 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Individual crewmen in photo have yet to be identified
|
|
Brague Crew 718 Summary
|
|
The Brague Crew 718 was one of the original crews that trained with the group in Alamogordo, New Mexico. They transferred into the 492nd on 26 Jan 44 as crew 110 from the 331st CCTS (Combat Crew Training School) in Casper, Wyoming. While in New Mexico they had two personnel changes in their roster. They were assigned to the 857th BS, designated as Crew 718.
|
|
Lt Roger Brague signed out for a new B-24J, 44-40088. They nicknamed it KATIE JEAN after the wives of the pilot and co-pilot, Katie and Jean. In April of '44 they flew their assigned ship to England via the southern route. They took their Crew Chief with them, thus bumping Sgt Dorow onto the Queen Elizabeth.
|
|
By our count, Lt Brague flew as aircraft commander of Crew 718 on 3 missions. We think the entire crew flew on all three, without any substitutions or extra passengers.
|
|
On 19 May 44, they flew with the Group on a bombing mission to attack a marshalling yard in Brunswick, Germany. Their position in the Group's formation was on the far right. Always a dangerous position as the Luftwaffe often likes starting at one end, chewing their way across. As they were approaching their target, the 492nd got caught without fighter protection by about 40 German fighters. The wave of enemy FW-190s came in quickly from about one to two o'clock high. Lt Brague and S/Sgt Gaul were immediately killed in the initial strike and Sgt Klasztorowski was severely wounded. It's thought that others were trying to help him when the plane blew up. The plane turned itself and began heading west when it exploded.
|
|
Just before the plane fireballed, Lt Wymond, Sgt Dorow and Sgt Kline were able to get out. The blast threw two more men, Lt DeRose and Lt Warakomski, from the plane and they survived and parachuted safely to the ground. A total of five men were killed.
|
|
Lt Wymond said was in such a hurry that he put his chest pack on upside down, thus having a hard time finding the ripcord. By the time he did find it, the land below was coming at him fast. He landed near Mandelsloh and was held with two men from the Lewis Crew 813. See the story link "War Rains Down On Mandelsloh" in the More Info column to the right will give more details of what happened to him.
|
|
The rest of the crew as well as pieces of the plane fell on or near the town of Lutter. Initial reports said Sgt Kline was beaten to death by German citizens. The truth is he was murdered by one man well after he was caught. The story link "War Rains Down On Lutter" in the More Info column to the right will give many accurate details of what happened to Sgt Kline and the rest of the crew.
|
|
Casualty count: 6 KIA, 4 POW, MACR 5246.
|
|
All six of the dead were initially buried in the Lutter Cemetery. After the war their bodies were recovered and buried in US cemeteries.
|
|
Side note: At Stalag Luft III, Lt Wymond bunked in the same room with Lts Arnett, Stewart and Gavitt, all from the Arnett Crew 717 who were also shot down that day. The Brague Crew flew on Arnett's right wing, who had all seen their plane get hit and explode.
|
|
|
|
|
More Info |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Original Roster for
Brague Crew 718
|
|
| Position |
Name |
Rank |
Serial # |
Notes |
Pilot
MOS 1024 |
Brague, Roger J |
2nd Lt |
O-807813 |
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246
Buried, Ardennes A-11-7 |
Co-Pilot
MOS 1022 |
DeRose, William J |
2nd Lt |
O-813380 |
POW, 19 May 44, MACR 5246, Stalag Luft III
NARA AAD POW file has his ASN O-813480 |
Navigator
MOS 1034 |
Wymond, Philip C |
2nd Lt |
O-691848 |
POW, 19 May 44, MACR 5246, Stalag Luft III |
Bombardier
MOS 1035 |
Warakomski, Chester H |
2nd Lt |
O-755064 |
POW, 19 May 44, MACR 5246 |
Engineer
MOS 748 |
Fabisiak, Theodore F |
S/Sgt |
32586872 |
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246
Buried, Ardennes B-31-47 |
Radio
Operator
MOS 757 |
Gaul, Clyde E |
S/Sgt |
15130667 |
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246 |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Klasztorowski, Arthur B |
Sgt |
36501096 |
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246 |
Gunner
MOS 611 |
McKee, Philip |
Sgt |
36647268 |
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246
Buried, Ardennes C-9-17 |
Gunner
MOS 757 |
Kline, Vincent M |
Cpl |
17087187 |
Promoted Sgt
KIA, 19 May 44, MACR 5246
Killed by a German civilian |
Gunner
MOS 612 |
Dorow, Harold E |
Sgt |
16088932 |
Arrived to the UK via the Queen Elizabeth
POW: 19 May 44, MACR 5246, Stalag Luft IV
Seen name as Dorrow |
| |
Others Who Flew with Brague Crew 718
|
Crew Chief
MOS 750 |
Bartlett, A C |
S/Sgt |
37101035 |
Flew to England with the crew |
|
Brague Crew 718
492nd BG Mission Record
857th Bomb Squadron
|
|
Crew
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Number |
Group
Mission
Date |
Aircraft
Serial
Number |
Primary Target |
Mission Notes |
| 01 |
|
11 May 44 |
44-40088 |
Mulhouse, France |
Target: Marshalling yard |
| 02 |
|
13 May 44 |
|
Tutow, Germany |
Target: Airfield |
| 03 |
|
19 May 44 |
44-40088 |
Brunswick, Germany |
Target: Marshalling yard
Lost: 6 KIA, 4 POW, MACR 5246 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
