1LT. Frank Adolph Harder was a Pilot with the 12th Air Force; 57th Bombardment Wing; 310th Bombardment Group; 428th Bombardment Squadron; stationed in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations, (MTO).

His Hometown was Spokane, Spokane County, Washington.

Tuesday, 07 September 1943
B-25C; Serial#: 42-64554; MACR:567;
Downed by unknown causes

THE CREW:
P: MAJ. James P. Walker~O-23903~KIA~Fayetteville, Washington Co., AR
CP: 1LT. Frank A. Harder~O-728075~KIA~Spokane, Spokane Co., WA
N: 2LT. William V. Martin~O-669083~KIA~Lucas Co., OH
B: 2LT. Henry J. Hotopp~O-666670~KIA~Cook Co. IL
R: SSGT. Joseph A. Manfre~20318745~KIA~Luzerne Co., PA
G: CPL. James F. Black~18062665~KIA~Harris Co., TX

Tuesday, 07 September 1943
428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---) Group Mission # :
The target on the Seventh was the Trebisacce road bridges on the East coast of the heel of Italy--which cost one B-25 and crew. It was the first crew we lost since April 5th---and for this one we have no illusions as to their tragic fate. Major James P. Walker, Pilot; 1st Lt. Frank A. Harder, Copilot; 2nd Lt. William N. Martin, Navigator; 2nd Lt. Henry Hotopp, Bombardier; S/Sgt. Joseph Manfre, Radio Operator; and Cpl. James F. Black, Gunner; were lost. For the “Chief” it was the 49th raid. It was Lt. Harder’s second and last set-to with the briny deep. Once before when he
flew over cruiser death hovered near. The loss was none the less painful for the fact that structural failure of some type, rather than enemy action, was responsible. The Chief’s plane literally disintegrated after the dive to the deck just off the West coast of Italy. No flak or fighters were encountered on the trip. The Chief’s last efforts were in keeping with all that he stood for.

As pieces began tearing themselves from the fuselage, the Chief pulled his plane out of formation lest he endanger others. A wing fell off and the hulk plummeted seaward in a vertical dive from four or five hundred feet. In our opinion the Air Corps lost one of its most promising men. We shall miss them all.

The target areas were well covered by the bombing patters. Near misses were certainly scored by the bombers on all three bridges. All may have been hit. Both road and railhead were definitely severed.
It was the first of a series of raids made without escort. For Captain James C. Brock and S/Sgt. Edward Naworski it was number 50.

428th BS: Extracts from Missing Air Crew Report # 567:
A/C No. 2 42-64554 “The Chief”
(MACR-567 - disintegrated in mid air)
P Walker, James P. "Chief", Maj, Commander - KIA
CP Harder, Frank A., 1Lt - KIA
N Martin, William V., 2Lt - KIA
B Hotopp, Henry J., 2Lt - KIA
E None
R Manfre, Joseph A., S/Sgt - KIA
G Black, James F., S/Sgt - KIA
F None

Eyewitness Account: Chambers, Allen M., 2Lt, pilot, 428th BS
At the time of the accident I was flying on Major Walker’s left wing. We were flying about two hundred and forty miles an hour and descending about five hundred feet a minute. Our indicated altitude was about three thousand feet. Up to this time his ship acted normal in every respect. The first indication was the raft door on the left side of the
fuselage pulling loose. The raft came out partially inflated and was blown between the two tail sections. The next events happened in sequence. The metal skin around the life raft door blew off. Then the left wing flap came off hitting the vertical fin. Other parts of the wing came off near the fuselage. Major Walker then tried to pull the plane up out
of formation. The plane first went up and to the right. Then the left wing came off near the fuselage. This caused the plane to wing over to the left in rear of us. I then lost sight of the plane and didn’t see it again until we had circled down. There were two large splashes in the water with wreckage everywhere. We saw no survivors and I believe it impossible for anyone to have gotten out. We then rejoined our formation and returned
to the field.

ALLEN M. CHAMBERS, 2nd Lt., Air Corps
++++++++++
Eyewitness Account: Koch, Richard J., 1Lt, pilot, 428th BS
At the time the accident occurred I was flying on Major Walker’s right wing. We had just crossed the coast line on the way back to the field, making a rather gentle descent, air speed at the time was approximately 230 miles per hour. The first thing I noticed was the life raft coming out of the top of the plane. I saw it pass between the two rudders without touching either one. A few seconds later his plane violently shot upward
in sort of an abrupt motion. That’s the last I saw of the plane as it went over my head.

