:?

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

Location: Vicinity of Hopsten/Dreierwalde Airdrome

Pilot: 2nd Lt. Charles Alexander Schwab O-832022 AAF Age 22. Murdered (1)

Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt. Billy Gene Martin O-2062009 AAF Age 20. Murdered (1)

Navigator: 2nd Lt. George Sterchak Jr. O-2068487 AAF Age 19. PoW * (2)

Nose Gnr: Sgt. James Corry ‘Jim’ Ford 36903946 AAF Age 19. PoW * (3)

Engineer: S/Sgt. Raymond Lawrence Berry 35657653 AAF Age 19. Murdered (1)

Radio Operator: S/Sgt. Roy Marion Brahm Jr. 33689222 AAF Age 24. MiA (4)

Ball Turret Gunner: S/Sgt. Jerome Stanley ‘Jerry’ Silverman 33696345 AAF Age 24. Murdered (1)

RCM Operator: Sgt. Leroy Fred Piper 38367095 AAF Age 21. PoW * (5)

Tail Gunner: Sgt. Kenneth Tim Joseph Herr 15364238 AAF Age 19. Murdered (1)

* Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated

Above left to right: Sgt. Leroy Fred Piper (Courtesy of the Yearbook of University of Texas -1949) Sgt. Herr as a Cpl. (Courtesy of the Evansville Courier and Press, dated 4th December 1944)

REASON FOR LOSS:

B-17G 43-38685 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.

About seven (7) minutes away from the target the aircraft was hit by Flak in the right wing and #2 engine which then caught fire. The aircraft went into a spin at about 10:20 hrs, just after the bombs were salvoed the aircraft exploded and crashed about eight (8) km from the target. All nine (9) of the crew successfully baled out.

(1) 2nd Lt. Schwab gave the bale out order and was last seen in his pilot’s seat. 2nd Lt. Martin was seen making his way through the Bomb Bay. S/Sgt. Berry, S/Sgt. Silverman and Sgt. Herr acknowledged the order. None of the five (5) were seen again.

The fate of 2nd Lt. Schwab, 2nd Lt. Martin, S/Sgt. Silverman, S/Sgt. Berry and Sgt. Herr, 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 Aerodrome, 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 aerodrome. 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:

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);

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

Sgt. Mark R. Reynolds Jr. (X-1772) and Sgt. Milton S. Kenan (X-1769) from 524th Bombardment Sqn (H), 379th Bombardment Group, B-17G 43-38818.

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.

(2) 2nd Lt. Sterchak’s statement:

“We flew the plane for about 1½ minutes away from the target. This happened about 10:20 on the morning of 24 March 1945. Everybody had time to get ready to bail out. When we received the order to bail out I jettisoned the nose hatch and had the nose gunner go out ahead of me. I checked the pilot's and co-pilot's compartment to see how they were getting along. The co-pilot was on his way out through the bomb bay. The pilot was still flying the plane. I couldn't see the engineer. After I checked that, I went out myself. On my way down I counted six parachutes, including my own. The plane finally exploded I was the second one that reached the ground out of the six that parachuted out. There are only three of us that anybody knows anything about. Sgt. Leroy Piper and I were the only two that were captured and sent to the same prison camp together. Sgt. Ford received injuries upon bailing out and was taken care of by German civilians until American armies liberated him. According to Sgt. Piper everyone in the waist was all set to bail out. He was the second one to bail out in the waist”.

2nd Lt. Sterchak returned to military control on the 1st May 1945.

George Sterchak Jr. was born on the 31st January 1925in Palmer, Pennsylvania. George tragically died at the age of 27 on the 25th February 1952 from Acute Myocarditis. It was just 10 days from the onset of symptoms until he died.

(Courtesy of The Pittsburgh Press, dated 28th February 1952)

(3) Sgt. Ford’s statement:

“We were seconds from the target, which was an airfield, when we received a hit in our right wing. Lt. Schwab pulled our plane off to the right of our squadron formation. Efforts to extinguish the wing fire were to no avail. I salvoed the bombs. And immediately after that Lt. Schwab ordered the crew to bail out. After which the crew acknowledged. I was first to leave via way of the nose hatch. And evidently I struck some part of the ship probably the left bombay [sic] door, because everything is blank until I came too in a farmhouse. A member of the family who lived in the home told me she saw 7 chutes. The German police picked me up and I was taken to a town which was a mile and half away. This town had a pop. of around 15,000 and had a number of hospitals one of which I stayed in until April 18th when I was liberated by British Forces.

From the other two boys on the crew who were liberated I received the following information. The navigator said he seen the co-pilot standing on the bomb bay catwalk and the engineer couldn't be seen, and the pilot was still in his seat. From the spot jammer the following info. was gotten. The radio man left the ship ahead of him and supposedly the ball gunner followed the jammer”.

James Corry Ford was born on the 18th December 1925 in Chicago, Illinois. James passed away on the 27th April 2022.

