Memorial

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"We received a direct hit through #1 engine just before the bomb run, and fell out of formation. After salvoing our bombs we headed cross-country hoping to tag onto some formation, but were hit by about six ME-109s who took turns at us. When it became evident that we could no longer stay airborne (about 12,000 feet), we bailed out and all became POWs except our co-pilot Henderson. He was killed by civilians when he landed.”
Frank Stoltz, Howe’s right waist gunner, recalls: “I was in the top turret gun position when we were shot down. We were just south of Frankfurt, Germany. Somehow I got caught in the slipstream of my parachute and the intense pressure broke several of my ribs. I’m not even certain that my chute opened all the way.“ About 15 minutes after I reached the ground, a three-seated vehicle carrying six or seven German officers and civilians came roaring across the field. They ordered me to get up. As I painfully rose, I noticed the skull and cross bones on their caps. They were from the dreaded SS troops that reportedly did not take prisoners. I thought they would kill me right then. They only beat me a little, mostly the civilians. It was nearly a month before I got any treatment for my broken ribs: some bandages from medic at the POW camp."