Teplice: Memorial of a Mission to Brux

 The following is taken from the 456th Bomb Group History Book. This is directly related to the memorial in Teplice, Czech Republic, dedicated to the airmen that lost their lives this day.

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21 July 1944  Group mission No. 88, the target, Brux synthetic oil refinetry, Czechoslovakia. Twenty-five bombers dropped 60.5 tons of GP bombs on the refinery. The results were indeterminate due to smoke over the target. The flak at the target was heavy, intense and accurate. Ten enemy aircraft were seen but none were damaged. Two bombers were lost. The combat flight time was 7:45 hours.

"We had completed the bomb run and were rallying. We expected a rally to the right, but Able box turned to the left in order to avoid flak. Baker box rallied to the right. Lt. Brooks in 'Porky', losing airspeed, slid back and collided with another ship in Charlie box. Porky went into a flat spin and crashed." So ran one of the accounts that the returning crews related. One of the other planes lost was "Judy Ann" of the 744th  Squadron piloted by Lt. Eide.

Three minutes after the target on rally, A/C #306, Lt. Brooks, who had been hit by flak, slid across the formation and collided with A/C #501, Lt. Eide's plane. A/C #501 exploded, A/C #306 lost a wing. Other crews reported seeing a total of five to nine chutes open.

One of the bombers lost was A/C #42-78306, "Porky", piloted by Lt. Sidney Brooks of the 746th Squadron. Reported as MIA on MACR #6947.

The crew:

2d Lt Sidney H. Brooks                Pilot                        POW, Stalag Luft 1

2d Lt Roy S. Dubs                        Co-pilot                  KIA*

2d Lt James S. Duston                Bombardier           MIA

T/Sgt Edward W. Broom              Engineer                KIA*

S/Sgt Robert M. Gafner               Radio Operator     KIA

S/Sgt Arthur P. Arseneaux          Nose Turret           KIA*

S/Sgt George Youngquist           Ball Turret              MIA  

S/Sgt Carl Ezuck                          Tail Turret               MIA

*Interred in American Military Cemetery, Lorraine, France

The other bomber lost was #42-64501, "Judy Ann", piloted by Lt. Gunnar Eide. Reported as MIA on MACR #10721.

The crew:

2d Lt Gunnar Eide                          Pilot                         MIA

F/O James Dingwell                       Co-pilot                   MIA

2d Lt John V. Theim                       Navigator                KIA*

S/Sgt George S. Powell                  Engineer                KIA**

Pvt Arthur A. Elder                          Nose Turret            MIA

Sgt Jamel L. Wesson                     Upper Turret           MIA

Sgt Clayton W. Hansen                 Ball Turret               MIA

Sgt Francis T. Hall                         Tail Turret                MIA

S/Sgt Leo A. Powell                       Radio Operator        MIA

*Interred in American Military Cemetery, Ardennes, Belgium

**Interred in American Military Cemetery, Lorraine, France

 

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