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

Paul Moritz

455th Bombardment Group 09/12/1944

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

11 October 1944

ESCAPE STATEMENT

  1. Moritz, Paul F., Sgt., 12089249, 742 SQ., 455 B. Gp. Born - 1 June 1922 Enlisted - 30 June 1942 Home Address - 215 Manhasset Ave., Manhasset, New York. Peacetime Profession - Student. MIA - 12 Sept. 1944 RTD - 11 Oct. 1944 Missions - 13
     
  2. On 12 September 1944, source was flying as tail gunner on a B-24 piloted by Lt. Biddle. Target was Munich. On the bomb run no's. 3 and 4 engines had mechanical failure. No. 4 was feathered and no. 3 engine ran away and began to smoke. At that time the ship had only 1.5 hours of gas remaining. The pilot decided to head for Switzerland. The ship was escorted by two P-47's to the border where two Swiss fighters picked it up and escorted it to Dubendorf. Both of these Swiss airplanes were Swiss built. Flak suits, ammo, bombs, camera, bombsight, etc., had been jettisoned by the B-24 after the engines had gone out in order to lighten the ship. When the ship landed at Dubendorf two chutes were spilled, one out of each waist window to act as brakes as the main gears were inoperative.
     
  3. Never in enemy hands.
     
  4. That night was spent at Dubendorf and the following day source was sent to internment camp at Adelboden (4630N-730E) and put up in a hotel. Eight days later source escaped and went to Frutigen with a Sgt. David Whitman (of Eighth AF). The next day they went by train to Lausanne (4632N-633E). Source had traded G.I. clothes for civilian clothes and, with the help of a befriended native, they were able to get these R.R. tickets to Lausanne. They had also managed to procure a faked pass and used this pass once with no trouble. At Lausanne a British Major was contacted and he helped them to contact an F.P.I. representative. They then proceeded to Vallorbe (4642N-828E) by private car and that night attempted to get across the border. The party had just reached the border but the Swiss border patrol caught source, F.P.I. man, Sgt. Whitman and an American Lieutenant who had joined the party. They were searched and questioned on the spot and then were taken to town and lodged in jail. The next morning they were taken to Lausanne prison and stayed there three days.
     

On 26 September 1944 source, the unknown Lieutenant and Sgt. Whitman (of the eighth AF), and two Swiss Guards entrained for the Swiss concentration camp at Waal Vilermoos. At Aarburg (4718N-52E) source and Sgt. Whitman jumped off the moving train. They had befriended guards and were conniving an escape. The Lieutenant would not go with source. As they were standing in the train vestibule, just after it had left Aarburg station, both shoved the two guards into a compartment, locked the door, and leaped from the moving train, thus affecting their escape once more. Emergency cord, pulled by the guards, stopped the train immediately but sources eluded capture. Source and Sgt. Witman headed for Bern (4658N-725E) through woods arriving the next morning. It had rained all night and both men were soaked. Source ate 2-3 apples and several bunches of grapes by morning.

They went to Berne station and bought tickets for Neuchatel (470N-650E) arriving in the afternoon. Called by phone a British Major who had helped them before Lausanne and he told them to come to him. They arrived there about 1800 hours the same day. Two days later, 29 September, they went to Geneva by train where they stayed under cover for two days. That night two F.P.I. men helped Sgt. Moritz and Sgt. Whitman thru barbed wire into France, all border guards being successfully evaded. The next day two British Officers were contacted and they took them to a chateau at Annecy. Stayed two days there and then went to Lyon where they were put on a plane for Naples.

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

Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Paul Moritz of the 455th Bombardment Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Paul Moritz's combat experience.

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Paul Moritz: Personnel File

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