S/Sgt. Donald A Davis, 321st Bomb Group, 447th Bomb Squadron, B-25 Combat in the MTO;

**WEDNESDAY 12 JANUARY 1944

447th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 185/mission 184) Group Mission # 186: 6 of our ships took part in a raid on the Isoletta Dam, Italy. Flak was very heavy with results that the formation was broken up and bombing very poor. Ship #210 piloted by Lt. Vincent went down over the target when a direct hit was made on the right wing which caused the gas tank to explode thereby knocking off the right wing and pieces of the tail. Two parachutes were seen to open. Members of the crew were: 1st Lt. F.W. Vincent, pilot; 1st Lt. J.E. Haeberle, co-pilot; S/Sgt. W.P. Franklin, bombardier; Sgt Wm. O’Loughlin, engineer; S/Sgt D.A. Davis, radio-operator; S/Sgt. Harold F. Schrader, turret-gunner; and Sgt. L.P. Hassett, photographer. This was the second ship of this squadron to be lost this far during January. **

A/C No. 41-13210 “Buckeye” (shot down by flak after target) P-Vincent, Frederick W., 2Lt CP-Haeberle, John H., 1Lt N-None B-Franklin, Willie P., S/Sgt E-O’Loughlin, William M., Sgt R-Davis, Donald A., S/Sgt G-Schrader, Harold F., S/Sgt F-Hassett, Leo P., Sgt 447th BS War Diary: Special Accounts: Six of our planes took part Jan. 12 in a raid, the objective being a dam near Isoletta, Italy. The target was a few miles behind the enemy lines and within range of their heavy anti-aircraft guns near the front. One minute before the target was reached intense, heavy and accurate flak was encountered by the formation and the flak continued until the formation was about four minutes away from the target. The plane piloted by Lt. Vincent received a direct hit in the outer wing gas tank of the right wing. The wing collapsed and fell off when the tank exploded and the entire plane was engulfed in flames. The plane spiraled to the right, spun down and crashed to the ground. Two parachutes were seen floating down after the wreckage. The crew was as follows: 1st Lt Fred W. Vincent, pilot; 1st Lt. John H. Haeberle, co-pilot; S/Sgt W.P. Franklin, bombardier; S/Sgt D.A. Davis, radio-gunner; Sgt. William O’Loughlin, engineer; S/Sgt. Harold F. Schrader, turret gunner; Sgt. Leo P. Hassett, photographer. Davis, Donald A., S/Sgt, radio-gunner Franklin, Willie P., S/Sgt, bombardier Haeberle, John H., 1Lt, pilot Hassett, Leo P., Sgt, photographer O'Loughlin, William M., Sgt, engineer-gunner Schrader, Harold F., S/Sgt, turret gunner Vincent, Frederick W., 2Lt, pilot The intensity and accuracy of the flak caused the formation to scatter somewhat and the bombing results as shown by the available photographs were poor. The camera in the third flight went down with Lt. Vincent’s plane so the photographic coverage was not complete but no hits on the dame were observed by the crews participating in the raid. Vincent, Frederick W., 2Lt, pilot (Wed. 12 Jan. '1944)

Lt. E.D. Langston who was in the same flight with Lt. Vincent and in the element behind his got a good view of the plane when it was hit. He reported that parts of the tail of the ship fell off also when it started down. He saw the two chutes open but was unable to tell what part of the plane they came from. Langston, Everette D., 1Lt, pilot Vincent, Frederick W., 2Lt, pilot The flak was of the tracking variety rather than barrage. Apparently the enemy gunners were singling out elements and concentrating their fire on the selected element, following it all the way into and away from the target. Lt. Vincent’s plane was about two minutes away from the target when it was hit. The loss is the second for the squadron in this first month of 1944. Vincent, Frederick W., 2Lt, pilot

Entered by 321stBG Historian, Barbi Ennis Connolly Historical Research Team of John "Butch" Fitzgerald, Patti Johnson and Barbara Connolly.

Princessbarbi_B25@msn.com

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