Sgt. Roy Fred Pace
Photo enhanced
Sgt. Koy Fred Pace (38519975) was a radio operator / side gunner with the 344th BG 495th BS. He was born on 1 May 1925 the son of James Oliver Pace (1878-1952) and Mosie (Robinson) Pace (1884-1978). He enlisted on 21 August 1943. He was taken a prisoner-of-war. After being liberated, Pace was discharged from the Army on 2 November 1945.
Captain Thomas G. Brennan and his five crew members were training as a replacement crew at Lake Charles, LA when this photo was taken on 11 October 1944.
Brennan piloted the third crew to fly the B-26B 50, serial number 42-95917, nicknamed “Shopworn Angel.” They were assigned to the 495th Bomb Squadron and their code was N3. They were the last crew of “Shopworn Angel”.
————————–
The first mission This historian could find for this crew took place on Feb. 6, 1945. According to 344th BG Silver Streaks, “
February 6 the crews were briefed for a Pathfinder mission attack on
a Munitions Dump located near Rheimbach, Germany. The results were unobserved, but the PFF Bombardier reported his signals were good and strikes should have been in the target area. No flak or opposition was put
up against the formation.
Even though the formation shows that Brennan, Pace and company flew in Y5-D, they ended up in 43-34424 Y5-W Wild Willie Y5-W. They were located in position 2-2-6. They dropped bombs with the location aid of a Pathfinder. They experienced no flak or enemy aircraft.
The crew consisted of,
PILOT – Capt. Thomas Gough Brennan, Jr
COPILOT – 2nd Lt. Frederick William LaFountaine, Jr
BOMBARDIER- 2nd Lt. Harry William Zuest
RADIO/GUN – Sgt. Roy Fred Pace
ENG/GUN – Sgt. Edward Joseph Monahan
TAIL/GUN – Sgt. Willard Alexander Delavan
They took off at 9:30 am in plane 43-34424 Y5-W Wild Willie Y5-W which flew in position 2-2-6 in the formation. Their bomb load was dropped as briefed and returned to base, landing at 1:40 pm.
The debrief indicates that they flew in the second flight of the second box in position 6. They were over target at 11:39 am at an altitude of 11,900 ft. (airspeed 185 mph) where they dropped a load of 16 – 250 lb general purpose bombs. No flak was experienced.
The next mission on file for Pace and crew took place on February 9, 1945. According to 344th BG Silver Streaks,
February 9 we bombed the Vierson Marshalling Yards with 35 Aircraft. Results were unobserved. Again, no flak was encountered.
Brennan, Pace and company flew in 42-95918 Nick’s Chick II Y5-B. They were assigned to be a “Window Ship” that dropped packages of tinsel-like foil from the side windows in order to jam the radar of the enemy anti-aircraft guns.
The crew consisted of,
PILOT – Capt. Thomas Gough Brennan, Jr
COPILOT – 2nd Lt. Frederick William LaFountaine, Jr
BOMBARDIER- 2nd Lt. Harry William Zuest
RADIO/GUN – Sgt. Roy Fred Pace
ENG/GUN – Sgt. Edward Joseph Monahan
TAIL/GUN – Sgt. Willard Alexander Delavan
They took off at 12:40 pm in plane 42-95918 Nick’s Chick II Y5-B which flew as a “window ship” for the formation. The rest of the formation dropped their bomb load as briefed and returned to base, landing at 4:40 pm.
The debrief indicates that they flew as a “window” ship.
The next mission found in the files was Feb. 13, 1945 in which the target was a Railway Bridge Euskirchen, Germany.
According to 344th BG Silver Streaks,
On February 13 the Field Order sent us to the all important Railway bridge at Euskirchen. Thirty (30) Aircraft attacked, but unfortunately, all bombs fell wide of the target without causing any serious damage to our objective. The
attack, though, was costly, two of our Aircraft being shot down and eighteen damaged Category “A.” Twelve (12) of the personnel in the Aircraft lost are
listed as missing-in-action. The two Aircraft were of the 494th and 497th Bombardment Squadrons.
The pilots and crew members are as follows, respectively;
2nd Lt. H. L. Yeager, Jr., Pilot; 2nd Lt. R. J. Forden, Co-Pilot; Flight Officer N. W. Boylan, Bombardier; Sgt. N.E. Dwight, Engineer-Gunner; Sgt. O. N. Hester, Radio-Gunner;
and S/Sgt. C. W. Bloucher, Tail Gunner. Lt. A.R. Williams, Pilot; Lt. M. F. Crowley, Co-Pilot; Lt. J.P. Brown, Bombardier-Navigator; Sgt. A. J. Ryder, Engineer- Gunner; Sgt. A. A. Zabinski, Radio Gunner, and Sgt. C. Coyaso, Tail Gunner.
