The Man Behind the Name
2d Lt. James R. Carnahan, ASN O-736472, was the pilot of the aircraft on the mission to Ludwigshafen on 7 January 1944. He feathered No. 2 engine after it began to fail on the return leg, and flew the aircraft on two engines until the crew was forced to bail out near the Fontainebleau Forest area south of Paris.
According to Fruth's account, Carnahan was among the first to exit the aircraft via the bomb bay before the plane entered its spin. His status was listed as MIA following the mission. Fruth's interrogation notes indicate all crew members were unhurt when they jumped, with some possibly hiding in the Fontainebleau Forest.
Service record.
Missions flown.
The missions below are those we have been able to document for this airman, drawn from flight logs, mission records, and archival sources. It is not necessarily a complete account of every mission flown; gaps may reflect missing documentation, transferred assignments, or records lost to time.