Some Gave All...

Douglas A-20J-10-DO, 43-10129, of the 416th Bomb Group destroyed by flak over Beauvoir, France on 12 May 1944.

No doubt you've heard the phrase, "No, I'm not a hero. The heroes are the ones who didn't make it back. They're the real heroes."

I've heard it from a number of veterans, probably you have too.

I came across this story in Sand and Steel: The D-Day Invasion and the Liberation of France by Peter Caddick-Adams, page 141 as a matter of fact. I didn't get much further. It left me feeling rather thoughtful the rest of the day. So I thought I'd share it with you.

The British were getting antsy, wondering just when the Yanks were going to pitch in against the Nazis. Even Churchill, half-American himself, had mentioned somewhat querulously, that the Americans had yet to drop a bomb on Germany.

In May of 1942, US General Hap Arnold promised Prime Minister Winston Churchill that American troops would be fighting with the British by July 4th. Fulfilling that promise fell to US Generals Carl Spaatz, Ira Eaker and Dwight Eisenhower. Yet only two US outfits were in England – the 97th Bombardment Group and the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light) – and neither was equipped with aircraft. The 15th‘s familiarity with Douglas A-20 Havocs and the presence of the same aircraft in British service, the DB-7 Boston III, secured them a place in Eighth Air Force history. Seven months earlier, members of the 15th had been dropping flour sack bombs on “enemy” troops as part the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers. Now, a month of training in British bombing methods was the plan to get the Eighth Air Force in the war with its first official combat mission. (Source)

So on the 4th of July, 1942, Independence Day, six American aircrews would fly aircraft belonging to No. 226 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. 226 Squadron's own crews would man the other six aircraft going on the raid. Across the Channel to the Netherlands to hit four Luftwaffe airfields, three aircraft would hit each target. The targets were Fliegerhorst Katwijk¹, Fliegerhorst De Kooy, Fliegerhorst Haamstede, and Fliegerhorst Bergen Alkmaar. Hopefully speed, surprise, and hitting the fields simultaneously near dawn would bring all of the men home.

It was not to be.

(Source)

Alerted by a German vessel near the coast, the German flak crews were ready when the twelve aircraft reached their targets.

At Fliegerhorst De Kooy -

Two of the US-crewed aircraft attacked Fliegerhorst De Kooy and one, tail number A677, is listed as Missing in Action. This aircraft is shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashes on Texel Island, Holland. The crew are: Pilot - 2Lt. Frederick A. Loehrl, O-432079, (KIA) commemorated on the Wall of Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery and awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart; Navigator - 2Lt. Marshall D. Draper O-724624, (POW) held at Stalag 7A Moosburg, Bavaria, officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 24-Jul-45. He was the first American airman form 8th Air Force to be captured; Gunner - James W. Wright, 19000376, (KIA) buried at Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot C, Row 36, Grave 7, awarded the Purple Heart; Dorsal Gunner - Sgt. Robert L. Whitham (KIA). His remains were recovered on 11-Jul-42 and he was buried in the general cemetery of Huisduinen, Den Helder, Holland. (Source)

From another account of the raid on De Kooy -

Turning into the attack, Captain Kegelman skimmed the ground as flak impacts forced his Boston to tilt then drop hard. The rear fuselage oil canned on the tarmac as the starboard propeller sheared its spindle and flew into space. Oblivious to the lacing crossfire of murderous 20mm rounds, Kegelman goosed the remaining engine to full throttle, shut down his bad engine, and pulled hard stick to gain altitude and control.

On one engine, Captain Kegelman cleared the aerodrome, silenced a flak tower to the south near Julianadorp with his nose guns, and salvoed his bombs into the sea on his way back to Swanton Morley – with a belly full of Dutch dirt.

Lt. Fred A. Loehrl was mere seconds behind Kegelman and flew full force into the zeroed flak barrage put up by the units around the field. Lt. Loehrl dropped his incendiary payload along two rows of camouflaged hangars housing Bf-110’s and at least one larger mine-laying Heinkel 111 bomber. Hit by punishing flak, Lt. Loehrl’s Boston caught fire then crashed just past the Balgzand canal into the shallow seawater. Miraculously, the bombardier, Lt. Marshall Draper, was thrown clear of the shattered nose section, and survived to become the first 8th Air Force POW. Lt. Fred A. Loehrl’s body was never found.(Source)

At Fliegerhorst Bergen Alkmaar -

One American-crewed A-20, tail number AL741 was listed as Missing in Action (MIA) on this target. This aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Bergen-aan-Zee, Holland. The crew of this aircraft were: Pilot - 2Lt William G. Lynn, O-432081, (KIA) buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot B, Row 5, Grave 10, awarded the Purple Heart; Navigator - 2Lt Boyd S. Grant, buried in the Allied Plot of the general cemetery of Bergen, Holland; Gunner - SSgt William A. Murphy, (KIA) buried in the Allied Plot of the general cemetery of Bergen, Holland; Dorsal Gunner Cpl Charles P. Kramarewicz, 1109157, (KIA) buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot I, Row 14, Grave 18, awarded the Purple Heart.(Source)

One of the RAF aircraft, piloted by P/O Charles M. Henning, after making its attack on the field, started it's trip home with a German fighter in hot pursuit. It was a Focke Wulf-190 piloted by Unteroffizier² Hans Rathenow -

While agile and fast for a bomber, the Boston was no match for a 190 in the open. With two MG 131’s in the nose and four 20mm cannon in the wing roots and outer wings, Rathenow’s Fw-190 had more than enough lethal firepower to dispatch the twin engine bomber. Fifteen miles off of Callantsoog, Rathenow caught up with Z2213 MQ-U and downed her in the cold sea. The RAF airmen were never found. They were P/O Charles M. Henning, Sgt. Percey J. Voysey and Sgt. Herbert T. Willig. (Source)

Twelve aircraft went out, only nine returned, one so badly damaged that it had to be written off. Three aircraft lost, three aircrews, eleven men.

Despite some success and the bravery of the RAF and USAAF aircrews, the loss of eleven men (three out of twelve aircraft – two US, one British) was considered unacceptable. General Eisenhower was dismayed by the news of the loss. Far too high a price had been paid in a costly gesture to sustain national prestige and bolster morale on the home front. General Eisenhower was mindful moving forward that American aircrews would not engage in needless combat to satisfy American pride or produce media events for propaganda use.(Source)

Captain Kegelman was decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day. He later lost his life in the Pacific Theater as a major, commanding a B-25 unit. So he too eventually gave the last full measure.

Some gave all...

• 2Lt Frederick A. Loehrl, USAAF
• 2Lt. Marshall D. Draper, USAAF
• Sgt James W. Wright, USAAF
• Sgt Robert L. Whitham, USAAF
• P/O Charles M. Henning, RAF
• Sgt Percey J. Voysey, RAF
• Sgt Herbert T. Willig, RAF
• 2Lt William G. Lynn, USAAF
• 2Lt Boyd S. Grant, USAAF
• SSgt William A. Murphy, USAAF
• Cpl Charles P. Kramarewicz, USAAF
• Major Charles C. Kegelman, USAAF

The motto of No. 226 Squadron, RAF, provides a fitting tribute to those men.

Non sibi sed patriae

~ For country not for self ~

Sources:

• American Air Museum Link
• History Net Link
• The National Interest Link

¹ Fliegerhorst = air base.
² A rank roughly equivalent to a corporal, a junior non-commissioned officer.