Air Force Geocoin Apollo II USAF

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Owner:
Apollo II Send Message to Owner Message this owner
Released:
Monday, August 1, 2011
Origin:
Hlavní město Praha, Czechia
Recently Spotted:
In the hands of the owner.

This is collectible.

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Visiting caches related to the U.S. Air Forces or U.S. made military aircraft: USA(A)F bookmark

 

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Gallery Images related to Apollo II USAF

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Tracking History (17823.9mi) View Map

Visited 7/22/2013 Apollo II took it to Nestastny nalet USAAF 21.7.1944 Ústecký kraj, Czechia - 161.76 miles  Visit Log

Cache dedicated to fallen and murdered 15th AF airmen near Teplice city during a raid on STW Maltheuern on 21st July 1944:

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, ser. No. 42- 97531, 97th BG, 414th BG, 15th AF, Amendola Airbase. Shot down and crashed 12.05 at woods near Křížatky / Kreuzweg.
Pilot - 2/L. John J. Cunningham (0-819064) KIA, Co/Pilot - 2/Lt A. C. Gibson (0-713398) POW/RTD, Navigator - F/O Gerald V. Milburn (T-125759) KIA, Engineer – T/Sgt Robert W. Buchholz (16027760) KIA, Bombardier – 2/Lt Emile W. Gonnet jr. (0-735307), Radio Operator – S/Sgt Cecil H. Whitt (15066243) POW/RTD, Ball Turret Gunner - S/Sgt Floyd L. Thompson (18129666) POW/RTD, Tail Gunner - Sgt William D. Riber (37610768) KIA, Left Wais Gunner - Sgt Paul E. McQuire (17156967) POW/RTD, Right Waist Gunner - Sgt Casimer N. Milaszewski (36598802) KIA

Consolidated B-24G Liberator, ser. No. 42-78306 „Porky“, 456th BG, 746th BS, 15th AF, Stornara Airbase. Shot down and crashed 12,06 at Teplice – Šanov / Teplitz – Schönau.
Pilot - 1/Lt Sidney H. Brooks (0-808945) POW/RTD, Co/Pilot - 1/Lt Roy S. Dubs jr. (0-692770) KIA, Navigator - 2/Lt James J. Duston (0-671232) POW/RTD, Radio/Operator - S/Sgt Robert M. Gafner (39557533) KIA, Engineer - T/Sgt Edward W. Broom (18150346) KIA, Waist Gunner - S/Sgt Andrew R. Smyth jr. (9561118) KIA, Nose Gunner - S/Sgt Arthur P. Arseneaux jr. (11117368) KIA, Tail Gunner - S/Sgt Carl Ezuck (37301152) KIA, Ball Turrett Gunner - S/Sgt George B. Youngquist (37546096) KIA

Consolidated B-24H Liberator, ser. No. 42-64501 „Judy Ann“, 456th BG, 744th BS, 15th AF. Stornara Airbase. Shot down and crashed 12,09 at Teplice – Šanov / Teplitz – Schönau.
Pilot - 2/Lt Gunnar Eide (0-696445) KIA, Co/Pilot - F/O James N. Dingwall (T-061738) POW/RTD, Navigator - 2/Lt John V. Theim (0-712699) KIA, Radio/Operator - S/Sgt George S. Powell (38385524) KIA, Waist Gunner- S/Sgt Leo A. Powell (39695993) POW/RTD, Nose Gunner – Pvt. Arthur Elder (11071738) KIA, Engineer - Sgt James L. Wesson (34801459) KIA, Ball Turrett Gunner - Sgt Clayton W. Hansen (12133627) KIA, Tail Gunner - Sgt Francis T. Hall (31306012) KIA

Consolidated B-24G Liberator, ser. No. 42-78432 „Final Approach“, 454th BG, 736th BS, 15th AF. Shot down and crashed at Mukov.
Pilot - 2/Lt Leo Polinsky KIA, Co/Pilot - 2/Lt Eben Tilman POW/RTD, Radio/Operator -1/Lt Robert Finley KIA, Navigator - 2/Lt Charles Denbo POW/RTD, Engineer - Sgt Tunis Gaalswyk KIA, Tail Gunner - Sgt Martin S. Kerby POW/RTD, Waist Gunner - Sgt Colby Davis Ball Turrett Gunner - POW/RTD, Gunner - Sgt J. Middleton POW/RTD, Gunner - Sgt P. Maudin POW/RTD, Gunner - Sgt W. Long POW/RTD.

