| Allgemein | |
|---|---|
| Hersteller: | Boeing |
| Produktionsblock: | , B-17G-15-BO: 42-31332 bis 42-31431 |
| Einsatzgeschichte | |
|---|---|
| Bomber-Gruppe: | , 452nd Bomb Group |
| Bomber-Staffel: | , 731st Bomb Squadron |
| MACR: | 13886 |
| Schicksal: |
, Kollision in der Luft mit Feindflugzeug (07 April 1945) |
Geschichte der
B-17 42-31366 / Old Outhouse – Never A Dry Run aka Snake Eyes
Delivered Cheyenne 25/10/43; Walla Walla 9/11/43; Assigned 731BS/452BG Deopham Green 3/1/44; Missing in Action Kaltenkirchen 7/4/45 with Dave Owens, Co-pilot: Jim Smouse, Navigator: Gene Ahrens, Bombardier: John Kennedy, Flight engineer/top turret gunner: Phil Ellis, Radio Operator: Frank Rudinsky, Ball turret gunner: Don Phelps, Waist gunner: Bill Auferoth,Tail gunner: Marion Rodgers (9 Killed in Action); mid air coll with Me 109, crashed Stadthagen, Ger. Missing Air Crew Report 13886. OLD OUTHOUSE – NEVER A DRY RUN aka SNAKE EYES.
Informationen können Korrekturen und Ergänzungen auf Grundlage von Jings Recherchen enthalten.
B-17 42-31366 / Old Outhouse – Never A Dry Run aka Snake Eyes Details
Folgende Aussage wurde von der S-2 Section, 452nd Bomb Group, bei einem Verhör nach der Rückkehr des Einsatzes gemacht:
Flugzeug Nr. 42-31366 der 452nd „A“ wurde gegen 1259 Uhr in der Nähe von 52°30″N – 09°20″E von einer trudelnden ME-109 in die Nase getroffen. Drei Männer fielen brennend heraus, und man sah, wie sich 2 bis 5 Fallschirme öffneten.
Quelle: MACR 13886
B-17 42-31366 / Old Outhouse – Never A Dry Run aka Snake Eyes Crew
| Position | Rang | Name (Vorname, Initiale, Nachname) | Status | Bemerkung |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 2LT | David L. Owens | KIA | - |
| CP | F/O | James I. Smouse, Jr. | KIA | - |
| NAV | 2LT | Gene F. Ahrens | KIA | - |
| ENG/TT | T/SGT | Philip G. Ellis | KIA | - |
| RO | T/SGT | Frank A. Rudinsky | KIA | - |
| BT | S/SGT | Donald V. Phelps | KIA | - |
| WG | S/SGT | William D. Auferoth | KIA | - |
| TG | S/SGT | Marion F. Rodgers | KIA | - |
| TOG | T/SGT | John B. Kennedy, Jr. | KIA | - |
Diese Seite wurde zuletzt am 24. Juli 2023 aktualisiert
Kommentar schreiben
Helfen Sie mit, das Archiv zu erhalten: Ich investiere viel Zeit in diese Recherche-Ergebnisse. Wenn Ihnen meine Arbeit hilft, freue ich mich über eine kleine Unterstützung!
01. Juni 2021 access_time 2:09
I’m writing to find information on a Jim Smouse for a family friend. This says that Jim went missing in action. The Jim Smouse I knew new came home. He gave me is uniform and photo album. I do not remember a story of going missing. He was a great man. I wish I knew him better. He dead of cancer in 1986. The name is somewhat unique. It about has to be him. Do you have anymore information please? Great website. Thank you for your time.
24. Juli 2023 access_time 21:25
Hello David,
Jim Smouse in this crew was from Los Angeles, California. His full name was James I. Smouse, Jr. His Army Serial Number was T-4957.
Maybe this information is helpful for you.
Cheers
Jing
23. August 2024 access_time 19:56
You are sure, that we talk about the same Smouse? James I. Smouse was KIA on 7th April 1945. Previously buried north of Thören, Lower Saxony, close to the wracked aircraft. Now he rest at Ardennes American Cemetery Plot D Row 3 Grave 13.
