Filler Names

[Bob M.]

2LT Charles C. Mercer 8th AF, 3rd Bomb Div, 388th BG, 45 CBW, Sep 44-end.

He was my father who passed away March 2005.

His B-17 was shot down in Feb 45 and he became a German POW. He received wounds that partially crippled him when he bailed out and landed on the second story of a German house. Shaken from plunging through the roof, he climbed back onto the roof and slipped off the roof, falling into a blind alley. He broke several bones in his legs. As he lay there he was attacked by German towns people with farm implements. He used tell me it was the best shooting of his life. He didn't want to kill anyone because he figured they'd really get pissed off and mass rush him. So he fired close enough to make them think he was trying to hit them and keep them scared (he used to hunt squirrels and muskrats before the war so he was a pretty good shot). (The town was approximately 10 km from the town my mother's parents had emigrated from in 1896 and he would joke that the farmers were in-lawshad been objecting to his marrying my Mom)He also said that he used to get ribbed about the large number of .45cal clips he used to stash in his flying uniform, but he said he used most of them that day. He was taken into German custody and sent to a "bad boy" POW because he refused to make any agreements with or reveal any info to his captors. He tried to escape twice but was quickly recaptured (didn't move too well). Liberated in May 1945, he was shipped to the Pacific where he was a supply officer responsible for stockpiling supplies for the invasion of Japan (and their destruction when the Japanese surrendered). It was there he was infected with an incurable fungal disease. Although he had had a basketball scholarship at Kansas State University when he had enlisted in 1942, the broken bones, meatball German medical treatment, and the fungal infection left him unable to play sports.

He was recalled to active duty in 1950 for the Korean war as first a Ground Forward Air Controller with the South Korean Army and then with the Turkish UN Brigade. Wounded again, he was transferred after healing and became a maintenance officer. After the Korean War, he spent several tours with the Office of Special Investigation doing counter-intelligence, security inspections, and crime investigation.

He finished his career in 1967 as a LTC teaching AFROTC at Oklahoma State University. After retirement, he became a school teacher, then assistant principal at the county high school. After several years in that capacity, he had a flareup of a fungal infestation he had gotten in the South Pacific which caused open ulcers up to 18 inches long to open along his right leg, thigh, and back. This was the first of several hospital stays that lasted from 6 months to a year. In 1971, he was declared 100% permanently disabled from war related injuries by the Veteran's Administration. After several more hospital stays over the next 20 years or so, the doctors amputated his right leg well above the knee. When he became ill with pneumonia in March 2006, he took the time to arrange his will and other legal documents on the desk, got on the bus and checked himself into the hospital. He died less than 24 hours later.

Very Respectfully

Bob Mercer

[Hard Sarge]

2nd Lt Charles C. Mercer, 388th BG

sounds like he was a hell of a man, sorry to hear of his passing, I think I would of really of enjoyed speaking with him

[Bob M.]

I think you would have, too. As an ROTC instructor and even as an assisstant principal he was greatly liked by his students. I always enjoyed talking with him. Even after a year, I still miss him a lot. I thought including him in BTR is a small bid to his sacrifices for country and family.

Thanks,

Bob Mercer

[uss segundo]

Roger Behrend (US or Canadian airforce)[:)]

[Hard Sarge]

PO. Roger Behrend, 401 RCAF flying Spit LF.VB

[rockmedic109]

I copied your post and sent it to my wife. I went to bed and was awakened when she she climbed into bed and buried her face into my back and I felt her tears. She called it sweet.

Thank you

[FDRLincoln]

Sickels, Glenn F. 2nd Lt. 100th BG 8th AF


My great-uncle. He was actually a ground mechanic, not a pilot, but I'd still like to honor him.

[Hard Sarge]

2nd Lt. Glenn F. Sickels, 100th BG

[RyanCrierie]

Robert W. Hanrahan (USAF) (my maternal grandfather, graduated HS In 1945; would have been in Japan if the bombs hadn't been dropped).

Thomas Crierie (RCAF) (paternal Grandfather, not sure what he did during the war; I know my paternal grandmother worked in a Canadian aircraft factory office during the war)

[Hard Sarge]

2nd Lt. Robert W. Hanrahan, 466th BG (B-24)

PO. Thomas Crierie, 408 RCAF (Hali)

[observer_20000]

Corporal Charles Dillon(1909-1994)(Canadian Army) (Paternal Grandfather, not sure exactly what he did during the war, and I'm a bit sketchy on his birth date. He might have actually been born in 1906.)

He was awarded the War Medal (1939-45) the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (with maple leaf clasp), the 1939 to 1945 Star the Italy Star, and the France and Germany star

[Baskaatje]

Hard Sarge,

Can I name two for Dutch pilots?

