Veronica Brodie
James Joseph Brodie, the pilot of the Lazy Daisy who lost his life on September 28, 1944, had a brother named Francis and two sisters, Veronica and Mary. James was the youngest child in the family. Veronica was three years older than James, Mary was ten years older, and Francis was twelve years older. With such a wide difference in ages between the two older children and the two younger ones, Veronica was probably closer to James than Mary and Francis. It would be Veronica who felt the loss of her brother more deeply and took steps to find where he had been buried.
War Department
Office of the Quartermaster General
Washington 25, D.C.23 June 1947
QMGMF 29
Brodie, James J.
S.N. 01 012 186Address Reply To
THE QUARTERMASTER GENERAL
Attention: Memorial DivisionMiss Veronica Brodie
c/o Ginn and Company
2301-2311 Prairie Avenue
Chicago 16, IllinoisDear Miss Brodie:
I have received your letter concerning your brother, the late First Lieutenant James J. Brodie.
The official Report of Burial discloses that the remains of your brother were interred in Plot R, Row 9, Grave 220, in the United States Military Cemetery Margraten, Holland, located ten miles west of Aachen, Germany.
Please accept my sincere sympathy in the loss of your brother.
Sincerely yours,
RICHARD B. COOMBS
Major, QMC
Memorial Division
Today, cemetery records show that James Brodie is buried in the cemetery’s Plot J, Row 13, Grave 4.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Answers
George Edwin Farrar had completed a casualty questionnaire when he returned to the states after his liberation. As the only survivor on the Lead Banana in the September 28, 1944 mid-air collision with Lazy Daisy, he was asked to provide information on the other members of the crew and write a description of the event as he knew it. As he was knocked unconscious in the collision, he had more questions than answers. On the back of the questionnaire, he apparently asked for information on the fate of his crewmates.
On June 14, 1946, Lt. Colonel William H. Brandon had written to tell him that his casualty questionnaire had been received, but that because of a backlog of inquiries, his questions couldn’t be answered at that time. Now, three months later, 1st Lt. John W. Bertschi was trying to answer Farrar’s questions.
September 11, 1946
Headquarters, Army Air Forces
WashingtonDear Sir:
The casualty questionnaire you completed for Air Forces Headquarters came to my attention today. I noticed your own question in the back of the sheet, and knowing how anxious any crewmember is to know what happened to the rest of the fellows, I want to tell you what we have found.
German casualty records which we recently translated state that all your crewmembers were recovered dead. The only one not identified by name was S. J. Peluso. All the boys were buried in a cemetery at Ost Ingersleben where the plane crashed. This town is twenty miles northwest of Magdeburg. We do not have reburial on all of the fellows yet so this would indicate that the Quartermaster General is having trouble identifying the bodies.
That is really all there is to tell you. You might be interested to know that the German records also include your name and state that you were taken to Dulag Luft West.
You really lived through a close one. I hope you suffer no permanent ill effects, and are enjoying a normal life once again.
This personal letter is easier to get out than an official one.
Very sincerely,
John W. Bertschi
1st LT. AC
In a handwritten note at the bottom of the typed letter, John Bertschi described himself as “Just one of the boys now working in AAF Hdqts personnel division.”
He also added:
P. S. When I checked your 201 file for your address, I found our “very sorry” letter to you.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Laurie Newbold
More than a year had passed since George Edwin Farrar spent his last day marching across Germany and his ultimate liberation on May 2, 1945. We Americans that know of the Black March probably picture the marching prisoners in our minds as American, but my father’s companion on the march was a British soldier, not American. From this letter my father kept since 1946, I must assume that he was housed in a Stalag Luft IV barracks that was a mixture of American and British prisoners.
July 15, 1946
6 Forest View Cottages
Belton
NR Loughborough
Leicestershire
England
Dear George,
It seems a long time since those unhappy days at Luft 4 & the three months marching but I haven’t forgotten the many Yank friends that I made & thought that I would give you time to settle down before I dropped you a line. I hope this finds you in the best of health old-timer & settled down to your home life again, enjoying all those good things that we used to dream about, steaks, chocolate, ices, etc. I’m sure you deserve them all.
I hope that this letter also brings back a few pleasant memories of England with its small hawthorn hedged fields & narrow country lanes. It looks very lovely at the moment as the crops are just about ripe & everywhere is so green. I am writing just after my Sunday tea & it is one of those rare sunny days that we get so few of over here.
I have been demobbed 12 months now & am back at work with promotion to shop foreman. My family has also risen to two boys since I got back. I expect you are also out of the Army Air Force.
Have you ever come across any more of Room 12. Old Mac Whorter lives down south at East Bernstadt, N London, Kentucky but I forgot that your states are as big as England. If you do write any of them please give them my regards.
