Delivered Cheyenne 3/5/43; Gore 22/5/43; Spokane 24/5/43; Geiger 26/5/43; Smoky Hill 2/7/43; Dow Fd 13/7/43; Assigned 570BS/390BG [DI-H] Framlingham 14/7/43; crash landed 21/9/43 with Keith E. Harris, repaired and back on duty; Missing in Action Rostock 20/2/44 with Bill Gaillard, Co-pilot: Gerald Steuck, Navigator: Tom Gannon, Bombardier: Francis Brodzik, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: John Doherty, Radio Operator: Ray Quinn, Ball turret gunner: Pete Whitney, Waist gunner: Jack Williams, Waist gunner: Joe Sala,Tail gunner: Lou Skrzyniecki (10 Prisoner of War); no gas, crashed Tierstrup, Den. Missing Air Crew Report 2436. SPOT REMOVER.



At 14.20 hours on 20 February 1944, on mission to Rostock the pilot, 1st Lt William M. Gaillard, called on the radio and reported that he could not get fuel from the “Tokyo-tanks”. The reserve tanks had been hit by flak over the target, and from another plane fuel had been seen pouring out. Shortly after Spot Remover left the formation, and the pilot said that he would try to get to Sweden.



At 15.35 hours the pilots made a perfect wheels up-landing at Tirstrup, and all of the crew could leave the plane unharmed. The Americans were very disappointed when they learned from Danes crowding in that they had landed in Denmark. The crew removed a machine gun and a sack of oranges from the plane and set it on fire.



Shortly afterwards the Germans arrived, but they could not prevent the plane from burning down completely. The 10 Americans went on towards the coast, but they left a clear track of orange peels. As no oranges were sold in either Denmark or Germany the Germans just had to follow the track, and at 19.30 hrs. 6 Americans were captured at Hyllested, about 10 km from the site of the forced landing. At some time between 20 February and 26 February the remaining 4 airmen including top turret gunner, S/Sgt John W. Doherty slept in two holiday cottages on the beach south of Grenaa. 8 days after the forced landing the 10 airmen had all been captured. They had also had the bad luck of having to walk about in an area crowded with Germans and their Danish helpers