Withers Roger Bertram

Monuments

B-17 (42-102485) 'Bare Essentials' Crash Memorial- 388th Bomber Group

Name:

Roger Bertram Withers

Rank:

Second Lieutenant

Serial Number:

O-803728

Unit:

562nd Bomber Squadron, 388th Bomb Group

Date of Death:

1973-01-10

State:

Indiana

Cemetery:

Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA

Plot:

Section 223

Row:

Lot 877

Grave:

Decoration:

Comments:

Roger Bertram Withers was born on May 5, 1916, in Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. He was the son of Walter Roy Withers and Edna H. Shattuck. He was married to Laura Lee McGlothlin Snyder,Withers. He served in the 562nd Bomb Squadron, 388th Bomb Group, as a Second Lieutenant and Co-Pilot of B-17 (42-102485) nicknamed 'Bare Essentials' during World War II.

On May 28, 1944, while on a mission to bomb Dessau, Germany, the aircraft was struck by anti-aircraft fire (flak), causing a fire on board. Despite the crew’s efforts to control the situation, they were forced to crash-land near Groenekan in the Netherlands. Several crew members lost their lives, while the survivors were captured and taken as prisoners of war. During this period, the group carried out numerous strategic bombing missions across Europe.

2Lt Withers was among those captured and taken as a prisoner of war. He was held at Stalag 7A in Moosburg, Bavaria. He died on January 10, 1973, and is now buried in the Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana, USA.

Source of information: b17flyingfortress.de, aad.archives.gov