 
The Saga of Sunshine
A B-24 Liberator, 719th Squadron,
449th Bomb Group of the 15th Air Force
Combat #5, Serial# 42-52106
by Mark Melchiorre
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 Growing up I knew only the basics of
my
father's (Angelo P. Melchiorre) time in the service. He had been a tail
gunner in a B-24 bomber. He had some photographs of B-24s and we would
watch them fly on the television show "Twelve O'clock High".
Dad had been shot down and was a prisoner of war in a place called
Stalag Luft I in Barth, Germany. We got the humorous version of this
from television's "Hogan's Heroes". He told me that a scar in
his lower leg was a gun shot wound. And I knew that he did not like to
talk about it much beyond that. He was proud to have served, but that
fact would be left to speak for itself. Luckily, it did not take much
to
satisfy a young boy's curiosity.
Dad's silence on his wartime
experience was typical of many WWII
veterans. In fact it wasn't until 1983 that the 449th Bomb Group
Association was formed to preserve the memory of it's legacy.
Periodically since dad's death in 1972 I would get curious about his
war
experience. How was he treated as a POW? It could not have been
pleasant, but how bad was it? My imagination was fueled by movies like
"The Deer Hunter" where POWs in Viet Nam were brutalized and
forced to play Russian-roulette for the amusement of their captors. So
I
would try to dig up information. The Army was of little help as the
depot that stored personnel records from that era was destroyed by fire
sometime ago. Little came of my research.
1994 was different. It was the 50 year
anniversary of the invasion of
Normandy and the television, newspapers and magazines were full of
stories about WWII. In May a notice on the online service, Compuserve,
caught my eye, "Check the Military Forum for WWII anniversary
events". I posted a brief message on the Military Forum with some
known facts about dad's capture. Within hours I had several contacts.
One of these led me to Jim Miller, the treasurer of the 449th Bomb
Group
Association. Jim sent me information about the 449th and a list of the
crew members of dad's plane. It turned out that the nose gunner, Malcom
Harper lived just a few miles from me and we arranged to meet over
dinner. Mal turned out to be a gold mine of information.
While most of my curiosity focused on
dad's POW
experience I gave little thought to the actual capture. I thought the
plane was shot down and the crew had bailed out into German hands. It
turns out that the capture of the crew and their plane which I now know
was named Sunshine is a story in itself.
Grottaglie,
Italy
The crew arrived in Grottaglie, Italy on 6 Jan
1944. Grottaglie is located just inside the 'heel' of Italy's boot. By
then, Italy had already surrendered to the Allies but the Italian
Fascists still controlled much of Italy. It was 22 Jan 1944 that the
Allies established a beachhead at Anzio, on Italy's Western coast,
Southwest of Rome. Almost the whole Northern half of Italy was still
enemy territory. Just months before, Grottaglie was an airbase for the
Fascist Italian Air Force and was itself the target of Allied bombing
attacks from squadrons based in Northern Africa. Between our bombings
and the damage caused by retreating armies, Grottaglie was in shambles.
Yet, the Allies made it their home.
Grottaglie and the other bases in
southern Italy including Manduria,
San Pancrazio and Lecce were significant to the Allied war effort
because for the first time strategic Axis held targets in central
Europe
were in bombing range. The Allies now had the ability to disrupt enemy
troop deployment and supply lines.
Many of the missions Sunshine flew
during January through March of
that year were against railroad marshaling yards, airfields and troop
concentrations in northern Italy.
On a 28 March 1944 mission to Mestre,
Italy, Sunshine had to abort
due to engine trouble. They were able to feather the engine and
returned
safely to Grottaglie. Because Mission Command had already issued a
"Maximum Effort" command for the following morning, Sunshine
was immediately turned over to a ground crew who worked all night
making
repairs. Parts were scavenged from B-24's that were worse off than
Sunshine. By morning Sunshine was once again running on 4 engines.
A "Maximum Effort" required any plane capable
of taking off to fly the mission. This mission targeted the railroad
marshaling yards at Bolzano, near the Swiss and Austrian borders in
northern Italy. The purpose was to stop the flow of supply's to the
southern front.
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"There's
a mission today"
There's a
mission today - you're scheduled to fly.
So you wait by the ship and look at the sky.
It's cloudy up there and the wind starts to blow.
But the mission ain't scrubbed - get in and go.
Your nerves
are on edge, you cuss and you sweat,
if this damned ship flies you lose your bet.
But the ship takes off and you settle down
and cast a longing glance at that lovely ground.
The ship
will fly while the engines run
so you take your post at your trusty gun
and check to see if it's working right.
If the round ain't short nor the head space tight.
You've
joined your squadron and joined your group
the vapor trails are as thick as soup.
Your breath comes short and you check your hose
and cuss like hell cause the damn thing's froze.
You clear
the ice and you breathe again.
It's the life for birds - but not for men.
Your face is cold and your masks too tight
so you pull it off and fix it right.
You've never
seen it so damned cold.
It tightens you up with a square hold.
Your fingers freeze to the grips of your guns.
