Tragedy over Kettlebaston
Posted: Sun Jul 31, 2022 8:15 pm
Located 3 miles east of Lavenham in Suffolk is the small village of Kettlebaston, just a few miles south of Rattlesden with both villages being south east of Bury St Edmunds. During the second world war RAF Rattlesden (Station 126) was built and occupied by the US Army Air Force 447th Bomb Group consisting of four bomb squadrons, 708th, 709th, 710th & 711th. The 447th was part of the 3rd Air Division flying B17’s and recognisable by its tail marking of the letter K in a square and had been at the airfield since December 1942 following its construction by George Wimpey & Co that same year. The 447th had been involved with bombing missions over Germany and occupied Europe. One such mission (No 152) planned for October 2nd 1944 was a primary target of an industrial armoured truck factory in Kassel, Germany. 458 B17s in total were dispatched by the 3rd AD to also include other industrial targets of opportunity at Wiesbaden and Gesecke.
Following their briefing the crews would make their final checks 15 minutes before take-off and would be at their stations in the aircraft and make final adjustments to any equipment. Take off would be at 30 second intervals and the aircraft would climb at a speed of 150mph, 400ft per minute. Assembly starting at around 500ft would consist of a V formation of 3 aircraft which would form into a squadron and finally assemble into a group. The basic principle was to form a combat box which would provide an all-round defensive position for those defending the aircraft and also tighter grouping of bombs dropped. This assembly of the aircraft was fraught with danger especially that of a collision with other aircraft. Some of the crews said that this was the most perilous time when flying and felt safer once they were on their way even though they had Flak and the Luftwaffe to contend with once over the coast of mainland Europe!
This is where this tragic story begins to unfold. A B17g of the 710th BS No 44-6460 was being piloted by 2nd Lt William M Wilder and was left wing man to Lt Eldon Henningsen who was right wing of a flight of three. They were flying at 14,000 feet in formation and heading east towards the coast when Lt Henningson noticed a B17 off to his left nose diving towards the ground and then saw Wilder’s B17 start to bank away to the left with the tail section of a B17 stuck in the bomb bay. Wilder’s plane then began to nosedive towards the ground and disappeared from Henningsen’s view with no parachutes reported as opened.
The first B17 that Lt Henningsen saw go down was B17g 43-38245 of the 711th Bomb squadron piloted by Capt Clifford T Leach. Capt Leach who was on his second tour of duty having already completed 25 missions on his first tour was climbing through cloud cover when his plane collided with the underneath of Lt Wilders B17. The propellers from 8245 sliced off the plexiglass of 6460 and realising something was wrong Capt Leach pushed the controls of 8245 forward only for the tail section to wedge itself in the bomb bay of Lt Wilders plane 6460. This resulted in the tail stabiliser section to snap off and plunge Capt Leach and his crew down towards the ground with no one being able to escape the doomed aircraft and all nine men lost.
Leach’s B17g 43-38245 crashed at Wetherden Hall Farm, Hitcham with its tail section landing near to Kettlebaston Hall. Some reports say that the stabiliser was wedged into Wilders plane and as Leachs B17 dropped forward the rest of the tail section was cut off by Wilders plane propellers.
Wilders B17g 44-6460 crashed at Treacles Farm (now demolished) with eight of the crew killed and one survivor. The navigator 2nd Lt Eliot G Mishler grabbed a chute and exited the plane via the missing front plexiglass nose, attaching the chute on the way down and successfully opening it! He suffered a broken ankle on landing and was assisted by two farm boys only for Mishler to throw himself on top of these boys when the ammunition from the crash started to explode. Wilder and the Bombardier 2nd Lt Charles B McQuire also escaped the aircraft but their chutes failed to open. 2nd Lt Mishler was sent home and survived the war. I believe he passed away a few years ago.
Crew Names.
Wilder Crew. 710th BS B17g 44-6460
2nd Lt William M Wilder - Pilot
2nd Lt Norman D Manock - Co-Pilot*
2nd Lt Eliot G Mishler – Navigator (survived)
2nd Lt Charles B McQuire - Bombardier*
Sgt William D Eakins – Top Turret/Engineer
Sgt Ciriaco A Genova – Radio Operator
Sgt Eduard B Suarez jr – Ball Turret Gunner*
Sgt Thomas J Wiltze – Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Harold J Lee – Tail Gunner
Leach Crew 711th BS B17g 43-38245
Capt Clifford T Leach – Pilot
2nd Lt David W Bowen – Co-Pilot*
1st Lt Donald B Rubin – Navigator*
1st Lt William L Rogers – Bombardier
Sgt Earl L Riggs – Top Turret/Engineer
S/Sgt Clyde R Klee – Radio Operator*
Sgt William A Haines – Ball Turret Gunner*
Sgt John K Henry – Waist Gunner*
S/Sgt Carl S Reitsel – Tail Gunner (S/Sgt Reitsel had survived a previous crash on 43-38245 along with two others in April 1944 at Thorpe Morieux and suffered burns but returned to flying operations. The rest of the crew perished in the crash).
