Military
Robert M Wertz crew photo of Ken Jensen
Plane used by Robert M Wertz (and crew) on crashed mission 2/16/1945 after successfully bombing Munster Railhead (2ndary target). Crashed on east side of Weeze, Germany.
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near (SE) Kleve on 16 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-39081 After bypassing the primary target Langendreer(synthetic oil refinery), because of smog, crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane was in the lead and was shot down with 3 crew members killed and six Prisoner of War (POW)s.
Military | Sergeant | Tail Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) at Kleve in B-17 43-39081. Crashed on 16 Feb 45. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer(Synthetic Oil Refinery), crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster rail-head. This plane was in the lead (of...
Military | Staff Sergeant | Right Waist Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Kleve on 16 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-39081. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer, Germany, crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane was in the lead and was shot down...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Co-Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW). 23 missions. Shot down 16 Feb 1945 in AC #43-39081. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer because of smog, the crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target at Munster railhead. This plane was in the lead and was...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Radio Operator | 303rd Bomb Group
TSgt. during war. Was on 24th mission w/Wertz crew when shot down over Munster, Germany. Became POW. Freed by Patton's 3rd Army.
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Military | Staff Sergeant | Ball Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near (SE) Kleve on 16 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-39081 After bypassing the primary target Langendreer(synthetic oil refinery), because of smog, crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane...
Military | Second Lieutenant | Navigator | 303rd Bomb Group
Prisoner of War (POW) crashed near Kleve on 16 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-39081. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer(synthetic oil refinery) because of smog, crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane was...
Military | Private First Class | Bombardier | 303rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Kleve in B-17 43-39081 which crashed near Kleve on 16 Feb 45. After two passes over primary target Langendreer were unsuccessful (target was covered with smog), crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the...
Military | Technical Sergeant | Engineer; Top Turret Gunner | 303rd Bomb Group
Killed in Action (KIA) near Munster, Germany in B-17 #43-39081 which crashed near Kleve on 16 Feb 45. After bypassing the primary target Langendreer (due to smog), crew was ordered to proceed to bomb secondary target the Munster railhead. This plane...
Military | Captain | Pilot | 303rd Bomb Group
Flew 24 missions before being shot down over Germany on 2/16/45.
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Group
The 303rd Bombardment Group (Heavy) was activated on 3-Feb-1942 at Pendleton Field, Oregon. They assembled at Gowen Field, Idaho on 11-February 1942 where it conducted flight training until 12-Jun-1942. The Group then moved to Alamogordo Field, New...
Squadron
B-17 Flying Fortress
Delivered Lincoln 25/11/44; Grenier 15/12/44; Assigned 427BS/303BG [GN-G] Molesworth 28/1/45; Missing in Action Minster Stein 16/2/45 with Pilot: Bob Wertz, Melvin Durst, Earl Minnis, Ed Giering, Ken Jensen, Walt Campbell (6 POW); John Price, Ralph...
16 February 1945
Military site : airfield
Molesworth was one of the early stations used by the Eighth Air Force in the UK, first occupied by the 15th Bomb Squadron’s Douglas Bostons in June 1942. Built in 1940 and extended and improved in 1942, Molesworth is most associated with the 303rd...
| Event | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Born | Bremerton, Washington | |
| Prisoner of War (POW) | Germany | 16 February 1945 |
| Date | Contributor | Update |
|---|---|---|
| 10 October 2016 15:17:19 | Lucy May | Changes to events and person associations |
| Sources | ||
Brought in information from duplicate record. Sources: |
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| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 September 2016 02:01:57 | John Wertz | Changes to awards |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 09 September 2016 01:28:32 | John Wertz | Changes to service number, biography, place associations, aircraft associations and mission associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 08 September 2016 21:58:56 | John Wertz | Changes to media associations |
| Sources | ||
| Date | Contributor | Update |
| 27 September 2014 18:17:51 | AAM | AAM ingest |
| Sources | ||
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 12439, Edward Giering letter Jan. 2009 |
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