Sgt Chester R. Woolfe KIA
Hometown: Ohio
Squadron 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group,
Service # 35036742
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot: 2nd Lt Dwaine Lighter
MACR 12266
Target:
Serial Number:42-40767
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: G
Aircraft Name: THE BAD PENNY
Location: Bay of Biscay
Cause: Fighters
Notes: lost returning to Hethel 15 Passengers and Crew 12 KIA 3 POW.
Lighter and crew flew the very next 389th BG mission after Ploesti, the Wiener-Neustadt raid on August 13 1943, which was briefed to the crews as being just as dangerous as the Ploesti raid. Two weeks after that, on August 27, 1943, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost.
The squadron split up opposite of Portugal because of the weather; everyone proceeded individually. B-24 42-40767 was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then especially the rear part was badly hit; the top turret blew up. The Pilot ditched as he flew already too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, +/- 65 miles SW of Port Reath".
Update-B-24 Liberator #42-40767 'The Bad Penny' 564thBS, 389th BG, 8th AF. Slated for 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, aborted on ground due to mechanical failure. Flew on next mission after Ploesti.
27th Aug 43, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost. A/C was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then the rear fuselage was badly hit; the top turret also exploding. The pilot ditched as he was too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, approximately 65 miles southwest of Portreath.
Sgt. Haaf was a member of the 44th BG. He does not appear on the Ploesti combat roster. He was most likely ground echelon returning to England. His body was never recovered.
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "THE BAD PENNY"Crew of 42-40767
2nd/Lt. Dwaine C. Lighter Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Dale E Reinard Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Sherwood V. Williams Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Lars F. Schultz Bombardier MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Charles W. Speece Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. John E. Stout Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Alfred E. Poitras Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Howard S. Haaf Passenger MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Edward L. Keller Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Manuel H. Weems Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Chester R. Woolfe Passenger MIA/KIA
M/Sgt. Charles L. Kronberg POW
Hometown: Ohio
Squadron 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group,
Service # 35036742
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot: 2nd Lt Dwaine Lighter
MACR 12266
Target:
Serial Number:42-40767
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: G
Aircraft Name: THE BAD PENNY
Location: Bay of Biscay
Cause: Fighters
Notes: lost returning to Hethel 15 Passengers and Crew 12 KIA 3 POW.
Lighter and crew flew the very next 389th BG mission after Ploesti, the Wiener-Neustadt raid on August 13 1943, which was briefed to the crews as being just as dangerous as the Ploesti raid. Two weeks after that, on August 27, 1943, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost.
The squadron split up opposite of Portugal because of the weather; everyone proceeded individually. B-24 42-40767 was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then especially the rear part was badly hit; the top turret blew up. The Pilot ditched as he flew already too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, +/- 65 miles SW of Port Reath".
Update-B-24 Liberator #42-40767 'The Bad Penny' 564thBS, 389th BG, 8th AF. Slated for 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, aborted on ground due to mechanical failure. Flew on next mission after Ploesti.
27th Aug 43, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost. A/C was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then the rear fuselage was badly hit; the top turret also exploding. The pilot ditched as he was too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, approximately 65 miles southwest of Portreath.
Sgt. Haaf was a member of the 44th BG. He does not appear on the Ploesti combat roster. He was most likely ground echelon returning to England. His body was never recovered.
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "THE BAD PENNY"Crew of 42-40767
2nd/Lt. Dwaine C. Lighter Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Dale E Reinard Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Sherwood V. Williams Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Lars F. Schultz Bombardier MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Charles W. Speece Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. John E. Stout Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Alfred E. Poitras Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Howard S. Haaf Passenger MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Edward L. Keller Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Manuel H. Weems Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Chester R. Woolfe Passenger MIA/KIA
M/Sgt. Charles L. Kronberg POW
Sgt Chester R. Woolfe KIA
Hometown: Ohio
Squadron 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group,
Service # 35036742
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot: 2nd Lt Dwaine Lighter
MACR 12266
Target:
Serial Number:42-40767
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: G
Aircraft Name: THE BAD PENNY
Location: Bay of Biscay
Cause: Fighters
Notes: lost returning to Hethel 15 Passengers and Crew 12 KIA 3 POW.
