Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search veterans.gc.ca

Jerry Schroeder

Heroes Remember

Jerry Schroeder

Transcript
Interviewer: Were there any planes in your squadron that were lost? Yes. Interviewer: Did you know the air crews of those aircraft? Yes. And interestingly enough, about two weeks ago I had a telephone call from someone who lived in a retirement home in London, Ontario who said he'd heard that I had information about an event that was going to take place in Trenton, celebrating V-J Day and or the Burma Bomber Organization. So I said, “Yes.” I could arrange to get that for him. I got his name. His surname happened to be Schroeder. So he went on telling me various things and I said, “Did you serve out there?” And he said, “Yes,” I asked which squadron and he told me. So I said, "Well." At the end of our conversation I said, “You know, there was a fellow on our squadron 159 by the name of Jerry Schroeder and I was very close to his aircraft when it was hit and caught fire and crashed. And I watched the whole thing and I saw it from the time he was hit until the time he hit the ground, because he was hit at about 800 feet and he wasn't very far from the ground.” And I said, “Would you happen to ever hear of this fellow?” He said, “Jerry Schroeder was my brother.” Bang. Here's a phone call, you know, two weeks ago from somebody. Something that happened sixty years ago and I tell him about watching this crew go straight in and he said, “He was my brother.” You know, the coincidence. The chances of that happening. That it's his brother who had come from British Columbia, I think. The guy is staying in London, Ontario, in an old folks home and happened to call me, who was the person that was sitting there watching that aircraft go down. Interviewer: So it was hit by anti-aircraft fire? Yeah. We were shooting up a bomb dump, an ammunition dump, and we're coming … you do S-turns to keep out of the flak, and he was behind us. And I guess what missed us hit him. And the rear gunner called up and said, “The aircraft behind us has been hit.” And Higgins, our flight engineer, intrepid guy, he grabbed a hand-held camera, quite a big camera. And he went to one of the gun, the waste gun positions, and he threw the thing open and we'd dropped our bombs and pulled up and turned. And I could see this other aircraft sitting there. Higgins had already taken pictures of this thing. He's taking a whole series of pictures all the way down to the ground. Which were very valuable pictures to have because it was absolute proof that no one got out. There was no … it's too low to parachute. Flames were all coming out of the bomb bay. They went up around the side of the aircraft, wrapped around the wing and that. The starboard inner engine tore out of its spot and it went roaring off on its own. And then that wing just folded back up over the top and the aircraft started to roll. And it just rolled over its back and went straight into the bank of the river. At a pretty high speed at this point, just a ball of flame on the way down, so if they were still alive on the way down, they weren't alive after it got there. There couldn't possibly be any survivors. No way. But then to witness that and then to have this fellow call and then to say, “Did you happen to know of a Jerry Schroeder of 159 Squadron?” he said, “Yes, it was my brother.”
Description

Mr. Sharpe discusses a tragic loss and an incredible coincidence.

Charles Richard “Dick” Sharpe

Charles Richard Sharpe was born in St. Catharines, Ontario on February 11, 1925. His father worked for the Canada Customs Service, getting pensions for wounded Veterans. A Veteran of World War One, Mr. Sharpe’s father told him many stories about the war.

Mr. Sharpe joined the RCAF on the morning of his 18th birthday and became a pilot. He flew 23 missions for the RCAF and rose to the rank of Flight Lieutenant. After the war, Mr. Sharpe became a very successful businessman, serving for many years as CEO of Sears Canada. Among his many awards and recognitions, in 1998, he became a member of the Order of Canada.

Meta Data
Medium:
Video
Owner:
Veterans Affairs Canada
Duration:
3:16
Person Interviewed:
Charles Richard “Dick” Sharpe
War, Conflict or Mission:
Second World War
Location/Theatre:
Southeast Asia
Battle/Campaign:
Burma
Branch:
Air Force
Units/Ship:
159 Squadron
Rank:
Lieutenant
Occupation:
Pilot

Copyright / Permission to Reproduce

Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Youtube

Related Videos

Couldn’t Wait To Fly

Couldn’t Wait To Fly

Mr. Sharpe talks about joining the RCAF on his 18th birthday.

Let Me Fly

Let Me Fly

Mr. Sharpe talks about getting malaria and being told he would be sent home.

A Blinding Flash

A Blinding Flash

Mr. Sharpe talks about an explosion on his first operational mission.

Flying Bullets

Flying Bullets

Mr. Sharpe talks about getting shot at and a few close calls.

Nothing Can Happen To Me On My Birthday

Nothing Can Happen To Me On My Birthday

Mr. Sharpe talks about what went through his mind when he thinks his plane has an explosion.

Calcutta Rats

Calcutta Rats

Mr. Sharpe describes his experience living in a city infested with rats.

The Longest Raid

The Longest Raid

Mr. Sharpe talks about an impressive mission to Penang, the longest bomb raid of the Second World War.

The Forgotten Army

The Forgotten Army

Mr. Sharpe talks about the lack of recognition that the Burma Campaign has received.

Lost To Weather

Lost To Weather

Mr. Sharpe describes the dangers of flying in tropical weather conditions.

Date modified: