WWII Veteran
Engineer T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn POW
Hometown: Ford City, Pennsylvania
Squadron: 506th BS 44th Bomb Group
Service
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William H. Hart
Target: Bremen
Mission Date: 13- Nov-43
Serial Number: #42-7647
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: England Crew of 10 2KIA
The second largest port in Germany was the objective for this mission, with its extensive port facilities and large manufacturing and storage facilities as well as an important rail transport center. Adverse weather conditions, severe cold, and enemy fighters which rose to give fierce engagements to the 44th Bomb Group formation, made this raid a most difficult one. About 50 enemy aircraft made their attacks on the bombers from all directions, using the dense contrails to hide their approach. Due to these attacks, the Group suffered two aircraft lost as well as two other men KIA in returning aircraft; and another ship crash-landed. Three men were seriously wounded, none of them were identified on the casualty listing, are now identified in Squadron papers and shown in this section.
On this mission of 13 November, the Group suffered two additional men KIA on a 506th Squadron aircraft that was forced to crash-land when returning to England. Upon return from this raid, Lt. W.H. Hart, in A/C #647, circled the field and then crashed in some trees near the base. Killed were young George Olsen and Clifford Hurst. Ralph Strait was so badly wounded that he was not expected to live through the night, but he did, and ultimately returned to duty. All men with blood type AB were asked to report to the hospital due to the needs of these men. The pilot and other surviving crewmembers all had been injured or wounded prior to the crash. Only the two men killed had not been wounded by enemy action.
#42-7647 Crew
2nd/Lt. William H. Hart Pilot
2nd/Lt. Earl B. Knight Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. John J. Horey Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert M. Courtaway Bombardier
Walter Procyszyn Engineer
Jacob F. Stambaugh Radio Op
Russell E Overly Gunner
S/Sgt Ralph E. Strait Gunner
S/Sgt Clifford C. Hurst Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. George E. Olsen Gunner KIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn was sot down again and taken POW on this mission of April 8 1944.
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF (Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The second 506th Squadron aircraft lost was an aircraft piloted by lst Lt. Guy W. Johnson. His MACR includes this information, “Left formation at 1347 hours, in difficulty after an enemy aircraft attack. Johnson was shot on ground when trying to surrender to some soldiers. He was overheard to be saying words like, ‘Don’t shoot! I give up.’ The aircraft was hit by flak in the nose section, bomb bay, tail and left wing. It caught fire immediately while still over Brunswick. Orders to bail out was given and all jumped successfully.” Co-pilot Williamson stated that, “After all personnel had cleared the aircraft and were descending to earth, we were fired upon by small arms. Upon hitting the earth, I recognized the voice of 1st Lt. Guy W. Johnson saying, ‘I give up. Don’t shoot’ – or words to that effect. Then followed a burst of rifle fire. I was wounded and did not see Lt. Johnson, although I would judge from the sound of his voice he was about 400 feet away. I could see a number of German soldiers running in the direction of Lt. Johnson.
The plane is believed to beeen hit by flak and then caught fire, prompting all of the crew members to bail out over Brunswick, Germany. Pilot Lt. Guy Johnson is reported to have been killed on the ground, and the other nine crew members were taken as POWs. Lt. Robert J. Baumann, Williamson, Wiest, Goldman, Procyszyn, Manak, Hickman, Reed and Randall became POW's in Stalag Luft 1, Barthvogelsang, Prussia. The prisoners in this camp were liberated on 01 May 1945 by the Russian Army.
Engineer T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn POW
Hometown: Ford City, Pennsylvania
Squadron: 506th BS 44th Bomb Group
Service
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William H. Hart
Target: Bremen
Mission Date: 13- Nov-43
Serial Number: #42-7647
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: England Crew of 10 2KIA
The second largest port in Germany was the objective for this mission, with its extensive port facilities and large manufacturing and storage facilities as well as an important rail transport center. Adverse weather conditions, severe cold, and enemy fighters which rose to give fierce engagements to the 44th Bomb Group formation, made this raid a most difficult one. About 50 enemy aircraft made their attacks on the bombers from all directions, using the dense contrails to hide their approach. Due to these attacks, the Group suffered two aircraft lost as well as two other men KIA in returning aircraft; and another ship crash-landed. Three men were seriously wounded, none of them were identified on the casualty listing, are now identified in Squadron papers and shown in this section.
On this mission of 13 November, the Group suffered two additional men KIA on a 506th Squadron aircraft that was forced to crash-land when returning to England. Upon return from this raid, Lt. W.H. Hart, in A/C #647, circled the field and then crashed in some trees near the base. Killed were young George Olsen and Clifford Hurst. Ralph Strait was so badly wounded that he was not expected to live through the night, but he did, and ultimately returned to duty. All men with blood type AB were asked to report to the hospital due to the needs of these men. The pilot and other surviving crewmembers all had been injured or wounded prior to the crash. Only the two men killed had not been wounded by enemy action.
