27 DECEMBER 1944 70 years ago, on december 27, 1944, The SNAFU Special participated in the last glider mission to Bastogne, a fifty-glider mission to resupply the besieged troops. Thirteen aircraft of the 440th TCG were in DS with the 439th TCG, flying the last thirteen elements of the formation. On this 27 december, the crew flying The SNAFU Special was : 1st Lt. James P. Harper (P) - 2nd Lt. Donald M. Smaltz (CP) – Sgt. Joseph R. Buckner (RO) – T/Sgt. Laffette J. Nerren (CC) When they made the final approach toward the LZ, the 440th planes saw flak clouds virtually obscure the planes ahead and they encountered the heaviest flak barrage they have ever seen. As a result, only five aircraft of the thirteen made their way back without being shot-down, four of them returned to Orleans and the last one was forced to make a crash-landing in friendly territory. Donald Orcutt, a flight leader in the 95th TCS described the extent of damages to the surviving planes : « Harpers aircraft was a flying wreck. Both main tires had been shot off and he landed on the bare wheels, losing one completely during the roll out. The fuselage and wings had been shredded by twenty millimeter and small arms fire. Rudder and elevator fabric was almost nonexistent. Fuel was leaking from the tanks. There were even holes in the propeller blades. It was a miracle that both engines continued to run. Rideouts aircraft was in much the same condition. » The SNAFU Special was badly damaged and she spend one month in the 64th Service Squadron to have major battle damage repaired and return to the Squadron. 1st Lt. James P. Harper never flew again The SNAFU Special. Remember those of the 440th TCG who made the supreme sacrifice on December 27, 1944: - Captain Wilton C. Smith - 2nd Lt. Arthur A. Calderwood - T/Sgt. Floyd E. McConnel - S/Sgt. Anthony T. Piraino - 1st Lt. Stanley J. Zdun - F/O Seymour R. Belinky - T/Sgt. Lawrence P. Marsh - Captain David G. Morton - F/O Virgil W. Anderson - T/Sgt. Worth B. White, Jr. - 1st Lt. Ernest O. Foster - 2nd Lt. Lewis F. Green - 1st Lt. Michael H. Brady - 2nd Lt. John S. Bachman - 1st Lt. Alan J. Maeder - 2nd Lt. Lee W. Dahman May they rest in Peace!
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 10:03:25 +0000
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