BALL OF FIRE OVER VILLAGE OF HEMPNALL, TWO MILES NORTH OF RUNWAY 19 BALL OF | RE QUARTERLY EXPRESS Newsletter of the 93rd Bomb Group 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, Hardwick, England Vol. 3, No. 1 Spring, 1995 Paul R. Steichen 227A Rulland Avenue Floyd H. Mabes 28 Hillside Avenue Group President Redondo Beach, CA 90278 Vice President Dover, NJ 05801 Editor (310) 214-1618 Membership (201) 366-5914 TRAGEDY OVER HENHAM bby Gordon Reynolds & Douglas Howeld On Wed., Mar. 29, 1944, the region's worst loss of life resulting from a WWII aircraft crash occurred at Henbam, Suffolk. In the cloudy sky of that morning, 77 B24 Liberator (—ombers of 20th Combat Wing assembled for missions to the German V Weapons site at Watten and the recently-reinforced submarine pens at St. Nazaire situated at the mouth of the River Loire. The force was made up of 30 planes from the 93rd B.G. based at AAF Station 104 Hardwick, others from 446th B.G. of AAF Station 125 Bungay, and others from 448th B.G. of AAF Station 146 Seething. Acceptable weather conditions enabled groups to form up over their own bases and avoid using the allocated overcast assembly areas off the coast between Lowestoft and Winterton, One of the planes from the 330th B.S. 93rd B.G. was B24 H 41-28590 hereafter referred to as 590). Iti reported that this ‘raft suddenly dropped out of formation and collided with B24 1/42-110033 (hereafter referred to as 033) from the 328th B.S. ‘93rd B.G., cutting its tail section from the fuselage. The time ‘was 1045 brs. The sound of tearing metal could be heard above the drone of engines by those working below in various parts of Lord Stradbroke’s estate, and a great deal of debris bepan to fall around ther. The bomb load of 033 was three 2,000 Ib. and two 1,000 Ib. bombs. 590 carried four 2,000 Ib. bombs. All were fitted with M103 nose fuse with 1/10 second delay and M102 AL til fuse with a .025 second delay. This type of ‘bomb was designed to penetrate the very thick reinforced concrete protective covers over both targets. They were normally armed when the formation passed out to sea. ‘Among the first items to fall were 2 bombs, which exploded in front of Henham Hall, breaking nearly all the glass in windows and greenhouses. The fuselage of 033 came down in ("tees on the east side of the A145 about 50 yds. from the adside. It caught fire and bumed out. The tail section landed ‘on the opposite side of the road in a pine tree plantation and remained intact. A most remarkable escape was made from the tail section by Jim Scanlon, the tail gunner, followed by Albert Blood, one of the waist gunners. They both parachuted through 2 separate cloud layers towards the ground. Blood recalls coming down justin the sea and releasing his parachute harness immediately before contact with the water. In fact, he landed ‘on the tidal mud flats at Blythburgh, just south of the turnoff for Southwold from the A12. ‘After wading ashore, Blood was met by a local wildfowler who directed him to the nearby road where a policeman in a black Ford Prefect took him to Holton AFB. Details of Albert Blood’s safe landing are not yet available. They were the only survivors from this plane and, remarkably, both were thought to be alive and well in-Aug. 1992. They have not met each ther since 1945. One crew member fell with unopened parachute quite near to Mr. Wilfred Jackson, who was working With « horse-drawn plow in Gravel Pit Field, which is next to the wood where the tail section landed. Also working in this field, broadcasting artificial manure by hand, were William "Wimp" Smith, Jimmy Wigg and Fred Gissing. Another of the crew was caught up in an oak tree by his parachute and was thought to have been struck by the plane. Two other workers, Rowland Keable and Lennie Wythe, were spreading kale for cattle feed from a cart near the Hall and lay under the cart for shelter when debris began to fall from above. However, when the first bomb exploded, the horses bolted with the cart and left them exposed. Lord Stradbroke’s diary for this day lists 2 propellers falling at The Clamps, 2 more and an engine in Dunwich Wood, a wing below Side Hill, a Bomb Board at High Lodge, a bomb in Dunwich Wood (leaving a 12-ft. deep crater), and a further bomb exploding near the cottage of Jack Dade, the gamekeeper