Even though the formation shows that Brennan, Pace and company flew in Y5-R, they ended up in 42-95917 Shopworn Angel Y5-J . They were located in position 2-1-6. They dropped bombs with the location aid of a Pathfinder.
The crew consisted of,
PILOT – Capt. Thomas Gough Brennan, Jr
COPILOT – 2nd Lt. Frederick William LaFountaine, Jr
BOMBARDIER- 2nd Lt. Harry William Zuest
RADIO/GUN – Sgt. Roy Fred Pace
ENG/GUN – Sgt. Edward Joseph Monahan
TAIL/GUN – Sgt. Willard Alexander Delavan
Pace and the crew took off at 10:40 pm in plane 42-95917 Shopworn Angel Y5-J which flew in position 2-1-6 of the formation. They dropped their bomb load as briefed and returned to base, landing at 2:05 pm.
The debrief indicates that they flew plane Y5-J in the first flight of the second box in position 6. They were over primary target at 12:10 pm at an altitude of 11,300 ft. where they dropped a load of 4 – 1000 lb bombs. Heavy and accurate flak flak was experienced at the target.
Sgt. Roy Pace’s final mission was Feb. 14, 1945 in which the target was a Railway Bridge Euskirchen, Germany.
Taken from 344th Bomb Group Silver Streaks:
In the afternoon of the 14th the Railroad bridge at Engers was attacked. Seventeen (17) Aircraft dropped 34 tons of bombs with generally excellent results, though clouds and haze were rapidly obscuring the target from view. The attack being visually, by flights, on converging axis of attacks and the weather closing in did not allow all of the aircraft to drop on the primary target. However, on the way out to Base, two (2) aircraft bombed at Bullay on briefed secondary and four (4) on the Railroad bridge at Ellers, another briefed secondary target, while one plane bombed the town of Burenbach as a casual target.
The attack on the Engers bridge was met by severe and accurate enemy flak defenses, five of our aircraft being shot down, 21 Aircraft damaged Category “A”, seven Category “B” and 31 of our personnel listed as missing and six wounded. It was the first time since our attack on a bridge North of Paris that so many of our craft were lost in action and so many damaged. The five (5) lost aircraft were of the 495, 496, and 497th Bomb Squadrons. The Pilots and crew members are as follows:
495th Bomb Squadron
Captain Thomas Brennan, Pilot
2nd Lt. F. LaFountaine, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. H. W. Zuest, Bombardier
Sgt. E. Monahan, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. K. F. Pace, Radio Gunner
Sgt. W. A. Delavan, Tail Gunner
496th Bomb Squadron
Lt. G. K. Holm, Pilot
Lt. W. M. Holman, Co-Pilot
Lt. P.G. Mulholland, Bombardier
Sgt. M. B. Rabalis, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. W. A. Spear, Radio Gunner
Sgt. F. L. McKenny, Tail Gunner
497th Bomb Squadron
Lt. W. R. Jones, Pilot
Lt. R. C. Light, Co-Pilot
Lt. M. R. OyBrien, Bombardier
Sgt. J. E. Knight, Navigator
Sgt. U. M. Myers, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. N. D. Polk, Radio Gunner
Sgt. P. N. Dudley, Tail Gunner
Lt. J. P. Nelson, Pilot
Lt. D. T. Bennett, Co-Pilot
Lt. W. P. Santel, Bombardier
Sgt. W. O. Severson, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. D. E. Brocht, Radio Gunner
Sgt. A. J. Sullivan, Tail Gunner
Lt. R. C. Meppen, Pilot
Lt. G. R. Farthing, Co-Pilot
Lt. G. P. Larson, Bombardier
Sgt. J. Chiari, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. S. L. Myers, Radio Gunner
Sgt. E. Cheramie, Tail Gunner
Brennan, Pace and company flew in 42-95917 Shopworn Angel Y5-J. They were located in position 1-1-3.
The aerial photograph shows bombs hitting the targeted bridge.
For this Feb. 14 mission to Engers Bridge, the crew consisted of,
Captain Thomas Brennan, Pilot
2nd Lt. F. LaFountaine, Co-Pilot
2nd Lt. H. W. Zuest, Bombardier
Sgt. E. Monahan, Engineer Gunner
Sgt. K. F. Pace, Radio Gunner
Sgt. W. A. Delavan, Tail Gunner
Brennan, Pace and company flew in 42-95917 Shopworn Angel Y5-J, taking off at 2:35 pm and were lost in action.
The debrief indicates that airplane, Y5-J, in position 1-1-3 was missing in action.