#42-7647 Crew
2nd/Lt. William H. Hart Pilot
2nd/Lt. Earl B. Knight Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. John J. Horey Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert M. Courtaway Bombardier
Walter Procyszyn Engineer
Jacob F. Stambaugh Radio Op
Russell E Overly Gunner
S/Sgt Ralph E. Strait Gunner
S/Sgt Clifford C. Hurst Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. George E. Olsen Gunner KIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn was sot down again and taken POW on this mission of April 8 1944.
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF (Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The second 506th Squadron aircraft lost was an aircraft piloted by lst Lt. Guy W. Johnson. His MACR includes this information, “Left formation at 1347 hours, in difficulty after an enemy aircraft attack. Johnson was shot on ground when trying to surrender to some soldiers. He was overheard to be saying words like, ‘Don’t shoot! I give up.’ The aircraft was hit by flak in the nose section, bomb bay, tail and left wing. It caught fire immediately while still over Brunswick. Orders to bail out was given and all jumped successfully.” Co-pilot Williamson stated that, “After all personnel had cleared the aircraft and were descending to earth, we were fired upon by small arms. Upon hitting the earth, I recognized the voice of 1st Lt. Guy W. Johnson saying, ‘I give up. Don’t shoot’ – or words to that effect. Then followed a burst of rifle fire. I was wounded and did not see Lt. Johnson, although I would judge from the sound of his voice he was about 400 feet away. I could see a number of German soldiers running in the direction of Lt. Johnson.
The plane is believed to beeen hit by flak and then caught fire, prompting all of the crew members to bail out over Brunswick, Germany. Pilot Lt. Guy Johnson is reported to have been killed on the ground, and the other nine crew members were taken as POWs. Lt. Robert J. Baumann, Williamson, Wiest, Goldman, Procyszyn, Manak, Hickman, Reed and Randall became POW's in Stalag Luft 1, Barthvogelsang, Prussia. The prisoners in this camp were liberated on 01 May 1945 by the Russian Army.
WWII Veteran
Engineer T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn POW
Hometown: Ford City, Pennsylvania
Squadron: 506th BS 44th Bomb Group
Service
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William H. Hart
Target: Bremen
Mission Date: 13- Nov-43
Serial Number: #42-7647
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: England Crew of 10 2KIA
The second largest port in Germany was the objective for this mission, with its extensive port facilities and large manufacturing and storage facilities as well as an important rail transport center. Adverse weather conditions, severe cold, and enemy fighters which rose to give fierce engagements to the 44th Bomb Group formation, made this raid a most difficult one. About 50 enemy aircraft made their attacks on the bombers from all directions, using the dense contrails to hide their approach. Due to these attacks, the Group suffered two aircraft lost as well as two other men KIA in returning aircraft; and another ship crash-landed. Three men were seriously wounded, none of them were identified on the casualty listing, are now identified in Squadron papers and shown in this section.
On this mission of 13 November, the Group suffered two additional men KIA on a 506th Squadron aircraft that was forced to crash-land when returning to England. Upon return from this raid, Lt. W.H. Hart, in A/C #647, circled the field and then crashed in some trees near the base. Killed were young George Olsen and Clifford Hurst. Ralph Strait was so badly wounded that he was not expected to live through the night, but he did, and ultimately returned to duty. All men with blood type AB were asked to report to the hospital due to the needs of these men. The pilot and other surviving crewmembers all had been injured or wounded prior to the crash. Only the two men killed had not been wounded by enemy action.
#42-7647 Crew
2nd/Lt. William H. Hart Pilot
2nd/Lt. Earl B. Knight Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. John J. Horey Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert M. Courtaway Bombardier
Walter Procyszyn Engineer
Jacob F. Stambaugh Radio Op
Russell E Overly Gunner
S/Sgt Ralph E. Strait Gunner
S/Sgt Clifford C. Hurst Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. George E. Olsen Gunner KIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn was sot down again and taken POW on this mission of April 8 1944.
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF (Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The second 506th Squadron aircraft lost was an aircraft piloted by lst Lt. Guy W. Johnson. His MACR includes this information, “Left formation at 1347 hours, in difficulty after an enemy aircraft attack. Johnson was shot on ground when trying to surrender to some soldiers. He was overheard to be saying words like, ‘Don’t shoot! I give up.’ The aircraft was hit by flak in the nose section, bomb bay, tail and left wing. It caught fire immediately while still over Brunswick. Orders to bail out was given and all jumped successfully.” Co-pilot Williamson stated that, “After all personnel had cleared the aircraft and were descending to earth, we were fired upon by small arms. Upon hitting the earth, I recognized the voice of 1st Lt. Guy W. Johnson saying, ‘I give up. Don’t shoot’ – or words to that effect. Then followed a burst of rifle fire. I was wounded and did not see Lt. Johnson, although I would judge from the sound of his voice he was about 400 feet away. I could see a number of German soldiers running in the direction of Lt. Johnson.
