This B-24 Liberator, 42-40745, “Bar-A,” and crew were assigned to the 68^th Squadron of the 44^th Bomb Group.  They were shot down on July 2, 1943 with no survivors. They were buried in Section E 271-273 on February 15, 1950 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

Major Thomas R. Cramer, Command Pilot

1/Lt Robert E. Peterson, Pilot

2/Lt James A. Tabor, Navigator.

2/Lt Eugene R. Monahan, Bombardier

T/Sgt Charles W. Pharis,  Engineer

T/Sgt Woodrow J. Cooney, Radio Oper.

S/Sgt Steve Niznok, Asst. Eng.

S/Sgt Clifton C. Hall, Asst. Radio.

S/Sgt Harry G. Smith, Waist Gunner

S/Sgt Arthur M. Yoakum, Tail Turret

The MACR has two versions of what occurred. One observer states that just as we crossed the coast of Italy, and before we reached the target, he looked back to see an Me 109 coming up from below at about 0730 o’clock. The Me 109 was firing at ship #42-40745 and was apparently hitting it from the bomb bay to the cockpit. Smoke was coming out of the left wing. The ship turned over on its back and started down in large circles. The next thing he saw was a flash at about the time of the crash. He did not see any of the crew bail out. A second witness said, “I saw cannon shells bursting off of the right wing of ship #42-40745 and saw that #4 engine had been hit, and started smoking. Apparently the cockpit had been hit as the ship started down on its left wing, out of control. None of the crew bailed out.” Captain Lehnhausen stated that this was the first mission for Lt. Peterson and that Major Thomas R. Cramer, as per his usual procedure, flew as co-pilot to offer his experience to this new crew. Lt. Raymond Hamlyn, the regular co-pilot, did not fly that day. Colonel Leon Johnson later said that Thomas Cramer was a super person who had all the qualifications to become Chief of Staff.

It was a tremendous loss!

In response to an inquiry to the Department of the Army, I received the following reply dated September 26, 2004: “Our official files reveal eye witness accounts, that airplane B-24D, #42-40745 assigned to the 44th Bombardment Group, 68th Bombardment Squadron departed Benina, Libya, on an operational mission to Lecce, Italy, at approximately 0931, July 2, 1943. The weather conditions were given as South, South West surface wind with unlimited visibility. Shortly after crossing the coast of Italy, the airplane was intercepted by a German fighter, an Me109, and a running battle ensued. The intercepting aircraft riddled the bomber from its bomb bay to cockpit with machine gun and cannon fire. The fighter then proceeded to disable the already damaged plane by concentrating its attacks upon its wings and engines. Cannon shells damaged the right wing severely, number four engine was smoking, and smoke was coming from the left wing. The cockpit of the bomber was hit and the plane turned over and went down out of control. None of the crew was seen to parachute from the plane during its descent. Immediately after the plane crashed to earth, it burst into flames and the flash was seen by other planes of the same formation flying high above. “Members of the American Graves Registration Service recovered remains from a mass grave in Muro Leccesse Civilian Cemetery, and the Civilian Cemetery of Cavallino, Italy. These remains were reinterred in the United States Military Cemetery, Bari, Italy, with unknown designations, pending further investigations. Although the circumstances rendered individual identification impossible, sufficient evidence was present to determine that the unknown remains were those of the 10 service members of flight #42-40745 and to warrant a group identification of the remains. These group remains were interred in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, located in Louisville, Kentucky.

On February 15, 1943, then Captain Cramer crash landed the B-24, “The Captain and the Kids,” 41-23800. Three members of this crew parachuted from the plane and were killed. However, three other members of the crew, including Captain Cramer, were killed shortly after this incident. 

This aircraft, too, was damaged by the flak over Dunkirk at approximately 1540 hours, being hit in #4 engine, which was feathered immediately. The same hit also crippled the bomb release mechanism, the hydraulic system and portions of the oxygen system. Three FW 190s, reported as painted gray with yellow noses, attacked in a line from astern, from near nine o’clock. One of these enemy aircraft was claimed as destroyed by right waist gunner, Sgt. McMackin. During these attacks, some small holes, either from 20-mm shells or machine guns bullets, developed in the intake manifold of #2 engine. Too, about this same time, a 20-mm shell entered the cockpit, bursting just aft of the pilot, Captain T. R. Cramer, who was protected by the armor plated seat. Two more 20-mm shells entered the waist position, one of which slightly wounded Sgt. MacCammond. A subsequent attack started a fire in #1 engine but this was extinguished temporarily, and #2 engine was feathered. About mid-channel, near 8,000 feet altitude, the third attack by three FW 190s, also gray with yellow noses, occurred from 9 o’clock, level. The left waist gunner returned fire at about 1,000 yards but the enemy aircraft continued to close until near 300 yards, and then broke off. These three fighters had just attempted to finish off Lt. Oliphant’s ship, which had been yawing badly. (This attack was not seen by Diehl’s crew.) A few moments later #1 engine again caught fire and began to burn. At this same time Lt. Flynn, the bombardier, went out on the catwalk in the bomb bay and manually jettisoned the bombs. Then Lt. Flynn, Lt. Poole, and T/Sgt. Crump also bailed out by way of the open bomb bay. This sequence was observed by crewmembers in Lt. Diehl’s aircraft. At 1615 hours, it became apparent to Capt. Cramer that his ship could not make base so he headed for the beach area. He succeeded in crash-landing on the beach 10 to 15 yards from the water’s edge. The landing was made without flaps or landing gear, but those on board were not injured seriously, and they soon managed to extinguish the fire in #1 engine. Site of crash was approximately one mile south of Ramsgate. Two bodies (Poole and Flynn) were recovered immediately. Crump’s body was never found

This B-25 Mitchell, 43-36192, “Jaunty Jo,” and crew were assigned to the 498^th Squadron of the 345^th Bomb Group. They were shot down over Formosa by flak on May 26, 1945 with no survivors. Two crewmembers were buried on August 16, 1949 in Section E Plot 96 at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery.

1/Lt Lloyd E. Bodell   Unknown burial location

2/Lt Robert J. Knauf      Honolulu Memorial Cemetery

2/Lt Martin H. Mulner     Honolulu Memorial Cemetery

Sgt Tennyson C. Harrell    Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Cpl Harold O. Montville  Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

North American B-25 Mitchell "Jaunty Jo," serial number 43-36192, 498th Bomb Squadron, 345th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force (Far East Air Force) was struck by hidden antiaircraft artillery just after deploying 250-pound parachute-retarded demolition bombs on the Byoritsu Alcohol Refinery in Formosa. The cockpit has been torn open. Seconds later the plane crashed, killing the entire crew: Second Lieutenant Robert J. Knauf, Second Lieutenant Martin H. Mulner, First Lieutenant Lloyd E. Bodell, Corporal Harold O. Montville, and Gunnery Sergeant Tennyson C. Harrell. The plane was one of 16 B-25s that were attempting to deny the Japanese the ability to process synthetic fuel from sugar cane. Byoritsu refinery was hit in March, May and July 1945.