Art Kramer

ART KRAMER'S WWII STORIES

Death on The Runway

During the winter of 1944-45 the Germans attacked through the Ardennes towards the Meuse in the Dinant Namur area in what became known as the Battle of the Bulge. It started on December 16th with the weather socked in with heavy ground fog and fast moving low scud under ten tenths cover. The 344th had stood down waiting for the skies to clear until German forces could be attacked. During this period, our weather officer, Paul Forant (Boston) gave us very little hope for the immediate future, but he did say that the skies would be clear for a mission on January 1st, 1945. On that morning we were taxiing out for takeoff when suddenly there was a huge explosion and fireball coming from the runway. Bob Chalot's plane had lost an engine on takeoff. The plane rotated violently toward the dead engine, hooked a wingtip and crashed back into the runway. Fuel tanks ruptured and caught fire. A huge fireball was over the crash site and the the crew was trapped inside the burning plane. Our fire/rescue crew rushed in to to save the men in the burning plane. As they were working, the entire 4,000 pound bomb load exploded killing both the aircrew and the rescue crew instantly. 10 men burned to death while their friends watched on helplessly. I feel the need to name the men, lest we forget.
Pilot: Bob Chalot
Co-pilot: Elliot Falk
Bombardier: (name lost)
Gunners: Dunaway,Morse and Fowler

Rescue Crew (2058 engineers aviation)
Alton Parker
Elmer Juilly
Bill Reiker
Len Luezkowski

Lest we forget.

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