B-24 Lost to Flak
B-24 Lost to Flak
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII - Germany > The ETO > The ETO Air War, updated by RAC 27 Aug 2022.
The best-known and deadliest aspect of the ETO Air War was strategic bombing,  the use of thousands of US and English heavy bombers based in southern England against targets in Germany and elsewhere in occupied Europe.
Most Americans who died while participating in the ETO Air War were members of either the Eighth Air Force, which conducted the heavy bombing campaign, or the Ninth Air Force, which provided fighter, light and medium bomber, and troop carrier and cargo aircraft.

ETO Air War deaths among the 45 Pottawattamie area men listed below, as of August 2022, are distributed thusly:
  • Heavy Bomber Flight Crew - 33 (Eighth Air Force)
  • Medium Bomber Flight Crew - 5 (Ninth and Twelfth Air Forces)
  • Troop Carrier Flight Crew  - 3 (Ninth Air Force)
  • Light Bomber Flight Crew - 1 (Ninth Air Force)
  • Fighter Pilot - 1 (Ninth Air Force; Eighth Air Force also had fighters)
  • Reconnaissance Pilot - 1 (Eighth Air Force)
  • Ground Crew - 1 (Ninth Air Force)​
Sources for the The ETO > The ETO Air War webpage:
  • B-24 Lost to Flak, the page header photo, is courtesy of pinterest.

Pottawattamie Area World War II Dead Roster - The ETO Air War:
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.​​
03-09 - The ETO > The ETO Air War: (45 dead, updated 27 Aug 2022)
† Anderson, Virgil Wendell, SN T-003902, USAAF, Buena Vista and Pott. Cos.
  • 95th Troop Carrier Sqdn., 440th Troop Carrier Gp., Ninth Air Force; based at Chateaudun, Eure-et-Loir Dept., NW of Orleans, France; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #42-100906 co-pilot; KIA 27 Dec 1944 near St. Hubert, W of Bastogne, Belgium; flak brought plane down during glider tow mission carrying supplies to Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge; three dead, two survivors; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Bailey, Edwin Clark, SN 17-149-190, USAAF, Montgomery Co.
  • 7th Bomb. Sqdn., 34th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Mendlesham, N. of Ipswich, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38419 Miss Betsy tail gunner w/ pilot Jacob Raver; KIA 14 Jan 1945 on mission to Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany; aircraft lost right wing due to flak and crashed NW of Bremen, 700 meters SW of village of Eggestedt; seven dead, two POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Benedict, George Junior, SN 37-485-642, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • 731st Bomb. Sqdn., 452nd Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Doepham Green, Norfolk, England; B-17G #44-8015 Johnny Reb w/ pilot William T. Emmet II; KIA Pfaffenhofen an der Roth, Bavaria, near Ulm, Germany, 22 Feb 1945; plane broke apart approaching the target in overcast conditions; seven died, three survived; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Blaylock, John Robert “Bob” Jr., SN O-437451, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • C.O. 510th Bomb. Sqdn., 351st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Polebrook, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-37731 pilot; KIA 31 Dec 1943 near Royan, SW France; plane shot down after raid on Bordeaux, parachute failed; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Braden, Grant Nathaniel, SN O-690177, USAAF, Montgomery Co.
  • 597th Bomb. Sqdn., 397th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Péronne, Somme Dept., E of Amiens, France; Martin B-26 Marauder #42-96162 Dottie Dee pilot; KIA 30 Jan 1945 near Courtisols, SE of Reims, Marne, France; plane crashed in a snowstorm returning from a weather reconnaissance mission; crew of four all died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Cargill, Lawrence Elroy, SN 37-464-353, USAAF, Fremont Co.
