Pfc. William H. Daub Prisoner of War
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 22, 1945
Pfc. William H. Daub, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Daub, of Cochecton [Sullivan Co., NY], is a prisoner of war in Germany. Pfc. Daub was reported missing in action on Nov. 1, 1944, by the War Department and his parents had heard nothing from or about him since. They were overjoyed to receive a letter from him last Wednesday stating that he was safe and well in Germany as a prisoner.
Louis Adelbert Latham, of Gilbertsville [Otsego Co., NY], a soundman 3rd class in the Navy, was killed in action in January and was buried at sea, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adelbert Latham, have been notified by the Navy department. He was 20 years of age, a 1943 graduate of the Gilbertsville Central School.
Lieut. Myron L. Carl, bombardier, son of Mr. and Mrs. I.L. Carl, who is a member of the 15th Air Force stationed in Italy, was forced to bail out with his crew while on a mission in November, 1944. The following is taken from a letter written by the pilot's wife to Mrs. Carl telling of the episode: Going to their target, they lost a supercharger which cut one of their engine's power in half. In order to stay in formation, they had to increase the power on the other three and as a result of this extra strain another engine stopped. This left them with 2-1/2 engines, not too much gas left, unable to stay in formation, most of the guns frozen up, in enemy fighter territory and also the Alps to cross, before safety could be reached. They crossed the Alps safely and were approaching Venice when they spotted another formation from their wing and they got in with them for protection but they led them right over a flak area and in the first burst, they lost their rudder control. They immediately threw the automatic pilot which gave them control of the ship. They were over water and had the choice of going down the Yugo coast and taking a chance of landing with the Partisans or crossing the Adriatic Sea and trying to reach land below the front lines. They chose the latter and started out.
They only had 2-1/2 engines when one of the good engines kicked out because of gas, but Ferris was on the ball and switched some gas from another engine fast enough to catch it. Immediately after this in order to maintain a course that would take them to friendly hands, they had to fly through a cloud and it turned out to be a thunder cloud. At one time in the cloud, the winds and windshield were covered with ice so that they couldn't see out and were on instruments entirely. At one time they were going up at 2,000 feet per minute and at 290 miles per hour and at another time they were descending at the same rate. They were in the storm about three minutes but it seemed like a life time to them. When they came out of the cloud, they were at 7,500 feet, losing altitude slowly and land was in sight.
They flew down the coast a ways to be sure they were in friendly hands and then bailed out. Bill's (pilot) leg straps got caught in the bomb bay as he tried to get out and had to fight his way back to release them. When he landed, he was surrounded by about 500 Italians, shaking his hand, kissing him, and eager to help him. They took him to the village and fed him and he then waited for the English to pick him up. Everyone landed all right except Tweedie, who broke his leg. Then they found out that they had fallen on the land of the Province Millionaire and they were treated like kings.
That night, they ate as they hadn't since they left the States and after super they had a professor of music come in and played for them. They slept at a hospital that night on clean sheets and between lots of blankets. The next morning they went back to the millionaire's house, had breakfast, toured the town and got a shave. They went back and had dinner and went hunting and horseback riding and then returned for supper with more to drink and music. Everyone had a wonderful time and the next day they started back to their base.
Lieutenant Carl reported coming down in a plowed field which made a comparatively easy landing. He was unable to walk at first on account of chilled feet. After rolling up his chute he started out to hunt up his crew. The first one he found was Tweedie, who had a broken leg. With the aid of Italian farmers they placed him in an ox cart upon some hay and took him to a hospital Myron stayed over night with some Canadian soldiers and in less than 48 hours was back at his base, having traveled part of the way to Southern Italy with some soldiers from India.
In another letter Lieutenant Carl writes: "I wasn't with the boys on their short stay at the millionaire's home. I happened to be the one who took Tweedie to the hospital and by the time that he was taken care of and I had had a night's food and lodging at the British officers' rest camp, since I hadn't seen any more of the rest of the crew yet, I decided to start back for the base. That is the reason that the story of my return is connected with the Canadian motor pool and the Indian Infantrymen. The episode has had quite an effect on our crew as you will see when you have a chance to see the three pictures I just sent Jean. Tweedie has gone back to the States on a hospital ship and we now have Hong S. Chin as a nosegunner. Gadberry apparently had a moldy chute or something and one panel ripped and he came down too fast and has been more or less laid up since with back trouble although they aren't too sure whether it is a mild back injury or arthritis. That accounts for the new tailgunner, Parks. Also the photographer, Harry Beagle, who was with us on that mission has more or less attached himself to our crew since that incident. He was the one who had to paw his chute open with his hands to get it out."
