War Correspondent Harold W.Kulik

[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Thanks for the answer to my question, it makes it quite clear re their status.
Alex

[dp_burke]

I have the IDPF for a civilian contractor of Lockheed Overseas Corporation who was washed off rocks on the west coast of Ireland in Jan 1944. Body never recovered. You would probably be surprised for whom you could get an IDPF and just a pity it such a slow process.

http://www.ww2irishaviation.com/krouskop.htm

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Did you check this ?
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/archiv...p?t-31730.html

If you can contact Chester Paul Klier, the historian of 386th BG according to the webpage below, he could maybe help on this case:
http://www.b26.com/historian/chester_klier.htm

[paulmcmillan]

Definitely B-26 Marauder

Obit: Popular Science Nov 1944

Commander Pays Tribute to Photographer Harold Kulick
IT Is with deep regret that I have been informed of the death of Mr. Harold W. Kulick, war correspondent and photographer representing POPULAR SCIENCE magazine. Mr. Kulick was killed when an aircraft of this command in which he was flying as a photographer-observer crashed near its home base after returning in a damaged condition from an operational mission over enemy territory. To secure pictorial coverage of B-28 air-planes in action, Mr. Kulick willingly shared the risks of combat crewmen. His courage and devotion to professional duty in face of danger are a tribute to himself and his profession. His loss is felt keenly by all person-nel of this command who had come to know him.—Samuel E. Anderson, Brigadier General, USA, Commanding IX Bomber Command.
Readers of this magazine will remember many examples of the high artistic quality of Harold Kulick's work. Associated with writer Hickman Powell on the POPULAR SCIENCE war-front reporting team, he illustrated such outstanding articles as "The Rite That Smashed Berlin" (Mar. '44), "Chasing Echoes on a Destroyer Escort" (April '44), "What It Takes to Be a Thunderbolt Ace" (May '44), "A Fortress Lives to Fight Again" (June '44), and "Fighting at 425 Miles tin Hour" (Aug. '44).—Ed.

Also


Chester Times Newspaper Archives

September 12, 1944 - Page 13
KILLED IN CRASH London Ninth Air Force announced today that Harold W Kulick war correspondent and photographer representing the magazine Popular Science was killed when Marauder crashed at a British base

[paulmcmillan]

His full. name was

Harold William Kulick
He was aged 28 when he died (Born 1917)
Born In New York

Also Google books has a reference to (to muddy the waters)


KULICK, Harold W., 28, photographer for Popular Science Monthly; Aug. 25, 1944, killed in the crash of an American bomber in England.

I must admit I originally had an issue where it takes over a month for his death to be announced officially (after NoK) but I found out that

First Lieut. Donald D. Tanck, husband of Dorothy B. Tanck, Las Vegas. death was announced by Washington only on October 28th 1944

[RSwank]

Here is how Kulick's death announcement first appeared. This was an AP story, based on information from his widow, first released on August 25, 1944. Many newspapers in the country picked up versions of this report.

"August 26, 1944
War Photographer Dies in Air Crash


New York- AP- Harold W Kulick, 28, specialist in airplane photography, who was covering the European war theater for Popular Science Monthly has been killed in the crash of a B-26 in England, his widow, Mrs Margaret W Kulick , announced yesterday.

Kulick was on his second mission over Paris when the bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire. The plane managed to return to England, but crashed at its base, killing Kulick, the pilot and the co-pilot, Mrs. Kulick said."

Also on August 25 there appeared in the Daily Argus-Leader, Sioux Falls (where Tanck's mother lived) the obit of Donald D Tanck. The article was rather garbled (saying he was the pilot of a B-24, for example).

On September 1, 1944 The Daily Argus-Leader of Sioux Falls, (home down of Larson) carried the obit of Carol V Larson based on information received by his father from the War Department. Both the obits of Larson and Tanck mention that the men had recently returned to England after a 30 day leave. (Neither obit mentioned the other man.)


On September 11, another AP story about Kulick appeared in many newspapers, based on a press release from the 9th Air Force. This version did not have the details about it being his second mission or that the pilot and co-pilot were also killed. The mission was said to be over France and the damaged plane was said to crash at its "home port".

In the November issue of Popular Science the Obit appeared as in post #14.

[Col Bruggy]

Fellas,

Thanks for your help so far on this one. It would appear that Kulick was possibly aboard 554BS/386BG Marauder 41-31832. I certainly know a lot more about Kulick than I did before.

Re:Post #5 - Should read: 19 August, 1944 Mission (# 250) was to the Fismes R/R Bridge, not the Fresnes R/R Bridge.

To all, thanks once again.

Col.

[RSwank]

On this link is a write-up about Samuel H Schmerler, who was R/O - gunner on the final flight (note Schmerler was mentioned in Larson's findagrave link as being on the crew).

He relates a few more details of the mission. It was to Fismes R/R Bridge. Kulick (referred to as a photographer from Popular Science) sat in Schmerler's R/O chair while Schmerler manned his gun. The plane's hydraulics were shot out and the bomb bay doors were jammed. In the crash landing the pilot, co-pilot and photographer were killed with Schmerler saying that if he would have been in his "normal" position, he would have been killed.


https://books.google.com/books?id=_6...france&f=false

[paulmcmillan]

Vol 4 Losses of 8 and 9 Air Forces does not ID the plane but does list the rest of the crew

1st Lt Carol V Larson killed
1st Lt Donald D Tanck killed
S.Sgt Harry J Bevan
S.Sgt Sam H Schwerler
S.Sgt Leonard Zuckerman
Pvt Youngblood