Brookline War Memorial
Hugh R. McFarland

2nd Lt. Hugh R. McFarland
United States Army Air Corps (1942-1944)

C47 in Tunisia

United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)

Hugh Robert McFarland was born on August 11, 1920 to parents Henrietta and William J. McFarland of Beltzhoover. William worked as the Deputy Warden at the Western Penitentiary at Rockview and had served as an artilleryman in World War I. Williams's father had served in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) during the Civil War.

A graduate of South Hills High School, Hugh was an employee of the Duquesne Light Company, Manchester Stores Department when the United States entered World War II. He lived at 147 McNeilly Road with his wife, Dolores Schu, whom he married on June 3, 1941.

Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, on February 5, 1943, Hugh enlisted in the U.S. Army, joining the Aviation Cadet Corps. He graduated as a pilot and received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. Lt. Hugh McFarland flew the C-47 Skytrain and was assigned to the 51st Troop Transport Squadron, 62nd Troop Transport Group of the U.S. 12th Air Force.

           

The 51st Troop Transport Squadron was activated in June 1942. The unit trained in the United States with the C-47 aircraft at Kellogg Field in Michigan and Florence Army Airfield in South Carolina. In October 1942 the squadron was deployed to the RAF Keevil Airfield in England and assigned to the U.S. 8th Air Force.

After the Operation Torch landings in North Africa, the 62nd Troop Transport Group, was transferred to Tafaraoui Airfield, Algeria, on November 15, 1942. The 51st Squadron's aircraft flew supplies to front line units in Algeria and Tunisia during the North African Campaign as soon as suitable landing strips were available and casualties evacuated back to rear area field hospitals.

After the surrender of Axis forces in Africa, the Squadron engaged in combat operations, dropping airborne units into Sicily during Operation Husky in July 1943, and later participating in the Invasion of Italy in September 1943 and Operation Shingle, the Battle of Anzio, in December 1943.

C47 Troop Transport    C47 Troop Transport

During its first year of wartime operations, the Squadron's base airfield was moved several times. The C-47 moved first to Nouvion Airfield, Algeria on December 24, 1942, then to Matemore Airfield, Algeria on May 16, 1943, Goubrine Airfield, Tunisia on July 2, and Ponte Oliva Airfield, Sicily on September 6.

As the Allied Armies moved up the Italian mainland, the base shifted once again to Brindisi Airfield in Italy in February 1944 and then to Galera Airfield, north of Rome, on June 30, 1944. As the front advanced forward, so did the Squadron, staying close to the ground forces for the ferrying of supplies and wounded to and from the battlefield. In August 1944, the 51st Troop Transport Squadron participated in the Invasion of Southern France.

Another campaign that the 51st Squadron's C-47 Skytrains participated in was the Partisan Campaigns in Yugoslavia and Northern Italy. The unit flew missions behind enemy lines in both countries to haul guns, ammunition, food, clothing, medical supplies and other materials to the partisans and to drop propaganda leaflets.

It was on such a mission from Malignano Airfield, on November 12, 1944, that Co-Pilot 2nd Lt. Hugh R. McFarland and his other four crew members boarded their C-47, nicknamed the Bar Fly. They were headed to Corenica, Yugoslavia on a covert mission to aid the partisans. The other men on the flight were Pilot 1st Lt. Oren Leeds, Navigator 1st Lt. F. L. Johnson, Sgt. Forrest Peck and Sgt. Howard Seage.

Hugh R. McFarland

In addition to the five-man crew, the Bar Fly also carried a sixth man, the Dispatcher named A. Dovzak, a Yugoslav partisan who was along to serve as interpreter.

The flight proceeded as normal until the plane neared the Yugoslavian coast, where unexpected adverse weather conditions. In addition, the Germans had unsuspectedly moved a battery of twenty anti-aircraft guns into the village of Jablanac, which was directly along the route of the flight. The guns opened up on the unsuspecting crew, who took evasive action and proceeded towards the drop zone.

The weather conditions did not improve, and the Bar Fly crew was unable to locate the target zone. The decision was made to abort the mission and return to base.

On the return trip, the Yugoslav dispatcher went into the cabin of the plane alone when, suddenly, the plane lurched upwards and then returned to level flight. Immediately, the bell began to ring signaling the crew to bail out.

The dispatcher saw what looked like fire along the right wing of the aircraft and he bailed out as the plane began to drift to the right. The aircraft lost altitude quickly, careemed off of a low hill and crashed in flames on the southern tip of Rab Island. No other members of the Bar Fly crew were seen exiting the doomed aircraft.

After swimming to shore, Dovzak made his way towards the wreckage, located about a mile away. As he neared the area, he could see men milling about the debris. He believed these to be German soldiers.

Dovzak found refuge with the local partisans, who reported that the Germans had been to the wreckage and removed five bodies. The American airmen were buried in a nearby ditch.

After a few days the Germans left the island and a document was retrieved from near the burial ditch which identified the pilot, Lt. Leeds. This form was given to Dovzak, who in time returned it to the squadron. It document was partially burnt, but clearly identified the Lt. Leeds.

When the Bar Fly did not return to base, all six men were listed as Missing in Action. Even after the unexpected return of Dovzak, due to the covert nature of the mission, no mission was launched to find the remains of the crew. The information on the doomed flight, as told by the survivor upon his return, was kept classified for several years.

