I am looking for any info. on our cousin, William H. Higgins, who was KIA on Jan. 08, 1945 in Frankfurt, Germany, with the 447thBG / 710th Sqd.   The plane was the 'Little Rock Blonde', actually from the 708th Sqd.  The Pilot was 2nd Lt. Robert N. Weeks.  4 of the Crew were POW's.  Hoping some of these men are still around to possibly tell their stories!  Aircraft Serial #: 43-37938.  Any information will be new to us and helpful!  Thanks, Donald.

Hi Donald,
You are correct about the a/c Little Rock Blonde / 43-37938.
710SQ; MIA Frankfurt 1/8/45 w/Weeks; flak, cr Frankfurt; 5KIA 4POW
MACR 11582
 
Here is a quote from the History 447th Bomb Group, by Doyle Shields for this mission.  pages 253 & 254.

Monday, 8 January 1945 (F.O. #545) (198/787)
We were awakened at 0230 hours.  After our morning ablutions and the fresh egg breakfast, 38 crews assembled for the briefing at 0400 hours.  Our target was the marshalling yards at Frankfurt.....  .... The planes were loaded with 500lb GP and Incendiary bombs... When assembly was complete we set course for the splasher beacon at Orford Ness for Division assembly.  As we headed for the continent we continued our climb to a bombing altitude of 24,500 feet, which had been achieved by the time we reached the battle line.  The 88mm guns used at the cities to shoot at us, were also used for ground targets.  In Normandy they were zeroed in on holes in the hedge rows.  There was a cloud cover as we approached the target and there was a heavy cloud of black smoke from anti-aircraft shell bursts.  We set up for a PFF bomb run.  Over the target Lt. Weeks plane was seen to explode from a direct hit.  This was the last loss for the 710 Squadron.  On return Lt. Jessen crash landed in Belgium.  The plane was a wash out.  The crew were not injured and returned to base.  Lt. Quist's crew bailed out over France.  The crew survived and continued to fly missions.  ......

 
http://www.447bg.com/aclist_4.html (this is where you will find the prelim MACR seen below)
 

 
From the crew of the Jersey Bounce during this mission:

Assembly in So. England before daylight - heavy, accurate flak - Weeks went down - visual flak - instr. bombing - very bad weather entire mission - 

see: http://www.447bg.com/library/crews/mcbroom.html
 
I'll see what else I can dig up for you later.  Time for bed now.
-Keith
 

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

Thanks Keith!  I will look forward to anything you can find.
We got started researching William's info. by looking at a picture of his tombstone which stated he was on his 96th Mission when KIA.    I did get the MACR from AFHRA.   I have looked some on the internet for pics of the plane or crew,  but did not see any.   I am not be familiar w/ all the possible sites either though.
 
Donald.

Donald here is some more information regarding WH Higgins.

I see Higgins was assigned September 23, 1944 to the Robert E. Johnson Jr. Crew.
 Crew 101 FD 900-BJ (APO 16403 BJ 101)
 (P) 2D LT Johnson, Robert E., Jr. 0 825 186
 (CP) 2D LT Esper, Joseph  0 713 939
 (N) 2D LT Nickerson, Kenneth M.  02 064 634
 (B) 2D Poss, Rubin V. Jr.  0 739 497
T Sgt (611)  Lowelling, E. V.  14 084 947
T Sgt (748)  Roberts, Ralph, R 14 137 724
T Sgt (748)  Tichy, Robert G.   16 089 687
S Sgt (612)  Ashe, Thomas J.   31 097 887
S Sgt (748)  Gilmore, Robert L. 17 077 109
S Sgt (611)  Higgins, William H.  14 097 867
 
 
MACR 10313  Nov 2, 1944. on 42-107029 "Tailwind"
 710SQ; 708SQ; MIA Merseberg 11/2/44 w/Johnson; e/a. cr Gross Himmlage, Ger; 1KIA 8POW
(P) Lt. Robert E. Johnson Jr. (POW)  Kingsport, Tennessee
(CP) 2Lt. Joseph Esper (KIA)  Worcester, Mass
(N) 2Lt. Kenneth M. Nikerson (POW) Sacramento, California
(B) 2Lt. Rubin V. Poss Jr (POW)   Washington D.C.
(TT) T/Sgt Cecil W. McGonigle (POW) Austin, Minnesota
(RO) T/Sgt E.V. Lewelling (POW)  Zolfo Springs, Florida
(BT) S/Sgt. Thomas J. Ashe (POW) Springfield, Mass
(RW) Cpl. George R. Christoff (POW)  Mansfield, Ohio
(TG) S/Sgt. Robert L. Gilmore  (POW) Belle, Missouri
 
Missing is WH Higgins, Ralph R. Roberts, & Robert G. Tichy.
At this stage, I feel it is likely that George Christoff was on his orientation mission and replaced Higgins.  So that leaves McConigle replacing Roberts or Tichy and at this point the crew was probably 9 instead of 10 members.

Here is Tailwind:

&


-Keith

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

Keith:
 
Could you just tell me if #42-107029 flew a mission with Albernathy's crew on April 11, 1944, please?
 
Regards,
Mike Mucha
 

Mike,
 
According to Doyle Shields 1996 'History of the 447th Bomb Group', Abernathy was flying #029 TAILWIND on the mission of April 11, 1944.
 
