1LT Adamson was a member of Crew 66, 755th Bomber Squadron, 458th Bomber Group, USAAF. He was the pilot-in-command of a B-24H Liberator on a bombing mission to Berlin, Nazi Germany on 8 March 1944. His aircraft was was shot down on their first combat mission, the Eighth Air Force's second raid on Berlin. Of the crew of ten, only five survived being shot down. In the words of his co-pilot, 2LT John Berrio: "We were hit by flak near Hannover. The oil pressure on No. 4 engine began to drop. Near Berlin the turbo on No. 2 engine went out and we were forced to salvo our bomb load. As we were leaving the formation, I called Lt. Lack and asked for a course back to England. He gave me a course. I heard him talk to F/O Daskam. I called later while we were under attack, but they never answered. Fighter protection was called for, but never came. The enemy fighters (ME-110's I believe) picked us up and made numerous attacks to our tail and waist [areas]. When the plane caught fire, Lt. Adamson told me to give the order to bail out. When I left the plane, Lt. Adamson was standing with his parachute on. The plane crashed about 200 feet from where I landed and there was one 'chute wrapped around the tail. The crash took place on the outskirts of Finsterwalde"
*Thanks to Richard for the information on this American hero.
*Thanks to Richard for the information on this American hero.
1LT Adamson was a member of Crew 66, 755th Bomber Squadron, 458th Bomber Group, USAAF. He was the pilot-in-command of a B-24H Liberator on a bombing mission to Berlin, Nazi Germany on 8 March 1944. His aircraft was was shot down on their first combat mission, the Eighth Air Force's second raid on Berlin. Of the crew of ten, only five survived being shot down. In the words of his co-pilot, 2LT John Berrio: "We were hit by flak near Hannover. The oil pressure on No. 4 engine began to drop. Near Berlin the turbo on No. 2 engine went out and we were forced to salvo our bomb load. As we were leaving the formation, I called Lt. Lack and asked for a course back to England. He gave me a course. I heard him talk to F/O Daskam. I called later while we were under attack, but they never answered. Fighter protection was called for, but never came. The enemy fighters (ME-110's I believe) picked us up and made numerous attacks to our tail and waist [areas]. When the plane caught fire, Lt. Adamson told me to give the order to bail out. When I left the plane, Lt. Adamson was standing with his parachute on. The plane crashed about 200 feet from where I landed and there was one 'chute wrapped around the tail. The crash took place on the outskirts of Finsterwalde"
*Thanks to Richard for the information on this American hero.
*Thanks to Richard for the information on this American hero.
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