MACR PILOT: 2Lt Thomas R. Martin O-797573
MACR #: 01156
Fiche #: 00385
Organization
Location: AAF Station #139
Group: 100th Bomb Gp (H) AAF
Squadron: 418th BS
Command: VIII AF
Detachment:
Detail
Departure/Base: AAF Station #139
Initial Course:
Intended Destination: Gelsenkirchen
Mission Type: Operational
Weather
Weather: CAVU
Give
Date: November 5, 1943
Time:
Location: Unknown
Specify: Information not available
Confirmed or believed reason for loss
Loss due to: Other circumstances
Other reason for loss: Unknown
Engines
Model: R-1820-97
A: 43-63464
B: 43-63507
C: 43-63473
D: 43-63445
Weapons
A: 411349
B: 412514
C: 377818
D: 410416
E: 410750
F: 384419
G: 373388
H: 396742
I: 385109
J: 906997
L: 42731?
Persons are listed as
Casualty Type: Battle casualty
Number of persons on board
Crew: 10
Pass: 0
Total: 10
Personnel
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Position | Name | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | |||
| P2 | Thomas R. Martin | 2Lt | O-797573 |
| CP | James A. Kennemer | 2Lt | O-446037 |
| NAV (N) | James W. McCurley | 2Lt | O-682353 |
| BOM (B) | Joseph P. Murphy | 2Lt | O-673866 |
| RAD | Donald H. Allwine | SSgt | 37461916 |
| ENG | Lloyd B. Arnett | Sgt | 35661227 |
| BAL | Cosmas J. Braun | Sgt | 15333180 |
| WG (W) | David M. Davis | SSgt | 33361535 |
| WG (W) | Merritt K. Gillespie | Sgt | 154334968 |
| TG (T) | Laverne E. Clarke | Sgt | 37316665 |
Persons who are believed to have last knowledge of aircraft
Use your thumb to scroll through the results box below.
| Name | Knowledge | Rank | Serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| None |
Personnel who are believed to have survived
Reason: Any other reason
Other: Unknown
Eyewitness description of crash
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| Last Name | First name | Report |
|---|---|---|
| A/C #748 took off as a spare. It is not known where it filled in to formation or when or where it left our formation. | ||
| No Data | 418th Sqdn. . Crew joined the 100th on 28 Oct 1943 and were flying their second mission (Gelsenkirchen) when lost. Took off as a spare and was returning to base as such, apparently were over enemy coast when hit by flak and possibly E/C. All the above KIA are memorialized on the WALL OF THE MISSING AT CAMBRIDGE. . James W. McCurley was returned to military control 18 Aug 44, may have been and evadee or escaped. He stated the plane was fired on by coastal flak while returning and the Engineer and others proably wounded. He states, "The pilot told Kennemer (Lt James A. Kennemer, the co-pilot) to shoot a Very Pistol when a group of five or six English fighters approached head on about ten minutes before I left the ship. " LT Martin called for the crew to bail out and the navigator and bombardier were able to do so. It was McCurley's supposition that, "The ship may have continued on it eastern heading and crashed in the channel to the Atlantic. Perhaps shot in the water by enemy aircraft of the northeastern portion of France. " These men were carried as MIA until 17 Aug 1945 and then determined to be KIA's. This probably indicates the ship was never found and could have crashed in the sea. . . pw |
Description of search effort
Detail: No search made.
Preparing Officer
Prepared by: CLAUDE L. HOSFORD 1st Lt Air Corps Personnel Officer
Date prepared: November 8, 1943
