458th Bombardment Group (H)

Aircraft in foreground is B-24H-25-FO 42-95165 Z5 S Cookie

1Lt James W. Evans

The way it went, Brad flew his first mission as co-pilot with an experienced crew. His second mission, Brad flew as pilot with an experienced crew, third Brad’s crew with an experienced co-pilot, and finally the fourth mission [#2 on mission list above] was Brad’s complete crew. It was a beautiful day, CAVU. We had hit the target and as we were heading home, someone called fighters in the area. I was in the nose turret and just hit the dead ahead position when an 88 hit the right wing just beyond No. 4 engine. The plane started falling to the right and I thought I was shot clean off the plane, then the pilot was shouting to the co-pilot to get both feet on the left rudder. I realized I was still with the plane and was starting to hear damage reports like “That hole is as big as Minnie, an old friend from Idaho!”, the tail gunner is saying. “I think the aileron just went by.” Brad and Kitty [Catanzaro] finally got the plane level but we were losing altitude. We discussed bailing but decided to try for home. Mac plotted us the shortest route and we arrived over an RAF base, but it was sod which we had never used. Nearby was what appeared to be a landing strip. The pilots put us down on what turned out to be an emergency strip for fighters. Tar paper over rolled ground. The personnel didn't want to feed us - they thought we were Germans! We never did tell them that we had six enlisted men aboard.

James Evans, Allen Tuten and George Bradley after receiving their DFC's

Nine years’ service, during which he has served successfully as a dirigible rigger, an armorer-gunner, a bombardier, and a pilot, was climaxed for 1st Lt. George P. Bradley of Springfield, Mo when he received the second oak leaf cluster to the Distinguished Flying Cross.  Two of the three DFC’s have been awarded for bringing badly crippled bombers back from Europe.

The latest award was presented to Lt Bradley, and also to his bombardier, 1st Lt James W. Evans of corning, N.Y. and his engineer, T/Sgt Allen V. Tuten of Baxley, Ga. For successfully bringing their flak-riddled liberator home from Europe after gasoline lines, hydraulic lines and radio had been shot out.  It was during this mission that lt. Evans, who is five feet tall and weighs 100 lbs, was left dangling by a 12 foot rope when he lost his footing while repairing broken fuel lines in the open bomb bay.  Gunners pulled him back to the catwalk.  Sgt. Tuten, who also was working on the broken fuel lines, narrowly escaped disaster when he lost his footing on the slippery catwalk and caught hold of a safety rope in the nick of time.  Lt. Bradley landed the A/C with the use of parachutes in lieu of brakes.

The DFC was first awarded to Lt Bradley after his fourth mission, when his liberator sustained a direct flak hit on the right wing near the No. 4 engine.  A hole was torn completely through the wing, the main spars were severed, and the side of the A/C peppered with holes.  Without aileron control, Bradley flew back to Britain and landed on a short fighter strip in south England.  When a crew chief climbed out on the wing to inspect the damage, the entire wing tip fell off.

Lt Bradley has flown 34 missions over Europe with this group.  The Missourian says his ambition is to fly a tour in fighters.  He enlisted in the army in 1935 and his first duties were with a lighter-than-air squadron at Scott Field, Ill.  Later he was transferred to a Flying Fortress outfit at Langley Field, Va. And flew as a gunner in B-17’s.  He then trained as a bombardier and flew with an anti-submarine squadron based in Puerto Rico and Panama, and finally in December started pilot training.  He received his wings on Oct. 1, 1943.  He was promoted to 1st Lt, July 8, 1944.  Lt Bradley has been overseas since May 1, 1944.

Lt Bradley is the son of Mrs. Lucy P. Bradley, Morganfield, Ky.  He is a graduate of Morganfield high school.  His wife, Mrs. Patricia Bradley resides at 1431 E. Madison St. Springfield, Mo.

IMMEDIATE RELEASE – NUMBER 9550

15 SEPTEMBER 1944

FROM: HEADQUARTERS, UNITED STATES STRATEGIC AIR FORCES IN EUROPE.

AN EIGHTH AIR FORCE LIBERATOR STATION, ENGLAND

When his B-24 Liberator lurched while he was repairing broken fuel lines which were showering him with gasoline, bombardier 1st Lt. James W. Evans, of Corning, N.Y., recently fell out of the open bomb bay doors without a parachute and was left dangling beneath the bomber at an altitude of 20,000 feet on the end of a 12-foot rope that he had tied around his waist mountain-climber’s style.

En route to a target in Europe the Lib had been hit by flak, jamming the bombs in the bomb bay so they could not be jettisoned and severing vital gasoline lines.  Lt. Evans, nearly blinded by the spraying gasoline, and without a parachute because of the cramped quarters, stood on the narrow, slippery, catwalk over the open bomb bay and pried the bombs loose one by one. 

Then he tied the rope around his waist and, while three gunners held the other end, he stood astride the bomb bay in order to reach and repair the fuel lines.  When the bomber lurched he lost his footing and plunged through the opening below.  The gunners finally pulled him back into the plane.

T/Sgt. Allen V. Tuten, of Baxley, Ga., who was helping Lt. Evans work on the gasoline lines, had no rope around his waist and was thrown on his back across the narrow catwalk when the plane lurched.

The Lib was piloted by 1st Lt. George P. Bradley, whose wife resides at 1431 E. Madison St., Springfield, Mo.  He brought the bomber back to its base with the hydraulic system shot out and landed successfully using two parachutes released from the waist windows in lieu of brakes which would not function.

Lt. Evans is the son of Mrs. Orrilla D. Evans, 140 Pearl St., Corning, N.Y.

END 6:45 PM

1Lt James Evans (standing, far left) with unidentified Ferry Crew 53

EVANS, James W. 0-698538, 1st Lt., Bombardier has participated in a Heavy Bombardment Sortie on the following dates while assigned to the 458th Bombardment Group (H)