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Barber, Charles, SSgt.
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The 99th was attached to the 5th Bombardment Wing of 12th Air Force, stationed in North Africa. Also in the 5th Wing were the 97th and 301st Bomb Groups. The 2nd Bomb Group would arrive from the United States in April of 1943, to be assigned to the 5th Wing. The 99th was stationed at Navarin, located near Constantine. The 99th flew its first combat mission on March 31, 1943. The 99th came to be referred to as the Diamondbacks, due to a diamond insignia painted on the vertical stabilizer of their B-17s. As Allied ground forces forced the German Afrikakorps to retreat into Tunisia, the 12th Air Force flew missions to cut off German supplies coming from Italy and Sicily. For the rest of 1943, the 99th flew missions primarily across the Mediterranean Sea to bomb targets in Sicily and Italy. In June, news of a possible Arab uprising had the men of the 99th nervous and wearing side arms at all times. Although a major uprising never occurred, there were acts of sabotage; includng a smal night time German paratrooper drop over Oudna Field, Tunisia taht resulted in the capture of three Germans. Summer dust storms made life miserable. On July 5th the group bombed an airfield at Gerbini, Sicily. An estimated one hundred enemy fighters made repetitive and fierce attacks, trying to turn the 99th back. The group however penetrated enemy defenses, and destroyed the airfield. For this mission, the 99th received its first Distinguished Unit Citation. On July 9th, the group flew missions in support of the Allied invasion of Sicily. The first Allied air attack on Rome took place on July 14th. Great care was taken by the 99th to avoid dropping any bombs on the Vatican City.
Move to Italy: On November 2, 1943, the four B-17 groups of the 5th Wing and two B-24 groups of the 9th Air Force were combined with two fighter groups to form the new 15th Air Force. On its first day of existence, the 15th flew a 1,600 mile round trip to bomb the Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Weiner Neustadt, Austria. Also in November, Colonel Upthegrove left the 99th, having completed his combat tour. With the Allied advancement up the boot of Italy, it was decided to relocate the 5th Wing there in order to bring more Axis targets within reach of the bombers. Each group was assigned a base on the Foggia plains, the 99th being stationed at Tortorella. The planes arrived at Tortorella in December of 1943. Living conditions at Tortorella were very harsh. The summers were hot and dusty, the winters cold and wet. Buildings were few, and airplane maintenance crews worked out in the open. The men lived in tents using homemade gasoline stoves for heat. The men constantly had to struggle through mud and water, snow and ice, or choking dust, depending on the season.
A New Commander: After Upthegrove's departure, the 99th went through temporary commanders until Colonel Ford J. Lauer assumed permanent command of the group on February 15, 1944. Lauer came to the 99th from 15th Air Force Headquarters. Throughout 1944, the 99th bombed targets in German occupied Italy, Germany, Austria, Greece, Bulgaria, France, Rumania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. Two more B-17 groups, the 463rd and 483rd, would be added to the 5th Wing in March of 1944. On April 23rd the group, led by Colonel Lauer, bombed an aircraft factory at Weiner Neustadt, Austria. The 99th was the lead group on this mission. The flak was intense, and aggressive fighter opposition was encountered but no planes were lost. Despite the heavy opposition, the 99th made a highly successful bomb run. Thirty-one of the groups airplanes returned to base, riddled with flak and bullet holes. For this mission, the 99th received its second Distinguished Unit Citation.
Operation Argument: Operation ARGUMENT was a planned series of coordinated precision attacks by 8th and 15th Air Forces, supported by RAF night attacks. These attacks were designed to target the German aircraft industry. ARGUMENT began on February 20, 1944, and came to be known as "Big Week" by the bomber crews. The German war machine got no rest during ARGUMENT, however the cost was high in Allied bombers lost.
Operation Frantic: During the last half of May, rumors were going around that "Something Big" was in the works. The rumors became fact at 2:00 AM on the morning of June 2nd. Colonel Lauer revealed that the 99th was going to bomb a railroad yard at Debrecen, Hungary, and fly on to land at Poltava, Russia in the Ukraine. At the briefing, Lauer told the men that "One hundred thirty-million Americans will look upon you today and you are their representatives in a land where you will be the first American combat men." The bombing that day was excellent, and no flak or enemy fighters were encountered. The 99th became the first task force of the USAAF to land on Russian soil. The first three days in Russia were non-operational. The men of the 99th spent their time sightseeing and making friends with the Russians. The Russian civilians cheered and saluted the "Americanyetts." On June 6th, the 99th flew a mission from Poltava, to bomb the German airfield at Galati, Rummania. After landing back at Poltava, the men of the 99th learned that the Allies had invaded Europe on the beaches of France. On June 11th, the 99th took off to bomb a German airfield at Focsani, Rummania. They continued on to land back at Tortorella. The first shuttle mission to Russia was deemed to be a success.