  • 15th AF memorial
  • 15th AF memorial detail
  • B-24G_42-78432_Final_Approach photo: USAF
  • 1/Lt Sidney H. Brooks crew photo: USAF
  • B-24_456th_BG_15th_AF photo: USAF
Visited 6/21/2013 Apollo II took it to Kotlari / Strafing Missions Jihomoravský kraj, Czechia - 36.21 miles  Visit Log

2/Lt William L. Kiggins of the 308th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, 15th AF was shot down while flying his P-51B s/n 43-24854 „Miss Betty" and strafing a railroad station nearby on October 11, 1944.

  • Kotlari
  • 2/Lt William L. Kiggins Memorial
  • detail
Visited 6/21/2013 Apollo II took it to The American Pilot's Monument Jihomoravský kraj, Czechia - 36.05 miles  Visit Log

2/Lt Ralph I. Jones of the 308th Squadron, 31st Fighter Group, 15th AF, was another victim of one of the air battles that were fought over this territory in the summer of 1944. His Mustang P-51B (s/n 43-6851, nicknamed "Birmingham Boomerang") was shot down at 11.30 a.m. on August 28, 1944 in a dogfight with three Focke-Wulfs, which had taken off to intercept heavy bombers of the 15th Air Force on the raid against targets in Austria and Hungary.
The aircraft exploded before hitting the ground near the town of Znojmo, Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren. The pilot didn't have any chance to bail out... BTW, 2/Lt Jones was a tent-mate of 2/Lt Kiggins, who was KIA six weeks later near the airfield in Brno...
In 1946 a memorial to 2/Lt Jones was erected near the crash site but until the early 90's no name was mentioned. Later on a small metal sign was added but it has contained a wrong name: James Ralph.

  • crash site of P-51B s/n 43-6851 photo credit: Moravske zemske muzeum
  • Ralph Jones Memorial in 1983 photo credit: Moravske zemske muzeum
  • the Memorial in 2013
  • The American Pilot's Monument
Visited 6/20/2013 Apollo II took it to Letecka bitva nad Jindrichohradeckem Jihočeský kraj, Czechia - 41.47 miles  Visit Log

The B-24H 42-52479 “Little Lulu” (“Red J”) from the 776th BS, piloted by 2nd Lt. John H. James was shot down on August 24, 1944 after successful bombing of the David Fanto rafinery in Pardubice, Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren. On the way home, the ship was attacked by Uffz. Willi Reschke of I./JG 302. Sixty years later Mr. Reschke wrote: “I selected a B-24 and closed in on it from the rear with a clear height advantage. I opened fire, primarily aiming to disable the tail gunner, streaming his bursts towards me. My second burst hit the inboard port engine which immediately started to burn. At that moment my engine had been hit by several rounds, so I had to break my attack.” The bomber was then finished by Fw. Hubert Engst of II.(Sturm)/JG 300. Engst’s plane was severely hit too and he had to bail out.
Radio operator Sgt John F. D’Amore was the only survivor of Little Lulu. Lt. James and other nine men perished in their plane when it crashed about two hundred yards north of the village of Vlcice, Czech Republic. (Source: Jiri Sasek)
The remains of Lts. John H. James, Edward J. Maloney, Erwin G. Dunham, Walter W. Weawer, as well as of Sgts. Eugene Jeleniewicz, Ralph Robinson, Edward C. Ivan, Thad J. Watson and Felix B. Gleason were buried into six graves by the Western wall of St. Andrew's small church in the graveyard near Strmilov on August 26, 1944.

