44-50697
B-24M serial 44-50697, assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, departed Hardwick on 5 April 1945 on a bombing mission to Bayreuth.
Eyewitness F/O John H. Van Zandt, flying as co-pilot in ship 157-L of the same squadron, observed the aircraft crossing the Dutch coast at approximately 400-600 feet altitude on the return leg. The aircraft was being engaged by 20mm and 40mm flak fire.
The aircraft initiated a steep bank to the left, apparently attempting to evade the fire. Van Zandt's engineer, S/Sgt Ernest H. Fleming, reported that the plane completed a 180-degree turn and was observed inverted at the end of the maneuver.
Last known position was 5130N 0330E at 1204 hours. Nine crew members were aboard; all were reported Missing in Action as of the date of the report, 9 April 1945.
Sortie Log
A sortie is a single combat mission flown by an aircraft and its crew. The entries below document known sorties associated with this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. This list represents verified flights but may not be complete; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.