Louis Latham Killed in Action
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 22, 1945
Louis Adelbert Latham, of Gilbertsville [Otsego Co., NY], a soundman 3rd class in the Navy, was killed in action in January and was buried at sea, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Adelbert Latham, have been notified by the Navy department. He was 20 years of age, a 1943 graduate of the Gilbertsville Central School.
Myron Carl Forced to Bail Out
Bainbridge News & Republican, February 22, 1945
Lieut. Myron L. Carl, bombardier, son of Mr. and Mrs. I.L. Carl, who is a member of the 15th Air Force stationed in Italy, was forced to bail out with his crew while on a mission in November, 1944. The following is taken from a letter written by the pilot's wife to Mrs. Carl telling of the episode: Going to their target, they lost a supercharger which cut one of their engine's power in half. In order to stay in formation, they had to increase the power on the other three and as a result of this extra strain another engine stopped. This left them with 2-1/2 engines, not too much gas left, unable to stay in formation, most of the guns frozen up, in enemy fighter territory and also the Alps to cross, before safety could be reached. They crossed the Alps safely and were approaching Venice when they spotted another formation from their wing and they got in with them for protection but they led them right over a flak area and in the first burst, they lost their rudder control. They immediately threw the automatic pilot which gave them control of the ship. They were over water and had the choice of going down the Yugo coast and taking a chance of landing with the Partisans or crossing the Adriatic Sea and trying to reach land below the front lines. They chose the latter and started out.
They only had 2-1/2 engines when one of the good engines kicked out because of gas, but Ferris was on the ball and switched some gas from another engine fast enough to catch it. Immediately after this in order to maintain a course that would take them to friendly hands, they had to fly through a cloud and it turned out to be a thunder cloud. At one time in the cloud, the winds and windshield were covered with ice so that they couldn't see out and were on instruments entirely. At one time they were going up at 2,000 feet per minute and at 290 miles per hour and at another time they were descending at the same rate. They were in the storm about three minutes but it seemed like a life time to them. When they came out of the cloud, they were at 7,500 feet, losing altitude slowly and land was in sight.
They flew down the coast a ways to be sure they were in friendly hands and then bailed out. Bill's (pilot) leg straps got caught in the bomb bay as he tried to get out and had to fight his way back to release them. When he landed, he was surrounded by about 500 Italians, shaking his hand, kissing him, and eager to help him. They took him to the village and fed him and he then waited for the English to pick him up. Everyone landed all right except Tweedie, who broke his leg. Then they found out that they had fallen on the land of the Province Millionaire and they were treated like kings.
That night, they ate as they hadn't since they left the States and after super they had a professor of music come in and played for them. They slept at a hospital that night on clean sheets and between lots of blankets. The next morning they went back to the millionaire's house, had breakfast, toured the town and got a shave. They went back and had dinner and went hunting and horseback riding and then returned for supper with more to drink and music. Everyone had a wonderful time and the next day they started back to their base.
Lieutenant Carl reported coming down in a plowed field which made a comparatively easy landing. He was unable to walk at first on account of chilled feet. After rolling up his chute he started out to hunt up his crew. The first one he found was Tweedie, who had a broken leg. With the aid of Italian farmers they placed him in an ox cart upon some hay and took him to a hospital Myron stayed over night with some Canadian soldiers and in less than 48 hours was back at his base, having traveled part of the way to Southern Italy with some soldiers from India.
In another letter Lieutenant Carl writes: "I wasn't with the boys on their short stay at the millionaire's home. I happened to be the one who took Tweedie to the hospital and by the time that he was taken care of and I had had a night's food and lodging at the British officers' rest camp, since I hadn't seen any more of the rest of the crew yet, I decided to start back for the base. That is the reason that the story of my return is connected with the Canadian motor pool and the Indian Infantrymen. The episode has had quite an effect on our crew as you will see when you have a chance to see the three pictures I just sent Jean. Tweedie has gone back to the States on a hospital ship and we now have Hong S. Chin as a nosegunner. Gadberry apparently had a moldy chute or something and one panel ripped and he came down too fast and has been more or less laid up since with back trouble although they aren't too sure whether it is a mild back injury or arthritis. That accounts for the new tailgunner, Parks. Also the photographer, Harry Beagle, who was with us on that mission has more or less attached himself to our crew since that incident. He was the one who had to paw his chute open with his hands to get it out."
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