A B-24 from the 392nd Bombardment Group
On July 31, 1943 B-24E Liberator #41-29052 (392nd Bombardment Group, 579th Bombardment Squadron) based at Topeka AAB, KS crashed 10 mi SW of Boone, Iowa after losing part of starbord wing during a thunderstorm. 5 crew members were killed.
Crew Members
Pilot, 1s Lt Melvin S. Meeker
Co-Pilot, 2nd Lt Samuel Levitt
Bombadier, 2nd Lt Mathew J. Radosevich
Engineer, TSgt James M. Parker
Radio Operator, TSgt Thomas J. Leyshon
392nd Bombardment Group Symbol
On this date, six 392nd BG planes took off from Topeka Army Air Base on a navigation training mission to Duluth, MN. First in line was B-24E #41-29052 which took off at 0631 hours. Aboard were five members of the Meeker crew. Navigator 1/Lt Milton M. Planche was scheduled to go on the mission. However, he'd been to see the medics about a cold and was grounded by Group flight surgeon Capt (later Major) Robert M. Holland. The other gunners did not fly because they were examining new ball turrets that had just arrived at Topeka.
According to the Report of Aircraft Accident, 1/Lt Meeker was at 5,000 feet when he flew into a thunderstorm. It was thought that he lost control of the a/c in the severe turbulence. In his effort to regain control, he placed excessive stress on the wing section; it broke off where the outboard wing panel and #4 motor joined. The plane then made a short turn and at 0730 hours, it crashed at a very steep angle 10 miles southwest of Boone, IA. All aboard were killed.
A marker has been placed north of the cache near the crash site. Impact craters are slightly visible when the crops are not growing.
392nd Bombardment Group Tail Marking
A B-24 Crew at Topeka AAB
The Other Gunners
S/Sgt John P. Scott, a tail gunner, remembers that the six Meeker crew enlisted men had planned to go into Topeka that evening to celebrate their imminent departure for overseas. There were no vacancies on any 392nd crews, so Scott applied for pilot training. He passed the exams and physical and was waiting for assignment to a school. A crew on its way overseas then stopped in Topeka. They needed a gunner and Scott was selected. He thus became a ball turret gunner in the 44th Bomb Group. He was wounded by shrapnel on his second mission (13 Nov 1943). On his 24th mission, to Friedrichshafen on 18 Mar 1944, his plane was hit by flak over the target. He bailed out and was lucky enough to land in Switzerland, where he was interned for eight months.
Radio Operator S/Sgt Thomas White flew as a gunner with several 392nd BG crews. He finished his combat tour in June 1944.
Gunner T/Sgt Charles E. Zschiesche was transferred to 1/Lt William W. Clifford's crew. They were killed in action on 8 Oct 1943.
Gunner S/Sgt John E. Fagan flew five missions with 2/Lt Frank Gonseth's crew. He may have then transferred to the ground crew, as a man with that name served in the 10th Station Complement Squadron.
Topeka AAB in 1943, where the flight originated
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