Evaders
SGLO | Date crash | Aircraft | |
---|---|---|---|
T4710 | 21-11-44 | B-24 Liberator | |
MilRank | First Name(s) | Name | |
1/Lt. | John Henry | Quinn | |
Milregnr. | Nationality | Born | |
O-818301 | American | 1 Sep 1918 |
Returned Y/N | Evader Fate | Date Captured/Liberated | Place Captured/Liberated | Escape Line | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yes | EVD | 7 May 45 | Eemnes | - |
Evader Story |
---|
1/Lt. John Henry Quinn was the pilot of B-24 42-95180 ‘Satan’s Little Sister’. Shortly before bombing the target, oil refineries near Hamburg, the aircraft was hit by flak in the left wing. With a big hole in the wing and two feathered engines the B-24 crippled back to home base Bungay. Near Texel it became clear that it wouldn’t be possible to cross the Norh Sea anymore. The bomber then turned south to try to reach the Allied lines via the IJsselmeer. But even that was not possible anymore. Near Huizen the B-24 ran out of fuel. Quinn ordered the crew to bail out just over the coast near Huizen. Quinn himself left the bomber as the ultimate. Due to the southwestern wind, seven of the nine crewmembers drifted back to the IJsselmeer and landed in the ice cold waters. Despite their mae wests, they sank in their thick flying suits and drowned. Fishing boats that sailed out from Spakenburg to rescue them, arrived on the scene too late. Only Quinn and the co-pilot, 2/Lt. Melburn O. Simmons (E0899), landed on the shoreside. Quinn came down a the westside of the Eem River. Here Herman Leeraar and Willem Hoolwerf took care of him. They brought him to the eastside of the river and after darkness it went on to Bunschoten, where also Simmons found a hiding place. A few days later, on 27 November, Quinn was escorted by Herman Leeraar and others to the house of Family G.J. Morren at Kerkstraat 9 in Eemnes. Simmons went to Blaricum. Morren was head teacher of the RK Mariaschool. Unfortunately he passed away on 22 March 1945. Despite the risks, Quinn - who could get along very well with Morren - attended the funeral. Both men were liberated by Allied troops on 7 May 1945. Two days later both Americans left via Hilversum the area. John Henry Quinn passed away on 26 March 1998 at Westport, New York, at the age of 79. |
Source(s) |
* Jaap van der Woude, Vrijheidsmonument Eemnes (Eemnes 1987), page 88-93 * National Archives, Washington, EE-3052 * https://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/341.html. |