Three Sprained Ankles
Luck played such a large role in it all. For some, Lady Luck frowned, but for others, she gave her friendliest smile. Such was the case for a crew with the 451st Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force, B-24 tail # 42-7757, nicknamed “Windy City”.
On June 6, 1944, flying back to Italy from their target, the oil fields of Ploesti, Romania, “Windy City” was hit by German anti-aircraft. The bombardier, 2nd LT Alex Chesbowitz, told what happened next:
“About 1200 the plane caught on fire; we were 50 miles south of Belgrade. All crew members bailed out at 10,000 feet altitude. We were then brought together on the ground by the Chetniks and given food and shelter…”And the luck of the crew of “Windy City” continued. Shortly after the crash, the pilot, 2nd Lieutenant William R. Harris, was able to send a cable to the War Department in Washington, DC. He notified them that the entire crew of his bomber was safe, and would be waiting at an airfield in Yugoslavia for rescue. In fact, over 40 American and Royal Air Force flyers were waiting there. By August 11, 1944, the crew of “Windy City” was safe back in Castelluccio, Italy.
The only injuries sustained by the crew? According to LT Harris, just “three sprained ankles.”
The crew of “Windy City” was:
- 2nd Lieutenant William R. Harris, Jr. (Plymouth, IN)
- 2nd Lieutenant Donald J. Smith (Chicago, IL)
- 2nd Lieutenant Floyd C. Pedersen (Elizabeth, NJ)
- 2nd Lieutenant Alex Chesbowitz (Brooklyn, NY)
- Technical Sergeant Richard D. Gilson (Council Bluffs, IA)
- Staff Sergeant Clell M. Card (Los Angeles, CA)
- Staff Sergeant Willie L. Gantt (Leesville, SC)
- Staff Sergeant Frederick S. Koffel (Belfry, PA)
- Staff Sergeant Richard H. Knowlton (Caspar, WY)
- Staff Sergeant Denzil D. Radabaugh (Masontown, WV)
The B-24 shown in photos 1 and 2 in this post are the actual plan in this incident; however, the crew shown in photo 2 is unidentified. If you can identify any of the crew in this photo, I’d love to hear from you.
Ask Bill or comment on this story
Five From the 464th Bomb Group
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
Above is B-17 “Wee Willie”...Debut for Debach
It was the very first combat mission...From Panatella to Ploesti
The 15th Army Air Force, based in...Six B-24s From Baker Box Downed
The men – the boys, really...The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
More than 260 UCLA students, faculty ...
Talk Radio One’s Steven Spierer Interviews WW2 Researcher Bill Beigel
Steven Spierer Talk Radio One Interview...Captain Norman L. Aigner: An Ordinary Guy
If you’ve been reading my blog with...Tomas Garza’s Daughter – “Now I Don’t Feel Empty”
Like most children of World War II...“Fresno Marine Dies in Action in Pacific War” – Fresno Bee, Oct 21, 1944
Private First Class Huston R. Fannon,...“Fresno Officer Dies in Action on German Front,” Fresno Bee, April 3, 1945
This article is part of a series...The Pheley Brothers of Fresno, California
This article is part of a series...
Wee Willie and the photo that started it all
My father was Paul D Jessop, he spoke of your Grandfather a lot. My father passed away in 2011 .The World War II Dead of University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)
Hi Bill, Thanks for putting this together. My grand uncle, 2nd Lt. Robert L. Woolfolk attended UCLA and I believe he graduated in 1936. He was on the waterpolo team. He was a bombardier in the 571st Bomb Squadron, 390th Bomb Group and his aircraft "Decatur Deb" was shot down on May 28, 1944. He and six others perished while three were able bail out and became POWs. This is written up the in the book "Bloody Skies: U.S. Eighth Air Force Battle Damage in World War II." There is a B-17G tail gunner's compartment on display at the 390th Bomb Group Memorial Museum, which is dedicated to this crew. Regards, Nick VeronicoBill’s WW2 Almanac for January 21: Featuring Col. Randy’s Flying Circus
Hi! Randall Col Randy is actually my great grandfather and I was wandering if you ever new him? I am curious to know more about him.Women in WWII: Cornelia Clark Fort
Interesting....very hard to know the 'who hit who'.....Fort had enough flying time to be a instructor, I know nothing about the other pilot. If Pastor Jeff had information on her being talked into a situation, I would love to know if reliable. Regardless, so many losses in so many ways.... My take is the WAFS/WASPS deserve a bit more of history's 'time in the books'. Many thanks for the commentary, StarrRemembering the Fallen: WWII Veterans of UCLA, Major Robert C. Maze
Bill, Are you still working on this blog? Rosemarie is my mother in law. She passed away 10 years ago. Her (and Roberts') son Robert Maze Jr is alive and well. I was googling Admiral Radford and ended up googling links... Thank you for your efforts here. Kim WoodsFrom Panatella to Ploesti
I’m looking for information on My Great great GRANDFATHER WAS ON A B-24 LIBERATOR CALLED: Diamond li
Bill’s WWII Almanac
Hello,
My name is Nicole Morrice, maiden name Smith. My father, Maj General Donald J Smith, is in the photo of the crew of Windy City. He is bottom row, second from left.
Hi Nicole:
Sorry for the slow response to your comment. Do you have any information, stories and/or photos about your father or any other members of the crew you might like to share?
Best regards, Bill
My Father August J. Greco flew on windy city on May 31, 1944 to Ploesti
His pilot was Fred Fulton-They flew Tail-end Charlie.
They were Crew #19 451 BG
Hotchkiss-a photographer received a purple heart
from a slight scratch on the cheek from flack
Windy City was assigned to pilot Carlson
Feel free to contact me I can send you a color drawing of windy city
My cell is 585-750-3518.
Best Wishes,
Jim Greco
Hi Jim: I would love to see a color drawing of Windy City. Is it something you can scan in and send me?
Best regards, Bill
Update: Jim Greco did send me his drawings of Windy City. I included it in a blog post by that name, which you can see here: http://www.ww2research.com/windy-city/.
Thanks again for sharing these, Jim!
Best,
Bill