THIS SPECIAL EDITION of Half A Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer: B-17s Over Germany owes its existence to the men it is written about perhaps even more than its best-selling predecessor, which was first published in 1989 and then went through a remarkable seven printings in seven years. Fifty years after the events it chronicles, one would think that the eyewitness sources available for this work would decrease rather than increase; but the exact opposite is true. The men of the famous 303rd “Hell’s Angels” Bomb Group, who persevered in their mission throughout the entire daylight bombing campaign against Nazi Germany, are today equally dedicated to another mission: preserving the history of their accomplishments so that succeeding generations may know exactly what it took to win this terrible war.
The Hell’s Angels of World War II live on in the 303rd Bomb Group (H) Association, one of the most active, dedicated, and open veterans’ organizations to be found anywhere. It is because of the continuing work of these veterans, their spouses, and other 303rd family members and associates that I have much of the new material in this Special Edition.
Hal Susskind, past president of the 303rd Association and Editor Emeritus of the Hells Angels Newsletter, has been instrumental as editor from December 1985 through May 1998 in making the Hells Angels Newsletter both “the glue that holds the Association together” and the best Eighth Air Force unit publication by far. A number of personal accounts in the Special Edition, including Guy Lance’s story of his crew’s experiences on the November 29, 1943 Bremen mission, and Jack Fawcett’s lead bombardier’s view of the January 11, 1944 Oschersleben raid, appear not only with their cooperation but also with that of the Hells Angels Newsletter. Happily, the Hells Angels Newsletter has a worthy new editor in Eddie Deerfield, another contributor to this book and an author in his own right,* and those interested in the Group’s history are sure to welcome the forthcoming publication of the Hells Angels Newsletter’s back issues in bound volumes.
Harry D. Gobrecht, current president of the 303rd Association and long-term group historian, is another veteran whose work has been indispensable to the Special Edition. Harry’s encyclopedic Might in Flight, Daily Diary of the Eighth Air Force’s Hell’s Angels 303rd Bombardment Group (H), first published in 1993 and now issued in a 1997 second edition, is a 920-page labor of love whose detail is simply amazing. For the first edition of Half A Wing much of my motivation in chronicling the group’s history, during the August 1943 to February 1944 period when Bob Hullar’s crew flew, lay in my strong desire to find out what had happened to the many crews that were lost as Hullar’s crew successfully completed their tour. While my own research provided many answers, Might in Flight has provided a wealth of new information on this subject that is contained both in the text of the Special Edition and in its new Appendix I. Thank you, Harry, for making this possible, as well as for the other Might in Flight materials used herein.
Another 303rd veteran to whom I owe a special debt of gratitude is Dr. Carl J. Flyer, past president of the 303rd Association and a pilot in the Group’s 360th Squadron. Dr. Flyer’s tour (until he was shot down on his 25th mission on November 29, 1943) included many of the most difficult missions Hullar’s crew flew. His point of view on these missions was—literally and figuratively—unique and I am grateful for permission to quote from his book, Staying Alive, in the mission narratives. In return, it has been my privilege to add a new chapter to this book, “Sawicki’s Sacrifice,” in support of Dr. Fyler’s decades-long effort to secure a posthumous Medal of Honor for Joseph R. Sawicki, Flyer’s tail gunner, whose heroic actions on the crew’s last mission have gone unrecognized for far too long. Assisting in this effort is Robert A. Hand, Sr., a 303rd veteran, author, and artist whose vivid painting of Sawicki’s last moments is included in the new chapter with many thanks.
It has been my pleasure to add the contributions of Grover C. Mullins, engineer on Lt. Bill Fort’s crew, to the chapter entitled “Star Dust,” my personal favorite in the first edition of Half A Wing. Mullins’ recollections show why Charles Spencer won the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest award for valor, without detracting in any way from the central themes of near-death experience and religious revelation which lay at the heart of Spencer’s own account. I am also thankful to Mullins for a small but telling incident he has related in the newly revised Oschersleben chapter.
The Special Edition features a complete rewrite of the Oschersleben chapter, describing the 303rd’s ordeal by fire on January 11, 1944, when ten out of forty aircraft were shot down, to update the chronology of losses in light of new information in Might in Flight. In addition, the revised chapter includes not only the previously mentioned account of Jack B. Fawcett, but also the historically valuable observations of Vern L. Moncur, who was in the center of the action in the lead group’s lead squadron. My thanks to Vern Moncur’s son Gary, the 303rd’s Web master*, for permission to include excerpts from his father’s journal in the Special Edition.
