8th Air force last operational loss in WW2

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"Last Operational loss of the 8th Air Force in WWII"
7-May-45 - Mission ‘Operation Chowhound’ - Lionel Sceurman crew
B-17G 44-8640 ‘Section 8’
Flight to Utrecht Netherlands and return, bomb load – emergency rations/foodstuff.
By this point of the war, the 6th chowhound flown by ‘Section 8’ and crew, these missions were considered as ‘milk runs’ as the Dutch authorities via the Red Cross had given guarantees of safety to these mercy flights.
By now, 'Section 8' was a trusted, proven 'old hand', having completed 54 bombing missions and five 'Chowhound' flights.
Successful low level flight to target and the drop was successfully completed. These missions gave the crews a great morale boost, dropping food rather than explosives.
Where the story gets a 'tad sketchy', on the return flight Section 8 and crew, either overflew SS diehards protecting sensitive military installations and were engaged by anti-aircraft fire, or they ran into mechanical difficulties.
Either way, we know that they were already committed to cross the North Sea when #2 engine failed. The engines fire extinguisher was operated and the engine was feathered, partially, with the damage causing the oil to cover the wing behind the damage.
By this time Lt Sceurman was already crossing the North Sea back to base. Somewhere mid crossing the fire must have broken back out as the survivors indicated the fire was attempted to be put out by rapidly losing altitude. This effort was unsuccessful and now the oil covered wing, partially fuel of fuel and fuel fumes, was in danger of catching on fire. Hence Lt Sceurman made the call approximately 90% of the way across the North Sea back to base, for the crew to bail out.
In the nose the togglier indicated to the navigator there were troubles out on the wing and operated the nose exit door, following it out and down in his slightly delayed jump. The navigator now saw the engine or part thereof depart the aircraft in flames. It was time to go, he slightly delayed his jump by exiting via the open bomb bay with a rescue dingy, though the dingy was blown out of his hands. He pulled his chute immediately and then it seemed almost instantly that he was hitting the sea.
With the crew out of the aircraft Lt Sceurman and his co-pilot attempted a ditching into the North Sea 12 x miles off Benacre Ness. Again, fate worked against them, when one wing hit first causing the aircraft to cartwheel, rapidly settle and begin going under.
For the survivors, fate now intervened positively, as a returning 550 Sqn RAF Lancaster spotted the ditched and foundering B-17, they circled as she settled further, the radio operator getting a distress message off to the nearest RAF stations. As they circled, they attempted to drop floats, life jackets and dropped flares to mark the location.
They then spotted a trawler not far from the scene and set off to contact them via morse lamp, then shepherded the boat to the scene. By now 2 x further B-17’s had been alerted to the situation and they also dropped flares and life jackets as best they could.
Now, at this point, it was over to the rescuers, as the Lancaster and B-17’s circled, two ASR assets approached, an RAF Walrus aircraft landed and pulled one survivor and one dead man from the clutches of the North Sea. Within minutes a Catalina was on scene, further rescuing two survivors.
No further casualties could be found and rescued and so the flying boats took off for their respective bases. Unfortunately, the survivor aboard the Walrus, succumbed to secondary drowning from the sea water ingested before they could even land at base.
Of the 13 men aboard ‘Section 8’, two men (S/Sgt Bubolz and Sgt Lane) were qualified voice linguists, seasoned aircrew and aboard as observers, two men from the photo section were there, to see the sights on this ‘milk run’, they were very unlucky that their first flight in Europe was their last.
Of the remaining crew members seven were killed in action, with only two crew members surviving and returning to duty. Six men remained Missing in Action (MIA) / Finding of Death (FOD), unrecovered and their names appear on one of two sets of Tablets of the Missing.
Crew:
(P) Lt Lionel N. Sceurman, (CP) Lt James R. Schwartz*, (N.) Lt Russell Cook**, (N/Trg) Lt David C. Condon*
(RO) T/Sgt Gano E. McPherson, (BTG) S/Sgt John J. Keller, (WG) S/Sgt Norbert J. Kuper, (TG)S/Sgt William R. Lankford
(Obs) S/Sgt Edward H. Bubolz, (Obs/Linguist) T/Sgt Robert W. Korber, (Obs) S/Sgt Gerald Lane, (Obs/Linguist) Sgt Joseph P. Repiscak, (Obs) Pfc George L. Walteri.
* Returned to Duty (RTD)
** Died of Wounds (DOW)
Ages of the men ranged from 21 to 29 years old, a large proportion in their very early twenties, with average being roughly 24.
All deaths in war are tragic, Wars are by definition a failure of diplomacy and strong nations fend of those that would subjugate lesser countries.
All gave some, some gave all. RIP ‘Section 8’ crew.

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