Tail Turret Gunner, Joseph Chester Wendell, was born December 10, 1914, in Portland, Oregon, to John Joseph (1879-1948) and Marie Mae Amelia Beier (1884-1958) Wendell. His siblings include : Raymond, Westley A. Jack J. Jr., Edna, Lester Edward Clarence, Donna Mae and Juanita Lorraine. His father was a marine engineer. Joseph served as a Technical Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner
From Portland, Oregon, he registered on October 16, 1940 in Glendale, CA. He is buried in Epinal American Cemetery Epinal, Lorraine, France. Here is a biography written by his great-niece, Larissa McShane.
Joseph Chester William Wendell
Also known as "Ches", Joseph Chester William Wendell was born 10 December 1913 in Portland Oregon. His parents were John Joseph and May Amelia Wendell. His father was a butcher by trade. The family relocated to Glendale, California, in 1928 where they remained for generations. Ches attended Hoover High School in Glendale.
Ches was always an independent person and known to be a bit of a renegade. His siblings remembered him as an "often impulsive - a devil-may-care fellow." He loved cars and went through them quickly. His brother, Les, wrote that; "He would get a car - a nice one - expensive, and he'd have it beat to death in a couple of months. He was a fast driver - fast and hard!" Known as the rebel in the family, he used that independence to see and do a lot in his short life.
When he was a young 18 years old, he worked as a timberman in Redding, California. During the Depression, Ches worked for the CCC on environmental projects in Northern California. In 1937, Ches and a partner opened a business they called the North Hollywood Venetian Blind Co. Their clientele included movie stars and affluent families in the Hollywood area. As military service during WWII became increasingly imminent, he sold his share in the company and moved back to Portland, Oregon, where he felt the military quota odds were higher and his chances of getting into a plane in the Air Force were greater. He didn't feel the need to pilot, but if he was going to serve in the war, he wanted to be in the air. It was from Portland that he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1943 to join the war effort. Inspired by their brother's example, his older brother, Ray, also went to serve as a civilian employee of the DOD and his younger brother, Jack, enlisted in the Air Force as well. Of the four male children in this family, three of them served simultaneously during WWII.
The last person in the family to see Ches was his younger brother, Jack. While en route to the European theater, Ches's unit stopped at Lowry Airfield to get their plane serviced, which was coincidentally where his brother, Jack, was stationed at that time. Neither of the boys knew each other were there and by happy accident encountered each other that night. They were able to have dinner together and some time to visit and even catch a movie on base. Jack watched the next day as his brother's plane left the runway, not realizing that he would be the last person in his family to see him. He lived the rest of his life ever grateful for that time he had with his big brother, and this precious encounter was later a comfort to his whole family.
Based in England, Ches had flown 49 missions by mid-July and was slated to be furloughed home for a visit after the 50th. His 50th mission was a special assignment in a Flying Fortress named the Windy City Challenger. It was during this run that the plane was shot down and Ches was one of seven crew members killed in action.
During the early morning hours of 14 July 1943, Ches's mother awakened and told her family that she had a nightmare wherein she saw a plane get shot down and that she was convinced that her son was either horribly injured or had been killed. The family tried to console her and felt that it was the result of stress until they received a telegram ten days later on 24 July 1943 informing them that Ches was missing in action. The confirmation of his death did not arrive until 4 September 1943.
After this tragedy, Ches's mother was ill for some time and never fully recovered from the loss of her son. She and the other families who lost loved ones on that mission kept in touch via written post to share any information they were given about their boys after their plane went down. They were not completely clear on what had happened and questioned if their boys were really deceased or if there were some kind of cover up. Eventually and mercifully, some of the crew who returned after being kept POW contacted the families of their lost crewmen. They wrote letters of clarification and genuine condolences which were helpful beyond measure.
Ches was honored posthumously with the Air Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. His family received these honors on his behalf in 1945.
SSgt Joseph Chester William Wendell is now buried in Epinal American Cemetery in beautiful Epinal, France. He is buried close to the other airmen who lost their lives on that mission and whose remains were not sent home. His burial is in Plot A, Row 5, Grave 33. His resting site was visited forty years after his death by the same younger brother who saw him last and who was then a war veteran himself. He was then visited and paid tribute to by his great-niece and her own military family in 2009. His 5-year-old great-great nephew, named Joseph, offered a last salute.
