This B-26, Marauder, 41-31805, was assigned to the 553^rd Squadron of the 386^th Bomb Group.  They perished on July 28, 1944 in a mid-air collision with a German fighter identified as a FW-190 near Lessard-et-le Chene, France. (MACR 7016) Four crewmembers were buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery Section E152 on September 1,1949.

A village near Lessard-et-le Chene France, wants to put up a memorial to the crew.  I'm searching for descendants so they can be invited to the ceremony; five of the crew have been found.

Thank You,
Robert Stuard
President
Lacey-Davis Foundation

American liaison for ANSA - Normandy Ass. for Air Remembrance

This B-29, Z Square 47, 42-24600, “Adam’s Eve,” was assigned to the 883^rd Squadron of the 500^th Bomb Group. The crew was lost when their bomber was rammed by a Japanese fighter on April 7, 1945. Lt. Brittain and Sgt Headley were buried in the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery Site E180 on October 7, 1949.

1/LT. ROBERT E. KING         Pilot     Honolulu National Memorial Cemetery

2/LT. GEORGE N. CHAFFIN           Copilot

2/LT. JEROME J. WONDRASEK  Bombardier  Arlington National Cemetery

T/SGT. WILLIAM W. BERGREN     Flight Engineer

2/LT CHARLES E. BRITTAIN     Navigator  Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

CORP JEROME E. NETTUM                  Radio Operator

CORP ELMER R. KERSHNER               Left Gunner

CORP WALKER P. BULLER                  Right Gunner

S/SGT WILLIAM C. HEADLEY       CFC    Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

CORP ALBERT D. ISZA                            Radar Operator

CORP RUSSELL A. MILLER                   Tail Gunner

The King Crew was substituting for the Adam’s Crew who were on R & R during this mission. The target was the Musashi Nakajima Aircraft Factory.  The plane was rammed by Japanese fighter pilot Lt. Takashi Kawano and crashed in Kugayama, Suginami-Ku, Tokyo. The entire crew was killed in action. Japanese records indicate Corporal Miller was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries. Ten bodies were recovered from the site and buried in the cemetery at Komyoji High School.

This B-25, 41-13129, was assigned to the 445th Squadron of the 321^st Bomb Group. On February 21, 1944 they were shot down over the target (MACR 2478).  Four crew members were buried at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery on February 14, 1950 at Section E286-287.

2/Lt Newkirk, Renford R,   Pilot   Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

2/Lt Cook, William K.,   Copilot  Florence American Nat'l  Cemetery

2/Lt Forney, William A.    Bombardier     Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Sgt Carner, Donald E.           Engineer            Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Sgt Carson, Donald             Gunner                Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

Sgt Lewis, Harold E            Gunner

Monday, 21 February 1944

In Italy, B-25s bomb Orte marshalling yard, and B-26s hit Imperia docks; A-20s pound troop concentrations near Campoleone, along with P-40s and A-36s which also hit a fuel dump, tank and truck concentrations, and gun positions in the area; fighter-bombers also bomb and block the Itri-Gaeta road.

HQ 321st BG Mission Summary (Ops Order 258/mission 257) Group Mission # 220: The mission of twenty-four planes attacked the Orte marshalling yards as an alternate to the Spoleto yards, closed-in by weather. Pictures show not only good coverage on the marshalling yard buildings but also two hits scored on a 40-wagon train south of the yards on the Civitavecchia line. Also two hits were made on the Rome line. Three FW190’s mad aggressive attacks on the first flight of the formation and shot down one of our ships, Lt. Newkirk’s of the 445th Bomb Squadron. S/Sgt. Carson, his turret-gunner, got a probably destroyed FW190 before going down. One observer saw the B-25 explode on contact with the ground – no parachutes were seen.  Lt. Newkirk was in good formation when hit. One engine feathered and was last seen going down”.

Flak: Slight, heavy, inaccurate from Viterbo A/D and N. of Lake A-5017. Also reported from A-5050.

Enemy Air: 3 FW-190’s followed 1st flight (which bombed target last) after leaving target. One aggressive came up from rear to attack from six o’clock. One flew under element from head on coming up from rear and flew parallel with formation for 2 miles. 8 E/A seen in dog-fight near Orte. About 30 E/A A/C on Viterbo main. 10 on Viterbo #2. T/E JU-52’s and some S/E unidentified.

Claims: Sgt. Cecil E. Carson, turret gunner 445th Squadron. One FW-190—probable.

Results: Due to cloud cover over primary alternate was bombed. 1st Flight bombed last on a 275°. 2nd Flight bombed on 45° heading, and reported good cover on middle and S. end of M/Yds on RR S. of M/Yds. 1st Flight’s bombs over for the most part. A few hits reported near N. choke point—across road N. of Orte and over town.

Observation: Ground: 40/50 M/T on main highway between Terni and Spoleto going both N. & S. Much activity on roads in area between Todi and S. Orte.

Flight Leaders: Lts. Olson and Stokes. Number of Sorties: 23

MALCOLM D. HAVEN,

Capt, Air Corps,

Gp. Intelligence Officer.

