Memorial

More information

2nd Lt William R. Betz graduated from Trenton Central High School in 1933 and was employed at Sloane - Blabon Flooring Corporation.

He enlisted on 19 January 1942 in Trenton, New Jersey.

The field order for the mission called for 12 aircraft, of which six would break off the formation and bomb the generation station and gas works at Haarlem, when they would reach the coast and the other six would continue their route to bomb the power plant of IJmuiden. However, only eleven planes were serviceable, because many were still under flak damage repair from the mission the day before. Every crew knew this mission would be one they would not survive.

After taking off, they soon nosed over to 50 feet to get under the German radar. A little later, approximately 30 miles from the Dutch coast, one of the aircraft experienced electrical problems and headed back to England. When they turned, they climbed to 1,000 feet what would be considered common sense with a lame aircraft. However, by climbing, the aircraft placed itself within German radar coverage thus alerting German defenses. As the remaining aircraft approached the coast, several sea vessels appeared ahead in the flight path. The formation changed course to avoid surface fire from these vessels, with the result they reached the coast at a point with one of the most heavily defended areas in the Netherlands. In very little time, five aircraft were shot down.

The remaining aircraft believed they were close to their targets but they were still miles away. After 10 minutes without recognizing any landmarks, they thought they saw the Haarlem works, but it was a gas holder on the west side of Amsterdam. They dropped their bombs but all bombs fell short and caused no damage. Unknown to the crews, the heading taken from this target headed them directly for the heavily defended port area near IJmuiden. Also all remaining aircraft were shot down.

As the first flight flew over the sand dunes a hail of 20mm flak hit this B-26 which was the lead plane. The plane snap rolled and crashed.

Three crew members surived and were taken prisoner, three men were killed.