Meeting the Crew

They began to meet each other on a train ride from Kansas City, Missouri to Salt Lake City, Utah. It was the practice of a senior officer to go through the train with a list of his potential flight crew and assemble them together. That's when Ralph Trucksis met Willie and they became fast friends. They would train in the Salt Lake area for a short while and then move on to Lowry AFB in Denver, Colorado and Muroc, California for some specialized B-24 training. They had already been training in Harligen, Texas and Keesler Field in Mississippi in B-17's.

San Francisco to Italy

When training was over the crew was sent to San Francisco to pick up a new B-24 and fly it to Italy. Their trip took them to Phoenix, Arizona, Midland, Texas and on to Morrison Field Florida. From there they received their overseas orders. Their path would first take them to the island of Trinidad. It was while in Trinidad that that the crew bought a small monkey as a mascot. Then they flew to Belem, Brasil and on to Natal, Brasil before making the long leg of the journey to Dakar, French West Africa. All during these flights from Trinidad the temperature at flying altitudes was very cold. The warmest part of the aircraft was in the top turret. That just happened to be Willie's post. The monkey decided to also make it his home and bathroom. The sun beating through the plexiglass turret made the odor unbearable. They survived the smells and eventually arrived in Dakar. Since someone had to stay with the plane at all times, Ralph Trucksis was able to coax the monkey out and tie him to the bomb bay door. Morris Cooke then relieved Ralph on watch. The next morning the monkey was nowhere to be found. It was the happiest day of Willie's life not having to fly with the monkey in his lap! Years later Morris admitted turning the monkey free during the night.

From Dakar they flew to Tunis and then on to their final destination of Ceirgnola, Italy. They reported to the 450th Bombardment Group. The 450th had lost a lot of their 24's so they kept the new one and Crew 139 was reassigned to a B-17 group base in nearby Foggia, Italy. It was the 301st. Bombardment Group, 353rd. Bombardment Squadron.

Willie flew 17 operational sorties while at Foggia.

• 24 April 44-Polesti Marshalling Yard, Rumania (2 Sorties)
• 25 April 44 - Wiener Neustadt Aircraft Factory, Austria (2 Sorties)
• 26 April 44 - Piombino Docks and shipping, Italy
• 29 April 44 - Toulon Oil Storage, France
• 30 April 44 - Milan/Bresso Aircraft Factory, Italy
• 5 May 44 - Ploesti( north) Marshalling Yard (2 Sorties)
• 10 May 44 - Weiner Neustadt Aircraft Factory, Austria (2 Sorties)
• 13 May 44 - Alvisio RR Viaduct, Italy
• 18 May 44 - Belgrade RR Bridge, Yugoslavia
• 25 May 44 - Leon Visseaux Marshalling Yard, France
• 27 May 44 - Avignon Marshalling Yards, France
• 29 May 44 - Wollersdorf Aerodrome, Austria (2 Sorties)

The Fateful Day

It was a common practice to switch crew members so the new airmen could fly with more experienced crew members. It was on the first of two sorties on May 29, 1944 that the B-17 that Willie was flying in was shot down. It is interesting to note that on that day, May 29, 1944, the Army Air Force flew 1200 sorties--the most sorties to date.

The crew of this last sortie consisted of:

Francis DiDomizio - Pilot
Otto Hines-Co - Pilot
Jerome Cohen - Navigator
Charles Wensley - Bombardier
William Lessera - Engr/Gunner
George Bertuzzi - Radioman
Richard Adam - Lower Turret
Lester Peterson - Waist Gunner
Harold Swenson - Tail Gunner
Jimmie G. O'Leary - Photographer

"Ship #42-97580 went into a steep dive, smoke trailing from its number two engine. Shortly after, I saw one chute open, then in quick succession I saw three more open. (The) Plane banked to (the) left and two more chutes came out, one delayed in opening. (The) Plane went into a dive, pulled out and another chute came out. Then (the) ship went into a spin and shortly after pulled out and seemed to disintegrate. I noticed what seemed to be bombs bursting on the ground below the aircraft. Also noticed one piece of A/C (aircraft) burning and many pieces scattered over the mountain. I saw seven chutes open but believe all personnel got out safely."

Sgt. Jack R. Nichols
Ball Turret Gunner
A/C 42-30385
23 position

S/Sgt. Harry A. Fichtner, a tail gunner on A/C 42-3384 in 22 position, stated that he saw 8 chutes come out before the crash.

