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

Daniel Kiernan

98th Bombardment Group 07/02/1943

HEADQUARTERS                                                               D-SCB-je

NORTHWEST AFRICAN AIR FORCES

A-2 SECTION

APO 650

10 November 1943

ESCAPE STATEMENT                                       

Lt. Daniel J. Kiernan, O-664718, 98 B.G., 415 Bomb Squadron.

  1. Personal History:

Duty:  Navigator

Age:    25

Missions:  27

Returned to Duty:  30 October 1943

  1. Details of Capture:

Shot down 2 July by combination of ME-109 and AA over Lecce.  Escapee bailed out at 22,000 feet.  Peasants first sought to beat him.  Suddenly attitude changed and an attempt was made to shield and hide escapee.  A fascist arrived at the hideout and finally taken to local caserna.  Enroute an attempted attack was frustrated and attacker was beaten by Carabiniere.  Escapee was given medical treatment immediately by peasants and doctor.

  1. Enemy Interrogation:

Enemy new base and route to Lecce questioned on bomb sight (one was on interrogator’s desck taken from another B-24).  On the wall were several drawings of different planes including B-24.  Cruising speed 300 miles per hour and range was exaggerated.  The purpose being to invite discussion and true capabilities.  The cone of fire was also exaggerated.  Refusal to fill false Red Cross form exasperated captors at Monastary at Foggia.  An R.A.F. pilot was brought in a room who began discussing the fact that a compass was secreted in his clothes.  A few minutes later guards came in and made a search.  The compass was not found in spite of supposed search which suggests the R.A.F. uniform may have been a fake.  At Foggia 17 days.  Interrogator would tell British that Americans were no good and vice versa for the purpose of creating propaganda and encouraging loose talk.  The first few days, prisoner is kept in solitary confinement.  Later they were placed with a group.  A_ Rome, camp 221, an Italian officer by the name of Lt. Bailey, who spoke very good English was in charge.  No food or comforts were accorded.  A pail was proffered each evening to be used as a latrine.  One blanket per man was distributed and bedding made on a marble floor.  This is a transient camp.  A supposed English prisoner at Rome was seeking to question the P/W.  This English prisoner was in high favor with guards and received preferential treatment.  Escapee appears well versed on security and exercised training.

Escape Assistance: 

S-2 lectures were very helpful and instrumental in escape and anti-enemy interrogation.  Only three purses for ten men.  Escapee had no food kit or purse.

  1. Interrogator’s Comments:

In___ __mant seems sincere.  This escapee states Major Mitchum engineered, __ _ouraged and guided escapees from P/W camp and should be cited for his __rk.  Intelligence informa ion imparted to Canadian I.O.

INTERROGATOR:

 

S. C. BORZILLERI,

2nd Lt., Air Corps,

Asst., A-2.

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Daniel Kiernan of the 98th Bombardment Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Daniel Kiernan's combat experience.

Arrow  98th Bombardment Group