Robert Harsen Portsch was born at The Bronx, New York City, New York in 1920. He was the only child of Emile Francois Portsch, an electrician from Switzerland, and Lillian (Harsen) Portsch, who was born at Brooklyn, New York and grew up in The Bronx. Robert Portsch grew up in Bloomfield, Essex County, New Jersey, where he completed secondary school and one year of college before he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and trained as a pilot. Douglas Seavert was born at Cleveland, Ohio in 1925. He was one of three children of Edward Alan Seavert, a banker who was born in Iowa, and Florence (Hale) Seavert, who was born in Ohio. His home of record was Avon Lake, Lorain County, Ohio. Douglas Seavert completed secondary school and worked as a chemist before he enlisted in the Air Corps and trained as a radio operator.
On March 14, 1945, Lt Portsch's crew flew B-17G 44-6570 on the 487th Bomb Group mission to bomb a tank factory at Hannover, Germany. The aircraft's number two engine failed soon after crossing the English channel, and Lt Portsch was forced to turn back. The engine then caught fire, which forced the crew to bail out as they reached the English coast near Lowestoft. S/Sgt Seavert, the radio operator, was killed when he pulled his parachute release too soon after bailing out. He struck the tail of the aircraft and fell on the grounds of Dell Primary School in Oulton Broad. Lt Portsch stayed at the controls while his crew bailed out, and then attempted to head the plane back out to sea. He was killed when he abandoned the aircraft at too low an altitude. The aircraft exploded and crashed at Grove Farm in Carlton Colville. Lt Portsch's body was found near the crash site with an unopened parachute. The other seven crew members survived. They are:
• Flight Officer Clifford N. Britton – Copilot
• Second Lieutenant William V. Ward – Navigator
• Staff Sergeant Clarence V. Baker – Togglier
• Staff Sergeant James D. Bain – Engineer
• Staff Sergeant Epimenio Montoya – Ball turret gunner
• Staff Sergeant Jerome J. Woyci – Waist gunner
• Technical Sergeant Frank W. Powell – Tail gunner
2Lt Portsch now rests alongside his parents at East Ridgelawn Cemetery in Clifton, Passaic County, New Jersey.
Source of information: Paul M. Webber, www.findagrave.com