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LT Krenz' crew Standing (L to R): Lt. Carl M. Krenz (P), Lt. Edward J. Grenchus (CP), Lt. George R. Bowman, Jr. (N), unknown (B). Bottom Row (L to R): Cpl John F. Fellows, Cpl Arnold R. P. Mitchell, Cpl Edwin T. Morrell, Cpl John E. Wolff, Cpl - Theodore E. O'Neill, Jr., Cpl Dominik R. Wesloski. (Submitted by Scott Morrell, son of Edwin T. Morrell). |
The Krenz crew was shot down on a mission to bomb an Me-262 airfield at Parchim on April 7, 1945. The crew suffered 2 KIA and 8 POWed. According to witness reports, at 1456, at an altitude of 13,800', #528 was hit by FLAK. Engines #1 and #2 engines caught fire, which spread to the other engines and the aircraft lost altitude. The waist door was damaged, delaying the crew from bailing out immediately. Nine chutes were observed, S/SGT McMahon's parachute apparently failed to open and was killed. The cause of death for S/SGT O'Neill is unknown, but he may have fallen from his chute. CPL's Fellows and Mitchell were transferred and did not fly with this crew on this date. (MACR 14187)
S/SGT Morrell was assigned as to operate radar jamming equipment. S/SGT Morrell was responsible for identifying enemy radars and operating jamming equipment that would fill enemy radar returns with noise, making it difficult to track aircraft.
| CREW INFO | |||||
| Name | Rank | Position | First Mission | Last Mission | Status |
| Carl M. Krenz | 2nd LT | Pilot | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| Edward J. Grenchus | 2nd LT | Copilot | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| William C. J. Murphy | F/O | Navigator | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| George R. Bowman, Jr. | LT | Navigator | |||
| Roland R. Fricault | S/SGT | Flight Engineer/Top | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| Theodore E. O'Neill, Jr. | S/SGT | Radio Operator | 04/07/45 | KIA | |
| John F. Fellows | CPL | ||||
| Arnold R. P. Mitchell | CPL | ||||
| Edwin T. Morrell | S/SGT | Spot Jammer | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| John E. Wolff | S/SGT | Waist | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| Thomas G. McMahon | S/SGT | Waist | 04/07/45 | KIA | |
| Robert J. Crews | S/SGT | Tail | 03/07/45 | 04/07/45 | POW. 14 Missions. |
| Dominik R. Wesloski | SGT | Ball | 04/07/45 | POW | |
| MISSION INFO | |||||
| Mission | Date | Name | ID | S/N | Type |
| 174 | 03/28/45 | American Beauty | DG | 42-98008 | B17G |
| 175 | 03/30/45 | Dream King/Flak Sak | DP | 44-6580 | B17G |
| 176 | 03/31/45 | DH | 43-37958 | B17G | |
| 179 | 04/05/45 | DH | 43-37958 | B17G | |
| 180 | 04/07/45 | Flak Sak | DL | 44-8528 | B17G |
| Created: 04/27/00 | Modified: 09/13/12 |
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