I have been keeping my eyes open for some card-views of England, but I am sorry to say George that they are not yet back on the market but I shall remember. Try & get me some of those railway view that you told me about.
I’m afraid there’s not too much of anything yet over here & rations are as strict if not stricter than they were during war-time. Now bread as gone on rations due to the state of the continent, the capitalist clique over here are making a lot of party capital out of it but we shall pull through this the same as everything else.
Now that the American loan as gone through we expect to get more petrol, newspapers & a bit more variety in our very dull meals. I’m sure that you won’t regret it when you know what good it will do. It’s no good to anyone as money alone & a thriving Britain means more trade for the U.S.A. as I see it. Anyway our two countries must stick together.
I never saw you again after the day we were liberated. I understand that nearly all your boys stopped the first night at Boizenburg but most of the RAF went straight on to Luneburg & I got there that night. From there I went to Emsdetten near Holland & then flew to England in a Lanc [possible abbreviation for Lancaster bomber].
Well George I expect I could write all night about the past but most of that’s best forgotten, don’t you think. I hope this letter finds you, & I shall be looking forward to your reply. By-the way are you married yet. Write & give me all the news. Please give your family my regards.
Well I must draw to a close as I’m going up to the local pub which my father-in-law runs. I should like to have you here & treat you to a pint of good old mild which I know you used to like.
Cheerio for now old pal & all the very best.
Your Limey Pal,
Laurie Newbold
Notes:
“Old Mac Whorter” was Cecil C. McWhorter of Kentucky. He was a Staff Sergeant with the 351st bomb group. McWhorter was a left waist gunner on the Charles E. Cregar, Jr. crew on the 351st’s October 3, 1944 mission 213 to the Nuremburg railroad marshaling yards. All on board became POW’s with the exception of bombardier John F. Dwyer, who lost his life on that mission. MACR9358 contains details, but I have not yet been able to locate a copy. McWhorter died February 10, 1965 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
The Hensons Visit Chicago
In July 1946, the family of William Alvin Henson II, navigator on the Buslee crew, visited Ed Farrar and the Buslee family in Chicago. Ed was the only survivor of the mid-air collision that took the lives of William Henson and John Oliver Buslee.
On July 6, the group visited the College Inn in Chicago.
The College Inn in Chicago, Illinois on July 6, 1946
Left to right: Ed Farrar, Minnie Henson, Janice Buslee Kielhofer, Gene Kielhofer, Jeanne Henson
On July 10, they dined at Barney’s Market Club.
At Barney’s Market Club on July 10, 1946
Left side of table: John Buslee, Janice Buslee Kielhofer, Gene Kielhofer, Gertrude (unknown relationship)
Right side of table: Bill Henson, Minnie Henson, Jeanne Henson, Ed Farrar, Olga Buslee
The Buslee family in these photos consisted of John Oliver Buslee’s father (John Buslee), mother (Olga Buslee), sister (Janice Kielhofer), and brother-in-law (Gene Kielhofer).
The Henson family in these photos consisted of William Alvin Henson’s father (Bill Henson), mother (Minnie Henson), and sister (Jeanne Henson).
Thank you to John Dale Kielhofer, John Oliver Buslee’s nephew, for sharing these great photos.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Questions without answers
Still searching for answers regarding the mid-air collision between Lazy Daisy and Lead Banana more than a year after his liberation, Ed Farrar received a reply to his inquiry from the Army Air Forces. He did receive a reply, but he did not get any answers.
June 14, 1946
Headquarters, Army Air Forces
WashingtonMr. George E. Farrar,
79 East Lake Terrace, Northeast
Atlanta, GeorgiaDear Mr. Farrar:
Your completed casualty questionnaire has been received in this Headquarters, and we are appreciative of the information you furnished us relative to the fate of your fellow crew members.
At present we have on hand a large back-log of inquiries from the next of kin of our personnel who were killed in action or who are otherwise unaccounted for. In accordance with the Air Force post war reduction in manpower, the staff of this office has been reduced to a point where all inquiries cannot be answered as promptly as we would desire. In view of this, I am certain you will agree with our policy of giving preference to the next of kin. It is not known when we will be able to answer your questions concerning the members of your crew; however, an attempt will be made to furnish you this information as soon as possible.
Sincerely yours,
WILLIAM H. BRANDON
Lt. Colonel, Air Corps
Chief, Notification Section
Personal Affairs Branch
Personnel Services Division, AC/AS-1
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Caterpillar Club II
The Irvin Parachute Company also operated a “Caterpillar Club” for those who had saved their lives with a parachute.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Revisiting Ardmore
In 1946, George Edwin (Ed) Farrar was a traveling salesman in training with Neumann, Buslee & Wolfe. He wrote to his mother from Oklahoma, the home state of his future wife, Bernice Jane (Bernie) Chase, in March 1946. At this point, Ed and Bernie had not met and would not meet each other for another two years.
