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MACR PILOT: 1Lt  Charles L.  Duncan  - O-791081
MACR: 00268 FICHE : 00089

ORGANIZATION
LOCATION: AAF Station #139 COMMAND: VIII AF GROUP: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
SQUADRON: 350th BS DETACHMENT:  
     

DETAIL
DEPARTURE:AAF Station #139 INITIAL COURSE: South  
INTENDED DESTINATION: Le Bourget    
MISSION TYPE:Bombing    

WEATHER & VISIBILITY AT TIME OF LAST REPORT
CONDITION: Overcast    

GIVE
DATE: 1944-07-10 TIME: 08:29 LOCATION: 49 50' N - 01 E

SPECIFY:

Information not available

CONFIRMED OR BELIEVED REASON FOR LOSS
LOSS DUE TO : Enemy anti-aircraft

OTHER REASON FOR LOSS:

AIRCRAFT: 42-30050
TYPE: B-17 SERIES: F  
     
     

ENGINES:
MODEL: R-1820-97    
A: 43-58626
B: 43-58700
C: 43-58294
D: 43-58670
    

INSTALLED WEAPONS:
A: 458206
B: 458350
C: 458020
D: 458180		 E: 458278
F: 458279
G: 458054
H: 458181		 I: 458472
J: 458374
K: 458417
L: 492471

PERSONS BELOW ARE LISTED AS:
CASUALTY TYPE: Battle casualty  
NUMBER OF PERSONS ON BOARD:    
CREW: 10 PASS: 0 TOTAL: 10

PERSONNEL:

POSITION NAME RANK SERIAL
P1
P2 Charles L.  Duncan 1Lt O-791081
CP Archibald L. Robertson 2Lt O-798030
NAV (N) Oliver M. Chiesl 2Lt O-731267
BOM (B) William H. Forbes 1Lt O-737093
RAD Edmund A. Oliver Sgt 34332447
ENG Ernest De Los Santos TSgt 18063077
BAL
WG (W) Parrish Reynolds Sgt 35481170
WG (W)
TG (T) William D. Whitley SSgt 37450306
Asst Engineer Bernard L. Hanover SSgt 20345534
Asst Radio Operator Gene F. Frank SSgt 37292132

PERSONS WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE LAST KNOWLEDGE OF AIRCRAFT

John C. Egan Maj O-399510
Last sighted
R. C. King 1Lt O-661942
Last sighted    
Curtis R. Biddick 1Lt O-729797
Last sighted

PERSONNEL WHO ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE SURVIVED

REASON: Parachutes were used OTHER:  

EYEWITNESS DESCRIPTIONS OF CRASH

Report: 
Duncan's ship went down in France near coast. Saw 8 chutes. Plane broke into flames. (John C. Egan)

A/C #050, #1 engine on fire dropped below formation and circled. Six chutes seen all bailed out over land between Dieppe & FeCamp. After six bailed out ship headed approximately 180 degrees True and disappeared in a cloud. (R. C. King)

Saw 10 chutes at 27, 000 ft. Landed, we think, on the ground. (Curtis R. Biddick)
   
   
Report: 

      

    





  
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PREPARING OFFICER


PREPARED BY: CLAUDE L. HOSFORD 2nd Lt  Air Corps Personnel Officer  


DATE PREPARED:
  1943-07-22


  



TRANSCRIBER NOTES



    
    REPORT: 
Parrish Reynolds (Sgt Robert Quientin "Parrish" Reynolds) was a replacement for Sgt Clifford Starkey and Sgt. Oliver was replacing T/Sgt John K. Beard. Apparently, S/Sgt George Appleton (original WG on Duncan Crew) did not fly to England with this Crew and was replaced by a T/Sgt James C. Brown (Special order #103, last page, May 25, 1943). Sgt Brown was in the 418th ground crew in October 1942 at Boise, Idaho. Sgt. Brown was KIA April 28, 1944 in aircraft flown by Capt W. G. Lakin and new C. O. Col. Robert Kelly. Soon after arrival in England, it seems that Sgt Brown was put into a gunner’s pool and did not fly one mission with this Crew. A Sgt Clifford Starkey flew as WG on the first two missions with Lt Duncan then was replaced on the June 28, 1943 mission to St Nazaire by Sgt Reynolds. Sgt Reynolds was flying as a waist gunner on July 10, 1943. He was briefly a POW but somehow managed to escape. After many months, he was returned to England with the help of the French Underground. 

Bill Forbes told this writer (1979) the "Judy D. " was named for 1st Lt Charles Duncan's infant daughter. The crew was returning from the target when jumped by FW 190s. Engine and wing on fire. No chance to get to England or crash land in channel so bailed out. Ollie Chiesl became stuck in escape hatch & Forbes had to literally kick him out. "

S. O. C. p. 7 states that Bernard Hanover was the first man in the 100th to get a Purple Heart (St. Nazaire 28 June 1943). However, the first 100th man to WIN a Purple Heart had to be from one of the three crews of the 349th Sqdn. that went down on 25/6/43.