Donald Ervin Hilliard

Military

media-13437.jpeg UPL 13437 43-38823 JD-H, 545th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group. On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until "rescued" by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.

384thbombgroup.com

Object Number - UPL 13437 - 43-38823 JD-H, 545th Bomb Squadron, 384th Bomb Group. On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their...

Assigned to the 384th BG 545th BS on AAF Station 106 Special Orders #239 dated 5 December 1944, Ranald MacDonald Crew, 16 combat missions.

RTD crashed near Kustrin on 26 Feb 45 in B-17 #43-38823, reported missing on MACR 12760.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

384th Bomb Group

Unit Hierarchy: Group
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

545th Bomb Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Air Force: Eighth Air Force
Type Category: Bombardment

People

Jack Barnett

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-770549
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Pilot, Co-pilot

Mario J Casagrande

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 35871344
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

John F Cunningham

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: 36856511
Highest Rank: Technical Sergeant
Role/Job: Engineer/Top Turret Gunner

John Frederick Foreman

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-777318
Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Role/Job: Bombardier; Navigator

Edwin L Holmes

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Aircraft

43-38823

Aircraft Type: B-17 Flying Fortress
Unit: 384th Bomb Group 545th Bomb Squadron

Missions

849

Date: 26 February 1945

Places

Grafton Underwood

Site type: Airfield
Known as: Grafton Undermud

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born	Missouri, USA	16 October 1924 - 22 September 2023
Enlisted	Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth, KS, USA	20 March 1943	Residence: Scotland County, Missouri Private, No Branch Assignment
Other Returned (RTD)	Poland	26 February 1945	On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until "rescued" by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.

Event

Location

Date

Description

Born

Missouri, USA

16 October 1924 - 22 September 2023

Enlisted

Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth, KS, USA

20 March 1943

Residence: Scotland County, Missouri Private, No Branch Assignment

Other

Returned (RTD)

Poland

26 February 1945

On the 26 February 1945 mission to Berlin, the crew was reported missing on MACR 12760. Their aircraft had a run-away prop and lost oxygen at 32,000 ft, possibly due to flak. They made a wheels-up forced landing in Rawa Ruska, Poland. The crew were met by Russians (allies at that time) and taken to Lvov, Poland for two weeks until "rescued" by a U.S. Salvage crew in a stripped-down B-17, who flew them to Poltve [Poltava?], Russia. ATC returned them to Grafton Underwood via Tehran, Iran, Athens, Greece, Cairo, Eqypt, Tunisia, Naples, Italy and Brighton, England.