GUIBERMESNIL B-17 Fortress 42-31741 25 Mai 1944


388th Bomber Group 562nd Bomber Squadron

"Thunderbolt/Hi Fever" type G-30-BO
8th AF
Attribué au 562BS/388BG Knettishall le 17/1/44.
Missing Air Crew Report 5264.

Le quadrimoteur est porté disparu (Missing in Action) lors d'une mission de bombardement sur Liège (Belgique) le 25 mai 1944

Equipage :

Captain James Edward "Jim" ZENGERLE, pilote, evadé
1st Lt Albert Benton MILLIN, Co-pilote, évadé
1st Lt Walter Harrey TRAVIS, navigateur, prisonnier de guerre
Captain Wayne Arthur BARNETT, Bombardier, prisonnier de guerre
T/Sgt Albert Hamilton Jr. BIBBENS, opérateur radio, prisonnier de guerre
T/Sgt John Paul HURDLE, mécanicien/mitrailleur tourelle supérieure (top turret gunner), décédé
T/Sgt Edward Henry LEONARD, mitrailleur de tourelle bulle (Ball turret gunner), prisonnier de guerre
T/Sgt William John LAZAR, mitrailleur latéral (Waist gunner), prisonnier de guerre
T/Sgt Eugene John BENSON, mitrailleur latéral (Waist gunner), prisonnier de guerre
2nd Lt William Francis MORAN, mitrailleur de queue (Tail gunner), prisonnier de guerre
Lt Col Willian LeGrand (Bill) CHAMBERLIN, co-pilote, mission leader, décédé
9 prisonniers de guerre, deux décédés (killed in action), deux évadés (evaded capture)

Le quadrimoteur fut touché par la flak au niveau des moteurs 3 et 4, ce qui déclencha un incendie. L'avion s'écrase sur Guibersmesnil, à environ 13 km (huit milles) au nord-ouest de Poix-de-Picardie (Somme). Le MACR (Rapport d'équipage manquant) porte le numéro 5264.



Captain James Edward "Jim" ZENGERLE, pilote
Service Number: O-789631
Awards: Air Medal European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Prisoner of War Medal World War II Victory Medal
Affecté au 562Bomber Squadron, 388Bomber Group, 8AF USAAF. descendu le 25 Mai 1944 alors qu'il pilotait le B-17 42-31741 'Thunderbolt', Prisonnier de guerre (POW). MACR 5264.
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archi ... d-zengerle

James Edward "Jim" ZENGERLE est décédé le lundi 2 juin 1980 à son domicile, 564 E. Mapple Street, Annville
James E. ZENGERLE, 61, (aged old), is died suddently this morning at home. Born in Highland (Illinois), he was the son of John and Frances Dougherty Zengerle. He was a veteran of World War II, serving as a captain B-17 pilot in the 2126 Army Air Force Base Unit Squadron B.
He is a 1936 Lebanon High School graduate.
The Daily News - Lebanon, Pennsylvania Mon. Jun. 2, 1980 page 23
https://ldnews.newspapers.com/article/t ... /76508701/


Captain Wayne Arthur BARNETT, Bombardier,
Wayne was sent across the Atlantic Ocean to fight against Nazi Germany and became a bombardier on a B-17 Flying Fortress. He flew 22 successful missions, but on his 23 mission his plane was shot down and Captain Wayne Barnett was captured by German soldiers.
He spent 11 months as a prisoner of war before he and Al Bibbens, a fellow crewmember and good friend, successfully escaped. They had numerous adventures evading the Germans and eventually rode a captured motorcycle out of Germany and across France to a seaport that was in Allied hands.
Le captain WAYNE BARNETT a traversé l'Océan Atlantique pour lutter contre l'Allemagne nazie et est devenu bombardier sur un B-17 Flying Fortress. Il a effectué 22 missions réussies, mais lors de sa 23e mission, son avion a été abattu et le capitaine Wayne Barnett a été capturé par des soldats allemands. Il a passé 11 mois comme prisonnier de guerre avant de s'évader avec Al Bibbens, un autre membre d'équipage et bon ami. Ils ont vécu de nombreuses aventures, évitant les Allemands et pilotant une moto qu'il avaient dérobée, après avoir traversé l'Allemagne et la France, Ils réussirent finalement à s'échapper et ce jusqu'à un port maritime qui était aux mains des Alliés.
https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/3290 ... ur-barnett