You wonder who said that flying was fun.
The stuff is
still bursting thick and black
you cuss the guy that invented flak.
It pounds on the ship like an angry surf.
You're scared to hell, but you keep you're nerve.
You're
skipper is wise, he's dodging the stuff
but there in the tail the riding is rough.
The ship is hit cause you feel the lurch.
Your guns swing free as you lose your perch.
You feel her
lurch and start to drop
over the 'phone comes "feather the prop!"
Smoke streams back from Number Two
but your pilot is quick and pulls her thru.
Soon you're
over the field and circling round
Then into the pattern and on the ground.
Then take her up to the parking place
You've made it again with the good Lord's grace.
Clear your gun and raise up its cover
Then scramble out to look her over.
The ground crews there with a silly grin
They ask "Where in Hell have you been?"
She's full
of holes from nose to tail
But she went and came and didn't fail.
Just above where your head has been
You could drive a truck thru the vertical fin.
Your job is
done so down to the tent
Then head for chow like a man hell bent.
Those empty seats sort of spoil the meal
You've lost some pals, but it doesn't seem real.
You wait a
while and watch the door
But they don't come back like they've done before.
So you try to forget it and think of tomorrow
You've paid for the flight but not the sorrow.
This story
goes on, it has no end
You lose a ship and you lose a friend.
Maybe some day you won't come back
And they'll chalk you up to 'fighters and flak'.
It's a hell
of a life and you feel the strain
But you'd do the whole thing over again.
Still you pray for the day when there'll be no war
So you can see what in hell you're fighting for.
You're doing
your job. You're winning the fight
Doing your best to make things right.
Just hope you'll live thru it and someday see
That "lasting peace in a world that's free"
---from
A Wartime Log, Angelo P. Melchiorre.
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To Bolzano
On Wednesday 29 March 1944, at
0821 hours, the 449th with the untested Sunshine as the last plane in
formation, took off and began the 3 1/2 hour flight to Bolzano.
It was a cold winter and the
high altitude made it that much worse. Bombers at this time were
essentially unheated. Gunners at the open bays were prone to frostbite.
Flak was a constant companion and the planes were often riddled with
holes. A squadron of German ME-109s was spotted to the east, but they
kept their distance. Being the last plane in formation was a lonely
task, and nobody realized that more than the tail gunner of the last
plane.
Before reaching the target at
Bolzano, Sunshine's engine, repaired with scavenged parts, failed again
and had to be feathered. Sunshine began to lose speed and altitude and
was forced to drop out of formation. By this time the escort of P-38
fighters had turned back. Lone bombers were easy prey for enemy
fighters. The gunners were alert.
Sunshine was flying with a
replacement navigator, Samuel Guttenberg. It was his first mission with
Sunshine. Guttenberg plotted a course to Switzerland, the nearest safe
zone. To lighten their load they salvoed the bombs intended for Bolzano
into a barren mountain. The crew held on. They continued to lose
altitude. The mountains below became threatening.
Just before reaching safety in
Switzerland, a burst of flak took out a second engine. The plane
rapidly lost altitude. Over the intercom the crew weighed their
options. It was time for a quick decision, to bail out or stay with the
plane. The navigator estimated that they were just 2 minutes from
Switzerland. The crew decided to hang on. Lt. Hemphill tried to make
the best of their rapid descent. An air strip came into sight.
Sunshine came down hard but
intact. You could hear a collective sigh of relief from the crew.
However, relief quickly turned to concern.
As they came off the plane the
crew saw that they were surrounded by hostile, armed soldiers, and they
were not Swiss. They were Italian Fascists. Sunshine and crew had come
down short of the Swiss border and into enemy hands.
Captured
The crew was stripped of their
uniforms and boots. Each was given a 2 piece outfit fashioned from
burlap to wear. Angelo hid his ability to speak Italian. For several
days they were moved from town to town and housed in local jails. Soon
they were turned over to the Germans who placed them in solitary
confinement. They were fed meager rations. The interrogation began.
One day the crew boarded a
German JU-52 for an unknown destination. After a short flight they
approached an airfield for landing. Angelo recognized it, and a few of
the crew confirmed that it was the airfield where Sunshine landed.
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At the airfield, they saw their plane along
with a motion picture crew from the German Propaganda Division. The
Sunshine crew was forced to enact what they thought at the time was a
voluntary surrender. In fact the finished newsreel referred to it as a
forced landing. Over and over they were filmed disembarking from
Sunshine. Each time, Mal Harper would flash the V for victory sign.
Being from Hollywood, Mal knew full well what he was doing to the
German script. A German actor was placed in with crew for scenes that
required cooperation. (see unidentified in the photo above)
Typical of most all day filming
sessions, this was edited down to a 45 second clip for German
newsreels. It was shown complete with aerial footage, flak guns firing,
ominous music and a voice over. Harper's persistent V for victory ended
up on the cutting room floor, but from the brief footage of the crew,
one can tell that they are not happy. (This footage is from
the Bundesarchiv)
Sunshine was repaired by the Germans
and flown by the Luftwaffe in
intruder missions against the RAF. Unfortunately the crew went from
being
actors to POWs. They were transferred to Dulag Luft in Frankfurt,
Germany.