Looking to the Sky

The view was different from the ground. On that day Janko Urbanc (Partisan name "Olga"), a member of the Kamnik Department Committee, was responsible for the interaction between the courier service and the army and was engaged in his business in the Moravska valley. While observing the action of the warplanes in the sky, he saw a heavy bomber crash not far from where he stood. He mounted his horse and took a shortcut to the scene of the disaster. He recounted his participation in the event.

"A heavy bomber approached from the direction of Limbarska Gora flying toward Velika Planina. It was obvious that something was wrong with the aircraft, a few seconds later it crashed into the mountains."

"I was directed to respond immediately. My first responsibility was to reach the airmen before the Germans posted in nearby villages arrived. When I arrived at the crash site, I found that the Partisan couriers were the first ones there. We were struck by the horror of the scene - two crew members were dead and one was seriously injured. The injured airman (Otto Hines) was taken to the closest hospital, Kamniska Bela. The two diseased were buried at the site."

Later that night Vinko Domitrovic, an assistant medical orderly with the Slandrova Brigade was summoned by the staff. His medical talents were needed so he and a courier left immediately.

"We walked all night, passing Kamniska Bristrica and headed for Jezersko. We finally stopped at a tent under some fir trees. Local Partisans and couriers were inside together with three wounded airmen. Together with the wounded airmen we were sent onto to our new hospital in Kamniska Bela. The new hospital was nothing more than a cave that was a two hour walk through rugged terrain. The condition of the least wounded improved daily. After ten days they were fully recovered. They stayed to take care of the "captain" as they called him. But nothing more could be done for his spinal fracture and he died on July 20, 1944. He was buried at the hospital and his two fellow airmen left for their long and dangerous journey to Bela Krajina."

Otto Hinds

In all of the accounts that I have seen regarding this mission there has not much mentioned about 2nd. Lt. Otto Hinds. Otto was born on the 14th of the month, 1917. That would have made him approximately 27 years of age at the time of the crash.

As the fortress was in its dive, Otto fought to keep the plane level as the crew bailout. When it became time for him to leave the aircraft he somehow prematurly opened his parachute in his lap while still seated. This had to result in a very difficult bailout. Thus his chute did not fully deploy and with only a 1000 feet of altitude remaining, Otto suffered severe and eventually fatal injures. Yet he was a hero in my eyes and the eyes of his crewmates.

Upon arriving at the scene, airforce photographer James O'Leary states in his diary:

"I saw him bail out myself and his chute did not open! He had pulled the rip cord while still in the cockpit by mistake. He went out with his chute bundled up in his arms! There was only about 1000 ft. of Alt. where he jumped, so he didn’t have much chance anyway you look at it !! He told Me not to worry about him, he said he was going to die- said it was just part of the game, some of us make it and some of us don’t- What a guy he was- I’ll never forget him as long as I live, for he made it possible for me to get out of that ill fated ship on that fateful morning of May 29th 1944 at 9:05."

He left a wife, Arline Hinds in Boulder, Colorado. It is not know if he had any children.

The Rest of the Crew

About a month later, Janko Urbanc returned to the crash site. He had always been curious as to the fate of the other airman. Could they have hidden in one of the numerous haylofts in the surrounding countryside? On his return he was informed by a local herdsman that a stranger in uniform had been found hiding in one of nearby haylofts. This airmen was William Lessera. Apparently he was in hiding for two days and nights without any nourishment. The herdsman had first noticed him drinking rainwater from a hole he had dug at the base of a hayloft. He had lost his boots when his parachute opened so they provided him with some hobnail shoes for the journey to the hospital. While at the hospital his 1st and 2nd degree burns were treated with a ointment made from mushrooms that grew on local trees. He recovered a short time later. He and his escort started the long and dangerous journey to the Partisan airstrip in Bela Krejina. It is believed that both William Lessera and Charles Wensley made this journey together. The reason for that assumption is a letter of safety that was found in Willie's effects in later years. It was translated as follows:

"The District Department Kamnik June 10,1944
Letter of safe (safety)
There are wandering two American parachutists in our area. They jumped in parachute on the Little Plain. We are asking all stations working in the terrain for support. Help them as much as possible and provide them secure transport though our area. Everyone who gets this information must be aware, it is confidential. In no case can they fall in hands of our enemy.

The guys are:

William M. Lessera
Sgt. A.S.N. 39408692
Sacramento, California

Charles Wensley
2nd. Lt. 0-679418
Austin,Texas

Death to fascism-freedom to our nation!

