| Date: 1944 Jan 11/11 | A/C Type: B-17G Fortress | SN: 42-37867 | Code: | A/C Nickname: Berlin Ambassador |  |
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| File: 347 | Airforce: USAAF | Sqn/Unit: 388 BG - 561 BS | Mission/Raid: Brunswick (Braunschweig) | |||||||
| 1 | Pilot | 2Lt. George Gustav Hoehn KIA, buried Zwolle | 9 | RWG | Sgt. Edward W. Hincks Jr. Killed in the air | |||||
| 2 | Co-pilot | 2Lt. George R. Owens POW | 10 | TG | Sgt. Gerard F. Brinker POW | |||||
| 3 | Nav. | 2Lt. Donald S. Modarelli shot, KIA, Zwolle | 11 | |||||||
| 4 | B | 2Lt. Lieudell E. Bauer Evd, POW in Brussels | 12 | |||||||
| 5 | E | S/Sgt Charles C. Rigdon POW | 13 | |||||||
| 6 | RO | T/Sgt. Byron A. Wiberg Jr. WIA, died. Buried Apeldoorn | 14 | |||||||
| 7 | BTG | S/Sgt. Peter J. Zaskiewicz buried Zwolle | 15 | |||||||
| 8 | LWG | S/Sgt. Harlan S. Mann WIA, POW | 16 | |||||||
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Four P-38s escorted the crippled bomber back, but near Zwolle (red cross on below map), the aircraft went down. Seven men could use their parachute.
Pilot Hoehn stayed in the cockpit to led the others bail out. In the last moment be steared the B-17 clear of a builded area and crashed near a dyke.
Sgt. Zaskiewicz was shot while hanging on his parachute. Sgt. Hincks (shot in aircraft by German fighter) was with pilot Hoehn in the crash.
Lt. Donald S. Modarelli bailed out, but his parachute failed to open. His body was found half in the ground.
The above four men were buried in Zwolle Bergklooster Cemetery. Only Sgt. Peter Zaskiewicz is still buried today in Europe in US Cemetery Ardennes.
Sgt. Wiberg (bullet in stomach) died in hospital in Apeldoorn, buried there. Today he is buried in American Cemetery Netherlands in Margraten.
Owens, Rigdon, Mann (wounded) and Brinker bailed out safely, became POW.
Lt. Bauer was helped by the resistance in Zwolle and could evade. Via Farm Zwarte Plak he ended up in Brussels, arrested there 22 April 1944.
http://www.fieldsofhonor-database.com/index.php/american-war-cemetery-ardennes-z/44901-zaskiewicz-peter-j
The people in Zwolle praised Lt. Hoehn he made a turn and passed their houses.
A street was named and a monument was erected for him and the crew of 42-37867 "Berlin Ambassador". Zwolle, Eikenlaan:
http://www.4en5mei.nl/herdenken-en-vieren/oorlogsmonumenten/monumenten_zoeken/oorlogsmonument/871/zwolle,-monument-aan-de-eikenlaan
© ZZairwar (Zuyder Zee Air War)
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