In September of 2016, this blog commenced with a post about Luftgaukommando Reports – documents created by the Germans to record information about aircraft and aircrews of the United States and British Commonwealth air forces shot down over German-occupied Europe and Germany itself, during the Second World War.\u00a0 Also known as KU (Kampflugzeug Unterlagen \u2013 \u201cDowned Allied Aircraft\u201d) Reports, these documents are part of Records Group 242 (Collection of Foreign Records Seized, 1675-1983) in the United States National Archives.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

By nature, Luftgaukommando Reports comprise records compiled by the Germans, and not uncommonly, include documents (personal and otherwise) and other items, such as V-Mail and hand-written correspondence, carried or worn (dog tags) by air crewmen.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

That \u201cfirst\u201d post (a multitude of keystrokes ago\u2026!) focused on Luftgaukommando Report J 2525<\/a>, which covers \u201cChicago\u2019s Own\u201d, a P-51D Mustang (44-41010) of the 353rd Fighter Squadron of the 354th Fighter Group, which was piloted by Captain Gordon T. McEachron, and served to introduce and describe general aspects of Luftgaukommando Reports.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

What makes Luftgaukommando Report J 2525 noteworthy is the presence of several excellent photographs of the downed and mostly intact \u2013 albeit no longer quite flyable! – Mustang.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Report J2525 is one of the very few Luftgaukommando Reports containing photographs.\u00a0 Sometimes, like the pictures of Chicago\u2019s Own<\/em>, such images suggest the features, components, and design aspects of American warplanes that particularly drew the attention of German investigators and technical analysts.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

In a large sense, perhaps an apt word for such images is \u201cevocative\u201d.\u00a0 It\u2019s one thing to read \u201cabout\u201d the loss of an American military plane in a book, article, or Missing Air Crew Report.\u00a0 It\u2019s quite another to actually see and hold an image of what that aircraft looked like, to those who actually flew within it over seven decades ago.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

____________________<\/span><\/p>\n

This post presents another series of German photographs of a downed American warplane:\u00a0 An entirely intact yet rather broken 8th Air Force B-24 Liberator \u2013 ironically nicknamed \u201cTell Me More\u201d – which was examined by the Germans after force-landing in Holland on April 29, 1944.\u00a0 The 15 images presented here, in Luftgaukommando Report KU 1679, represent the second<\/em> highest total quantity of images found in any of the Luftgaukommando Reports (whether J, KU, or ME Reports) I\u2019ve thus far examined.\u00a0 (The largest quantity of photographs in a Luftgaukommando Report\u2013 19 – hopefully the subject of a future post!)<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTell Me More\u201d, a B-24H 41-28754 of the 787th Bomb Squadron, 466th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, squadron code 6L * N<\/em>, was piloted by 1 Lt. Carl E. Hitchcock, and was lost during the Group\u2019s mission to Berlin on April 29, 1944.\u00a0 Its loss is covered in MACR 4447.\u00a0 The 466th lost one other Liberator that day (41-29399, \u201cT9 * D<\/em>\u201d, of the 784th Bomb Squadron, covered in KU 1681) while the 8th Air Force lost 61 other B-17s and B-24s; the 15th Air Force 4 <\/span>B-24s.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

In human costs, approximately six hundred and seventy men.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to tables of B-24 Liberator serial numbers in Allan Blue\u2019s The B-24 Liberator<\/em> (pp. 195 and 202), Tell Me More<\/em> was a B-24H-1DT, and \u2013 going by serial numbers alone, rather than calendar date of manufacture and delivery \u2013 was the very first \u201dH\u201d version of all 3,100 B-24H Liberators manufactured.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

The crew list from the MACR is shown below:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/a>____________________<\/span><\/p>\n

Neither the MACR nor the KU Report contain information describing the actual cause of the aircraft\u2019s loss.\u00a0 The KU Report simply states that the plane, \u201cmade an emergency landing 6 km east of Apeldoorn\u201d, also vaguely mentioning \u201cLiberator Shot Down\u201d.\u00a0 Regardless, as can be seen from the list in the MACR and KU Report, the entire crew of 10 was eventually captured. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, all survived the war.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

