42-31499 Susan Ruth

media-19150.jpeg UPL 19150 Plaque in Saint-Rémy near Chimay, Belgium to the memory of the eight US airmen who were savagely executed by Germans soldiers on 22 April 1944 and of the two Belgian Underground members who had been arrested that same day and who died in German camps.
The names :
* Sgt Vincent Reese, aged 22 [ Right Waist Gunner on #42-39795 - 303BG/359BS - lost 30 December 1943 ]
* Sgt Orian Owens, aged 24,
* Sgt Charles Nichols, aged 23 and
* Sgt John Gemborski, aged 21
[ all 3 on board #42-30782 of 306BG/368BS, lost 11 January 1944 ]
* Lt George Eike, aged 23,
* 2nd Lt Robert Benninger, aged 21 and
* Sgt John Pindroch, aged 19
[ all three on board #42-31499 - 306BG/369BS - lost 2 February 1944 ]
* 2nd Lt William Huish, aged 24 [ Navigator on #42-29656 - 91BG/322BS lost on 20 February 1944 ]
The two Belgians :
* Henri Fontaine, aged 25 [ deported; disappeared in Koblenz, Germany ]
* Joseph Simon, aged 21 [ died in the Dachau concentration camp, Germany ]

Corrected a typo in the "Caption" - "executed" was misspelled.

Object Number - UPL 19150 - Plaque in Saint-Rémy near Chimay, Belgium to the memory of the eight US airmen who were savagely executed by Germans soldiers on 22 April 1944 and...

Delivered Cheyenne 13/11/43; Kearney 1/12/43; Romulus 11/12/43; Grenier 12/12/43; Presque Is 14/12/43; Assigned 369BS/306BG Thurleigh 21/1/44;



Missing in Action Frankfurt 8/2/44 with Howard Snyder who joined Maquis, ret UK Oct ‘44, Tail gunner: Bill Slenker-WIA, landed Signe La Petite and remained in area until liberated by US troops (2 evaded capture); Co-pilot: George Eike, Navigator: Bob Benninger, Radio Operator: Ross Kahler, Ball turret gunner: Louis Colwart, Waist gunner: John Pindroch (5 KIA - all shot one by one after interrogation, German CO, executed after war);

Bombardier: Rich Daniels, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Roy Holbert, Waist gunner: Joe Musial formerly with 13AF in Pacific TO (3 Prisoner of War); hit by Fw 190s, crashed Macquenoise, Bel; Missing Air Crew Report 2493.



A full account of this mission and the fate of the crew can be found in the book "Shot Down : the true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth", by Steve Snyder, (Historian) .

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

Official insignia of the 306th Bomb Group, approved 6 January 1943, and updated 2 October 1951.

306th Bomb Group

  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

People

Robert J Benninger

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-685369
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Navigator

Louis J Colwart

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 18151729
  • Highest Rank: Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Richard LeRoy Daniels

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 12029522 at enlistment, then O-679378
  • Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Bombardier/Nose Gunner

George William Eike

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: O-748164
  • Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
  • Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Roy K Holbert

  • Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
  • Nationality: American
  • Unit: 306th Bomb Group 369th Bomb Squadron
  • Service Numbers: 34036012
  • Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
  • Role/Job: Top Turret Gunner / Flight Engineer

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Failed to Return (FTR)

France 8 February 1944

Revisions

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation to the "Summary biography" to aid clarity.

Date
ContributorBombay
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127800876/_

Date
ContributorBombay
Changes
Sources

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/111994000/richard-leroy-daniels

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49177818/george-william-eike

Airmen who lost their lives from B17G (#42-31499):

Benninger, Robert J ~ 1st Lt, Navigator, Pennsylvania, (Shot)
Colwart, Louis J, Jr ~ Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, Louisiana, (KIA)
Eike, George W ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, New York, (Shot)
Kahler, Ross L, T/Sgt, Radio Operator, Pennsylvania, (KIA)
Pindroch, John ~ Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, Ohio, (Shot)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Airmen who survived from B17G (#42-31499):

Daniels, Richard L ~ 2nd Lt, Bombardier, (POW)
Holbert, Roy K ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, (POW)
Musial, Joseph J ~ T/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, (POW)
Slenker, William O, Jr ~ S/Sgt, Tail Gunner, (Evadee)
Snyder, Howard J ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, (Evadee)

Date
Contributorjmoore43
Changes
Sources

Added punctuation in desription for readability.

Date
Contributorgeneral ira snapsorter
Changes
Sources

Added reference to Publlication : "Shot Down : the true story of pilot Howard Snyder and the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth", by
Steve Snyder, (Historian) .

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log / MACR 2493 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

42-31499: Gallery (1 items)

Object number: UPL 19150 - Plaque in Saint-Rémy near Chimay, Belgium to the...