Abe Becker - Non Battle Casualty Report - May 1945
Published on July 4, 2019
Trolley missions were flown in early May 1945, the purpose being to provide all crew and ground personnel the opportunity to see the results of their contribution in the strategic air war against Germany. Many precautions were taken on these missions, and the most responsible and experienced pilots were chosen to fly. Despite such precautions, an accident occurred. All nineteen men aboard were killed, and only six of them were recovered, when the plane crashed into Engers Bridge on the Rhine River.
Sgt Abe Becker was part of the 564th Bomber Squadron, 389th Bomber Group, Heavy group flying the B-24J #44-10620 on a trolley mission when his plane went down and he was killed, see https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27079106
Trolley Mission
This website analyzes extraordinary sightseeing tours of Germany at the end of the European War (Second World War). In May 1945, there were non-stop observation flights over Germany - subsequently referred to as “Trolley Missions”. During these low-level flights across Europe and Germany aerial photos were taken showing the bomb damages of German cities.