*Names of those buried at Madingley American Cemetery Cambridge England.
My interest in this tragic story stems from a purchase I made of a Purple Heart attributed to Harold J Lee Tail Gunner in B17g 44-6460. I have done a certain amount of research and acquired an excellent book,
“Pictorial Tribute to the men and aircraft of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) 1943-1945”. Written by Derek Smith and published by East Anglia Books to whom I am indebted to Marilyn Bishop reference copyright of pictures.
Harold J Lee was born 4th January 1919, Oregon. Enlisted San Francisco, Ca, 13th Jan 1942. Army serial number 19065386. Originally in the Medical Admin Corp he then transferred to the US Army Air Corp. He was a resident of Butte County; California and his occupation was that of an Actor. I suspect this is incorrect as Harold J Lee's 2 brothers were Doctors and being primarily in the Medical Corp would back this up. His ethnicity was that of Chinese American and he was single with no dependants. His remains were interred originally at Madingley, Cambridge, England but in 1948 they were returned to the United States for burial at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, Ca, 22nd July.
Harold J Lee is 3rd from the right back row in the picture of Wilder’s crew. First thing that strikes me is how happy they all look and how young they all are, Lee being just 25 when he died. Wilder is 2nd from right and Manock the co-pilot 2nd from the left, front row.
They all must have realised every time they climbed aboard that plane the dangers involved, yet they still did it and some even signed on for a second tour! Massive respect for not only these two crews that perished in this tragic accident but all those that volunteered for duty in the mighty 8th Air Force.
Once again, my thanks go to Marilyn Bishop of East Anglia Books of Stansted. Essex.
Reference material I have used:
Pictorial Tribute to the men and aircraft of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) 1943-1945. Derek Smith and published 2006 by East Anglia Books, Stansted, Essex, CM24 8UZ.
The Mighty Eighth in the second world war by Graham Smith. 2001 published by Countryside Books, Newbury, Berkshire.
USAAF Handbook 1939-1945. Martin W Bowman 1997 Sutton Publishing Ltd, Phoenix Mill, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2BU.
Mighty Eighth War Diary, Roger A Freeman, 1981, Janes Publishing Co Ltd, 238 City Road, London EC1 2PU.
Harold J Lee’s military information supplied by Daniel Griffin, Shomakersville, Pennsylvania. USA.
**== **== **==
N.B The Wilder crew picture is of the original crew. 3 of those in the picture were not involved in the air crash. Far left hand side back row, Christoff, Centre back row, Leehouts. Front row far right, Stone.
Following their briefing the crews would make their final checks 15 minutes before take-off and would be at their stations in the aircraft and make final adjustments to any equipment. Take off would be at 30 second intervals and the aircraft would climb at a speed of 150mph, 400ft per minute. Assembly starting at around 500ft would consist of a V formation of 3 aircraft which would form into a squadron and finally assemble into a group. The basic principle was to form a combat box which would provide an all-round defensive position for those defending the aircraft and also tighter grouping of bombs dropped. This assembly of the aircraft was fraught with danger especially that of a collision with other aircraft. Some of the crews said that this was the most perilous time when flying and felt safer once they were on their way even though they had Flak and the Luftwaffe to contend with once over the coast of mainland Europe!
This is where this tragic story begins to unfold. A B17g of the 710th BS No 44-6460 was being piloted by 2nd Lt William M Wilder and was left wing man to Lt Eldon Henningsen who was right wing of a flight of three. They were flying at 14,000 feet in formation and heading east towards the coast when Lt Henningson noticed a B17 off to his left nose diving towards the ground and then saw Wilder’s B17 start to bank away to the left with the tail section of a B17 stuck in the bomb bay. Wilder’s plane then began to nosedive towards the ground and disappeared from Henningsen’s view with no parachutes reported as opened.
The first B17 that Lt Henningsen saw go down was B17g 43-38245 of the 711th Bomb squadron piloted by Capt Clifford T Leach. Capt Leach who was on his second tour of duty having already completed 25 missions on his first tour was climbing through cloud cover when his plane collided with the underneath of Lt Wilders B17. The propellers from 8245 sliced off the plexiglass of 6460 and realising something was wrong Capt Leach pushed the controls of 8245 forward only for the tail section to wedge itself in the bomb bay of Lt Wilders plane 6460. This resulted in the tail stabiliser section to snap off and plunge Capt Leach and his crew down towards the ground with no one being able to escape the doomed aircraft and all nine men lost.
