Mission 130

B-24D serial 42-41004 was on a mission to Bremen on 13 November 1943 when it went missing. The aircraft departed from AAF Station 104 and was part of the 329th Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. According to the eyewitness statement, Lt. Ramsey was still in formation at 1118 hours as observed by Captain Russell D. Demont (O-666252), pilot of A/C 869Q. The aircraft was last seen a few minutes before 1130 hours at position 5347N 0755E by Lt. Leonard D. Lange, pilot of A/C 809N, banking off to the right, presumably to abort. The cause of loss was listed as unknown. Weather at the time was 9/10 to 10/10 cloud cover. The aircraft carried four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 engines (serial numbers 42-86725, 42-86748, 42-86740, and 42-86592) and was armed with twelve .50 caliber M-2 machine guns along with sidearms and small arms. The MACR was compiled by 1st Lt. George L. Meisel on 2 January 1944 and subsequently reviewed by Eighth Air Force headquarters. Sources: MACR 2182 and MACR 2183 (both documents cover this aircraft on this mission).

B-24D serial 41-24298 was lost on 13 November 1943 during a bombing mission to Bremen. The aircraft departed AAF Station 104 with a crew of eleven. Last known position was 5520N 0830E at 1120 hours. Captain Russell D. Demont, pilot of aircraft #869Q, reported that Capt. Gewehr's aircraft began following him when he aborted at 1118 hours at 5520N 0830E. Upon realizing his error, crew members believed Gewehr turned back to rejoin the formation. Around the same time a B-24 was observed under attack by enemy aircraft, with one crew reporting that engine #2 was on fire and the aircraft entered cloud in a flat spin with two parachutes seen. Another account described part of the wing as missing. Poor visibility and distance from the formation made positive identification uncertain. A German military record dated 24 November 1943 from the Hornum/Sylt air base documents the recovery of six corpses of American airmen during the period 19 October to 24 November 1943. Bodies of crew members washed ashore on the Isle of Amrum 13-14 November 1943 and were buried at the New Cemetery of Nebel/Amrum. Sortie documented in both MACR-2189 and MACR-2190.