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- Joined: 04/05/2002
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RE: Information of the crew of 42-95142, Butlers Crew
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07/01/2007 07:34:56 PM
This is from Wil Lundy's Roll Call of Honor for the 44th BG.
The second 506th aircraft to be lost and last of the four ships that did not return on the 21st, was
that piloted by Lt. Myron H. Butler.
506th Sq., #42-95142 Bar-K, Butler, "CAPE COD SPECIAL II" MACR # 7288 506th Squadron Crew: Entire crew POW
BUTLER, MYRON H. Pilot 2nd Lt. Greentown, Pennsylvania ASN 0-702232 POW KINCAID, JACK A. Co-pilot 2nd Lt. Sacramento, California ASN 0-765257 POW McKAY, JOHN E. Navigator 2nd Lt. Detroit, Michigan ASN 0-712638 POW PERRY, OLIVER C. Bombardier 2nd Lt. Somerset, Massachusetts ASN 0-716944 POW RASMUSSEN, JACK D. Engineer S/Sgt. Los Angeles, California ASN 39243286 POW MANN, ROBERT E. Radio Oper. S/Sgt. Metheun, Massachusetts ASN 11056808 POW/Injured HUMPHRIES, PAUL C. Jr. Well Gun. Sgt. Tulsa, Oklahoma ASN 38320472 POWCONNELLY, JOHN J. RW Gunner Sgt. Newark, New Jeersey ASN 2009812 POWDEIFER, LOUIS W. LW Gunner Sgt. Mt. Vernon, Indiana ASN 35708185 POW ERAMO, LEONARD A. Tail Turret Sgt. Brooklyn, New York ASN 32804732 POW
The MACR briefly states that the weather was poor, high clouds and haze. At 1038 hours, in
vicinity of Munich, this aircraft called over the VHF to say that they had a three-foot section of
wing tip shot off by flak. However, all four engines were running and the crew was going for
Switzerland.
They did not make it. However, all ten men survived to become POWs. Bombardier Oliver C.
Perry, told me that, “We were hit over Munich and had a very large hole in the wing that made it
most unlikely that we could get back to base. So we proceeded to go toward Switzerland, but we
were hit again before we got there. That was southwest of Munich, over a town named Lorach
(Eurach or Durach?) where we lost an engine and a rear stabilizer was shot off. Not then being
able to make Switzerland, we all bailed out.
“I think that we encountered some fighter action south of Munich, but it was in very cloudy
conditions and they lost contact with us in the 10/10th overcast. We had been told that we would
have had to fly at least eight miles into Switzerland before we could be considered safe as
internees, as those people living in the border area with Germany might be tempted to sell or
give us back to the Germans.
“Our radioman, Robert E. Mann, was injured while either bailing out or upon landing as he had a
broken arm. A few of the crewmembers got banged up on landing, too. We were captured and
made prisoners.
“We were taken to Mulhouse, France and then to a Frankfurt jail for a couple of days; then to
Dulag Luft for interrogation for a few more days before we took the trip to Stalag I, Barth, on the
Baltic Sea. We remained there until the war ended and were liberated by the Russians May be a photo of the nose art I will have to check my files. I am not familiar with a crew photo that exist. Roger
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