Historic 8th AF 445th BG Kassel Mission Grouping

[445th Bomb Group]

Thanks again to Kristof (Cantar) for allowing me to post these items.

[cantar]

Thanks for posting the pics Eric!

[445th Bomb Group]

Thanks to Mike Walsh I was able to unite my uncle’s medals with those of S/Sgt. Robert Shay. Both men’s names can be seen on the right hand panel of the Kassel Mission memorial. The memorial is built on the site where the 445th lead aircraft, B-24J #42-51541, crashed, and is the location where S/Sgt. Shay’s remains would have been recovered. While the mission records list Shay as a waist gunner, the statements of the surviving crewmembers in the MACR indicate that he actually flew the mission as top turret gunner. This would explain the difficulty in identifying the individual remains, since all the casualties on that plane where crewmen on the flight deck.

[445th Bomb Group]

Captain Chilton’s crew, with Robert Shay at front row left. Of the crewmen in the photograph, Chilton, Ische and Shay were killed in action; Trefethen, Briggs, Sturdy, McCormick, Mills and Sloane would become prisoners of war. Lt. Robert Williams did not fly the Kassel Mission. Also on the lead plane were Maj. Don McCoy (KIA), 2Lt. Harold Sutherland (KIA), 2Lt. Cloys Johnson (POW) and 2Lt. Carlton Hudson (POW).

 

T/Sgt. Howard Sturdy mentions in the MACR that he evaded for eleven days before being captured. He said that the German interrogators told him that Captain Chilton and Major McCoy had been killed, but they had no information about any other crewmembers.

[bluerunfarm]

My father flew on the Kassel Mission and was on Krivik's crew, 702nd, 445th. I hope that the upcoming HBO miniseries finally brings the attention to that mission that it deserves.

[Allan H.]

Obviously Bluerunfarm's first post on this forum brings up this older thread dealing with the 455th Bomb Group. I want to thank Bluerunfarm for bringing this one back up to the top. I have always considered this particular thread to be one of the best articulated narratives of a serviceman and the role that he played in a major operation. it is threads like this that truly make the USMF a special place and helps us as collectors and historians to explain why the "old army junk" is so important to us.

 

Thanks to al who participated. It was definitely worth another read.

 

Allan

[445th Bomb Group]

Bluerunfarm,

Thanks for bringing this back up to the top. What was your father’s name? Did he fly any more missions after September 27, or was that his last one? Please consider posting any photos you might have, it would be great to see them.

 

Eric

 

 

 

 

[445th Bomb Group]

Allan H,

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Eric

 

 

 

[8thairforce]

God bless indeed ! Jim

[445th Bomb Group]

Back to top in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Kassel Mission, September 27, 1944.

[bobgee]

Rest in Peace - Heroes All!