Stonich Paul W / 36319418

 Adopted by Peter Schouteten since October 2008.

381st Bomb Group Heavy - 533th Bomb Squadron
(VP)

Walls of the Missing Margraten

Born: 10 February 1920, Joliet, Lee County, Illinois, U.S.A
Address: 1809 S Springfield Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60623
Died: 11 January 1944, Zuiderzee, Netherlands  (23)
   

Bertha M. Stonich (mother) ? -?
Elwood H. Stonich (brother) ? - ?
Helen E. Stonich (wife) ? - ?

Ball Turret Gunner
Serialnumber: 42-37719
Type: B17G
Nickname: Hellcat
Destination: Oschersleben, Germany
Mission: Aircraft Plant
MACR: 1881

Back (L-R): Donald E. Nason - P, Joseph J. Byser - CP, Athan Anagnos - N, Charles D. Fiery - B
Front (L-R): George A. Whitney - TG, Paul W. Stonich - BTG, Luster T. Harrah - E
John R. Lantz - LWG, Ralph L. Lab - RO, Raymon C. Beus - RWG 

Pilot 2nd Lt. Donald E. Nason KIA Plot I, Row 19, Grave 20 Margraten
11 November 1919 - 11 January 1944 (24)
Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Joseph J. Byser KIA U.S.A.
31 January 1916 - 11 January 1944 (27)
Navigator 2nd Lt. Athan Anagnos KIA U.S.A.
14 February 1921 - 11 January 1944 (22)
Bombardier 2nd Lt. Charles D. Fiery KIA Plot B, Row 17, Grave 14 Ardennes
27 February 1922 - 11 January 1944 (21)
Engineer S/Sgt Luster T. Harrah KIA U.S.A.
15 April 1922 - 11 January 1944 (21)
Ball Turret Gunner Sgt Paul W. Stonich MIA Walls of the Missing Margraten
10 February 1920 - 11 January 1944 (23)
Right Waist Gunner Sgt Raymon C. Beus MIA Walls of the Missing Margraten
6 October 1922 - 11 January 1944 (21)
Left Waist Gunner Sgt John R. Lantz POW
7 March 1915 - 19 October 1996 (81)
Tail Gunner Sgt George A. Whitney MIA Walls of the Missing Margraten
1921 - 11 January 1944
Radio Operator Sgt Ralph L. Lab MIA Walls of the Missing Margraten
3 January 1919 - 11 January 1944 (25)

Aircrafts which they have flown:
Dinah Mite B-17F 42-37719 - VP-X-D. Flown from U.S.A. to England in Ridgewell 27 December 1943
Linda Mary B-17F 42-3215 - VP-F-D. - M 54 - 30 December 1943 Target Ludwigshafen, Germany
No Name B-17 42-37730 - VP-U - M 56 - 4 January 1944 Target Kiel, Germany
Phyllis B-17G 42-31067 - MS-Q-Boeing - M 58 - 7 January 1944 Target Ludwigshafen, Germany
Hellcat B-17G 42-37719 - VP-X-Douglas - M 59 - 11 January 1944 Target Oschersleben, Germany

 

Statement from John R. Lantz, right waist gunner and only survivor from"hellcat".

"We flew just over the Dutch/German border when we hit on very heavy hostile fire. Our number 3 engine was hit and lost a lot of oil, I could see it from my right waist position, it hit the right stabilizer. The engine stuttered and the pilot decided to turn and fly back to England. Then engines 2 and 4 gave a sign of jamming and Pilot Nason decided to try start engine number 3 again. Meanwhile we flew into the German clouds to avoid contact with the German fighter planes. For unknow reason engine number 3 caught fire, it was obvious we where in big trouble and had to leave the plane. The navigator told us we where above water, but there was no other choice. Than our Pilot gave the command to bail out by intercom. I jumped out and had a free fall for awhile, I didn't see the plane come down. Shortly after I hit the ice cold water, I was picked out of the water Quickly by a Dutch Fischer boat minutes later followed by the Dutch harbot patrol boat. Nobody else from my crew was found. The patrol boat was seen by a German boat and Lantz was taken prison. Some month after the incident the dead body's of 5 crew members from "hell cat" where found in the Zuiderzee. Their names are Nason, Byser, Anagnos, Fiery and Harrah. The other 4 crew members Stonich, Beus, Whitney and Lab where never found."