Walter E Mangerich

Military

media-20309.jpeg UPL 20309 1LT Walter Mangerich
Pilot
458th BG
Interned in Switzerland 9 April 1944

458bg.com

Object Number - UPL 20309 - 1LT Walter Mangerich Pilot 458th BG Interned in Switzerland 9 April 1944

Shot down 9 April 1944 in B-24 #41-28667 'Jayhawker', Crashed in Sweden, Interned (INT).

Connections

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

Units served with

458th Bomb Group

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

752nd Bomb Squadron

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

People

Walter F Bogdanowicz

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Ball Turret Gunner

Eugene R Bonner

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: waist gunner

Fred L Buckner

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
Service Numbers: O-811002
Highest Rank: Second Lieutenant
Role/Job: Co-Pilot

Oscar L Chambers

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Staff Sergeant
Role/Job: Radio Operator, Radio Operator Gunner

William P Murray

Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
Nationality: American
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron
Highest Rank: Sergeant
Role/Job: Tail Gunner

Aircraft

41-28667

Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
Nicknames: Jayhawker
Unit: 458th Bomb Group 752nd Bomb Squadron

Places

Aerial photograph of Horsham St Faith airfield, 16 April 1946, taken by No. 541 Squadron, sortie number RAF/106G/UK/1428. English Heritage (RAF Photography).

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Born
Other Interned (INT)	Malmö, Sweden	9 April 1944	On Easter Sunday, 9 April 1944 our crew was scheduled to go on a mission to Tutow in western Germany to bomb an airfield. The weather was marginal at take-off time and we had to fly through an overcast on instruments to reach assembly altitude. Because of the poor weather and the large number of planes attempting to assemble in such a small area there were several mid-air collisions and many crews were not able to find their leaders and had to join other formations. We found our group and proceeded to a landfall in Denmark with little disturbance. As we were getting close to the target area we were attacked by fighter planes and there were no friendly planes in sight. I had a clear view of the plane that attacked us head on, and over the right wing. His guns knocked out our number 3 engine and set it on fire. Fortunately we were able to put out the fire. We salvoed the 10x500lb bombs, trimmed up the plane and by adding a little power, we were able to join the formation, but it wasn’t for long. Soon the cylinder head temperature on the number 4 was steadily creeping up to the red danger point. The oil pressure went down to zero. I decided to shut it down while I could still feather the prop. Apparently the oil line had been damaged in the attack. With the help of the co-pilot, the plane was stabilized and I cranked in enough trim to make it flyable. We could no longer stay with the formation so we peeled off, did a 180° turn and headed back. I planned to re-trace our course which was presumably the safest, but not the shortest. About that time the engineer came forward and said we had a severe gas leak and were very vulnerable to more fire or explosion. We shut down all the generators and the possible spark producing equipment and I told him to monitor our gas loss for a given period. Nobody was allowed to smoke. It soon became clear that we would not have enough gas to make it back to England, so rather than land in enemy occupied territory, we steered a course for Sweden. Meanwhile, all available fire extinguishers were located and made ready for use. The navigator located a field at Malmo and gave me a course heading. When we entered Swedish territory we were joined by two fighters as escort. About that time somebody decided we should destroy our “secret” documents on board (the bombardier had already destroyed the Norden bomb sight). We were very close to the field when we executed a 360° turn to facilitate the shredding and to permit them to scatter the remains to the wind. The escort pilots thought we were leaving and fired some warning shots. After we completed a wide circle, we headed to the field and made a tricky landing. We were led to a parking area. When the plane stopped, several crew members exited carrying the fire extinguishers. This excited the Swedish soldiers who made threatening gestures until I found one who spoke English and explained we were concerned about fire. We were led off to a barracks under guard and given something to eat. Later in the day a representative from the American Embassy explained our status. We became internees and from then on our life was similar to the other internees, which is well documented. We were repatriated in November 1944, returned to England to fly again, but before we were able to go on a mission, the Pentagon said no more internees on missions.

Event

Location

Date

Description

Born

Other

Interned (INT)

Malmö, Sweden

9 April 1944

On Easter Sunday, 9 April 1944 our crew was scheduled to go on a mission to Tutow in western Germany to bomb an airfield. The weather was marginal at take-off time and we had to fly through an overcast on instruments to reach assembly altitude. Because of the poor weather and the large number of planes attempting to assemble in such a small area there were several mid-air collisions and many crews were not able to find their leaders and had to join other formations. We found our group and proceeded to a landfall in Denmark with little disturbance. As we were getting close to the target area we were attacked by fighter planes and there were no friendly planes in sight. I had a clear view of the plane that attacked us head on, and over the right wing. His guns knocked out our number 3 engine and set it on fire. Fortunately we were able to put out the fire. We salvoed the 10x500lb bombs, trimmed up the plane and by adding a little power, we were able to join the formation, but it wasn’t for long. Soon the cylinder head temperature on the number 4 was steadily creeping up to the red danger point. The oil pressure went down to zero. I decided to shut it down while I could still feather the prop. Apparently the oil line had been damaged in the attack. With the help of the co-pilot, the plane was stabilized and I cranked in enough trim to make it flyable. We could no longer stay with the formation so we peeled off, did a 180° turn and headed back. I planned to re-trace our course which was presumably the safest, but not the shortest. About that time the engineer came forward and said we had a severe gas leak and were very vulnerable to more fire or explosion. We shut down all the generators and the possible spark producing equipment and I told him to monitor our gas loss for a given period. Nobody was allowed to smoke. It soon became clear that we would not have enough gas to make it back to England, so rather than land in enemy occupied territory, we steered a course for Sweden. Meanwhile, all available fire extinguishers were located and made ready for use. The navigator located a field at Malmo and gave me a course heading. When we entered Swedish territory we were joined by two fighters as escort. About that time somebody decided we should destroy our “secret” documents on board (the bombardier had already destroyed the Norden bomb sight). We were very close to the field when we executed a 360° turn to facilitate the shredding and to permit them to scatter the remains to the wind. The escort pilots thought we were leaving and fired some warning shots. After we completed a wide circle, we headed to the field and made a tricky landing. We were led to a parking area. When the plane stopped, several crew members exited carrying the fire extinguishers. This excited the Swedish soldiers who made threatening gestures until I found one who spoke English and explained we were concerned about fire. We were led off to a barracks under guard and given something to eat. Later in the day a representative from the American Embassy explained our status. We became internees and from then on our life was similar to the other internees, which is well documented. We were repatriated in November 1944, returned to England to fly again, but before we were able to go on a mission, the Pentagon said no more internees on missions.

Revisions

Date16 Apr 2020 20:22:08

Contributorjmoore43

Changes

Sources

Added a "-" to the A/C serial number in the "Summary biography" to aid clarity & consistency.

Date1 Feb 2016 01:25:21

Contributor466thHistorian

Changes

Sources

458bg.com

Date1 Feb 2016 01:21:50

Contributor466thHistorian

Changes

Sources

458bg.com

Date27 Sep 2014 18:26:51

ContributorAAM

Changes

Sources

Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / MACR 3835 / MACR 3835 & Page 279 of the book LIBERATORS OVER NORWICH by Mackay, Bailry & Scorza, 2010, D790G4582010 / Paul Andrews, Project Bits and Pieces, 8th Air Force Roll of Honor database