Service # 39313370
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Airmen who perished on B-17F (#42-3049):
Devine, Joseph F ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, Connecticut
Dube, Joseph L P ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, New Hampshire
Lesneau, Sidney J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, Minnesota
Lewis, Arthur C ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Arizona
Meyer, Kenneth V ~ T/Sgt, Tail Gunner, Missouri
Perkins, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Illinois
Wendell, Joseph C ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, Oregon
( Above bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Previously added to record (source unknown):
B17F Windy City Challenger - 42-3049 - MACR 64; MIA Villacoublay 14/7/43 Pilot: John Perkins, Co-Pilot: Art Lewis, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Joe Dube, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Wendell, Waist Gunner: Joe Devine, Waist Gunner: Sid Lesneau, Tail Gunner: Ken Meyer (7KIA); Navigator: Chas Otis, Bombardier: George Carruthers, Radio Operator: Harry Fedora, foto-George Friend (4POW); Enemy aircraft struck and hit #3 engine, 4 chutes were seen that exited aircraft, crashed Lieuesant, 10 miles NW of Melun. Joe Wendell is the last man standing on the right side in the attached picture taken 10 July 1943, after a mission to Caen.
SSgt Joseph C. Wendell, belly gunner of the B-17 42-3049 “Windy City Challenger”, took off from station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Villacoublay. Two German FW-190 fighters came at the plane around 10,000 feet at 0820. Wendell died in the crash.
From Portland, Oregon, he registered on October 16, 1940 in Glendale, CA. He is buried in Epinal American Cemetery Epinal, Lorraine, France. Here is a biography written by his great-niece, Larissa McShane.
Joseph Chester William Wendell
Also known as "Ches", Joseph Chester William Wendell was born 10 December 1913 in Portland Oregon. His parents were John Joseph and May Amelia Wendell. His father was a butcher by trade. The family relocated to Glendale, California, in 1928 where they remained for generations. Ches attended Hoover High School in Glendale.
Ches was always an independent person and known to be a bit of a renegade. His siblings remembered him as an "often impulsive - a devil-may-care fellow." He loved cars and went through them quickly. His brother, Les, wrote that; "He would get a car - a nice one - expensive, and he'd have it beat to death in a couple of months. He was a fast driver - fast and hard!" Known as the rebel in the family, he used that independence to see and do a lot in his short life.
When he was a young 18 years old, he worked as a timberman in Redding, California. During the Depression, Ches worked for the CCC on environmental projects in Northern California. In 1937, Ches and a partner opened a business they called the North Hollywood Venetian Blind Co. Their clientele included movie stars and affluent families in the Hollywood area. As military service during WWII became increasingly imminent, he sold his share in the company and moved back to Portland, Oregon, where he felt the military quota odds were higher and his chances of getting into a plane in the Air Force were greater. He didn't feel the need to pilot, but if he was going to serve in the war, he wanted to be in the air. It was from Portland that he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1943 to join the war effort. Inspired by their brother's example, his older brother, Ray, also went to serve as a civilian employee of the DOD and his younger brother, Jack, enlisted in the Air Force as well. Of the four male children in this family, three of them served simultaneously during WWII.
The last person in the family to see Ches was his younger brother, Jack. While en route to the European theater, Ches's unit stopped at Lowry Airfield to get their plane serviced, which was coincidentally where his brother, Jack, was stationed at that time. Neither of the boys knew each other were there and by happy accident encountered each other that night. They were able to have dinner together and some time to visit and even catch a movie on base. Jack watched the next day as his brother's plane left the runway, not realizing that he would be the last person in his family to see him. He lived the rest of his life ever grateful for that time he had with his big brother, and this precious encounter was later a comfort to his whole family.
Based in England, Ches had flown 49 missions by mid-July and was slated to be furloughed home for a visit after the 50th. His 50th mission was a special assignment in a Flying Fortress named the Windy City Challenger. It was during this run that the plane was shot down and Ches was one of seven crew members killed in action.
During the early morning hours of 14 July 1943, Ches's mother awakened and told her family that she had a nightmare wherein she saw a plane get shot down and that she was convinced that her son was either horribly injured or had been killed. The family tried to console her and felt that it was the result of stress until they received a telegram ten days later on 24 July 1943 informing them that Ches was missing in action. The confirmation of his death did not arrive until 4 September 1943.
After this tragedy, Ches's mother was ill for some time and never fully recovered from the loss of her son. She and the other families who lost loved ones on that mission kept in touch via written post to share any information they were given about their boys after their plane went down. They were not completely clear on what had happened and questioned if their boys were really deceased or if there were some kind of cover up. Eventually and mercifully, some of the crew who returned after being kept POW contacted the families of their lost crewmen. They wrote letters of clarification and genuine condolences which were helpful beyond measure.