  • St. Andrew's church Western wall of St. Andrew's church in the graveyard near Strmilov, with visible plaque and US airmen memorial.
  • the plaque
  • B-24H Little LuLu, s/n 42-52479 B-24H Little LuLu, s/n 42-52479, 776th BS, 464th BG, Pantanella, Italy.
photo credit: USAF
  • crash site of Little LuLu near Vlcice village photo credit: Jiri Sasek
  • the only survivor, Sgt John F. D’Amore Radio operator Sgt John F. D’Amore was the only survivor of Little Lulu. Photo credit: USAF
  • B-24H Little LuLu, s/n 42-52479 source: "Luftwaffe in Detail - Air War over the Czech Lands" Wings & Wheels Publications (WWP) - History Line No.1
Discovered It 5/16/2013 DaFy discovered it   Visit Log

Viden na Dni Kurete Vindaloo. Diky.
Visited 5/10/2013 Apollo II took it to Bitva o STW - Pomník letcu USA/ US pilots memorial Ústecký kraj, Czechia - 137.38 miles  Visit Log

Battle of STW memorial:
B-17G, serial number 42-97531, 97BG, 414BS, 15AF, Amendola airbase.
Shutdown time: 21.7.1944, 12:05 at woods near Krizatky
1) Pilot - 2/L. John J. Cunningham (0-819064) KIA – perished in the wreckage
2) Co/Pilot - 2/Lt A. C. Gibson (0-713398) POW/RTD – captured, returned home after the war
3) Navigator - F/O Gerald V. Milburn (T-125759) KIA – perished in the wreckage
4) Bombardier – 2/Lt Emile W. Gonnet jr. (0-735307) POW/RTD – captured, returned home after the war
5) Engineer – T/Sgt Robert W. Buchholz (16027760) KIA – landed by parachute near Loucna village where he was captured by local farmer and escorted to the town of Osek. He was murdered here by Schutzpolizei member Albert Anton.
6) Radio Operator – S/Sgt Cecil H. Whitt (15066243) POW/RTD – captured, returned home after the war
7) Ball Turret Gunner - S/Sgt Floyd L. Thompson (18129666) POW/RTD – captured, returned home after the war
8) Tail Gunner - Sgt William D. Riber (37610768) KIA – got stuck in plane wreckage, died three weeks
later in Teplice hospital in consequences of injuries
9) Left Waist Gunner - Sgt Paul E. McQuire (17156967) POW/RTD – captured, returned home after the war
10) Right Waist Gunner - Sgt Casimer N. Milaszewski (36598802) KIA – reportedly was killed by german civils near Sous village.

This entry was edited by Apollo II on Saturday, 06 July 2013 at 07:49:08 UTC.

  • US airmen memorial - Battle of STW
Visited 9/9/2012 Apollo II took it to ZDIKY-1944 Jihočeský kraj, Czechia - 12.72 miles  Visit Log
  • Zdiky-1944
  • Zdiky-1944-GC
  • Zdiky-1944_pametni_deska
  • B-17 photo: USAF
Visited 9/9/2012 Apollo II took it to LETEC / AIRMAN WILLIAM R. PREDDY Jihočeský kraj, Czechia - 3.33 miles  Visit Log
  • Airman_William_R_Preddy
  • Airman_William_R_Preddy-GC
  • Bill_PREDDY photo: USAF
  • Bill_Preddy_assigned_P-51K-10_44-11623 photo: USAF
  • 1st_Lt_William_R_PREDDY photo: USAF
Visited 9/9/2012 Apollo II took it to LETEC / AIRMAN RAYMOND F. REUTER Jihočeský kraj, Czechia - 163.6 miles  Visit Log
  • Airman_Raymond_F_Reuter_GC
  • P-51D_44-72485 The P-51 D7-J was lost on 17 April 1945 when Capt. Raymond F Reuter was killed in action whilst flying it. In the number two slot is P-51D 44-15512 D7-B “Bouncin’ Betsy” of Lt. Luther B Francis.
Photo: 339th Fighter Group Association
  • Capt. Raymond F. REUTER Capt. Raymond F Reuter, Union OR, 503rd Fighter Squadron. Capt. Reuter bailed out of 42-106614 D7-Y near Saarbourg, France on 10 September 1944, managed to evade capture and returned to Fowlmere on 24 September 1944. He was killed in action on 17 April 1945 in P-51D 44-72485 D7-J.
Photo: 339th Fighter Group Association
Visited 8/8/2012 Apollo II took it to U VRTULE Moravskoslezský kraj, Czechia - .01 miles  Visit Log
  • U_vrtule
  • B-24J_Liberator photo: USAF
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