The plane is believed to beeen hit by flak and then caught fire, prompting all of the crew members to bail out over Brunswick, Germany. Pilot Lt. Guy Johnson is reported to have been killed on the ground, and the other nine crew members were taken as POWs. Lt. Robert J. Baumann, Williamson, Wiest, Goldman, Procyszyn, Manak, Hickman, Reed and Randall became POW's in Stalag Luft 1, Barthvogelsang, Prussia. The prisoners in this camp were liberated on 01 May 1945 by the Russian Army.
Engineer T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn POW
Hometown: Ford City, Pennsylvania
Squadron: 506th BS 44th Bomb Group
Service
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot 2nd/Lt. William H. Hart
Target: Bremen
Mission Date: 13- Nov-43
Serial Number: #42-7647
Aircraft Model B-24D
Aircraft Letter:
Aircraft Name:
Location: England Crew of 10 2KIA
The second largest port in Germany was the objective for this mission, with its extensive port facilities and large manufacturing and storage facilities as well as an important rail transport center. Adverse weather conditions, severe cold, and enemy fighters which rose to give fierce engagements to the 44th Bomb Group formation, made this raid a most difficult one. About 50 enemy aircraft made their attacks on the bombers from all directions, using the dense contrails to hide their approach. Due to these attacks, the Group suffered two aircraft lost as well as two other men KIA in returning aircraft; and another ship crash-landed. Three men were seriously wounded, none of them were identified on the casualty listing, are now identified in Squadron papers and shown in this section.
On this mission of 13 November, the Group suffered two additional men KIA on a 506th Squadron aircraft that was forced to crash-land when returning to England. Upon return from this raid, Lt. W.H. Hart, in A/C #647, circled the field and then crashed in some trees near the base. Killed were young George Olsen and Clifford Hurst. Ralph Strait was so badly wounded that he was not expected to live through the night, but he did, and ultimately returned to duty. All men with blood type AB were asked to report to the hospital due to the needs of these men. The pilot and other surviving crewmembers all had been injured or wounded prior to the crash. Only the two men killed had not been wounded by enemy action.
#42-7647 Crew
2nd/Lt. William H. Hart Pilot
2nd/Lt. Earl B. Knight Co Pilot
2nd/Lt. John J. Horey Navigator
2nd/Lt. Robert M. Courtaway Bombardier
Walter Procyszyn Engineer
Jacob F. Stambaugh Radio Op
Russell E Overly Gunner
S/Sgt Ralph E. Strait Gunner
S/Sgt Clifford C. Hurst Jr. Gunner KIA
Sgt. George E. Olsen Gunner KIA
-----------------------------------------------------------
T/Sgt. Walter Procyszyn was sot down again and taken POW on this mission of April 8 1944.
The month of April cost more plane losses and casualties of the entire war so far as the 44th Bomb Group was concerned! More so than the August 1943 disasters of Ploesti and a later mission to Foggia, Italy. The 8th of April was the worst single day. For the first time in the war, the 44th BG was led by 389th BG aircraft equipped with PFF (Pathfinder equipment). With them as Command Pilots were Col. Gibson, Group C.O., and Captain Robert Lehnhausen, 68th Squadron C.O. They flew with 389th Bomb Group personnel and airplanes. It was not a successful endeavor. The primary target, Brunswick, as well as the secondary were obscured by a successful smoke screen, so a target of opportunity, Langenhagen Airdrome, was bombed instead. Enemy aircraft attacks were numerous and severe, with our gunners claiming 12 destroyed, 6 probables and I damaged. But the 44th Bomb Group’s formation was subjected to concentrated attacks and lost a total of eleven aircraft! This, compared to the nineteen other B-24s lost by all other Groups. This was the worst loss of the war for one mission by the “Flying Eightballs”.
The second 506th Squadron aircraft lost was an aircraft piloted by lst Lt. Guy W. Johnson. His MACR includes this information, “Left formation at 1347 hours, in difficulty after an enemy aircraft attack. Johnson was shot on ground when trying to surrender to some soldiers. He was overheard to be saying words like, ‘Don’t shoot! I give up.’ The aircraft was hit by flak in the nose section, bomb bay, tail and left wing. It caught fire immediately while still over Brunswick. Orders to bail out was given and all jumped successfully.” Co-pilot Williamson stated that, “After all personnel had cleared the aircraft and were descending to earth, we were fired upon by small arms. Upon hitting the earth, I recognized the voice of 1st Lt. Guy W. Johnson saying, ‘I give up. Don’t shoot’ – or words to that effect. Then followed a burst of rifle fire. I was wounded and did not see Lt. Johnson, although I would judge from the sound of his voice he was about 400 feet away. I could see a number of German soldiers running in the direction of Lt. Johnson.
The plane is believed to beeen hit by flak and then caught fire, prompting all of the crew members to bail out over Brunswick, Germany. Pilot Lt. Guy Johnson is reported to have been killed on the ground, and the other nine crew members were taken as POWs. Lt. Robert J. Baumann, Williamson, Wiest, Goldman, Procyszyn, Manak, Hickman, Reed and Randall became POW's in Stalag Luft 1, Barthvogelsang, Prussia. The prisoners in this camp were liberated on 01 May 1945 by the Russian Army.
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