Mrs. Beryl Coburn, the widow of Ralph Coburn, bombardier on Don Gamble’s crew, kindly gave permission to use Ralph’s diary to add to the mission narratives of Don gamble and his navigator, Bill McSween, which figured so prominently in the original edition. Charles S. Schmeltzer, Gamble’s left waist gunner, provided a unique photo of Sky Wolf, the crew’s favorite B-17 and one of the Group’s original ships. Dave L. Rogan, the Gamble crew’s original “Instructor Pilot,” likewise provided me with a long-sought-after photo of him with Gamble’s crew.
Other 303rd veterans generously contributed to my expanded treatment of the fiercely contested August 19, 1943 mission to Gilze-Rijen, Holland, the infamous “milk run” that wasn’t. I had the pleasure of meeting Howard L. Abney, the tail gunner on Jack Hendry’s crew, whose story formed a significant subtheme in the original edition of this book. Abney’s account of being wounded on this August 19th raid enhances this chapter considerably, as does the contribution of Richard C. Grimm, who also marked this operation as the last he flew for the 303rd.
Europeans have contributed generously to this book. I am indebted to Major Ivo M. de Jong of the Dutch Army for presenting me with a “hot off the press” copy of his newly published book, Mission 85, A Milk Run That Turned Sour, which provides an account of the August 19, 1943 mission from both sides. Major de Jong’s work has allowed me to identify the German fighter units that gave the 303rd such a rough time on this raid.
Serge Lebourg, a Frenchman born and raised in Nantes, willingly shared his extensive research into the bombing raids of September 16th and 23rd, 1943 against his home town to help explain what went wrong and why French civilian casualties were so severe.
Many Germans have offered interesting information about the 303rd’s adversaries. Dr. Volkmar Wilckens and the Luftwaffenhelfer (Luftwaffe helpers) of Schweinfurt, especially Gerhard Belosa, Otto Gruner, Georg Schäfer (whose father owned the ballbearing plant the 303rd bombed on both of the 1943 Schweinfurt missions) provided details of the city’s flak defenses during the “Black Thursday” mission of October 14, 1943, and of the effects of the bombing. Rudolf Tyrassek, who was a Luftwaffe night fighter trainee at the end of the war, has helped me come as close as I can to learning who was in the Me-410 that almost shot down Elmer Brown’s bomber on the mission which inspired this book’s title. The hospitality of all these gentlemen, and of the other Germans whom I met during a trip to Schweinfurt in June of this year, cannot be adequately described in words.
Tremendous thanks are due to Brian S. McGuire, a retired U.S. Air Force officer who is currently working as a civilian contractor for the U.S. European Command’s Joint Analysis Center (JAC) located at RAF Molesworth, the 303rd’s wartime base. He introduced me to the JAC’s Commanding Officer, Col. Frances M. Early, USAF (herself the daughter of an Eighth Air Force airman) and made it possible for me to tour the base and view the impressive collection of 303rd artwork, memorabilia, and information he has collected there with the JAC’s support. McGuire also facilitated my contacts with Kenneth Davey, a 303rd veteran who flew with Lewis Lyle on the first Schweinfurt mission; and with Loren Zimmer, right waist gunner on James F. Fowler’s crew. Both Davey and Zimmer’s contributions to this book are greatly appreciated.
My family’s long association with three members of Hullar’s crew, and with their families, deserves special mention. Bud and Mary Klint, Merlin and Marge Miller, and George and Elfriede Hoyt have become fast friends since 1985; and the Klints’ and Millers’ assumption that there will always be one or more O’Neills at the next 303rd Reunion has ensured my continuing interest in all the Hell’s Angels. I can say of them in particular what I can fairly state for every 303rd Association member I have met in this time: My respect and admiration for you grows with each passing year.
Ms. Shelley Ingram Carr, Aviation Acquisitions Editor of McGraw-Hill’s Professional Book Group, has my warm thanks for championing my proposal for the Special Edition. A special word of thanks also goes to Ms, Jo Stein of McGraw-Hill’s art department for her enthusiasm and willingness to entertain my suggestions for the Special Edition’s new cover artwork and to editing supervisor Sally Glover, who has been a real pleasure to work with.
Home is where the heart is, and in my case neither this Special Edition nor its predecessor would have come about without my family’s active encouragement, sacrifice, and support. Aileen, Lauren, and Richard, thank you for understanding when your Dad lacked sufficient time for you. Kathy, let me thank you most of all.
Brian D. O’Neill
September 30, 1998