(Courtesy of the Chicago Tribune, dated 1st May 2022)

(4) S/Sgt. Brahm Jr. was seen to be the first to leave the aircraft which was confirmed by Sgt. Piper. Efforts to associate S/Sgt. Brahm Jr. with the remains of other unknowns from the immediate vicinity of Dreierwalde failed. No evidence has been found that explains the reason why he was Missing in Action (MiA).

(5) Sgt. Piper’s statement:

“On the 24 March 1945 we were to bomb the Hopsten Air Field which was our primary target. Some where between the I.P. and the target our plane was hit by flak in back of the number three engine. The wing began to burn fiercely and smoke poured into the fuselage of the plane. Because my position on the plane was that of an RCM operator (spot jammer), I was not on inter-phone. Evidently the pilot had given orders to abandon the plane, because the radio operator (Sgt. Brahm) removed his flak suit and secured his parachute. I did likewise.

Sgt Brahm was the first man to reach the waist escape door and he salvoed the door. I was the second man to reach the door, having passed Sgt Silverman, the ball turret operator, who was having some trouble disconnecting his oxygen mask from the oxygen tube. While pausing at the door momentarily, someone tapped me on the shoulder and with out looking back I immediately tumbled out of the plane. Sgt Brahm was definitely the only man I saw clear the plane.

I pulled the rip cord of my chute shortly after leaving the plane, and it was approximately fifteen minutes before I reached the ground. While I was descending I counted some five or six other chutes which had evidently left our plane since ours was the only plane hit badly enough to warrant abandoning plane. This was verified by fellow group members whom I talked to later. I also saw a large piece of the plane which was burning go down. I presumed it was a wing.

I landed alone since the parachutes were well scattered in the sky. The terrain I landed In was quite hilly end covered with trees which enabled me to escape immediately.

Two days later I was picked up in some woods near the out skirts of Rheine, Germany. I had walked there during the two nights I was free which evidently wasn't very far since my sprained left ankle impeded my travel considerably.

The Wehrmacht soldiers who caught me turned me over to the [Luftwaffe]. After the usual procedure of being frisked and lectured to, I was put in into a cell of their guard house where I made contact with my navigator, Lt George Sterchak. Lt. Sterchak told me he was captured immediately since he had landed in a concentration camp for Russian prisoners of war who being worked in a coal mine nearby.

Lt Sterchak and I were together until we parted at Camp Patrick Heany, Va.

I never met any one else of my crew after abandoning ship except Lt. Sterchak. Sgt Ford, the nose gunner of our crew, is back safely, but I don't have any details from him since I have not made contact with him”.

Sgt Piper returned to military control on the 13th May 1945.

Leroy Fred Piper was born on the 28th January 1923 in Austin, Texas. Leroy passed away on the 3rd December 2018 in Austin, Trevis County, Texas, USA.

Burial details:

Above Grave marker for 2nd Lt. Charles Alexander Schwab (Courtesy of Dominique Potier – FindAGrave)

2nd Lt. Charles Alexander Schwab. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot A-22-19. Born on the 21st April 1923 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. Son of Fred O. Schwab Sr. of Williamsville, New York, USA.

Above Grave marker for 2nd Lt. Billy Gene Martin (Courtesy of Jill Nelson – FindAGrave)

2nd Lt. Billy Gene Martin. Air Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Forest Hill Cemetery, Livingston, Texas on the 9th June 1949. Born on the 12th February 1924 in Livingston, Polk County, Texas. Son of Jack Adams and Johnnie Martin of Livingston, Texas, USA.

Above Grave Marker for S/Sgt. Raymond Lawrence Berry (Courtesy of and in memory of 'Fallen Graver’ R. Wheeler - FindAGrave)

S/Sgt. Raymond Lawrence Berry. Air Medal (Oak Leaf Cluster). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Harrah Cemetery, Backus, West Virginia on the 25th September 1950. Born on the 31st July 1924 in Fayette, West Virginia. Son of Marion L. and Ethel R. (née Haley) Berry of Fire Creek, Virginia, USA.

S/Sgt. Roy Marion Brahm Jr. Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart. Commemorated on the Wall of the Missing Cambridge Cemetery. (Legal date of death 25th March 1946). Born on the 18th December 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Son of Roy Marion and Mildred Mathews (née Young) Brahm. Husband to Virginia ‘Ginny’ (née Reiter) Brahm of Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA.

S/Sgt. Jerome Stanley Silverman. Air Medal. Repatriated and laid to rest at the Shaare Torah Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the 21st August 1949. Born on the 9th January 1920 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Son of Irwin Alexander and Mollie ‘Goldie’ (née Mallinger) Silverman. Husband to Tillie A. (née Erlichman) Silverman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

(Courtesy of The Pittsburgh Press, dated 20th August 1949)

Sgt. Kenneth Tim Joseph Herr. Air Medal (3 Oak Leaf Clusters). Repatriated and laid to rest at the Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Evansville, Vanderburgh County, on the 25th September 1950. Born on the 11th August 1925 in Evansville, Vanderburgh County. Son of Charles L. and Matilda M. (née Koressel) Herr of Evansville, Vanderburgh County, Indiana, USA.

(Courtesy of the Evansville Press, dated 23rd September 1950)

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