Alfred Casswell Emert was born on March 12, 1919, in Lincoln, Lincoln County, Washington to William Alexander Emert (1877-1944) and Mary Caroline (Ogle) Emert (1881-1969). Siblings were Arland, Dee, Phil, Patricia, Delbert.

Military

Alfred Emert enlisted in the Air Corps in July 1942 and was stationed in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. On 21 October 1943 1Lt. Emert married Ada Garland in Cheyenne Wyoming, they moved to Scottsbluff to start their life together. Lt. Emert was sent overseas in 1944 and served as bombardier in the 801st Bomb Group/ 36th Bomb Squadron in England. The Ventriloquist 35 crew took off from Harrington at 23:13hrs on 4 July 1944 on a secret Carpetbagger mission of weapons and supplies delivery to the French Underground in the Loir-et-Cher area, France. Missing Air Crew Report - MACR 6990. After successful drop, they were shot down by ME110 over Orléans, France. A/c caught fire and crashed at 00:10hrs, 5 July, near Champgirault at Trancrainville (Eure and Loire). Co-Pilot Edward Tappan was the only survivor.

Alfred Emert and 6 other members of the 8-man crew were killed in the mid-air explosion and they are commemorated on a plaque on a wall at the entrance to the Trancrainville cemetery. Married to Ada Ethel Garland before being sent overseas, Alfred was killed on his 15th mission, one month before daughter Alfreda was born. courtesy British Air Museum

1Lt. Alfred C. Emert is memorialized at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton, Umatilla County, Oregon.

There is a plaque in memory of the 7 crew members of 42-72873 who lost their lives on the night of 5 July 1944. (See photo gallery)

Crew of 42-72873 (Star Spangled Hell)

1st/Lt. John O. Broten Pilot KIA

2nd/Lt. Edward Tappan Co Pilot EVD

2nd/Lt. Roy C. Gehue Navigator KIA

Sgt. William Freidkas Radio Op. DOW

S/Sgt Harry L. Sparks Engineer KIA

Sgt. Michael J. Pranzetelli Gunner DOW

Sgt. Jesse R. Ellis Dispatcher DOW

Sources:

Find A Grave - Lieut Alfred Casewell Emert (1919-1944) - Find a Grave Memorial

East Tennessee Veterans Memorial

https://etvma.org/veterans/alfred-c-emert-1028

Memories of the 801st/492nd Bombardment Group Carpetbaggers

https://www.afsoc.af.mil/Portals/86/documents/history/AFD-051228-020.pdf

Artwork by SSgt Steve Doyle, USAF

https://francecrashes39-45.net/index.php

https://forcedlanding.pagesperso-orange.fr/Broten.htm

Alfred C. Emert

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/38549228:2442

Carpet Bagger Aviation Museum

https://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/operation-carpetbagger/

The Carper Bagger Photographic Archives

http://www.801492.org/MainMenu.htm

Carpetbagger Museum Brochure

https://harringtonmuseum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Museum-Brochure-2016.pdf

OSS Reborn

http://www.ossreborn.com/files/Issue132.pdf

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see http://www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 421,000+ of the US WWII fallen saved on Together We Served and Fold3. Can you help write these stories? These stories will be accessible via smartphone app at any war memorial or cemetery.

If you noticed anything erroneous in this profile or have additional information to contribute to it, please contact me at 'added by'

SBTSProject/Washington/Lincoln