A search for the past
         (From a Longuyon, France, Newspaper, Oct. 27, 1997)
                        (English Translation)
            THE AMERICAN PILOT AT THE SEARCH FOR THE PAST
     The pilot of the Fortress, Robert Kelley, has come to France for
 the 6th time. At Han he encounters Madame Bastien and her children.
     In September 1944, a B-17 Fortress, part of a group, is hit by
 flak. The aircraft quits the formation and is also attacked by five
 or six Me-109s. probably from the base at Metz.
     The tail gunner is killed and the rest of the crew (8 airmen)
 jump in their parachutes. The aviators fall to earth in the vicinity
 of Han. The Fortress on fire, full of incendiary bombs, crashes
 close to the village of Bazailles.
     Two of the airmen fall close to Han -- the gunner Zalma Mitchell
 and the radio operator Grover Nordman Jr.  They were rapidly hidden
 by the inhabitants who had heard the crackle of the gunners and the
 incessant firing of the German chase aircraft.
     Madame Bastein and her children hid Nordman in their barn.  He
 didn't stay there long, only seven hours. He left with two Resisters
 in direction of Spincourt, planning of battling because the American
 army was advancing.
     In charge of Mr. Joseph Marchesi of the town of St. Supplet, he
 went thru the German lines in a Tombrereau (dump cart) with a double
 bottom and covered with straw.  Because of his injury, the gunner
 Mitchell stayed hidden for three days, under the noses of the Germans
 who were stationed at Pierrepont.
     The pilot of that that Fortress, Robert Kelley, has promised his
 companions to find the persons who aided them. He had returned more
 than once to the place of the crash of his Fortress (back of Bazail-
 les) at last to recover several small pieces of his aircraft that
 are still subsisting in the bushy area.
     He will bring back several souvenirs thinking of his radio oper-
 ator. Happy coincidence: he has found a round piece of about 15 cen-
 timeters on which is written "Radio Compass."  A very important part
 of the radio that indicates the aircraft position with the short
 waves sent out by the English stations.
     What souvenirs resurrect in memory in finding the places and
 persons who saved them. Madame Bastien avows that later on, on the
 occasion of a marriage in the village, all the invitees were showing
 off beautiful blouses made of the parachutes abandoned not far from
 there. Nothing is lost...
     Other members of Kelley's crew were: #2076 Andy W. Anderson, Life
 Member AFEES; #2074 A. R. Karoli, deceased July 1992 #2073 George
 Lancaster, deceased Dec.18, 1905; #2598 Edward F. Duemmer, died 1955;
 Richard Doyle, KIA; Ira Krammes, POW
     E. Robert Kelley (E&E 2075) has visited France several times to
 maintain contact with those who aided him. He was the pilot of "My
 Baby" a B-17 shot down near Baslieux, France, on Sept. 5, 1944.
 Kelley now lives in Central Valley, Calif. Picture shows from left:
 Kelley, Helene Bastien, her husband, and her brother, Baston who
 helped another crewman, Grover Nordman.
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          A new 'Great Escape' chapter to air in May
     A new segment of the television series, "Great Escapes of WW II"
 by A&E is tentatively scheduled to air on May 17. It will feature
 the escape from Camp PG 78, the largest successful escape of the
 war.
     There were 21 RCAF aircrew in the camp; all managed to escape.
 Five were recaptured; two of those escaped again and got through the
 lines.
     All told, 18 Canadian airmen found their way back to freedom. Of
 the 21, 12 are still living: Stan Brook, Ray Hamilton, Jack Harlton,
 Doug MacAllan, Archie McLeod, Spike McGraw, Don MeLarty, Al Markle,
 Gilbert Middlemass, Ed Patrick, Ray Sherk and Al Spear.
     Most are members of the RAF Escaping Society and/or AFEES.
 This information was provided by Ray Sherk, 14 Laurie Shepway
 Willowdale, Out. M2J IX6. Canada
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 U.S. Air Forces Escape/Evasion Society Communications March 1, 1998
 Page 26
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