  • 66th Bomb Sqdn., 44th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Shipdham Airfield, Norwich, England W of the city of Norwich; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #41-28795 radio operator w/ pilot Forest M. Musgrave; DNB 8 May 1944 near Acle, Norwich, England, between the city of Norwich and Great Yarmouth; aircraft was on a training mission preparatory to serving as a radar-equipped Pathfinder; lost control from unknown causes and crashed; two killed (Musgrave's chute didn't open and Cargill stayed with the aircraft); The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Cohen, Irving, SN O-771221, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 728 Bomb. Sqdn; 452 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Deopham Green, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortess #42-97534 pilot; KIA on his first mission 25 Nov 1944 over Harren, N of Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany; plane exploded in mid-air after direct flak hit, seven crew dead, two POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
†  Delong, Lloyd, SN 37-117-114, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 409th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force, flying Douglas A-26 Invaders, based at Brétigny-sur-Orge, Essonne Dept., S of Paris, France; DNB 3 Nov 1944 at Fleury-Mérogis, near Paris; head injuries from falling from a moving truck; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Dideriksen, Robert Warren, SN O-2044637, USAAF, Pott. & Page Cos.
  • 14th Photo Recon. Sqdn., 7th Recon. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Mount Farm, N of Dorchester, Oxfordshire, England; British Supermarine PR Mk XI Spitfire #PL790 pilot; KIA 15 Jun 1944 near Paris, France; shot down by German Me-109s; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Downs, Thomas George, SN O-745648, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 85th Troop Carrier Sqdn., 437th Troop Carrier Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Ramsbury, Wiltshire, England; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota #43-15655 pilot; DNB 27 Aug 1944 at landing field ALG A-22 near Colleville-sur-Mer, Normandy, France; crashed while landing, four dead; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Emerson, Charles Waldo, SN 37-485-764, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 418th Bomb. Sqdn., 100th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress 43-37517 Heaven Can Wait tail gunner; WIA 11 Sep 1944 over Ruhland, N of Dresden, Germany; DOW 30 Sep 1944 in hospital, England; The ETO > The ETO Air War.  
†  Evers, Leland Junior, SN O-748386, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 730 Bomb. Sqdn., 452 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Deopham Green, Norfolk, England; Boeing B17-G Flying Fortress #42-31334 pilot; KIA 12 Apr 1944 over North Sea; plane ditched returning from mission, six dead; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Franklin, Milburn Martin, SN O-736767, USAAF, Lewis Co., WA
  • 410th Bomb. Sqdn., 94th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England, E of Cambridge; Boeing B-17G #42-37821 The Sweetest One navigator w/ pilot John E. Pyles; KIA 26 Nov 1943 SE of Paris, France; aircraft rammed by German FW-109 fighter and crashed near Chevry-Cossigny in Ile-de-France Departement; of crew of ten, nine died and the tail gunner eluded capture; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Friend, James Junior, SN O-746080, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 551st Bomb. Sqdn., 385th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Great Ashfield, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-30822 Dorsal Queen co-pilot w/ pilot Delmer Gray; KIA 25 Feb 1944 over Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany; mid-air explosion from flak, seven dead, three POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Gallup, Eugene Maxwell, SN 39-539-448, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 578th Bomb. Sqdn., 392nd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Wendling, near East Dereham, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #41-28688 gunner w/ pilot Travis W. Griffin; KIA 24 Apr 1944; multiple engine failure on mission to Leipheim Luftwaffe air base, E of Ulm, Bavaria, Germany; entire crew of ten bailed out SW of Freudenstadt, Baden; two died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Gustafson, Dale Eldon, SN 19-127-645, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 250th Bomb. Sqdn., 100th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Thorpe Abbots, Norfolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-102611 left waist gunner; KIA 27 Jun 1944 near Great Yarmouth, England, plane lost during training flight; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Hartkopf, Paul Otto, SN 37-479-719, US Army, Cass Co.
