Lt Brainerd R. Evans and the crew of 43-34452

Brainerd R. Evans of Petaluma, California was born in 1921 the son of Roy and May Christina Green Evans. When he enlisted for the Army Air Corps, he was given the service number O-715749. He was sent to pilot training school for medium bombers, twin engine B-26s. Typically a crew of six flew on the ship, pilot, co-pilot, bombardier/navigator and three gunners. After getting his wings, Lt. Evans was assigned to the 323rd Bomb Group, 456th Bomb Squadron, nick named "White Tails".


Lt Brainerd R. Evans
    

456th Bomb Squadron Emblem


On April 3, 1945, Lt Brainerd Evans and his crew of six men boarded 43-34452 at Denain/Prouvy Airfield (A-83), France. F/O James McDaniel Mabry T-125981 would occupy the CoPilot seat. The Toggelier was an enlisted man, Sgt Basil G. Violand, 35009973. The gunners were Radio Gunner SSgt Aaron Augustus Aulenbach, 33230201, Ball Turret Gunner SSgt Alvin Earl Bock, Tail Gunner SSgt Raymond Zanella and Waist Gunner William J. Turner.

Lt Evan's ship was one of 3 ships from the 323rd assigned to fly in the window positions. The ship was among 34 other planes from the 323rd Bomb Group that took off from Denain/Prouvy, France airbase that day heading for the Holzminden Marshalling Yard (O-185595), at Hammeln, 24 miles southwest of Hanover.

The 323rd Bomb Group planes were distinguishable by the thick white vertical strip near the top of the tail fin. With nose art like Smokey, Buffalo Girl and Bonnie Lee the 456th Bomb Squadron further distinguished itself from the group.

323rd BG could expect 10/10 swelling cumulus, tops 13,000 to 14,000, 5-6/10 alto-stratus, base estimated 15,000. Visibility above clouds was unlimited.

Flying Dutchmen and Lassies and Thunderbirds and Shark Mouths and Flying Trapezes joined with several other Bomb Groups including the 394th of the Ninth Air Force over the skies of Germany for the air raid. The planes had been gassed up, checked and rechecked and were in A-1 shape ready for battle. "Again the range of the B-26s was strained to the breaking point by the great distance it was necessary to fly into Germany in order to reach the target," According to MSgt Dixie W. Johnson, 323rd Bomb Group.

Fairly accurate and heavy flak was reported at the Weser River (C-200400) enroute to the target. The group experienced little flak at the primary target. Pilots reported it as weak to moderate. Bombing by boxes of PFF lead the drop from 12,700-13,800 feet. 32 bombers of the 323rd dropped 119, 1000 pound bombs plus 8, 500 pound bombs with good results. One plane jettisoned 1, 1000 pound bomb, which hung up at target. The bomb did not explode. No photos were taken or visual observations of results were noted in the record due to cloud cover.

43-34452 dropped her bombs without noticeable incident, but seemed to be in trouble and struggling. Crews on other planes reported seeing the plane descend into the clouds at C-170640, target area. According to pilot 1Lt David H. Tessner, "There was no visible damage to the plane due to enemy action when the plane was last sighted."

The bombers faced bursts of flak from enemy ground cannons again at the Nethe River (C-60480) enroute out of the target area. At the designated airspace outside the target area, the formation banked and split up to fly back to the different bases the groups had originated from. The 323rd headed back to the Denain/Prouvy, France airbase.

The crews on other 323rd ships watched for 43-34452, hoping she would be able to catch up to the formation or at least get back to base later. 34 planes made it safely back to the airstrip. 7 Aircraft had flak battle damage with no further human loss.

The PUBLIC PRESS RELEASE about the mission stated: "Marauders and Invaders of Major General Samuel E. Andersons Ninth Bombardment Division engaged in the bombings to destroy wagons, supplies and installations, including locomotive and supply depots. Most formations encountered flak over the targets and enroute and four aircraft of the total 299 ships were reported missing.

At debriefing, crews members reported on the mission. Sadly Lt. Evan's plane was on the report. He and his entire crew were reported MIA in the record. Statement from 1Lt David H. Tessner, "While leading 'Window' on the mission of 3 April 1945, our formation was forced to enter a large cloud a few moments after bombs away. My left wingman, Lt. Evans, flying A/C 452-C was last seen in good formation upon entering the cloud. After a hole and turning back to rejoin the group, Lt Evans was not seen. There was moderate rime icing and turbulence in the clouds."

The base was not to know the fate of 43-34452 for several days, then the report turned to all were KIA. Lt. Evans and his entire crew met death on April 3, 1945. Unable to escape the impaired plane, the brave pilot and the men he was responsible for all took their last breath in service of our country. They would go down in history as putting country first.

