42-100853 (2)

C47 TAIL NR. 42-100863 SHOT DOWN NEAR LINDEN, HOLLAND (1 of 2)
For testimony of four of these jumpers, click on the blue link in their last name.
RANK	SURNAME	GIVEN	COMMENTS	DIED	LOCATION
1/Lt	Foley	John P	not listed as casualty	Jul 11, 2008	Arlington, TX
T/5	Schmalz	Charles E	WIA. 1 Oct 1944	Oct 19, 1994	Moundsville, WV
Cpl	Domery	Harry E	not listed as casualty	Dec 18, 1984	Albany, NY?
Sgt	McCann	Joseph R	WIA. 18 Sep 1944	Oct 17, 1989	Sun City, CA
Pfc	Campbell	Wayne F	not listed as casualty	Jul 13, 1995	Tempe, AZ
Pfc	Fahringer	George D	not listed as casualty	Apr 1973	Falls Church, VA
Pvt	Czekaj	Edward C	not listed as casualty	2 Dec 1978	Dade county, FL
Pvt	Davis	Richard R	KIA	Sep 19.1944	Holland
Pvt	Gragg	Hugh B	WIA, 26 Sep 1944	Jan. 29, 1975	Miami county, OH
Pvt	Dowler	Lester V	IIA, 10 Feb 1945	Aug 10, 2005	Parkersburg, WV
Pvt	Goudemant	Ernest G	Accidental	1 Nov 1944	Belgium
Pvt	Effler	Frank W	IIA, 17 Sep 44	?	living
Pvt	Gabris	Thomas		?	living
Pvt	Bellesfield	Ralph Paul	KIA (trapped in plane)	17 Sep 1944	Holland


Lt John P. Foley: Everyone jumped out of the plane except Pvt Bellesfield and the crew. The plane was in its proper place in the formation when the troopers bailed out. The plane met heavy anti-aircraft fire and small arms fire when it was approaching the drop zone at Groesbeek. When we met the crew, just before take off in England, the pilot assured us that he would only use the alarm bell as a very last resort. Four minutes before the drop zone the red light went on, but the green (jump) light didn't. Just before we jumped, number two [man in the stick] tapped me on the shoulder with the words: "The alarm bell's gone off!"
Pvt Edward C. Czekaj: I was the seventh of our stick to jump. When I jumped the plane was wobbling badly; after that I didn't see anything else. There was anti-aircraft fire all around us. The Crew Chief yelled "Go!" -that was the last I saw of him. He was sitting next to the door to release the equipment bundles.
Pfc George D. Fahringer: I was the last but one to jump out of the plane. Pvt Bellesfield and the crew were still in the plane. After we had bailed out over the DZ, I didn't see the airplane anymore. It had been hit several times by anti-aircraft fire. The Crew Chief (Vernon Kasse-kert, in charge of looking after the crew and the aircraft) sat next to the door where he could release the handles of the Para-packs. He had a safety harness on, in case he should fall out of the doorway. Before we took off, the pilot had explained to us that he would only ring the alarm bell if the plane was seriously damaged. The bell was ringing before we made our jump.
Sgt Joseph B. McCann: I was the last of our stick to bail out of the plane, At that moment only Ralph P. Bellesfield and the crew were still in the plane. The last that I saw of the plane was at the moment when we were above the drop zone. The aircraft met a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft fire above the drop zone. The Crew Chief was sitting next to the door where he was releasing our supply packs. The pilot rang the alarm bell just before we jumped.
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