To all stations. Help them not to get caught by enemy"

The Pilot Francis DiDomizio and Radioman George Bertuzzi met up on the ground after their bailout near a small house. While some local girls were tending to the American's injuries, they were captured by the Germans and sent off to small POW camp named Stalag Luft 3 and put into solitary confinement. They were later moved on the 4th of July to Stalag IIVA which was near Gross Tychow, Germany.For an incredibly detailed history and photographs of Stalag IIVA see the website B-24.net/pow/stalag7.htm

The Long Journey

All the while Willie and Charles were sleeping by day and making their way to the departure point at night. On June 23rd. Willie's original crew (No.139) was shot down and all crewmen were taken POW. Among the remaining items Willie kept from that experience was a small spiral-bound note book. In that note book there was an entry that stated, "Lost my mother's wedding ring in a hayloft last night" dated June 25, 1944. The only two other important entries were his arrival on July 17th at the departure point and the date of departure via a U.S. aircraft. The date of departure was July 19, 1944 some 47 days since his bailout. The flight to safely took him to northern Italy. The next entry said that he was in Bari, Italy, and not yet out danger.

To Vilan Lessen 39408692 U.S.O.F. in memory,

Comrade, I know it's difficult for you to be with us but, we cannot offer you anything better. It's also hard on us, but we got used to our partisan lives and are happy with a piece of bread, as long as we deal blows to the enemy. Now, as we know that you (aliens) prefer us to the Germans we are pretty sure the war is going to end soon, and we are eager to fight even harder.

It's a pity, comrade Lessen, that we cannot talk to each other cause I would have a lot of things to tell you, as well as to the comrade Verudan, but as you will read through these lines you will know what I'm talking about.

When you will get back to your homeland remember in what circumstances we fought against the superior force of the Germans."

Sincerely yours

Brko

Memorial

"Dear Comrades, dear guest, visitors, dear lovers of the mountains, all of you who have been gathered here to have our common remembrances of that tragic event from 46 years ago.

Here on this level stopped the engines of the Allied Bomber and two young lives extinguished inside of it. The third member of the crew was seriously wounded and died later...Five survivors were rescued by the Partisans and two were captured by the Germans... Their lives were broken just in the moment they were on duty to fight towards our common enemy...

To recall the event we are unveiling the memorial tablet with the following dedication:
In remembrance to victims
Airmen of downed allied plane B-17
crashed here on May 29, 1944."

Mr Janez Prezelj
President of the Association of War Veterans Kamnik Area

Francis DiDomizio - Pilot, POW
Otto Hines-Co - Pilot, Died of wounds
Jerome Cohen - Navigator, Rescued
Charles Wensley - Bombardier, Rescued
William Lessera - Engr/Gunner, Rescued
George Bertuzzi - Radioman, POW
Richard Adam - Lower Turret, Killed in Action
Lester Peterson - Waist Gunner, Killed in Action
Harold Swenson - Tail Gunner, Rescued
Jimmie G. O'Leary - Photographer, Rescued

Author's Note

Willie died in 1972 and he never talked about these experiences. So the accounts described here are the result of countless hours of research. Major portions of the facts were taken directly from the book "Evasion and Repatriation" by Edi Selhaus. An attempt was made to contact Mr. Selaus and his co-author Janez Zerov but there was no reply. Special thanks must go the Edith DiDomizio, the widow of Francis, and to George Bertuzzi whose letters and photos that appear here bring life to the story. Also letters from James Chapman and Ralph Trucksis were instrumental in starting me on this journey back in time. Letters from Tom Visentin, nephew of the late Francis DiDomizio and his knowledge of the POW camps was invaluable. Also the efforts of Jim Merritt and his book, "Goodbye Liberty Belle" inspired me to write this story. Thank you to Irene Jaksa Zupancia for the translations. One last but important inspiration was Tom Brokaw's book "The Greatest Generation".

This photo appeared in the Sacramento Bee. It shows my father, Howard Barnes, second from the left and his mother and six brothers. Loretta Barnes was the only mother in Sacramento County to have sons (7) in the armed forces at the same time. The brothers left to right are: George, Howard, Lloyd, Charles, Robert, Morris, and Floyd. They served from the Battle of the Bulge to the South Pacific. All seven came home safely. My brother, Gary Barnes, also served in Vietnam. He too came home safely.

My mother, Zamera Barnes (wife of Howard) was Willie's sister.

Thank You to everyone who fought for the freedom we enjoy today.
Mike Barnes - Nephew of Willie Lessera

For additions, corrections, or comments contact Mike Barnes.