T/Sgt Albert Hamilton Jr. BIBBENS a été prisonnier de guerre dans l'Allemagne nazie pendant un an avant de s'enfuir et de rejoindre les lignes alliées.
Albert Hamilton “Al” Bibbens Jr.
Naissance le 22 juillet 1923 à Weedsport, Cayuga County, New York, USA
Décès le 28 juillet 2010, âgé de 87 ans à Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA
Sépulture : Weedsport Rural Cemetery, Weedsport, Cayuga County, New York, USA
Concession Section 21.
https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/1130 ... on-bibbens


T/Sgt John Paul HURDLE Killed in Action
Service # 14133857
562nd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy
Rank : Technical Sergeant U.S. Army Air Forces
Entered Service From Mississippi
Date of Death : May 25 1944
Buried at Normandy American Cemetery
Plot D Row 6 Grave 39
Normandy American Cemetery
14710, Colleville-sur-Mer (France)
562nd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomber Group, Heavy
Air Medal
Purple Heart
Air Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, Purple Heart


William John LAZAR
Service Number: 33290024
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Waist Gunner
Awards: European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Prisoner of War Medal World War II Victory Medal
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archi ... john-lazar


William LeGrande CHAMBERLIN
Service Number : O-404035
né le 27 juin 1917, Utah (USA), âgé de 26 ans
Service Number: O-404035
Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Commanding Officer
Awards: Purple Heart
Commanding Officer of 561BS, 388BG, 8AF USAAF. On 5-Nov-43 B-17 42-30863 'My Devotion' returning from mission to Gelsenkirchen, Germany, with 2 damaged engines, crew baled out over North Suffolk, RTD. Failed to Return (FTR) mission to Liege in B-17 42-31741 Thunderbolt. Killed in Action (KIA). MACR 5264.
https://www.americanairmuseum.com/archi ... chamberlin
Initialement inhumé à Poix-de-Picardie (Somme), il repose de nos jours au Golden Gate National Cemetery K.61 - San Bruno, California (USA).

William LeGrande CHAMBERLIN
Naissance : 27 juin 1917
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah, USA
Décès : 25 mai 1944, âgé de 26 ans.
Pays de décès : France
Sépulture : Golden Gate National Cemetery
San Bruno, San Mateo County, California, USA
Concession : Section K Site 61
https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/5333 ... chamberlin




Cordialement
Eric Abadie

Missing Air Crew Report number 5264

Description : The year is listed as 1944. The point of departure is listed as Etousa. The location is listed as 49°47' N - 2°10' E. The serial number is listed as 42-31741.
Creator : War Department. Office of the Quartermaster General. Memorial Division. Identification Branch. ca. 1942-ca. 1947




CHAMBERLAIN command Pilot flying as co-pilot B-17
Grade or Rank : Lt. Col.
Organisation : 8th AF 388th Bomb Group, attached to Gp Operations
Date and place of death : 25th may 1944, Poix, near Rouen (France)
Cause of death : Plane blew up just as I was bailing out. Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN was standing in the well about five feet from the escape hatch at that time, and I believe that he must have been trapped in the plane. None of the crew ever saw him again or had anymore news about him.
Place of burial (unkown)

14th August 1945
Name and Serial number : First Lieutenant William F. MORAN, 0-699224,
2133 Ryder Street, Brooklin, N.Y.


=======================================================


Prisoners of War :

Crash B-17
at Campneuseville, 25 km northwest of Poix ???

Name : T/Sgt LAZAR William J. (John),
Serial number : 0-33290024
Result : captured by armored detail
Place and time of capture : immediately after jump
Place, date and time for interment :
Transferred to Dulag Luft : 26 May 1944
Prisoner was wearing pilot's cover-all


T/Sgt BIBBENS Albert Hamilton Jr.,
Serial number : 12201690
radio operator
Result : captured by flak
Place and time of capture : immediately after jump
Transferred to Dulag Luft : 26 May 1944
Prisoner was wearing pilot's cover-all


LEONARD Edward Henry
Sergeant
Serial number : 13107396
Result : captured by armored detail
Place and time of capture : immediately after jump, 5 km southwest of crash
Transferred to Dulag Luft : 26 May 1944
Prisoner was wearing pilot's cover-all


First Lieutenant TRAVIS Walter M.
Serial number : 0-809772


=======================================================

Report on captured aircraft

Post : Air base Hq. 226/XI
Location : Poix North 19/XI Beauvais
Date 26 May 1944
Date and time : Aircraft was shot down 25 May 1944 08.30
Place of crash : near Campneuseville, 25 km northwest of Poix
Kind of capture : Flak, crashed and burned
Type of aircraft B-17 F

