Casualty Report from April 28, 1944
Detail
MACR: 04234
Target: Sottevast, France (V-weapons launch site)
Base: Thorpe Abbotts, Norfolk, England
Crash: Destroyed by flak on second run over the target - crash site was Croiz Jacobs, France - All KIAs buried by the Germans in the Cemetery of Cherbourg. March 1945 all re-interred in US Military Cemetery at Blosville, France.
Squadron: 350th BS - 100th BG(H)
Aircraft
Aircraft #: 42-10702
Aircraft Type: B-17G
Aircraft Name: Aircraft name N/A
Aircraft Code: LN-B
Pilot: Capt William G. Lakin | O-740869
POS: P
Status: KIA
State: Missouri
Notes: Final Internment - USA
Copilot: Lt Herbert A. Alf | O-746267
POS: CP
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: Flew as Formatin Control Officer in the Tail Gunner's postion. Was the 351st Assistant Operations Officer.
NAV: Capt Joseph H. Payne | O-790285
POS: NAV
Status: KIA
State: Kentucky
Notes: Final Internment - Normandy F-11-26 (Was the Group Navigator)
BOM: Lt Maurice H. Cain | O-681869
POS: BOM
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: Captured 2nd of May, 1944 between Rochville and Sottevast
ROG: TSgt Leo R. Cannon | 34354853
POS: ROG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
TTE: TSgt James C. Brown | 14041012
POS: TTE
Status: KIA
State: Georgia
Notes: Final Internment - USA
BTG: SSgt Albert M. Freitas | 06534388
POS: BTG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
RWG: SSgt John N. Spiker | 35376680
POS: RWG
Status: KIA
State: Virginia
Notes: Final Internment - Normandy D-25-4
LWG: SSgt Joseph A. Richard | 31174593
POS: LWG
Status: POW
State: State N/A
Notes: Bailed out near Valognes, France
TG: TSgt Delbert E. Barnhart | 35471387
POS: TG
Status: KIA
State: Ohio
Notes: Final Internment - USA Manned 50 cal in the Radio Room
EX1: Col Robert H. Kelly | 0017318
POS: CMD P
Status: KIA
State: Virgina
Notes: Final Internment - Arlington National Cemetery, USA
EX2: N/A First, MI, Suffix Last Name | N/A
POS: N/A
Status: N/A
State: State N/A
Notes: No notes on this crewmember
Crew Notes
On this mission the Group Commander of only nine days, Colonel Robert N. Kelly, had bumped the 100th's greatest mission leader, Captain Jack Swartout from the mission lead with disastrous results. The Colonel elected to hold the drop on the first bomb run and turned the formation and flew over the target again on the same heading and at the same altitude. Many of the crew member aboard had came overseas with the Group in 1943. The Navigator was the 100th's beloved Joseph "Bubbles" Payne. All those aboard with the exception of Kelly were at the end of their first or second combat tour. Kelly had came over from the States with no combat experience. This second pass over the target would never have been attempted by a commander of even minimum combat experience. The policy of having high ranking Officers come over later in the war in order to gain some combat experience for their records often was costly. This case was no exception. According to John A. Miller from Lt Townsend Crew, who witnessed the loss, the plane was hit in # 2 engine and the wing broke off
Report Notes
Notes on this report N/A
