Crash B26 on 11.April 1945 near Cologne

[Horst Weber]

Originally Posted by manniw

Hello, During my research I came across a story from the last days of the war in 1945, which I cannot prove 100 % historically on the basis of suitable documents, I very much hope that you and your archive can help me solve the story.

At the beginning of April 1945 American troops liberated Cologne on the left bank of the Rhine. Units of the 82th. Airborn Division, in particular the 505th PIR were located on the left bank of the Rhine in the area of Wesseling, Godorf, Sürth and Weiß.

On the other, right side of the Rhine, which was still occupied by German troops, are the villages LÜLSDORF, LANGEL and ZÜNDORF.

According to my research a B-26 bomber crashed on 11.04.1945 between Langel and Lülsdorf ( near Cologne / Bonn ). One crew member died, four crew members were wounded. All of them were rescued by the citizens of Lülsdorf and taken care of. Since there was no doctor nearby, the local priest went to the bank of the Rhine and called the American soldiers on the other side of the Rhine and asked for help. They took a boat to the right bank of the Rhine and picked up the injured soldiers.

It is very likely that these were the B-26 Bomber 42-96030, 332th BG / 450Th BS Pilot 1st Lt. Hopkins, 2nd Lt. Lidicker, 2nd Lt. Welberg ( Walberg ) , Sgt. E Koker, Sgt. Samer, Sgt. W. Dyer (KIA).

The " Group History 322nd Bombardment Group (M) AAF For the Month of April 1945 notes this crash. In the book " The Annihilators 322nd BG(M) on pages 177 and 302 the deployment and the crash is also described. Also the American war reporter Martha Gellhorn describes this crash in her book " Das deutsche Volk ". But I don't find any references to the crew or the rescue of the crew by the American units in the internet and archives. Also in the archive of the 82th Airborn Div. resp. the 505 PIR is noted a little bit above.

Can you help me with information about the crew and their rescue ? I would be infinitely grateful if you could help me bring light into this darkness. I would like to thank you and your staff in advance for your efforts.

Units of the 82th. Airborn Division, in particular the 505th PIR were located on the left bank of the Rhine in the area of Wesseling, Godorf, Sürth and Weiß. On the other, right side of the Rhine, which was still occupied by German troops, are the villages LÜLSDORF, LANGEL and ZÜNDORF.

best regards from Cologne
manni

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Good evening Manni !

There is no entrance in the MACR listings day-by-day for B-26, AAF-s/n 42-96030.

This a/c doesn't appear in the 9th AF listing of MIA a/c's for April 1945. But it appears in the following listing, named SAL BD (salvaged battle-damaged) and with the operator 322nd BG dated April 12th, 1945 (AFHRA microfilm A5686, page # 760).

My conclusions in this case are:

The crew and the mentioned a/c flew the mission as described in the 322nd book.

The a/c received Flak hits and the crew bailed out at the most southwest place of the Ruhr-pocket, just on the Rhine-river banks east of the Rhine, which were German held.

The story of Mrs Gellhorn is reliable.

Some hours later, U.S. troops entered the crash location, reported the situation and no MACR was compiled.

Best wishes !

Horst Weber