Back home in Brookline, Hugh R. McFarland's wife Dolores, who was then expecting their first child, received notice of his status on January 10, 1945. It wasn't until after the war, in August 1945, that Dolores and her infant son Dennis William McFarland, received official notification that Hugh's status was changed from Missing in Action to Presumed Dead (Killed in Action).

Nearly five years later, 2nd Lt. Hugh R. McFarland's remains, along with the other four crew members of the "Bar Fly," were returned to the United States under the provisions of the World War II Dead Act. Their remains were buried in a common grave (Section 34 - Site 4685) at Arlington National Cemetery on January 18, 1950.

Note: Not long ago, Croatian aviation archaeologist Radovan Zivanovic inspected the site where the C-47 Bar Fly crashed on Rab Island. During his search, Zivanovic came across the dog tags of the navigator, Lt. F. L. Johnson.

...

* Written by Clint Burton: April 12, 2018 - Edited September 22, 2022 *

* Thanks to John Turanin for the de-classified flight information *




The Brookline War Memorial

The Brookline Veteran's Memorial.

Listed below are many of the sons of Brookline who gave their
lives to preserve freedom and contain aggression during
World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died.
Rather, we should thank God that such men lived.”
General George S. Patton
 

United States Army (1775-present)  United States Army Air Services (1917-1947)  United States Navy (1775-present)  United States Marine Corps (1775-present)
United States Coast Guards (1790-present)  United States Air Force (1947-present)  United States Merchant Marine (1775-present)

World War I (1917-1919)

Percy Digby

Digby, David P.
Mayville Avenue
Army

Details

Raymond P. Cronin

Cronin, Raymond P.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details

Charles Luppe

Luppe, Charles
Ferncliffe Avenue
Army

Details

WW1 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War I Memorial - Washington D.C.

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World War II (1941-1945)


Alm, William H.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Arensberg, Roy T.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Bracey, Bruce H.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Details


Brickley, Edward G.
Woodward Avenue
Army

Details


Capogreca, James J.
Merrick Avenue
Navy

Details


Copeland, Clarence R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Cullison, Thomas J.
Birtley Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Howard F.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Dempsey, Walter F.
Milan Avenue
Navy

Details


Diegelman, Edward R. Jr
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Dornetto, Frank P.
Jacob Street
Navy

Details


Doyle, John F Jr.
Eben Street
Navy

Details


Fagan, Gerald B.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Falk, Harold E.
Pioneer Avenue
Army

Details


Fehring, Robert M.
Fernhill Avenue
Army

Details


Gmuca, Joseph J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Heil, Robert F.
Bayridge Avenue
Army

Details


Hynes, Richard E.
Waddington Avenue
Army

Details


Kestler, Paul C.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Ketters, Robert C.
Berkshire Avenue
Army

Details


Mahoney, Michael J.
Oakridge Street
Army

Details


Majestic, Arthur B.
Starkamp Avenue
Army

Details


Mayberry, Alexander G.
Breining Street
Army

Details


Mazza, John
Alwyn Street
Army

Details


McCann, Robert F.
Edgebrook Avenue
Navy

Details


McFarland, Hugh R.
McNeilly Road
Army

Details


Meisner, Walter F.
Berwin Avenue
Merchant Marine

Details


Miller, William J.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Napier, Edward J.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Nicholson, John D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


O'Day, John R.
Creedmoor Avenue
Navy

Details


Orient, Andrew D.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Pisiecki, Raymond A.
Wolford Avenue
Army

Details


Reeves, Alfred M.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details


Reitmeyer, John P.
Bellaire Avenue
Navy

Details


Rhing, Vern M.
Norwich Avenue
Army

Details


Ruane, Roy J.
Berkshire Avenue
USMC

Details


Shannon, Harry C.
Midland Street
Army

Details


Shannon, Jack E.
Midland Street
USMC

Details


Simpson, James D.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Spack, Harry
Linial Avenue
Army

Details


Tobin, Paul M.
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Vierling, Howard F.
Fordham Avenue
Army

Details


Wagner, Ralph G.
Shawhan Avenue
Army

Details


Wentz, Walter L. Jr
Woodbourne Avenue
Army

Details


Zeiler, Harold V.
West Liberty Avenue
Army

Details


WW2 Memorial - Washington D.C.
The World War II Memorial - Washington D.C.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Korean War (1950-1953)

Patrick Gallagher

Gallagher, Patrick J.
Bodkin Street
Army

Details

James Gormley

Gormley, James W.
Brookline Boulevard
Army

Details

Gerald Hilliard

Hilliard, Gerald G.
Edgebrook Avenue
Army

Details

James McKenna

McKenna, James E.
Bellaire Place
Army

Details

Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Korean War Memorial - Washington D.C.

<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>

Vietnam War (1965-1973)

James Robert Bodish

Bodish, James R.
Plainview Avenue
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Gilbert Collins

Collins, James G.
Dunster Street
Army

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

James Charles Wonn

Wonn, James C.
Mayville Avenue
Navy

Virtual Wall
Additional Details

Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.
Vietnam War Memorial - Washington D.C.




The Brookline Monument - The Cannon

Brookline Veteran's Park - April 26, 2014.

<Brookline War Memorial> <> <Brookline History>