B 24H 42-95144 - Langelandsbælt                      Marstal 2021                                      Updated: 23 MAR 2025

Airman Surname Init Rank Service Sqdn P_link Plane Operation Crash_site Crash_d Buried_d C_link At_Next
e777175.htm Chappell H R 1stLt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
e777178.htm Feliz R P S/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
u047006.htm Fuller D M 2ndLt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 b210644 c047.htm Korsør
o888202.htm Heilich J G S/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 o888 o888.htm POW
e777180.htm Mullins R M 2ndLt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777n e777n.htm NO - NET
e777176.htm Owens R V T/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
u055013.htm Penfield H R S/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 b040944 c055.htm Magleby - L
e777179.htm Rodek A M F/O USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777n e777n.htm NO - NET
e777177.htm Valentine H H T/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 e777c e777c.htm NO - CAM
a057001.htm Wagner J E S/Sgt USAAF 565 p329.htm B24 4295144 Bomb G Langelandsbælt d200644 b110744 c057.htm Marstal


Under formationsflyvning i 20.000 fods højde mellem Ærø og Langeland den 20. juni 1944 fik Liberator B24 42-95144 under et sammenstød med Liberator
B24 100351 skåret halen af og styrtede i havet omkring 2 km sydøst for Keldsnor Fyr (foto) på Langeland, omkring her. Også det andet fly styrtede ned.

De to fly med 20 flyvere gik ned, meget af tiden i spin, der gjorde det vanskeligt at komme ud. Pilot Powers så kun 3 faldskærme fra eget fly. Romick i et andet fly
så kun 5 faldskærme. Flyverne omkom af udmattelse og det kolde vand, hvis ikke de som Heilich blev reddet efter en halv time. Wagner fra den afskårne halesektion
blev fundet 19 dage senere med faldskærm. 3 af de 20 overlevede.
Se B24 100351 * p328MACR * p328MACRberetninger * p328form + B24 42-95144 * p329MACR * p329MACRforklaring * Wagner rapport om kollisionen og mere.

Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver: "20. juni 1944 (kl. 0850), Storebælt mellem Keldsnor og Lolland. Convair B-24H, 42-91144 (EE- ) 565 BS, 389 BG, 2 CBW og 2 BD
(Politz). 1 POW, 6 MIA og 3 KIA (1 Korsør, 1 Magleby, og 1 Marstal), FAF, p. 114, 124 og 125.
Efter flakbeskydning fra Keldsnor kolliderede flyet med ovenstående fly (B24 100351) og halepartiet faldt af. S/SGT Jacob G. Heilich (ball turret gunner) kom fri af halepartiet og landede i vandet nær Keldsnor, hvor han blev samlet op af danske fiskere. Ved ankomsten til Keldsnor blev han af tyskerne ført til en nærliggende observationspost. Om eftermiddagen blev han på cykel ført til Magleby kirkegård, hvor han skrækslagen blev kommanderet til at grave en grav. Efter gravningen blev
han lettet forklaret, at graven var til en allieret flyver, der skulle begraves næste morgen kl. 7 (P/O M.A.G. Fournier (skytte) fra Halifax JD456,)" (FT 85-79-36)
15 SEP 2019: Muligt bombefly fundet ud for Langelands kyst - TV2 * 8 OKT 2019 Mindst 7 bomber fundet ved flyvrag syd for Langeland - TV2FYN
8 OKT 2019: Bomber fra Anden Verdenskrig sprænges i fynsk farvand - TV2FYN * 9 OKT: Jagten på bomber og amerikansk soldat fortsætter ved flyvrag - DR FYN
9 OKT 2019: Forsvarets minedykkere skal sikre flyvrag efter fund af bomber - FKO
Bemærk beretningen fra Romick. Hvilken B-24 blev fundet i SEP 2019? Oversat:
p328 "B24 100351 eksploderede, da det ramte vandet. Det gjorde det andet fly ikke." Så p329 B24 42-95144 uden hale blev fundet med bomber! 10 flyvere.
Nyt 23 MAR 2025 fra en ven: Berlingske har video Dykkere fandt liget af bombeskytte, 2nd Lt R. T. McCollum, 22 år, fra Liberator B24 100351 p328 i AirmenDK.

During a formation flight at an altitude of 20.000 feet between Ærø and Langeland on 20 June, 1944 Liberator B24 42-95144 had its tail cut off in a collision
with Liberator B24 100351 and crashed into the sea about 2 km southeast of Keldsnor Lighthouse (photo) on Langeland, about here. Also the other plane crashed.

The two planes with 20 airmen went down, most of the time in spin that made it difficult to get out. Pilot Powers only saw 3 parachutes from his own plane.
Romick in another plane only saw 5 parachutes. The airmen perished from exhaustion and the cold water if they were not rescued after half an hour like Heilich.
Wagner from the tail that was cut off was found 19 days later with his parachute. 3 of 20 airmen survived.
See B24 100351 * p328MACR * p328MACRaccounts * p328form + B24 42-95144 * p329MACR * p329MACRstatement * Wagner report about the collision and more.

(Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes: "20 June 1944 (08.50 hrs) Storebælt between Keldsnor and Lolland. Convair B-24H, 42-91144 (EE- ) 565 BS, 389 BG,
2 CBW og 2 BD (Politz). 1 POW, 6 MIA and 3 KIA (1 Korsør, 1 Magleby, and 1 Marstal), FAF, p. 114, 124 og 125.
After having been shot at by flak from Keldsnor the plane collided with the above plane (B24 100351) and the tail section fell off.  S/SGT Jacob G. Heilich (ball turret gunner) came free from the tail section and landed in the water near Keldsnor where he was picked up by Danish fishermen. When he arrived at Keldsnor, the Germans took him to a look-out station nearby. In the afternoon he was taken on a bike to Magleby Churchyard where he was terrified to be ordered to dig a grave.
After he had dug it out, he was relieved when it was explained to him that the grave was for an Allied airman who was to be buried the next morning at 7 a.m.
(P/O M.A.G. Fournier (Air Gunner) from Halifax JD456,)" (FT 85-79-36)

This B-24 Liberator belonged to 565 BS, 389 BG, 2 CBW, 2 BD, 8 AF of the USAAF. See the 389th Bombardment Group at the 8th Air Force Historical Society.
American Air Museum has B24 42-95144 European Clipper and the 10 crew members, crashed after mid-air collision with 42-100351, 565 BS, 389th Bomb Group.
See the 389th Bombardment Group at History of War. It took off from RAF Hethel - USAAF Station 114. See Control Towers - RAF Hethel airfield.
Which B-24 was found in September 2019?
p328 "B24 100351 blew up when it hit the water. The other aircraft did not." (Account by Romick) So p329 B24 42-95144 without tail was found with bombs!
Notice articles and TV items since 15 SEP 2019 in the section in Danish.                                                                                                                10 airmen.