Operation Dragoon: The invasion of Southern France occurred on August 15th. The 99th flew missions on the 13th and 14th, destroying German gun emplacements and lines of communication near Toulon, France. The mission of the 15th, was in direct support of Allied invasion forces. The invasion of Southern France got little media attention because it had been overshadowed by the Normandy invasion on June 6th.
Colonel Lauer Departs: Colonel Lauer flew his last combat mission, leading the 99th on December 26th. The target was Blechhammer, Germany. The German flak and fighters were both fierce. The Germans gave Colonel Lauer a gift to remember by peppering his airplane. Lauer departed for the United States on January 1, 1945.
Colonel Schwanbeck: Colonel Ray V. Schwanbeck assumed command of the 99th, and led it through to the end of the European war. During April, twenty-three missions were flown, primarily in support of Allied ground forces. The 99th flew its 395th, and last, combat mission on April 26, 1945. Heavy clouds prevented the target from being sighted so no bombs were dropped. The group flew a total of 10,855 combat sorties.
What was accomplished: In eighteen months of operation, the 15th Air Force destroyed half of all petroleum production in Europe, a good part of German fighter production, and had crippled the enemy's transportation system. The 15th dropped a total of 303,842 tons of bombs on enemy targets in twelve countries. In all, 148,955 heavy bomber sorties were flown. The 15th, an outfit that the 8th Air Force referred to as "minor leaguers," had done a major league job. This in spite of the fact that the 15th had many fewer groups than the 8th. It is unfortunate that the 15th Air Force has received virtually no historical recognition. Almost all books, movies, etc., have focused on the 8th Air Force. Many people who study B-17s are surprised to learn that there even was a 15th Air Force operating from Italy as the 8th operated from England. The Axis countries had no doubts about the existence of the "Thunder From the South."
B-17G-30-DL "2nd Patches"
Unit: 346th BS, 99th BG, 15th AF, USAAF
Serial: Y/I (42-38201)
Tortorella Airfield, Italy, during 1944. This aircraft took part in Frantic-1 operation.
''MISS BEHAVEN''
B-17G-50-DL
Unit: 346th BS, 99th BG, USAAF
Serial: A/Y/4 (44-6407)
This aircraft was hit by AAA over Komaron, Yugoslavia March 14th, 1945, crew bailed out over Myslenice with aircraft on autopilot, airframe came down in field at Krotoszyn, Poland and lay in field for 3 years then cut into sections and scrapped
B-17 "Mis-Behavin
Unit: 346th BS, 99th BG, 15th AF, USAAF
Serial: Y/I (44-8187)
Italy 1944. It was Pathfinder painted in overall Blue-Grey camouflage and fitted with Mickey radar in place of the ball turret. This aircraft was interned in Switzerland February 27, 1945. Returned on September 19, 1945.
A wartime photograph showing a 99th Bomb Group B-17 with a P-51 from the
325th Fighter Group "Checkertail Clan" providing escort. Note the "Y"
inside of the black diamond on the tail of the B-17. This was the group
insignia for all 99th Bomb Group B-17's
99th Bomb Group Heavy "Sweater Girl"
In the last flight of 99th Bomb Group flying the No. 3 position bomber Boeing B-17G named "Slipstream". Plane belongs to the 347th Squadron. The aircraft itself is already a veteran. The machine was manufactured in the parent Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington at 1942. As a new machine was in the U.S.A. in February 1944 assigned to the newly formed 483rd Bomb group. Crews, as usual, just named their new planes. Aircraft 42-32097 has been assigned to 2nd Lt. Glenn L. McSparrana´s crew. Crew named this plane "Sadie Hawkins" according to one of the characters from the comix Lil Abner which drew well known cartoonist Al Capp. Bomber with this crew completes move to Italy. There are, however, all new bombers seized and exchanged for old war weary machines.This all to crew´s unwillingness. Our bomber gets after this exchange to 99th Bomb group. This group has intensively deployed and necessarily need replacement fleet of new bombers. New aircraft immediately took the mechanics. After a series of modifications was painted black diamond with the letter "Y" signature of 99th BG to the aircraft 42-32097,the Roman numeral II will be added below the serial number- marking of the 347th Squadron. The aircraft also receives a new name - "Slipstream," which means whirlwind, caused by in propeller of the aircraft.