  • 848th Bomb. Sqdn., 490th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Eye, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-38191 Miss Mary Kay waist gunner w/ pilot Darril F. Roufs; KIA 5 Apr 1945 Goeree Overflakkee Is., SW of Rotterdam, Netherlands; aircraft hit by flak from German naval vessels in Middelharnis Harbor, crashed into water and exploded, crew of nine all dead; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
†  Holiday, Albert Henry, SN 17-029-435, USAAF, Harrison & Ringgold Cos.
  • 641st Bomb. Sqdn., 409th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Little Walden, Essex, England; North American A-20G Havoc #43-9703 gunner w/ pilot Joseph R. Armistead; KIA 11 Jun 1944 Uttlesford District, Essex, England; three aircraft collided after takeoff, two crashed; five died from the eight crew members of the two lost aircraft; The ETO > The ETO Air War.​
† Howard, Charles Joseph, SN 17-131-392 & O-2067716, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 37th Bomb. Sqdn., 17th Bomb Gp., Twelfth Air Force, based at Dijon-Longvic, Burgundy, France; Martin B-26F Marauder #42-96326 copilot; KIA 26 Apr 1945 near target of Neuburg an der Donau, between Munich and Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Hunter, Gail Ray, SN 37-109-559, USAAF, Cass Co.
  • 558th Bomb. Sqdn., 387th Bomb Gp., Ninth Air Force; based at Chpping Ongar, NE of London, Essex, England; Martin B-26 Marauder #41-31664 Heavenly Body flight engineer & top turret gunner w/ pilot Charles W. Schober; KIA 8 Jun 1944 S of Caen, Normandy, France; aircraft hit by flak shortly after bombing ammunition dump in Foret de Grimbosq, exploded before hitting ground; crew of seven all died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Janss, Alfred Henry, SN T-131842, USAAF, Cass Co.
  • 467th Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Rackheath, NE of Norwich, Norwalk, England; Consolidated/Ford B-24H Liberator #42-52546 Southern Clipper navigator w/ pilot William E. Shinn; KIA 18 Mar 1945 over Berlin, Germany; aircraft hit by flak over target, four died from crew of ten; The ETO > The ETO Air War. 
† Kelley, Oren H., SN 17-033-747, USAAF, Cass Co.
  • 43rd Troop Carrier Sqdn., 315th Troop Carrier Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Aldermaston, Berkshire, England; Douglas C-47A Skytrain/Dakota C-47A #42-23479 radio operator; DNB 17 Sep 1943; accident during joint training exercise with Royal Air Force near Great Bircham, Norfolk, England; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Kersten, Lloyd Wesley, O-819918, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 836th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #43-37877 pilot; KIA 30 Nov 1944, Theissen, Burgenlandkreis, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany, SW of Leipzig; shot down by flak over secondary target; seven dead, two POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Kussman, Edward William, SN 37-261-765, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 856 Bomb. Sqdn., 492nd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at North Pickenham, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-50331 waist gunner w/ pilot Henry L. Polansky; KIA 31 Mar 1945, near Kirkwall, Orkney Is., Scotland; plane lost power and crashed returning from aborted Operation Carpetbagger mission; 13 dead included six Norwegian Special Forces members; one survivor; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† McCord, George Melvin, SN 37-651-218, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 785th Bomb. Sqdn., 466th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Attlebridge, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #41-29466 Dark Rhapsody right waist gunner w/ pilot Donald C. Griffin, KIA 23 Mar 1944 over St. Jansklooster, NE of Amsterdam, Netherlands; mid-air collision w/ B-24 #42-52587 Shoo Shoo Baby on mission to Achmer Airfield, NW of Onsabrück, Germany; all died except two or three members off the Shoo Shoo Baby crew; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Melton, Derald William, SN 17-131-529, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 547th Bomb. Sqdn., 384th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Grafton-Underwood, Northamptonshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-10783 bombardier; KIA 27 Dec 1944 near Arenberg, E of Koblenz, Germany; plane lost rear section from flak & crashed, eight dead, two survivors; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Napier, Roy Hugh, SN O-769905, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 485th Fighter Sqdn., 370th Fighter Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Florennes-Juzaine, Belgium, ~70 miles S of Brussels; Lockheed P-38J Lightning #42-67822 pilot; KIA 3 Jan 1945; aircraft crash; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Narvis, Charles William, SN O-698999, USAAF, Muscatine Co.
