Aircraft 42-109915 shoot down report

[cwebster4]

I'm researching B-24J 42-109915.

The plane crashed over Cantley, England on its return to Hethel airfield during the "Night of the Intruders" on April 22, 1944. 6 were KIA and 5 survived. The aircraft was part of 565th BS, 389th BG (H).

What I find very suspicious is that the pilot bailed out, and the co-pilot rode the aircraft to the ground and died. I've looked at the airforcehistoryindex.com website hoping to find a report, but was unsuccessful. The website of the 389th BG does not have the report.

I'm assuming there must have been some report about the incident but this is my first attempt at research on an aircraft that was shot down--all the other aircraft I have researched either had an actual accident (running off runways on takeoff, landing at the wrong airfield—it was too short) or successfully made it through the war.

I believe I will now have to rely on NARA or AFHRA for this information, but because nothing comes up in the airforcehistioryindex.com I'm at a loss where to begin.

If needed to assist in my question, the crew was:

Pilot; Lt., Paul T Wilkerson, wounded, RTD; of Fort Worth, Texas
Co-pilot; Lt., Clyde S Sewell Jr. KIA;
Navigator; Lt., LeRoy A Campbell, Wounded; of Superior, Wisconsin
Bombardier; Lt., Richard F Sullivan, Wounded; of Brockton, Massachusetts
Radio Operator; T/sgt., Frank TERLESKY KIA;
Top Turret Gunner; T/sgt., Robert L Dotter KIA;
Ball Turret Gunner; T/sgt., George Charles Gray KIA;
R. Waist Gunner; S/sgt., Martin B CASTLE, wounded, RTD; of Baldwin, Wisconsin
L. Waist Gunner; S/sgt., Norman S Reed, KIA;
Tail Gunner; S/sgt., Henry S Bunting, wounded; of White Plains, New York
Nose Turret Gunner; S/Sgt James R Murray KIA.

My additional request is to get the aircraft record for 42-109915

Thank you for any help

Charlie Webster

 

[Snautzer01]

Consolidated B-24J-115-CO Liberator 42-109915 Shot down by a German intruder aircraft, caught fire, disintegrated and crashed at Cantley, Norfolk on 22 April 1944. 6 crew members were killed on the mission and 5 returned

The aircraft was returning from an operation against Hamm in Germany, when it was shot down by an Me 410 A-1/U2 of the II./KG 51 operating from an airfield in the Netherlands.
Lieutenant Wilkerson and four crew members survived by bailing out of the doomed bomber. Others had bailed out too, but were discovered dead with their parachute packs unopened

The 389th BG Liberators were overhead, en route for their base at Hethel, when Peter saw an Me 410 stalking them.

Sneaking alongside, the intruder drew ahead and fired astern with its twin, remotely controlled MG131 machine guns in fuselage barbettes. In their victim, nose-gunner SSgt J R Murray responded as his burning bomber circled Cantley with parachutes emerging before one wing separated and it disintegrated across open marshland. Airmen whose parachutes had no time to deploy were found embedded in the boggy terrain. Murray, 1st Lt F T Wilkerson and four others died in 42-109915. Later examination of the wreckage supported Peter's account.

Conclusion: the poor ones that died did not have time enough to get out before the disintergration of the bomber. Not that they choose not to.

Your suspicion in therefore false.

1. 42-109915 | American Air Museum
2. USAF Serial Number Search Results
3. https://www.key.aero/article/night-terrors-luftwaffe-onslaught
4. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/234693

 

[Sabrejet]

Record card will be on Reel ACR-44, which sadly I don't have. Contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB and they should be able to provide acopy of the reel or the individual card.

 

[cwebster4]

Consolidated B-24J-115-CO Liberator 42-109915 Shot down by a German intruder aircraft, caught fire, disintegrated and crashed at Cantley, Norfolk on 22 April 1944. 6 crew members were killed on the mission and 5 returned

The aircraft was returning from an operation against Hamm in Germany, when it was shot down by an Me 410 A-1/U2 of the II./KG 51 operating from an airfield in the Netherlands.
Lieutenant Wilkerson and four crew members survived by bailing out of the doomed bomber. Others had bailed out too, but were discovered dead with their parachute packs unopened

The 389th BG Liberators were overhead, en route for their base at Hethel, when Peter saw an Me 410 stalking them.

Sneaking alongside, the intruder drew ahead and fired astern with its twin, remotely controlled MG131 machine guns in fuselage barbettes. In their victim, nose-gunner SSgt J R Murray responded as his burning bomber circled Cantley with parachutes emerging before one wing separated and it disintegrated across open marshland. Airmen whose parachutes had no time to deploy were found embedded in the boggy terrain. Murray, 1st Lt F T Wilkerson and four others died in 42-109915. Later examination of the wreckage supported Peter's account.

Conclusion: the poor ones that died did not have time enough to get out before the disintergration of the bomber. Not that they choose not to.

Your suspicion in therefore false.

1. 42-109915 | American Air Museum
2. USAF Serial Number Search Results
3. https://www.key.aero/article/night-terrors-luftwaffe-onslaught
4. https://asn.flightsafety.org/wikibase/234693

Thank you. I believe you are quoting from the book "Night of the Invaders." Of course I could be wrong, as i am working off my memory of reading the pertinent passage a few weeks ago., so if I am wrong would you mind sharing your source, please. While "Night of the Intruders" is an interesting book and this section provides very interesting information, I find it very difficult to trust this book as a source of anything because the author provides no sources for his information. I struggled to find any reports for my research, so I checked airforcehistoryindex.com, and was disappointed to find no listing for the event or any crew members. It appears to me that this is a significant event considering the Luftwaffe was able to move in a stealth manner and shoot down aircraft. I would think there would have been a lengthy investigation.
I would welcome your thoughts and advice.

Charlie

 

[cwebster4]

Record card will be on Reel ACR-44, which sadly I don't have. Contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency at Maxwell AFB and they should be able to provide acopy of the reel or the individual card.

Thank you. The request has been submitted, and we now wait, as you are surely aware. They are great over there. Thank you.

 

[Snautzer01]

if I am wrong would you mind sharing your source, please

Read the bullet points in the post why don't you.

 

[cwebster4]

Read the bullet points in the post why don't you.

Thank you, Your Royal Highness

 

[Sabrejet]

cwebster4 Not sure why the frosty response here but I hope you can find some useful information.

And incidentally I am a strong proponent of using primary sources for proper research rather than relying on published works for the same. I suspect that there is a report of this incident at Squadron, Group or Wing level but sometimes it is like searching for a needle in a haystack without knowing if the needle is even there.

Good luck and don't give up!

 

[Snautzer01]

Thank you, Your Royal Highness

You ask for sources that are in the answer. Not reading the post.

Now. That looks a bit ....lets say ..odd.

Then you write a snipy reply.

Good luck researching. I think it will be a quest for you. A very long one at that.

 

[cwebster4]

You ask for sources that are in the answer. Not reading the post.

Now. That looks a bit ....lets say ..odd.

Then you write a snipy reply.

Good luck researching. I think it will be a quest for you. A very long one at that.

Your response was snarky. I asked a legitimate question about sources and you gave me snark. I read the bullet points. The one gave "Night of the Intruders" as a source. The book has no sources and therefore is far from a reliable source. Once again, I didn't appreciate the snark.