"Later in day, after being captured I was united with the following members of my crew desides the two member at there fore mentioned
Captain Wayne R. BARNETT (bomb), captain (then Lieutenant) Walter N. TRAVIS (Nav.), S/Sgt Edward H. LEONARD, Asst engineer also Lt W M F MORAN-NAU (Extra). At this time none of us knew the status of the remaining members of our crew : Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN (command pilot) - captain James E. ZENGERLE, pilot - captain (then Lieutenant) Albert B. WILLIN, tail observer"

Plus tard dans la journée, après avoir été capturé, j'ai été uni aux membres suivants de mon équipage, à l'exception des deux membres mentionnés ci-dessus.

Plus tard dans la journée, après avoir été capturé, j'ai été uni aux membres suivants de mon équipage, à l'exception des deux membres mentionnés ci-dessus.
Capitaine Wayne R. BARNETT (bomb), capitaine (alors lieutenant) Walter N. TRAVIS (Nav.), S/Sgt Edward H. LEONARD, (asst) ingénieur, également Lieutenant W M F MORAN-NAU (Extra). A ce moment aucun de nous ne connaissait le sort des autres membres de notre équipage : Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN (commandant pilote) - capitaine James E. ZENGERLE, pilote - capitaine (alors lieutenant) Albert B. WILLIN, observateur de queue.


=======================================================


Casualty questionnaire
Your name : Eugene John BENSON
Rank : T/Sgt
Serial number : 37429547
388th BG
What year, month, day did you go down ? 1944 May 25th
What was the mission ? 23rd, LEIGE (sic) LIEGE (Belgium) - target time, Aprox 09. 30 - altitude : 21.000
route scheduled : Trough France-Belgium - route flown : as scheduled
mitrailleur latéral (Waist gunner), prisonnier de guerre
Where were you when you left formation ? Flying as group lead
Did you bail out ? Yes
Did other members of crew bail out ? Yes
Tell all you know about when, where how each person in your aircraft for whom no individual questionnaire.
Radio-man W. J. LAZAR - T/Sgt Assist radio-men, Albert B. BIBBENS Jr. - T.Sgt bailed out waist door of plane at same time, I did. LAZAR ahead of me, BIBBENS right after me (continued on other side).

Le radio-man W. J. LAZAR - T/Sgt Assist radio-men, Albert B. BIBBENS Jr. - T.Sgt ont sauté par la porte latérale de l'avion en même temps, que je le fit. LAZAR devant moi, BIBBENS juste après moi.


Name of the crew member :
HURDLE John Paul
T/Sgt
Serial number : 14133857
Position crew : Eng. TTG
Did he bail out : No Knowledge
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane :
Several minutes prior to loss of plane (Quelques minutes avant la perte de l'avion)
Where was he when last seen ? in his position


=======================================================


Casualty questionnaire
Your name : Albert H. BIBBENS
Rank : T/Sergeant
Serial number : 12201690
What year, month, day did you go down ? 1944 May 25th
What was the mission ? R.R. Yards, LIEGE (Belgium)
Target time : 9.35, altitude 22.500
route scheduled : in north of Paris ans Seine (?) - route flown : as planned
Where were you when you left formation ? 2 miles north of The Trieport (sic) France
Did you bail out ? Yes
Did other members of crew bail out ? Yes
Tell all you know about when, where how each person in your aircraft for whom no individual questionnaire.
"Only two I can certain of are - R. Waist Gunner who left waist ahead of me and Ball Gunner who Followed me."
"Il n'y en a que deux dont je soit sûr : Le mitrailleur latéral droit (Right Waist Gunner) qui a sauté devant moi et le mitrailleur de la tourelle bulle qui m'a suivi."
where did your aircraft strike the ground ? Believed it explosed
What members of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground ? I'm not sure but believe T/Sgt J.P. HURDLE (engineer) and command pilot, Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN to have died in ship.
Where were they in aircraft ? T/Sgt HURDLE in top turret, Colonel CHAMBERLAIN in co-pilot seat
What was their condition ? O.K. befote we were hit
When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already described above ?
"Saw all members were captured except captain James E. ZENGERLE, pilot, captain Albert B. WILLIN, tail gunner. These two evaded. T/Sgt HURDLE (engineer) and Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN (command pilot).
Please give any similar information on personnel of any other crew of wich you have knowledge.
Have no other knowledge


Individual Casualty questionnaire
Name of crew member : HURDLE John Paul
Rank : T/Sergeant
Serial number : 14133857
position : Eng. TTG
Did he bail out ? In my opinion, he did not jump
Where ? Two miles north of Le Trieport (France)
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane :
Being radio operator, I was on Wason ??? band
Where was he when last seen ? In the turret
Any heresay information : Believed to have been helping Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN who was believed wounded.
Il aurait aidé le lieutenant-colonel CHAMBERLAIN qui devait être blessé.
Sources : other crew members
Any explanation of his fate based in part on wholly or supposition : believed to have been killed when ship explosed in air
Traduction "Toute explication de son sort basée en partie sur une supposition"
(Je) suppose qu'ils sont morts quand l'avion a explosé dans les airs.