  • 375th Fighter Sqdn., 361th Fighter Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, England; North American P-51 Mustang #44-14226 Babe pilot; KIA 2 Nov 1944 10 miles E of Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Nord, Carl Arthur, SN O-694473, USAAF, Cass Co.
  • ​852nd Bomb. Sqdn., 493rd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Debach, NE of Ipswich, Suffolk, England ; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #44-40471 No Love, No Nothing bombardier w/ pilot Jack G.  W. Cooper; d. 6 Jun 1944 over the English Channel; group was returning from an aborted mission to Lisieux, France; Cooper's aircraft collided with Consolidated/Ford B-24H Liberator #42-94789 Moby Dick; no survivors from combined crews of 20; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Petrus, Richard Marvin, SN 17-148-212, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 706th Bomb. Sqdn., 466 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Bungay/Flixton, Suffolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #42-50790 tail gunner; KIA 11 Apr 1945 SW of Bungay/Flixton; two returning bombers collided, no survivors; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Pogge, George Hubert, SN O-718974, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 714th Bomb. Sqdn., 448th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Seething, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-95134 Lady Margaret navigator w/ pilot Francis Bodkin; KIA 26 Aug 1944 en route to Ludwigshafen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany; plane brought down by flak 7 miles W of Ludwigshafen; six died, four survived; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Schaupp, Dale John, SN 17-123-462, USAAF, Harrison Co.
  • 600th Bomb. Sqdn., 398th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Nuthamstead, Hampshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-97339 flight engineer/top turret gunner; KIA 19 May 1944 near Berlin, Germany; plane hit by flak and by debris from an overhead plane; eight died, two POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Seeger, LeRoy Ernest "Roy", SN 17-131-731, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • 838th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb. Gp., based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; B-17G #42-98013 flight engineer/top turret gunner w/ pilot Clement J. Kochzynski; KIA 14 Jan 1945 near Ventschau, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, ESE of Lüneburg, Germany returning from mission to Onsabrück or Magdeburg; collision with another B-17; plane left formation, exploded in mid-air and spiraled to the ground; four dead, five POWs; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Smith, Henry Clayton, SN 37-480-433, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • 494th Bomb. Sqdn., 344th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force, based at Stansted, near Bishop Stortford, Hertfordshire, England; Martin B-26G5 Marauder #43-34406 tail gunner; KIA 23 Sep 1944 near Venlo, SE Netherlands; plane shot down by flak; two crew may have survived, remaining four died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Smith, Howard Myron, SN 17-038-532, USAAF, Shelby & Cass Cos.
  • ​713th Bomb. Sqdn., 448th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Seething, SSE of Norwich, East Anglia, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-52123 engineer w/ pilot James E. Urban; KIA 11 Jan 1944 near Exloo, SE of Groningen, Netherlands; aircraft attacked by German fighters, left formation and broke in several parts, crew of ten all died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Spedding, Edward William, SN O-767677, USAAF, Oswego Co., NY
  • 409th Bomb. Sqdn., 93rd Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Hartwick, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24J Liberator #42-109815 co-pilot w/ pilot Eldon C. Frobish; KIA 5 Nov 1944 near Voslapp N of Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, Germany; plane crashed while participating in a raid on Misburg, E of Hanover, Germany (probable target was oil refineries); one survived, three bodies found & buried by Germans, five died in the water; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Spicer, Robert Francis, SN O-693421, USAAF, Montgomery Co.
