Personnel

CREW

 

    Crew #31           418th Sqdn. M.A.C.R. #1028



Mission:Munster Aircraft #42-30725

Date: 10 Oct.1943

Time: 1500/1530 "AW-R-GO"

A/C last seen: Munster

Cause:EAC



Crew aboard:

 Charles B.Cruikshank Capt.     P POW

 Glenn E.Graham 1st Lt.        CP POW

 Frank D.Murphy Capt.        NAV POW

 August H.Gaspar 1st Lt   .  BOM POW

 Orlando E.Vincenti T/Sgt   ROG KIA

 Leonard R.Weeks T/Sgt.    TTE POW

 Robert L.Bixler S/Sgt.        BTG POW

 James M.Johnson S/Sgt  .  WG POW

 Donald B.Garrison S/Sgt    WG POW

 Charles A.Clark Sgt.           TG KIA



Crew on 21st mission. Weeks said that Vincenti bailed out of bomb-bay with chute afire. Had been fighting fire in radio room.



Garrison saw both James Johnson & Robert Bixler wounded and in waist of plane. Plane blew up and Garrison blown out. Ship had dropped bombs on target.



Weeks said; "Germans said Vincenti's chute had burned in the descent and that he was dead before hitting the ground. Bixler said Germans had shown him Vincenti's dog tags and told him that he was dead."



Johnson said he was blown out of ship and his chute opened at about 5,000 ft.



Clark couldn't seem to get his escape hatch open and was probably killed when plane blow up.



Fighter attack caused fire in ship.



German Records show :Sgt. Charles A. Clark interred on 11 Oct 1943 at Lienen Cemetary/Wesph. Northwestern

third of cemetary, southern grave.  O.E.Vincenti northern grave



(probably entirely burnt since Id tsg was found burnt,too.) Mrs.Agnes Clark 603 Laurel Ave. Highland Park,Ill.





---> SUBMITTER INFORMATION

SUBMITTER: Leticia Garrison

EMAIL: tshnstv@earthlink.net

PURPOSE: Submit general feedback

INTEREST: I am the veteran's child



---> MESSAGE

I wanted to make a correction about the information regarding my father, Don Garrison. (Cruikshank Crew on the"AW-R-GO") on pg 10 of the latest "Splasher Six".

Don was not KIA but seriously wounded and a POW until Sept. 1944. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and served as County Clerk in Harrisburg, Illinois (Saline CO.) from 1946 until his untimely death in March of 1958. This was even recent news to me but a story that I have been able to substantiate. I have only recently joined the 100th BG and think it is an incredible organization and I am so proud to be a member and see these wonderful people who served be gratefully honored.

I have enjoyed receiving and reading the "Splasher Six". It's great reading and what an incredible job you do. Thank you so much for taking my information.



Sincerely,



Tish Garrison

 Blown out of aircraft.

My late cousin, Donald B. Garrison (second from the left) was LWG of the Cruikshank crew. While the plane (Aw-R-Go) was under attack during the Munster mission of 10 Oct 43, he was blown out of the plane, became a POW, and had to have his leg amputated because of wounds. After returning to the States in 1944, he went on to become County Clerk in  Harrisburg, Illinois. ...,John Bowles-cousin