They were:<\/span><\/p>\n

Pilot<\/strong> – Hitchcock<\/u><\/strong>, Carl Edward, 1 Lt., 0-664597<\/span>
\n Mrs. Mary Hitchcock (mother), North Bradley St., McKinney, Tx.<\/span>
\n Born 1\/17\/15, Tx.; Died 9\/23\/95<\/span>
\n Buried Sunset Memorial Park, San Antonio, Tx.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag 7A (Moosburg)<\/span>
\n Captured by 6\/22\/44<\/span><\/p>\n

Co-Pilot<\/strong> – Young<\/u><\/strong>, Lloyd G., 2 Lt., 0-680791<\/span>
\n Mrs. Mary Young (mother), Park View Ave., Knoxville, Tn.<\/span>
\n Born 9\/25\/18, Smith County, Tn.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan)<\/span>
\n Captured May 3, 1944, at Vorort v Tiel, by Officer Heitzwebel<\/span><\/p>\n

Navigator<\/strong> – Willson<\/u><\/strong>, Robert Edwin, 2 Lt., 0-698245<\/span>
\n Mrs. Frances (Gardner) Willson (wife), 3026 Lebanon, El Paso, Tx.<\/span>
\n Born 9\/9\/20, Sherman, Tx.; Died 2\/3\/08<\/span>
\n Buried Dallas – Fort Worth National Cemetery, Dallas, Tx. <\/span>
\n On tombstone \u2013 \u201cEx-POW \u2013 It is well with my soul<\/em>.\u201d<\/span>
\n POW \u2013 Camp Unknown<\/span>
\n Captured by 6\/22\/44<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert Willson’s tombstone, photographed by FindAGrave contributor William Nance<\/a>, is shown below:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>Bombardier<\/strong> – Bochicchio<\/u><\/strong>, Vito Joseph, 2 Lt., 0-682047<\/span>
\n Mrs. Margaret Bochicchio (mother), West 21st St., New York, N.Y.<\/span>
\n Born 1\/1\/17, New York, N.Y.; Died 3\/23\/10<\/span>
\n Buried Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, N.Y.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan)<\/span>
\n Captured May 3, 1944, at Vorort v Tiel, by Officer Heitzwebel<\/span><\/p>\n

Flight Engineer <\/strong>– DiManno<\/u><\/strong>, Carmine Gerard, T\/Sgt., 31276739<\/span>
\n Mrs. Mary Dimanno (mother), 19 Orchard St., Hartford, Ct.<\/span>
\n Born 7\/7\/23; Died 5\/29\/77<\/span>
\n Buried East Cemetery, Manchester, Ct.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 4 (Gross-Tychow)<\/span>
\n Probably Captured April 29, 1944, near Apeldoorn<\/span><\/p>\n

Radio Operator<\/strong> – McCue<\/u><\/strong>, Thomas J. (\u201cThomas Francis\u201d?), S\/Sgt., 12188732<\/span>
\n Mrs. Lee V. McCue (mother), 476 Dean St., Brooklyn, N.Y.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 4 (Gross-Tychow)<\/span>
\n Captured April 29, 1944, near Apeldoorn<\/span><\/p>\n

Gunner (Ball Turret)<\/strong> – Browne<\/u><\/strong>, Charles Graham, S\/Sgt., 19116027<\/span>
\n Mrs. Agnes G. Browne (mother), East South Mariposa St., Glendale, Ca.<\/span>
\n Born 12\/21\/19, Twin Falls, Id.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan)<\/span>
\n Captured April 29, 1944, near Apeldoorn<\/span><\/p>\n

Gunner (Right Waist)<\/strong> – Smith<\/u><\/strong>, David Leon, S\/Sgt., 18213749<\/span>
\n Mrs. Mary Smith (mother), General Delivery, New Franklin, Mo.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 1 (Barth)<\/span>
\n Captured by January 5, 1945<\/span><\/p>\n

Gunner (Left Waist)<\/strong> – Lugosi<\/u><\/strong>, Alex Paul, S\/Sgt., 36631214<\/span>
\n Mrs. Anna Lugosi (mother), 12632 Wallace St., Chicago, Il.<\/span>
\n Born 11\/11\/21, Chicago, Il.<\/span>
\n POW \u2013 Camp Unknown (numerical indicator is \u201c0\u201d)<\/span>
\n Captured April 29, 1944, near Apeldoorn<\/span><\/p>\n

Gunner (Tail)<\/strong> – Dorrian<\/u><\/strong>, Thomas George, S\/Sgt., 12121740<\/span>
\n Mr. James Dorrian (father), 2541 99th St., East Elmhurst, Long Island, N.Y.<\/span>
\n Born New York, N.Y.<\/span>
\n POW Stalag Luft 3 (Sagan)<\/span>
\n Captured April 29, 1944, near Apeldoorn<\/span><\/p>\n