at The Clamps. ‘The regular bombardier of 033, J. Robert Shaffer, had been taken off the crew for special pathfinders training in Scotland. ‘He was immediately recalled to inform the erew's next of kin bbut did not know the full details of the incident at the time Meanwhile, the other plane, 590, landed on parkland at the east side of a narrow belt of trees beside the A145. This locaton is almost opposite the Timberyard houses, about 100 yards from the road. One of its bombs exploded either on’ impact orimmediately after, just as Gordon Reynolds and Alan Wade, ‘who worked in Henham Hall gardens, were running the short distance to the site of the crashed plane. They lay as low as possible on the grass while wreckage and earth was blasted in all directions. Afterwards, they found a scene of total devastation and retumed to work as the rescue, medical and firefighting units arrived form Holton AFB, 4 miles away. This base was AAF Station 365 Halesworth,” the home of 56 FG who were scheduled to transfer to Boxted within the next 3 weeks. Other civilian personnel arrived, including local police officers, the Southwold Ambulance in the care of Misses M. Cole and M. “Moore, Southwold NFS, Southwold Civil Defense, and several ‘other local inhabitants. The police had just cleared non-essential ‘persons from the immediate area when at 1130 hrs. a massive explosion occurred within the wreckage. Nineteen USAF personnel were killed and 38 injured. The fire engines and ambulance were badly damaged, and several civilian helpers ‘were injured. ‘Took’s bread van from Halesworth was parked on the road, and when the rear end was damaged from the blast, the driver, George Barber, found many of his loaves scattered across the road. Other people who were blown over by the blast were Bob Harris, landlord of the Wangford White Lion Hotel, Victor Howeld, village undertaker and fire service member, Lennie Everson, carpenter from the Timberyard who was blown through a hedge on to a meadow, and a lady thought to have been Mrs. Shimmons who was blown off her bicycle onto & roadside bank. ‘At 1630 hrs., the RAF Bomb Disposal Flight No. 6218 from Coltishall attended and found there was only one unexploded ‘bomb lying unburied on open ground. This was taken to be put in the bomb dump at Holton Airfield. There was one survivor from 590, the radio operator, Sgt. Kenneth Guerney, but details of his escape are not known. The ‘A145 road from Blythburgh to Brampton was closed until 1300 has. that day. Further details came to light when J.L. Mosier, 4 tail gunner in the RID Johnson crew, described how he witnessed the collision. His story is quoted as follows: *. . . We were climbing through the clouds to find our formation. At about 12,000 ft. we were told to go on oxygen, $0 I climbed in the tail turret and, looking down, was connecting my equipment. We were just beginning to break through the tops of the clouds, skipping in and out, ‘when I glanced up and saw another B24 break out of the clouds VERY close on our tail. I grabbed for my mike button to wam our pilot, but before I could press the button, another B24 flashed by going in the opposite direction. . . . He coulda’t have missed our tail by more than inches. To my horror, he hit the plane behind us almost dead center. For the next few seconds it seemed like time stood still. I'l never forget the sight: there were landing gear, wheels, turrets, engines with props still spinning like crazy; there were bombs and wings; the sky was filled with wreckage. I don't remember seeing anything that looked like a body. I must have sat there several seconds, speechless, waiting for the explosion which would have taken our plane also. Suddenly, it was all gone, back through the clouds, leaving the sky ever so clear, ever s0 innocent, as though it never happened. I inquired about the accident when we returned. that evening, but couldn't find out a thing. Why would they keep a thing like that so secret? I had no idea what happened after those 2 planes fell back through the clouds. I saw far too many planes get shot down, but that was the ‘only time I had a collision right in my lap. Only « miracle prevented an explosion that would have taken us all down. Thad no idea that so many men were killed on the ground Now, in 1994, some trees still bear marks of damage