B-24H serial 42-94153, assigned to the 330th Bombardment Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, failed to return from a mission to Vannes A/D, France on 13 June 1944. Eyewitness 2nd Lt. Harold R. Bennett of the 330th Bombardment Squadron reported that the aircraft appeared to take a burst of flak in the bomb bay, after which it made a spiral to the right. No parachutes were observed opening. The aircraft was last seen at approximately 22,000 feet altitude before disappearing into hazy weather. German records indicate a Liberator crashed near Pressoir, approximately 4 km north of Ferrieres and 15 km north-northeast of Montargis, on 19 June 1944 at 01:30. Bodies found at the crash site were described as completely charred. A briefcase with navigation documents was also recovered. Identification tags recovered at the crash site belonged to: Fred H. Lowery, John R. Niel, Henry H. Ricard, Joseph P. Bova, Glenn D. Thompson, and Fred Monico.
13 JUNE 1944 · TUESDAY · STATION 104Missing in Action
Mission 410.Beaumont-Sur-Oise.
Beaumont-Sur-Oise, France
Intended Target
Beaumont-Sur-Oise
Beaumont-Sur-Oise, France
Operating Group
93rd BG
1BD
Takeoff Base
Hardwick
Station 104
Aircraft Effective
41 / 112
effective / dispatched
Bomb Tonnage
94
tons
The route.
§ Takeoff to Target
Bearing Out
169° T
Bearing In
350° T
The formation.
§ 2 Aircraft Dispatched
Each ship that lifted off, and the men aboard her.▸ 1 ship carrying your selection
Unidentified ship
On 13 June 1944 the aircraft was shot down during a bombing mission over NW France. Three planes were lost on this mission. Six crew members bailed out. The aircraft departed from Station 104 at 1630. Of the three planes shot down, S/Sgt John R. Rudy (tail gunner) was the only crew member to successfully evade capture. All six men who bailed out were shot at while descending. Two were killed during the descent; the remaining three (other than the narrator) were captured. The fate of crew members who did not bail out is unknown.
Sources.
§ Provenance
Mighty Eighth War Diary
Roger A Freeman · Jane's Publishing Company Limited · 1981
Published