____________________<\/span><\/p>\n

The crew list and other documents in the KU Report imply that the crew split up after landing \u2013 the enlisted men in one group, and the four officers in two pairs \u2013 in an attempt to evade capture.\u00a0 This is suggested by their dates of capture, which are listed in the KU Report as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

Captured on April 29, at Apeldoorn:<\/span><\/p>\n

T\/Sgt. Carmine G. DiManno (flight engineer)<\/span>
\n S\/Sgt. Thomas J. McCue (Radio Operator)<\/span>
\n S\/Sgt. Charles G. Browne (Ball Turret Gunner)<\/span>
\n S\/Sgt. Alex P. Lugosi (Left Waist Gunner)<\/span>
\n S\/Sgt. Thomas G. Dorrian (Tail Gunner)<\/span><\/p>\n

Captured May 3, at \u201cVorort v Tiel\u201d, by an \u201cOfficer Heitzwebel\u201d:<\/span><\/p>\n

2 Lt. Lloyd G. Young (Co-Pilot)<\/span>
\n 2 Lt. Vito J. Bochicchio (Bombardier)<\/span><\/p>\n

Captured by June 22, at an unspecified location:<\/span><\/p>\n

1 Lt. Carl E. Hitchcock (Pilot)<\/span>
\n 2 Lt. Robert E. Willson (Navigator)<\/span><\/p>\n

Managed to evade until early January, 1945; location of capture unspecified:<\/span><\/p>\n

S\/Sgt. David L. Smith (Right Waist Gunner)<\/span><\/p>\n

____________________<\/span><\/p>\n

The specific location of the aircraft\u2019s landing is presented as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

1) The American Air Museum website<\/a> lists the plane as having crash-landed at Apeldoorn.<\/span><\/p>\n

2) The <\/span>Eighth Air Force Historical Society<\/a> lists the plane as having landed at Wilp-Achterhoek, in Gelderland.<\/span><\/p>\n

3) The KU Report gives two locations for the plane\u2019s loss:<\/span><\/p>\n

a) 6 kilometers east of Apeldoorn<\/span>
\n b) 4 kilometers south of Touge<\/span><\/p>\n

Touge is east-northeast, and Wilp-Achterhoek directly east, of the geographic center of Apeldoorn.\u00a0 Based on this information, I\u2019ve created three Oogle maps at successively larger scales, \u201czooming in\u201d on the location which seems <\/em>(seems!) to be the best composite of the above-reported locations.\u00a0 This is denoted by the north-south oriented red ovals superimposed on the map, just southwest of Wilp-Achterhoek, and repeated on the Google Earth view of the same locale.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

These maps and the aerial photograph are presented below:<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>Here is an image of Tell Me More<\/em> from the American Air Museum website<\/a>, showing the relatively intact and rather bent B-24 resting on its forward fuselage, on a vacant field.\u00a0 The American Air Museum website includes two other images of the plane, one showing what seems to have been a very hastily applied individual aircraft letter \u2013 \u201cN\u201d \u2013 on the lower port fin.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a>____________________<\/span><\/p>\n

But, what about the images in the KU Report?\u00a0 To be told more of Tell Me More<\/em>, refer to the next post…<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In September of 2016, this blog commenced with a post about Luftgaukommando Reports – documents created by the Germans to record information about aircraft and aircrews of the United States and British Commonwealth air forces shot down over German-occupied Europe and Germany itself, during the Second World War.\u00a0 Also known as KU (Kampflugzeug Unterlagen \u2013 … Continue reading A B-24 Liberator, Up Close and Personal: German Photographs of a Downed B-24 in Holland – I<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,60,128,157,2],"tags":[173,170,171,174,334,412,42,75,172,43,213],"class_list":["post-851","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aviation","category-military-history","category-photography","category-second-world-war","category-technology","tag-1-lt-carl-e-hitchcock","tag-466th-bomb-group","tag-787th-bomb-squadron","tag-b-24h-41-28754","tag-httpwww-americanairmuseum-com","tag-ku-1679","tag-ku-report","tag-luftgaukommando-report","tag-macr-4447","tag-records-group-242","tag-tell-me-more"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=851"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4663,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/851\/revisions\/4663"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/thepastpresented.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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