When an aircraft was destroyed over enemy territory, a document called an MACR is created to document the details. The fate of the Shopworn Angel Y5-J with Brennan, Pace, and crew is described in MACR# 12344 DATE – 14 Feb 1945 click this link to review this document.
Notes regarding plane and crew members by historian J. Kurt Spence:
“The mission that day was to be the railroad bridge crossing the Rhine River at Engers, Germany. Five aircraft were shot down that day and a total of 31 airmen were listed as either missing or killed in action. Captain Thomas Gough Brennan, Jr. (O-793050) was the pilot for the six man crew of the B-26. At approximately 1632 hours and just minutes before reaching the target, “Shopworn Angel” and the crew suffered a direct hit from German flak. The aircraft was at 11,000 feet when anti-aircraft flak hit the plane and
caused a fire to break out in the bomb bay. Several gunners were wounded and Capt. Brennan shouted “Bail Out!” to the crew. Co-pilot Frederick LaFontaine, Jr. and bombardier Harry W. Zuest bailed out. Eyewitnesses saw two parachutes drift away as the aircraft went into a spin, making a left turn off the target. Pilot Brennan was able to gain control of the aircraft and crash land in farm fields 11⁄2 kilometers southwest of Kruft, Germany. LaFontaine and Zuest were captured by civilians and hung to death.
Buried in a local community cemetery, the bodies were later interred in the Margraten Cemetery in Holland. Sgt. Edward J. Monahan, the engineer, was killed in the crash.
The remaining crew of three were slightly wounded and attempted to evade capture. However, Brennan was captured, put into the back of a truck with a noose around his neck. The aging truck was coal fired because of lack of gasoline and would not start. A Luftwaffe officer happened along and saved Brennan’s life from the angry mob. Sgt. Willard Alexander Delavan managed to evade capture until the afternoon of the next day. He was finally caught at about 1600 hours in the neighboring village of Ochendung, Germany. Missing Air Crew Report 12344 was filed when the
aircraft failed to return to base.”
Eyewitness Don Moomaw-
Note from webmaster, Carl Carrozza: I was fortunate to come in contact with Mr. Moomaw when I looked into a B26 model he had posted on e-bay. The plane was the Shopworn Angel. I noticed that the plane model was painted in the distinctive manner of the Silver Streaks of the 495th. I suspected the owner was knowledgeable about the B26 and decided to contact him. The following is a compilation that provides Mr. Moomaw’s eyewitness account of the last mission of the Shopworn Angel. I am extremely greatful to Donald for the information. Also, our exchange of e-mails has reinforced what my father has told me about the 495th pilots being officers and gentlemen.
“I would be interested in knowing what period of time your father was in the 495Th Squadron, and what crew he was assigned too. Shop Worn Angel, was in slot three of the lead flight when she went down,. It is as clear in my mind as if it were two hours ago.
This is to best of my memory; the target, Engers RR Bridge, a very well protected target, and lots, lots, lots of heavy flak. This mission we did not go on the bomb run in the regular formation, we went trail formation (see diagram below), all the flight lined up, one back of the other, the flights back of the lead were 500 ft below the flight ahead. I was #2, right wingman of the lead plane, Piloted by Major Clay, I am sure your father would remember him. Shopworn Angel #3 , left wingman. A glancing vision, I saw the right engine on fire, the co-pilot half out of seat, facing the pilot, and I am sure he was saying we are on fire, and generally the fire spreads, Shopworn Angel pulled out of formation to left, no idea of what happened after that.”
“I have never heard a thing about the [fate of the] crew, and do not know of anyone who would have any information. If they did not show up as a POW, they died in some manner. The [ possibility of] help of escaping with aid from the underground, is just not feasible, we were very deep into Germany, and there was not going to be any help from the civilians, they (survivers) would be fortunate if you were not killed by them. I am not aware of any crews making a report of the incident at the end of the flight. We were under extremely heavy flak, and incidents could go unnoticed. My fleeting glance was second or two, getting hit, and leaving the formation was a matter of seconds, so it could go unnoticed by other crews. I have thought about this incident many times over the years, and any information would be very welcome.
I think it (the Shopworn Angel model) will have good home, and hope your father has chance to enjoy the memories he has of the plane. To me the whole experience has become a part of me, and it was good experience. Attached is a sheet showing the formation of the flights as we were on the bomb run, after leaving the target we joined back up in regular formation. Any information you might have I would appreciate. I would be interested what member of the crew was the fiance*. I only knew the pilot and co-pilot, I believe the pilots name was Lt. Sanders. If you have additional questions, I will try to answer.”
