[303rd-Talk] Looking for Tyler L. Weems

[Tyler L. Weems]

The mission to Magdeburg is one of the few things I can recall from the 
one time my grandfather, Thomas Weems, told me about the war when I was 
too young to understand the importance of the information he was giving 
me.  (I was probably 5 at the time.)  He mentioned this mission was the 
only time he considered getting out of the plane.  He said if he would 
have been able to get out, he would have.  However, by the time he was 
able to get up and move to an exit, Fontana was able to regain control.

In a letter Robert Perry wrote to my grandfather he mentioned returning 
"alone, on two props, and that gaping hole in our starboard wing."

Tyler

Bill Jones wrote:
> I think that I'd have to mention here that John Twomley, Thomas Weems, 
> AND Kirkland Price all flew on the Sept 28 1944 Magdeburg mission. On 
> that mission, the 360th BS flew the low squadron of 12 planes, 10 from 
> the 360th and 2 from the 358th.  Of the 12 planes, only 2 returned.  
> Fontanna's lead plane was apparently damaged and couldn't keep up with 
> the formation, and got separated, but somehow got back, with both Weems 
> and Price on board. I've read many things about that mission.  It must 
> have been one heck of a ride. It also must have been equally disturbing 
> for the ground crews waiting for their planes to return, with only 2 
> making it back. 
>    I'd really like to hear mr Price's recollection of the mission.