8th February 1944 - Boeing B-17 # 42-31325 - USAAF - 452nd Bomb Group, 730th Bomb Squadron - 8th Air Force

8^th February 1944

452^nd Bomb Group

730^th Bomb Squadron

8^th Air Force

Le Cardonnois (Somme)

February 1944: the air offensive on the Reich is increasing both day and night.

On 8^th February, hundreds of American bombers of the 8^th Air Force took off from their bases in South-East England to make a large-scale raid over Germany.

Stationed since early January on the base at Deopham Green, Norfolk, the 452^nd Bomb Group was assigned, among many others Bomb Groups, to this strategic raid and sent 21 of its Boeing B-17.

452^nd Bomb Group

The young crew, although trained over many long months were still inexperienced. This was the third mission of the Group but its first over Germany.
The main target for the day was the marshalling yard at Frankfurt-on-Main, and possibly other opportune targets.

After taking off at dawn and getting into formation, the huge aerial fleet began crossing the English Channel heading towards Germany.

One of the 21 bombers belonging to the 452^nd Bomb Group, participating in the raid was the B-17G # 42-31325.

This was the first mission for the crew.

2^nd Lt. Robert O. LORENZI	Pilot	21	Evaded	Spokane, Washington
2^nd Lt. Robert L. COSTELLO	Co-pilot	27	Evaded	New York, New York
2^nd Lt. Paul R. PACKER	Navigator	23	Evaded	Chicago, Illinois
2^nd Lt. Abraham W. ROSENTHAL	Bombardier	25	KIA	Binghamton, New York
S/Sgt. Donald E. KIRBY	Radio-operator	21	POW	Columbus, Ohio
T/Sgt. Edward J. SWEENEY	Top turret gunner	22	Evaded	Brooklyn, New York
S/Sgt. Raymond W. LENTZ	Ball turret gunner	23	POW	Toledo, Ohio
S/Sgt. William C. FISCHER	Right waist gunner	25	POW	Anamosa, Iowa
S/Sgt. Clyde D. TINKER	Left waist gunner	33	POW	Erwin, Tennessee
S/Sgt. Rene P. GILMAN	Tail gunner	28	POW	Chicago, Illinois

2^nd Lt. LORENZI 2^nd Lt. COSTELLO 2^nd Lt. PACKER 2^nd Lt. ROSENTHAL

S/Sgt. KIRBY T/Sgt. SWEENEY S/Sgt. FISCHER

Getting near the target, the German air defence opened up, trying to shoot them down and disrupt the formations. Large caliber shells peppered the aircraft with shards of metal, but the course was maintained despite the losses.
The bombers had to cross at all costs this hell of fire and steel.

The bombing completed, it was every plane for itself. The aircraft now had to try to reach their bases in England despite the harassment of German fighters.

The turbochargers # 3 and # 4 of 2^nd Lt. Lorenzi's B-17 were hit by flak. The aircraft lost power. The pilot was forced to abandon the formation.
On board the gunners were wounded. Soon, enemy fighters appeared, attacking several times, this now isolated prey.

2^nd Lt. Rosenthal left the front of the aircraft to help the injured airmen and took the tail gunner position, replacing his crewmate. Returning fire at the enemy fighters, he was mortally wounded.

Reaching the outskirts of Montdidier, the Flying Fortress was irretrievably hit by flak defending the town. The pilot ordered the crew to evacuate the aircraft. Nine parachutes were strung out in the sky. The last ones to evacuate the aircraft landed in the area of Welles-Perennes and Sains-Morainvillers in Oise.

The aircraft continued its flight, engines on fire, and went crashing down in the middle of the fields, near the village of Le Cardonnois (Somme) with the lifeless body of 2^nd Lt. Rosenthal still aboard.

The pilot Lorenzi, the co-pilot Costello, the navigator Packer and the top turret gunner Sweeney were lucky to be rescued by French patriots.

The radio-operator Kirby, the gunners Lentz, Fischer, Tinker and Gilman were captured shortly after landing.

The injured were cared for in German hospitals and all will end the war in Stalags in Germany. There will follow for them 18 months of captivity. They were often moved from camp to camp, walking hundreds of miles, especially suffering from hunger and cold during the terrible winter of 1944/1945. Their ordeal will end in April 1945 with the liberation of the camps by the Allied Armies.

For over a month, the four escapees were hidden from house to house in the department of Oise, waiting for the right moment to reach England.

Throughout their escape, French families opened their doors to these men who had fallen from the sky, sharing what little food they had, giving them false papers and civilian clothes.

The false identity cards of 2^nd Lts. Lorenzi and Costello

Taken in charge by the Shelburn escape network, the four escapees then reached Paris and the Saint Brieuc and Plouha area, in Brittany.

On the night of 19^th to 20^th March 1944, with about fifteen other airmen, they clandestinely embarked aboard a corvette of the Royal Navy to England, under the very noses of German soldiers stationed on the cliffs.

Bonaparte Beach - Plouha

Landmark of the French Resistance

8^th February 1944 was a black day for the 8^th Air Force which lost a total of 13 bombers. Six crashed in our region, at Catheux, Chevincourt, Monchy-Humières, Roye and Le Cardonnois.

From all of these six aircraft, 27 airmen were able to escape, 23 were taken prisoner and 10 were killed in action.

On 28^th May 2011, a ceremony was held at Le Cardonnois (Somme) in honour of the crew.

The book "Tail End Charlie", describing in detail the story of the bomber and its crew, is available from the author. Use the "Contact" page.

Accueil English Airmen 8th February 1944 - Boeing B-17 # 42-31325 - USAAF - 452nd Bomb Group, 730th Bomb Squadron - 8th Air Force - Le Cardonnois (Somme)