  • 570th Bomb. Sqdn., 390th Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force; based at Framlingham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17F Flying Fortress #42-30783 The Stork Club co-pilot w/ pilot Vincent De Mayo; KIA 16 Mar 1944 six miles E of Schwabish Gmund, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; aircraft attacked by Luftwaffe fighters and exploded on mission to Augsburg; eight died, two survived; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Stith, George Noel, SN O-697177, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 557th Bomb. Sqdn., 387th Bomb. Gp., Ninth Air Force; based at Clastres, France, E of Amiens; Martin B-26F Marauder #42-96309 pilot; KIA 23 Dec 1944, near Bastogne, Belgium; plane returning from bombing mission over Hagen, Germany, crashed from flak; three killed, four POW; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Stockman, Kenneth Herman, SN 37-482-024, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 427 Bomb. Sqdn., 303 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Molesworth, Cambridgeshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #43-38057 radio operator; KIA 9 Nov 1944 near Molesworth Air Base; mid-air collision while assembling for raid over Schweinfurt, one survivor; The ETO > The ETO Air War.
† Sunberg, John Linder, SN 17-123-628, USAAF, Montgomery Co.
  • 837th Bomb. Sqdn., 487th Bomb Gp., Eighth Air Force based at Lavenham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #44-8276 radio operator w/ pilot Jack Leon; KIA 18 Mar 1945 near Massin, Germany (now Masina, Poland); aircraft damaged by flak approaching Berlin, then flew east to reach Russian-occupied territory before bailing out; John Sunberg & Leonard Marino were killed in their parachutes by Russian fighter aircraft, other seven landed safely; location where Russians buried Sunberg & Marino is unknown; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
  • Notes: In 2017, Masina citizens erected a memorial to Sunberg & Marino. See Big Pigeon's Roster Photos > Memorials or https://www.army.mil/article/184674/polish_town_honors_fallen_wwii_airmen.
† Sweeny, Duane Grant Henry, SN O-770836, USAAF, Pott. Co.
  • 568th Bomb. Sqdn., 390th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Framlingham, Suffolk, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-32026 'Tis a Mystery pilot; KIA 30 Nov 1944 over North Sea; plane iced up & crashed near beginning of mission to Kassel, Germany; all nine crew dead; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Wentz, William Findley, SN 17-069-660, USAAF, Black Hawk Co. 
  • 785th Bomber Sqdn., 466th Bomber Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Attlebridge, Norfolk, England; Consolidated B-24H Liberator #42-52555 Ol' Tom Cat flight engineer; KIA 9 May 1944 on mission to Tutow, E of Rostock, Germany, ditched in North Sea, no survivors; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Wilcox, Blaine Bertrand, SN O-772098, USAAF, Mills Co.
  • 613th Bomb. Sqdn. 401st Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, England; Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress #42-31801 Son-of-a-Blitz bombardier; KIA 7 Oct 1944, over Politz, between Hamburg & Lubeck, Germany, destroyed by flak, all nine died; The ETO > The ETO Air War.​
† Wilcox, Stewart La Val, SN T-062027, USAAF, Mills Co. & Delaware
  • 613 Bomb. Sqdn., 401 Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Dennethorpe, Northhampshire, England; Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress #42-32005 co-pilot; KIA 24 Jul 1944 English Channel, plane caught fire returning from raid over St. Lo, Normandy, France (first day of carpet bombing preliminary to Operation Cobra); all nine bailed out over English Channel, all rescued except for Flight Officer Stewart Wilcox; The ETO > The ETO Air War; BNR.
† Yergey, Stanley Allen, SN O-717010, USAAF, Douglas Co., NE
  • 853th Bomb. Sqdn., 491th Bomb. Gp., Eighth Air Force, based at Metfield, Suffolk, England; Consolidated B-24 Liberator #44-10485 Dorty Treek bombardier; KIA 26 Nov 1944, shot down between Sarstedt and Heisede, S of Hanover, Germany; four dead, Lt. Yergey's remains found in the plane; The ETO > The ETO Air War.