Supports 1 fact
Missing Air Crew Report 8837
Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1944 · Missing Air Crew Reports
Sortie2BDB-24Missing in Action
42-50989.Over Magdeburg.
Mission 623 · 11 September 1944
Serial
42-50989
B-24J
Fuselage Code
YM
Squadron
409th
Ted's Traveling Circus
Aboard
6
men
The crew.
§ 6 aboard
Name
Position
Serial
Hometown
On this flight
2LtJames M. Harrison
Pilot
Station 1
O-1541695
Mississippi
Killed in action
Returned
→
1LtDavid Yaus
Bombardier
Station 4
O-679440
Ohio
Returned
→
T/SgtRobert A. Weander
Radio Operator
Station 6
37661457
Iowa
Killed in action
Returned
→
S/SgtJohn J. Hodgeman
Waist Gunner
Station 8
38444079
—
Returned
→
S/SgtHenry J. Smith
Waist Gunner
Station 8
—
Scranton
Prisoner of war
Returned
→
UnknownHarry D. Caskey
Nose Gunner
—
—
Returned
→
In their own words.
§ 6 entries
James M. HarrisonPilot
Second Lieutenant James M. Harrison served as Pilot Navigator aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. He was listed as MIA on the original report; his status was subsequently updated to Dead (KIA).
David YausBombardier
First Lieutenant David Yaus served as bombardier aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. He was listed as MIA and subsequently returned to duty.
Robert A. WeanderRadio Operator
Technical Sergeant Robert A. Weander served as radio operator aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. His status remained MIA with no subsequent update recorded in this file.
John J. HodgemanWaist Gunner
Staff Sergeant John J. Bodgeman served as right waist gunner aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. His status remained MIA with no subsequent update recorded in this file.
Henry J. SmithWaist Gunner
Staff Sergeant Henry J. Smith served as left waist gunner aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. He was listed as MIA and subsequently returned to duty.
Harry D. CaskeyNose Gunner
Staff Sergeant Harry D. Caskey served as nose gunner aboard aircraft 42-50989 on the 11 September 1944 mission to Magdeburg. He was listed as MIA and subsequently returned to duty.
The flight.
§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromHardwick (Sta. 104)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Formation
Flew with409th Squadron
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo
The target.
§ As Briefed
Magdeburg
As the log wrote itMagdeburg
Notes.
§ From the Record
B-24J serial number 42-50989 was flying as Group Lead on 11 September 1944, piloted by Captain Louis Novotny. The aircraft had no nickname recorded. The aircraft was hit by flak over the target at Magdeburg at approximately 1235 hours. The ship swung off to the left with bomb-bay doors open. An eyewitness (Capt. W. M. Bryan, flying as deputy lead) saw seven men exit the aircraft - four from the waist escape hatch, one from the rear of the bomb-bay, one from the forward bomb-bay, and one from the top escape hatch. Three parachutes were observed opening by gunners. The aircraft was subsequently seen to explode to the rear of the formation. The MACR was prepared on 14 September 1944 by 1st Lt. George I. Meisel, Statistical Officer. Unmatched crew (not in DB): Novotny (pilot, RTD), Hudnyk (co-pilot, MIA), Mushrush (navigator, RTD), O'Donnell (Mickey operator, RTD), Hansen (engineer, RTD), Braden (tail gunner, POW), McCafferty (aircraft commander, RTD).
Read the records.
1 document
Original documents behind what this page says about this sortie — reports, records, and histories the archive holds and is free to reproduce. Check the sources for yourself.
Sources.
§ Provenance
United States Army Air Forces · National Archives and Records Administration · 1944
Official record