15th Army Air Forces; WWII
15th Army Air Forces; WWII

Norbert Blankenheim

99th Bombarment Group 07/24/1944

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE APO 520, U.S. Army

12 October 1944

ESCAPE STATEMENT

  1. Blankenheim, Norbert, Lt., 348 Sq., 99th Gp. Born - 22 Oct. 1915 Enlisted - 3 July 1942 Home Address - 2023 St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Peacetime Profession - Printer MIA - 24 Sept. 1944 RTD - 12 Oct. 1944 Missions - 27
     
  2. Pulling, William C., T/Sgt., 12172699, 348 Sq., 99th Gp. Born - 15 June 1923 Enlisted - 18 Nov. 1942 Home Address - Old Forge, New York. Peacetime Profession - Telegrapher MIA - 24 Sept. 1944 RTD - 12 Oct. 1944 Missions - 5
     
  3. T/Sgt., Wm. C. Pulling was flying on the same plane as Lt. Blankenheim (navigator) on the mission to TRENO. On 24 July '44 about 15 minutes before the target was reached, No. 1 engine lost oil pressure and would not feather. A few minutes later it caught fire and started to "windmill". Bombs had been salvoed in a field and the pilot - Lt. Ernst - gave the order to bail out. Sources saw seven chutes, including his own, and does not know what became of the other three.
     

Source landed N. of Genoa on a mountain side, hid his chute, and contacted the tail gunner, S/Sgt. Bill, who landed nearby. By moving further up the hill they contacted another two members of their crew, T/Sgt. Henry and S/Sgt. Miller. All walked down the hill and obtained food from an Italian peasant and headed towards the coast using their compasses. Another peasant was contacted just outside Genoa on 25 July and the party lived in a hay shed on a farm for three days.

The Italian helper took them on 28/29 July through Genoa suburbs onto a hill on the east side where they hid out with 4 Russians and 1 Austrian soldier who were waiting to join the Partisans.

After about a week in this area - getting food from peasants - source and his three companions were taken by a Russian Colonel from the Partisans into an area on the west side of the main road running N. from Genoa. Here source contacted Lt. Blankenheim and the radio operator - T/Sgt. Massen - at a Hq. of the Partisans band.

T/Sgt. Pulling and Lt. Blankenheim, with others in the party, left Partisan camp 7 Aug. 1944 at 0230, Germans were approaching. All six of the crew were trying to reach some S. Africans in hiding. Got there in the evening of the same day. Joined eleven other S.A.'s nearby. Left Wed. A.M. for vicinity of La Spezia to wait for lines to come to them.

Stayed first night near Busalla, 4455N - 8-55E, next night near Attone and stayed there one day leaving around 0530 on the next morning,13 August 1944. Partisans in whose camp they had stayed took them by truck to town near Alpicella, 4415N - 9-50E. Next morning went to Gavati where they met some So. Africans who told them of an Italian who had been sent up in area to help our man and who had a radio. Waited two days there for instructions and then found out they would have to be at Montereggio by 20 August to pick up a guide. Arrived on time but no guide. On the 21st left to find another guide whom they contacted on night of 21st. This guide had contact with the 5th Army. Party had swelled to 11 by then. Stayed near Montereggio until 2 Sept. when they left because of poor food. Stayed one day at Torpiana then went to Sasseta. Were taken there by Evetic paratrooper who was waiting for a launch. Stayed there till 30 Sept. (they stayed in area of Torpiano going to surrounding villages for food) and then found they could go through lines. Picked up Fifth Army guide and rations at Castolin. Left there 1 Oct. Spent next 5 days getting to lines and through them. On 6 October near town of Capriglia met first US troops. Stayed that night in Pietrasanta. Via truck then to Viareggio, 7th Oct.; Livorno, Florence on the 8th of Oct., Arezzo the 9th and Rome then to Naples on the 11th, arriving Bari 12 Oct. 1944.

A. A. Bates, 1st Lt., A. G., Interrogator.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Norbert Blankenheim of the 99th Bombarment Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Norbert Blankenheim's combat experience.

Arrow  99th Bombardment Group