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388th BG, 563rd BS, B-17 Jamaica Ginger
The names of the Crew members shown in the photo on Page 98 of the "The 388th at War" - Prendergast Crew based on First Lieutenant Chester L. "Chet" Pietrzak notes, are as follows:
From Left to Right, Richard Thompson - Ball-Turret. Gunner; Gordon Porterfield - Tail Gunner; Von Bottenfield, Co-Pilot; Frank Prendergast - Pilot; Joe Spataro - Navigator; Elden Marlarney - Gunner; Chester Pietrzak - Bombardier; James Daugherty - Engineer; Vincent Parker - Gunner; Donald Stickles - Gunner; and Ivan Amarnick - Radio Operator
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Based on information provided in the book "The 388th At War" by Edward J. Huntzinger, the following pilots/crews flew on missions with the 563rd BS in the B-17, Jamaica Ginger. Namely, Prendergast Crew, Schneider Crew, Elliott Crew, Meagher Crew, Price Crew, Lord Crew, Paulson Crew, Chimenti Crew, Woodburn Crew, Klein Crew, Quinn Crew, Kittle Crew, Radtke Crew, Aubry Crew, Christensen Crew, Geib Crew, Taylor Crew, Lucas Crew, McIntyre Crew, Lucas Crew, and others(?). As the son of the bombardier for the Prendergast Crew, I'm looking for pictures/stories/etc. from crew members and families to further document experiences aboard this aircraft. _______________________________________________________________
During World War II, First Lieutenant Chet Pietrzak was a bombardier on B-17 Flying Fortress, Jamaica Ginger, for the 388th Bomber Group as part of the Eighth Air Force in England. His 35 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe, included heavily defended targets in Germany. One mission included a shuttle-bombing mission to the Soviet Union in which he suffered lung damage while trying to rescue a crewman in a burning bomber. His unit also flew support for the D-Day landing in Normandy on June 6, 1944
In an interview several years ago regarding his D-Day experience Chet noted the following: "Around 5 a.m. men of the 388th Group filed in for the briefing on the day's mission. There were a few hundred of them and they all had their eyes on the curtain in front of the room. Would it be railways in France? Berlin? Submarine pens? The colonel strode onto the stage and pulled the curtain back to reveal the map and the target. A big roar went up. It was going to be a short mission, way shorter than almost any they had ever flown. They would fly across the English Channel, drop the bombs right along the French coast, fly a big circle over France and the Atlantic, and head back to England. The colonel told us, Yeah, for you guys this will be short, but for thousands of men, this is D-Day. I'll never forget this as long as I live; the whole group got off their chairs and knelt down as one person. No one said a thing. They just did it. And they prayed. There was a whole different atmosphere right then, and to this day, I still feel it. It was like nothing else I ever felt. Now, we had something to fight for - those guys who would be underneath us. A couple hours later, the planes took off. The plan was to hit the German fortifications just five minutes before the first wave of troops were to hit the beaches."
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Credited with shooting down German fighters from his nose gunner position, Chet was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with five clusters, and three battle stars. His unit received the Presidential Unit Citation.
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Jamaica Ginger flew 333 missions during World War II. Chet passed away on October 28, 1997 after a short illness leaving a wife, three children and eight grandchildren. On his gravestone was carved a picture of a B-17 Flying Fortress.
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388th BG, 563rd Squadron, May 12, 1944, B-17, Brux, Jamaica Ginger Crew Enemy Aircraft Encounters Reference: "The 388th At War" Mission #111, Brux, Czechoslovakia, Synthetic Oil Plant, Jamaica Ginger, A/C #42-97210, Prendergast Crew. On route to target the 388th, B Group (22 A/C) formation was attacked by 75 enemy aircraft, FW 190's & ME 109's. Enemy aircraft encounters by B-17, Jamaica Ginger A/C #42-97210 in connection with this mission. Five enemy aircraft confirmed destroyed.
Jamaica Ginger Crew:
S/Sgt. J. Daugherty, TT ME109 Destroyed
S/Sgt. G. Porterfield, TG ME109 Destroyed
Lt. C. Pietrzak, Bomb. FW190 Destroyed
S/Sgt. R. H. Thompson, BT FW190 & ME140 Destroyed
The entire Squadron had destroyed over 28 enemy aircraft this mission. Only one B-17 was lost.
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388th BG, 563rd BS, June 6, 1944, D-Day, Mission # 131, Caen, Mission # 133 Pont L'Eveque, B-17, Jamaica Ginger, #42-97210. The 388th BG flew three missions on D-Day, Mission # 131, Caen, Mission #132 Cherbourg Peninsula, and Mission # 133 Pont L'Eveque. The Jamaica Ginger Crew flew the two subject missions. Lt. Prendergast, Pilot, Jamaica Ginger, was Deputy Leader of Mission # 133. All aircraft returned to base after bombs away. 1st Lt. Chester L. "Chet" Pietrzak noted "We flew two missions on D-Day. What a sight!"
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388th BG, 563rd BS, Mission #144, Ruhland (Frantic-Russia) Poltava - June
21, 1944
After attacking the Synthetic Oil Refinery at Ruhland south of Berlin, planes from the 560th BS, 561st BS, 562nd BS, and 563rd BS - plus an escort of P-51's were to fly on to Russia. The first shuttle raid from England across Germany and Poland to land at bases in Russia. After almost 12 hours flying time to Poltava where all planes landed safely, that night the
Germans bombed the field and the Group lost twenty planes, but no personnel. The pilot (Lt. Prendergast) and crew of the Jamaica Ginger (#42-97210) returned "Belle of the Brawl" by way of Cairo with over 100 holes patched-up with canvas. The Jamaica Ginger was not damaged. Bombardier, 1st Lt. Chet Pietrzak noted. "Germans came over 1st night after our landing and bombed, strafed and kicked us to hell. We all hid and lived in the woods. We were the last crew to leave Russia. The crew was at Poltava from 06-21-44 to 07-04-44."
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SEE LINKS AT BOTTOM OF PAGE
388th BG 563rd B-17 Jamaica Ginger, Chet Pietrzak
Erieveterans see WW_II_Stories/Pietrzak__Chet/pietrzak__chet.htm
USAAF
388th Bomb Group
388th Bomb Group Association
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Copyright © 2004 Jim Pietrzak. All Rights Reserved