On November 13, 1943, the 392nd Bomb Group launched a bombing mission targeting Bremen, Germany. The B-24 42-7540 "Crew Chief" was part of this operation but encountered severe cloud cover, which disrupted communication with the rest of the squadron.
- The aircraft became separated from the formation due to dense clouds stretching from 4,000 to 20,000 feet inland from the Dutch coast.
- The crew decided to abort the mission and return to base.
- While flying over Moerdijk, Netherlands, the aircraft was hit by German anti-aircraft fire (Flak), causing two engines on the right wing to fail.
- The pilot ordered the crew to bail out at 8,000 feet, leading to a crash south of Rotterdam.
- Navigator James D. Ryan was killed in a firefight with German forces after parachuting.
- The remaining crew members were captured by German forces.
- The pilot and co-pilot attempted a forced landing near Willemsdorp, close to Dordrecht and the Moerdijk Bridge.
- Five days later, during wreckage cleanup, the body of the last crew member was found inside the aircraft. He had been killed by Flak fire during flight.
- His remains were initially buried at Crooswijk Cemetery in Rotterdam and later reinterred at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten.
Crew Members
- Pilot: 1st Lt John D. Harris Jr.
- Co-Pilot: 2nd Lt Louis L. Kearns
- Navigator: 2nd Lieutenant James D. Ryan Jr.
- Bombardier: 2nd Lt Henry B. Westerfield Jr.
- Radio Operator: T/Sgt Joseph J. Veronick
- Aerial Engineer: S/Sgt Jack N. Copeland
- Flight Engineer: S/Sgt William I. Freshner
- Waist Gunner: Sgt Patrick M. Reardon
- Waist Gunner: S/Sgt Fredrick M. Pedersen
- Tail Gunner: Sgt Joseph C. Ortiz
The crash site of B-24H 42-7540 "Crew Chief" is located in Willemsdorp, Dordrecht, Netherlands. The aircraft and its crew are remembered through: