Raymond J Diederich

Military ROLL OF HONOUR
media-20013.jpeg UPL 20013 Trall Wertz's original crew put together in the States and sent to Old Buckenham Air Base in East Anglia, England. Several crew members were Killed In Action prior to March 6, 1944. Golbski, Diederich and Anderson had already been MIA on a mission February 22, 1944. Trall's Co-Pilot, Gilbreath was MIA March 6, 1944 flying with another crew, and a member from Crockett’s crew by the name of Santora was MIA ironically in the same plane as Gilbreath. The names below were written on the back of the photo in Trall’s handwriting:
Front Row from Left to Right: Pilot, Lieutenant George Wear (Colombia, Louisiana), Seymour Cohen, Navigator (New Jersey),
Ralph J. Swafford, Bombardier (St. Louis, Missouri), Co-Pilot, Second LieutenantLt. Ray Gilbreath (Massachusetts)
Back Row from Left: T/Sgt. Trail W. Wertz, Radioman (Jeannette, Pennsylvania), Jim Meyers, Nose Gunner (Buffalo, New York)
Staff Sergeant James Golbski, Lower Gunner (Biddendorf, Iowa), Raymond J. Diederich, Top Gunner (St. Joseph, Michigan),
Staff Sergeant Richard Anderson, Tail Gunner (North Canton, Ohio), Robert B. Williams, Engineer (Sheibourne, Massachusetts)

Information provided by grand-nephew of Trall W. Wertz, Bruce B. Wertz

Object Number - UPL 20013 - Trall Wertz's original crew put together in the States and sent to Old Buckenham Air Base in East Anglia, England. Several crew members were Killed...

Shot down by fighters and exploded upon striking the water near Steenbergen, Holland on a mission to Gotha, GR on 22 Feb 1944 in B- 24 #41-28615 'Ginnie'. Killed in Action (KIA).

Connections

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Units served with

Colonel Larry Thomas of the 453rd Bomb Group. Handwritten caption on reverse: 'Col Larry Thomas 453BG.'
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Eighth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

  • Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
  • Nicknames: Ginnie
  • Unit: 453rd Bomb Group 733rd Bomb Squadron

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Died

22 February 1944

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

North Sea 22 February 1944

Born

Buried

Listed on Tablets of the Missing

Revisions

Date
Contributorusxpat
Changes
Sources

An Emotional Gauntlet, Stuart J Wright, Pen & Sword Books, © 2004
American Battle Monuments Commission

Date
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 2895 / MACR 2895, Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces, The Liberator Men of Old Buc / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database

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