1st Lt. Frederick Darwin Storey
Gee Operator-Bombardier
(A note from webmaster, Carl Carrozza) This profile began with an inquiry from Melody Marks a niece of Frederick Story. She had some information regarding the navigator/Gee operator and was willing to share it with the 344th BG website. Also, she was hoping I could locate Storey’s grandson so that he could receive this information. Melody got the materials from her mother who was too distraught regarding Lt. Storey’s death to keep in touch with his widow.
Melody provided the name of Storey’s grandson. I googled the name and found four people and their phone numbers. I texted them all and grandson Paul Darwin Storey responded. Happily, the family was able to reconnect and share information. I have been able to add to that with my own research.
Lt. Storey received special training in the use of the Gee navigational device. GEE,[a] was a radio navigation system used by the Royal Air Force and selected U.S. forces. It measured the time delay between two radio signals to produce a fix, with accuracy on the order of a few hundred metres at ranges up to about 350 miles (560 km). It was cutting edge technology in 1942 when it was devised.
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Storey and crew were shot down by flak and crashed on a February 23, 1945 pathfinder mission to Erkelenz, Germany. The pilot was Capt. Carl Franklin Chapman, and co-pilot, 1st Lt. John “Jack” Sheehan, who was flying his 65th mission. The aircraft took a direct hit in the left engine just after bombs away, burst into flames, flipped over and spun into the ground, exploding on impact near the target area. All the crew were killed. We also had this aircraft listed as K9-G of the 494th BS.
Pilot- Capt. Carl Franklin Chapman (killed))
CoPilot- 1st Lt. John Jack Sheehan (killed)
Bombardier.-2nd Lt. James Richard Harl (killed)
Navigator- 1st Lt. Kenneth Gordon Bowdish (killed)
Radio/Gun- T/Sgt. J P Herndon (killed)
Eng/Gun- S/Sgt. Ballard James Bentley (killed)
Tail/Gun- S/Sgt. W T Williamson (killed)
Gee Operator- 1st Lt. Frederick Darwin Storey, Jr. (killed)
.Lt. Korkowski was the pilot of the plane right behind Gratis Gladys. His description is as follows, “This was a rough mission. The plane in front of me was shot down and the automatic bomb camera in my plane got a picture of it going down as it lost altitude and passed under us.” Corky provided two versions of that picture. I have two versions of it. One Two.
.In the formation diagram above, note that Capt. Chapman piloting Storey’s marauder led the formation that day. Chapman was working the GEE device in order to provide the route for the formation.
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The hand-drawn map above shows the route to and location of the target. Gratis Gladys was hit by flak right after bombs-away.
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The above is the list of crew members for this flight.
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.The mission interrogation form was filled in on behave of Capt. Chapman. With considerable enhancement you can see that it says, “Went down at target.”
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.Click to read the complete Missing Aircraft Report MACR 12649
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.Crew members KIA
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.Frederick Darwin Storey, Jr. Bombardier School and communications regarding death and burial (pdf)
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