Hal

Mike,
Yes, James L. Abernathy piloted 42-107029 "Tailwind" on Apr 11, 1944.  
Target Arnimswalde.
-Keith

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

Hal & Keith:
 
Thank you very much.
 
I believe the primary target for the 447th BG on April 11, 1944 was Poznan, Poland (a Focke Wulf plant), but  Arnimswalde, Germany was attacked due to overcast over the primary one.
 
Am I right?
 
Regards,
Mike
 

Mike,
 
Shields says: "Our primary target was an aircraft plant in Northern Poland."  He goes on to say: "Our target was cloud covered so we bombed an aircraft plant at Arnimswalde near Stettin, Poland."
 
Hal

Hal:
 
Many, many thanks.
 
Mike
 

Thanks Keith for that new info and the picture of the aircraft!
I am getting some pictures identified by a crewmember of the Little Rock Blonde that were taken in Florida "before the Big Hop" as he described it.  I'll update as soon as I can.  It is great to be able to place people with their planes and see them for the first time.  A web-based metal detector you might say.
 
Donald.

Donald,
Here is some more information for you. 
I am uploading the Crew Loading Manifest for 8 Jan 45 and the formation document.
 
-Keith

[image]local://upfiles/5921/56BCD9204C6D4CDA93F62620CC2B8046.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

Formation:
 

[image]local://upfiles/5921/09C9DAD01B664A7FA640016929A68DBF.jpg[/image]

Attached Image(s)

-Keith Hardie
Nephew of John David Hardie, 447th BG waist gunner.
www.447bg.com

          Thanks for posting those 2 listings Keith.  I have been corresponding with Mr. Melcher, who was the Bombardier/Togglier on the Little Rock Blonde the day it was hit by flak.  He said he was assigned to that crew/plane for this mission because, on either the previous day or the previous mission, the bombardier was injured and the nose of the plane was hit by enemy fire, but it was repaired.    Now, I am curious to know if it was the day before or several days before.   Did the crews fly any back-to-back missions or was there a certain # of days off by regulation?  Mr. Melcher said he flew in a number of different planes in the 447th.   
 
Donald.
 
 

Hi Donald,
 
To answer part of your question, it was not unusual for crews to fly back to back missions.  Out of my fathers 33 missions he once flew four days in a row, twice flew three days in a row, and once two days in a row. 
 
Regards,
Hal

Hello!
 
I was able to speak to Mr. Melcher again today about his 447th BG experiences.  I will give you what info I have, and see what you think.
 
Mr. Melcher said he was a pilot, and starte out flying little planes. He mentioned flying in the 99th BG and flew 25 missions and then got to go home in June of 1944.  He gave an account of a Col. Abel (Henry possibly a first name?) who flew his B-17 like a fighter plane, and had trouble getting anyone to fly with him.  Somehow, Harry started flying with him.  The Col. later was transferred/allowed to go to a fighter group and possibly flew a Mustang.  Do you all know of this fellow?
Mr. Melcher went back in Nov. 1944 on a Sub-Patrol.  He flew 11 missions and was shot down over Bastogne on a supply drop mission.  They were in Bastogne during Christmas.
For the Little Rock Blonde flight on Jan 08, 1945 he said that was his first flight with the crew.  He had seen them around the base, but really didn't know them well.  He met and talked with them before takeoff.  He mentioned that they had dropped their bomb load over the target in Germany.  He recalled telling Pilot Weeks that there was a lot of flak ahead and should possibly consider avoiding it.  The pilot replied that he was flying the plane.  That was the last thing the pilot said before they were hit by flak.  Then, the nose of the plane was all that was left--it looked like it was opened by a can opener.  Harry went out the Bottom Hatch.  They were at 25,000 feet when hit, and at 20,000 feet when he was the last one out of the plane.  He said he was being shot at on his wya down in the parachute, by a nest of German machine-gunners.  He said he shot at them with his .45 pistol and believed he got one of the gunners.  This was over St. Vith, near the edge of Belgium and Germany which was close to his own lines.  If the wind had been stronger he might have gotten to safety.  The pilot was taken to teh allied side because he was busted up -a serious spinal fracture of some sort.  Mr. Melcher and the survivors went to  P.O.W. camp.  He said he saw Krantz and DeVault in there.  More information needs to be gained from this point onward.
     Mr. Melcher said that in the Quonset huts on their base that they had rigged up an airplane tank on the roof to drip fuel down into a stove to keep them warm and that that contraption was frowned upon.    [Readers please elaborate on this!]    
    He told me that the daylight in the Summer in England mad for a really long day, and that the Winters were of course damp and cold and that hot water was in short supply.
Looking forward to hearing any additions to these experiences that you all can add.  Any military terminology (such as, transferred, sent, etc.) that is incorrect, is due to my lack of terminology and should not reflect on Mr. Melcher.    Thanks again for your service, and for all the interested folks on these forums!
   Donald.

Donald -
I have Seen and Heard stories about Stoves.
Coal was in short supply in England and more than
a few were fueled by Gas Drip - more than a few also
blew up , usually small explosion that covered everything in Soot
but a few caused Fires.
Mike

I just found this site today - My father was Rubin V Poss, Jr. on the plane that was shot down over Germany and was a POW until the war ended.  I have a lot of his papers and letters.  If anyone is interested in info I may have that would help, my daughter and I are compiling a history, and i can send the files I have.

Alta

Alta - Sent PM
Mike

Keith:
 
Have you the Crew Loadings and Formation for the mission on April 11, 1944?
 
Regards,
Mike