FOUR IOWANS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION
Washington D. C. –(AP)—Four Iowans were reported missing in action in the European area Saturday by the War Department. Those missing were Second Lt. Wayne L. Buck, Washta; First Lt. Norbert D. Koll, Mapleton; Tech. Sgt. James V. Shaw, Estherville; and Staff Sgt. Willard O. Simpson, Des Moines.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, June 13, 1943
FIVE IOWA SOLDIERS KILLED in ACTION
WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 (AP)—Names of five Iowans killed in action in the Asiatic, European and north African (including Sicily) were announced today by the War Department.
Second Lt. Richard E. Mallette, Atlantic, was killed in the Asiatic area; Sgt. Willard O. Simpson, Des Moines and first Lt. Jay R. Sterling, Sioux City, in the European; and Cpl. Arthur P. Clemitson, Graettinger, and Second Lt. John A. Wilbois, Jr., of Des Moines, in the North African areas.
Source: Waterloo Daily Courier, October 11, 1943
Source: Creston News Advertiser, October 11, 1943
BIO: Willard O. Simpson
Born 3 June 1918, in Des Moines, Polk Co., IA to Ole Simpson and Carrie May (Stader) Simpson. Willard was the 6th of 9 children.
Synopsis of Willard’s military service and the B17 Marie Jane:
Willard was a Staff Sargent serving with the 91st Bomb Group Heavy, 324th Bomb Squadron in the Army Air Force flying B17F Flying Fortress'. Pictures and letters he sent home all related how "clerk" work kept him busy, and if it wasn't for his radio that he got to take from Jefferson Barracks in Mo. he would be really bored.
The 91st Bomb Group, 324th Squadron (DF-H) was assigned to Bassingbourn, England, B17 became named "Jersey Bounce" by the pilot, Lt. Phillip Fischer when it was assigned to him in September 1942. Later a replacement pilot, Lt. J.S. Jackson, renamed the craft the "Marie Jane" (Lt. Fischer was temporarily blinded on January 23, 1943).
From the Dailies of the 91st Bomb Group, we know that 21 aircraft were set up to attack the U-boat and shipbuilding installations at Wihelmshaven, and when they took off, "shortly after 0830 hours and after some slight difficulty got into formation above the clouds which dominated the skies over this part of England".
With bad weather conditions, and a large force of enemy aircraft, estimated to be between 100 and 150, the bomber group got into position over the Black Sea to begin their bomb run. It was while forming up, that the German aircraft launched a most "vigorous attack" on the leading squadron. They initially attacked in groups from 10 to 12, coming in rapid succession. As they completed their initial attack, they then moved in from below the rear and from both sides, hoping to break up the formation of Fortresses before they reached the bomb release line.
Willard O. Simpson is standing in front of the Star, back row, left. |
From the MARC record of Sidney L Kohn, I discovered that there was a casualty report:
14. EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTION OF CRASH, FORCED LANDING, OR OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES PERTAINING TO MISSING AIRCRAFT.
Note: This Group lost 4 aircraft this date. None were identified. Two were seen to leave the formation, one east of Alte Mollen, one just after target, it headed back to Germany.
* S/Sgt SIMPSON, Willard O., 37117178, reported Killed in Action per SOS Casualty Report 449, 23 Jan 44.
Then, back to the Dailies:
The vicious frontal attacks continued, this time concentrating on the exposed right flank of the lead formation. Retchin's plane from the 323rd, flying "Tail End Charlie" in the second element had already been hit and dropped out of formation before the bomb drop. Now the fighters poured into the gap behind the second element, concentrating on the six planes in the middle of the pattern. The 324th, leading B Flight, took the brunt of the attack. "Marie Jane," leading the Flight was hit and went down with its entire crew. Two planes behind, Koll's "Desperate Journey," leading the second element was hit and going down, too.
B17 DF-H41-24515 was the designated number for the plane that Willard was in when it went down. It has an interesting history. The nicknames it went under are Jersey Bounce, and Marie Jane. Now and then, the name Mary Jane crops up but it seems to be only in documentation that comes out of the Netherlands. I believe it is just a language difference in recording data, and people who copy that information. No official link through AAF documents show Mary Jane as a nickname.
The first reference to the names I found was from “Master Edit Copy” B-17 FORTRESS MASTER LOG, B-17 Log 1935-1945. As far as I can tell, this log chronicles all the B17’s and what happened to them. It lists the following for4124515:
4124515 Ass 324BS/91BG [DF-H] Bangor 2/9/42; Bassingbourn 26/9/42; MIA {24+m} Wilhelmshafen 21/5/43 w/Phillip Fischer, cp-Chas Freschauf, n-Rollin Ball, b-John Joslin, ettg-Herb Harvey, ro-Mark Margason, btg-Bob Cole, wg-Willard Simpson, wg-Sid Kohn, tg-Jerry Jones (10KIA); flak & e/a, cr North Sea, MACR 3458. (Actually completed 25 missions two weeks before Memphis Belle but Hollywood overuled this ship!) MARIE JANE aka JERSEY BOUNCE.
Most of the information I have gained through my research, link the Jersey Bounce (24515) with the famous “Memphis Belle”.
And so, my story of Willard O. Simpson comes to an end. He was a wrestler in high school, had a dog and a large family. His youngest brother was born between my mother and her older brother, so they were sort of raised together.
He was awarded the Purple Heart and Air Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters.
- - - -
Source: b17flyingfortress.de/en/b17/41-24515-marie-jane/
B-17 / Marie Jane
Assigned 324BS/91BG [DF-H] Bangor 2-Sep-42; Bassingbourn 26-Sep-42; Missing in Action (KIA) 24+m Wilhelmshaven, Germany 21-May-43. Aircraft sustained damage from flak & enemy aircraft, crashed into the North Sea, 10 KIA Missing Air Crew Report 3458 (4439?). (Actually completed 25 missions two weeks before Memphis Belle but Hollywood overruled this ship!) MARIE JANE aka JERSEY BOUNCE.
Source: Dave Osborne, B-17 Fortress Master Log*
B-17 / Marie Jane Crew
Position |
Rank |
Name |
Status |
Note |
P |
1LT |
Philip S. Fischer |
KIA |
- |
CP |
1LT |
Charles W. Freschauf |
KIA |
- |
NAV |
2LT |
Rollin P. Ball |
KIA |
- |
BOMB |
1LT |
John W. Joslin, Jr. |
KIA |
- |
ENG/TT |
T/SGT |
Herbert H. Harvey |
KIA |
- |
RO |
S/SGT |
Mark W. Margason |
KIA |
- |
BT |
S/SGT |
Robert W. Cole |
KIA |
- |
WG |
S/SGT |
Willard O. Simpson |
KIA |
- |
WG |
S/SGT |
Sidney L. Kohn |
KIA |
- |
TG |
S/SGT |
Jearld H. Jones |
KIA |
- |
Source: ancestry.com; abmc.gov
Willard O. Simpson has a cenotaph in Woodland Cemetery, Des Moines, IA and is memorialized at the Tablets of the Missing, Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Netherlands.
Source: ancestry.com
