| Original caption: “Overturned Liberator – Bombs tumble from the bays of an overturned Liberator bomber of Major General Nathan F. Twining’s Fifteenth Air Force when the plane is caught in a heavy flak belt as it makes its bomb run over Blechhammer, Germany.” An anti-aircraft shell make a direct hit over Heydebreck, destroying Consolidated B-24H-15-DT Liberator “Blue ‘I’” Serial Number 41-28853, 15th Air Force, 465th Bomb Group, 783rd Bomb Squadron. As the aircraft breaks up, bombs tumble out of its bays. “Blue ‘I’” was a tactical marking, not an aircraft name. Blue forces in the 15th Air Force undertook long distance missions and could bomb with radar or without visual target identification. The 783rd Bomb Squadron left Pantanella Airfield, Italy, at 0742 Hours to bomb the oil refinery at Blechhammer. This was the 110th mission for the 783rd Bomb Squadron. As the lead aircraft for the squadron, “Blue ‘I’” carried extra personnel for navigating and bombadiering. As the Norden sight took over the plane during the attack run, aircraft had to fly through the flak and endure the shelling until the bombs were away. About 40 seconds before bombs away, an 88 millimeter (3.46 inch) flak shell burst in the aircraft. Only 1 of the crew was seen to have left the plane before it blew up. The plane was hit by Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) between the Number 2 engine and the fuselage while over the target, and the wing started to come apart as the crew bailed out. 5 of the crew managed to parachute safely, but 6 were trapped and killed. Lieutenant Colonel Clarence J. Lokker (September 5, 1918 – November 20, 1944) of Holland, Michigan, was the Command Pilot for the 783rd Bomb Squadron on this mission. The flak hit was closest to the pilot’s seat, but Nazi Germans thought he escaped and pressed surviving crew for information, which they could not provide. He was thought at the time to have bailed out with severe facial lacerations and burns. Duckworth and Lokker were captured and attempted escape when the German farmer holding them captive stepped out for the Kriminalpolizei (“Criminal Police”) and his wife let them escape. Lokker and Duckworth ran into a German patrol shortly thereafter while attempting to make it to the Polish frontier; Duckworth was recaptured and saw Lokker run away as guards fired at him. He was never seen alive again. Found dead, Lokker was buried in Langenlieben Cemetery on November 22, 1944. Duckworth visited his family after the war to tell them about their escape attempt. Captain Milton H. Duckworth (October 14, 1915 – September 21, 1992) of Tampa, Florida, was the Co-Pilot of “Blue ‘I’” on this mission. Duckworth tried to get out through a waist window, but failed when the plane started spinning. He crawled to the top hatch, grabbed the top turret’s barrels and bailed out. After escaping from the farmer, he was captured at Hubertusburg near Heydebreck at 1215 Hours by a German patrol. He was sent for intelligence debriefing at Dulag-Luft West at Wetzlar. Duckworth was reunited with the surviving crew at Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, in June 1945. 1st Lieutenant Joseph P. Kutger (May 26, 1917 – September 17, 1989) of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, was the Navigator of “Blue ‘I’” on this mission. Kutger knew that the plane was mortally wounded for through the waist window he noticed the wing falling off. He saw Lokker uninjured fighting the controls just after the aircraft was struck. All that left was 2-3 seconds to leave the plane. He shouted to Whalen to abandon the ship, but Whalen was either wounded or killed, since Kutger saw no reaction in his eyes. Kutger grabbed chute with his right hand and jettisoned the bomb load with the left. Right after that he jumped into the bomb bay, at the same time trying to put the chute on. He fell through 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) before he finally succeeded. He pulled the handle and after just a couple of swings under the fully opened chute he touched the ground. He was convinced that no 1 else made it from the bomber. He was captured at Heydebreck at 1240 Hours and sent for intelligence debriefing at Dulag-Luft West at Wetzlar. Kutger was reunited with the surviving crew at Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, in June 1945. Kutger remained to join the United States Air Force after World War II, rising to the rank of Colonel. From 1946 to 1948 served at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. From 1952 to 1956, he served in the Philippines, flying reconnaissance missions with the French over Vietnam. After he “retired” from the United States Air Force, he served with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from 1966 to 1972, mostly with Hmong and other mountain dwelling people to convince them to support American troops. 1st Lieutenant Robert M. Hockman (August 23, 1916 – April 4, 1969) from Erie, Pennsylvania, was the group Bombardier for this mission. Hockman managed to put his chute on and bailed out of nose wheel door. He was captured at Heydebreck at 1220 Hours and sent for intelligence debriefing at Dulag-Luft West at Wetzlar. Hockman was reunited with the surviving crew at Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, in June 1945. 1st Lieutenant Grosvenor W. Rice (June 5, 1918 – November 20, 1944) of Hollis, New Hampshire, was the aircraft Bombardier for this mission, but Hockman actually handled most of the practical work for this mission. Rice had been navigating from the nose turret and got probably was trapped without his chute when the electrical system failed. Nazi Germans told Duckworth he was a prisoner. Reports conflict about his death. Some said Rice was blown out of the nose of the plane without a chute; Duckmworth saw him and Hockman trapped in aircraft nose as he fell out of the aircraft. 