Dulag Luft was where all POWs were photographed, fingerprinted, and
placed
in solitary confinement. Each POW filled out a Red Cross form, often
called a "capture card". The official purpose of the form was to
collect the name, rank, and serial number of the POW, but the Germans
often had other questions on the form in an effort to gain needed
information. (For You the War Is Over, pg. 54)
Dulag Luft was staffed by
interrogation specialists. It was much more
intense than what they had encountered in Italy. Most interrogation at
Dulag Luft was brief, usually less than one week and seldom involved
torture. Physical treatment ranged from neglect to withholding food,
cigarettes, reading materials, the use of a sweat box treatment and the
disruption of sleep. (For You the War Is Over, pg. 58)
Information was extracted using a
variety of psychological techniques
and mental harassment to keep the POW off guard. A popular routine was
the
"good cop, bad cop" approach used by teams of interrogators.
Angelo was unsettled by the fact that, just days after being captured,
the
Germans already knew so much about him including information about his
family and previous jobs. When interrogation was complete the POW's
were
taken to their permanent prison. A special Luft was set up for
communications specialists. Sunshine's radio operator, Dominic
Lombardelli,
was separated from the crew. (Author's note: We got to see
Dominic a lot when we were young. He is my brother's Godfather) Angelo
and the rest of the Sunshine crew, were sent to Stalag Luft #1 in
Barth,
Germany.
Stalag Luft #1 was their home for 13
months until 4 May
1945 when they were liberated by the Russian armies advancing on
Germany
from the west.
Back at
Grottaglie
The 449th Bomb Group lost 2 planes
that day. One
crashed shortly after take off. Sunshine was MIA.
An entry from the diary of SSgt.
John T. Johnson, 719 Squadron, 449 Bomb Group, Ball turret gunner,
Geisels' crew, "Wednesday X, March 29, Raid #39 Bolzano marshaling
yards northern Italy. P-38 escorts - lost one of them. Flak galore but
no fighters. Some of planes came back with flak holes. Sweating out
number five 'Sunshine' - a new crew was flying her. 717th squadron lost
one ship on takeoff. Two were killed in it. Number five never came
back." (pg. 446, "Grottaglie, and Home")
And from the journal of the 449th
Aircraft Inspector, Lt. Col. H. A. Wilkes, "Lost one plane 'Holy Joe'
today. Plane crashed about three miles from end of runway. Two gunners
were killed. Others seriously injured. Pilot Fowler was flying
co-pilot. Weather seems to be breaking, one other plane missing in
action, 42-52106. (pg. 456, "Grottaglie, and Home"). 42-52106 is the
serial number for Sunshine.
In all, the 449th Bomb Group lost 101
B-24s in combat during
the Allied war effort from 8 Jan 1944 to 16 Apr 1945. 453 men lost
their
lives. 363 men became POWs.
Dedicated
to my father, Angelo P. Melchiorre.
To O. Malcom Harper,
and the rest of the crew
of Sunshine.
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The crew members of Sunshine:
- Gifford T. Hemphill - Pilot
- Nelson D. Wood - Co Pilot
- Samuel Guttenberg - Navigator
(replaced Robert Feldman 3/29/1944)
- John D. Puff- Bombardier
- Francis J. (Frank) Talisano -
Engineer
- Dominic D. Lombardelli - Radio
Operator
- Orel Malcom Harper- Nose Gunner
- Angelo P. Melchiorre - Tail Gunner
- D.C. Powell - Waist Gunner
- Eugene W. (Pat) Briggs - Ball Gunner
- Robert Feldman - Navigator
References:
- A Wartime Log, Angelo P. Melchiorre
(Photographs, poems, sketches)
- Bundesarchiv,
Koblenz, Germany (motion picture and over 60 still photos)
Postfach 320
56003 Koblenz
Tel: 0261/505-0
Fax: 0261/505226
- For You the War Is Over, David A.
Foy, Stein and Day, 1984, ISBN 0-8128-2925-5
- Grottaglie, and Home, a History of
the 449th Bomb Group
- Malcom Harper conversations with
the author
- Missing Air Crew Report (MACR) 3715
- Tucson to Grottaglie, a History of
the 449th Bomb Group
449th Bomb Group Association:
- James B. Miller, Treas.
125 Forest Lake Drive
Simpsonville, SC 29681
(864) 297-5208
- R. F. Downey, Secy.
4859 Stanhope Drive
St. Louis, MO 63128
(314) 892-4597
Men known to be at Stalag #1 with my
father (from A Wartime Log):
- M.O. Signorelli, Bronx, NY
- William P. Bailey, Sweetwater, TX
- Gil Klaeser, Keil, Wisc.
- J.J. Morris, Youngstown, OH
- J.R. Byerly, Colonel
 Links
of interest:
Copyright
© 1995-2008 by
Mark Melchiorre. All rights reserved.
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