March 29, 1946
Oklahoma Biltmore
Oklahoma City, OklahomaI like these large letter heads. I don’t have to write so much.
Dearest Mother:
Haven’t heard from you in several days, but know it isn’t your fault. We changed our route a bit. Mr. Buslee is going back to Chicago from here. Then J.B. and my-self are going back to Ark, and then back into Kan.
I feel at home in most of these towns as, I have visited the majority of them before. A couple days ago, was through Ardmore, and drove to the field. All the boys have gone, and is now a civilian field, with D.C.3’s.
Hope Gerry can arrange for your reservations to Susanville O.K. Am sure I can manage to get to Atlanta before you leave. I miss greatly being with the family, but I know some day I will be able to give you the things you want. I’ll be getting out of school soon, and then I’ll receive a certain percent of all business of the territory. Then I’ll be working out of Atlanta, and I’ll build you a brand new house. I just want to see all in the family happy, and they will be some day.
Write when you can and give my love to all. Tell Millie her home state looks very good.
Love,
Ed
Notes:
- Gerry was Ed’s oldest sister, Geraldine. She was married to Wally Mass and they lived in Susanville, California. Ed’s mother planned to visit Gerry with daughter Beverly and son Gene as soon as school ended for the summer break.
- Millie was Ed’s oldest brother, Carroll Jr.’s, wife. She was also from Oklahoma and a friend of Bernice Chase.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
The New Year
George Edwin Farrar had lost his father five days before Christmas 1945. He wanted to remain in Atlanta with family, but his job at Neumann, Buslee, and Wolfe meant that he must return to Chicago. He wrote a letter to his mother shortly after his return.
January 6, 1946
Neumann – Buslee & Wolfe, Inc.
224 – 230 W. Huron St., Chicago, Ill.Dearest Mother:
Have intended writing every day since my arrival, but some-thing is all-ways in the way when the opportunity is present. Had a very nice trip up, even though I did stay up all night. Will be staying around Chicago until the last of the month, when we will leave for Texas. I wanted to get a place close in town, but the Buslee’s just wouldn’t let me so guess I’ll stay here with them.
Guess by now Carroll is getting up bright and early in the morning, and going to work. I have been getting up around seven thirty in the mornings my-self. We all-ways take about one and a half hours for lunch, and leave the office at four. Tell Carroll not to work too hard.
Mr. Henson is in Chicago, but he didn’t bring Jeanne with him. She is coming this summer. Mrs. Henson has been sick for a little over a week.
Hope Gene is taking full advantage of his Y.M.C.A. card. It will do him more good than any-thing in the world. Am sure Carroll and Millie will take him down and show him where the place is.
Can’t think of more to write about, except I want to hear in my next letter from you, that you have seen the doctor, and I don’t mean for you to stop writing.
Love to all,
Ed
Notes:
- Carroll was Ed’s older brother by five years. Millie was Carroll’s wife. They married February 26, 1944.
- Mr. Henson was the father of William Alvin Henson II, the navigator of the Buslee crew. Jeanne was William’s sister.
- Gene was Ed’s youngest brother.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
Christmas 1945
George Edwin (Ed) Farrar had written to his family in Atlanta, Georgia on December 10, 1945. He stated in his letter that he would be leaving Chicago, Illinois on the 15th to come home for a family Christmas. I don’t know his method of travel. He may have traveled with another person by car, or perhaps by train. He expected to be home by the 16th of December. He sounded in high spirits and was looking forward to reuniting with older brother Carroll Jr. on the visit.
Left to Right: Carroll Johnson Farrar, Jr. and George Edwin (Ed) Farrar.
May 8, 1941
Carroll Sr. and Raleigh Mae Farrar had nine children, four of them boys. Carroll Jr. was the oldest and had also served with the Army Air Forces during WWII, but in the Pacific theatre. My dad, George Edwin, was the middle child and second son. Younger brother Bob was the third Farrar son to serve in WWII, in the Navy aboard the USS Intrepid. The youngest boy, Gene, was too young to join the fighting.
Raleigh Mae was excited about having most of the family home that year to celebrate Christmas and to celebrate that her three sons in WWII had all made it back home alive. Carroll Sr. was very ill and bedridden, but was anxious to see his boys back together again.
