Lt.Nason crash in Holland ,11-1-1944

11-1-1944,time,11.03,crashed;IJsselmeer/Enkhuizerzand,B-17G,42-37719,381 BG/533 BS,1/Lt.D.A.Nason,
 
when you have more info,please requist,
 
regards Jaap

Japp,
 
Credit line for the narrative below is http://www.381st.org/histories/medical_01-1944.html
 
11 January – Thirty-three aircraft from this command took off at 08.00 hrs today, with the target as Oschersleben, Germany. Total distance was 978 miles, bombing altitude 20,000 ft and temperature – 32 centigrade. Capt Briggs was in the lead ship, while Major Galliard took a ride in the weather ship and witnessed a beautiful sunrise above the overcast over the Channel. The dispersal of the sun’s rays by the overcast gave a multi-hued sky that had all the colors of a pretty fire burning without any motion. It was truly beautiful and worth arising at 04.00 hrs and missing breakfast, which I did. The assembly was normal except for two wings flying a collision course and the resulting divergence broke up both formations temporarily. We also saw two B-24 wings. The weather began closing in about 10.00 hrs and about 13.50 hrs the field was closed and it began to rain. The aircraft were diverted to Hardwick, Norfolk. Eight aircraft were lost from this operation.
 
MIA 533rd C/42-37719
 
Nason, Donald E. 2nd Lt KIA
Byser, Joseph J. 2nd Lt KIA
Anagnos, Athan 2nd Lt KIA
Fiery, Charles D. 2nd Lt KIA
Harrah, Buster T. S/Sgt KIA
Lab, Ralph L. Sgt KIA
Beus, Raymond C. Sgt KIA
Stonich, Paul W. Sgt KIA
Lantz, John R. Sgt POW
Whitney, George A. Sgt KIA
 
Take what you like and leave the rest....
 
Andy

Thanks Andy,I send all this info to our Crash-log writer
In Holland we are working on a crashlog,contains more than 5600 crashes
about Allied and Axis aircraft who crashed in Holland.
All info you and others send us will be in that crashlog
We working close with the Dutch AirForce Historical Branch
 
Jaap ( A veteran of 93 BG who visit me last year for 10 days calls me YAP,
           thats easyer to say in English)

Hallo Jaap,
 
Sinds een jaar of vijf houd ik mij bezig met de 34 heavy bomber crews van de 8th USAAF. die niet terug keerden na de missie van Zondag, 26 November 1944.
 
Aanleiding hier toe was de B-17, # 42-106994, "Little Guy", Piloot Kyle Smith, die op deze dag een paar hondred meter van ons huis in Apeldoorn neerkwam. Ik was toen negen jaar.
 
De vier andere bombers die op de dag in Nederland neeerkwamen waren:
 
398BG, B-17G, # 43-37846, Piloot Pope. Gelukte noodlanding bij Velswijk in Oost Nederland.
 
398th BG, B-17G, # 42-102565, Piloot Rolfe, Crew verliet de bomber boven het IJsselmeer en verdronk.
 
91st Bg, B-17G, # 43-37913, Piloot Stevens, crew verliet de bomber boven Haulerwijk. drie leden van de crew werden gevangen genomen maar de rest werd opgepikt door de ondergrondse. Over deze crew kan ik een boek schrijven en misschien kom ik daar nog wel eens toe.
 
305th Bg, B-17 G, # 54-37855, Piloot Schmid. Bomber crashed bij Diepenveen. De hele crew kon zich redden met de parachute. Twee van hen werden door de ondergrondse verborgen.
 
Laat me even weten welke informatie jullie groep zoekt.
 
Groetjes
 
John Meurs
Im Gubel 5
CH-8630 Rüti
Switzerland.    E-mail   meurs.john@bluewin.ch
 

Please let's stick to English for all our other readers..
 
Thanks,
 
Paul

Hello,
 
About John Meurs’ post :
305th Bg, B-17 G lost is not # 54-37855 but 43-37955 (pilot Schmid)
 
About Lt Nason’s crew :
Sgt John R. LANTZ (POW) : Stalag Luft 4 Gross-Tychow (formerly Heydekrug) Pomerania, Prussia (moved to Wobbelin Bei Ludwigslust) (To Usedom Bei Savenmunde) 54-16
 
Bye
 
Daniel (from France)
 

Hello All,thanks for all the info.Daniel is right,its 43-37955 is correct.
 