from — explosions, and’ pieces of debris can still be found. Ir ‘conclusion, the writers would like to point out that while every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of facts, there are discrepancies inthe information obtained from different sources of official records. Serial numbers and spelling of names vary ‘oceasionally and it ean only be hoped that if few minor errors ‘occur it will not affect the basic outline of the account. (Please tum to page 3 for casualty and injury lst.) FOLDED WINGS Nicholas Caruso 2195 1/95 Edward J. Gilday 6194 ‘Howard Mesnard 6194 Fred Paine 1195 David B. Reed 2195 ‘Adrian G. Smit 10/94 Emest Somes NEW MEMBERS Frederick A. Beckett Grand Rapids, MI Frank G. Blazeck Victorville, CA Joseph Davis, St. Louis, MO K.O. Dessert Montgomery, AL Duvern E. Higgins ‘Snohomish, WA William S. Farnsworth Cincinnati, OH Donald R. Gaston Ottawa, IL Charles Greenlee Fairview Park, OH James R. Hogan Houston, TX James R. Kendrick Little Rock, AR. Richard Petko Buffalo, NY Bernard Tousey Bowler, WI ym Wanda ‘West Allis, WI Wrablik Dwight, IL THE ALL AMERICAN: SOMETHING NEW HAS BEEN ADDED! ‘The Collings Foundation has announced that Schlitz Beer/Stroh Brewing Co. has become a corporate sponsor for the 1995 Salute to Veterans Tour." The B24 carries the WWI nose art of the Schlitz Golden Girl. As one of the most popular bbeers during WWII and a major supplier of beer to the nilitary, Schlitz proudly salutes WWII veterans through its sponsorship of this tour, as well as through the Schlitz Commemorative Can, which will be reproduced nationally from May-Sept. 1995, In stores nationwide, you'll soon see the B24 pack with a B24 aircraft and the Schlize Golden Girl artwork. As we travel around the country, Schlitz will be advertising the tour on billboards, point-of-sale placards, on posters and on thei information hotline (800) G-B24-99.AIRCRASH — WED. MAR. 29, 1994, 1045 HRS. — HENHAM PARK, SUFFOLK 2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. 2nd Lt. Harry Cassel Jr. William H. Lowry SiSgt. Carl J. Mead SiSgt Clifford E. White ‘Sgt Orland J. Watson Sgt William R. Bloom ‘Sgt Albert A. Blood Sgt James E. Scanlon Robert L. McFetrick (7) 824 1 42-110033 of 328th B.S. 93rd B.G. from AAF Station 104 Hardwick, England ‘Unknown replacement from Warren from Dayton from Chattanooga from Adamson from Pataskala from Dallas from Mehalen B24 H 41-28590 of 330th B.G. from AAF Station 104, Hardwick, England Pilot 2nd Lt Chester D. Makinster Co Pilot 2nd Lt Robert M. Trask Bombardier 2nd Lt Robert J. Poe Navigator 2nd Lt Earl J. Morris FLEngr SiSgt_ Herman B. Larson Gunner SiSgt_ Thomas O. Byrd Gunner Sgt William J. Franke Gunner Sgt Stephen Reinias Gunner Sgt Steve T. Clovis Radio Op ‘Sgt Kenneth L. Guemey from Roseville from Cottage Grove from Clarksburg from Duluth from Connersville from Brooklyn from Little Falls from Youngstown ‘The regular bombardier of 033 was J. Robert Shaffer, but he had been sent to Scotland for special trainin Wo the crew's NOK. He lived in Oceanside, CA and died in 1992. OH KIA OH KIA TN KIA OK OKIA OH KIA TX KIA OR — KIA Survivor Survivor CA KIA OR KIA wy KIA KIA MN KIA IN KIA NY KIA NY KIA OH KIA Injured survivor - He was recalled to write Casualties of personnel who attended from AAF Station 365 Halesworth, four miles from the site of the incident. Capt Stanley B. Morzill @2ES S6FG Cpl Benny Cala @2FS SOFG PRC Huett 63FS S6FG Cpl Pyszynski HQ Medical Detachment St Pollard HQ Medical Detachment Capt Engle SqCdr 33rd Service Group to 231st Stn Hosp Capt Levy Adj 33rd Service Group to 23ist Sin Hosp Ist Lt Cotner 33rd Service Group to 231st Stn Hosp Sgt Kleinschmidt 33rd Service Group to 231st Stn Hosp Sgt Tremblay 33rd Service Group to 231st Stn Hosp ‘Unknown 2010 Engineers Fire Fighters Unknown 15th Station Complement Sq Total USAAF casualties above from Holton Airfield units: Killed 19 Injured 38 Other casualties. Minor injuries and/or shock requiring treatment. 2 Nurses with Southwold Ambulance 4 British Policemen 1 Royal Navy Serviceman 1 RAF Serviceman 2 Southwold CD 4 Southwold NFS (hose casualties taken to Southwold Hospital were § USAAF and 2 civilian KIA Injured Final Casualty Total Bis 3 Killed Killed Injured Injured Injured Injured Injured Injured Injured Died 0830 Practically wiped out Many casualties