Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

Hello ,

On december 23 1944 Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claimed at B-26 over Roetgen on the German/Belgian border. Does somebody knows details on the B-26 ?

Regards
Alain57

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

Joe Baugher's site here:

http://cgibin.rcn.com/jeremy.k/cgi-b...07541&content=

Shows (search for 107747):
42-107747 (391st BG, 573rd BS, 9th AF) shot down by Fw 190A-8 believed flown b Hptm Franz Hrdlicka of JG 2/1 Stab near Roetgen, Germany Dec 23, 1944. MACR 11663. 5 crew killed, one bailed out and became POW.

MACR 11663: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91114074?objectPage=2

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

Good Evening Alain57

Two possible Candidates for Hrdlicka, the only ones that crashed in today`s state of North Rhine Westphalia where the town of Roetgen is also located:

1st Pathfinder Squadron (Prov.) / Martin B-26 B Marauder / # 42-96223 / „Cherie Amie“ / Shot down by Fighter / Crashed near Roggendorf, west of Mechernich, southwest of Euskirchen (Nordrhein-Westfalen) - Germany / Captain Enoch G. Longworth + 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Desauniers + Lieutenant Philip A. Vogel + Captain William G. Wilson + Staff Sergeant Robert R. Aley - KIA / Technical Sergeant George R. Winston - POW

397th B.G. / 596th B.S. / Martin B-26 B-55-MA Marauder / # 42-96144 / „Bank Nite Betty“ / Shot down by Fighter / Crashed near Allmuthen, southeast of Büllingen (Provinz Liège) - Belgium / Captain Mont Stevenson + 2nd Lieutenant John Grappes + Lieutenant Robert Kinney + 2nd Lieutenant Elmar R. Borden + Lieutenant Laverne F. Grundman + Staff Sergeant Lynn Rose + Technical Sergeant William E. Bower + Staff Sergeant Harry H. Watson + Staff Sergeant James V. Galati - KIA

All other 35 B-26 + 1 Invader crashed in Rhineland Palatinate or Luxembourg


 To far away from Roetgen:


391st B.G. / 573rd B.S. / Martin B-26 C-45-MO Marauder / # 42-107747 / Shot down by Fighter / Explosion in the Air / Crashed between Udler and Brockscheid, south-southeast Daun (Rheinland-Pfalz) - Germany / Lieutenant Clayton S. Abraham + Staff Sergeant Woodrow Wilson + Technical Sergeant Floyd R. Lemon + Staff Sergeant Erick Christiansen + Staff Sergeant Melvin E. Murphy - KIA / 2nd Lieutenant Verne H. Bovie - POW

Fred

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

MACR for 42-96223: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91161189

MACR for 42-96144: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91111434

Note Pilot given as Charles W. Estes. Rest of crew names also different than given in post above. Actually, Stevenson, Grappes etc were on 43-34434.

MACR for 43-34434: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91111540?objectPage=2


List of B-26 planes and crews lost December 23, 1944: https://b26.com/page/marauder_missio...er_23_1944.htm

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

The time of Hptm. Hrdlicka's claim is given in JFV 13/IV as 1203 hours.

MACR 11483 and Losses of the U.S. 8th and 9th Air Forces Vol. 5 by Bishop, Hey, Franken, and Cillessen give the following:

B-26B-55-MA #42-96144 U2:C "Bank Nite Petty" (in MACR) or "Banknite Petty" (in Losses) 397th BG, 596th BS. Crew: 1Lt. Charles W. Estes / 1Lt. William D. Collins / 1Lt. Craig E. Lewis / S/Sgt. James P. Negri / T/Sgt. William E. Epps / Sgt. Bruno T. Daszkiewicz / Pfc. Abraham J. Korn

Both sources state the a/c broke in half after receiving a direct flak burst NE of St. Vith. MACR gives the time as 1035 hours; Losses states that it crashed near Allmuthen, Belgium. Entire crew KIA.

Link to MACR 11483 on NARA: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91111434?objectPage=2

Meanwhile, MACR 11490 and Losses give the following:

B-26G-10-MA #43-34434 6B:C "Draggin' Lady" 397th BG, 599th BS. Crew: Capt. Mont F. Stephenson / 2Lt. John L. Grapes / 1Lt. Robert J. Kinney / 1Lt. Elmer R. Borden / 1Lt. Laverne F. Grundman / S/Sgt. Lynn E. Rose Jr. / T/Sgt. William E. Bower / S/Sgt. Harry H. Watson / S/Sgt. James V. Galati

The MACR states that it was shot down by fighters, time given as 1035 hours (thissame time is given on all 397th BG MACRs for that morning). Losses, page 515, states "Shot down at about 1045 hours on return by FW 190s of I./JG 11, crashed south-west of Demerathon the "Manderscheider Berg", 22 miles east of Prüm, Germany." Both agree the entire crew was KIA.

Link to MACR 11490 on NARA: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91111540?objectPage=2

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

Thank you all for the help

Alain57

Re: Hptm Hrdlicka Franz I/JG2 claim at Roetgen on december 23 1944
 

Just a couple of comments on 42-96144 flown by Charles W Estes.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/91111434?objectPage=2

If you look carefully at the MACR, I think you can see the name is "Bank Nite Betty" not "Bank Nite Petty". The bottom of the "B" in Betty does not show up clearly but, to me seems to be present. As to the meaning of the name, you need to know what "Bank Night" (or "Bank Nite") means.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Night

Thus, I think the name means the airplane was considered a "Lucky Ship", i.e. a "Winner".