Flew 25 missions (last 10 as a Pathfinder crew). Was shot down on the 27 Sept. 1944 mission to Kassel. Weinstein bailed out through the nose wheel hatch. His parachute harness caught on Bombsight. Chinned himself back into the airplane, unhooked his chute and finally got free of the plane at 2,000 feet. He was captured and interrogated at Oberusal and interned at Stalag Luft I, Barth. Discharged in December 1945 with the rank of 1st Lt.



Weinstein was a bombardier-navigator flying out of Tibenham in a B-24 of 445th BG on his 26th mission on 27th September 1944 when he was shot down on that ill-fated Kassel raid. His plane was one of 'thirty-one' (accounts vary) aircraft shot out of the sky by German fighters. Justthree of his crew got out of the plane alive. He landed in a hilly area and then managed to hide out in a forest, scrounging for food as he descended into a valley at night; eating whatever he could find, including raw potatoes. He eventually came to a small town and walked down the main street still covered in soot from the burning aircraft and unshaven. An English speaking boy took him to the burgomaster's house where he was given a bowl of potato soup 'the best thing I ever ate'. The burgomeister arranged to hand him over to

the Luftwaffe - thereby keeping him out of the hands of the SS- who deposited him in a walled-in garrison along with some 20 fellow downed fliers, two of whom were badly wounded. He demanded to see the commanding officer - an Erich von Stroheim lookalike - who slashed him across the cheek but did arrange medical care for the two men.



The prisoners were taken to a railroad station, lined up and stood to attention. Weinstein was singled out and made to stand there for two hours, shades of things to come. Taken to an interrogation centre he gave only name, rank and number as ordered but the interrogating officer already had a file on him with details of his family. He was then sent to Stalag Luft 1 where he was held from October 1944 to March 1945.



At this camp - contrary to the Geneva Convention - all the Jewish POWs were put into a separate compound but Ira was fortunately overlooked. Living conditions were basic, their diet consisting mainly of cabbage and potatoes, 20 men to a room, physical treatment bearable but mentally a lot worse. Would they survive at all? Ira, being Jewish, had 'extra

concerns'. Then as the Russians advanced the Germans fled the camp was liberated and Ira became a free man once more ' the experience changed my life'.







DFC/ AM w/ Oak Leaf Cluster/ Presidential Citation/ Distinguished Unit Citation/ POW Medal/ Good Conduct Medal/ American Theatre Victory Medal/ Croix de Guerre