2nd Lieutenant Joseph S. Whalen (1922 – November 20, 1944) of Brooklyn, New York, was the Radar Bombardier on this mission. Duckworth recalled later to crash investigators that Whalen told Lokker that the aircraft was on the initial point when the flak burst inside. Whalen appeared dead to Kutger as he exited the aircraft – his “eyes appeared to register nothing.” His body was burned beyond recognition in the wreck. Technical Sergeant Lee R. Billings (February 16, 1920 – December 5, 2002) Sedley, Texas, was the Flight Engineer and top Turret Gunner for this mission. Billings was blown out of aircraft with parachute on and fell free of burning aircraft. 1st he was treated at Cosel Hospital; then he was sent for intelligence debriefing at Dulag-Luft West at Wetzlar. Nazi Germans told him dead men were burned in the wreckage of the aircraft. Billings was reunited with the surviving crew at Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France, in June 1945. Staff Sergeant Edmund J. Miosky (April 22, 1925 – November 20, 1944) from Lynn, Massachusetts, was the Radio Operator on this mission; it was his 35th mission with the 15th Air Force. He was burned by flames when they whipped into the waist window. He made it to the escape hatch when plane exploded; centrifugal force held him inside the aircraft, and he went down as it spun in. Sergeant James A. Bourne (June 19, 1921 – October 14, 1993) Portsmouth, Ohio, was Waist Gunner for this mission. The flak hit the aircraft, and he was enveloped in flame and blocked from reaching the Tail Gunner, Flynn. Bourne couldn’t remember leaving the aircraft. His parachute was torn, and the cords were pulled out as he exited, so he tried to stuff them back into the bag before pulling the rip cord. He came down hard and lost an eye and broke a leg. He landed on the target, Blechhamer Oil Refinery, and was captured immediately, which helped his severe burns and wounds. He was taken to Cosel Hospital where he began a long painful recovery with many operations and skin grafts for his burns. Became a private pilot after the war. Sergeant Jack Rabkin (1924 – November 20, 1944) Brooklyn, New York, was the Top Turret Gunner for this mission. He was on his 25th mission. In the cramped Top Turret, there was no room for a parachute. Rabkin was jammed back into his turret when plane flipped over and centrifugal force held him inside the aircraft, and he went down as it spun in. Sergeant Paul H. Flynn, Jr. (November 22, 1925 – November 20, 1944) Southington, Connecticut was on his 26th mission. As the Tail Gunner for this mission, he didn’t have his parachute on as it didn’t fit in the cramped turret. Flynn relayed the formation’s appearance to Lokker just before the bomb run. Gasoline, on fire, entered the waist window, flowed down the fuselage tunnel to the tail gun position, and enveloped him. The flaming aviation gas blocked Bourne from getting to Flynn. Flynn’s body was the only 1 identified at crash site, due to fire burning the others beyond recognition. The crew in the other aircraft in the photo watched helplessly as Lokker’s plane disintegrated and burned, then plummeted to earth. With their minds on the flak all around them, they didn’t notice the parachutes coming out of the burning plane. Bombardier Carl Milburn (July 13, 1923 – October 26, 2011), from Tequesta, Florida and Pilot Lehning G. “Larry” DeCrow Jr. (June 26, 1922 – August 1, 2012), from Memphis, Tennessee, were especially concerned. Kutger, Rabin, Flynn, and Bourne were from their regular crew, detailed to “Blue ‘I’” for this mission as extra crew for the command aircraft. “[Kutger] went out. We didn’t carry big chutes. We had chest packs,” DeCrow recalled in 2006. “You had to put them on before you jumped. I just know the Joe put that pack on as he was falling.” The deputy command aircraft took over, but it too was seriously damaged; although it made it back to base. Lokker’s wingman, Aircraft #42-51402 piloted by Lt. Ernest R. Taft (July 14, 1919 – October 28, 2015), was hit soon after, went into a dive and exploded. While no parachutes were observed by the formation, Taft and his navigator survived. His Top Turret Gunner either forgot his chute, or, on fire, plummeted to his death. The rest of his crew were lynched by furious German civilians. 2 other B-24 Liberators were damaged; 1 flew to Soviet-controlled Poland and the other returned to Pantanella. Fortunately, the remainder of the 465th Bomb Group suffered no loses and left the target area as planned. They were joined by survivors from the 1st 2 squadrons. The outbound leg was relatively uneventful, in the same weather conditions. 1 more American plane failed to make it back and its crew bailed out. The 18 surviving B-24s landed at 1630 Hours. The after-strike photos revealed direct hits in the hydrogenation chambers, injector and compressor houses, with 2 secondary explosions in the latter. Further hits and fires had been identified right next to power stations and tanks. Many other hits were also noticed in the production installations and in the neighboring living quarters. The refinery’s northern railway junction located in the western part of the complex had been hit with a series of bombs; further hits also damaged railway sidings. The Luftwaffe (“German Air Force”) released only a brief report “…in Blechhammer damages are moderate, in Blechhammer Sud light, Odertal not hit.” On that mission the American losses totaled 16 B-24s (including 4 ships from the 465th Bomb Group) and 2 P-51s. | |
| Image Filename | wwii1990.jpg |
| Image Size | 736.54 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2466 x 1940 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Air Force |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | November 20, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Blechhammer |
| State or Province | Upper Silesia |
| Country | Germany |
| Archive | Museum of the United States Air Force |
| Record Number | 180422-F-FN604-039 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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