MARAUDERS GAIN REVENGE FOR LOW-LEVEL SETBACK
27/3/44 - NO. 1.
NEWS SERVICE
C.E.A.N. 149
NEWS SERVICE
C.E.A.N. 149
Returning to the scene of their debut against Hitler’s European fortress, which they attacked twice in May, 1943 and which almost spelled the doom, U.S. B-26 Marauders, now of the 9th Air force, today wrought revenge when they blasted motor-torpedo boat works at Ijmidan, Holland.
In their initial combat mission from Britain, Marauders made an unsuccessful attempt to bomb a power station at Ijmuiden in a low-level attack on May 14. 1943. A second and final low-level raid was dispatched against the same target three days later. Ten of the b-26 medium bombers crossed the coast on this attack- none returned. German radio propagandists took full advantage of these two unsuccessful attacks.
The Marauders did not fly again until July 16 1943 when they began their long record of highly successful medium altitude attacks against various Nazi targets in France, Belgium and Holland. These fast medium bombers began to show what they could do.
A large number of men, who met defeat in the first attack against Ijmuiden, by Marauders last May, took part in yesterday’s successful raid. All of them are members of the same Group, which set out in the two formations, which suffered almost total defeat last May.
Revenge was particularly endured by Lieut. Col. Gover C. Celio of Nevada City, California, who flew on the first Ijuiden and who led the first formation of Marauders over the target yesterday afternoon, and who was forced to make a belly landing on his first flight.
On his first mission, Col. Celio had the hydraulic system on his ship shot out and had to make a crash landing upon returning to England. Yesterday, the colonel’s ship was hit by flak over the target area, and one engine conked out, but he flew the Marauder across the North Sea to return again. Capt. R. C. Fry pilot for “Too Much of Texas” and he had something to talk about. On the first mission Lt. R. C. (fearless) Fry now Capt. had to bring “Too Much of Texas” back on one engine and one third of the tail shot off. He said “this one is for my radio-gunner Tec./Sgt. Clyde D. Willis of Sumrall, Miss“. Now POW. Tec./Sgt. Clyde D. Willis was taken prisoner on that fatal second mission.
Lead navigator of the Marauders yesterday was Capt. Sheidon A Past, of 407 Keap Street, Brooklyn, New York who also was lead navigator on the first mission Lieut. Col O. D. Turner, of Sapulpa Oklahoma, who was injured on the first mission, said “the place looked the same, The flak was the same. But the situation was different this time. I just hoped the guys who shot me on the first raid were on the receiving end of our bombs this time.”
Staff/Sgt. Harold Baker, of West Spring, Mass., and engineer-gunner who had completed 50 combat missions requested that he is permitted to go on yesterday’s attack for “sentimental reasons”, he is also a veteran of the first low-level attack. ”The Germans can still shoot “, he stated “but not as good as they could then.”
Capt. Lewis J. Sebills, former Chicago night club master of ceremonies, pilot of the Marauder “Anonymous‘, He is also a veteran of the first low-level attack, “The bomb from the first box were on their way down when we let ours go. All of the explosives hit the dead center”.
“Yesterday’s mission was sweet revenge for that mission last year”, said veteran Tec/Sgt. E. D. Van Vures, of Mobile, Alabama, a radio-gunner A close friend of Tec,/Sgt. Clyde D. Willis radio-gunner shot down on second mission.
Another first mission veteran, 1st/Lieut. Arthur W. Bouquest, of 432, King William Street, San Antonio, Texas, pilot of “Queen Anne the second” said, “It was a wonderful feeling - giving it back to them”.
“After the destruction we caused there y’day, I feel we personally revenged the loss of our men over Ijmiden last year”. stated Staff/Sgt. Leveyde Grines of St. Stevens, Alabama, a veteran engineer-gunner.
“When we left the target I couldn't see it for smoke”, said Staff /Sgt Vero E. Poynter, of 715 South St. Andrews St., Los Angeles, California, Tail gunner of the “ Reluctant Dragon” another first attack veteran.
This trip was a cinch compared to the first one. When we turned away from the target you couldn’t see anything for the dust and smoke that boiled up. The flak was nothing compared to our first mission” said Capt. Howard M Posson, 3240 Low Avenue, Fresno, California, a pilot flying his 46th mission,
“It was the greasiest satisfaction of my life. We really settled the score yesterday and made me feel like a million dollars”, said 1st Lieut. A. A. Sarkisian, of East Chicago, Illinois, bombardier-navinagator on the “Fighting Cock” veteran of the; first attack, flying his 50th mission.
“Let me shake your hand”, beamed Col. Glen C. Nye , of Raleigh, North Carolina, who is now in command of the group that made the first mission. When Lieut, Sarkisian described how the bombs hit the target.
“What a great way to round out 50 missions. It was really sweet, I was on the first one, and I‘ve been itching to pay back their hot reception ever since. That’s a chance that came yesterday and we made the most of it”, said 1st Lieut. Benjamin E. Tillman of Tampa, Florida, bombardier-navigator on “Invictus”
Staff/Sgt. Paul Linquist of Geneva, Illinois, engineer-gunner on “Twist and Twirl” the first enlisted man to be wounded in a Marauder in the European theatre of operations when he received a deep wound from a 20 mm shell fragment on the first mission, said “The Marauders have come a long way in a year, We really blasted that target yesterday”
“I like Holland much better at two miles than at 50 feet”, stated 1st/Lieut. Clyde . Brumbaker, of Litchfield, Illinois, pilot of “Twist and Twirl”
Other veterans of the first mission to Ijmuiden who flew in yesterday's attack include;
Capt. George H Watson, from San Diego, California, Col. Celio’s co-pilot;
Capt, Jack T Tyson, navigator, of Albany Georgia;
Capt. Howard E. Short, Co-pilot, of Seguin, Texas;
Staff/Sgt. Waldo W. Shows, of Taylorville, Mississippi, radio operator;
Staff/Sgt. Jack W Hirsch, turret-gunner of Riverside Drive, New York;