Ches was honored posthumously with the Air Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. His family received these honors on his behalf in 1945.
SSgt Joseph Chester William Wendell is now buried in Epinal American Cemetery in beautiful Epinal, France. He is buried close to the other airmen who lost their lives on that mission and whose remains were not sent home. His burial is in Plot A, Row 5, Grave 33. His resting site was visited forty years after his death by the same younger brother who saw him last and who was then a war veteran himself. He was then visited and paid tribute to by his great-niece and her own military family in 2009. His 5-year-old great-great nephew, named Joseph, offered a last salute.
Service # 39313370
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Airmen who perished on B-17F (#42-3049):
Devine, Joseph F ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, Connecticut
Dube, Joseph L P ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, New Hampshire
Lesneau, Sidney J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, Minnesota
Lewis, Arthur C ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Arizona
Meyer, Kenneth V ~ T/Sgt, Tail Gunner, Missouri
Perkins, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Illinois
Wendell, Joseph C ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, Oregon
( Above bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Previously added to record (source unknown):
B17F Windy City Challenger - 42-3049 - MACR 64; MIA Villacoublay 14/7/43 Pilot: John Perkins, Co-Pilot: Art Lewis, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Joe Dube, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Wendell, Waist Gunner: Joe Devine, Waist Gunner: Sid Lesneau, Tail Gunner: Ken Meyer (7KIA); Navigator: Chas Otis, Bombardier: George Carruthers, Radio Operator: Harry Fedora, foto-George Friend (4POW); Enemy aircraft struck and hit #3 engine, 4 chutes were seen that exited aircraft, crashed Lieuesant, 10 miles NW of Melun. Joe Wendell is the last man standing on the right side in the attached picture taken 10 July 1943, after a mission to Caen.
SSgt Joseph C. Wendell, belly gunner of the B-17 42-3049 “Windy City Challenger”, took off from station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Villacoublay. Two German FW-190 fighters came at the plane around 10,000 feet at 0820. Wendell died in the crash.
Tail Turret Gunner, Joseph Chester Wendell, was born December 10, 1914, in Portland, Oregon, to John Joseph (1879-1948) and Marie Mae Amelia Beier (1884-1958) Wendell. His siblings include : Raymond, Westley A. Jack J. Jr., Edna, Lester Edward Clarence, Donna Mae and Juanita Lorraine. His father was a marine engineer. Joseph served as a Technical Sergeant and Top Turret Gunner
From Portland, Oregon, he registered on October 16, 1940 in Glendale, CA. He is buried in Epinal American Cemetery Epinal, Lorraine, France. Here is a biography written by his great-niece, Larissa McShane.
Joseph Chester William Wendell
Also known as "Ches", Joseph Chester William Wendell was born 10 December 1913 in Portland Oregon. His parents were John Joseph and May Amelia Wendell. His father was a butcher by trade. The family relocated to Glendale, California, in 1928 where they remained for generations. Ches attended Hoover High School in Glendale.
Ches was always an independent person and known to be a bit of a renegade. His siblings remembered him as an "often impulsive - a devil-may-care fellow." He loved cars and went through them quickly. His brother, Les, wrote that; "He would get a car - a nice one - expensive, and he'd have it beat to death in a couple of months. He was a fast driver - fast and hard!" Known as the rebel in the family, he used that independence to see and do a lot in his short life.
When he was a young 18 years old, he worked as a timberman in Redding, California. During the Depression, Ches worked for the CCC on environmental projects in Northern California. In 1937, Ches and a partner opened a business they called the North Hollywood Venetian Blind Co. Their clientele included movie stars and affluent families in the Hollywood area. As military service during WWII became increasingly imminent, he sold his share in the company and moved back to Portland, Oregon, where he felt the military quota odds were higher and his chances of getting into a plane in the Air Force were greater. He didn't feel the need to pilot, but if he was going to serve in the war, he wanted to be in the air. It was from Portland that he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1943 to join the war effort. Inspired by their brother's example, his older brother, Ray, also went to serve as a civilian employee of the DOD and his younger brother, Jack, enlisted in the Air Force as well. Of the four male children in this family, three of them served simultaneously during WWII.
The last person in the family to see Ches was his younger brother, Jack. While en route to the European theater, Ches's unit stopped at Lowry Airfield to get their plane serviced, which was coincidentally where his brother, Jack, was stationed at that time. Neither of the boys knew each other were there and by happy accident encountered each other that night. They were able to have dinner together and some time to visit and even catch a movie on base. Jack watched the next day as his brother's plane left the runway, not realizing that he would be the last person in his family to see him. He lived the rest of his life ever grateful for that time he had with his big brother, and this precious encounter was later a comfort to his whole family.
