Morris Schmulewitz was born at Brooklyn, Kings County, New York on March 14, 1918. His draft registration indicates that he used the name Murray Martin for business purposes and on his social security card; but his name remained Morris Schmulewitz in military records. His parents were Nathan Schmulewitz (7 Nov 1887 – 27 Feb 1976) and Rose (Berg) Schmulewitz (abt 1887 – 21 Nov 1940), who were born in Russia (possibly at Kamianets-Podilskyi, Ukraine). His parents immigrated to America about 1914 and married about 1916. His father was a furrier, and became a naturalized US citizen on February 24, 1942. His mother became a naturalized US citizen on September 6, 1932. By 1930 the family home was at 888 Quincy Street, Brooklyn, New York. He had a brother, Samuel Schmulewitz (29 May 1919 – 25 Feb 1996); and a sister, Frieda Schmulewitz (11 Jun 1921 – 14 Jul 1985).
He completed four years of high school, and registered for the draft at Brooklyn, New York on October 16, 1940. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 152 pounds, and had hazel eyes and black hair. At that time he lived with his parents at 888 Quincy Street, and worked for his father as a semiskilled furrier. He was single when he enlisted in the U.S. Army at Fort Jay, Governors Island, New York on June 6, 1942. He married Sarah (Silverman) Schmulewitz at Brooklyn, New York in August 1943. When he went overseas, his wife lived at 1321 East 48th Street, Brooklyn, New York.
The site of his basic training is unknown. He was serving in the Caribbean area in April 1943 when he was appointed an Aviation Cadet in the Army Air Forces. He entered Aviation Cadet training at Nashville, Tennessee in May 1943, and was selected for bombardier training. He completed the aerial gunnery phase of training at Harlingen, Texas in November 1943. He completed bombardier training in Class 44-01 at Big Spring, Texas, and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on January 15, 1944. He deployed to England (with unknown unit), and completed training to become an aerial radar operator (aka 'Mickey' operator).
By November 1944 he was assigned as a radar navigator and bombardier in the 839th Bomb Squadron, 487th Bomb Group, at Army Air Forces Station 137 near Lavenham, Suffolk, England. This Group was part of the 8th U.S. Army Air Force in Europe.
On December 24, 1944, the 8th Air Force launched mission #760, the largest aerial mission of the war, a maximum effort which involved more than 2000 heavy bombers. The mission was to bomb German airfields and supply lines, to stop the German offensive in the Ardennes known as the Battle of the Bulge. The 487th Bomb Group led the entire 8th Air Force on this mission. Lt Schmulewitz flew with the lead crew of Lt Robert G. Kraker, 839th Bomb Squadron, in B-17G 42-98019 'Mutzie B'. The Kraker crew was assigned to lead a Squadron of the 487th Bomb Group which flew as the Low Squadron of the 94th Bomb Group (Composite). Captain Hugh B. Robertson Jr, O-678329, flew in the copilot position as Air Leader.
Lt Schmulewitz went missing in action when his crew's aircraft had engine trouble over Belgium while inbound to the target, and Lt Kraker was forced to abort the mission. On the return, an engine exploded and caught fire over the North Sea. Lt Schmulewitz and three crew mates — T/Sgt William J. McClendon, T/Sgt Gordon P. Thoroman, and S/Sgt Robert A. Nash — bailed out and landed in the North Sea up to eight miles offshore from Ostend, Belgium at 1320 hours, in the vicinity of 51°12'N, 2°37'E. Despite search and rescue efforts with boats and aircraft, they were never found.
Lt Schmulewitz is memorialized on the Wall of the Missing at Cambridge American Cemetery near Madingley, England. He is also honored on the Brooklyn War Memorial at Cadman Plaza Park in Brooklyn, New York.
B-17G 42-98019 crew:
• F/O Robert G. Kraker – Pilot
• F/O Braden M. Souders – Copilot
• F/O Scott Roberts – Navigator
• 2/Lt Charles C. Collet Jr – Bombardier
• S/Sgt Gordon P. Thoroman – Radio Operator
• S/Sgt William J. McClendon – Engineer
• Sgt Leon A. Comstock – Engineer/Gunner
• Sgt Walter S. Deel – Engineer/Gunner
• Sgt Elwood C. Fry – Armorer/Gunner
• S/Sgt Robert A. Nash – Engineer/Gunner
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com