01. Oktober 2024 access_time 3:28
My uncle was Marion Rodgers,, the tail gunner in snake eyes. I have interviewed gunners in the plane next to snake eyes. I have interviews with German pilots on that mission to ram the B-17s. I have also been to the crash site in Germany. There was a priest and several German soldiers who buried the crew. I also have statements from civilians on the ground. The German pilot attacked from the rear high. He was attempting to ram the tail of the B-17. He missed, but came back up from underneath and rammed the aircraft in the nose. Snake eyes immediately went down in a spin. About 300 feet above the ground she levelled off, the tail broke away and she crashed into a large field surrounded by pine forests. There is a large oak tree in that field and the locals referred to it as such. All the crew were killed. In speaking with others that were previously in the crew,,, they described Smouse as a recent addition to the crew. He was from Los Angeles and been a drummer in a famously known big band. I have a lot more, but this should clear up your question on James Smouse
19. Juni 2025 access_time 19:26
My grandmother’s cousin, John „Jack“ Kennedy was on this mission. Thank you for this information.
08. Juli 2026 access_time 23:28
Steve,
Boy would I love to have the opportunity to correspond with you! I am amazed by what you shared about my great uncle, James I. Smouse, Jr. Until today, I had never known that my great uncle was a drummer. It’s especially astonishing in light of the fact that I started playing drums at age 10, was the drummer in my high school big band and managed to qualify for and play in the Monterey Jazz Festival with my high school quartet. My wife and I are utterly blown away by all of this. I hope to be able to connect with you someday. All of this comes over me like a wave, as I’ve been watching the History Channel’s recently released 18 episode series on WWII hosted by Tom Hanks which has impelled me to find out more about my great uncle and those amazing men – American heroes – with whom he served, including your dear uncle, Marion Rodgers. I feel as thought I’m late to the table in learning more about and properly honoring these brave men, although it’s been in my heart to do so for as long as I can remember. So much information has come to the surface in just these last few years. It’s really remakable. Hoping to hear from you and/or anyone else who might be part of this legendary family of airmen.
With utmost sincerity and respect,
Matt
10. Juli 2026 access_time 19:53
Hi Steve, Maybe you’ve seen this account from this facebook post regarding your uncle, Marion:
Tony Patrinostro
„Dad saw this happen and was actually given credit for shooting this Me109. Of course, at the time they initially thought the rammings were incidental. I have a „news release“ letter sent to his hometown newspaper in which he supposedly describes the incident. He didn’t see the letter until after the war, and said the letter was a little (a lot) embellished and that he didn’t think he was actually keeping up with the Me109 as he was firing at it. He said that dozens of guns were likely shooting at it and, after debriefing all involved, they simply picked out who they thought had the most likely chance of hitting it and assigned credit. He said that when enemy aircraft were spotted, he told the tailgunner that he was going to rotate his turret to the rear to help watch in that direction. As he was rotating, the 109s began coming through the formation and he immediately reversed direction as this one passed through but didn’t believe it was moving fast enought to keep up. He noticed that the landing gear were down but thought that it was because it was previously hit causing the gear to descend. As he fired at it, it turned and rammed the neighboring B-17. Soon after, he saw another plane pull up into the nose of Snake Eyes just above and ahead of them. He said he vividly remembered watching a detached wing with the black cross marking fluttering down over his turret like a leaf as they flew through the debris. One of the crew of Snake Eyes, Marion Rodgers, was a former crew mate of the togglier on Dad’s crew, Loyd Kern. They survived being shot down over France and evading capture some time earlier and that crew was broken up and reassigned to various crews who needed replacements. He said that the two friends, Marion and Loyd, had a ritual whereby they would seek each other out before a mission and say, „See you at tea time.“ On April 7, Dad heard a banging on the waist door after they had already boarded and were preparing to take off. It was Marion. He told Dad to tell Loyd, „See you at tea time“. Dad said he thought that he might have been the last person outside of Marion’s own crew to have spoken to him. Definitely a sad day for the 452nd. Dad kept the „GAF Tactics“ poster for that day from the 730th hut. I still have it…“
https://www.facebook.com/groups/452nd/posts/2216750935003597/