Individual Casualty questionnaire
Name of crew member : HURDLE John Paul
Rank : T/Sergeant
Serial number : 14133857
position : Eng. TTG
Did he bail out ? No
If not why not ? Plane in fire, wing (left) dropped off, hull explosed.
Last contact or conversation just prior to or at time of loss of plane. -
HURDLE spoke to first pilot over interphone "Sir, you better do something about that fire in number three"
"Monsieur, vous feriez bien de faire quelque chose contre cet incendie au numéro trois"
Was he injuried ? Not that I know of.
Where was he when last seen ? In cockpit
Any explanation of his fate based in part on wholly or supposition :
"Since the Colonel CHAMBERLAIN, HURDLE and myself were the only crewmen left in the plane, and he was not picked up by Germans, nor brought out thru underground, I can but assume that he and the Colonel were killed in the exploding plane which blew me clear of wreckage."
"Étant donné que le Colonel CHAMBERLAIN, HURDLE et moi-même * étions les seuls membres d'équipage restants dans l'avion, et qu'il n'a pas pu être récupéré par les Allemands, ni sorti par la clandestinité, je ne peux que supposer que lui et le Colonel aient été tués dans l'explosion de l'avion qui m'a fait sortir indemne de l'épave"
Total number of missions of above crew members : 23 plus credit for one fighter destroyed

* 1st Lt Walter H. Travis

https://dp.la/item/ee6dea30136bfc6907e3 ... eport+5264


Voir sur la fin de ce bombardier le récit très détaillé de J.P. Ducellier, La guerre aérienne dans le Nord de la France, 19 mai - 26 mai 1944, Paillart éditeur 1998 abbeville, pages 415-418.




Cordialement
Eric Abadie

GUIBERMESNIL B-17 Fortress 42-31741 25 Mai 1944


Missing Air Crew Report number 5264 page 25

Casualty questionnaire :

TRAVIS Walter H.
Position crew : Navigator
Rank : Captain
Serial number : 0809772
What year, month, day did you go down ? 1944 May 25th
What was the mission ? R.R. Yards, LIEGE (Belgium)
Target time : app. 10.00 - altitude : 20000 plus - route scheduled : Fr. coast foll. River to target - route flown : same
Where were you when you left formation ? App. over Poix, France
Did you bail out ? No. Blown out of exploding plane (Éjecté de l'avion au moment de son explosion)
Did other members of crew bail out ? Yes. All but three - Lt. Col. CHAMBERLAIN - T/Sgt J.P. HURDLE and myself.
where did your aircraft strike the ground ? Aircraft exploded about 11000 Feet after left wing broke off at fuselage
What members of your crew were in the aircraft when it struck the ground ? Aircraft did not strike ground in one pièce. Col. CHAMBERLAIN, Sgt HURDLE and myself in plane at time ship exploded so far as I could accertain.
Where were they in aircraft ? Col. CHAMBERLAIN and HURDLE in cockpit. I was in the nose.
What was their condition ? Physically sound except myself. I was hit by flak and wounded in face (Physiquement sains sauf moi. J'ai été touché par la DCA et blessé au visage).
When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already described above ? All others in states at present time.
Captain James ZENGERLE, Lebanon Pa.
Captain Albert WILLIN, Brookville, Pa.
Captain Wayne A. BARNETT, Big Springs, Texas
T/Sgt William LAZAR, Herminie, Pa.
T/Sgt Edward LEONARD, Duguesne, Pa.
T/Sgt Al BIBBENS, New York
T/Sgt E. BENSON, Minnesota.


=======================================================


MORAN William Francis , mitrailleur de queue (Tail gunner),
Rank : First Lieutenant
Serial number : 0-699224
.../
When, where, and in what condition did you last see any members not already described above ? Navigator, Bombardier liberated with myself, 29 april 1945, Stalag VII A, Moosburg.




Cordialement
Eric Abadie