Based in England, Ches had flown 49 missions by mid-July and was slated to be furloughed home for a visit after the 50th. His 50th mission was a special assignment in a Flying Fortress named the Windy City Challenger. It was during this run that the plane was shot down and Ches was one of seven crew members killed in action.
During the early morning hours of 14 July 1943, Ches's mother awakened and told her family that she had a nightmare wherein she saw a plane get shot down and that she was convinced that her son was either horribly injured or had been killed. The family tried to console her and felt that it was the result of stress until they received a telegram ten days later on 24 July 1943 informing them that Ches was missing in action. The confirmation of his death did not arrive until 4 September 1943.
After this tragedy, Ches's mother was ill for some time and never fully recovered from the loss of her son. She and the other families who lost loved ones on that mission kept in touch via written post to share any information they were given about their boys after their plane went down. They were not completely clear on what had happened and questioned if their boys were really deceased or if there were some kind of cover up. Eventually and mercifully, some of the crew who returned after being kept POW contacted the families of their lost crewmen. They wrote letters of clarification and genuine condolences which were helpful beyond measure.
Ches was honored posthumously with the Air Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. His family received these honors on his behalf in 1945.
SSgt Joseph Chester William Wendell is now buried in Epinal American Cemetery in beautiful Epinal, France. He is buried close to the other airmen who lost their lives on that mission and whose remains were not sent home. His burial is in Plot A, Row 5, Grave 33. His resting site was visited forty years after his death by the same younger brother who saw him last and who was then a war veteran himself. He was then visited and paid tribute to by his great-niece and her own military family in 2009. His 5-year-old great-great nephew, named Joseph, offered a last salute.
Service # 39313370
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Airmen who perished on B-17F (#42-3049):
Devine, Joseph F ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, Connecticut
Dube, Joseph L P ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, New Hampshire
Lesneau, Sidney J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, Minnesota
Lewis, Arthur C ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Arizona
Meyer, Kenneth V ~ T/Sgt, Tail Gunner, Missouri
Perkins, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Illinois
Wendell, Joseph C ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, Oregon
( Above bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Previously added to record (source unknown):
B17F Windy City Challenger - 42-3049 - MACR 64; MIA Villacoublay 14/7/43 Pilot: John Perkins, Co-Pilot: Art Lewis, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Joe Dube, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Wendell, Waist Gunner: Joe Devine, Waist Gunner: Sid Lesneau, Tail Gunner: Ken Meyer (7KIA); Navigator: Chas Otis, Bombardier: George Carruthers, Radio Operator: Harry Fedora, foto-George Friend (4POW); Enemy aircraft struck and hit #3 engine, 4 chutes were seen that exited aircraft, crashed Lieuesant, 10 miles NW of Melun. Joe Wendell is the last man standing on the right side in the attached picture taken 10 July 1943, after a mission to Caen.
SSgt Joseph C. Wendell, belly gunner of the B-17 42-3049 “Windy City Challenger”, took off from station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Villacoublay. Two German FW-190 fighters came at the plane around 10,000 feet at 0820. Wendell died in the crash.
From Portland, Oregon, he registered on October 16, 1940 in Glendale, CA. He is buried in Epinal American Cemetery Epinal, Lorraine, France. Here is a biography written by his great-niece, Larissa McShane.
Joseph Chester William Wendell
Also known as "Ches", Joseph Chester William Wendell was born 10 December 1913 in Portland Oregon. His parents were John Joseph and May Amelia Wendell. His father was a butcher by trade. The family relocated to Glendale, California, in 1928 where they remained for generations. Ches attended Hoover High School in Glendale.
Ches was always an independent person and known to be a bit of a renegade. His siblings remembered him as an "often impulsive - a devil-may-care fellow." He loved cars and went through them quickly. His brother, Les, wrote that; "He would get a car - a nice one - expensive, and he'd have it beat to death in a couple of months. He was a fast driver - fast and hard!" Known as the rebel in the family, he used that independence to see and do a lot in his short life.
