Orlando J. Yemma                                                                               Updated:  05 JUL 2012

Airman: v999031.htm Surname: Yemma Init: O J Rank: Sgt Service: USAAF Sqdn: 615

P_link: p325.htm Plane: B17 42-31619 Operation: Bomb G Crash_site: Sosegård, Bornholm

Crash_d: d240544 Buried_d: v999 C_link: v999.htm At_Next: EVD to S

B17 42-31619 nødlandede her. (Kilde: Erik Dyreborg)  Se mindetavlen, kort, oplysninger og links i Fra basen til Bornholm og De 10 flyveres flugtruter.

"Flyet blev ramt i vingen af flak over Berlin og begyndte hurtigt at miste brændstof. Over Bornholm blev flyet atter beskudt af flak, og piloten valgte på grund af de svære beskadigelser at foretage en mavelanding ved Sosegård. Landingen var perfekt, men regn og kraftig blæst forhindrede besætningen i at sætte ild til flyet, selv om de viklede en olievædet faldskærm omkring den ene motor.

Amerikanerne forsvandt ad en nærliggende ådal og kom frem mod Åkirkeby, hvor man mener, at de blev taget op af en lastbilchauffør, der kørte dem til Almindingen. Her spredte de sig to og to i det store skovområde. (Ved denne flyver ses kun hans og hans ledsagers historie. Se resten ved B17 42-31619).

Radio Operator, S/Sgt William Nunn og Left Waist Gunner, Sgt Orlando Yemma nåede frem til Stammershale (sydøst for Tejn) hvor de blev anholdt af en cyklende tysk soldat, der var på patrulje. Ved list fik de dog overmandet tyskeren og fortsatte mod nord til de nåede Allingeegnen. Her fik de husly hos Oscar Fält, og pinsemorgen stjal de en robåd på stranden (omkring her) og stak til søs. Efter en hård og anstrengende tur nåede de Brantevik (her) i Sverige, og den 5. juni var de tilbage i England. William Nunn besøgte Bornholm i juni 1982." (FT 87-94-7)

Nogle detaljer passer ikke helt med bogen Flugten fra Bornholm 1944, lavet efter et stort arbejde. Enhver historie afhænger af kilderne.
Se tegning af besætningen på en B-17, Foto af en B-17 + B-17 i airmen.dk samt B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition og Ball Turret Gunner. 10 flyvere.

B17 42-31619 crash landed here.  (Source: Erik Dyreborg)  See memorial plaque, maps, information and links From Base to Bornholm and Escape Routes.

"The plane was hit by flak over Berlin, and it soon started losing fuel. Over Bornholm flak started again, and the pilot decided due to the heavy damages to make a belly landing at Sosegård. The landing was perfect, but rain and strong wind prevented the crew from making the plane catch fire, even if they wrapped a parachute stained with oil around an engine.

The Americans disappeared along a neighbouring creek in the direction of Åkirkeby, where some people think they were picked up by a truck driver, who drove them to Almindingen. Here they dispersed in twos in the big forest. (At this airman you only read the story of him and his companion. See the others at B17 42-31619).

Radio Operator, S/Sgt William Nunn and Left Waist Gunner, Sgt Orlando Yemma reached Stammershale (southeast of Tejn) where they were arrested by a German soldier who was on a patrol on his bicycle. They managed to overpower the German and went on north till they reached the area of Allinge. Here they were sheltered by Oscar Fält, and on Whitsunday morning they stole a rowing boat at the beach (about here) and went to sea. After a hard and exhausting journey they reached Brantevik (here) in Sweden, and they were back in England on 5 June. William Nunn visited Bornholm in June 1982." (FT 87-94-7)

Some details do not agree with the book Flugten fra Bornholm 1944 (The Escape from Bornholm 1944) written after careful research. Any story depends on the sources.
See a drawing of the crew of a B-17, Photo of  a B-17 + B-17s in airmen.dk and B-17 Ball Turret, Ammunition and the story of a Ball Turret Gunner.
This B-17 belonged to 615 BS, 401 BG, 94 CBW, 1 BD, 8 AF of the USAAF. See The 401st Bomb Group (H) Association and 401st Air Expeditionary Group.
It took off from RAF Deenethorpe - USAAF Station 128. 10 airmen.