Randall Dorton
Military | Lieutenant | Navigator | 301st Bomb Group
First 8th Air Force Operation (04 July 1942)
4 July 1942
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![Lieutenant Randall Dorton of the 301st Bomb Group receives the Distinguished Flying Cross. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp]. According to other press agency images of this event it is likely that these would have passed the image for publication 11 July 1942 and explained that Dorton recieved the DFC for the 4 July raid on Holland.
Handwritten caption on reverse: '11/7/42.'
Printed caption on reverse:](http://www.americanairmuseum.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/freeman/media-378790.jpg?itok=S8Gvf_AV)
Lieutenant Randall Dorton of the 301st Bomb Group receives the Distinguished Flying Cross. Image stamped on reverse: 'Associated Press.' [stamp]. According to other press agency images of this event it is likely that these would have passed the image for publication 11 July 1942 and explained that Dorton recieved the DFC for the 4 July raid on Holland. Handwritten caption on reverse: '11/7/42.' Printed caption on reverse: "US airmen who took part in Independence Day raid receive decorations. The captain of the Boston - Maj. Charles C. Kegelman - and the members of the crew of one of the American Boston planes which took part in the Independence Day raid on enemy-occupied Holland were today, July 11, decorated with the DSC (for the captain) and the DFC (for the other three members of the crew) at an aerodrome somewhere in Britain. Associated Press photo shows: Maj. Charles C. Kegelman, photographed wearing his DSC, after it had been presented to him today, July 11, by Maj. Gen. Carl Spaatz, Commanding United States Air Forces in the European Theatre." Stamp: Reviewed & passed as censored - US Army Press Censor, 11 July 1942. Stamp: Not to be published until 00.30 DBST 12/7/42 The US serviceman in this picture is from the early stages of WW2 and is wearing a WW1-era "Kelly helmet" based on the British Brodie helmet. The gas mask bag in the picture is one which US servicemen carried in training and in North Africa and Southern Italy. When gas was less of a threat they ditched the gas mask "kidney bag" because of weight and the bag was replaced at the D-Day Landings by a rubberized bag on the chest like the ones they are wearing in the opening scene of the film, Saving Private Ryan.
Official description
Not yet known
Description
12 Boston (A-20) aircraft are despatched from Swanton Morley by No. 2 Group, 226 Squadron, RAF, to bomb four German airfields in Holland: De Koog airfield, Bergen/Alkamaar airfield, Haanstede airfield and Valkenberg airfield. 6 of these aircraft are assigned to 15th Bomb Squadron (8th AF USAAF) and are crewed by American airmen.
The US serviceman in this picture is from the early stages of WW2 and is wearing a WW1-era "Kelly helmet" based on the British Brodie helmet. The gas mask bag in the picture is one which US servicemen carried in training and in North Africa and Southern Italy. When gas was less of a threat they ditched the gas mask "kidney bag" because of weight and the bag was replaced at the D-Day Landings by a rubberized bag on the chest like the ones they are wearing in the opening scene of the film, Saving Private Ryan.
Mission details
1. BERGEN / ALKMAAR
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
A-20 Havoc
Notes
Two of the US-crewed aircraft attack De Koog Airfield and one, tail number A677, is listed Missing in Action (MIA). This aircraft is shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashes on Texel Island, Holland. The crew are: Pilot - 2Lt. Frederick A. Loehrl, O-432079, (KIA) commemorated on the Wall of Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery and awarded the Air Medal and Purple Heart; Navigator - 2Lt. Marshall D. Draper O-724624, (POW) held at Stalag 7A Moosburg, Bavaria, officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 24-Jul-45. He was the first American airman form 8th Air Force to be captured; Gunner - James W. Wright, 19000376, (KIA) buried at Ardennes American Cemetery, Plot C, Row 36, Grave 7, awarded the Purple Heart; Dorsal Gunner - Sgt. Robert L. Whitham (KIA). His remains were recovered on 11-Jul-42 and he was buried in the general cemetery of Huisduinen, Den Helder, Holland.
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 6 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 2 |
2. DE KOOG
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
A-20 Havoc
Notes
Two 8th Air Force-crewed Bostons (A-20) are-assigned to this target. One is flown by CAPT. Charles C. Kegelman and his three crewmen: Navigator - Lt. Dorton; Gunner - SGT Cunningham; and Dorsal Gunner - SGT Golay. Captain Kegelman and his crew are awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (11-Jul-42) by GEN Ira Eaker for their participation in this mission. The aircraft was badly damaged but Captain Kegelman was able to return it to the UK. Captain Kegelman was killed in the Pacific theater in 1944 when commanding a B-25 Group. The other A-20, tail number AL741 was listed as Missing in Action (MIA) on this target. This aircraft was shot down by anti-aircraft fire and crashed near Bergen-aan-Zee, Holland. The crew of this aircraft were: Pilot - 2Lt William G. Lynn, O-432081, (KIA) buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot B, Row 5, Grave 10, awarded the Purple Heart; Navigator - 2Lt Boyd S. Grant, buried in the Allied Plot of the general cemetery of Bergen, Holland; Gunner - SSgt William A. Murphy, (KIA) buried in the Allied Plot of the general cemetery of Bergen, Holland; Dorsal Gunner Cpl Charles P. Kramarewicz, 1109157, (KIA) buried at Netherlands American Cemetery, Plot I, Row 14, Grave 18, awarded the Purple Heart.
