Remembering the Crew of Times-A-Wastin' this Memorial Day

[tndrfttom]

My dad was the Crew Chief of Times-A-Wastin', a B-17G with the 401st Squadron, 91st Bomb Group (H). Times-A-Wastin' flew 96 combat missions over Occupied Europe and several crews flew their required number of missions on "TAW".

TAW was carrying a crew of 9 on April 8, 1945 when it was hit by AA fire while bombing in the vicinity of the railroad yards at Stendal Germany. Only Lyle D. Jones the top turret gunner and Robert L. Smith the radio operator were able to parachute out and became POWs until the war in Europe ended one month later.

1st Lt Pastras (P), 2nd Lt Morris (CP), 2nd Lt Latches (Nav), S/Sgt Lemons (Tog), Sgt Harrell (BT), S/Sgt Wong (WG) and S/Sgt R O Smith (TG) were KIA. (Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find a photograph of this crew). The remains of these heroes were buried in a church cemetery in Jarchau, Germany. Crosses were made by Polish and French prisoners to mark the graves.

My dad passed away a few years ago but he kept a record of the aircraft and brave men who flew in her. The correspondence in his file really brings home the sacrifices of "The Greatest Generation".

 

[peyton]

My condolence on your Dad passing away. I am always amazed of the bravery the flight crews exhibited. My Grandfather was in the Army Air Corp during WWII but I never got any details on where he was serving.

 

[steveno]

if you look at "Jarchau" on google earth and zoom in a little bit you will see a couple picture icons for a church (kirche) and one of the icons shows a glimpse of a cemetery. this could be the crews final resting place

 

[the ringo kid]

Im trying my best to remember and honor them too. On one of my caps--im wearing the gunner wings my dad got as a ball turret gunner on a B-17 in WWII.

 

[tndrfttom]

if you look at "Jarchau" on google earth and zoom in a little bit you will see a couple picture icons for a church (kirche) and one of the icons shows a glimpse of a cemetery. this could be the crews final resting place

steveno: Yes, that’s the church; the Google Earth icon links to the photo of the church in Jarchau.

Some additional back story if you care to read on: In 2003, family friend Gary Hall, the grandson of Sgt Edgar Harrell (ball-turret gunner), went to Germany and visited the church and the crash site. He was able to meet Gunter Herz who was 12 at the time of the crash. Herz remembered the crash and related that what the German military didn’t remove was picked apart by the locals. The wreck was also used for strafing practice by Russian aircraft operating in the area. Gary visited the church and met with Minister Stender who was able to tell him the story of the burial of the crew at the Jarchau church. (photo)

In 1995 a tractor’s plow hooked one of the engines that had buried itself in the field as a result of the crash. Gunter Herz was involved with the recovery of the engine (photo), some aluminum and various parts and some human bones. I believe there is still a small display of recovered aircraft parts at a near-by former Luftwaffe air field.

April 8, 1945 was a bad day for another 91st Bomb Group B-17. “Wee Willie” went down a few miles from “Times A-Wastin”. "Wee Willie" was the longest serving 8th Air Force B-17 at the time with an amazing 129 missions. A series of photos of the disintegration of “Wee Willie” has been widely published. There was only one survivor from "Wee Willie".