SGT. Richard E. Wenrich was an Aerial Engineer and Gunner with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 321st Bombardment Group; 445th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, (MTO).

His Hometown was Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Saturday, 30 October 1943
321st BG “G” Squadron on Detached Service to Gambut, Libya
The 1st flight came in and said everything went along as scheduled. They went out after 2 “F” boats at Kos harbor, which they saw when they got up there and which they shot up to the best of their ability. Flak was intense and accurate coming form about 6 different directions so they didn’t waste any time getting out of there. While the 1st bunch was landing we got a radio call from F/O Keith who was leading the 2nd flight saying that Lt. Blacks plane was not coming back. That cryptic message made us all apprehensive and when Keith landed we got the details of this our first casualty. Both ships went in and peppered 3 M/Vs in Naxos harbor with 75’s and 50’s with no flak encountered. But after they turned off it started. It was only moderate but was accurate enough to hit Lt. Black’s ship, probably in the cockpit, because both engines were last seen functioning perfect when the ship hit the water. The Beaufighter eyewitness said the A/C broke into pieces on impact and no sight of life was seen. It was a shock to all of us as Lt. Black, although the newest man in the organization was well liked by all. Our hats are off to Lts. Black, Golden, and S/Sgts Norton, Ramsburg, Lang, and Wenrich. We’ll miss them. This episode can’t be dismissed without mention of another amazing item. When notified that Lt. Black’s plane went down, S/Sgt. Leist was digging a latrine, he was doing that extra duty because of carelessness and laxness. He wasn’t around when his plane took off and a substitute had to be procured in a hurry. The sub was S/Sgt. Ramsburg and the plane was 579, Lt. Black’s ill fated B-25.

SERGIUS P. NEPRASH, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Squadron Historian

Saturday, 30 October 1943
446th BS B-25G; Serial No. 42-64579; Plane Nicknamed: “Flying Caisson”; MACR- 1137; shot down by flak

THE CREW
P Black, Gordon J., 2Lt, 445th BS - DED
CP Golden, William (NMI), 2Lt, 445th BS - DED
N None
B None
E Ramsburg, Edwin E., S/Sgt, 446th BS - KIA, buried in Florence
R Lang, Arthur W., S/Sgt, 445th BS - KIA, buried in Florence
G Horton, Felton E., S/Sgt, 445th BS - KIA, buried in Florence
CL Wenrich, Richard E., Sgt, 445th BS - DED

Eyewitness Accounts: Fletcher, John Bratt, pilot, F/O, RAFVR, 47th Squadron

I saw a big flash on the Mitchell as it was going in to attack, and it then started to turn violently to port and then commenced a gradual glide to the water. He flew straight in and the A/C broke up. I circled and then I could see no sign of life in the wreckage. The other Mitchell was proceeding southwest and I caught him and told him over VHF what had happened and we came back to the area and both planes went over the wreckage again but still could see no sign of life in the wreckage.

J. Fletcher, Flight Officer, RAFVR, 47th Sq
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Eyewitness Accounts: Keith, Charles Frederick, F/O, pilot, 448th BS

(1) Four aircraft, 2 B-25’s and 2 Beaufighters attacked the harbor of Naxos on the Island of Naxos at 1600 hours on 30 Oct 1943. The axis of attack was 10 deg across the point of land jutting out of the west side of the island of Naxos and into the Harbor of Naxos.

(2) The attack was made on three M/V’s of 500 tons inside the harbor. Wild evasive action was used in crossing the point of land. 3 M/V’s were sighted straight ahead and about 3000 yards away. The attack continued to 1000 yards and the 2 B-25’s turned 90 deg to the left and started to leave the harbor. The number 1 ship pulled to an altitude of 200 feet and then started down towards the water thus doing evasive action. The number 2 ship turned at an altitude of under 200 feet ft and inside the number 1 ship. There was no flak encountered until the ships turned off the target run and started to break for safety. Then we encountered a great deal of medium and heavy flak. Most of the flak hit the water in front of the two ships. The number 2 ship continued on a heading of 150 deg and at a low altitude of 100 ft until it was seen by the gunners of number 1 ship, to crash in the water at a point two miles off Naxos harbor.

(3) The pilot of number 1 ship, Flight Officer Charles F. Keith, called the pilot of number 2 ship, 2nd Lt. Black, by VHF while the two ships were speeding away from the target and told him to make another left turn and start home. No answer was received from the number 2 ship.

(4) The number 1 ship made another left turn and started back on a heading of 150 deg and slowed to 179 mph. The number 1 ship continued on this heading approx 2 minutes and calling all ships in the flight. The only answer was from one Beaufighter.

(5) The number 1 ship and the Beaufighter returned to the outer entrance of the harbor and saw the oil slick where the number 2 ship crashed. There was no wreckage except what looked like a torn piece of a life raft. NO persons were seen in the water. (6) The missing Beaufighter was last seen by the gunners in the number 1 ship attacking the M/V’s after the number 1 ship started the second left turn. The gunners next saw the number 2 ship hit the water outside the harbor.

(7) There was no fire in the number 2 ship and both engines appeared to be running at normal power.

Charles F. Keith, F/O, AC,
321st Bmb Gp (M); 448th Bmb Sq (M)
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Eyewitness Accounts: Krueger, Charles Oliver., Sgt, gunner, 448th BS

I had been continuously scanning the harbor and 3 M/V’s for hits and indications of flak guns when our craft entered a left bank and turn to pull away from the target. This action resulted in cutting off my view towards the spot. I then looked away from that direction and towards the island opposite. I saw then the first flak. It burst well away from us and to our right. From its range and size and color of explosion I judged it to be 88 mm. From the time interval between that burst and subsequent appearances, I further judged only one gun of that size was firing. When next I was able to see the target our plane was approx 2500-3000 yards away and leveling off. At that time I saw our number 2 plane approaching us from the left, about 150 ft lower and on an intersecting course. I saw the pilot look up and both engines were turning and everything seemed normal. I picked them up after they passed under us and they seemed to be making a shallow right turn. I followed them for a few seconds and at the same time noting another flak burst in their range and vicinity. They were not hit then. I turned my attention back towards the target. I watched their gunnery patterns and then looked back to discover if our second plane was rejoining formation. It was nowhere in sight. In the same general area, in relation to the island opposite the target and about a mile to our rear, I observed a large splash in the water. In fact the water seemed to continue to rise as I looked. I did not immediately associate this splash with our number 2 craft until looked over the entire area, as we got back on a homing course, and could find no trace. We returned to this spot a few minutes later and circled a large oil slick. I saw no wreckage, and no survivors or bodies.
Charles O. Krueger, Sgt, 35304429
321st Bmb Gp (M); 448th Bmb Sq (M)
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Paragraph 15 - Description of the Extent of Search:

(1) After leaving Naxos Harbor and starting on a 150 deg heading, I checked to see where all the planes in the flight were. My turret gun reported that one B-25G had crashed and we were also short one Beaufighter.

(2) I immediately did a 180 deg turn, with the one remaining Beaufighter and returned to a position two miles outside Naxos Harbor. There I saw an oil slick and a piece of torn life raft at the position where the turret gun had reported that B-25G crashed.

(3) At this position I encountered heavy flak. It all fell 500 yds short of us.

(4) The remaining aircraft then returned to base.

Charles F. Keith

Richard E Wenrich