07/29/2026
On This Day in History
Merseburg, Germany: July 29, 1944 - Mission 159
On July 29, 1944, the Eighth Air Force dispatched 1,228 bombers and 755 fighters into Germany, with the primary objective of destroying the Leuna oil refinery at Merseburg, one of the Allies' highest-priority targets.
The 390th Bomb Group contributed 40 aircraft. "A" Group, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ray Armstrong, served as the lead group for the 13th Combat Wing, while "B" Group was commanded by Captain Alvin W. Jaspers.
Two hours after takeoff, aircraft 43-37804 was forced to abort the mission and return to England because of a loss of oil pressure in its No. 1 engine. The crew did not receive credit for the sortie. Before reaching the target, three aircraft from "A" Group fell behind formation and jettisoned their bombs in order to keep pace.
Heavy flak over Merseburg disrupted the Wing formation, while German smokescreens obscured the refinery. Seven aircraft from "A" Group pressed on and attacked the target, while the remainder later dropped their bombs on marshalling yards at Hildesheim. "B" Group followed its pathfinders to the target area and released its bombs at the estimated drop point. Neither group was able to observe the results of its bombing.
The 390th lost two aircraft during the mission.
"Shack Rat" (42-97863) was hit by flak shortly after the bombing run, losing two engines. After struggling to remain airborne, the aircraft crashed near Bad Bibra. All ten crewmen escaped and were captured, although pilot Charles A. Norby was later executed by an auxiliary police officer.
"Lady Satan/Boomerang Baby" (42-102549) was also struck by flak and later attacked by enemy fighters. With two engines on fire, the crew was forced to bail out before the aircraft crashed near Hassenhausen. Crewmen Joy Putnam and Frank A. Wielgos were killed, while the remaining eight men became prisoners of war.
The surviving 390th aircraft returned to Framlingham by 2:02 p.m. By day's end, the Eighth Air Force had lost 24 aircraft and suffered 195 casualties, most occurring during the attack on Merseburg.
Photo: Second Lieutenant Harold P. Stewart and seven members of Crew #26. All eight men pictured were aboard the "Lady Satan/Boomerang Baby" when it was shot down following the Merseburg raid on July 29, 1944. Two crewmen, Sergeant Joy Putnam and Sergeant Frank A. Wielgos, were killed. Not pictured is co-pilot Second Lieutenant Norman A. E. Quast.
The surviving crew members were separated and imprisoned in POW camps across Germany. Staff Sergeant Simon B. Spradlin was held at Stalag Luft IV and survived two forced marches before being liberated in 1945. Lieutenant Quast, Second Lieutenant Morris S. Todd, and Second Lieutenant Daniel J. Clark were imprisoned at Stalag Luft I and were freed when the Red Army liberated the camp on May 2, 1945. Staff Sergeant Louis B. Gilbert Jr. was held at Stalag 357 until its liberation by British forces on April 16, 1945.
Sergeant Howard R. Tillison died in captivity, and his remains were never recovered. The camp where Lieutenant Stewart was held is currently unknown, but he survived captivity and was liberated in 1945.
