Sortie2BDMissing in Action

Unidentified ship.

Mission 115 · 01 August 1943

Aboard
10
men

The crew.

§ 10 aboard

In their own words.

§ 10 entries

Victor E. Olliffe served as pilot of the aircraft on the August 1, 1943 mission, which departed Benghazi and was lost over Bulgaria. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Clifford E. Koen Jr., who survived the mission and submitted E&E Report No. 2451. Seven crew members were buried following the crash.

Claude H. Ipher served as co-pilot on the August 1, 1943 mission flown by the 330th Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group, departing Benghazi. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. The aircraft went down over Bulgaria and caught fire after impact.

Harry R. Savage served as navigator aboard the aircraft lost over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943, during a mission flown from Benghazi. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr., the surviving waist gunner who filed E&E Report No. 2451 upon returning to the UK in October 1944.

Louis M. Nicholson served as bombardier on the ill-fated August 1, 1943 mission from Benghazi that ended in a crash over Bulgaria. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. Seven crew members were buried following the crash; Nicholson is believed to have perished with the plane.

John D. CrimminsRadio Operator

John D. Crimmins served as radio operator aboard the 93rd Bomb Group aircraft lost over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. The aircraft caught fire and burned after impact; seven crew members were buried.

Harold R. MurrayBall Turret Gunner

Harold R. Murray served as ball turret gunner and successfully bailed out of the stricken aircraft over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943. His parachute opened. Murray was reported as OK by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. and is associated with E&E Report No. 2444, indicating he also successfully evaded and returned. He bailed out at approximately 2000 feet.

Eugene W. EngdahlWaist Gunner

Eugene W. Engdahl served as a waist gunner and successfully bailed out of the aircraft over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943. His parachute opened. He bailed out at approximately 2000 feet. Engdahl was reported as OK by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. and is associated with E&E Report No. 2445, indicating he also successfully evaded and returned.

Clifford E. KoenWaist Gunner

S/Sgt. Clifford E. Koen Jr. (ASN 34343238) served as waist gunner with the 330th Squadron, 93rd Bomb Group. He was born October 7, 1921, and resided at Box 152, Gloster, Mississippi. He was a short-order cook in civilian life and had served 26.5 months by the time of his return. On August 1, 1943 — his 11th mission — Koen's aircraft departed Benghazi at 07:31. The plane went down over Bulgaria at approximately 5:00 PM. He bailed out at approximately 2000 feet; his parachute opened. He sustained bruised back and left side, and a sprained left ankle on landing. He was captured soon after landing and did not use his aids box, though he carried a purse and two passport-size photographs. Maps were taken from him. He was interrogated at Bari, Italy (22nd Replacement Battalion) and again in Cairo in September 1944, signing a security certificate at both locations. Koen departed Naples by air on October 18, 1944, arriving in the UK on October 12, 1944. He held the Air Medal and Distinguished Flying Cross. He filed E&E Report No. 2451, which noted that seven crew members were buried, with six of his crewmates reported dead.

Edgar J. PearsonTail Gunner

Edgar J. Pearson served as tail gunner aboard the aircraft lost over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943, during a mission flown from Benghazi. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. Seven crew members were buried following the crash; Pearson is believed to have perished with or near the plane.

Edward J. HallerTop Turret Gunner

Edward J. Haller served as top turret gunner on the aircraft that was lost over Bulgaria on August 1, 1943, during a mission from Benghazi. He was reported dead by S/Sgt. Koen Jr. Koen observed two men thrown from the plane without parachutes after it went down.

The flight.

§ Ship’s Record
The Day
Took off fromBenghazi (Benina Main)
The Record
ResultMissing in Action
Record confidenceValidated against a source
Fuel & Equipment
H2X scope photoNo

Notes.

§ From the Record
The aircraft took off from Benghazi at 07:31 on August 1, 1943, on a bombing mission. The plane went down over Bulgaria at approximately 5:00 PM. S/Sgt. Koen bailed out at approximately 2000 feet along with the two waist gunners and the tunnel gunner; their parachutes opened. The plane did not explode on impact but caught fire and burned. After reaching the ground, Koen observed two men who had been thrown from the plane without parachutes. Seven crew members were subsequently buried, believed to have gone down with the plane.

Read the records.

1 document

Original documents behind what this page says about this sortie — reports, records, and histories the archive holds and is free to reproduce. Check the sources for yourself.

Supports 1 fact

Escape and Evasion Report 2451

Military Record · United States Army Air Forces · 1943 · Escape and Evasion Reports

Sources.

§ Provenance
United States Army Air Forces · National Archives and Records Administration · 1943
Official record
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