Harry L Metzgar
Military
Uploaded on behalf of Michael Fontanarosa.
Object Number - UPL 30054 - Cartoon by Joseph J Rosa of his crew in B-26 'Cactus Jack'.
On 21-Sep-43 while serving as Bombardier in B-26B 41-31721 'Cactus Jack' 387BG/559BS his aircraft was despatched with 36 other B-26s to bomb the German airfield of Beauvais/Tillie, France. The aircraft sustained major damage from AA fire over the target and he and the rest of the crew baled out of the stricken aircraft. He along with 4 of his crewmates were captured as Prisoners of War (POW) 2 others managed to evade capture. The aicraft crashed about two miles northeast of the target.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Ninth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-26 Marauder
- Nicknames: Cactus Jack
- Unit: 387th Bomb Group 559th Bomb Squadron
Missions
- Date: 21 September 1943
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Willingale
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Other Prisoner of War (POW) |
Zagan, Poland | 21 September 1943 - 4 June 1945 | Held at Stalag Luft 3, Sagan-Silesia (now Poland) moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser. Officially Returned to Military Control (RMC) 4-Jun-45. |
Revisions
Lee Cunningham 26-Jun-2015. Correcting typo in Summary biography.
Lee Cunningham 26-Jun-2015. Added NEW person entry. All data from MACR 614, "Losses of the 8th & 9th Air Forces", Stan Bishop & John A. Hey MBE; and National Archives Records Administration (NARA) WWII POW database.
