Trying to uncover any info on my uncle Sgt Harold Granholm from 862nd sq of 493 Bomb group MIA under mysterious circumstances.  The family never received any info from the AAF who were apparently very uncooperative.  I have a list of the tail #'s and MACR's of all the planes lost from the 862nd sq, but can't find any crew lists to match him against.  The family has known zippo about his fate, even thinking he was lost over North Africa!  So you can see what a wild goose chase we were sent on.  Any help in tracking Uncle Harold down would be most appreciated.
 
Thanks in advance,
Janice Miller

Hello Janice,
 
Do you have any other information about your uncle's time with the 493rd BG?  Any dates would be helpful.
 
Thanks,
 
 

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

Hello Again Janice,
 
I started my search by looking at the month of February 1945 -- this was the month that the 862nd BS was reassigned within the 8th Air Force.  Here is a quote from the General Summary report for February 1945:
 
"...in February, the 493rd Group lost one of its four squadrons.  The 862nd, with ten officers and 179 enlisted men, was detached from the Group and sent to the Colchester area on a weather scouting assignment."
 
Knowing this loss of a squadron would result in transfers, I looked through the Special Orders (daily reports -- shows transfers) on my microfilm of 493rd BG documents.  The February 15, 1945 Special Orders lists SGT Harold F. Granholm, 12153304 being transferred from the 862nd BS to the 480th Supply Depot which was located at Debach to support the 493rd BG.  It shows his specialty as being an Airplane & Engine Mechanic (747).
 
This is all I have so far.  The microfilm I have doesn't have any Enlisted Rosters (only Officer Rosters), so it is difficult to follow enlisted personnel.
 
Hope this helps.  I will keep looking.
 
 

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

Hello Janice,

Well, I think I have found out the details about your uncle Harold.

I found his name memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Brittany American Cemetery in St. James, France.  You can see Harold’s information by visiting www.abmc.gov.  In the left column of the home page, under “Search ABMC Database”, click on “World War II”.  At the next page, enter Harold’s last name.  Then, on the results screen, click on Harold’s name (the last of the 3 listed).  The next page shows his date of death as July 5, 1945.

This shows he was “Missing in Action or Buried at Sea”.  He couldn’t have been “Missing in Action” since the war in Europe was over.  The other alternative was “Buried at Sea”.  This ties in with 2 sentences in the narrative of the last months of the 493rd (again, from the microfilm) – “Of the 1440 officers and men leaving England with the air echelon, 1423 reached their destination safely.  When one B-17 was forced to ditch in the North Atlantic, 16 men lost their lives.”

I then found a web site on aviation archaeology (looking for lost/crashed aircraft) and called up the information for July 1945.  Sure enough, listed with the date of 450704 (July 4, 1945) there is an entry for a B-17F serial number 42-32087, shown as being with the 862nd BS/493rd BG (shows FG, but it should be BG).  It lists the pilot as being Benny J. Radzevich.  The plane crashed 150 miles NW of Lagens Field, Azores.  If you look up Benny’s name at the www.abmc.gov web page, you will see that he was a 1st LT assigned to the 493rd BG/862nd BS and has the same date of death as your uncle.  Here is the link to the aviation archaeology web page – www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AARmonthly/Jul1945O.htm.

Here is a list of the individuals on B-17 42-32087 that fateful day in July 1945:
S/Sgt Herbert D. Autenreith from ID
Sgt John W. Baker from NJ
Pvt Frank Bonczar from NY
1st LT Robert B. Brubaker from CA
S/Sgt Harold H. Digman from OR
Sgt Harold F. Granholm from NY
Cpl James W. Green from MS
T/Sgt Joseph P. Guest from PA
S/Sgt Leonard H. Janney from IL
S/Sgt Edward J. Michalowski from NY
2nd LT John L. Pentney from OR
1st LT Benny J. Radzevich from NY
Sgt James R. Starr from MA
T/Sgt John Volpe from NY
M/Sgt Kenneth E. Zellers from PA

Harold’s name is also listed on another web page – www.accident-report.com/Crew_Names/NAME45G.html.  This shows that Harold’s name is on an accident report.  You can request a copy of the accident report by going to – www.accident-report.com/order.html.

I will send you copies of the 493rd BG documents I mentioned earlier via e-mail.

I hope this helps with your quest.  Don’t hesitate to let me know should you have any additional questions.

Take care,

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

It's unbelievable that you found this info so fast.  Our family is eternally grateful for your effort.  Every year we have a family reunion so I hope I can get a copy of the accident report before then.  Getting killed when coming home only compounds the tragedy, but at least there will be closure.  Thank you again David for your help.
 
Janice

Hello Janice,
 
Send me your e-mail address and I will send copies of the document with Harold's name on it (from the 493rd BG microfilm).
 
 

David Schmitt
d.schmitt@prodigy.net
son of 1st LT Donald J. Schmitt, USAAF, co-pilot
assigned to 493rd BG/863rd BS at Debach, England
from Nov 1944 thru May 1945

Janice & David,
 
A picture of 42-32087 can be found at http://emolachance.com/42-32087.html
 
Happy New Year,
 
Paul

Associate member of the Awon
http://www.awon.org/
__________________

Fighters for Victory (357th FG)

Thanks again David and thanks Paul for all the info.  My email address is
jzmiller@verizon.net
 
Janice