John Iam still looking for Bender,you hear soon
 
regards Jaap

Hi, my name is Roberta and I am new to this site.  I have read quite a few of the messages and find them very interesting, and I am grateful that there is so much interest in keeping the memory of our fallen heroes alive.
 
My uncle, Joseph J. Byser, serial # 15069777, was the co-pilot of the bomber that went down in the Zeider Zee on 1/11/1944.  It was only his 5th or 6th mission, having arrived in England in 11/1943.  I have a copy of the MACR, which states all were KIA except for John Lantz, who was a POW at Stalag Lufft.  My uncle's body was found and returned to his hometown in Moundsville, WV, where he is buring at Riverview Cemetery on Round Bottom Hill.  His parents, my grandparents, emigrated to America from Croatia in 1913 and 1914 to escape the oppression and subsequent WWI.  I am moved by the fact that he was killed fighting for the freedom of the same country where his parents had come from.
 
I would love to get more information on my uncle and his crew and squadron (533 according to most sources I've found).  Also, if anyone has any pictures of him and his crew.  From what I've been able to find out, the name of the bomber (#42-37719) was Dinah-Mite or Hell's Angel.  Can anyone corroborate this?  Was his plane shot down by enemy flak or was it engine trouble?  I know some of the engines were on fire or smoking when it went down.  Also, does anyone know if the plane was ever recovered and what happened to it?
I would also like to know if anyone has any stories or pictures on the crew during their stay at Ridgewell, Station #167?
Thanks for any information or pictures and God Bless America and all the soldiers who fought to keep our country the greatest on earth!
Roberta

Roberta,

According to the 381st web site the alternate name for 42-37719 was Hellcat, not Hells Angel.  See this list:
http://www.381st.org/Ai...t/tabid/137/Default.aspx

The 381st did have a Hells Angel but it was 42-97265.

As luck would have it there is a picture of Hellcat on the internet, see the attachment below.

Hal

Attached Image(s)

Hal, thank you so much for the picture.  It's the first time I've seen a picture of the plane my uncle flew in.  I will show it to my mom.
If anyone else has any further info on my above message, I would appreciate it.  Thanks again, Roberta

plane was hit by flak before reaching target area
above east holland engine nr 3 and 4 stoped
abort then the mission
lt Nason give the order to bail out but the were just above the Zuidersea
couple of months later the bodies of lt Nason lt Byser Lt Anagos lt Fiery  and sgt Harrah
washed up
the rest is still MIA

accoording the fishermen who saved sgt Lance they counted 10 chutes
the plane was found in 166 in the midle of the Zuidersea
no bodies were found in the plane

Hi Ron.  Thanks for the information.  I always thought that the plane was hit by flak, but didn't know for sure.  With all the help I've received, I've been able to piece together a lot of loose info.  Thank you, Roberta

here an crew photo of Lt Nason

back row : Nason, Byser, Anagnos, Fiery
front row :Witney, Stonich, Harrah, Lantz, Lab, Beus

ron_R




here an crew photo of Lt Nason

back row : Nason, Byser, Anagnos, Fiery
front row :Witney, Stonich, Harrah, Lantz, Lab, Beus

This is wonderful!  Thanks for your help.  This is definitely my uncle Joe, the top row, second to the left.  My mom will be so happy.  Roberta

ron_R


plane was hit by flak before reaching target area
above east holland engine nr 3 and 4 stoped
abort then the mission
lt Nason give the order to bail out but the were just above the Zuidersea
couple of months later the bodies of lt Nason lt Byser Lt Anagos lt Fiery  and sgt Harrah
washed up
the rest is still MIA

accoording the fishermen who saved sgt Lance they counted 10 chutes
the plane was found in 166 in the midle of the Zuidersea
no bodies were found in the plane

Ron, Maybe you can clear this up for me.  Is 166 a location in the Zuidersea or is it the year 1966?  Thanks for your help.  Roberta

sorry is 1966
ifyou sent me an pm with your emailadress i can sent you an bigger photo of the crew

Roberta, we are the family of Lt. Donald "Ace Nace" Nason, of the 42-37719 and have correspondence from Holland (Lt.Col. A.P. DeJong, Chief of Information, RNethAF) on the recovery of crew members, parts of the aircraft, etc. We'd be happy to send copies to you if you like, as well as any other data we discover. We are looking to contact Mr. John Lantz, the lone survivor of the mission, who has first hand information. If interested, please email us at dorothy.lorance@yahoo and make the subject heading "Lt. Donald Nason".
Sincerely,
Dorothy