MACR 3708 03 APR 1944 see :
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/s...456&Submit4=Go
http://b24boojum.com/
http://b24boojum.com/lastmission.html
The crew was not flying in Boojum that day. Instead, they where flying in The Texas Ranger, tail number 42-997849. Below is a direct quote from page 14 of the 456th Bomb Group 1943 – Steed’s Flying Colts – 1945 history book dated April 3, 1944:
Aircraft No. 177 “The Texas Ranger” , a 745th Squadron plane, manned by the crew of 1st Lt. Emil S. Laszewski was severely damaged by anti-aircraft. Lt. Halberstadt the navigator was wounded. When it appeared that the ship would not likely make it back to the base, six of the crew bailed out over Yugoslavia.
The following crewmen were carried as missing in action:
2d Lt. Howard N. Hartman Co-pilot POW
2d Lt. Edward C. Bonham Bombardier POW
Sgt. Samuel Fischler Radio Operator MIA
Sgt. Edward L. Dement Upper Turret POW
Sgt. Frederick G. Abner, Jr. Ball Turret MIA
S/Sgt. Edward O. Thompson Tail Turret MIA
[tail number cannot be 42-997849 (out of range), so no way to check what was intended]
http://archive.is/af4ax
The members of this crew were separated on April 3, 1944 during group mission #25 to Budapest, Hungary. The plane they were on, "The Texas Ranger" 42-52177, took a flak hit in the nose which severely injured the navigator and took out engine #2. The plane lost altitude until six members of the crew had bailed out over Mostar, Yugoslavia. After the sixth man jumped, the plane started gaining altitude and was able to limp back to Italy. The six crewmen who bailed out were captured and placed in POW camps in Germany. Four crewmen were able to stay on the plane and complete their assigned number of missions. The entire crew made it home after the war, with the exception of Reinaldo C. Garza who was killed in action on a mission with another crew.