Crash sites Bremen to Verden

[Michael W. Wilson]

I wish I could find Schwarmerheide on a map, so I could figure out which of the 5 Holtorf's on Via Michelin that it crashed near

If you had any luck, I'd be interested in knowing what you turned up. My grand-uncle John D, Burke, jr. was one of thew waist gunners on that same plane.

 

[Michael W. Wilson]

Dear Chuck !
Recently I noticed your search of B17 crash sites near Bremen.
I have some friends in SCHWARME (near SCHWARMERHEIDE) and asked them to ask some old people if the knew something about the crash location of your uncle and his crew.

Some time later they told me about two very, very interesting books of Ulf Kaack and Jürgen Kuhlmann named "LUFTKRIEG IN DER REGION". This book is based on notes of a police officer who listed all the crashes in the region south of BREMEN in his diary during ww2.

The two authors looked for witnesses and asked many people about their observations. Many crashes of Allied and German aircraft are described / localized and compared with historical data (e.g. missing air crew reports).
And indeed: the crash of "your" B17 42-102525 is also described and localized precisely ! The eyewitness interviewed said: "One dead man was sitting in the burning cockpit, two more were in the fuselage. As I heard, at least 8 soldiers are said to be killed. At that time the dead were buried in the Jewish cemetery in Hoyershagen".

If you are interested, I can try to get more information and visit the crash site.

Happy greetings from

Frank

Thank you for your help as well, Frank. My grand-uncle John D. Burke, jr. was one of the waist gunners and also one of the casualties of that aircraft's last mission. You have helped my researches immensely, especially with your suggestion of Kaack and Kuhlmann's book. Perhaps I'll run into you on my next trip to Germany. Freundliche Grüsse, Mike Wilson