Wilma T Caldwell Jr

Military ROLL OF HONOUR

On 22-Aug-43 in B-26C 41-34971 "Pay Off" [RU:Q] 386BG/544BS while serving as pilot on a mission to bomb the German airfield Beaumont Le Roger, the aircraft was attacked by a German fighter killing the Navigator 2LT Frank A. Schultz and setting the right engine on fire. 2LT Caldwell ordered the remaining crew to bail out but he stayed with the aircraft and attempted to make a crash landing at Brionne, France. The aircraft crashed and burned in the attempt. EDIT: As reported by Chester Klier and by Sgt Billie Boyd (in wing aircraft "The Bad Penny") "Pay Off" was struck by both flak and a FW-190 and was on fire. After the last man (4) bailed out through the open bomb bay doors 3-6 seconds elapsed, and the aircraft blew up into three large parts. Wilma Caldwell went down at the controls, attempting to maintain it under control until the remainder of his crew could bail out.

Killed in Action (KIA). In recognition of Lieutenant Caldwell's selfless act, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Connections

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Units served with

Lieutenant James T. Wilson and Lieutenant Robert J. Owen of the 386th Bomb Group in the cockpit of their B-26 Marauder. Image stamped on reverse: 'Not to be published.' [stamp], 'Ministry of Information 19 Aug 1943.' [stamp] nand '279545.' [Censor no.] Printed caption on reverse: 'AT THE US MARAUDERS BASE. The B-26 Marauders, American super medium bombers are operating now from bases in Britain. This series of pictures shows various scenes at the airfield where the ground crew and the fliers work together
  • Unit Hierarchy: Group
  • Air Force: Ninth Air Force
  • Type Category: Bombardment

Aircraft

Major Thomas I Ramsey of the 386th Bomb Group with a B-26 Marauder (RU-Q, serial number 41-34971) nicknamed "Pay Off". Passed as censored 30 Sep 1943, Passed for publication 2 Oct 1943. Printed caption on reverse: 'America's "Red Devil" [a censor has omitted 'Red Devil'] Flyers. USP/2247-7. Major Thomas I. Ramsey, Commander of the Black Panther [ammended by censor to say 'Red Devil'] Squadron, is from Palacios, Texas, talks with a slow Texas drawl, is mild mannered but runs an efficient, well disciplined
  • Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
  • Nicknames: Pay Off
  • Unit: 386th Bomb Group 554th Bomb Squadron

Missions

Places

Events

Event Location Date Description

Other

Killed in Action (KIA)

Brionne, France 22 August 1943 B-26B-15 MA 41-34971 'Pay Off ' crashed one mile northeast of Brionne near Rouen, France. 386th BG was part of the 8th BG from July-October 1943

Buried

Bernay, France 24 August 1943 Buried by the Germans in the Community Cemetery at Bernay, France. Exact location in the cemetery has not been determined.

Revisions

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ContributorUSAFflyboy07
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CITATION:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Second Lieutenant (Air Corps) Wilma Thomas Caldwell, Jr. (ASN: 0-521569), United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a B-26 Medium Bomber in the 554th Bombardment Squadron, 386th Bombardment Group (M), EIGHTH Air Force, while participating in a bombing mission on 22 August 1943, against enemy ground targets at Beaumont le Roger, France. Shortly after the completion of the bombing run, the airplane piloted by Lieutenant Caldwell was attacked by an enemy fighter, which resulted in an engine being damaged and a fire, which involved the fuel tanks being started in the bomb bay. Faced with the imminent destruction of his crippled and almost unmanageable plane, subjected to the intense heat of the growing fire, and in spite of radio warnings from other pilots in his formation, Lieutenant Caldwell chose to remain at the controls of his ship, keeping it in a controlled glide in order to give his crew an opportunity to escape. After the fourth man had parachuted to safety, the plane exploded in midair. The gallantry displayed by Lieutenant Caldwell in sacrificing his life for his comrades is in keeping with the finest traditions of the United States Army and reflects reflect great credit upon himself, the 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces.

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Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://95thbg.org/95th_db_pages/left_formation_code/gethonoroll.php

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Contributorjmoore43
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Added "Possible DUPLICATE" in the Nickname field so an Admin can check out this person.

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ContributorEdgy01
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self.

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ContributorEdgy01
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From witness accounts.

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ContributorEdgy01
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From published 386th History.

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ContributorEdgy01
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Known facts (personally)

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ContributorEdgy01
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As related to me by Chester Klier (unit historian), wing gunner Billie Boyd (On the "Bad Penny") and "Pay Off" tail gunner Ed Sharpe.

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Merged with duplicate entry to include details from:
- the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia ;
- Losses of the 8th and 9th AFs by Bishop and Hey, Combat Chronology Supplement;
- MACR 0375

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ContributorLee8thbuff
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Lee Cunningham 25-May-2015. Service number and loss details per Missing AIr Crew Report 375; burial location per "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE. Connection made to mission within existing website data.

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ContributorTanks
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ContributorAAM
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Sources

MACR 375 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database