Sgt. Koy Fred Pace (38519975) was a radio operator / side gunner. He was born on 1 May 1925 the son of James Oliver Pace (1878-1952) and Mosie (Robinson) Pace (1884-1978). He enlisted on 21 August 1943. He was taken a prisoner-of-war. After being liberated, Pace was discharged from the Army on 2 November 1945. He married Juanita Mallory (1925-2010) and they lived in Logansport, LA. Pace was president of the Louisiana School Board Association in the late 1960s and also a member of Mount Vernon Lodge #83 of the Free and Accepted Masons in Logansport.
Pace died on 20 January 1981 in Logansport, LA and was buried in the Brookland Cemetery, Shelby County, TX.
Enhanced and colorized
Remembrance by Cindy Pace Long (Koy’s daughter)-
My father, Koy Fred Pace, served in the Air Force in World War II. He had been enrolled at Texas A&M for two weeks when he enlisted.
During his service he was sent on a mission to blow up a bridge in Germany, and his plane was shot down. Koy was shot in the face and blinded. His friend and comrade grabbed him, put his hand on his ripcord, and pushed him out of the plane. Koy was taken to a prison camp where he stayed for several months, not able to see, and suffering from malnutrition. I’ve heard stories about him trying to make the other prisoners laugh by saying to the prison staff, “I would love an enema today, please.” His diet consisted of rotten potatoes, and one time a horse’s eye. When a friend of mine said she didn’t think she could ever eat that, Koy said, “You’ve never been hungry.” A group of Red Cross surgeons came to the camp and performed surgery on Koy’s eyes without anesthesia. The doctors told him that there was shrapnel that could not be removed and that he would eventually go blind again, but they were able to restore partial vision in both eyes. My grandparents spent the rest of their lives trying to find these surgeons to thank them, but never did.
When Koy returned home, he was sent to a hospital in North Carolina. Helen Keller visited him, and all the soldiers who lost sight or hearing in the war. He told me about this visit many times when I was a child. When Koy returned home to Logansport, Louisiana with a Purple Heart, he was a local hero. He married his high school sweetheart, Juanita Pace, and took over the family business, a general store in our home town.
Well-meaning people would stop him on the street and say, “Wow Koy, God saved you for a reason. We know you are going to do great things.” My mom hated this, and felt that my dad had already done great things and did not need to feel any pressure after all he had been through. Koy’s first heart attack happened in his 30’s. I think it was brought on by the malnutrition he suffered in the prison camp, and the stress from gradually going blind. This was a long painful recovery. My dad knew his life would be short, so I feel he distilled everything down to what he felt was important. This was service. He served everyone.
People came to him with their problems, they came to him for money, they came to our house late at night very depressed and Koy would stay up with them. He served at church and in many organizations. His was president of the school board. On the weekends he and I would visit families who lived miles down dirt roads to make sure their children were doing well in school. Koy made sure that the children who lived with food scarcity got unlimited helpings during school lunch.
He did all this while suffering from the effects of the war. Every year on the anniversary of the crash, he would sit in a dark room with pictures and other memorabilia and cry. He would call the man who saved his life. I do not know this person’s name, but he lived in Dallas. Koy died at age 51. When people say, “Koy died of a heart attack,” I say, “No, Koy died from the war.” Koy had two children who are both alive today. James Mallory Pace lives in Fayetteville, Ar. Cindy Pace Long lives in Colorado Springs, CO. He has seven grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Two of his 3 grandsons went on to serve in the military. He lives in all our hearts.
Sometime around 1985, years after my father’s death, my mother received a letter from a woman living in Germany. She asked if Koy Pace was still alive because she wanted to thank him for saving her husband’s life while he and Koy were in the prison camp together. My brother wrote her back, but never heard from her again. My family does not have this letter.
A few years ago I was in a Bible study group at a church in Pueblo, CO. There was a woman present who was in her 90’s who had suffered a stroke. Someone mentioned Helen Keller and I said, “Oh, ask me anything about Helen Keller. I’ve read almost every book there is about her. She visited my dad at a hospital in North Carolina when he came back from the war.” Suddenly this woman raised her hand and asked everyone to listen to her. She had trouble speaking and wanted complete attention. She said, “When I was a young girl and the war ended, I wanted to do something for the soldiers. I went to the hospital where I lived in North Carolina and asked if there was anything I could do as a volunteer. The man there said they needed someone to take Helen Keller around to visit all the soldiers who were blind or deaf. Then she said, “I was in the room with your dad and Helen Keller.”
Here are some more photos. Some of him by himself, him and my grandma Juanita Pace, and one of my mom’s family today.
We can’t thank you enough for your amazing project. This means so much to all of us.
Links:
http://shopwornangel.imaginarynumber.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Botkin-Engers-Aerial.jpg
https://www.fold3.com/page/286624835_crash_of_b26_marauder_4295917_macr_12344#description
