B-24H Liberator 42-95133 'Lady Jane', 753rd BS, 458th BG, USAAF

TO THE MEMORY OF THE

UNDERMENTIONED MEMBERS OF

753rd. SQUADRON 458th. BOMB GROUP

2nd. BOMBARDMENT DIVISION U.S.A.A.F.

WHO DIED NEAR THIS SPOT

24th. NOVEMBER 1944

 

THE PILOT OF THE BOMBER AS HIS

LAST ACT AVOIDED CRASHING ON

THIS AND SURROUNDING COTTAGES

THUS PREVENTING THE POSSIBLE

LOSS OF CIVILLIAN LIVES

 

On 24th. November 1944, due to bad weather, the 458th. Bomb Group was stood down from combat operations, but a low-visibility flight training mission was scheduled.

Tasked to fly on the mission was the Consolidated B-24H-25-FO Liberator, serial number 42-95133, coded 4J-K, and nicknamed 'Lady Jane'. Normally the bomber had a crew of 10 but for this flight had 9, and of those only 8 were regular crew. Pilot, 1st. Lt. Burton W. Wheeler was on compassionate leave at another airfield seeking information about his brother who was killed in action over Germany on 17th. October 1944. His place was taken by 2nd. Lt. Arthur Akin, a lead pilot for another 753rd. BS crew, which were not participating in the training mission, so he volunteering to fly as co-pilot for his friend, 2nd. Lt. Ralph Dooley. The two had known each other during training in the States, and both of their crew's had been assigned to the 753rd. BS on the same day

Regular Bombardier John Kowalczuk had been removed from the crew to undergo Lead Bombardier training elsewhere.

The flight training had passed without incident and the bomber was heading back to RAF Horsham St. Faith (USAAF Station 123) to make an 'instrument landing' before it got too dark. The weather had not improved and the cloud base height was ranging from 400 to 600 feet, but in some places it was as low as 200 feet, particularly over the valley of the River Wensum. Visibility was down to two miles or less.

The bomber were directed by the control tower to land on the runway designated 35/17, which was specifically set up for instrument landings. Runway 35 was pointing in a NNW direction meaning that the bomber would have been approaching from the south, descending over Heigham and the Wensum Valley, across Mile Cross and then increasingly low over Hellesdon, roughly following the line of Cromer Road as it heads north out of Norwich.

As Dooley made his final approach it quickly became apparent that he had overshot his touchdown and needed to abort the landing and pull up for a 'go-around' which was not an uncommon occurrence. Dooley lifted his plane off the runway and climbed up to a safe altitude before banking away. He would have to fly another circuit around Norwich to line up his landing from the south. This is where it all went wrong.

Lined up for its second approach the bomber was far too low. As the Liberator headed in a northerly direction, heading across Earlham Road and along Heigham Road, the tall, Victorian tower of St. Philips Church on Hamm Road appeared out of the murky sky. There was little time for Dooley to react and the bomber clipping the top of the tower, tearing off a large section of the wing as well as part of the right rear stabiliser and rudder. Dooley attempted to regain altitude and steered his stricken aircraft as best as he could towards the only part of the city that he could see in his path that was free of houses, the coal yards and railway sidings of Norwich City Station.

As the bomber approached the railway sidings it rolled away to it’s damaged right wing, skimming the rooftops of the terraced houses along Heigham Street as it rapidly lost what little altitude it had regained after clipping the church. The plane came down between the piles of coal on the Barker Street Siding, hitting the ground almost inverted and bursting into flames. There were no survivors among the crew, although it was

stating that three of the crew were alive after the crash, but tragically they burned to death. There were no casualties on the ground.

