Michael J. Weiss - 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron

Early Life and Service

Michael J. Weiss, originally from Moosic (Starks Patch), Pennsylvania, left home at the age of 29 to serve in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. He enlisted on November 2, 1942, and underwent basic training at Foster Field, Texas.

Training and Deployment

After completing airplane mechanics school at Seymour Johnson Field in North Carolina (May-Oct 1943), Michael advanced to aerial gunnery school at Buckingham Field, Florida (Nov-Dec 1943). In early 1944, he was assigned as an engineer gunner on the B-26 Marauder at Lake Charles, Louisiana (Feb-Jul 1944), before being deployed to England in August 1944.

Since Mike is shown with a cane, it is assumed that the photo was taken after the crash landing in late 1944 or early 1945. The swastika was probably left over from the German occupation of the airfield, which ended when it was liberated by Allied ground forces about Sept. 1944. Soon after, the airport became a 9th Air Force combat airfield. The 386th Bombardment Group flew the B-26 Marauder medium bombers from the facility between 2 October 1944 and 9 April 1945.

Combat Service with the 386th Bomb Group

Assigned to the 9th Air Force, Michael joined the 386th Bombardment Group, 555th Bomb Squadron in Great Dunmow, England (Aug-Oct 1944). His squadron moved to Beaumont-sur-Oise, France, and later St. Trond, Belgium, in April 1945. Michael completed 19 combat missions on the B-26 Marauder and 22 missions on the A-26 Invader, performing critical missions as an engineer gunner.

Decorations and Honors

Michael's distinguished service was recognized with multiple awards, including the European Theater Ribbon with four campaign stars (Battles of Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Germany) and the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters.

Crash Landing Incident

In a letter from his nephew Joseph Weiss, Michael's survival of a crash landing in the B-26 Marauder was recalled. On November 18, 1944, during a raid on a supply depot at St. Wendel, Germany, Michael's plane, Hell's Belle II (131789 Y-A), was severely damaged. Despite the extensive battle damage, the crew managed a crash landing at their home base. The crash landing occurred with the bomb bay doors open, and the pilot brought the plane in on the nose wheel. Michael was among the crew, including Lt. Thompson (pilot), Moody (co-pilot), Al Rioux (radio operator and waist gunner), and Quinn (tail gunner).

Note from nephew Joseph Weiss on a crash landing: We cannot recall that Uncle Mike ever talked about surviving the crash landing of a B-26 Marauder. It was mentioned in an e-mail sent to me in 2001 by his buddy Albert (Adelard) Rioux. (Mike had already died in 1973). In a later posting, Al's son gave more details about the crash landing with added notes by B-26 historian Chester Klier in a 6/14/02 post. To the best of my knowledge, this is what happened. On Nov. 18, 1944, there was a raid by the 386th Group with 4 squadrons on a supply depot at St. Wendel, Germany. There were 36 planes, 25 planes received battle, 6 planes were lost with 19 more damaged, and 19 men missing in action. Mike Weiss was on Hell's Belle II, 131789 Y-A, which was badly shot-up but made it back to the home field for a crash landing. The bomb bay doors were open and the pilot brought the plane in on a nose wheel. The other crew members were: Lt. Thompson, pilot, Moody, co-pilot, Al Rioux, radio operator and waist gunner, Quinn, and a tail gunner from Texas.

Photo of the 555th Bomb Squadron