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427th Fredrickson Crew Carl A. Fredrickson, Pilot |
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CARL A. FREDRICKSON CREW - 427th BS
(Assigned 427BS: 20 January 1945)
2Lt Carl A. Fredrickson (P)(WIA/RTD), F/O Harold W. Goetz (CP)(RTD),
F/O Arthur L. Herman (N)(WIA/RTD), F/O John R. Bitter (B)
Sgt Harry G. Stube (E)(KIA),
Sgt John R. Stewart (R)(RTD),
Sgt Vincent A. Buonpane (BTG),
Sgt Charles M. Farrell (WG/TOG)(RTD),
Sgt Harold R. Milliman (TG)(RTD)
Five combat missions flown by 2Lt Carl A. Fredrickson:
337 (15 Mar 45), 338, 344, 345, 347 (28 Mar 45)
For mission dates and targets see the mission lists.
Crew Notes:
Crewmen flew missions with Lt Fredrickson with the following exceptions:
- F/O Harold W. Goetz (CP) - Did not fly on mission 337. Substitute CoPilot used.
- F/O John R. Bitter (B) - Did not fly on mission 347. Sgt Farrell flew as Togglier. Also flew on mission 351
- Sgt Harry G. Stube (E) - Did not fly on missions 337 and 338. Substitute Engineers used. Also flew on mission 333
- S/Sgt Vincent L. Buonpane (BTG) - Did not fly on mission 347. S/Sgt George E. Bailey (BTG)(RTD) used . Also flew on missions 361, 362 & 364.
- Sgt Charles M. Farrell (WG) - Did not fly on mission 344 - No Waist gunner used. Mission #347 was flown as Togglier - No Waist gunner used on missions 344 and 347.
Final Mission:
Mission 347, 28 March 1945, in B-17G 43-38248 Jigger Rooche II (427BS) GN-M.
2Lt Fredrickson (P) lost the formation due to adverse weather conditions.
Just after "bombs away' the lead B-17 made a right turn off the target and Jigger Rooche
II was not spotted again. F/O Harold W. Goetz (CP) reported that his B-17
had been hit by flak on its underside, severing some of the control cables.
The Pilot, Engineer and Navigator were wounded and the crew elected to remain
with their aircraft. With three engines out and applying a full rudder and
heavy aileron control, CoPilot Goetz was able to make a crash landing in a small
field near the Oder River in Poland. The wings were sheared off and by some
miracle the fuselage snaked through the trees and avoided any head on
collisions with the terrain or trees. Sgt Harry G. Stube (E) died from his wounds.
Lt Fredrickson (P) and F/O Herman (N) wound were treated by Russian doctors.
The crew managed to join up with friendly troops in June 1945 and were
returned to American lines.