Agay's B-24 Liberator, Var, France |
Pilot : second lieutenant Robert V. Batz |
|
Mission |
Date |
May 27, 1944, MACR 5413 |
Base |
|
|
Target |
Bombardment of Montpellier's airfield |
Zone of crash |
Sea (-140ft), Agay's bay, Var, France |
Plane |
Type |
B-24G-10-NT |
|
Serial |
42-78213 "Ophélia Bump" |
Squadron |
15th AF, 304th BW, 454th BG, 736th Squadron |
Crew |
1 |
Pilot |
S/Lt |
|
|
Killed |
2 |
Copilot |
S/Lt |
Georges E. Erlewine |
|
Killed |
3 |
Navigator |
S/Lt |
Robert T. Bragg |
|
Killed |
4 |
Bomber |
S/Lt |
James H. Logan |
|
|
5 |
Radio |
Sgt |
Gene Vodopia |
|
|
6 |
Waist gunner |
Sgt |
Little |
|
|
7 |
Nose turret gunner |
Sgt |
Robert F. Royer |
|
Killed, USA |
8 |
Dorsal turret gunner |
Sgt |
Ward O. Bowman |
|
Killed |
9 |
Ball turret gunner |
Sgt |
Ramsey |
|
Killed |
10 |
Tail turret gunner |
Sgt |
Peters |
|
|
|
|
Saturdays
may 27, 1944, the four bombers groups of the 304th Bomber-Wing 15th Air
Force, took off from their bases in the south of Italy, to attack
Montpellier/Fréjorgues's airfield.
Among
them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time
before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape
Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in
full by Flak.
Among
them, the 454th Bomber-Goup, formed of 30 planes. A very little time
before the crossing of the French coasts, on the level of the cape
Roux, located on the coasts of the Estérel's mount, a B-24 is hit in
full by Flak.
4
men will succeed in jumping in parachute, and will be immediately made
prisoners. The parachute of a fifth man, the nose turret gunner, will
be put unfortunately in torch, while the five last members of crew will
be killed, having been for various reasons, in the incapacity to
evacuate the plane.
The
sea will hide the bomber become now an underwater wreck until the end
of august 1984, when during an exploration diving on the Agay's bay,
were discovered, by 140 feet depth, its dislocated wrecks.
The
team who discovered the wreks (Philippe Bres, Jean-Pierre Joncheray,
its son Philippe, Bernard Mariller, Yves Moussou, Claude Pinaut and the
author), was very marked by this formless mass which rested on the
sandy bottom, and where also lay, an anti-Flak waistcoats, a parachute
rolled up around a machine-gun having belonged to the turret of nose,
shoes...
An
incredible chance was going then to play in our favour, because the
plane's serial number was always paint on the left side of the fuselage
(black painting having miraculously resisted 40 years underwater).
Saturday
october 5, 1997, was inaugurated, in the front of Agay's bay, a
monument in the memory of this crew. We use this few lines to renew our
thanks to the Raphaèloise municipality and also to the veterans's association.
In
spring 2002, by safety measure, Toulon's bomb squad divers, has at our
request, explored the site, and destroy the 29 bombs founded. |
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© Copyright Aéro-Re.L.I.C. / B. Cyvoct 2004. All right reserved. |
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