RICHARD J. KOCH, 1st Lt., Air Corps, Pilot
++++++++++
Eyewitness Account: Doolittle, Leonard N., Capt, navigator, 428th BS
At the time of the accident I was flying in the lead ship. Major Walker, who was flying our second element, moved out abreast of us. The first thing I noticed was the life raft coming out the side and hitting the tail surface. At this time the ship nosed and the left wing tip came off. The ship then went into an almost vertical climb. The ship then passed out of my sight and the last time I saw it there were two separate pieces. One
wing from the fuselage out and the other wing and fuselage. I saw these hit the water and sink immediately.

LEONARD N. DOOLITTLE, Captain, Air Corps
++++++++++

====================================

LT Harder's Brush with Death ~ 21 February 1943

Sunday, 21 February 1943
428th BS War Diary: A field day at sea! A 10,000 ton tanker disguised as a freighter was spotted off the coast accompanied by three other ships. When the flight pulled away a cruiser had been sunk and the tanker was left a blazing inferno with flames shooting as high as 300 feet. It is believed Lt. Canham and crew sunk the cruiser. P-38’s got a JU-88 and a torpedo plane. Lt. Milius crashed into the Mediterranean off the coast of Bone. The whole crew, S/Sgts Foley, Myers, Stilp and Lt. Harder, were rescued by a British Sea Patrol. Rest of planes landed at Bone for the night.

428th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order ---/mission ---)
Group Mission # 47:
By noon more definite reports had arrived concerning this Axis fuel shipment. Six planes were alerted for a mission down the gun barrels. One was forced to return because of mechanical failures.

The tanker was seen sinking when last seen, the superstructure a raging inferno. It was reported to be of at least 10,000 tons. Lt. Canham and Milius of the 428th proceeded over an escorting cruiser, one of the four naval escort and left it with part of the stern below water. The mission was a phenomenal success.

At least two aircraft of the convoy’s air cover were destroyed by the escort and S/Sgt Myers of the squadron downed a JU-88 on the bomb run. The flak, both light and heavy, and the machine gun fire was very intense and at point blank range it couldn’t help but be very accurate. Lt Milius, whose aircraft was badly damaged was forced to make a water landing thirty miles North of Cape Serrat. The fate of the crew was in doubt for two days.

Captain White’s aircraft was a complete washout. It was crash landed at Bone, a total wreck.

A/C No. 3 aircraft unidentified (flight leader)
P Milius, Morris O., 1Lt
CP Harder, Frank A., 2Lt
N None
B Myers, Loy G., S/Sgt
E None
R Stilp, John P., T/Sgt
G Foley, Patrick L., Sr., S/Sgt
F None
++++++++++
Monday, 22 February 1943
428th BS War Diary: Word came through that the boys in the sea weren’t rescued after all. When the rescue crew arrived there was nobody there. It is believed they drifted to safety. Had two daylight alerts and one at midnight.

Foley, Patrick L., Sr., S/Sgt, gunner
Harder, Frank A., 2Lt, pilot
Milius, Morris O., 1Lt, pilot
Myers, Loy G., S/Sgt, gunner
Stilp, John P., S/Sgt, radio-gunner

++++++++++
Tuesday, 23 February 1943

428th BS War Diary: The sea rovers were picked up today after 21 hours afloat on a raft. A British Sea Rescue party found them floating in the Mediterranean and took them into Bone. Lts. Milius and Harder and S/Sgt Stilp returned to the Base. Foley and Myers were taken to the hospital for treatment. Planes went on another sea search but no luck.

Foley, Patrick L., Sr., S/Sgt, gunner
Harder, Frank A., 2Lt, pilot
Milius, Morris O., 1Lt, pilot
Myers, Loy G., S/Sgt, gunner
Stilp, John P., S/Sgt, radio-gunner
++++++++++
Friday, 26 February 1943
428th BS War Diary: Foley and Myers returned from the hospital. Both pretty well banged up.

Foley, Patrick L., Sr., S/Sgt, gunner
Myers, Loy G., S/Sgt, gunner

Frank A Harder