Mission 178.Target of Opportunity.

Aircraft suffered mechanical failure and force-landed at Dübendorf airfield, Switzerland. Entire crew interned. MACR 2367.

B-24 serial number 42-7519, nicknamed "519-D," was assigned to the 328th Bomb Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. On 7 January 1944, the aircraft departed AAF 104 on a combat mission to Ludwigshafen, Germany. During the mission, the aircraft was attacked by enemy fighters. No. 3 engine caught fire, Nos. 2 and 4 were feathered, and No. 1 went out of control. Co-pilot 2nd Lt. Edward C. Miller reported bailing out at approximately 13,000 feet, at around 1330 hours, between Paris and Melun (near St. Assisse). A cipher message received after the loss stated that an aircraft of the 93rd Bombardment Group, 328th Bombardment Squadron had landed in Switzerland. The intelligence officer's eyewitness report notes this was likely 42-7519, though confirmation was pending at the time of the report. Seven parachutes were counted by French helpers on the ground. Hearsay information from French sources indicated that crew members Stearns, Varbese, and Wahrheit were believed killed, while Carnahan and Long were captured. Miller also reported hearing that ground troops had fired on some men after bailout.