Left to Right: Carroll Johnson Farrar, Sr. and Raleigh Mae Farrar
Date Unknown
Youngest daughter, Beverly, who was only eight years old at the time, remembers that Christmas to this day. Bob and Carroll Jr. had arrived home first. Carroll Jr. decided the house needed some sprucing up and took to painting and wallpapering the interior. There were no decorations, presents, or even a Christmas tree, so instead of a festive holiday atmosphere, the house was a wreck with Carroll Jr’s paint and wallpaper supplies scattered about.
Six of the Farrar children gathered at their parents’ home for the holidays – Janet, Carroll Jr., Ed, Bob, Gene, and Beverly. Only three – Geraldine (Gerry), Martha, and Dorothy (Dot) – were absent. Ed was the last to arrive.
Carroll Sr. had been waiting to see his boys all together, home from the war. He had been holding off the business of dying, waiting for his sons to arrive. A few days after their arrival, Carroll Sr.’s condition worsened and he was taken to the hospital. Beverly was sent to a neighbor’s house, the Patterson’s, while the rest of the family gathered at her father’s hospital bedside. Carroll Sr. died at Grady Hospital on December 20.
Beverly remembers Carroll Jr. coming to the Patterson’s very late to take her home. He told her their father had died. She would spend her eighth Christmas, just five days away, without her father. Instead of planning a joyous holiday, the Farrar’s would be planning a funeral.
Christmas Eve came with no Christmas tree and no presents. After Beverly was sent to bed, older brother Gene, fourteen years old, walked over to North Kirkwood in search of a Christmas tree. The tree lot was closed, but he found a tree he liked remaining and brought it home. When Beverly arose on Christmas morning, she was surprised to find a decorated Christmas tree and a Christmas present for her, a pair of skates, under it.
Carroll Farrar, Sr. didn’t live to see that Christmas, but he did live to see what was much more important to him. He made death wait to take him until he saw with his own eyes all three of his sons who had survived WWII come together again for a family Christmas.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
The Stearns Family Looks for Answers
Just five days before a very sad Christmas without their son, Bobby Stearns’ mother wrote to George Edwin Farrar’s mother. Their son was the bombardier aboard Lead Banana who was killed in the September 28, 1944 mid-air collision with Lazy Daisy. They hoped Farrar, the only survivor aboard Lead Banana, could furnish some details of the loss of their son that the Army Air Forces had apparently not provided them.
December 20, 1945
Lapine, OregonMy dear Mrs. Farrar:
Last evening we had a letter from the Quarter Master General stating that Bobby is buried in the U.S. Military Cemetery at Margraten, Holland in Plot “L” Row 12, Grave 299 – this is the same location as Lt. Henson’s grave – his is 297. While we hoped for a far different ending to this final chapter, it’s a relief to know he had a decent burial by his own people.
We hope your son is recovered from his ordeal in the prison camp. I know he wants to forget it all as quickly as he can but there are just a few questions I’d like to ask and maybe some time when he feels like it he could write. 1 – Just how did the accident happen? We’ve heard several different versions but would like to know which is true. 2 – Were any of the boys killed by the collision or did they all get out? 3 – Did they go down over the city or country? 4 – Anything else that would help us have it straight in our minds.
Like all the rest of the country we are having a severe winter which began in early November. We have been feeding the cattle since then so this will be a long winter for us. Had 16 in. of snow at the deepest and 17° below the coldest. Today’s paper says it has even reached as far south as Georgia.
Our son Jim is discharged now and he and his wife June are home with us now. We are so glad to have them home.
I hope your family is all together and that you are all well. That’s the best thing I can think of to wish you for the new year.
With best wishes,
Sincerely,
Mrs. Carey Stearns
As for answers, I don’t know if the Army Air Forces divulged any of the details during my dad’s lifetime. He died in 1982. The reports are no longer confidential and reflect that:
- Lazy Daisy collided with Lead Banana due to confusing and quick maneuvering to avoid colliding with another group head on. There was no flak and no ground fire that hit either fort.
- None of the boys on Lead Banana except my dad made it out of the aircraft before it crashed. They all died either from the collision itself or the ensuing fire and crash.
- I don’t know the exact location of where each fort went down, but I do know that the collision was said to happen near Magdeburg, Germany at 52°06′N 11°39′E. Both planes crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of this location. Lazy Daisy crashed near Erxleben and Lead Banana crashed approximately one and one-quarter miles north of Ostingersleben. Today, Google Earth shows this to be mostly farm land, or countryside, rather than a large city. (Note: Google maps do not show Erxleben in the correct location. If you want to locate Erxleben on the map, search on Ostingersleben and you will see Erxleben nearby, about 5km to the northeast).
Robert Sumner Stearns has since been reburied at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno (San Mateo County), California, Section B, plot 302. He also has a memorial marker at the Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville (Crook County), Oregon.
© Cindy Farrar Bryan and The Arrowhead Club, 2014
The Arrowhead Club 