Captain John F. Nolan, 323rd chaplain, sent a letter to all the crew members families explaining that their loved ones had been killed in action.

SSgt. Bock had sufficient missions to go home, but instead he stayed with the Bomb Group, transferring to the 456th Bomb Squadron. The accident occurred on his 66th mission.

Lt. Evans was laid to rest in Cypress Hill Memorial Park Cemetery, in Petaluma, Califoria.

Roy M. Evans, born in 1889, lived until 1976. His wife May, born in 1894, spent some time contacting other families involved in the her son's plane crash, sending them newspaper clippings detailing the loss of the plane and crew. In 1955, only ten years after her son's death, she too succumbed to death.


Roy and May Evans with son Brainerd


A grateful country thanks these gallant men for their years of service and the ultimate sacrifice they gave. They will forever be remembered for their brotherhood in the 323rd Bomb Group.

The Crew:
    Pilot         - Lt Brainerd R. Evans                   KIA
    CoPilot       - F/O James McDaniel Mabry T-125981      KIA
    Toggler       - Sgt Basil G. Violand 35009973          KIA
    Radio Gunner  - SSgt Aaron Augustus Aulenbach 33230201 KIA
    Turret Gunner - SSgt Alvin Earl Bock                   KIA
    Tail Gunner   - SSgt Raymond Zanella                   KIA
    Gunner        - Sgt William J. Turner                  KIA


SSgt Aaron A. Aulenbach enlisted on May 2, 1942 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Sgt Basil G. Violand Toggler, enlisted on 14 February 1941 in Cleveland Ohio.

Flight Officer James McDaniel Mabry enlisted on October 29, 1942 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Alvin Earl Bock enlisted Jan. 21, 1941 in Altoona, Pennsylvania.

Tail Gunner- SSgt Raymond Zanella was promoted from Sergeant to Staff Sergeant in December 1944.


Bombing Mission Report





Exerpt from MACR-14156

"I was leading one of those missions on April 3, 1945 for a bombing run on the Holzmenden Marshalling Yards. Our objective was to disrupt the flow of enemy troops out of Holland and into Germany. This was a day when the changing seasons created an interesting phenomenon in the skies over Europe."
  
   "When the conditions were right, horizontal rolls of clouds lined up between our base and the targets. We flew perpendicular to these monsters that stretched for miles on either side of us and rose to heights of 18,000 feet above the ground. Without oxygen, we didn’t attempt to fly over the top. Flying beneath at 2,000 feet was too low. Instead, I usually stayed around 12,000 feet, and looked for openings large enough to lead the formation through to the other side—two, maybe three miles ahead. We expected heavy flak."
  
  "Ahead of us three window aircraft (43-34452 among them) dropped chaff to confuse the enemy’s radar. Despite their efforts, I remember plenty of black bursts filling the sky. But on the bomb run, my focus was on the solid wall of clouds just beyond the target. I’d have to make a sharp left turn immediately after the drop to keep from losing everybody in that soup."
  
   "Just as I turned, I saw one of the window aircraft (43-34452) disappear into the gray mass. That Marauder with its crew of seven never returned to base. At the debriefing, we concluded they’d been hit by the ack-ack. But there was no trace of them, no word of a crash landing or of anybody who bailed out and made his way to safety."
  
   "Several days later, a well dressed, American civilian appeared in my office. He must have had special credentials to gain entry to the base. He was Roy Evans, father of the pilot of the missing aircraft. He had driven to the base from Paris, where I assumed he had a position. “I'm looking for information about my son,” he said. “Apparently you were the last person to see his aircraft.” I told the father what I knew, which wasn’t much. But he kept pressing me for details. “I don’t understand,” he said. “Surely they would have radioed a distress call.”
  
  “Not necessarily,” I said. “There was a lot of flak in the area. When he disappeared in the clouds he could have taken a direct hit in a fuel tank. There would be no call.”
  
   He acted like I was holding back, but I had no more details. If his son’s plane had exploded and spun earthward engulfed in flames, there would be no remains to bury. An official ‘letter, some personal belongings, and an article in the hometown paper were all the families of MIA airmen could expect. Maybe there would be a medal awarded posthumously, but that could take many more months of paperwork. I felt sorry for him, but like the rest of us, he’d have to find his own way of dealing with the death of someone close. I could understand his reluctance to leave my office, but I was beginning to lose patience.
  
   “There is always the possibility he’s a POW,” I said. “However, it could take months to find out.” I said the POW thing to make him feel better. Finally, I stood up and shook the father’s hand. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Good luck in your search."
  
From the book Marauder, Memoir of a B-26 Pilot in Europe in World War II by Lt. Col Louis Rehr



    Many thanks to Roy Bozych, 323rd BG historian.