PO Bas Kreuger 322 Sq (Netherlands) RAF Spitfires
FLt Fred Pelder 320 Sq (Netherlands) RAF B-25's

Fred is a friend of mine who's father flew Brewster Buffaloes in the Far East with the Netherlands East-Indies AF (ML-KNIL)(Singapore & Java), later escaped the Japs flying from Java in a Lockheed 12 to Ceylon (navigating on a roadmap and with two P-40 droptanks in the hold for extra fuel). From 1942 - 1945 he flew B-25's in 18 Sq NEI-AF from Australia and finally also flew against the Indonesians in their struggle for independance from Holland.

Thnx

Bas

[Hard Sarge]

Hi observer_20000

I was able to find a RCAF unit in the Med, since that is where it looked he spent most of his time

so

Sgt. Charles Dillon, 417 RCAF Squadron (Spit LF.VIII)


baskreuger

the Dutch are more then welcome

PO. Bas Kreuger, 322 Dutch Squadron (Spit XIV)
Flt. Fred Pelder, 320 Dutch Squadron (Mitchell II)

in fact, I just been working on some of the Dutch (not many to find)
if I may, how is van der written when in the middle of a name ?, is it van der, or Van Der ?

(odd, all the Dutch pilots I found, did not fly with the Dutch Squadrons !)

[Baskaatje]

I can help you with some more (historical) names for the Dutch, both in their own Squadrons (322 RAF, 320 RAF, 321 RAF and 860 FAA).

"Van" is mostly written as "van" as in "Arnold van Delft" (the 'van' meaning he is originally from the city of Delft). The same with "der". It is "Hans van der Kop".

Not so odd that most Dutch pilots were not in Dutch squadrons, as they had more opportunity for action in British or mixed RAF squadrons and certainly more opportunity for promotion (only one position for squadron CO in the single Dutch fighter squadron.....).

I'll try and see if I can whistle up some more names.

Bas

Ps: thanks for our names in 322 and 320 Sq!

[OculusMortis]

Sgt Norman Dewen, British Army, Sherwood Foresters, 2nd Battalion

[Baskaatje]

Here's a list of 322 (Dutch) Squadron RAF:

322 SQuadron:

- F/O G.H. Aalpoel;
- F/Sgt. S.K. Aertsen
- F/Lt Jan van Arkel
- F/Lt J.B.C.A. Arts (Jan)
- W/O, P/O J. Bakker
- F/Lt. M.G. Barnett
- F/O E.J. Baron van Nagell
- W/O A.J. Bary
- F/Sgt. R.L. van Beers
- F/O M.L. van Bergen
- F/Sgt. T.M. Biallosterski
- F/Lt. G.M. Braidwood
- F/O L.L. de la Bretonière
- F/O R.F. Burgwal
- F/O J.V. Caulkett
- P/O T. Cody
- F/Sgt. Cousins
- F/Lt. P.A. Cramerus
- W/O H.C. Cramm
- F/Lt. R.F. van Daalen Wetters
- F/Lt. J.W. Dekker
- F/O E. Ditmarsch
- F/O A.O.S. Dodd
- F/O H.J. Doornbos (Han)
- F/Sgt. G.J.H. Dijkman
- S/Ldr. L.C.M. van Eendenburg
- F/O F.J.H. van Eijk (first to wingtip a V-1 to make it crash);
- F/O J.L. Flinterman
- F/Sgt. N.C.W. Gibbs
- F/Lt R.L. Gould
- F/Lt H.H. Gowin
- F/O R. Groeneveld
- F/O J.W. van Hamel
- F/Lt. A.R. Hall
- F/Sgt, P/O J.H. Harms
- F/Sgt, P/O W.M. van Helden
- F/O L.M.W. Hendrikx
- F/O A.A. Homburg
- F/Lt D.J. Hunter
- Flt Lt (pilot) Donald James
- P/O M.J. Janssen (Peuter)
- F/Sgt. R.E. Jess
- F/Lt. Mr. G.F.J. Jongbloed
- F/Lt. J. Jonker
- F/Sgt. C.A. Joseph
- F/Sgt. L.D. Knappert (Dick)
- F/O J.C.G. Koes
- Flg Off (pilot) Johannes Godert Casper
- F/Sgt. C. Kooy
- F/O C. Krediet
- F/Sgt. W.H. Kuyper
- Maj. K.C. Kuhlmann
- F/Sgt. S.D. Lazarus
- Flt Sgt (pilot) Saul David
- W/O H. Leah
- P/O J. MacDonnell
- P/O J. Made
- F/O H.C. MacLaine Pont
- W/O J.A. Maier
- F/O C.R.R. Manders
- F/Lt. L.M. Meyers
- W/O J.S. Morden
- P/O J.K. Morrison
- F/Lt. M.A. Muller
- F/O G.P.C. de Neve
- F/O K. Normann
- Flg Off (pilot) Kenneth
- F/O R. Ockerse
- F/Lt. J.B. Niven
- S/Ldr. H.F. O'Neill
- F/Lt. J.L. Plesman (son of KLM founder Albert Plesman);
- W/O G.J. Quinn
- F/Sgt. J.A.W. Quinton
- F/Sgt. M.H. Rackwitz
- P/O J.D. Ramsey
- F/O F.J. Reahill
- F/Sgt. F.C. Richardson
- W/O J.C. van Roosendaal (Hans)
- F/Sgt. H.G. Roovers
- P/O N.W. Sluyter
- F/O F.W. Speetjens
- F/Lt. F.D. Snalam
- S/Ldr. A.C. Steward
- F/Sgt. Street
- S/Ldr. Bob van der Stok (one of three succesful escapees from "The Great Escape")
- F/Sgt F.A. van Valkenburg
- F/O J. Vlug
- Flg Off (pilot) Johannes
- F/Sgt. W. de Vries
- F/Sgt. I. Walters
- J.B.J. Wansink
- F/Sgt. J.E. Watson
- F/Lt. Watts
- F/O W. de Wolff
- F/O L.D. Wolters (Bert)
- P/O A.J.W Wijting (Robbie)