When he was a young 18 years old, he worked as a timberman in Redding, California. During the Depression, Ches worked for the CCC on environmental projects in Northern California. In 1937, Ches and a partner opened a business they called the North Hollywood Venetian Blind Co. Their clientele included movie stars and affluent families in the Hollywood area. As military service during WWII became increasingly imminent, he sold his share in the company and moved back to Portland, Oregon, where he felt the military quota odds were higher and his chances of getting into a plane in the Air Force were greater. He didn't feel the need to pilot, but if he was going to serve in the war, he wanted to be in the air. It was from Portland that he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1943 to join the war effort. Inspired by their brother's example, his older brother, Ray, also went to serve as a civilian employee of the DOD and his younger brother, Jack, enlisted in the Air Force as well. Of the four male children in this family, three of them served simultaneously during WWII.
The last person in the family to see Ches was his younger brother, Jack. While en route to the European theater, Ches's unit stopped at Lowry Airfield to get their plane serviced, which was coincidentally where his brother, Jack, was stationed at that time. Neither of the boys knew each other were there and by happy accident encountered each other that night. They were able to have dinner together and some time to visit and even catch a movie on base. Jack watched the next day as his brother's plane left the runway, not realizing that he would be the last person in his family to see him. He lived the rest of his life ever grateful for that time he had with his big brother, and this precious encounter was later a comfort to his whole family.
Based in England, Ches had flown 49 missions by mid-July and was slated to be furloughed home for a visit after the 50th. His 50th mission was a special assignment in a Flying Fortress named the Windy City Challenger. It was during this run that the plane was shot down and Ches was one of seven crew members killed in action.
During the early morning hours of 14 July 1943, Ches's mother awakened and told her family that she had a nightmare wherein she saw a plane get shot down and that she was convinced that her son was either horribly injured or had been killed. The family tried to console her and felt that it was the result of stress until they received a telegram ten days later on 24 July 1943 informing them that Ches was missing in action. The confirmation of his death did not arrive until 4 September 1943.
After this tragedy, Ches's mother was ill for some time and never fully recovered from the loss of her son. She and the other families who lost loved ones on that mission kept in touch via written post to share any information they were given about their boys after their plane went down. They were not completely clear on what had happened and questioned if their boys were really deceased or if there were some kind of cover up. Eventually and mercifully, some of the crew who returned after being kept POW contacted the families of their lost crewmen. They wrote letters of clarification and genuine condolences which were helpful beyond measure.
Ches was honored posthumously with the Air Medal with the Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. His family received these honors on his behalf in 1945.
SSgt Joseph Chester William Wendell is now buried in Epinal American Cemetery in beautiful Epinal, France. He is buried close to the other airmen who lost their lives on that mission and whose remains were not sent home. His burial is in Plot A, Row 5, Grave 33. His resting site was visited forty years after his death by the same younger brother who saw him last and who was then a war veteran himself. He was then visited and paid tribute to by his great-niece and her own military family in 2009. His 5-year-old great-great nephew, named Joseph, offered a last salute.
Service # 39313370
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Airmen who perished on B-17F (#42-3049):
Devine, Joseph F ~ S/Sgt, Left Waist Gunner, Connecticut
Dube, Joseph L P ~ T/Sgt, Top Turret Gunner, New Hampshire
Lesneau, Sidney J ~ S/Sgt, Right Waist Gunner, Minnesota
Lewis, Arthur C ~ 1st Lt, Co-Pilot, Arizona
Meyer, Kenneth V ~ T/Sgt, Tail Gunner, Missouri
Perkins, John H, Jr ~ 1st Lt, Pilot, Illinois
Wendell, Joseph C ~ S/Sgt, Ball Turret Gunner, Oregon
( Above bio & Crew Report by: Russell S. "Russ" Pickett )
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Previously added to record (source unknown):
B17F Windy City Challenger - 42-3049 - MACR 64; MIA Villacoublay 14/7/43 Pilot: John Perkins, Co-Pilot: Art Lewis, Engineer / Top Turret Gunner: Joe Dube, Ball Turret Gunner: Joe Wendell, Waist Gunner: Joe Devine, Waist Gunner: Sid Lesneau, Tail Gunner: Ken Meyer (7KIA); Navigator: Chas Otis, Bombardier: George Carruthers, Radio Operator: Harry Fedora, foto-George Friend (4POW); Enemy aircraft struck and hit #3 engine, 4 chutes were seen that exited aircraft, crashed Lieuesant, 10 miles NW of Melun. Joe Wendell is the last man standing on the right side in the attached picture taken 10 July 1943, after a mission to Caen.
SSgt Joseph C. Wendell, belly gunner of the B-17 42-3049 “Windy City Challenger”, took off from station 105 in Chelveston, Northamptonshire, UK on a bombing mission over Villacoublay. Two German FW-190 fighters came at the plane around 10,000 feet at 0820. Wendell died in the crash.
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