Flew 19 combat missions. On 20th or 21st, shot down, listed as Missing in Action (MIA), and confirmed Killed in Action (KIA) 11 June 1949. MISSING AIRCREW REPORT. - #03331 AIRCRAFT- #42-109826 'THE ARSENAL' 'U' 6th MissionAIRCREW: HAFFERMEHL SQUADRON: 577th CREW POSITIONS AND STATUS:P 1Lt Haffermehl, George T, Prisoner of War (POW); CP 2Lt Macmullen, Donald R. INT; N 2Lt Parks, Kenneth C. INT; B 1Lt Poppet, Samuel B. INT; RO T/Sgt Beausoleil, Leon J. INT; Eng T/Sgt Parker, Earl S., Prisoner of War (POW); BG S/Sgt Mitchell, Jewell W. INT; WG S/Sgt Harwick, Michael G., Prisoner of War (POW); WG S/Sgt Wagner, Frederick J., Killed in Action (KIA); TG S/Sgt Landry, Louis H., Prisoner of War (POW); MISSION LOSS CIRCUMSTANCES: Eye-witness accounts of returning aircrews had no observations to report concerning the loss of this aircrew and plane. Later facts revealed that this aircraft had come under fighter attacks on the route outbound after target: the Pilot, Flight Engineer, both Waist Gunners and the Tail Gunner bailed out over Germany near Rottweil and were taken prisoner except for one Waist Gunner, Sergeant. Wagner, who was killed when his parachute did not open; and the Co-Pilot stayed with the ship and diverted it to Switzerland, crash landing the plane safely at Dubendorf Field (near Zurich) where he, the Navigator, Bombardier, Radio Operator and Ball Turret Gunner were interned. Their aircraft crash landed at Dubendorf at 1545 hours of the mission day. INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNTS' OF CREWMEN FATES: Pilot Haffermehl's 'Casualty Questionnaire' given after repatriation later to U. S. authorities was very brief on events that took place and had no precise knowledge to record except that he had seen Sergeant Landry and Sergeant Hardwick in good health the next day after they all were captured in Germany. In another report concerning his deceased Gunner, Sergeant Wagner, the Pilot stated 'five of us, including S/Sergeant.Wagner, bailed out when the plane was hit. I didn't see him (Wagner), but the tail gunner said that his parachute didn't open and that he saw S/Sergeant Wagner's body on the ground and positively identified it. Later unidentified Germans told me that he was dead'. Another crew member's account (name not given) on possible casualties of others on this crew stated that the Bombardier, Lt. Poppel, was last heard of giving out reports in the air on attacking enemy fighters and still later this crew member had received a letter in Prisoner of War (POW) Camp, Stalag Luft #4, from Poppel who was writing from internment in Switzerland. This account noted also that Lt. Poppel had been wounded by 20MM cannon fire at his crew station, but had recovered successfully. Still another crew member account given later (name not given) stated that the Bombardier was injured in the air, did not bail out, was last seen on the flight deck, and that the CoPilot had refused to bail out, electing to fly the ship towards Switzerland where it was crash landed safely. A German Report, Air Headquarters in Freiberg, #KU873A reported the captured of the (4) men taken prisoner as follows: Haffermehl at 1700 hours near Neierlingen, Waidshut County; Harwick and Landry at 1530 hours at Beren, Waldshut County, all on 18 March. This report also reported the recovery of the dead crew member, Sergeant Wagner. One last crew member account given on the fate of Sergeant. Wagner stated that another crewman in captivity with him later had actually seen the body of this Gunner lying on the ground, and Sergeant. Wagner's parachute was lying about him but had not opened. The man had suffered mortal wounds in his stomach area and underneath the chin. It was mentioned further that Sergeant Wagner had gotten out of the plane safely, but perhaps was too low or waited too long to pull the rip cord on his chute. Regarding the capture of the fourth crew member, Sergeant. Parker, the German report noted his being taken prisoner near the town of Rottweil at 1600 hours, 18 March. Survivor accounts also stated the crew's total combat mission count as (20) sorties. BURIAL RECORDS: The German records reflect that Sergeant Wagner was buried initially in the town cemetery at Boren, Waidshut County on 22 March. U. S. National overseas Military Cemetery listings show that Sergeant Wagner's remains were recovered from Germany and re-interred in the LORRAINE Cemetery (Grave # E-22-42). Records reflect that he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with (3) Oak Leaf Clusters. There is no indication of any posthumous awards. NEXT OF KIN DATA IN WWII: Information is as follows: Haffermehl (Wife, Beverly, Boston, Massachusetts); Poppel (Mother, Dora O. , Lowell, Massachusetts); MacMullen (Mother, Gertrude F. , Pottstown, Pennsylvania); Parks (Wife, Regina M. , Chicago, Illinois); Beausoleil (Father, Wilford, Alhambra, California); Parker (Mother, Ida M. Newburgh, Indiana); Harwick (Mother, Evelyn M. , Leechburg, Pennsylvania); Wagner (Sister, Madline S. Wagner, Glendale, Queens, New York); Mitchell (Mother, Dellie M. , Sulphur Springs, Texas); Landry (Mother, Laura, Lowell, Massachusetts).



AM w/ 3 Oak Leaf Cluster/ DFC



1 confirmed FW 190