Company – Squadron: 708th Bomber Squadron
Unit – Group: 447th Bomber Group, Heavy
Aircraft Serial number: 42-31107
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lady Jane
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing aircraft assembly plant
MACR: 2513
707 Bomb Squadron 447 Bomb Group-Heavy
About half a hour after the group had dropped their bombs in the Waggum plant, the B-17 flown by Lt Herschel A. Jarrel was destined not to return. Aboard Jarrel's plane was the 447th Group Commander Lt Col Charles H. Bowman, acting as Co-Pilot. The plane, flying on to the high squadron, was struck by an enemy rocket which went through the plane from tail till nose, setting it on fire. Colonel Bowman was found weak through lack of oxygen by bombardier Thomas M. Tate. he gave him an emergency bottle just before the navigator John R. Cole and the engineer Eugene L. Landry bailed out. Also Thomas M. Tate bailed out but his chute failed to open. Jarrel's doomed plane dove 5000 feet where it exploded in the air, killing the remaining 7 crewmen still aboard. The remnants of the plane came down 2 miles north of Rohburg at 12:49 hours. The body of radio operator Sgt John H. Smither was not found before the 14th August 1944. His mortal remains were discovered in the Swump near Rohburg.
Source: Fields of Honor Database
Known Crew Members:
◼Charles H Bowman , Co Pilot
◼ Sgt John M Harrison, Ball Turret Gunner
◼ 1LT Herschel A Jarrell, Pilot
◼SSGT Alphonse L Rossetti, Left Waist Gunner
◼Sgt John H Smither , Radio Operator
◼2LT Thomas M Tate Jr, Bombardier
◼SSGT Raymond Wilson , Right Waist Gunner
◼2LT William Zurynetz, Tail Gunner
Recipient of the following commendations:
COMMENDATIONS
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Source: Honorstates.org
Unit – Group: 447th Bomber Group, Heavy
Aircraft Serial number: 42-31107
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lady Jane
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing aircraft assembly plant
MACR: 2513
707 Bomb Squadron 447 Bomb Group-Heavy
About half a hour after the group had dropped their bombs in the Waggum plant, the B-17 flown by Lt Herschel A. Jarrel was destined not to return. Aboard Jarrel's plane was the 447th Group Commander Lt Col Charles H. Bowman, acting as Co-Pilot. The plane, flying on to the high squadron, was struck by an enemy rocket which went through the plane from tail till nose, setting it on fire. Colonel Bowman was found weak through lack of oxygen by bombardier Thomas M. Tate. he gave him an emergency bottle just before the navigator John R. Cole and the engineer Eugene L. Landry bailed out. Also Thomas M. Tate bailed out but his chute failed to open. Jarrel's doomed plane dove 5000 feet where it exploded in the air, killing the remaining 7 crewmen still aboard. The remnants of the plane came down 2 miles north of Rohburg at 12:49 hours. The body of radio operator Sgt John H. Smither was not found before the 14th August 1944. His mortal remains were discovered in the Swump near Rohburg.
Source: Fields of Honor Database
Known Crew Members:
◼Charles H Bowman , Co Pilot
◼ Sgt John M Harrison, Ball Turret Gunner
◼ 1LT Herschel A Jarrell, Pilot
◼SSGT Alphonse L Rossetti, Left Waist Gunner
◼Sgt John H Smither , Radio Operator
◼2LT Thomas M Tate Jr, Bombardier
◼SSGT Raymond Wilson , Right Waist Gunner
◼2LT William Zurynetz, Tail Gunner
Recipient of the following commendations:
COMMENDATIONS
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Source: Honorstates.org
Company – Squadron: 708th Bomber Squadron
Unit – Group: 447th Bomber Group, Heavy
Aircraft Serial number: 42-31107
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lady Jane
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing aircraft assembly plant
MACR: 2513
707 Bomb Squadron 447 Bomb Group-Heavy
About half a hour after the group had dropped their bombs in the Waggum plant, the B-17 flown by Lt Herschel A. Jarrel was destined not to return. Aboard Jarrel's plane was the 447th Group Commander Lt Col Charles H. Bowman, acting as Co-Pilot. The plane, flying on to the high squadron, was struck by an enemy rocket which went through the plane from tail till nose, setting it on fire. Colonel Bowman was found weak through lack of oxygen by bombardier Thomas M. Tate. he gave him an emergency bottle just before the navigator John R. Cole and the engineer Eugene L. Landry bailed out. Also Thomas M. Tate bailed out but his chute failed to open. Jarrel's doomed plane dove 5000 feet where it exploded in the air, killing the remaining 7 crewmen still aboard. The remnants of the plane came down 2 miles north of Rohburg at 12:49 hours. The body of radio operator Sgt John H. Smither was not found before the 14th August 1944. His mortal remains were discovered in the Swump near Rohburg.
Source: Fields of Honor Database
Known Crew Members:
◼Charles H Bowman , Co Pilot
◼ Sgt John M Harrison, Ball Turret Gunner
◼ 1LT Herschel A Jarrell, Pilot
◼SSGT Alphonse L Rossetti, Left Waist Gunner
◼Sgt John H Smither , Radio Operator
◼2LT Thomas M Tate Jr, Bombardier
◼SSGT Raymond Wilson , Right Waist Gunner
◼2LT William Zurynetz, Tail Gunner
Recipient of the following commendations:
COMMENDATIONS
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Source: Honorstates.org
Unit – Group: 447th Bomber Group, Heavy
Aircraft Serial number: 42-31107
Type: B-17G
Nickname: Lady Jane
Destination: Brunswick, Germany
Mission: Bombing aircraft assembly plant
MACR: 2513
707 Bomb Squadron 447 Bomb Group-Heavy
About half a hour after the group had dropped their bombs in the Waggum plant, the B-17 flown by Lt Herschel A. Jarrel was destined not to return. Aboard Jarrel's plane was the 447th Group Commander Lt Col Charles H. Bowman, acting as Co-Pilot. The plane, flying on to the high squadron, was struck by an enemy rocket which went through the plane from tail till nose, setting it on fire. Colonel Bowman was found weak through lack of oxygen by bombardier Thomas M. Tate. he gave him an emergency bottle just before the navigator John R. Cole and the engineer Eugene L. Landry bailed out. Also Thomas M. Tate bailed out but his chute failed to open. Jarrel's doomed plane dove 5000 feet where it exploded in the air, killing the remaining 7 crewmen still aboard. The remnants of the plane came down 2 miles north of Rohburg at 12:49 hours. The body of radio operator Sgt John H. Smither was not found before the 14th August 1944. His mortal remains were discovered in the Swump near Rohburg.
Source: Fields of Honor Database
Known Crew Members:
◼Charles H Bowman , Co Pilot
◼ Sgt John M Harrison, Ball Turret Gunner
◼ 1LT Herschel A Jarrell, Pilot
◼SSGT Alphonse L Rossetti, Left Waist Gunner
◼Sgt John H Smither , Radio Operator
◼2LT Thomas M Tate Jr, Bombardier
◼SSGT Raymond Wilson , Right Waist Gunner
◼2LT William Zurynetz, Tail Gunner
Recipient of the following commendations:
COMMENDATIONS
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ World War II Victory Medal
★ American Campaign Medal
★ Army Presidential Unit Citation
★ Army Good Conduct Medal
★ European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign
Source: Honorstates.org
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