Leach’s B17g 43-38245 crashed at Wetherden Hall Farm, Hitcham with its tail section landing near to Kettlebaston Hall. Some reports say that the stabiliser was wedged into Wilders plane and as Leachs B17 dropped forward the rest of the tail section was cut off by Wilders plane propellers.
Wilders B17g 44-6460 crashed at Treacles Farm (now demolished) with eight of the crew killed and one survivor. The navigator 2nd Lt Eliot G Mishler grabbed a chute and exited the plane via the missing front plexiglass nose, attaching the chute on the way down and successfully opening it! He suffered a broken ankle on landing and was assisted by two farm boys only for Mishler to throw himself on top of these boys when the ammunition from the crash started to explode. Wilder and the Bombardier 2nd Lt Charles B McQuire also escaped the aircraft but their chutes failed to open. 2nd Lt Mishler was sent home and survived the war. I believe he passed away a few years ago.
Crew Names.
Wilder Crew. 710th BS B17g 44-6460
2nd Lt William M Wilder - Pilot
2nd Lt Norman D Manock - Co-Pilot*
2nd Lt Eliot G Mishler – Navigator (survived)
2nd Lt Charles B McQuire - Bombardier*
Sgt William D Eakins – Top Turret/Engineer
Sgt Ciriaco A Genova – Radio Operator
Sgt Eduard B Suarez jr – Ball Turret Gunner*
Sgt Thomas J Wiltze – Waist Gunner
S/Sgt Harold J Lee – Tail Gunner
Leach Crew 711th BS B17g 43-38245
Capt Clifford T Leach – Pilot
2nd Lt David W Bowen – Co-Pilot*
1st Lt Donald B Rubin – Navigator*
1st Lt William L Rogers – Bombardier
Sgt Earl L Riggs – Top Turret/Engineer
S/Sgt Clyde R Klee – Radio Operator*
Sgt William A Haines – Ball Turret Gunner*
Sgt John K Henry – Waist Gunner*
S/Sgt Carl S Reitsel – Tail Gunner (S/Sgt Reitsel had survived a previous crash on 43-38245 along with two others in April 1944 at Thorpe Morieux and suffered burns but returned to flying operations. The rest of the crew perished in the crash).
*Names of those buried at Madingley American Cemetery Cambridge England.
My interest in this tragic story stems from a purchase I made of a Purple Heart attributed to Harold J Lee Tail Gunner in B17g 44-6460. I have done a certain amount of research and acquired an excellent book,
“Pictorial Tribute to the men and aircraft of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) 1943-1945”. Written by Derek Smith and published by East Anglia Books to whom I am indebted to Marilyn Bishop reference copyright of pictures.
Harold J Lee was born 4th January 1919, Oregon. Enlisted San Francisco, Ca, 13th Jan 1942. Army serial number 19065386. Originally in the Medical Admin Corp he then transferred to the US Army Air Corp. He was a resident of Butte County; California and his occupation was that of an Actor. I suspect this is incorrect as Harold J Lee's 2 brothers were Doctors and being primarily in the Medical Corp would back this up. His ethnicity was that of Chinese American and he was single with no dependants. His remains were interred originally at Madingley, Cambridge, England but in 1948 they were returned to the United States for burial at Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, San Mateo County, Ca, 22nd July.
Harold J Lee is 3rd from the right back row in the picture of Wilder’s crew. First thing that strikes me is how happy they all look and how young they all are, Lee being just 25 when he died. Wilder is 2nd from right and Manock the co-pilot 2nd from the left, front row.
They all must have realised every time they climbed aboard that plane the dangers involved, yet they still did it and some even signed on for a second tour! Massive respect for not only these two crews that perished in this tragic accident but all those that volunteered for duty in the mighty 8th Air Force.
Once again, my thanks go to Marilyn Bishop of East Anglia Books of Stansted. Essex.
Reference material I have used:
Pictorial Tribute to the men and aircraft of the 447th Bombardment Group (H) 1943-1945. Derek Smith and published 2006 by East Anglia Books, Stansted, Essex, CM24 8UZ.
The Mighty Eighth in the second world war by Graham Smith. 2001 published by Countryside Books, Newbury, Berkshire.
USAAF Handbook 1939-1945. Martin W Bowman 1997 Sutton Publishing Ltd, Phoenix Mill, Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 2BU.
Mighty Eighth War Diary, Roger A Freeman, 1981, Janes Publishing Co Ltd, 238 City Road, London EC1 2PU.
Harold J Lee’s military information supplied by Daniel Griffin, Shomakersville, Pennsylvania. USA.
**== **== **==
N.B The Wilder crew picture is of the original crew. 3 of those in the picture were not involved in the air crash. Far left hand side back row, Christoff, Centre back row, Leehouts. Front row far right, Stone.