File 412. 1944-03-06/06 B-24H 42-29299 Hopkins Nijkerk Salentijn

Details
Date: 1944 Mar 06/06 A/C Type: B-24 H  Liberator SN: 42-29299 Code: A/C Nickname: Roll Call
 File: 412 Airforce: USAAF Sqn/Unit: 458 BG - 754 BS Mission/Raid: Genshagen S of Berlin
1 Pilot 2Lt. Thayer Hopkins       evd. 9 RO S/Sgt Earle L. Knight     WIA/POW
2 Co-pilot 1Lt. Ernest T. Herndon   WIA/POW 10 TG S/Sgt Eric J. Hilditch        evd.
3 Nav. 2Lt. Samuel W. Roberts       evd. 11    
4 B F/O Robert Cleveland         evd. 12    
5 TTG T/Sgt Bowell E. Warren  POW after 2 days 13    
6 Eng T/Sgt James W. Peterson POW after 2 days 14    
7 BTG S/Sgt James W. Hobson     POW 15    
8 LWG S/Sgt Harold P. Lambousy POW after 2 days 16                    

Over Berlin (Genshagen) damaged by Flak, lost two engines. On return over Zuyder Sea they were escorted by 3 P-47s but the other two engines stopped. They turned to the south and then to the southeast. All crew jumped and came on the ground east of Baarn, under Bunschoten and west of Nijkerk ('Neikerk'). The empty bomber crashed hard and debris went deep into the ground on terrain of an old estate named 'Salentijn', northeast of village Nijkerk.


Co-pilot Herndon jumped near Bunschoten (broken leg) and with S/Sgt. Earle L. Knight (broken ankle) became POW fast. Via hospital in Amersfoort they were both transferred to the Luftwaffe Lazaret in Amsterdam (Wilhelmina Gasthuis).

Four men tried to evade, but were caught within two days: Sgt. Warren, Sgt. Peterson, Sgt. Hobson and Sgt. Lambousy.

After a few days individual on the run in several houses in Nijkerk and Appel (Schuld Family), the resistance brought the last four men together in Amersfoort, in the house of policeman Ottens. These were Navigator 2Lt. Samuel Roberts, Pilot 2Lt. Thayer Hopkins, Bombardier F/O Robert Cleveland and Sgt. Eric J. Hilditch. They became quite well known evaders because they passed several famous safe houses, were their names were recorded and photographs taken. Via train to Deventer, Eindhoven, Deurne and then Bakel, they stayed at the Poels Family in farm 'de Zwarte Plak' in hamlet America near Deurne and Horst. They passed the Belgian border in south-Limburg and ended up in Luik (Liege). Here they were liberated by American troops on 6 September 1944. 

Read more incl. photos:  http://www.458bg.com/crew48hopkins.htm

 




































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