The story
At the date of 29-05-1944, time: 1245, the aircraft type P-47 has been lost. The location of the plane was found at: Noordoostpolder (near Schokland). The unit of crew and plane is: 356FG/359FS. First flyer rank: 1st Lieutenant, name: W.C. O'Barr. The plane belonged to the Allied forces.
356th FG - - - - - - - 359th FS - - - - - 8th Air Force
In 1943, Martlesham Heath , Suffolk, UK became one of a group of grass-surfaced airfields earmarked
for use by fighters of the Eighth Air Force
The airfield was assigned USAAF designation Station 369
Point of Departure : AAF F-369 - Course: 270
Type of Mission : Escort - Target: Anklam, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany
Last sighted - O-697215 - 2nd Lt. Robert P. Lubbers - 12:45 - location: Zuiderzee
see statement Pilot Lubbers
O'Barr's Thunderbolt was leaking oil shortly they had made rendezvous with their assigned bombers
He called his wingman, Lt Lubbers, and asked if he could see any oil leaking
Lt. Lubbers stated that he could see no oil. But coming back on th radio he stated that the oil pressure was fluctuating and dropping. They - ( Lt. O'Barr, Major White and Lt. Lubbers) - deciced to fly back home - 60 mi SE of Hamburg, but near the NE-polder he was unable to continue his flight
Dropping to 6000 ft, rolled it over its back and bailed out safely
Lt. Lubbers saw him on the the ground, while his chute spilled
18097107 - O-737217 - 1st Lt. - Fighter Pilot - William Connie O'Barr - POW - Stalag Luft 1>br> was taken POW and transfered to Stalag Luft 1. See report - casualty No. J 1239 - also KU 559 A - 52.38 N , 5.47E - Schokland Isle
was with the Underground in the province of North-Brabant - #17 on list(36) 'Cor van der Hooft' and #52 on list(94) 'Groep André' likely captured in Belgium - [ as most on this escape-line ]
On his USAAF - AFPPA-12 form - post-war casuality questionnaire his rank is: Captain
William Connie O'Barr
Thanks to PATS (see source link for more info)
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