Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

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uclasny
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Joined: 26 Oct 2013, 17:38

Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#1

Post by uclasny » 26 Oct 2013, 18:21

I want to identify a Luftwaffe FW 190-pilot who shot down my father's B-17 AC #42-31499 J on February 8, 1944 over the French/Belgium border after bombing Frankfurt. The pilot was educated in New York and could speak good English. He visited the B-17's bombardier at a medical clinic in Hirson, France. He was young and an ace who perhaps was stationed at an air base near Gosselies Charleroi, Belgium or maybe the air base at Chièvres, Belgium.

Andrew Arthy
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#2

Post by Andrew Arthy » 27 Oct 2013, 15:52

Hi,

I don't have time to do much digging at the moment, but here are the German victory claims for B-17s on that day [format is rank (US equivalent), name, tally, and location victory was claimed]:

- Oberleutnant (1/Lt) Josef Wurmheller, his 87th aerial victory, N.W. Dreslincourt
- Oberfeldwebel (M/Sgt.) Karl-Heinz Munsche, his 17th aerial victory, Beauvraignies-Concy les Pots-Roye
- Hauptmann (Capt.) Herbert Huppertz, his 60th aerial victory, Breteuil-Hardevillers
- Leutnant (2/Lt) Lothar Kabbe, his 3rd aerial victory, Montabaur
- Oberfeldwebel (M/Sgt.) Karl-Heinz Munsche, his 18th aerial victory, Lamotte-Warfusee
- Unteroffizier (Sgt.) Gerhard Guttmann, his 4th aerial victory, Catheaux
- Unteroffizier (Sgt.) Rudolf Martin, his 2nd aerial victory, N. Montcornet
- Oberfeldwebel (M/Sgt.) Rudolf Piffer, his 12th aerial victory, location unknown
- Leutnant (2/Lt) Hans Berger, his 5th aerial victory, S. Chimay [Hans Berger is still alive today, living in Munich]
- Oberleutnant (1/Lt) Ivo Luebich Edler von Milowa, his 15th aerial victory, Hochlanden area
- Leutnant (2/Lt) Walter Ebert, his 21st aerial victory, German map reference 05 Ost S/00/5/5
- Gefreiter (Cpl) Siegfried Marek, his 1st aerial victory, location unknown
- Major Emil Schnoor, his 15th aerial victory, location unknown
- Pilot unknown, Maubeuge-Lens

I hope that helps a little. I'll try to look into this again later in the week.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.facebook.com/airwarpublications


uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#3

Post by uclasny » 27 Oct 2013, 16:22

This is fantastic news! When plane went down just south of Chimay so perhaps it is Hans Berger?! If he is still alive and does speak English, I would love to speak with him or correspond by email. Thanks for your help! I'll anxiously await your findings. Steve

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#4

Post by uclasny » 27 Oct 2013, 16:41

Another piece of information. There were two FW-190s that attacked my dad's B-17 that day. The other one was shot down and crashed near Beauwelz, Belgium

Andrew Arthy
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#5

Post by Andrew Arthy » 28 Oct 2013, 11:35

Hi Steve,

Looking at the 306th BG mission report here: http://www.306bg.org/MISSION_REPORTS/8feb44.pdf, it seems that the fighter attack occurred between 12:35 and 12:45, when the US escort fighters were momentarily distracted. Hans Berger's victory claim was the only one at around that time, at 12:52 (all the other claims I listed above were between 10:26-12:17 and then 13:35-14:10), so I think it's a very good match.

Checking the history of Jagdgeschwader 1 (Lt. Berger's unit), he was himself shot down in combat with the B-17s on 8 February 1944, as were several of his comrades.

I can't guarantee that Herr Berger was educated in New York, but I noticed that he does write his name in the American style, Hans G. Berger (with the middle initial), and he's an English-German translator, so it's a definite possibility. I'll try to contact him, and will see what I can find out.

