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sandruckd
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Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 04:25:52 AM
I have prepared a map showing all of my Uncle's missions, however, I am unable to locate Bleckhammer. Where exactly is it located and is it known by a different name today.
Dave Sandruck, USAF Ret Nephew of Irvin Wentz, KIA 9 Dec 1944 99 BG, 347 BS Tortorella (Foggia), Italy
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AMIAP
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 04:50:36 AM
Dave: There were two targets called Blechhammer on Silesia (now part of Poland). Blechhammer North = Blachownia Slaska Blechhammer South = Kedzierzyn-Kozle Regards, Mike http://www.samoloty.ow.pl/amiap/
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Guest
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 08:37:14 AM
If you can, go to google and search for Blechhammer. Lots of hits, It was where the horrible camp of Auschwitz was located. I'm not sure, but I think I was there for one mission, long distance for the 15th. We were briefed about Auschwitz, but really didn't know the the extent of the problem until after the war!
RHD
ps, I have reviewed my list of mssions, and I was not there.
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sandruckd
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 09:29:44 AM
Thanks for the info. I thought Auschwitz was listed under Osweicim.
Dave Sandruck, USAF Ret Nephew of Irvin Wentz, KIA 9 Dec 1944 99 BG, 347 BS Tortorella (Foggia), Italy
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CTSawyer
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 12:37:09 PM
There was an Auschwitz sub-camp near Blechhammer North.
There was an outfit called BestWeDo Travel out of Poland, named after a 455th BG motto by Colonel Cool. They offered trips which included Auschwitz and Blechhammer. Their domain name has expired, so I don't know if they are still in business.
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petdnk
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RE: Blechhammer
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10/19/2007 01:51:25 PM
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sandruckd
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RE: Blechhammer
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10/19/2007 04:01:10 PM
Thanks for the info and map. About 8 years ago I did if fact travel to Auschwitz. Unless you've been there you wouldn't understand. If the idiot president of Iran would travel there he would see the facts for himself.
Dave Sandruck, USAF Ret Nephew of Irvin Wentz, KIA 9 Dec 1944 99 BG, 347 BS Tortorella (Foggia), Italy
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Yunch
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 04:36:23 PM
My thanks to AMIAP and petdnk for their input. I now have a better insight as to the location of Blechhamer. My brother in-law (52nd FG) escorted B-24s to north and south. The bomber pilots nicknamed the place "BlackHamer". RH,
according to one bomber pilot, they were awarded two missions because of the distance from Italy. Johns form 5 shows over 5hrs for the fighters so you could probably add 3+hrs for the heavies. You would have a better idea on the time element, mine is just a WAG. Two of his trips were back to back
13th and 14th Oct 44.
Fair Winds and following seas. John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144) Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf 15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53
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bjsassy90
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/19/2007 10:31:13 PM
RH. I went to Blackhammer once on Aug 27th.
target was a synthetic oil refinery. Flt was 8 hr 40 min. Flak
was rough. That time was 40 min more than to Munich from our base.
bjsassy90 (465th BG)
reply to RHDODD
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Yunch
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 06:05:00 AM
BJ,
My guess to bomber time appears to be right on. My info came from a B-24 bomber pilots book. From what he implied, I guess the mission was equated to, as bad as Weiner Neustadt. I guess John was pulling double missions to make up for for being grounded with a bad cold, ( the cold as per letter home). Jim Peters said a long while back, airmen did not fly with colds.
I had to get a new computer and e-mail server a while back. I tried to contact you a couple of times but your system blocked me.
John (aka yunch)
Fair Winds and following seas. John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144) Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf 15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53
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Guest
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 06:52:21 AM
As I stated in my PS, i can't find Blechhammer in my list of sorties, nor a mission near there.What I think, not sure, is we were briefed for a mission there or near there, and aborted it.
I remember some kind of briefing on the possibility of concentration camps near a target.
RHD
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jpeters140
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 08:20:28 AM
My very first misson (B-17 99th BG) was to Blechhammer South..as I was the flight engineer, I made out the takeoff and landing times...my diary shows 7 hrs 20 minutes. This was from Tortorella Air Field east of Foggia. Most of the B-24 bases were further south, which explains their longer time of the mission.
Jim :-)
James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions 99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45 M/Sgt USAF (Retired)
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Yunch
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 11:29:14 AM
Jim, BJ, The author I alluded to, claimed a twofer mission for one because of distance, was this true in your cases. BJs mission was before the authors whose one mission was escorted by John. Jim yours was after John was shot down.
<message edited by Janos on 10/20/2007 02:10:03 PM >
Fair Winds and following seas. John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144) Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf 15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53
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CTSawyer
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 12:13:43 PM
bjsassy90,
Do you recall anything else about that day? I would be interested in learning it. Aug 27 is the day my great-uncle did not return from Blechhammer.
Thanks,
CTS
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jpeters140
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 12:14:39 PM
It has always been my understanding that the criteria was for distance AND severity of the target...mainly
(I am guessing here), due also, to the fact that we had to clear the Alps on the return. The Ploesti oil fields were within range, but, the concentration of AA guns, was definitely a factor...we in the 99th BG had a saying the Graz, Austria was a very rough target, because there was a German Gunnery school located there...and if as few as one squadron, flew over Graz, there would be at least one aircraft shot down....we quipped that the "German M/Sgts were on the guns".
Jim :-)
James S. Peters Sr. T/Sgt B-17 Flt Engr, 27 missions 99 BG, 348BS, 5th Wing, 15th AAF Tortorella, (Foggia#2), Italy My Tour was from 12/03/44-06/19/45 M/Sgt USAF (Retired)
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Yunch
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/20/2007 02:15:45 PM
BJ,
The 5000th B-24 (V Grand) from Consolidated in California was in the authors squadron.
Fair Winds and following seas. John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144) Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf 15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53
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jj463rd
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/21/2007 05:31:00 AM
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jj463rd
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/22/2007 07:33:41 AM
Here is another photo.My dad had missions to the North Oil Refinery on Aug 27th 1944 and to the South Oil Refinery on Oct 17 1944 [image]local://upfiles/9956/8A08DB65962142FA99A85550FE527DD9.jpg[/image]
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Yunch
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/22/2007 09:44:42 AM
JJ,
Good photos. Reminds me of the story of a German born and raised, later US citizen, fellow worker that always bragged about how beautifull his city in Germany was as compared to our location. He was overheard by someone that remarked I saw your city. The excited German replied, " what did you think ?", the guy said, It was'nt that great, I was looking at it through my bomb site before I dropped the bombs. The guy was a former 8th AAF Bombadier. True story
Fair Winds and following seas. John, (GM 3/C USS Frost DE 144) Kin to LT. John W. Farnkopf 15th AAF, 52 FG, 4th FS; Madna, Italy MIA 11/11/44 remains found 12/8/53
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jj463rd
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RE: Bleckhammer
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10/22/2007 12:31:30 PM
LOL Janos I've teased the Germans a couple of times just for the fun of it.
Thanks for the story.
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