Hope it is not too much for you

Bas

[Macunaima]

I'd like to include the historical names from the Brazilian pilots. They were all from the 1st Brazilian Fighter Squadron, 350th Fighter Group, 12th USAAF, and they flew P-47 Thunderbolt during the Italian campaing, from late 1944 until the end of the war.

LtC. Nelson Freire L. Wanderley
LtC. Nero Moura
Maj. Oswaldo Pamplona Pinto
Maj. Marcilio Gibson Jacques
Maj. Ary Neves
Maj. Dionysio Cerqueira Taunay
Maj. Francisco Dutra Sabrosa
Maj. Rube Canabarro Lucas
Cpt. Fortunato Camara de Oliveira
Cpt. Horácio Monteiro Machado
Cpt. Joel Miranda
Cpt. Lafayette Cantarino R. de Souza
Cpt. Newton Lagares Silva
Cpt. Roberto Pessoa Ramos
Cpt. Theobaldo Antônio Kopp
1Lt. Eudo Candiota da Silva
1Lt. Felino Alves de Jesus
1Lt. Modesto Antonio M. Dall'Agnoll
1Lt. Oscar de Souza Spinola Junior
2Lt. Alberto Martins Torres
2Lt. Alvaro Eustórgio O. e Silva
2Lt. Armando de Souza Coelho
2Lt. Aurélio Vieira Sampaio
2Lt. Danilo Marques Moura
2Lt. Dante Isidoro Gastaldoni
2Lt. Diomar Meneses
2Lt. Fernando de Barros Morgado
2Lt. Fernando Correa Rocha
2Lt. Fernando Pereyron Mocellin
2Lt. Frederico Gustavo dos Santos
2Lt. Hélio Carlos Cox
2Lt. Hélio Langsch Keller
2Lt. Ismael da Motta Paes
2Lt. Ismar Ferreira da Costa
2Lt. João Maurício Campos de Medeiros
2Lt. João Milton Prates
2Lt. John Richardson Cordeiro e Silva
2Lt. Jorge E. Paranhos Taborda
2Lt. Jorge Maia Poucinha
2Lt. José C.de Miranda Corrêa
2Lt. José R. Meira de Vasconcelos
2Lt. Josino Maia de Assis
2Lt. Leon R. Lara de Araujo
2Lt. Luiz Felipe Perdigão M. da Fonseca
2Lt. Luiz Lopes Dornelles
2Lt. Marcos E. Coelho de Magalhães
2Lt. Newton Neiva de Figueiredo
2Lt. Oldegard Olsen Sapucaia
2Lt. Othon Correia Netto
2Lt. Paulo Costa
2Lt. Pedro de Lima Mendes
2Lt. Raymundo da Costa Canário
2Lt. Renato Goulart Pereira
2Lt. Roberto Brandini
2Lt. Roberto Tormim Costa
2Lt. Rolland Rittmeister
2Lt. Rui B. Moreira Lima
2Lt. Waldir Paulino Pequeno de Mello
2Lt. Carlos de Castro Swenson

[LDM]

I would like to add my grandfather, who fought in World War 2 in the US Army in the European theater, Emil Holtz. I believe he was a sergeant. He passed away in 2000 and I would like to honor his memory. Thank you for this opportunity.

[RyanCrierie]

Leonard P. Crierie (RCAF); my great-uncle, IIRC; we always call him "Uncle Len". He served in the Canadian Army during WWII guarding docks in Canada (He was too old at the time to be sent overseas).

[Rekkon]

I would like to nominate my great grandfather Arnold Erbstoesser, who fought in Europe with the US 4th Infantry Division.