445th BS War Diary: This date marks the first anniversary of this Squadron’s arrival at the port of Oran in North Africa – one year on foreign soil today. The orderly room tent is now set up completely and more pyramidals are springing up around camp. A plane was sent to Cairo to take Lt. Kauric, bombardier, and Sgt. Reddy, gunner to a school at Ballah, Egypt. Lt Kauric will brush up on bombing while Sgt. Reddy with learn more about aerial gunnery in a 30 day course. A number of Officers and enlisted men went along for the ride. Two of the B-25D’s were transferred out of the Squadron. Hamburgers were very much enjoyed for supper tonight.

445th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 258/mission 257) Group Mission # 220: Today’s mission was to bomb the Orte marshalling yards. It cost this Squadron one plane – Lt. Newkirk and his crew – to attacks by enemy fighters. Sgt. Cecil F. Carson, turret gunner in the Squadron claimed a Focke Wulf 190 in the battle between the B-25’s and about 8 Focke Wulf 190’s.

This B17, 42-30649, “Rose Olive,” was assigned to the 327^th Squadron of the 92^nd Bomb Group. On April 11, 1944, they were attacked by enemy fighters. The plane caught fire and exploded near Brunswick, Germany (MACR 3668). There were no survivors.  On February 23, 1950, three members of the crew were buried in Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Section E278.

2 Lt. John E. Harris   Pilot             Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

2 Lt. Milton Y. Wilson   Copilot     Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

2 Lt. Jim B. Goodner, Jr.            Navigator    

Pvt. Charles R. Pettibone            Gunner     Zachary Taylor Nat’l Cemetery

S/Sgt. Thomas O. Obedina     Engineer          

S/Sgt. Clinton M. Gill              Radio Operator        

Sgt. Robert W. Fuller       Gunner          

Sgt. Jennings A. Ball     Gunner          

Sgt. Howard L. Evans      Gunner          

Sgt. Donald L. Cash            Gunner   Ardennes American Cemetery, Neupre, Belgium.

Donald Lee CASH was buried in Ardennes American Cemetery Plot D, Row 7, Grave 14.

327^th Squadron, 92^nd Bomb Group

In the fall of 1943 long range raids began, and resulted immediately in heavy losses. One of these missions was flown on Thursday, October 14, 1943, against the ball bearing plants at Schweinfurt. For what was to become a famous mission called "Black Thursday", the 326th led the mission with Capt J K McLaughlin and Co-Pilot Colonel Budd J. Peaslee, the Mission Commander and led the group in the lead wing with 21, 92BG aircraft; one 326th Squadron and two other Group aircraft aborted, and of the 12 group aircraft that made it back to England, only 3 came home that day.

This A-20 Havoc Attack Bomber was assigned to the 90^th Squadron of the 3^rd Bomb Group. 2/Lt Edward J. Kunzer, Jr. lost his life when the A-20 Havoc Attack Bomber he was piloting was knocked down by enemy fire over Negros Island on April 19, 1945. Lt. Kunzer entered the armed forces on September 22, 1942 at Camp Grant, Illinois and was stationed at Madura island in the Philippines at the time of his death. Lt. Kunzer was buried at the Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Section E162 on November 9, 1949.

3rd Bombardment Group

The group served in combat from 1 Apr 1942 until V-J Day. It used A-20, A-24, and B-25 aircraft for operations. The group had its headquarters in Australia until Jan 1943, but its squadrons operated from New Guinea, bombing and strafing enemy airfields, supply lines, installations, and shipping as the Allies halted the Japanese drive toward Port Moresby and drove the enemy back from Buna to Lae. At the end of that campaign in Jan 1943, headquarters moved to New Guinea. For the next year and a half the group continued to serve in the Southwest Pacific, where it played an important role in the offensives in which the Allies pushed along the northern coast of New Guinea, taking Salamaua, Lae, Hollandia, Wakde, Biak, and Noemfoor. In Mar 1943 it took part in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, which ended Japanese attempts to send convoys to Lae. In Aug 1943, when Fifth AF struck airfields at Wewak to neutralize Japanese airpower that threatened the advance of Allied forces in New Guinea, the group made an attack in the face of intense antiaircraft fire on 17 Aug, destroyed or damaged many enemy planes, and won a DUC for the mission. In the fall of 1943 the group struck Japanese naval and air power at Rabaul to support the assaults on Bougainville and New Britain. In an attack on shipping at Simpson Harbor, New Britain, on 2 Nov 1943, the 3rd group encountered heavy opposition from enemy fighters and from antiaircraft batteries on the ships. In that attack Maj Raymond H Wilkins, commander of the 8th squadron, sank two ships before he was shot down as he deliberately drew the fire of a destroyer so that other planes of his squadron could withdraw safely - an action for which Maj Wilkins was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The group moved to the Philippines late in 1944. Equipped with A-20's, it bombed and strafed airfields; supported ground forces on Mindoro, Luzon, and Mindanao; attacked industries and railways on Formosa; and struck shipping along the China coast.

Moved to Okinawa early in Aug 1945 and flew some missions to Japan before the war ended. Moved to Japan in Sep 1945 and, as part of Far East Air Forces, became part of the army of occupation. Operated first from Japan and later from Korea, using B-26 aircraft. Flew most of its missions at night to attack such targets as airfields, vehicles, and railways. Capt John S Walmsley Jr was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 14 Sep 1944: flying a night mission in a B-26, Capt Walmsley discovered and attacked an enemy supply train, and after exhausting his ammunition he flew at low altitude to direct other aircraft to the same objective; the train was destroyed but Walmsley's plane crashed in the target area.