The closest eyewitnesses to the crash was 1st. Lt. Cliff D. Gersbach, Supply Officer, 752nd. Squadron, who stated,

"I was standing at the corner of Earlham and Mill Hill Road, Norwich, 24 November 1944 at approximately 1700 hours when B-24H Airplane No. 42-95133 made a 180 degree left turn in a vertical bank almost overhead. The airplane was flying about 200 feet above the housetops and I noticed that it was losing altitude. The turn was so sharp that the wings were vertical to the ground. The airplane started to level out from the turn and disappeared from sight for a moment, by that time it was skimming the housetops, when I heard a sharp crash, which was reported by an RAF Sergeant to be caused when the right wing of the airplane hit the top of the tower on St. Phillip's Church. After hitting the church, the airplane reappeared in a steep climb gaining about 300 feet altitude when it fell off on the right wing, crashed and burned".

Another witness, 1st. Lt. Joseph S. Williams, saw the accident from a slightly higher view point. He spotted an aircraft in a 90 degree left bank at an altitude of approximately 200 to 250 feet. He mentioned that the aircraft looked undamaged and in good shape with all engines running and with the landing gear up. The aircraft was losing altitude in the bank and that the turn appeared to have been a long one and not short or abrupt. He went on to mention that the mist and fog was very bad at the time and the ceiling was not more than 250 to 300 feet, with 'clouds' of fog and mist rolling across the river toward Mill Hill Road.

The aircraft levelled out of the vertical bank and disappeared from view when he heard a crash. Seconds later he saw the aircraft, apparently under control, climbing gently with a slight incline to the right before suddenly banking right and crashing into the ground towards the river. His report then states that there was no obvious damage to the aircraft from his vantage point, although the fog and mist were quite heavy.

Williams went to the scene of the first crash and heard and found that the aircraft had hit the steeple of the St. Phillips Church. Here he found the upper panel of the right wing tip, about 10 to 15 feet long, and the right rudder. Some pieces of the plane’s wing were still on the church roof. It appeared that the wing had hit the church only about 4 to 5 feet from the top of the steeple, which was about 60 feet high. Williams then went on to the scene of the final crash site at City Station and noted that aircraft hit the ground in a vertical bank and had somehow managed to not damage any property on the nearby Heigham Street.

A third witness was Pilot, 2nd. Lt. Edwin J. Sealy who wrote,

“We had just broken into the clear after an instrument let down and had circled the town of Norwich once when we saw an aircraft approximately two miles in front of us apparently flying straight and level. The plane started a steep bank to the left and continued the bank onto its back. Then it dived into the ground and exploded immediately. I learned later that this A/C was 113-K of my own base.”

All three accounts vary, but it appears the bomber was in good working order but flying too low, and was unlucky enough to just clip the only tall building in the area.

The official accident report charges Dooley with the accident and simply recommended that “Pilots of this station be reminded of the necessity of their meeting satisfactory instrument flying qualifications“.

 

O-821971 2nd. Lt. Ralph John Scott Dooley, Pilot.

Born on 9th. June 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Gilbert Charles Dooley.

Lived at 744 East Ontario Street, Philadelphia.

Died, aged 20 and buried in Plot 31 W, Row 20, Grave 4 at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Awards,

Air Medal

United States Aviator Badge Army

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

O-710395 2nd. Lt. Arthur Claude Akin Jr, Co-pilot.

Born on 21st. March 1922 in Norfolk, Virginia, the son of Arthur C. and Ocie Lee Akin.

Brother of Juanita Velma, later Barnes.

Lived at 92 Wallace Circle, Portsmouth Virginia.

Arthur had 'pancaked' a B-24 onto the airfield on 2nd. October 1944.

Died aged 21 and buried in Plot 13. 0. 17. at Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida.

Awards,

Air Medal

United States Aviator Badge Army

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

O-723515 2nd. Lt Paul Edward Gorman, Navigator.

Born on 20th. March 1921 at Sussex, New York, the son of Paul Michael and Inez Laura Gorman, nee Ryker.

Lived at 2542 East 29th. Street, Brooklyn, Kings County, New York.

