Lt Lyle L Edwards, B-25 Combat Pilot /Shot-Down /POW

O&748876 EDWARDS LYLE L ARMY Kansas North African Theatre: Italy Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated GERMANY Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11 O&748876 EDWARDS LYLE L ARMY Kansas North African Theatre: Italy Returned to Military Control, Liberated or Repatriated GERMANY Stalag Luft 3 Sagan-Silesia Bavaria (Moved to Nuremberg-Langwasser) 49-11

Monday, 24 January, 1944 321st Bomb Group, 447th BS History; (Assigned to Squad) 447th BS War Diary; Mission cancelled. The following new men were assigned to this squadron today: 2nd Lt. M. K. Matthewson, from the 310th, 1st Lt. H. J. Banks, nd Lt. 2nd LT Lyle L Edwards, 2nd Lt. C. F. Jones, Cpl. Walter F. K. Tollefson, S/Sgt. E. P. Harriman and S/Sgt. W. E. Matthews. 2nd Lt. R. P. Dunn transferred from this squadron. Sgt. L. J. Steves transferred to hospital. The officers had as their guests last evening none other than Mr. and Mrs. Humphrey Bogart.

1st Mission; #42-64694 "Yankee Girl" in the CP seat with Pilot Lt Fred Ryherd.

2nd Mission; #42-64694 "Yankee Giel" on Tuesday 25 January, 1944 with Lt Ryherd.

3rd Mission; #42-64512 "Scotch and Soda" on Tuesday, 27 Jan. 1944 w/ Ly Ryherd.

4th Mission; #41-13175 "St Myrtle the II" on Wed, 28 Jan.'44 with Lt Robt. Knodle.

5th Mission; #41-30557 (Unknown name) on Sat, 29 Jan.'44 with Lt Ryherd.

6th Mission; #41-12997 "Southern Belle" on Sun. 30 Jan. '44 with Lt Ryherd.

7th Mission; #41-12997 "Southern Belle" ALSO on Sun. 30 Jan.'44 with Lt Ryherd.

8th Mission; #42-53371 "Death Wind" on Tues. 1 Feb.'44 with Lt. Kenneth DeMay.

9th Mision; #42-64695 (Unknown nmae) on Wed. 2 Feb.'44 with Lt James Davidson (and as a note, also with RADAR/Radio/Gunner T/Sgt Edward C Ennis)

10th Mission; #42-64695 (Unknown name) on Tuesday, 8 Feb.'44 with Lt Henry Stephenson

11th Mission; #42-32498 "Dumbo" on Mon. 14 Feb. '44. 1st Pilot Lt Lyle Edwards

12th Mission; #41-30538 "Shad Rack, You Done Crapped Again" Tues. 15 Feb.'44 Lt Edwards.

Lt. Edwards’ plane made a single engine landing at Pompeii but returned to the squadron later in the day.

Lt Edwards, 447th, had oil line shot out over target and landed at Naples. Returned to base at 1630, just after dropping 4 x 1000 lbs.

12th Mission; ____ (More to come…. )_

**

Tuesday, 28 March 1944 (Shot-Down)

Tuesday, 28 March 1944
USAAF Chronology: MTO Tactical Operations (12th AF)
In Italy, B-25s knock out the bridge approach E of Perugia and bomb the railway junction and marshalling yard at Montepescali; B-25s bomb a railway bridge S of Mignano and viaduct to the SE, and hit Certaldo railway bridge; A-20s attack a tank factory N of Tivoli; P-40s strike guns in the Anzio area; guns, trucks, and roads during armed reconnaissance of the Cassino-Giulianello area; and supply dumps and truck parks near Velletri and Sora; A-36s attack 2 railroad bridges and tracks at Montalto di Castro and near Orvieto; and fighters carry out a patrol over the Anzio and Cassino areas. Moves in Italy: HQ 87th Fighter Wing from Caserta to Bastia, Corsica; and HQ 57th Fighter Group and 65th and 66th Fighter Squadrons from Cercola to Alto, Corsica with P-47s.

HQ 321st BG War Diary: (No non-mission information)

HQ 321st BG Mission Summary: (Ops Order 282/mission 281) Group Mission # 244: Back to Perugia Railroad Bridge, 19 of our bombers found the flak waiting for them with the result that two of our planes were shot down and every plane in the formation holed. Lt. Jones was seen to make a controlled landing in Lake Trasinieno. Three chutes were seen to open from Lt. Edwards ship—the second to go down. Lt. Jones is from the 448th; Lt. Edwards, 447th. Photos show a scattered pattern of bombs falling east of the bridge with at least one direct hit on the tracks.

Edwards, Lyle L., 1Lt, pilot, 447th BS Jones, Truman R., 2Lt, pilot, 448th BS

321st BG: Mission No: 244 Date: 28 Mar 44 No A/C: 20
Squadrons: 445-5 446-4 447-5 448-6
Target: R.R. bridge Perugia
Time Up: 1436 T.O.T.: 1635 Time Down: 18 at 1745
Axis of Attack: Principle: 45° Height: 11/11,500 ft.
Planes Holed: 17 Bombs Dropped: 72x1000
Planes Lost: 2 – Plane #498, Lt. Edwards, pilot, 447th Squadron hit just after dropping
bombs and seen to go down in flames and hit ground. 3 chutes observed, two open. Plane #552, Lt. Jones, pilot, 448th Squadron reported hit just after leaving target and making controlled landing near small island in Lake Trasinieno.
Route: Base to N-7040, N-2568, H-0853, G-6291, A-9122, A-5378, target to R-7705, X-
0199, B-2806, G-6291 to base.
Weather: Enroute and return: Clouds: 6/10 cumulus, base at 5,000, tops 10,000’ to
Terni, from then on to target clouds nil. Visibility: Unlimited.
Target: CAVU.
Escort: 20 P-40’s
Flak: At target: Heavy, intense, accurate in four gun salvoes from southwest of bridge
along river and from batteries from west side of A/D and from northeast of town.
Also from just east of Baschi and Orvieto, Heavy, meager and accurate.

Edwards, Lyle L., 1Lt, pilot, 447

th BS #42-32498 MACR 3518 / lost.

57th Bomb Wing Historical Research Team, John T Fitzgerald, Patti Johnson and Barbara Ennis Connolly (321st BG Historian) PRINCESSBARBIB25@msn.com _