I note that your father survived the crash and returned to the United Kingdom in October 1944 (must have been quite an adventure!). Is he still with us?

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#6

Post by uclasny » 28 Oct 2013, 17:42

The radio operator and ball turret gunner died in the plane from the Fock-Wulf cannon fire. The other eight crew members bailed out. Three were captures immediately and taken prisoner. The flight engineer spent the remainder of the war in POW camps and was in both the Hedyekrug Run and the 86 day Black March. The left waist gunner had his left foot shot off and the bombardier almost had his arm shot off. Eventually, those two were repatriated back to the U.S. on the SS Gripsholm. The right waist gunner, co-pliot, and navigator evaded capture for 2 months but were betrayed by Belgian collaborators. They, along with 6 other downed airmen, were captured in the St. Remy woods, interrogated at the medical clinic in Chimay, and then taken back out into the woods and shot. The tail gunner and my father, pilot Howard Snyder, evaded capture and were missing in action for 7 months until early September when the U.S. 1st and 3rd Armies came up through France to liberate Belgium. after a couple moths being hidden in various Belgian homes in the area, my father gave up trying to get back to England so he joined the Maquis and fought with the resistance. There is a memorial in Macquenoise, Belgium to the crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth.

I have just finished a detailed book about the experiences of each crew member, and it will be published in a few months.

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#7

Post by uclasny » 28 Oct 2013, 17:44

My father died in April 2007. All the crew are deceased with the flight engineer, Roy Holbert being the most recent in 2010.

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#8

Post by uclasny » 28 Oct 2013, 17:55

I would love to hear about what took place that day - before the battle, during it, and afterwards - either speaking with Hans in person or reading a written account. It would be fantastic to add it to my book! The more details the better.

khouin
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#9

Post by khouin » 03 Apr 2014, 23:37

If the downed aircraft was the Susan Ruth (shot down near Chimay), I would love to speak with family members of the aircraft, the Luftwaffe pilot or family member. I doing an official podcast for the U.S. Army on WWI and WWII called Trenches to Foxholes. I would also love to speak with any German pilots that flew from Chièvres Air Base prior to September 1944.
Just FYI, my office is the official U.S. representatives to the crash site at Chimay.

khouin
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#10

Post by khouin » 03 Apr 2014, 23:42

uclasny could you contact me at [email protected], subject line Trenches to Foxholes podcast-Susan Ruth-Keith Houin.

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#11

Post by uclasny » 07 Apr 2014, 02:33

Hi Keith. I just saw your posts. They were in spam. Talk with you soon

geahanse
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#12

Post by geahanse » 03 May 2014, 13:29

Wow, this is an amazing story. The fact that the luftwaffe pilot went to visit the bombardier in the French hospital goes to show how honorable many luftwaffe pilots were. If you haven't already, you should read the book "A Higher Call", the story of Franz Stiller sparing a damaged B -17 and escorting it home. Did you have any luck contacting the FW-190 pilot? Also, could you tell me the title of the book you are having published? I will be sure to read it once it's released.

uclasny
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#13

Post by uclasny » 03 May 2014, 13:58

Thanks for your interest geahanse. The book is called Shot Down and will be released in a couple months.
My website is http://SteveSnyderAuthor.com
The website just went up, and I have a lot more content to add but check out what's there now.

I will be England and going to East Anglia in late August and then on to Momignies, Belgium for the 70th Anniversary Celebrations of the Liberation of Belgium and for my dad's plane being shot down. The events are organized by the Association du Devoir de Mémoire de Momignies - Belgique.

firestreak
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#14

Post by firestreak » 05 May 2014, 16:32

Wow this is an amazing story, Its great that a name can now be put to this story, any way heres a photo of Hans Berger
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Andrew Arthy
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Re: Trying to Find a FW 190-Pilot

#15

Post by Andrew Arthy » 10 May 2014, 01:30

Hi Steve,

It's great that your book is finished and soon to be realeased. Glad I could help a little.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com

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