Howard R. Penfield                                  Updated: 03 AUG 2021

Airman: u055013.htm Surname: Penfield Init: H R Rank: S/Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 565

P_link: p329.htm Plane: B24 42-95144 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Langelandsbælt.

Crash_d: d200644 Buried_d: b040944 C_link: c055.htm At_Next: Magleby - L

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 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.

Denne flyver drev ind på østkysten af Langeland omkring her ud for "Nordenbrogård" den 2. september 1944. Han blev begravet i Magleby den 4. september. Den omkomne antoges fra amerikansk side efter krigen for at være Howard R. Penfield, der omkom, da to fly stødte sammen i luften over Østersøen.

Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Howard R. Penfield blev taget hjem den 7. maj 1948. Der er stadig et trækors med en metalplade for ham på Magleby Kirkegård!
Se kortet USAAF med alle amerikanske flyvere begravet i Danmark. (Hovedkilder: FAF og AOD) Hans navn er ikke i registret hos ABMC, så mest sandsynligt blev han begravet på en privat kirkegård i USA. Jacob G. Heilich skrev i p329MACRforklaring om Howard Penfield.

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.

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 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.

This airman drifted ashore on the east coast of Langeland about here off "Nordenbrogård" on 2 September 1944. He was buried in Magleby on 4 September. After the war Americans were convinced that he was Howard R. Penfield who perished, when 2 planes collided in the air over the Baltic Sea. ("Unknown believed to be - -")

Right Waist Gunner S/Sgt Howard R. Penfield was taken home on 7 May 1948. There is still a wooden cross with a metal plate in his memory in Magleby Churchyard! The bottom line on all metal nameplates "Hjemført til U.S.A." means "Taken home to the USA". See USAAF. (Main sources: FAF and AOD)
His name is not in the ABMC records, so most likely he was buried in a private cemetery in the U.S.A. Jacob G. Heilich wrote in p329MACRstatement about Howard.

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.