Paul Pascal USAF Evader, September 1943

[Steve Brew]

I spent today interviewing a 93-year-old British pilot who was shot down over France in late September 1943 and hidden by the Resistance at Vernon.

Whilst there, he met an American who had been shot down, by the name of Paul Pascal. They were taken to a Chateau owned by the Rothschilds where they were hidden in the gardener’s shed. Whilst there, my contact became extremely ill, he assumes from the water, and was taken to Évreux, where he was taken care of. At this point, Pascal parted company with my man and was taken away down the escape lines to freedom over the Pyrenees. Upon his departure, he asked Pascal to contact his parents in Dartford and tell them he was alive and safe. Pascal did this.

Can anyone identify this airman? A check of the internet (http://www.100thbg.com/mainpages/his...rg100th_07.htm) suggests it may have been 1st Lt. Paul Pascal of Crew #21, Flying Fortress Aircraft #42 30086 "Blackjack" of 251st Squadron, 100th Heavy Bomber Group, which had bombed the Paris Renault plant on 3 September 1943.

Can anyone confirm this, please, and add anything more about Pascal and his fate? Is he still with us?

Thanks
Steve

[montana]

Hello Steve,

I can confirm that 2nd Lt Paul Pascal (from Philadelphia, PA) was navigator in the B-17F 42-5865 "Janie" (100 BG 351 BS) which crashed on 3/9/43 at Bailleul about 7 km W. of St André-de-l'Eure (France) and evaded capture.
Anything new about W/O Peter Chattin (41 Sqn) ?

[dp_burke]

Steve,

Stars and Stripes paper dated July 9, 1957 prints a story about Mr. Pascal visiting his helpers in France having been stationed back in Europe.

I've saved the pae from Ancestry.com and can mail it to you tomorrow, I'm heading out for some bevies just now!

Mail me at dp_burke@yahoo.com

It does not give him a middle initial and their is one Paul Pascal in the enlistment records. It does not say where he was from however.

regards

Dennis

[loiclemarchand]

Hello all,

Steve, could it be possible to know more about the 93 years old airman that you interviewed ? I could help you because I'm living in the Vernon-Evreux area and have severals docs about airmen shot down there.

Dennis, Could you also send to me the article that you saved about Paul Pascal ? it will very much appreciated.

For infos :
1st Lt Paul Pascal was hidden and saved by following persons :
Marcel Robert & Pierre Drouhet from Thomer-la-Sogne
Martin Montoliou from Thomer-la-Sogne
Mr Foucault from Chavigny-Bailleul
Aimé Charpentier & Alphonse Pasco
Mr & Mrs Renaudin from Les Baux-Sainte-Croix
Dr Suzanne Huet from Evreux
Drived to Paris by Mr Louis Maury

Looking forward to hear from you.

Regards from Normandy

Loic

[Steve Brew]

Thanks Gents, I appreciate your quick responses, which I have already forwarded to my pilot. Dennis, I've sent you an e-mail; thank you for your offer of the article from S'n'S.

Regards
Steve

[Steve Brew]

Bonjour Loic

Would you please send me your e-mail address to brewATclients.ch and I will be happy to share information with you.

Salutations
Steve

[dp_burke]

Are we certain that our Paul Pascal came from Phil. PA? Note that the MACR on the 100th BG site notes that he is NMI, no middle initial. The enlistment records while incomplete have Paul W Pascal from Phil. PA.

There is however Paul (NMI) Pascal from Kings County, New York. B.1925. but then he only enlisted in June 1943, I doubt he would be flying in ETO by September or before that.

Paul W Pascal enlisted in January 1943, b. 1923. Is there another Paul PAscal then?

Does the complete MACR contain an address for him?

regards

Dennis

[dp_burke]

From 1957 newspaper reports:

GULF SEARCH FOR TWO PILOTS ABANDONED
HALIFAX. N. S. UP. —Searchers have abandoned their efforts to find two crew members of an American B47 bomber that crashed Tuesday in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The last Royal Canadian Air Force search plane was recalled at dusk yesterday. The U. S. Air Force called off its planes and three Coast Guard vessels earlier in the day First Lt. William Stevenson, 32-year-old co-pilot, was the only survivor of the crash found. He had bailed out from 20.000 feet along with Capt. Paul Pascal. 42, the navigator-bombardier. Capt.'
Ray T. Cable. 36. was the pilot The B47 wws on a routine re-fueling mission from its base at Plattsburgh, N.Y.

His visit to France was reported in July 1957 prior to this incident. If he was 42 in 1957, he'd be born around 1915. Its a possibility it was him.

[Steve Brew]

Hi Dennis

Thanks for these posts and particularly for your separate PMs. I'll follow up the leads you've given me. They're a great help, thanks!

Hi Loic

Thanks for your e-mail address. I have mailed you off-board.

Regards
Steve