Keeping A Promise!

[AZPhil]

70 years ago today on April 13th 1944 on a bombing mission to Schweinfurt Germany. 6 out of 7 B17’s attached to the US 8th Air Force, 384th Bomb Group, 545th Bomb Squadron were shot down between the time of 13:54 and 13:57. The list below was given to me by Dewayne ‘Ben’ Bennett. He was the pilot of the only B17 from the 545th to make it back to their base that day. I had the honor and the privilege of knowing Ben. He helped me find information about my Uncle Joe who was a tail gunner with the Fioretti crew on the B17 Mrs. Geezil that was shot down that day. 4 out of the 10 men on my uncle’s plane were killed during the attack. My uncle survived but spent the rest of the war as a POW at Stalag 17B.
One thing Ben told me was that he wanted the men that lost their lives that day to be remembered. I told him I would do that. Along with the other information about that day’s mission, Ben sent me this list of those men. Ben pasted away in March of 2011. I miss him greatly.
I’m keeping my promise!
Schweinfurt dead 4-13-09.jpg
RIP Ben.
Semper Fi
Phil
I have also attched a link to Ben's story about that day.
An Aviation Masterpiece & The Story Behind It

[Shadwellarmy]

Rip

[Mark K]

Well done Phil my hats off to you sir .

Regards Mark

[fastfeet]

Heros all.

[fastfeet]

I have noticed that in the last two years or so there are less and less WW II vets at my VAMC in Bonham Texas. I make it a point to thank them for their service and tell them that they are in my opinion "The Greatest Generation" heros all, My father was a WW II vet and told me that "Bavaria" was the most beautiful place he ever saw even in the midst of war......sadly, he passed away before he could make that trip. He's the reason I collect WW II militaria.

[Woolgar]

Good work Phil

Brave boys

Nick

[SteveR]

A friend of mine, Elvis McCoy, was a gunner on a B17 shot down over Schweinfurt that day and was held prisoner at Stalag 17. I do not know what bomb group he was with. He passed away several years ago.
This is a very good thread.

[harryamb2]

they paid a terrible price because deskchair wallahs knew better,they thought.

[fastfeet]

A friend of mine, Elvis McCoy, was a gunner on a B17 shot down over Schweinfurt that day and was held prisoner at Stalag 17. I do not know what bomb group he was with. He passed away several years ago.
This is a very good thread.

This an excellant thread Steve and I see that you are in my neighborhood, I'm in NE Texas and as I speak...er,write I'm waiting for my daughter to come in from Oklahoma State and is right about Pauls Valley about now. I had a very good friend in the Army whose name is Birdshead (Indian) He was a paymaster/clerk who lived in your neighborhood. I know it's a big world but you brought to mind my friend who I haven't seen in 40 odd years. Best to you.
Ramon

[davejb]

A fitting tribute for a lot of young brave men, RIP