July 19
Dear Mrs. Peters,
I have recently received both your wire and letter and I’m answering just as soon as I can. I can really understand how anxious you must be for some good news of Neil. You would have heard from me much sooner if I had had your address and I’m grateful that you wrote to me and in that give me the opportunity to write to you.
I’m very much afraid that this letter is going to be a bitter disappointment to you. In order to write you a sincere letter, Mrs. Peters, I must be truthful and utterly frank.
On the afternoon of March 16, we were returning from Friedrichshafen, Germany after having successfully bombed the airplane assembly works there when we were attacked by fighters. There were at least a dozen attacking planes and our ship suffered quite a number of hits making it difficult to fly normal. After a quick check of the crew, I was relieved to learn that no one was hurt. We had been losing altitude all the time till we got to Holland when fro no good reason our plane got out of control and started to dive. At which time Neil decided to abandon ship and gave the order to bail out. There were five men in the back end of the ship who jumped immediately. They were: Lt. John Hulse, Sgt. James Duffy, Sgt. Carl Leek, Sgt. Peter Morrone, [and] Sgt. Mike Marino. Before the rest of us could jump the plane again got out of control, this time over the Channel. Our altitude was so low that before we could bail out the plane crashed into the water. The next thing I remember was waking up in and English hospital approximately six hours later. Sgt. George Conlogue was in the bed next to mine. We were both in pretty bad shape. After repeatedly questioning my rescuers I learned that Sgt. Lowry had been killed in the crash, but no one seemed to know just what happened to Neil and his co-pilot Lt. Ted Wagoner.
I’ve hoped and prayed since then that by some miracle both of them are safe, but under the circumstances that seems to be too much to hope for.
Neil and I became great friends. He was a great guy, Ms. Peters and I’ll cherish the memory of him for so long as I live.
This has been a difficult letter for me to write, Mrs. Peters and in closing I sincerely hope that I haven’t hurt you unnecessarily.
Your obedient servant,
Gasper A. DeSimone
Westover Field, Mass.
August 24, 1944
Dear Sir:
On Oct. 1st 1943 I was assigned to a bomber crew, Lt. Peters was the pilot and commander of that crew. A fine young man ambitious, studious and always willing to oblige anyone at anytime. Lt. Peters was liked by every crew member. We trained in the States until Dec. 31st then started overseas, from Florida to Puerto Rico to South America across to Africa and on Feb. 1st we landed on our home base in England Horsham St. Faith about two miles from Norwich. March 2nd we made our first raid on Frankfort, Germany, March 6th we made our second raid on Berlin. We were the first heavy bombers to bomb Berlin. March 16th we made a raid on Augsburg, Germany. We dropped our bombs and started on the way home. We were 60 miles east of Paris when enemy fighters attacked us, they shot us up pretty badly and the left waist gunner was wounded. We got a few of their planes, but we were greatly outnumbered. Finally our own fighters drove them off. Lt. Peters told the crew that he was going to try to get the ship back to England. Our control cables were shot out and our right wing was down. We could not bring it back up with the controls gone. As we crossed the French coast Lt. Peters told us to prepare to ditch the ship. We were going to crash before we could reach the English coast. The ship went out of control at about 4000 feet. It started into a dive so Lt Peters pushed the warning bell to bail out. Lt Hulse, Sgt. Morrone, Sgt. Duffy, Sgt. Marino, and Sgt Lee were in the waist of the ship and were not heard of after the warning bell had been sounded. I believe that they bailed out when the bell was sounded. Lt. Peters regained control of the ship at about 1000 feet altitude then gradually settled the ship onto the water. I had my back to the back OF Lt. Peter’s seat so that I would not be thrown forward when the plane hit the water. Lt. Peters and Lt. Wagner were at the controls. Lt. DeSimone and Sgt. Lowry were on the fight deck. The plane hit the water with a terrific crash and I was knocked out by the impact. I came to under the water, but God only knows how I got out, to my knowledge Lt. Peters and Lt Wagner never moved after the plane crashed. Lt. DeSimone, Sgt. Lowry and myself got out. Sgt. Lowry did not live. We inquired about the rest of the boys, but [there wasn’t] anyone who could give us any information. The British picked us up in a flying boat. I hope to hear from someone soon who knows the whereabouts of the boys who bailed out. I am sorry if this letter has caused any uneasiness in the family, to the best of my knowledge this is exactly as our disaster occurred. If it had not been for Lt. Peter’s great courage and ability to handle the crippled ship, none of us would have been here to tell about it. Please forgive me again if I have caused any uneasiness.
Sincerely yours,
Staff Sgt. George Conlogue 31282312
Livermore Falls, ME
Mrs. Rudolph Peters,
I have been away on vacation and your letters came during my absence. I had recently returned from Mitchell Field, NY where I had visited my son that is in the hospital. He told me they flew from New York to South America and from there to Dakar Africa, then over the Mediterranean Sea to England.
After staying there a short time they went out on a mission as it is called, over France somewhere. Their second mission was over Germany that is over Berlin, when the anti-aircraft fire was most dense. Their third and last trip was over to a part of Germany, down in a corner between France and Switzerland, where the Germans have some ammunition factories. They had dumped their load and were about to return home when it was noticed that one plane was lagging behind. The boys dropped back and found it had been hit badly in the engagement when the German planes intercepted them, this left two planes alone behind the rest. The Germans saw this and 12 of their planes cut in behind the main squadron and started shooting. Although they were outnumbered 12 to 2 they did the best they could. My son said he saw two German planes go down that they shot down, didn’t know if the other plane got any or not, the other plane was shot down and they saw no more of it. The plane the boys were in got hit five times through the middle with the German 20MM cannon they carry on their plane. This weakened the plane, but they got clear and started for England. That was sixty miles east of Paris. They set out to try landing in Switzerland, but did not want to be interned, started to bail out over France, but it was German held territory and did not like that, so kept going with steering controls out of order and a plane practically out of control. My boy was radio operator, and notified England they would probably hit somewhere in the Channel, to be ready to pick them up. They hit the water seven miles off the coast of England, the plane broke in two pieces and sank soon. The waves were about four feet high and most if not all of them were knocked unconscious. My son came to when it was sinking. He said the cold water washing over him brought him to consciousness again. At first he thought it was no use to try, but he saw a light spot thru the water over his head and came up thru it the first try. He found the navigator was up on top when he got there. That was on March 16th and they stayed in the water one hour and ten minutes before being picked up. They were given a hypo in the back and did not regain consciousness for two days. My boy’s right leg was badly broken between ankle and knee. At first they thought he might lose it, but it is still there, but not well yet. His left foot was broken and he received a cut over his temple across the side of his head. They took the cast off his right leg about two weeks ago and in four days put another on. Don’t know just what will be the final results, the navigator received a broken leg.
It is with regret that I must inform you that the rest of the crew did not rise to the surface and that only my son and the navigator were saved. I know how you feel and what your thoughts are, as it was Sunday night when one of our legion men came to me and told me my son had been killed in action over Germany. For a week I did not know the difference then I got a notice that he was seriously injured, but no details. I did not know until I visited him in the hospital in this country, he was first in hospital in Surrey, England.
If there is anything else I could advise you on, write me or you might write him, Staff Sgt George W. Conlogue 31282312 AAF No Hospital BKs T 304 Mitchell Field, Hempstead Long Island, NY
Yours truly,
David E. Conlogue
Letters courtesy: Ben McDonald