In the last flight of 99th Bomb Group flying the No. 3 position bomber Boeing B-17G named "Slipstream". Plane belongs to the 347th Squadron. The aircraft itself is already a veteran. The machine was manufactured in the parent Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington at 1942. As a new machine was in the U.S.A. in February 1944 assigned to the newly formed 483rd Bomb group. Crews, as usual, just named their new planes. Aircraft 42-32097 has been assigned to 2nd Lt. Glenn L. McSparrana´s crew. Crew named this plane "Sadie Hawkins" according to one of the characters from the comix Lil Abner which drew well known cartoonist Al Capp. Bomber with this crew completes move to Italy. There are, however, all new bombers seized and exchanged for old war weary machines.This all to crew´s unwillingness. Our bomber gets after this exchange to 99th Bomb group. This group has intensively deployed and necessarily need replacement fleet of new bombers. New aircraft immediately took the mechanics. After a series of modifications was painted black diamond with the letter "Y" signature of 99th BG to the aircraft 42-32097,the Roman numeral II will be added below the serial number- marking of the 347th Squadron. The aircraft also receives a new name - "Slipstream," which means whirlwind, caused by in propeller of the aircraft.
There is already a bomber named "Sadie Hawkins" in the 416th BS. Therefore the aircraft is renamed to "Slipstream". According to superstition, which circulated among pilots, bomber renaming means bad luck. "Slipstream" however defied destiny and become one of the longest flying aircraft in the 347th Squadron. She participated in exactly 90 combat missions and before to the fateful 18th December 1944 could always bring his crew back home safely.
Fateful Flight
Perhaps for good luck, or because it was already too old, the Lieutenant Ruster´s crew was assigned to B-17G 42-32097 "Slipstream". It is common that the crews are not permanently assigned aircraft and fly with what is currently available. 12:10am combat formation is over initial point the city Vrbno pod Pradedem. 12:49am dropped 99th Bomb Group theirs bomb load through clouds and turns left. When the group made last turn over the city of Nysa and heading back home, germans fighters appears on the background:
�??Bombs away�?? said the bombardier, and our formation starts to rally to the left. Now I turn the ship over to the co-pilot so I can relax after the bomb run. After removing my flak suit I settled down to relax, as I lean over I looked behind us and spot seven or eight FW-190 sweeping up after us, so I knew we were in a fight.�??
Describing Sherwood P Ruster the situation in his diary. German fighter pilots flying the aircraft Focke-Wulf FW-190A-8 comes from I.Gruppe / EJG 1 Fighter group starting from the airbase Sagan-Küpper. Small groups of fighters attacking units in different parts of formation. They aimed two bombers who are late for formation in 99th Bomb Group. The first one is flak damaged bomber B-17G 42-32110, fighters discarded the engine, damaging the hull and cause a fire in the bomb bay. Aircraft Commander - Lieutenant Clark decides to flew aircraft over the Soviet line, there the crew will be able to safely leave the aircraft by parachute. Damaged aircraft is attacked by Soviet fighters above Hungary and the crew is forced to bail out earlier.
Why is 42-32097 delayed isn´t known. The fact is that witnesses said the aircraft was slightly delayed behind the formation since dropped bombs. Then there were everything happen in seconds. Let's tell the commander Ruster´s diary: :
�??On their first pass at our squadron, the enemy cripples my ship by shorting out all my control surfaces, leaving me helpless. At the same time 88s opened up from the ground scoring a direct hit in the nose.
Being out of control we were gradually falling into a turn to the left. I reached down for the C-I but it had been blown away, as I bent over a 20 mm grazed my head. I sat up and called the crew, telling them to �??bail out�?? then I rang the emergency bell.�??
Bomber after being heavy hits, which excluded the controls of the plane, and probably killed the tail and both side gunners, began to decline. The crew was about to jump. At that moment, however, probably comes the next German fighter attack, which came from the front side. Firing kills bombardier Vincent Manzella, injures navigator Randoplh and pilot Ruster and aircraft becomes a spinning metal coffin. Wilbur T Massey manages to escape the aircraft manages at this time, other crew members are still fighting for their lives.
�??When I had seen the co-pilot and engineer go for the escape hatch, I reached for my parachute and started to get out of my seat, but as I let go of the controls the ship went into a tight spin to the left. The centrifugal force of the spin pushed me into my seat so I couldn´t budge. I felt sure I had �??had it�??. All of a sudden something happened and I was thrown out of my seat against the roof of the cockpit then down on the catwalk between the seats. Luckily I still held my parachute so I snapped it on and made a lunge for the escape hatch in front of me.�??
