The murder of C-47 Co-pilot Lester J Epstein
Flight Officer Burnett's Tug crew, Chalk #12 Bastogne

In the 50 glider mission on 27 Dec 44, aircraft C-47 42-100644, flow by Lt. James F Hurley, Copilot was 2nd Lt. Lester J. Epstein S/ Sgt Marion B McCarter was the Aerial Engineer and the Radio Operator was Sgt. Harry A Kortas, were in formation number 12 towing Flight Officer John W Brunett. All men were from the 91st Troop Carrier Squadron, 439th Troop Carrier Group. F/O Burnett released his glider near the LZ. Heading for a landing spot his glider was hit by small arms fire and flak that went through his tail section. Just before touching down he received a burst of machine gun fire into his right wing. He had no copilot and controls were not quite right he was still able to control the glider for landing. With his problems with enemy fire he was unaware that his tow plane was in trouble..

After the signal was given to their glider to release and they felt the release made, they made the turn and started back to base on course. Crossing a road at approximately 50 degrees 01 minutes north 05 degrees 39 minutes east, the formation ran into a barage of light flak which was intense and accurate. The left engine of aircraft 644 was hit and set on fire, the fire spreading back along the fuselage. Lt. Clifford A. Richards in the aircraft following stated that 644 momentarily continued on course then climbed to the left of the formation for a few seconds making a 90-degree turn, then nosed down, crashing in an open field a few seconds later at 49 degrees 59 minutes north 05 degrees 35 minutes east at 1231 hours. Both Lt. Richards and T/Sgt Wisherd stated that the pilot of A/C 644 had no control of the ship when it left the formation at an altitude of 3000 feet.

The entire crew bailed out from the rear of the plane. The crew landed together except for Lt. Epstein, he landed across the road from the others about 200 feet away and seemed to be limping. The pilot, Lt. Hurley, ran across the road and yelled for him to come on. Just then the Germans started shooting at Hurley and Epstein. Epstein hit the ground and Hurley ran up the road and hit the ground in a ditch. Hurley and the others witnessed the capture of Lt. Epstein. They took him off into the woods but Lt. Hurley said he heard no shots.

After the Bulge and no word was given on Lt. Epstein's status as a POW, Father Whelan of the 439th Troop Carrier Group began searching in the area that Lt. Hurley indicated they landed. In the woods in a shallow grave Lt. Epstein was found. His wrists had been tied behind his back with a wire and his head had been crushed with the butts of rifles. Others who went down in the area were taken as Prisoners but not Lt Epstein, he was murdered. Why? Because he was Jewish.

This action shows the nonsensical hatred the Germans had for the Jewish people during WWII.