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Missing In Action | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Damaged Beyond Repair | 1 |
| Number of people Killed In Action | 4 |
3. HAANSTEDE
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
A-20 Havoc
Notes
One 8th Air Force-crewed Boston (A-20) attacks this target.
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 1 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 1 |
4. VALKENBERG
Description
AIRFIELD
Aircraft type
A-20 Havoc
Notes
Two 8th Air Force-crewed Bostons (A-20) attack this target with no losses or casualties.
Mission Statistics
| Number of aircraft Sent | 2 |
| Number of aircraft Effective | 2 |
Service
People
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Marshall Draper
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 97th Bomb Group
Became the first member of the 8th AAF to become a Prisoner of War (POW). Flying July 4, 1942 the 15th BS Boston III AL677 MQ-P (a RAF training plane borrowed for the unit until US planes arrived) was shot down by flak and crashed on sandbar opposite... -
Boyd Grant
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 97th Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA)/On 4 July 1942 t/o from Swanton Morley at 0714 hrs. Shot down by flak and broke up in air north of Bergen-aan-Zee, Holland. Lt. Grant was on special assignment from the 97th BG/414th BS. Two crew, the pilot and the doral gunner... -
Charles Kegelman
Military | Major | Pilot | 301st Bomb Group
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Charles Kramarewicz
Military | Staff Sergeant (3rd Grade) | Dorsal Gunner
Assigned to the 15th Bombardment Squadron (Light) attached to 226th Squadron RAF and was Killed in Action (KIA) on 4-Jul-1942 while serving as a Dorsal Gunner in the crew of 2Lt. William G. Lynn, Jr. on a Boston III (A-20), tail number AL741, which was... -
Frederick Loehrl
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot
Boston III AL677 MQ-P (a RAF training plane borrowed for the unit until US planes arrived) was shot down by flak and crashed on sandbar opposite DeKooij af, Island of Texel, Holland. 15th BG was a liaison squadron. -
William Lynn
Military | Second Lieutenant | Pilot
First American airman of the Eighth Air Force who went down while flying in RAF Boston over occupied territory. Mission was to Holland and was first mission from England for the 8th AAF. This happened on 4 July 1942 and we have no record of his MACR... -
William Murphy
Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 388th Bomb Group
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Harold Radetsky
Military | Colonel | Pilot, Squadron Commander, 15th bomb squadron
Col. Harold A. Radetsky, USAAF. Most of his World War II years were spent overseas, initially participating as an "A-20" bomber pilot with the first U.S. military unit, 15th Bomb Squadron, to attack occupied Europe from England on July 4, 1942. The... -
Robert Whitham
Military | Sergeant | Gunner
Killed in Action (KIA). Boston III AL677 MQ-P (a RAF training plane borrowed for the unit until US planes arrived) was shot down by flak and crashed on sandbar opposite DeKooij af, Island of Texel, Holland. 15th BG was a liaison squadron. Whitham's...
Revisions
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 15 February 2018 14:06:18 | jmoore43 | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Corrected a typo in the Description. The name of the De Koog airfield was misspelled. |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 July 2017 15:18:15 | mattattack | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Personal knowledge |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 13 November 2014 10:51:41 | Emily | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
Associated media based on images associated with mission in Freeman, Mighty Eighth War Diary |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 12 November 2014 19:52:40 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 12-Nov-2014. Minor edit to description De Kooij |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2014 20:09:00 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 17-Oct-2014 People connections extracted from my database and information of "Losses of the 8th and 9th air Forces" Stan Bishop and John A. Hey MBE |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2014 18:46:18 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to person associations |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 17-Oct-2014, POW service numbers from National Archives Records Administration; burial locations in American Cemeteries from American Battle Monuments Commission. Mission details from Roger A. Freeman's "Mighty Eighth War Diary." |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2014 18:20:35 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to description |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham, 17-Oct-2014, Roger A. Freeman's "Mighty Eighth War Diary." |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 17 October 2014 18:12:35 | Lee8thbuff | Changes to name |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham 17-Oct-2014, Roger A. Freeman's "Eighth AIr Force War Diary" |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:43:14 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Lee Cunningham, 8th Air Force missions research database / Stan Bishop's 'Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces', the Combat Chronology of the US Army Air Forces and the work of Roger Freeman including the 'Mighty Eighth War Diary'. |
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