On Christmas Eve 1944 Ira Wells was nose turret gunner in a B-24 on a tactical mission in support of US ground troops fighting the Battle of the Bulge. He watched in horror as the B-24 just 100 yards off their wing exploded in mid-air and three parachutes went sailing down into enemy territory. His navigator Lt. Harold Dorfman had taken a picture of the burning plane- the 'Barncastle' (* see note below) - which Ira kept in his wallet for the next 55 years.



In August 2000 at a 448th BG reunion in Savannah he discovered a survivor from the Barncastle, John Birkhead, who told him that the three men who jumped had survived as POWs. They had fortunately landed amongst German soldiers and not into the clutches of the SS. By the time the camps were liberated Birkhead weighed just 100 lbs. and had almost lost an infected leg. It took eleven months for his wound to heal, the fact that he survived he said was more than pure luck 'it was more like fate and divine help'.



Ira who himself flew 35 missions had kept the picture to remind himself of that close call so many years ago.





* The aircraft was B-24 42-50799 EI:L "Lady Lora", piloted by 1st. Lt. L.C. Barneycastle.