Paul had attended New York University and worked in the advertising business in New Jersey before enlisting on 8th. October 1942 in the Signal Corps. Later he requested to join and was accepted into the Air Corps. He was made a 2nd. Lieutenant in July 1944.

Died aged 22 and buried at Newton Cemetery, Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

38106801 Staff Sgt Johnnie J. Jones, Flight engineer/Top turret gunner.

Born on 22nd. May 1921 at Mountainburg, Crawford County, Arkansas, the son of John Euclid and Ada Lucinda Jones, nee Peters.

Lived at Canadian and Gem, both in Hemphill County, Texas.

Johnnie enlisted at Lubbock, Texas on 16th. July 1942, where his profession was listed as an actor.

Died aged 22 and buried in Section 12, Site 5180 at Arlington National Cemetery, Fort Myer, Arlington County, Virginia.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

38345079 Staff Sgt Paul Amos Wadsworth, Radio operator.

Born on 9th. May 1923 in Zephyr, Brown County, Texas, the son of Walter Ellis and Sarah Elizabeth Wadsworth, nee Hatley.

Lived at Forsan, Texas.

Died aged 20 and buried in Mount Olive Cemetery, Big Spring, Howard County, Texas.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

19030249 Staff Sgt Oscar Bjarne Nelson, Ball turret gunner.

Born on 30th. July 1920 at King, Washington, the son of Norwegian immigrants Otto Martin Nelson and Karen Christine Pedersen Sandnes Nelson.

Lived at Vashon, Washington.

Died aged 23 and buried on 27th. July 1948 at Vashon Island Cemetery, Vashon King, County Washington.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

32494276 Staff Sgt John A. Phillips, Flight engineer/Top turret gunner.

Born on 17th.March 1922 at Norfolk, St. Lawrence, New York, the son of John, a papermaker, and Julia Bonn Phillips.

Lived at Main Street, Norwood, St. Lawrence, New York.

John graduated from Norwood High School, in 1941, and entered military service 10th. October 1942. He received basic training at Camp Robinson, Arkansas. On 10th. December 1942, he was sent to the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, where he was stationed until 10th. October 1943. Upon his return, he was sent to gunnery school at Laredo, Texas. He visited his parents on furlough and upon returning to duty, he was sent to England.

Died aged 22 and buried in Plot B118 at Visitation Cemetery, Norfolk, St. Lawrence County, New York.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

35169768 Staff Sgt Don Peter Quirk, Tall turret gunner

Born 10th. June 1920.

From Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana.

Died aged 24 and buried in Plot D Row 3 Grave 45 at Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridgeshire.

Awards,

Air Medal

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

37341753 Staff Sgt Ralph William von Bergan, Waist gunner.

Born 28th. March 1923, the son of Edward Frank and Rosa M. von Bergen, nee Childers. Brother of Edward Frank.

Lived at 607 Lipan Street, Denver, Colorado.

Died aged 21 and buried in Plot D Row 2 Grave 52 at Cambridge American Cemetery, Madingley, Cambridgeshire.

Awards,

World War II Victory Medal

American Campaign Medal

Army Presidential Unit Citation

Army Good Conduct Medal

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign

 

The nine crew were buried with full military honours in England on 28th. November 1944. Some were later reinterned in the United States.

 

This memorial plaque was designed by Mr. C.W. Hobbis. It was mounted close to the crash site on 196 Heigham Street, a cottage occupied at the time by Mr. A.G. Jermy. The plaque was unveiled in the presence of Brigadier General Emil Charles Kiel, who served as Deputy Commander of the American 8th. Air Force under Lt. General James Harold 'Jimmy' Doolittle, and the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Edward Frank Williamson.

In 1972, when the area around 196 Heigham Street was demolished and redeveloped into the City Trading Estate, the plaque was relocated to newly built flats on the south side of Heigham Street.

Inside St. Barnabas, the church closest to the crash site, a panel commemorated the crew of 'Lady Jane'.

Done