Lighter and crew flew the very next 389th BG mission after Ploesti, the Wiener-Neustadt raid on August 13 1943, which was briefed to the crews as being just as dangerous as the Ploesti raid. Two weeks after that, on August 27, 1943, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost.
The squadron split up opposite of Portugal because of the weather; everyone proceeded individually. B-24 42-40767 was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then especially the rear part was badly hit; the top turret blew up. The Pilot ditched as he flew already too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, +/- 65 miles SW of Port Reath".
Update-B-24 Liberator #42-40767 'The Bad Penny' 564thBS, 389th BG, 8th AF. Slated for 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, aborted on ground due to mechanical failure. Flew on next mission after Ploesti.
27th Aug 43, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost. A/C was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then the rear fuselage was badly hit; the top turret also exploding. The pilot ditched as he was too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, approximately 65 miles southwest of Portreath.
Sgt. Haaf was a member of the 44th BG. He does not appear on the Ploesti combat roster. He was most likely ground echelon returning to England. His body was never recovered.
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "THE BAD PENNY"Crew of 42-40767
2nd/Lt. Dwaine C. Lighter Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Dale E Reinard Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Sherwood V. Williams Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Lars F. Schultz Bombardier MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Charles W. Speece Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. John E. Stout Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Alfred E. Poitras Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Howard S. Haaf Passenger MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Edward L. Keller Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Manuel H. Weems Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Chester R. Woolfe Passenger MIA/KIA
M/Sgt. Charles L. Kronberg POW
Hometown: Ohio
Squadron 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group,
Service # 35036742
Awards: Purple Heart
Pilot: 2nd Lt Dwaine Lighter
MACR 12266
Target:
Serial Number:42-40767
Aircraft Model B-24
Aircraft Letter: G
Aircraft Name: THE BAD PENNY
Location: Bay of Biscay
Cause: Fighters
Notes: lost returning to Hethel 15 Passengers and Crew 12 KIA 3 POW.
Lighter and crew flew the very next 389th BG mission after Ploesti, the Wiener-Neustadt raid on August 13 1943, which was briefed to the crews as being just as dangerous as the Ploesti raid. Two weeks after that, on August 27, 1943, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost.
The squadron split up opposite of Portugal because of the weather; everyone proceeded individually. B-24 42-40767 was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then especially the rear part was badly hit; the top turret blew up. The Pilot ditched as he flew already too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, +/- 65 miles SW of Port Reath".
Update-B-24 Liberator #42-40767 'The Bad Penny' 564thBS, 389th BG, 8th AF. Slated for 1st Aug 43 Ploesti oil refinery raid, aborted on ground due to mechanical failure. Flew on next mission after Ploesti.
27th Aug 43, while en-route from Marrakesh to England, the Lighter crew and their aircraft disappeared, with all aboard presumed lost. A/C was attacked by German fighters over the Channel. One prop was feathered after the first pass, the aircraft losing altitude. Then the rear fuselage was badly hit; the top turret also exploding. The pilot ditched as he was too low for a bailout. Due to the rough sea the B-24 broke in two at the back end of the bomb-bay and sank quickly, approximately 65 miles southwest of Portreath.
Sgt. Haaf was a member of the 44th BG. He does not appear on the Ploesti combat roster. He was most likely ground echelon returning to England. His body was never recovered.
Visit the virtual cemetery of the "THE BAD PENNY"Crew of 42-40767
2nd/Lt. Dwaine C. Lighter Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Dale E Reinard Co Pilot POW
2nd/Lt. Sherwood V. Williams Navigator KIA
2nd/Lt. Lars F. Schultz Bombardier MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Thomas L. Shaver Engineer MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Charles W. Speece Radio Op. KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner KIA
S/Sgt. Claude H. Mitchell Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. John E. Stout Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Alfred E. Poitras Gunner MIA/KIA
S/Sgt. Howard S. Haaf Passenger MIA/KIA
T/Sgt. Edward L. Keller Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Manuel H. Weems Passenger MIA/KIA
Sgt. Chester R. Woolfe Passenger MIA/KIA
M/Sgt. Charles L. Kronberg POW
Inscription
SGT 68 BOMB SQ 44 BOMB GP (H) OHIO
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Ohio
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